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A Pirate's Life

Volume 5: Scurvy dogs

The Siren's Song was at top speed, yet still the pursuing ship was catching up with them. Erik gritted his teeth, he knew if that ship got close enough to use it's cannons that the Siren's Song would be no match for it.

"Frenchie, we need your talents!" Erik shouted. The Jackrabbit immediately stopped hauling on the rope that she was manning and saluted. She tugged on Karen's sleeve as she ran down into the ships bowels, with the razorback hot on her heels, to do what she did best. In a few minutes Frenchie came back up to the deck rolling a barrel with Karen following behind, two more barrels hefted, one over each shoulder.

"Bring out ze eels!" the rabbit yelled to Helen. At first the ferret hesitated, but then also left her post to grab the requested item in question. Frenchie began to set up her special "gifts" she had made for just such an occasion. While she prepared the barrel Karen strung ropes through some ropes through the side rings that were attached to the barrel.

Helen arrived a moment later, fur standing on end, with the bucket of young lightning eels that they had stored at Frenchie's request. The barrels were rigged with a chamber that they would place an eel in. It would slowly fill with water, and barrels would sink to neutral buoyancy just under the waters surface. When the chamber filled up the connectors at each end would have a medium to conduct the electricity with the eel as the, fuse and detonator.

Frenchie pulled out the small cork from the chamber, and then using pair of wooden sticks took out an eel from the bucket and set it carefully into the dry chamber. Helen clasped the wooden connector lid down and the eel angrily writhed in its prison. Karen and Frenchie then using the ropes strung thought the side rings, carefully lowered the barrel into the water which started to sink.

Frenchie prayed the timing was right and watched as the barrel sank under the water. Frenchie then cautiously began to prepare another barrel.

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"Captain we are almost in cannon range." the first mate reported. Henningsway smirked, he knew that they could outrun Erik's ship they simply had more sails than he did. He looked to his first mate.

"Ready the cannons when we pull up near we'll try and cripple their ship." Henningsway was just turning to walk back to the helmsman when suddenly there was a thunderous boom and the ship rocked to one side. A spray of water came up from the port side of the Scarlet Squall.

"What the hell...?" Henningsway said running to the side of the ship to see floating debris in the water being left behind; small shards of metal sticking out of the side of the side of the ship. What in the world hit them? the Captain wondered when suddenly the ship lurched again and this time from the starboard side with another boom.

Henningsway was nearly thrown from the ship but grasped onto the railing and then realized that the Siren's Song must have been hitting them with something that they could not see. The Captain turned to the helmsman.

"Turn hard port!" Henningsway yelled. The helmsman quickly responded turning to the left, yet the ship was rocked again by another explosion. Henningsway clung for dear life to the railing as water sprayed up over the starboard side.

"Captain, we sprung a leak!" one of his sailors yelled, as he looked over the right side of the ship. Henningsway ran to starboard and sure enough there was a jagged hole about the size of large dinner pan in the side of the ship. Water rushed into the opening as the crew of the Scarlet Squall gazed in horror.

"Break off pursuit! Get Branis down there now! We need to patch that hole before we sink!" The crew rushed to obey the Captain scattering down into the hull with buckets to desperately keep the ship from sinking. The Captain hated to use his special operations personnel, but this time he had no choice.

"Get that Orca out here now!" Henningsway growled as the crew of the Scarlet Squall formed a chain of buckets to start bailing water from the quickly flooding hull.

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A cheer went up on the Siren's Song as the crew saw the pursuing ship stop and slowly disappear in the distance. Erik gave a heavy sigh, however, everyone else gathered around Frenchie hugging the rabbit.

"Good going you bloomin pyromaniac!" said Helen cheerfully and gave her a rough hug. Frenchie smiled and beamed with pride.

"If it goez boom I luv it!" Frenchie replied and the crew gave three cheers for the rabbit. Erik however was not so sure that this chase was over yet. He did however, compliment Frenchie on a job well done. Frenchie's special talents were not always used, but when they were used she became indispensable to the vessel.

After they had lost sight of the Scarlet Squall for some time Erik and Celese plotted their next move. They would stop at the Walking Waves another pirate port that they could hide away for the time being. They set sail and stayed awake all through the night. However at down the crew was exhausted and as such decided that they could take a rest. Selena, Polly, and Janice stood watch throughout the day.

