FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

So this story came as a result of a request by KatetheMarten here on Sofurry as a response to my request thread here.

Something tells me that this isn't what she had in mind when she made the request, but once the story starts spilling from my brain to the keyboard, often it wants to go in it's own direction, so all I can do is follow along.

That said, this is not a nice story, it gets bad for the main character, and if I continue writing this story series I get the feeling it will get worse before it gets better, so, well you have been warned.

Otherwise, enjoy!

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"Uggghhhh...why do people say that sea voyages are an adventure...hrrk."

The smell in the tiny corner of the hold where Ellesten Firborn, or simply Elle to those who knew her, huddled in misery smelled of the sour contents of the squirrel girl's stomach as she'd emptied it through the drainage slats on the side of the deck. She couldn't really complain about the lack of contents of her stomach though, since the crew of this particular ship really didn't know she was there. She'd snuck aboard the freighter at her home port of call, when she heard that this ship the 'Deep Sail' was on its way to the capitol, where Ellesten's older brother Garant studied in the occult arts at the university there. Her parents told her that the college only allowed in the students, but Ellesten always had a knack for getting where she wanted to go, regardless of whether others wanted her there or not.

At sixteen, Ellesten was a late bloomer, but her lithe form was well suited to her favorite pastimes of sneaking around, and generally making mischief whenever she wanted. The grey squirrel girl had a knack also for disappearing into crowds, no doubt assisted by her typical grey-on-white color scheme of her fur. She even managed to keep her tail in check...usually anyway, though the salt air without any means of keeping it conditioned was giving it something of a...harried look after a week at sea sneaking around for food, water, and to visit the deck to find relief.

The squirrel also learned the art of hiding her body shape, and since she was only just a bit over an A cup, it was easy for her to pass for a boy with very little work on her part, another trick up her sleeve when she wanted to go places others didn't want her.

It also gave her a few lessons on...other things, such as what the boys all looked like when they used the communal baths, or went down to the river to clean themselves. Ellesten had quite a few sights of nude boys of all shapes and sizes, so when she discovered she enjoyed the feelings she could give herself with her fingers, or a few select toys, she had quite a few mental images to enjoy.

Therefore, she had little trouble when she wanted to sneak aboard the cargo ship. The dockworkers all thought of her as one of the boys that occasionally made a few coins helping unloading cargo whenever ships were in port, and she specifically wore loose, baggy, form-hiding clothing with a suitable amount of dirt on them to encourage that particular viewpoint. A few questions here and there, she found her freighter, scaled one of the ropes when no one was looking, and sequestered herself in a little nook created by the various cargo boxes and barrels they loaded onto the vessel. It seemed like such a simple idea, but she didn't compensate for some rather violent motion sickness on her part. The first few days were utter misery, and she couldn't thieve any food because she could barely move from the sensations. She snuck water when she could, and otherwise hid in misery. It was only in the last couple of days that her sickness became more manageable, and she even ate a bit. The remnants draining out from the deck in front of her was the first meal she'd lost in two days, and as she wiped her mouth, she hoped it would be the last.

"Look, I'm telling you...some of us have been hearing scampering from in here, someone's messing with the cargo."

"So we got rats. So what? Every ship has one 'o two o' them little buggers around. It's not like we ca' keep 'em out."

Ellesten immediately straightened, her ears perked as she heard voices drifting down from the upper deck, and the sound of footsteps descending into the cargo bay. She immediately ducked all the way forward into a somewhat hidden nook she'd created near the ship's bow. After a week on ship, she recognized most of the voices, the one she heard belonged to a grizzled mastiff that functioned as the ship's boson. The answering voice sent shivers down her spine, as it belonged to the ship's first mate. Out of the crew of a half dozen, plus the first mate and captain, he scared her the most. He was a huge black bull, almost half again as tall as her slender, somewhat small five and a half foot frame. When she'd seen him on the docks, he never wore a shirt, so everyone could see the scars lacing his chest sides, and back. He even had one across his eye, though it looked like he saw just fine out of it. He even had a pair of long, curved forward facing horns that he didn't even bother capping, like many more civilized bulls she'd met. When they were loading the ship, he'd wielded a big wooden peg to swat at workers he decided weren't moving fast enough, and she saw the bruises left behind even with the most casual 'swat'.

