FSE

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Nathan stretched in the bottom bunk but felt an empty yet faintly warm space beside him. Blinking partly from confusion, he found himself sleeping on a small bed all alone. A dull cozy light illuminated the sleeping quarters. It was morning and he had somehow slept through Tosca crawling over him to get out of bed. Recollecting everything that had happened, the human relaxed once again.

“Yesterday was… too much.' The previous day's events felt like a lifetime of trouble happening all at once. Waking up on the beach, being taken away with Tosca, captives on an island, and then being saved by pirates of all people. The memory of Tosca joining the topless pirate crew bothered him.

'I don't know how to feel about Tosca becoming a pirate.' Nathan thought to himself as he lied in Tosca's bottom bunk. It didn't surprise him too much that she would join when given the opportunity, but he hadn't expected it. He suddenly didn't like the idea of her leaving.

'Should I feel happy for her?' She was a bandit at heart, and it made sense that she would be happy to join a pirate crew. Tosca appeared happy, so why not feel the same way and simply part ways? Nathan winced at the idea. He had gotten used to the raccoon being his companion, for better or worse.

'Why do I feel attached to her?' Nathan found it off putting that he didn't want the raccoon to leave him, even if he was treated well in the meantime and returned to the trading post. Nathan knew the raccoon's dubious past and the trouble she had put him through before, but all of that seemed so distant now.

“No. I don't think Claudia is going to retire." A female voice spoke up somewhere in the sleeping quarters.

“With the shares we received from that ransom, I think she will." A second female voice mentioned.

“She always wanted to start a family." A third gruff voice spoke.

“Well, if she does retire then I'll miss her."

“Yeah…"

“I have my garments for laundry. I'm going back up."

“Okay." The sound of paws quietly scuffing away led to another brief silence. Nathan blew a little sigh of relief that whoever the three were had left.

“Hey. I know you're not sleeping." A rough voice interrupted his thoughts. Nathan blinked and looked over his shoulder only to find a topless hyena looking down at him suspiciously with folded arms. The unpleasant scowl she wore was the least of his worries. A knife hanging at her hip, and a jagged scar on her upper arm made it apparent that she was no pushover or stranger when it came to fighting.

“Where did Tosca go?" He asked.

“Tosca? The one who owns your heart?" She smartly remarked.

“What?"

“Tch-."

“You don't need to bother the man so much Emilia." Kristine, the pudgy mature husky walked by the bunk. Nathan rolled over as Emilia walked away without a word. The hyena sat down on one of the beds and began gathering up a few garments.

“Good morning. You're a late riser." Kristine bent forward and offered the human a hand. Nathan blinked and saw her breasts hanging freely below, but the husky was completely oblivious about the fact, or simply didn't care.

“Yeah, I really needed the rest." He grasped her hand as she pulled him up to his feet. Joints popped with satisfaction in response.

“With all of that popping and snapping you sound like me when I wake up." She found it funny. “I heard you mentioned Tosca."

“Yeah. Is she up on the deck?" He looked around the largely empty sleeping quarters.

“I think so, but let me know if you need anything while you're down here." She mentioned and walked over to another bed before removing the sheets. Nathan walked over the end of the beds in the living quarters only to come across something unique.

“What's this?" A few pieces of paper on the wall caught his attention. Taking a closer look, the first wasn't unfamiliar at all.

'Wanted Niki…' He read the poster and immediately recognized the genet depicted on the page. She was posed with both curved knives in hand wearing a sinister smile across her muzzle.

“Seventy five pounds? What did she do to earn that bounty?" He wondered.

“Ah, some of the crew are really proud of their wanted posters." Kristine remarked from afar.

“I think you'd be impressed with mine." Emilia spoke up and Nathan heard the hyena approach him from behind.

“Huh-?" A hand firmly grabbed his shoulder as he felt her bosom press up nonchalantly behind his arm.

“The artist must've gotten a good pose from me." She gave a toothy grin and looked at the poster beside Niki's. The paper depicted a hyena smiling almost hungrily at the viewer while wielding a studded club. Her pants were ragged and belt helped carry an unsheathed sword. To no surprise her breasts were fully depicted in all their glory.

“And a nice bounty too." She hummed as Nathan saw the one hundred and sixteen pounds reward under her picture. The human felt nervous as she pressed up beside him closely.

“Emilia!" Kristine called out. “I told you to stop messing with him!"

“Pf. Yeah, I know." The hyena gently pushed him aside and abruptly left.

“What is with her?" Nathan mumbled under his breath as she disappeared from view.

“Sorry." Kristine sighed. “Emilia is rather rough." She walked up to him with a long sheet in hand, breasts naturally bouncing from her steps.

“This is a pirate ship full of pirates." He mentioned.

“Hey, we're all still ladies." She pointed out only to pause. “Okay, some more than others." A grin reemerged across her face. “I told you the other day I could be rough if necessary."

“Yeah… you did." He recalled.

“Help me fold this up, would you?" She handed him one end of the sheet.

“Sure."

“Thank you." She finished folding and tucked it under her arm. “So the wanted posters caught your wandering eye this time?" The naked husky noted with a grin.

“Yeah." He looked back at the wall. “And all of you are uh…"

“Topless. It's in the name so you shouldn't be surprised." She giggled. “The crew from that ship we ransomed off was surprised too." That reminded Nathan of the predicament he was in. Even though he was being treated very well, he was still a prisoner and their aim was to ransom him off as well.

“Here's my poster." Kristine leaned forward and tapped one paper that depicted herself posing somewhat stoically with her hand on a sheathed cutlass. Otherwise, the mature husky was completely topless, mature breasts freely in view as she wore an open vest and loose belt with pants.

“Wow." He glanced back at the pudgy mature and found the poster to be very accurate. There were also small handwritten notes about her temperament and traits on the paper.

“Eighty eight pounds?!" He read aloud the husky's bounty.

“I wish." She mused.

“How do you have a higher bounty than Niki?"

“I told you the other day that I can be rough when needed." The mature husky grinned. “I'm not as aggressive as some of the other gals, but I've been part of the crew much longer than her." Kristine explained. “I think she's only been on board with us for two or three years?" She guessed.

“What about you?"

“Maybe ten." She shrugged.

“Ten years being a pirate?" Nathan couldn't believe it. “How long has this pirate group been around?" He asked. “I haven't heard of such a thing before."

“You probably don't need all of the details, but the Topless Pirates have some history. Chita took over as captain right before I joined several years ago. We have taken some periods of time to rest and enjoy life without pirating. That helps prevent too much attention falling on us. We can recruit more, or others can retire if they wish. Either way, we like to maintain plenty of connections wherever we sail. After all, if we were known by everyone then I'm sure the navy would hunt us down without taking a break."