The parrot and dolphin alternating turns at the wheel as the other would sleep. The day wore on as the rest of the crew slept, the three females keeping watch. Erik had absconded with Clara to his quarters to bed down as well for a while. It was almost past noon when suddenly Janice spotted something though her scope.

She whistled down to Polly who looked up to the tiger. Janice pointed to something out in the distance flying; then it seemed to gain altitude and vanish into the clouds. Polly had a bad feeling about this. She gave a whistle and click to Selena who woke up groggily before taking a bucket of water dousing herself with it.

"What is it?" Selena asked approaching Polly while shaking off the water feeling it wet and refresh her skin.

Polly pointed back to where they had seen the object. The macaw motioned for Selena to take the wheel and then pulling out her small dagger, and holding it between her beak, she took off in the direction of the following query. Polly circled around the ship a few times before gaining altitude.

Polly glided through the clouds looking for anything suspicious. There was something that darted to the left and Polly cocked her head to try and follow it, but it was simply to fast and vanished flitting among the clouds. Polly looked all around when suddenly a sharp screech came from the front.

Polly furiously flapped to avoid colliding into the other avian who kept on his present course with his talons extended. He barely missed snatching her from the sky, he was nearly twice her size, but fast and strong. Polly squawked in surprise as the large hawk wearing the crest of the new democracy circled back around for another attack.

"Hello there meat!" he hissed with a sinister gleam in his eyes. He suddenly dove down and then angled his trajectory up nearly clipping her as he passed. Polly got a good glimpse of him as he zoomed by. She saw his talon feet were equipped with sharp blades, probably to slice his victims as he passed by them.

Polly flapped to maintain flight and with her right foot reached up and took the handle of the dagger as she released it from her mouth. The hawk saw her readying her weapon and instead of swooping at her flapped to maintain a hover. He grinned in amusement at her as she clumsily brandished the dagger.

"Come on pretty, take your best shot!" he cawed taunting her. Polly was not much of a fighter, yet she made an attempt to attack. Swooping at him and wildly flailing the dagger in her inadequately equipped talon. The Hawk just weaved out of the way of each thrust and swipe grinning to his prey.

Suddenly he lunged at Polly with wicked talons slashing. Pain shot through her left wing-arm, the dagger dropped form her grasp as she flapped to stay aloft. The hawk had cruelly cut her shoulder and from that injury Polly found much tougher to stay in the air.

"I am Lieutenant Vladimir Tychov of the Scarlet Squall, aerial combat and reconnaissance officer, welcome to your death pirate!" the hawk gained some altitude and then dove again at Polly who could only frantically evade.

Selena watched the events high up taking place but could do nothing about it she glanced up to Janice who was trying to take aim at the hawk, but the macaw was also in too close a proximity, one false tumble to the side and the tiger would shoot her own crewmate.

"Janice, do something!" Selena yelled up, at the moment Erik and the other pirate crew arrived on the deck of the ship.

"Status report!" Erik demanded groggily, Selena grabbed Erik's arm and led him to the stern of the ship pointing.

"Polly needs help!" she squealed desperately. Erik could only watch as the two avians tumbled in the air in combat. Polly was running out of tricks and running out of energy. Blood ran down her shoulder staining her shirt. She had one chance and she hoped that Janice was watching, she flapped with all her might to gain enough altitude for what she needed to do.

The hawk was circling around for another attack. Polly then did a midair flip and dived straight for the ocean at a steep angle. The Hawk followed, Vladimir knew she could not outrun him like this and he had more control. If she was planning to make him hit the water it would not work. He guessed the outcome would be; he'd reach her before she could execute whatever plan she had and his claw would taste her flesh.

"Perfect..." Janice murmured her crosshairs on Polly. The patient sniper breathed out and squeezed the trigger. The recoil of the rifle and the sound of it firing was music to Janice's ears. It was a perfect lead, by aiming at her own crewmate it put the rifle bullet right into the path of her pursuing foe.

Vladimir was closing in for the kill when something slam into his back and he was knocked clean out the air, a puff of feathers following, as he spiraled out of control towards the ocean. The last thing he saw before smashing into the water was the macaw pulling up to try stay airborne, but she as well hit the water, with much more mercy than he did.