"Nah...this is something else, and Hoggens says things that have been moved around in here. You know Hog, someone messes with his load job, and he throws a fit."

"Yah' that pig would blow a valve en' someone screwed his precious layout....oy' wha's that smell?"

"Smells like someone lost it in here...which means we got a load of shit for whoever did...it's coming from over there."

Ellesten suppressed a squeak and scrunched down further into the corner of the ship bow as the footsteps approached where she'd puked up her guts not more than a few minutes before. Usually the sea air cleared the scent quickly enough, but just her bad luck they came down before she'd really cleaned up.

"Some'on definitely lost 'heir guts over here...still looks new, no 'uns been down 'here but us right?"

"Right, soo...maybe we got rats of a different kind."

Ellesten looked over the edge of the barrels and boxes she'd stashed behind as the thudding footsteps thumped around the deck here and there, moving towards her hiding place. She glanced left and right, but there was definitely no more place for her to hide, as they got closer.

"Hey, this doesn't look right...Hog would never stack stuff like this without webbing it down."

Ellesten eeped as the big mastiff's head poked over the top of the boxes and grinned evilly when he spotted her crouched behind the boxes. She tried to turn and run, but a big, muscular arm snatched out and caught her almost effortlessly behind the back of the neck.

"Lookit what we got here...a stowaway."

She pounded his arm, but he seemingly ignored her blows as he dragged her out from behind the boxes. She found herself hanging a few inches above the deck as if she weighted nothing, while the ugly brown and grey of the mastiff's muzzle curled up even more. She started to open her mouth when he shook her once, hard,

"Quiet you," he looked to the first mate, "So, what should we do with him?"

The bull crossed his arms in front of him and Ellesten's ears drooped as she watched a cruel smirk curl up the corner of his lips. He tilted his head to the side and gestured up to the deck with a toss of his head,

"Wha'dday think? Toss 'em, we got no room for filt'y stows."

Ellesten started to speak up, but a cuff on the back of her head from the mastiff fogged her head, the blow shook her and left her dazed as the mastiff nodded in response,

"You got it...bet the sharks will find this little rat enough of a treat."

Ellesten shook her head, trying to clear it, as she was vaguely aware as they carried her up the staircase to the main deck. The mastiff called out across the deck,

"Hey Hog, we found your ghost...looks like this boy was messing with your cargo. We know what we do with stowaways, right?"

Cruel laugher filled Ellesten's ears as the other deck hands looked up from their jobs and watched the mastiff as he shoved her against the deck's railing.

"Toss 'em, toss 'em," came the chant from the other deck hands as she felt hands roughly grab the back of her shirt and her trousers.

This is it...I won't see my brother...some shark's going to eat me...and I never did anything, never...

The thoughts raced through her head as the fog finally cleared from her brain and the sight of the crystal blue sea stretched out underneath her. She whimpered deeply in her throat as she felt herself going over, and she grabbed roughly at the rail as the side of the ship pitched in front of her.

"HOLD!"

The voice carried effortlessly across the deck, and everything stopped, the chanting, the laughter, and the pitching stopped. Her eyes instantly went across the deck where for the first time; she spotted the man that could only be the captain. Not present during the loading and unloading, she did not get the chance to find out who he was before she jumped on the ship. The captain was a huge (to her anyway) tiger with orange and black stripes. Not quite as big, or as muscular as the bull, none-the-less, even with his laced shirt and simple pants, there was no mistaking the casual strength and grace to his movements. A cutlass and pistol hung at his sash-belt, and Ellesten recognized some kind of mystical rune inscribed into the handle of the gun. He stepped out from the door to what must be his cabin and strode across the deck to where the mastiff roughly pulled her back from the edge of the rail.