“That's a long time…" He glanced away. Nathan started to wonder if he'd ever see Tosca again once he parted ways with the Topless Pirates.

“It is a long time, but they've certainly been some exciting years the crew has shared." Kristine mentioned with a grin and shifted from one paw to the other due to the subtle rocking of the ship.

“I can imagine." Nathan gave a slow nod. “Sorry, but how do I get back up to the deck?" He asked.

“No, you're fine." She reassured him. “Just pop out right there." The husky pointed to an entryway where the hyena had disappeared earlier. “Then follow the hall all the way to the stairs."

“Thank you-." He turned but his hand accidentally brushed up against her breast. “Oops. Sorry." Nathan was quick to retract his hand.

“Eh, don't worry about it." She rolled her eyes and waved without care.

“Thanks." The human quickly left the husky pirate in the sleeping quarters and walked up the passageway. A burly figure emerged from an opening halfway down the hall. Dark brown and black fur predominantly covered a huskily built wolverine lady. She only wore a meager pair of stitched short held fast by a thick belt. Large breasts in full view were impossible to ignore as her lighter skinned areolae contrasted against the darker fur. The strongly built female eyed him suspiciously

'She looks dangerous.' Nathan kept walking and avoided direct eye contact with the intimidating wolverine. He heard her mumble something under her breath, but he wasn't curious in what she had to say. The natural light grew once he reached the steps. He nearly stumbled when climbing as the ship gently rocked from the ocean waves.

'I'm walking like a drunk!' He found it difficult to adapt to the swaying of the ship.

“Need me to carry you, human?" A rumble feminine voice asked from below. Nathan felt the subtle nauseating feeling worsen as he looked back down the steep stairway. The wolverine was looking up at him with a toothy grin and climbing the steps with ease. Nathan's eyes were briefly distracted by a necklace with a small sun medallion swaying rhythmically between her breasts. That gave the grinning wolverine enough time to catch up. Nathan instinctively leaned away as she stopped beside him. Their sides practically touched as a soft padded yet rough hand rested on his shoulder.

“What? Never had a lady touch you before?" She softly mused. Nathan tensed as he felt claws barely graze his skin. Nathan wasn't sure if she was being flirtatious or threatening him.

“Eh… yeah, just not a lady like you." He didn't know what to say. The wolverine's grin turned into a frown, but only for a moment.

“Careful how you use that tongue of yours aboard this ship." She said before brushing past him. Nathan watched and nearly held his breath until she disappeared to the deck. The human blew a sigh and steadied himself against the wall.

'I just want to get up to the deck!' He worried another pirate would approach him before he finished climbing the stairs. The sky was mostly cloudy but without any threat of rain. A salty ocean breeze felt pleasant and invigorating compared to the stuffy interior of the vessel's interior. He found Tosca just a few steps away talking amiably to Niki the genet who had freed him yesterday.

“Hey, there's the heavy sleeper." Niki noticed the human first and grinned.

“Ah, sorry. I was just about to go down below deck and see if you were awake." Tosca turned and rubbed the back of her head.

“Kristine was down there and uh-." He paused as the ship rolled slightly. The persistent yet gentle rocking of the ship made his empty stomach churn.

“You're not seasick, are you?" Tosca asked.

“No, I don't think so." He blinked and took a deep breath. “When I think about the ship rocking so much, it can get to me. How does it not affect you?" He asked but the raccoon merely shrugged in response.

“How did you not get seasick when we were in the canoes?"

“Canoes are completely different than fully fledged ships."

“Keeping yourself busy should help." Niki suggested. “You could start by swabbing the deck." The topless genet suggested. “It's the least you can do for us after getting you outta that island." She added with a wink and pointed to a mop and bucket across the deck.

“Alright…" He turned to walk away only for Tosca to reach out and touch him.

“Are you okay?" She asked quietly.

“Yeah." He gave a nod. “The fresher air is helping."

“Have fun cleaning them." Tosca teased and patted his shoulder.

“Thanks." Nathan masked his annoyance and walked over to the mop and bucket.

'I'd rather talk to her alone.' He thought to himself but heard the raccoon chatting with the genet once again. He found that the wooden mop pole was old and worn. Several pirates had even carved their initials into various spots with varying degrees of success.

'At least I'm not tied to a mast or a totem pole.' He felt somewhat lucky with how his predicament was going. The pirates weren't very hostile towards him either, just intimidating. After a few plunges, he began swabbing the deck.

'I'm sure she's enjoying everyone ordering me around.' He glanced over at the raccoon watching him from afar even as she talked with Niki.

'She does look happy.' He couldn't help but notice the raccoon's relaxed demeanor, even as other pirates spoke to her. It made him wonder if this was a life she truly wanted.

“You've caught yourself a good man, Tosca." He overheard Niki say.

“What do you mean by that?" Tosca found that funny, and glanced at Nathan with a persistent grin. However, Niki chose to whisper her answer so he couldn't hear.

“Oh. Well… You are right." Tosca paused before turning to face the genet.

'Tch.' The human couldn't hear what the raccoon said. 'I'll ask her later.' He focused on the task at hand, content to have the freedom to move. Nathan cleaned the deck as pirates walked around and went about their business. No one bothered him as he worked at his own pace for the next half hour. Only when the human took a break and looked up from his work did he notice that well over a dozen women were lining up on the deck, completely naked with their clothes in hand.

'I thought this was the Topless Pirates, not the nude pirates.' He thought to himself. Three women seated on low stools were also completely naked. Hunched forward, one mature feline woman's breasts naturally hung and shook as she diligently washed garments by hand.

“What's going on?" He asked as Tosca approached him.

“Laundry day." Tosca shrugged as they watched two lengthy clotheslines being set up, running nearly the entire length of the ship.

“Oh. I mean, that makes sense."

“I'll get in one of the lines since mine need to be washed anyway." Tosca mentioned and unbuttoned her shorts before letting them drop to her paws. The raccoon merely placed her hands on her hips while standing naked before him.

“Don't get too excited, and pick them up for me please." She winked with a grin.

“Crazy…" Nathan glanced around and bent down to grab them, but the raccoon wouldn't step away even if he tugged.

“Tosca-." He looked up only to have a very intimate view of the newly anointed pirate raccoon. Her downy grey fur covered her womanhood very well, but still seeing it nestled between her spaced thighs was uncommon. Higher up, he could see her smiling face above the natural swells of her lovely breasts. Neither said anything for a few seconds with their gazes locked. Someone whistled at them and Tosca finally relented and stepped aside for him.

“You just wanted to give me a view." He felt a little flustered since they were in the open.