"Polly!" Selena shouted and dove into the water swimming as swiftly as she could, she reached both avains in less than three minutes her tail fin propelling her at an astounding speed. Polly was conscious and was using her spread out wings to keep her head above the water. The hawk was unconscious, but face up floating in the water.

Selena grabbed onto the back of Polly's shirt and the back of Vladimir's vest, and at a nice steady pace swam back to the Siren's Song that floated still on the wave.

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"Sir Vladimir has not reported back from his pursuit." The first mate said, he also jumped when Henningsway slammed his fist on his desk and turned. It had been three hours since Vladimir had taken off to scout ahead.

"Thank you for stating the obvious." Henningsway hissed. He knew that he should not have let his all too eager aerial specialist follow the pirates. Now he only had his aquatics specialist to rely upon.

"Is the damage fixed?" he growled to the first mate who nodded.

"Yes Captain, Branis is putting the final seal on it as we speak." The first mate stood tall and saluted.

"Then set a pursuit course! We can still catch those scurvy dogs, but this time we'll make sure to keep a better eye out." Henningsway snarled and sat in his chair. "Dismissed!" he said making a shoo-go-away motion; the first mate saluted and turned leaving.

"Captain..." Came a voice which could only have belonged to Victor. The black wolf stepped from the shadows and saluted Henningsway.

"What is it Lieutenant Korbas?" Henningsway looked to him and stood from his seat.

"The pirates course dictate that they might try and seek shelter somewhere after that pursuit." Victor stood at ease and kept his steely composure.

"Where do you think they would have gone Lieutenant?" the Captain queried arching an eyebrow.

"There are three places that are nearby that have potential, the Cove of Daggers, the Walking Waves, and Kraken Bay." Victor pulled the map out form his back pocket and opened it up showing each location. Henningsway stroked his chin in thought.

"The Walking Waves is where we will check first. If we spot the Siren's Song we will instead this time use stealth. We'll creep up on them instead of giving chase." Henningsway folded up the map and gave it back to Victor who tucked it away.

"Very good Captain we await your orders." Victor saluted and then walked out of the Captain's cabin. Although he was straight faced inside he was smiling, soon everything would come to together as he had seen it.

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Polly shook out her blue, yellow, and green feathers as she got back onto the deck of the ship. Selena came up the rope ladder after her, hauling the unconscious form of Vladimir. She roughly tossed the hawk onto the deck, as Elizabeth tended to Polly's shoulder.

"Keelhaul the sonuvabitch!" yelled Helen with a crack of her whip, followed by shouts of agreement from the crew.

"Sonuvabitch! Rawk! Sonuvabitch!" Polly squawked with anger and outrage, but as soon as Erik raised his hand, the ladies quieted down.

"Not yet, if he isn't dead we can get information out of him." Erik looked over the hawk, Janice had true aim the bullet had hit the avian in the lower back and from the look of it had severely injured his spine, this hawk would not be able to fly or walk again, but most certainly would speak.

Elizabeth finished wrapping Polly's shoulder and she then walked over the hawk, she reached into her satchel and pulled out the smelling salts to wake him waving it just under his beak. Vladimir woke with a start and wildly looked around, he tried to flap his wing-arms and claw with his feet but they would feebly flop in place.

"Better cooperate little birdie or we'll have you for lunch!" Leanne leaned close with a dagger point to his neck. Immediately Vladimir stopped struggling his eyes looked up to the crows nest to see the tigeress up there pointing her rifle at him.

"I swear you'll pay for that, you feline wench!" he squawked up to her, but then again he was in no position to make threats. Clara walked up to the hawk looking down to him, the mouse was indeed impressed. Erik was true to his word, his crew had not killed, but had incapacitated their foe.

"Your going to tell us everything..." Erik said grasping Leanne's shoulder to pull her back away from the hawk. He leaned close with his teeth gritting. "You attacked one of my crew so I think we need and explanation."

"The hell I will! You'll never get me to talk!" Vladimir made a motion as if spitting. That's when Clara set a hand on Erik's shoulder.

"Allow me... I can pull the information right from his brain." Clara's voice was stern and steady. Erik looked to her with a bit of disdain.

"Won't that kill him?" the tiger queried with concern.

"If I focus on him for too long, yes... but if I'm careful I might be able to gather everything that he knows from him without causing his brain to explode." There seemed to be a dark tone in Clara's voice. Erik knew that she was an assassin, but he was stunned and bemused why she wanted to do this.