"No need to worry you captain, I was just disposing of some unwanted trash sir," the mastiff said cautiously, as the tiger stopped in front of the two of them.

"Unwanted or not, that is not for you to decide boson, as you know," the captain said roughly, before he looked over Ellesten more closely, "now then, you...boy, what's your name?"

Ellesten gulped as she realized her baggy clothes apparently did their jobs, and they all mistook her for a boy. She consciously shifted her tone down before she answered,

"Ell....Allen, sir..." She said, as she tried to sound contrite, but respectful for the captain.

"All right then, Allen...why did you decide to stowaway on my ship? This isn't exactly the best ship if you wish to hide, obviously," he said with a gesture to the mastiff, which gave her another little shake.

"I...I am going to see my brother, he's going to be a sorcerer!" Ellesten said proudly, making sure to keep her voice toned the way she wanted.

"A sorcerer huh, and you are not, I suspect," a shake of Ellesten's head brought a smirk to the captain's lips, "so you thought you could go to the university when you are not invited, well, little squirrel, I think you will find it is better that we caught you then the university. I've heard they do very nasty things to intruders." He reached forward and pushed up Ellesten's chin so she had to look him in the eyes.

"I can get in...I know my brother, and I can get in anywhere!" Ellesten said defiantly, which brought a chuckle from the tiger.

"As you've proven, you think, by getting in here, I suspect." When Ellesten did not answer, the tiger gave another chuckle.

"Well boy, you are in luck, I think. One of our deck hands left the ship in the hands of the local healers after he lost three fingers to a snagged rope that ripped them off when it snapped free, so we are short a deck hand, and I hate to waste a potential asset. You're going to work off your trip, or we'll toss you overboard, do you understand?"

Ellesten nodded her head quickly, though a tightened grip on her clothing, and a glance back at her captor showed the frown cross his muzzle as his plans to toss her overboard went up in smoke.

"You do not get a share, like the rest, consider yourself lucky at that." The captain then glanced over her shoulder at the mastiff behind her, "boson, get this water rat a rack, and then put him to work." He gave Ellesten a toothy, predatory grin, "If it turns out you're useless, boy, the sharks might get their treat after all, so make sure you put your back into your work."

He then pivoted on one heel, turned and marched back to his cabin, where Ellesten could only watch him disappear, and wonder over the luck that gave her the second chance. Another cuff to the back of the head quickly brought her back to the here and now though, as the mastiff shoved her towards the back hatch, towards the crew quarters.

"All right, the captain may have saved that scraggly tail of yours, but you may wish he hadn't. Because we will make sure we get every coin's worth of work out of you...and first, you are going to scrub up that mess you made, and put back all of Hog's cargo just the way he wants it.

Ellesten nodded numbly and started towards the hatch, when a massive hand stopped her as the first mate looked down at her from his massive height.

"Oy, when you get an order from the boson, or me, or anyone else o' this ship, you say 'Yes Sir' you got that?"

"Y...yes sir," Ellesten stammered out, which provoked another cruel grin from the first mate before he let her pass and the boson pushed her once again.

*

Elle groaned as she swung in the low-slung hammock at the back of the crew-quarters that she laughably called her 'bunk' ever since the boson caught her on the cargo deck. The thing was ratty, possibly flea ridden, and definitely felt like it might rip and dump her on the deck at any moment. It also seemed like it swayed more than any of the other hammocks set up in the rough sleeping area, a fact that she'd figured they'd set up to punish her further, since none of the others seemed to have the same problems she did. It also brought back her seasickness with a vengeance the first few days, a fact that seemed to amuse the rest of the crew to no end. They took turns either berating her, laughing at her, or heaping her with casual abuse as they would kick or punch her as she did whatever shit task t hey assigned her, or more often, when she was puking over the side of the ship.