“They're all ladies so it's fine." She nudged him before taking her two garments from him.

“Are you going to stay on deck?" He asked, mop in hand.

“Yeah. I'll be around." She told him before walking over to one of the lines. Nathan resumed swabbing close by the lines of ladies. The process of washing by hand was slow and gradual, especially with all of the chatter. Nearly everyone was talking while a few impatiently waited with their clothes and even bedsheets in hand.

Others helped hang up soaked garments to dry before standing or lounging around in naked groups. It was an odd scene to say the least, and it reminded him of some sort of social event. He glimpsed Tosca laughing with a skinny white husky with torpedo shaped breasts.

'Tosca does seem to fit in with this group of ladies.' He didn't like admitting that, but she certainly wasn't a stranger amongst them. Nathan noticed the wolverine he encountered below deck was in the group whose clothes had already been washed. Emilia the hyena was there as well along with an Australian shepherd, Doberman, lynx, jackal, jaguar, and leopardess.

'This is a large pirate crew.' He counted at least twelve more in the lines. None of them were shy about the lack of clothing, even in his presence. Seeing them without their weapons gave a deceptive imagine of friendliness, but he knew better.

“You haven't laid with a man in your life, Rebecca!" He easily heard the wolverine tease a fellow pirate.

“Whatever…" The slim and nearly flat chested Australian shepherd rolled her eyes and folded her arms.

“She's too busy kissing Emilia." A jackal chimed in.

“Ooh!" A few remarked as the Australian shepherd frowned and blushed. Emilia the hyena merely grinned without saying a word.

“I'm not afraid to admit it!" The flustered canine told them.

“Hehe. Any man would want you, but you've taken a liking to women." One of the others giggled.

“You shouldn't pass up men so easily Rebecca."

“It's not like the rest of us have many chances either." The mature jaguar stated. “When you reach my age, you become invisible."

“I've seen people stare at you before." The jackal mentioned.

“Probably out of shock." The wolverine found it funny.

“There was a gentleman several months ago when we were staying at Porto Olisipo who kept telling me he wanted what I had." The older jaguar explained causing a few to laugh.

“What exactly did he say?"

“He'd say that I still had it, and he wanted it." She laughed.

“Oh lord."

“Too funny."

“Hehe. The man would also say what I have is a gold mine." The jaguar said and they all laughed.

“What did you say back to him?"

“I angrily told him it ain't worth two cents!" The mature jaguar exclaimed and several women roared with laughter. Nathan caught himself from laughing too hard, but the naked ladies nearby had noticed him.

“My, my, it seems we have a one man audience." The wolverine's voice rumbled.

“A nosy peeping tom."

“Eyes up here, lad!" The wolverine feigned covering her womanhood and pointed at her chest instead. The rugged pirate gave a little shake causing both breasts to bounce along with her necklace. Several ladies laughed and giggled as Nathan felt his jaw drop. He had no idea how to react.

“Relax ladies. He couldn't hurt us if he wanted to." The mature jaguar downplayed it.

“He needs a rough woman to be his mentor." The wolverine stepped up to him, placed a hand on her hip and puffed her chest out. Her breasts nearly touched him.

“Heh he's come to the right place." The torpedo breasted Doberman grinned.

“Any idea what we would do to a man who thinks he can have his way with any woman he sees?" The wolverine asked.

“N-no." Nathan didn't want to know.

“I'll tell you." She smiled. “Not too long ago we captured a small crew on the high seas and three of the males didn't have the best manners towards the fairer sex." She winked. “So we had them lie on their backs on improvised benches. One pirate each would stand snuggly over their faces and have their tongues go to work. We barely started and had their pants pulled off. Let's just say it looked like they were enjoying it more than us." She finished with a huff and gleam in her eyes. Nathan felt as though his eyes were going to pop out of his head!

“Goodness, Lily." The jaguar stood up. “You're already scaring him to death!"

“I wouldn't harm a hair on his head." She reached out to touch him.

“H-hey-!" Nathan stepped back only to kick the bucket.

“Hold up!" Tosca called out and pushed through the group. The raccoon was completely naked and brushed past the wolverine and Nathan's side.

'Thank goodness!' He stood close to her side.

“What's going on?" Tosca asked.

“Just having a little fun with your fella." Lily feigned innocence and patted Nathan's shoulder.

“I'll handle this, thank you." She guided Nathan by the hand and away from the group of women. The human felt relieved.

“I could've become the mop if you hadn't shown up." He wiped his forehead.

“You don't have to be romantic with every lady you greet." She sarcastically told him.

“Are you kidding? I was surrounded!"

“Heh, I know I know." She reassured him. “Some of the ladies here make me look calm and well mannered by comparison."

“Ain't that the truth." Nathan muttered. “But thanks for helping." He glanced back at the ladies watching him from afar.

“Don't mention it."

“Can I talk to you privately?"

“Sure." She paused since no one was around them.

“I don't think the ransom will work out. I have a bad feeling about it."

“We talked about this last night." She blew a sigh. “You don't have to worry. I'm here, and you won't be marooned on an island."

“I know. You said all of that, but… I'll miss you." He admitted. The raccoon blinked with her mouth slightly ajar.

“Um." She closed her mouth and blinked again. “Sheesh. You're just saying that to keep me around for intimacy." Tosca huffed and folded her arms.

“You know that's not true."

“Okay." She conceded. “But look. Everything will be fine. Worrying won't solve anything." Tosca stated.

“But I-."

“I'm going back over there." She interrupted. “No one will mess with you."

“Tosca…" The human was at a loss as he watched the naked raccoon saunter away back to the other topless pirates.

'Maybe I should just shut up.' Nathan meandered over to the side of the ship after watching the groups of pirate ladies talking from afar. A few had started lounging back or even taking a nap while waiting for their clothes to dry. Both clotheslines were full and swinging in the constant breeze. Gazing out towards the ocean, the human wondered what would happen next. The calm waters didn't shimmer from the increasing cloud cover. He didn't have any specific thoughts and simply observed the ocean to pass the time.

“Hey." A familiar female voice caught his attention. Looking over his shoulder, Kristine the mature husky from below deck was approaching him. She was still completely naked, but saw no reason to cover herself before the man.

“Your laundry is hanging to dry?" He guessed and looked back out to the ocean.

“Yep. The lines are mostly gone, and everyone else is waiting for their clothes to dry too." She stood beside him. A brief silence passed as the wind ruffled past them.

“Most prisoners on this ship aren't usually this gloomy when they have so many ladies to look at, even when they're locked up." She noted. “What's on your mind?"