"Alright, but don't kill him..." Erik requested, to which Clara nodded in response. She positioned herself seated to the side of Vladimir.

"This is going to hurt..." she told him and suddenly Vladimir cried out and writhed in agony. Just as when she demonstrated to Erik, blood began to trickle from the hawk's nostrils, and included with that, blood also began to trickle from the sides of his mouth. The scene was so horrible even some of the tougher pirates like Helen and Karen looked away, even Frenchie covered her ears and closed her eyes.

The Hawk then stopped thrashing and collapsed as Clara gave a shudder and a sigh, her fur on her forehead matted with sweat. Vladimir was still breathing, and Elizabeth wiped the blood from his nostrils and mouth; lifting his legs as she had the rest of the crew wrap him in a blanket.

"Sometimes I hate doing that..." Clara said with an unsteady voice. "But I now know what is happening." She stood up staggering a bit as Erik walked over to hold her steady on her feet.

"The ship that is following us belongs to Captain Henningsway the man who hired me to kill you. He's after something called Triton's Chest and he believes that you have it, or know where it is. He's not going to stop chasing you till he has it. However, there are more motives behind this than just simply you and Henningsway." Clara shook her head clear of the images.

"Triton's Chest... well he's not going to find much if he captures me." Erik said with a sigh. "Yes I do have Triton's Chest, but the chest is empty, there is nothing in it." Erik had indeed discovered the fabled chest that was said to have unlimited riches in it, however, when he found it, it was as bare as a dry well.

Elizabeth had the crew move Vladimir into the brig but made sure to tend to his wounds. The hawk slipped in and out of consciousness, yet finally he submitted to the pain and just lay in a slumber. Elizabeth watched over him from outside the cell, eventually falling asleep until daybreak.

"Hey there..." came a voice which woke Elizabeth. She looked up the brig cell and the Vladimir was looking at her, she guessed that he wanted to speak with her.

"Yes?" Elizabeth answered in a kind voice. She really did hate to see others suffer and knew that this hawk had deserved his suffering for trying to kill Polly, yet she felt empathy for him.

"I have a request please grant me the release of a soldier's death... if I won't be able to walk or fly anymore, life is not worth living." Vladimir had a sorrow in his voice and eyes. Elizabeth was stuck between his request and her instinct to preserve life. However she nodded.

"I'll... I'll speak to the Captain..." she said and turned walking out of the brig.

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The sea was calm, yet the cool breeze touched Vladimir's face as he was brought out on deck by Karen and Elizabeth. Erik stood there with the rest of his crew, who looked upon the avian with disdain. They all knew what was going to happen, and what Erik would first ask. The razorback and the lioness set the avian on the deck carefully and then backed away.

"Are you sure that you want this?" Erik said approaching the crippled hawk, kneeling down next to Vladimir and looking the hawk square in the eyes. Vladimir nodded in consent.

"Yes I'm a new democracy officer and if I can no longer sail the sea or skies, then at least grant me a prideful and honorable death." Vladimir tried to keep his composure about him, but it was tough knowing that this would be the end of him.

"Then that you shall have it..." Erik backed up and nodded to Celese and Tal who then each grabbed the hawk by his wing-arms lifting him up so his feet were on the deck even though he was unable to really stand on his own he mustered the painful strength to stay on his feet. Celese then drew her sword and placed it into the hawk's clawed, three-fingered hand that extruded from the center of Vladimir's wing-arms.

He was so feeble he could barely grasp the sword, but he managed somehow, he knew that he would not be able to swing it let alone defend himself. Yet he was at least holding a weapon of some sort in his final moments of a soldier of the sea.

"Just to let you know sir... I take no pleasure in what comes next." Erik growled drawing his own cutlass and taking a stance.

"En guard!" hissed Vladimir and at that very moment Tal and Celese released Vladimir. For a brief moment the hawk almost toppled over but grasped the sword tightly and attempted a feeble lunge at Erik. The thrust was not even close and not even complete before Erik countered.

With the grace of a ballet dancer, Erik spun out of the way of the strike and gave a thrust of his own. The tip of Erik's cutlass went in through Vladimir's chest and came out his back. The Hawk looked stunned for a moment gazing at the sword through his chest.