“It's just-I don't know…" He admitted. “I feel uncertain. Even if everything goes well for me, I have a tough time thinking about how I won't see Tosca again."

“I'm sorry to tell you this, but life isn't fair." She spoke consolingly to the human. “People come and go. That's life."

“I know. I don't have any say over it either."

“Yeah you're kind of our prisoner, but if it wasn't for us then you might be on that island with the sea otters. Who knows? Fate is a funny thing." She told him.

“Yeah, it really is." He agreed.

“I never would've imagined becoming a pirate and sailing the seas half naked or butt naked given the day." She mused alongside him. “You know my story is too long to tell. What's yours?" The husky inquired.

“Tosca and I first met weeks ago. She fooled me into thinking that she was a guide who could take me across a swamp. She double crossed me and handed me over to a small group of bandits she was affiliated with."

“Very cunning." Kristine added.

“It was but then she was double crossed too, and then thrown in a wooden cage with me." He explained to the husky's surprise. “We were freed in the middle of night thanks to a river otter native I knew. We escaped the swamp and parted ways. However, Tosca felt like she needed to repay me, so she broke into my cabin the following night and rode me hard." Nathan felt his face turn a little red at the admission.

“Hah. That's a wild thing to do." She smiled and stared out at sea. “I may have done something similar if I was younger." The husky chuckled.

“She left me with only a written note in the morning, so I had to find her to get answers. She had nowhere to go so I allowed her to stay with me… temporarily."

“Uh huh." Kristine nodded. “Temporarily."

“Yeah… well, we went to a large tribal gathering for several days. She insisted on going with me and tagged along. There were plenty of times where I would've thought she was a burden, and she caused a little trouble, but she was helpful too. The night before we were taken by the sea otters and all of this happened, she got on top of me… It felt right. It felt normal to be with her." He ran a hand through his windswept hair.

“Mmhm." Kristine hummed in thought. “I can tell she cares for you."

“You can?" He looked at her.

“Yes." She insisted. “Anyone who lays in bed with someone despite being awake must care for the other person a little bit."

“She laid in bed with me this morning?" He knew how passionate the raccoon could be, although intimacy wasn't something that came to mind when thinking about her.

“Yeah, when everyone else was waking up." She recalled. “Tosca was lying on her back and holding you with an arm. I asked her if she needed help rolling you out of bed, but she declined and wanted you to sleep. I can't believe she was able to get out of bed without waking you." Kristine giggled.

“Heh." Nathan grinned.

“Had you woken up, you would've found her breasts dangling over your face." She found it funny.

“That's nothing new." He grinned and thought fondly of the awkward moments they've had waking up together.

“She's likely loyal to you, at the very least because you showed her kindness when she had nowhere else to go." Kristine added. “I'm sure she could've taken anything she wanted from you and simply ran off, but she didn't."

“That's right." He nodded.

“I'd say things turned out pretty well for you both considering what else could've happened." The husky acknowledged. “I'll pass the word along to her that you care, if you want."

“Thanks. I appreciate it." He hoped Tosca would listen more closely to her fellow crew mate.

“Of course." The husky smiled. “And just so you know, I think we're close to landing."

“We are?" He glanced at the horizon only to see water.

“Yep. You'll see." She didn't linger and made her way back across the deck. Nathan wondered where they exactly were, but had no control over it anyway.

'It's probably best for me to stay here rather than eavesdrop.' He safely watched the pirates from afar. Some were taking down laundry that had dried, and others were eating, or chatting. He noticed two ladies were laid out in a hammock sleeping together. There was a sense of freedom in being able to sail across the seas.

'You have to be an adventurous person to sail around and risk everything.' Nathan noted. 'And given how friendly they are towards one another, they're an effective team.' He thought about the abandoned ship they had chased down to capture the entire crew. He was glad to be on their good side for the time being.

“Land ho!" A voice shouted from atop the crow's nest.

“Don't call me that!" One lady yelled back only to laugh.

“Land?" Nathan didn't have a good view from the other side of the ship. He spotted a small sailing vessel, likely a fishing boat, nearby. Walking across the deck, the ship came to life as news quickly spread that they were approaching land. The idle chatting groups split up or checked their drying clothes to get partially dressed. Many appeared excited about it.

“We finally made it to port." A naked lynx sounded relieved as she pulled her pants off the clothesline beside a jackal.

“It's been a long two weeks." She agreed and plucked two garments from the line.

“And everything dried off just in time."

“Can't mess with the dress code." The jackal laughed.

“Careful, human!" A lioness brushed past him with clothes in hand.

'Are we near the trading post?' Nathan felt a sense of excitement and dread.

“Hoist up that flag, Althea!" A few orders were shouted. One pirate was already hoisting up a second flag to fly below their bare breasted pirate flag. The dark blue pattern with a white cross confused the human.

“Hmm. I'm not familiar with that flag." He noticed it wasn't the same as his home country.

'This must be a colony under another country.' Nathan thought as the ship neared the docks.

“Can you get my coin pouch when you go below deck, Carina?" A fennec shouted to another pirate.

“Nathan!" Tosca found him amidst the unfolding chaos, carrying her belt and machete in hand. “We're docking soon."

“Where exactly are we? The trading post?"

“No. We're in a port town."

“So we are just sailing right up to a busy port? Won't there be a fight?" Nathan didn't understand why the pirates were so bold about approaching the public space.

“This port is friendly to pirates." Tosca explained to him and fastened her belt around her naked waist.

“Friendly in what way?"

“The mayor, governor, or whatever he is takes bribes apparently."

“Ah, okay." He gave a slow nod. “So why are they coming here?"

“They have some crew waiting in the port."

“More pirates are living here?" He was surprised.

“Yeah. Apparently they have a point of contact in the port." Tosca explained. “I don't know the details, but it sounds like the spot is a safe haven for this pirate crew."

“I didn't think such a relationship could exist." He was surprised.

“They can certainly negotiate."

“Can you two collect the rest of the clothes for us?" A tall and pudgy brown bear approached them with a basket in hand.

“Sure." Tosca and Nathan agreed in unison.

“Thanks." She handed them the big basket.

“Who's that?" Nathan glanced over at the tall bear walking away.

“Eh. I can't remember her name." Tosca paused before going over to the clothesline with him. “She was below deck when I woke up."

“It's a large crew." He mentioned as she pulled the remaining clothes off the line in quick order. However, other pirates quickly came looking for their garments as the ship was ready to dock.

“Hey! Did you get my vest?"

“My shorts are the ones with the hook on the pocket." The leopardess wedged her way forward.

“One at a time, please!" Nathan found himself holding the basket out a naked Doberman, Border Collie, and leopardess dug for their belongings all at once.

“Y'all are as rude as a pack of seagulls!" A lioness approached them. Unlike the trio or Tosca, she was fully “dressed" compared to any other topless pirate. She wore long pants and had a long sash tied around her waist where a dagger was safely tucked. She wore numerous bracelets and necklaces, including one with a shark tooth. The only clothing above her waist was an open sleeveless vest.

“Sorry, Asha." The leopardess apologized. “But we weren't expecting to reach Novo Amalfi at noon."

“Chita's clothes are still hanging out to dry too." The Doberman added as she donned a vest.

“I'm sure she has more than one pair of pants." Asha mentioned.

“I think so." The Doberman grinned. Meanwhile, Tosca patiently folded a few more garments and placed them in the basket.

“Is that everything?" Nathan asked.

“The rest are still wet or too damp." She shrugged. “But I got mine." She smiled and held up her worn shorts.

“At least you won't be scrounging through this basket." Nathan set the heavy load down.

“Mind helping me put them on?" She half innocently asked.

“Do you have to ask for this in the open?" He glanced around as the other pirates were still getting dressed.

“Sorry, but there's not a lot of privacy on this ship." She stood firm knowing that he wouldn't refuse her request, and handed him her undergarment first.

“Fine." Nathan knelt down.

“Heh. I need a man to do that for me." The leopardess giggled before walking off.

“She's lucky." Asha agreed before sauntering away. Tosca smiled as they were left alone.

“Kristine talked to me earlier, right before we heard below deck that land was spotted."

“She did?" He looked up only to see a lovely view of the raccoon's face above her feminine curves. She nudged him with her foot, reminding him what to do before finally lifting one at a time for him.

“Thank you." Tosca grinned as he pulled them up to her waist. “Now what's really got you bothered?" She asked and handed him her shorts next.

“What?"

“Kristine mentioned that you were thinking about me."

“Yeah." He sighed, unsure what so say.

“Well? You can put these on me." She politely pointed at her pants. Nathan obliged and knelt down.

“You can lift your foot." He sat there with her pants in hand. However, Tosca bent over instead, and her breasts nearly smacked his head. Nearly eye to eye once again, she spoke to him.

“I appreciate everything that you've done for me. It's more than what I deserve." She quietly told him. “I don't want to leave you either, but if there's something that I can figure out, then I'll let you know. Okay?"

“Okay."

“Thanks." She grinned all the same and pulled them up herself.

“I hope I'm not interrupting anything." Niki appeared standing close by. Nathan looked away out of embarrassment.

“Not at all. What's going on?"

“C'mon." The genet beckoned Tosca. “Novo Amalfi is a good place. You'll love the inn we stay at."

“Sure." She gestured for Nathan to follow.

“He's coming with you?" She asked her.

“Yes." The raccoon stated and the lioness merely shrugged. “You're coming along, right?" She turned to ask him.

“Yeah." Not wanting to remain on deck without her protection, he readily agreed. Looking over the side of the ship revealed a busy, yet small port. It was far more developed than the sleepy little trading post he began his journey at. A few smaller vessels were docked further away from the pirate ship. The town itself was a mixture of stone and wooden buildings, and people could be seen. A few sailors on the docks paused to look, but most seemed uninterested, or had seen the crew before. Once a gangplank was dropped and secured, more than a dozen topless pirates readily disembarked with Holly leading them up the dock. Nathan and Tosca were right behind them.

'They're crazy to walk here half naked.' The human kept to himself and glanced at Tosca; but the buxom raccoon didn't seem to mind though. After all, she always went topless, and there was safety in numbers.

“Welcome back to the smuggler's cove, ladies!" A buxom heavyset vixen greeted the topless pirates warmly at the end of the dock. She wore a long sleeve linen shirt with a vest overtop that matched her pants. Standing beside her was a petite female rat helper wearing tattered shortsand a thin shirt where her small breasts were plainly outlined. She had small earrings, and reminded Nathan of a pirate.

“Hey, Miss Dresfaire." The topless German shepherd approached the clothed vixen. They amiably shook hands and briefly hugged.

“How's hunting been the past two weeks?" She winked only to grin.

“Very successful." The canine happily spoke. “We've made a few pretty coins recently."

“Delighted to hear it. Is Chita sick?" The vixen noticed that the captain wasn't with them.

“She's still on board." Holly pointed over her shoulder. “She'll come down soon. We were doing laundry but the breeze carried us faster than we expected."

“Ah, no worries. If you need anything stowed out of sight, Deb or I can help you out." She nodded to the rat standing beside her.

“What about Marissa? She's a feisty one." She mused.

“She's feeling a little under the weather right now, so I'm short a hand." Vel admitted.

“We have a whole crew to move cargo. It's no trouble at all."

“Fair enough. Come on. Let's go to the inn and rest for the day." She waved for the pirates to come onto land.

'She's the first covered woman I've seen in days.' Nathan thought to himself.

“What's this?" The buxom vixen spotted Nathan. “Are y'all bringing me a boyfriend?" She playfully asked causing the ladies to laugh. Nathan felt the hair on his neck raise up.

“He's a special guest for the time being." Holly mentioned.

“Hehe. I think I scared him." She giggled and walked alongside the German shepherd.

“So who is that?" Tosca asked Niki.

“Vel? She's a well connected smuggler that we are all friends with. We do plenty of trading and exchanging with her. She gets a lot of the bribing done for us here as well. Two former crew mates even work for her."

“That is impressive." Tosca murmured.

“Business going well for you?" They overheard Holly and Vel talking ahead of them.

“Of course." Vel nodded. “I had a few fishermen come by the other day and buy up most of the extra rum I had. They even referred a pearl diver to me to help grade the quality of their catches. But other than that it's the usual trade of raw and refined products, without paying any duties of course."

“Happy to hear it."

“I am fortunate to have two workers who are former pirates." The vixen grinned at Holly. “I just can't get them to consistently wear tops again." She giggled.

“Eh, nothing you can do about that." The German shepherd found it funny as they approached a nicely sized two storied building within sight of the docks. They all entered through a pair of double doors and found themselves in a nice lounge room that could comfortably host more than two dozen people. Several tables and numerous chairs filled the space. There were several windows, an empty hearth, and a countertop for service. At that moment it was calm and peaceful with only five guys were inside. A trio of men at one table and two others by a corner.

“Alrighty gents!" Vel called out to the five males. “You know the house rules. If the ladies want y'all gone then please leave, but if not, you're responsible for your own actions here this evening." The group of three men laughed, knowing better.

“Before everyone gets comfortable, I need a few strong ladies to help carry cargo to the storage room." Holly spoke up.

“We'll help." Wilma the badger quickly offered.