"Die with honor soldier of the skies and sea." Erik said, as Vladimir gasped the sword clattering to the deck of the Siren's Song. Vladimir looked directly into Erik's eyes.

"You know... you aren't that bad of a guy for being pirate scum..." Vladimir coughed and his mouth trickled blood as he felt his life wane. Erik remained expressionless.

"Thank you for this honor Captain." the hawk finished, then the light in his eyes faded and he started to go limp, Erik withdrew his sword flicking the blood from the blade, as Vladimir crumpled to the ground dead.

The crew carefully wrapped the hawk's body in linen and tied it with a rope. They held a burial at sea. Of all people, Celese gave a send off, speaking of how life was short and fleeting for those who are at the whims of the waves. They then cast the body overboard and it soon sunk out of sight, into the dark depths of the ocean where many before had perished and been cast.

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Erik sat on the edge of the bed Clara was next to him holding onto his arm. Clara could sense that Erik was uneasy about that the events of the day.

"Is that the first person you've ever killed?" she inquired nuzzling her cheek to his arm softly in affection.

"No just kind of felt unfair even if it was honorable to him." Erik returned her caresses with a lick to her ears and smiled uneasily.

"I've only really killed seven people in my life including that soldier today. Each time it was for reasons of last resort. It just goes with the territory" Erik sighed heavily and lay back on the bed looking up at the ceiling. Clara crawled up and lay on his chest softly kissing him.

"You did the right thing..." she said in an encouraging tone. Erik smiled to her and grabbed he rolling over so he was over her.

"Would you really have killed me if I was such a bad person?" he purred to her his nose touching hers. Clara seemed uneasy at the question but sighed before answering.

"Yes I would have, I guess we are kind of kindred spirits perhaps?" she said looking up to him with an unsteady smile.

"Your honest about it, I like that as much as it frightens me to think you'd make my head explode." He nervously laughed.

"You frightened? I thought that pirates were never afraid." Clara's lips hovered closer to his, her soft yet warm breath caressed his lips.

"We can be afraid, but we don't have to show it." Erik's lips met hers in a tender kiss. Of course both of them knew where this would lead. They stood up and in a moment they were both disrobed. Erik playfully hauled Clara over his shoulder carried her to the bed. He set her down his hands roaming over her body.

She gasped as her tiger lover explored her body. They wasted no time in getting down to business. Erik set Clara on her back and lifted her legs up around his hips. He softly teased her little slit with the tip of his penis as he prepared to plunder her "treasure box".

Clara savored the feeling of him sinking into her slowly as that thick shaft stretched her little passage and she gasped, her legs wrapping around his hips as she felt him grind his hips around, stirring that length within her sweet warm confines.

Erik steadily pistoned into her, his rough warm tongue licking over her nipples as his shaft bumped to her cervix with every plunge. His left hand rested on Clara's hip, while his right hand rubbed over her belly increasing the sensation as he plunged into the mouse.

Clara grasped the bed sheets and moaned in heated passion, her hips bucking up to meet his every thrust. Her nipples pebble hard, as she felt Erik tremble in ecstasy every time he sunk into her to the hilt. His testicles lightly slapped to her ass as he began to increase the pace his tail wrapping around her leg.

The tiger could not hold out much longer, each time, no matter what, her tight little cunt would always bring him so quickly to his climax. He now scooped her up in his arms embracing her as he drove up into her faster and faster the heat between them increasing.

Clara savored this part of their love making, she leaned her head back exposing her neck to him, knowing he would not harm her, yet she enjoyed the feel of being threatened by such a powerful male as him. She wanted to feel helpless in his embrace.

Erik's jaws gingerly wrapped around Clara's neck as he gave a muffled roar his release came. Thick liquid geysered from the tip of his cock, into the mouse's defenseless honey pot; filling that wet chamber of hers with his hot milky fluids. Clara squirmed against him giving a gasp and squeal of rapture before she sighed and went limp as Erik released her neck licking it.

As always they fell asleep in each others arms till morning as the rising sun beamed into the window illuminating the cabin. Clara blinked awake and looked out the window seeing the port city outside the portal. Erik groggily moaned and sat up slowly looking out the window as well.

A knock on the cabin doors was heard and Celese's voice came through. The doberman seemed always cheery as she spoke "Captain the port of the Walking Waves welcomes us."