“Cmon. Let's put you to work." Lily the formidable wolverine placed a hand on the human's shoulder and turned him back around to the entrance as the rest of the ladies filtered into the lounge. Nathan felt nervous, but Tosca gave a nod of approval.

“Don't worry. It won't take us long." The wolverine reassured him.

“Thanks." He mumbled and was led back to the docks. On the deck, a few barrels, stacked crates, and tied sacks were gathered close to the gangplank for them. Some of the crew had remained on the ship, either waiting for their clothes to finish drying, or to help move more things that needed to be offloaded.

“This one isn't wine! Just so y'all know!" A dhole tapped one barrel before walking away. Nathan had no idea what she meant, but it didn't matter as Wilma stepped forward to take it.

“I've got it." The badger hoisted it over her shoulder

“We're carrying these back to the storage house." Lily pointed. “So carry whatever you can." She picked up a heavy sack and headed down the gangplank. Nathan picked up a heavy sack of sugar and followed them to the storage house close to the inn. They passed by other pirates who were slower to exit the ship. Nathan even passed by Kristine the mature husky.

“Thank you for your hard work." She gave him a smile and pat on the back before heading to the lounge herself. They made several trips until the deck had been cleared.

“So that's everything?" Deb the rat assistant asked when Nathan dropped the last sack onto the storage house.

“Yeah, I think so." He confirmed with a heavy breath and wiped his hands.

“Perfect. I'll lock everything from the inside. Thanks for the help ladies, er, you too." She looked at Nathan before closing the doorway.

“I could go for a drink now." Lily sighed and sat down atop a barrel under the shade of some palm trees beside the storage house. “Working under the sun makes the air feel twice as hot." The wolverine fanned her face for a moment.

“Mmhm." Wilma hummed in agreement and took a seat on a neighboring crate. Nathan was eager to take a break as well and sat down on a tall pile of rope. The gentle breeze helped.

“What about you, human?" Lily looked at him.

“Eh. I'm not much of a drinker." He admitted.

“Is it because you are a lightweight?" She teased.

“I never cared much for the taste or the hangover."

“I understand that." The wolverine gave a slow nod and looked out across the docks.

“Sorry to scare you so much while we were sailing." Lily apologized to his surprise.

“Oh. Uh, thanks." He didn't know what to say. “I was told you're a little rough."

“Yeah, I'm a bit rough." She admitted without a care.

“That's an understatement." The badger beside her murmured. “What did you do to scare him, Lily?" She looked at her crew mate.

“She told me a crazy tale about having a few ill tempered sailors lying on benches, being stripped, and yeah…" He felt bashful recounting part of it.

“Pffft!" Wilma held back a snorting laugh. “You told him that story?"

“Hehe. Yeah." She grinned.

“Wait. It was real?" Nathan looked at them both.

“Yes, of course it happened!" The wolverine looked at him directly and held back a laugh of her own. Nathan felt his heart nearly stop as his jaw fell open.

“It is true." Wilma calmly confirmed. “I didn't care for it, but quite a few ladies partook. The men didn't give us any trouble after that though. I just hope they wised up a little." The badger explained, but Nathan almost felt numb from it all.

“You should see your face." The wolverine snickered.

“Don't let your jaw fall off." Wilma half grinned and tapped his arm. Nathan blinked and closed his dry mouth.

“Wow." He didn't know what to make of it and silently hoped both were simply lying to scare him.

“You look like you've seen a ghost!" Lily couldn't help herself from giggling again.

“You don't need to be frightened." Wilma mentioned. “Lily's just messing with you. From what I've heard, Tosca has told everyone that you've been very kind to her even though she's a bandit."

“Y-yeah." Nathan was still a little too shocked to talk.

“Tosca wouldn't want that to happen anyway." She stretched and yawned.

'I'll pray to anyone or anything that she never allows that to happen.' Nathan silently prayed.

“Alright, I'm heading in." Wilma stood up.

“Okay. Aww, now the clouds cover up the sun!" Lily couldn't believe their luck as the sunshine faded under the overcast weather.

“We'll get some rain later." The badger guessed as they walked over. Nathan hesitated and looked around, but stood up. The thought of running off on his own crossed his mind, but that would've been a nightmare in itself.

'I'll see if Tosca has anything else to say.' He returned to the inn with the burly pirate ladies not too far ahead of him.

The lounge was alive with raucous laughter and boisterous voices. More than two dozen topless pirate ladies were inside and not a seat was left vacant. Three of the five men from before were still inside, and laughing with a group of pirates at a table. Drinks were readily available if requested from the bar's counter, and rolled cigars were alight for any wanting to smoke. Packs of playing cards were shuffled and dealt at an adjacent full table.

“I want the rings off your fingers if I win." The possum's eyes gleamed with envy at a petite grey vixen’s hand.

“You have more than enough on your middle finger alone!" Asha the lioness laughed beside the possum.

“Roll on the floor, we'll have a jubilee! Yay!" Kristine the husky was standing and singing alongside the mature jaguar who had been washing clothes earlier. There were a few ladies he didn't recognize from the ship; a red wolf, puma, and Gray Fox to mention a few. Although, he wasn't sure if they were pirates or some of Vel's workers.

'Where is Tosca?' He scanned the rowdy crowd and stepped aside to avoid being bumped by a nearly naked leopardess.

“Haha! You don't remember when Emilia misstepped and fell off a dock last year?" The leopardess laughed to a dingo with a cut ear.

“No! Was I sick below deck or something?" The dingo couldn't remember. Nathan stepped around them only to bump into the formidable Altai canine.

“Excuse me." Nathan said as she turned around, although he was surprised to find her completely naked despite being in the port. The scarred canine gave him a neutral look as he inched by her.

‘I can hardly see across the room-!'

“Hey there!" A strong hand suddenly grabbed him by the pants and pulled him over.

“Uh, hi." Nathan found himself looking at a bright eyed malamute female sitting at a small square table with three other topless ladies.

“Who are you and what are you doing here?" She looked at him fondly. “It seems y'all forgot to ransom one handsome sailor." She looked at the other three and laughed.

“He's the one we freed along with Tosca." A chubby Shiba Inu spoke up. “They were both tied to a totem pole."

“Mmhm." A perky breasted Doberman with a pair of large earrings hummed in agreement.

“Oh!" She was surprised. “Well, we didn't see each other because I was stationed here for two weeks." The malamute winked. “I’m Crystal. What's your name?"

“Nathan." He looked around but noticed her hand holding onto the hem of his pants with a vice grip like a crab claw.

“Nathan? That's a nice name. So how are you liking sailing aboard our ship with the Topless Pirates?" The malamute asked. “I'll be sailing with you soon enough." She crooned.

“Don't tackle him to the floor, Crystal." One of the other ladies joked. “You've barely met him."

“Oh, I love a young handsome man, but I'm afraid I'd scar him for life." She laughed and let go of his pants. Fearing he'd be ensnared again, Nathan stepped away.

“You scared him off, Crystal!" The Doberman and fellow pirates laughed.

'Where in the hell is Tosca when I need her to save me?!' Nathan couldn't move fast enough away from the malamute's table.

“Nathan!" A voice called out above the excited fray.

“There you are!" He breathed a sigh of relief and saw the topless raccoon getting up from a table.

“Hey, can Althea have your seat if you're getting up?" Niki asked while remaining seated.

“Sure!" Tosca told her before walking over to the closest wall with Nathan. “Sorry. It's been a long day, hasn't it?"

“Yeah, it has." His voice sounded a little shaky.

“You ok?" Tosca asked.

“Sure." He lied, still thinking and worrying about everything that had happened over the entire day. “I'm tired but happy to be on dry land again."

“Heh. I am too." She admitted before lowering her voice. “I got you a room to yourself." She whispered.

“Where?"

“Go upstairs. It's the second to last room on your right." Tosca pointed through the lounge's exit.

“What about Vel?"

“I sort of let her know that I want to ask her something. She knows it's serious, and that it's to help you." The raccoon glanced over across the lounge. “I think she can smuggle you outta here."

“You do?" He stared at her intently. “An entire pirate crew is here." He glanced at the full lounge.

“I'll talk to her in private later. If I can arrange some thing then I'll come to your room late at night. Just wait for me. I'll knock twice." She told him.

“Thank you."

“I know you don't want to stay here, so go up to the room for the evening. No one should bother you."

“Thank you so much." He felt some relief and squeezed her hand before walking around the groups and tables of pirate women to the open entryway. He found himself in a hallway lined with doors that ended with a staircase.

“So I told the annoying-." A naked puma and buxomDoberman were quietly talking to each other around the corner. Nathan felt their eyes on his back as soon as he walked past them. He ascended the stairs to a much quieter second story with the merry noises from the crowded lounge echoing behind him.

'Second to last room on the right.' He told himself and passed by doors on each side. One was open and he glimpsed a naked Pomeranian pirate stretching and yawning. She caught his stare and immediately frowned

“Keep walking." She gruffly told him and walked over to slam her door shut. Nathan hastily reached his room and heard a masculine voice cough behind a closed door across from him. Even though plenty of pirates were staying at the inn, it was still available to anyone. Going inside, the room was peaceful, private, and a little homely. A small bed rested in the corner bordered by an empty nightstand with a candle.

'All I have to do is wait for Tosca.' He told himself and hoped to find some rest all alone as daylight quickly faded.

***

Hours later, quietness had fallen over the entire inn with only the rain softly pattering against the window behind him. A little rainstorm had settled over the coast for the night. Nathan felt anxious lying in the darkness as he waited for Tosca.

'What if she can't get a meeting with Vel? Maybe the smuggler will refuse and know something is wrong.' The human couldn't help but worry now that he was waiting alone. He had no idea what to expect. Too many things could go wrong, or prevent the meeting from happening in the first place. Moreover, Vel was a vixen smuggler who dealt with pirates. Nathan felt suspicious about her, but she was the only one who could potentially help him escape.

'Maybe I should go to sleep, or tomorrow will be very rough.' He blinked and breathed a sigh. Keeping up with the rambunctious female pirate crew was a handful at times, and yet, sleep remained stubbornly out of reach. A soft pair of knocks made his eyes open wide and heart jump. The door opened slowly at first, and then all of a sudden. Lantern light filled the room as Nathan immediately rose up from the bed. A dark furred figure was standing in the opening, waiting for him.

“Come on." Tosca whispered. Nathan didn't hesitate to gather his belongings and walk to the door.

“We can meet with her?"

“Yes."

“I have everything in case." He tapped the pack on his shoulders.

“Okay."

“Why do you have your machete?" He noticed the subtle metallic glow under the lantern's light.

“Don't worry about it. Just hurry up." She whispered and turned around.

'I hope she isn't up to something dangerous.' Nathan thought to himself. They quietly crept down the hallway together, doing their best to avoid stepping on squeaky floorboards. Nathan was happy to find nearly every door closed shut for the night. The dull lantern light wouldn't be enough to wake anyone. However, they passed by one door that was cracked open. Nathan heard a soft moan and paused to peek inside a candle lit room. Emilia the hyena pirate was laid back in the room's bed while another pirate was between her legs, pleasuring her. A slender white furred husky was sitting beside the hyena, watching them intently while putting her hands to use.

'What the-.' He was pulled away from watching by Tosca. The raccoon cut her eyes at him before going down the hall once again.

“Sorry." He whispered and stayed close to her. They reached the stairs and the closing of a door downstairs made them both freeze. Nathan felt his heart race as he waited for Tosca to move. There were plenty of excuses that came to mind in case someone found them, but it would be better to avoid any suspicion altogether. Seconds ticked by as silence resumed.

“I think we're clear." She whispered and resumed climbing down the stairs with him. The dull glow of the lantern revealed the main floor's hallway. Thankfully, no one was meandering outside their rooms. It was completely silent besides their quiet steps and the very quiet pattering of rain outside. The two crept down the hall, passing by closed doors. The faint lantern light and pervasive darkness gave the illusion that someone was watching them from the shadows.

'This is spookier than when we crossed the swamp at night.' Nathan shuddered at the memory of escaping the swamp bandits near the trading post. They stepped into the lounge room and found it completely dark and nearly silent. The pattering of rain was a little louder with the numerous windows at the walls. The faint hints of cigar smoke hung in the air like summer humidity. It was a far cry from a mere few hours ago when the entire room was packed and loud.

“Hhhxxh." A soft nasal sound made them both freeze in mid stride. The hair on Nathan's arms stood on end. Their eyes frantically combed through the darkness and light, but there was no movement that they could see. The ghostly sound returned a moment later to their left. Nathan's heart raced, pounding in his ears as Tosca held up the lantern towards the closest table.

Nearby, a possum was slumped over in a chair with her paws propped up on a table. Wearing an open vest, it was plain to see even in the dim light that she was a topless pirate. Adorned with jewels and necklaces, her furry white front was bare. The gentle snoring persisted as her front slowly rose and fell. She was clearly asleep with an empty mug resting in the middle of the table by her paws. Nathan and Tosca visibly sighed with relief.

“Who is that?" He quietly whispered.

“Don't know." She whispered through clenched teeth. Tosca took ahold of his arm and turned away. Nathan pursed his lips and didn't make any unnecessary movements as they tiptoed to a closed door at the opposite end of the lounge room. Tosca didn't hesitate and quietly knocked on the door. Nathan glanced at her as a brief silence ensued. The possum was still asleep at the other end of the room.

“Come in." A muffled voice answered from inside. The raccoon and human opened up the door and stepped into a nicely spaced room. There was a small dresser, a desk, a table with various bottles, and chairs likely set up for secretive meetings. Candles brightly burned, illuminating everything in a cozy intimate glow.

The heavyset smuggler was inside, standing by a counter. She was no longer wearing her leather vest, and her white long sleeve collared shirt was unbuttoned down the middle revealing her white furred belly and a healthy amount of cleavage. The candlelight flickered as he closed the door behind them.

“You're Miss Dresfaire." Nathan recognized her from earlier in the day.

“Yes, but please call me Vel." She mentioned with the wave of a hand. “Want any wine?" She offered.

“I'll take whatever you have." Tosca stated.

“What about you?" She glanced at the human and poured a glass.

“No thank you." Nathan shook his head. His stomach felt a little tense and he didn't want to drink on top of that. The vixen poured another anyway.

I've already had one glass, but I can handle a second." She grinned and winked at them.

“Thanks." Tosca gladly accepted.

“Mmhm. Glad it isn't a strong storm popping up out there." She mentioned. “Some people sleep well during a downpour and thunder, but I don't."

“Yeah." Nathan exchanged glances with Tosca. “I suppose we're the same way."

“I know you two aren't here for idle chats by a fire. Your lady friend, Tosca here, gave me a little backstory to what's happened." She pointed and swirled her finger. “You two have managed to find yourselves in a bad situation, but luck brought you two here to me. You're trying to slip away safe and sound, is that right?" She looked directly at the human.

“Yes, that's correct." He confirmed.

“You're in luck. I can arrange something for you." She said and took a sip from her glass.

“It's not that I don't trust the pirates to take good care of me." Nathan admitted. “It's just I'm afraid I won't be ransomed back to where I'm from."

“Your reasoning makes no difference to me." She shook her head once. “The end result is what matters."

“How can I trust you when you deal with pirates?" Nathan asked. She placed her hand on a tabletop causing her parted shirt to slip down from her shoulder entirely. The vixen's hefty breast came into full view, however, Vel seemed entirely oblivious to the fact despite not being a pirate. Nathan averted his eyes out of modesty only to end up lookin at Tosca's chest instead.

“Heh. I'm surprised you look away after being on board a lady's pirate ship." Vel found the human's reaction humorous.

“He's modest." Tosca added with a little grin and looked over at the human beside her.

“You're a smart man, Nathan." She grinned all the same and circled the rim of her glass, but didn't bother adjusting her shirt or covering herself. “Don't get me wrong. I'm more than happy to work with the Topless Pirates. All of the ladies treat me well, and I return the favor of course."

“So why help us?"

“I can't help but admire those who find true love." She winked at Nathan.

“Really?" He couldn't believe it.

“Yes. I didn't have it so lucky, and I've come a long way from the fox little vixen I once was. Eh, but I don't need to bore you two with my life story. Y'all just want an answer, don't ya?" She looked at the human and raccoon intently.

“Yes." They said in unison.

“Perfect. I can get something arranged for you two to slip away tonight."

“Yes. Uh. Two of us-?" Nathan didn't understand. Tosca suddenly took ahold of his hand.

“Yes. The two of us." Tosca confirmed to Vel.

“You're coming too?" He blankly looked at Tosca in surprise. “What about being a free pirate? You joined them."

“Eh, it'll be fun and all." She admitted without any enthusiasm. “But it won't be meaningful without you." Her eyes met his, glowing with sincerity under the dull lantern light and brighter candlelight.

“Why couldn't you just tell me?" Nathan held her tightly.

“I don't know… Don't make me get all emotional." Her eyes darted away as her ears fell back,

“I'll get one of my associates to-." The smuggler was cut off by a soft knocking at the door. Tosca and Nathan turned, but were completely surprised as Holly and Augusta entered the room, followed by an intimidating tigress. She was topless as well, wearing an open vest to reveal her bare chest. She wore a tricorn hat and silver earrings. A pair of long scars on her side and forearm disrupted the pattern of her black stripes. Despite all of that, the tigress's most intimidating feature was her golden eyed stare that cut right through them.

'She's the captain.' Nathan's heart sank. Even Tosca looked concerned as the three topless pirates stood before them and Vel.

“So what's this about slipping away at night?" The tigress spoke up. The human feared retribution, and coming from a fearless group of women like them, it wouldn't end well for him.

“Perfect timing ladies." Vel said contently.

“Virginia fell asleep out there in the lounge." Augusta shrugged.

“I knew better than to trust you." The human looked over at the heavyset vixen.

“Sorry, but as you can imagine, I can't really double cross the Topless Pirates." She winked. “Even if I feel sympathetic to your love story."

“Please-." Nathan could barely speak.

“We've listened to more than enough." The German shepherd told them.

“This is all my fault." Tosca spoke up to everyone's surprise. “All of this was a mistake." The raccoon frowned with guilt. “Both of us will always be grateful for being rescued. I was happy to join your pirate group, Chita, I really was, but I don't know if it was the right decision. I also don't want anything bad to happen to Nathan. He's helped me out more than anyone else while I was a bandit, and I don't think I can leave him." She gripped his hand tighter.

“I don't know what I have to offer other than the coins I found on the abandoned ship, but I'll pay you whatever fair price you think you'd get from ransoming Nathan..

“Tosca…" Nathan didn't want either one of them to become indebted to the pirates.

“At least you won't have to run the risk of not getting anything." She continued. The room was silent for a brief moment. Nathan looked at all of the women expectantly. He knew that any one of them could punish them is they wanted.

“I see." The tigress paused to think.

“What do you think?" Nathan heard Holly whisper to the tigress. The human's heart raced as the tigress's golden stare returned to them.

“Well, I guess it can't be helped." Chita shrugged indifferently. “We don't force any woman to join. I guess we'll part ways here tomorrow."

“We're just letting them go?" Augusta was mildly surprised. Nathan and Tosca were in complete disbelief as well.

“Yeah. I doubt we can get anything for him." She looked at Nathan. “He hasn't been a pain in our ass anyway." She concluded.

“So we're-?" Nathan started to speak.

“It's late. You two get some sleep." The tigress calmly waved a hand, dismissing them. “We'll talk again in the morning before we set sail again." The human and raccoon didn't hesitate for her to change her mind and promptly left Vel's room, still holding hands.