One thing about a ship like this one, there were any number of jobs that left a fur sore, aching, and bleeding. From hand-scrubbing decks of her sickness, tar and slop, to re-splicing lines and sewing sailcloth, every job the rest of the crew didn't want to do ended up in Elle's hands. If it weren't her quick ability to learn, and deft fingers, she might have botched up any number of jobs. She really didn't want to see what would happen if she gave Jaeger (as she found out was the boson's name) any excuse to bring out his favorite tool of discipline, a roll of salt-crusted, well worn and unusable in rigging, rope. The rope did serve another purpose though, when the first mate (and she hadn't yet discovered his name) discovered Relfin, another deck hand, in his case a wiry fox not much older than Elle, stealing an extra ration of rum. The first mate sentenced him to 10 lashes, which Jaeger gleefully applied to the fox's back with the crusty rope, leaving his back red and bleeding wherever the rope struck.

Elle soon learned that, though the first mate was big, intimidating, and had a casual strength that leant his punishments and discipline a horrific effect, he was not casually cruel, like the boson. As a result, Elle did her best and eventually managed to use her skills and avoid he mastiff as much as possible, with his casual blows and abuse. Whenever he discovered she'd completed a job he found particular glee in finding her the worst, most scum-filled job remaining on the ship, in the two weeks since her discovery, she probably knew every inch of the ship, and the various unique types of filth found there.

Elle did not see much of the ship's navigator. He was an owl named Hathen, whom used his incredible eyesight to make course adjustments. He also could tell their direction and speed of travel just with a glance over the side of the ship, as the sun reflected off the waves. The bird made his nest in the crow's nest, and worked as lookout when not consulting with the captain. The captain, whom she discovered was named Natago also rarely travelled the deck, he spent most of his time in his cabin, or paced the deck railing, always away from the squirrel's work. Two other deckhands, a scraggly lynx named Jothon, and a rabbit nicknamed Pouncer from the way he hopped from rope to rope in the rigging without any safety line at all made up the other deck crew. Elle also became very familiar with a the goat that served as the ship's quartermaster Pengan as he grudgingly gave Elle her rations of salt-pork, hard-tack, rum and their precious supply of citrus fruits that kept them healthy on the long journey.

It turned out that the journey was a long one, as Elle soon discovered. The three-mast freighter had a great-huge sail, but with the amount of cargo it carried, it took the ship quite a long time to reach the next port. Three weeks into their voyage, they were just under half the trip completed, and Elle discovered that her clothes were becoming rather...rank. The fresh-water supplies on board were not for bathing, and Elle did not bother trying cleaning her clothes in the ocean, for fear someone might see her without her clothes and discover her true gender. Therefore, she suffered as her scent grew and mixed with the smell of the shipboard garbage and filth. The others in the crew seemed accustomed to it, and only the captain and navigator seemed to bathe regularly, though the other crewmembers had at least a change of clothes each they could air out when needed.

Just when Elle resigned herself to never feeling clean again, the call came down from the deck above.

"Storm ahead! All crew on deck, batten down the hatches, and secure the cargo, storm ahead!

Elle started up, as immediately the crew quarters became a rush as everyone, first-mate included (as he came crashing out of his personal quarters, a 10 x 10 box with a private hammock, small table, and seat,) rushed up onto the deck. Elle followed and when she reached the deck, she looked out over the horizon, where dark, angry clouds filled the horizon with bright flashes of lightning and the horizon turned grey from an obvious sheet of rain at the leading edge of the storm. Elle watched, fascinated, until the cuff of the boson's fist on the back of her head brought her attention around again,

"Quit your cloud gazing and get to work. Help us get the sails down, the cargo secured, and the storm anchor dropped, or there will be hell to pay."

He glared at her, so she nodded numbly and moved to join the others as the ship turned into a beehive of activity, preparing for the storm.

*

Elle's ears twitched as she heard the sounds of fresh, clean rain-washing across the wooden decks above, and the slow, steady drips of the water as it founds the cracks and crevices below. The entire ship channeled the water off or into catch barrels, so that in storms like these they could replace the drinkable water. The ship creaked as it swayed and rocked into the storm-waves, not as severe as they could have been, since Hathen spotted a lonely isle they reached just before the full force of the storm hit. Anchored on both sides, the captain gave the crew the night off except for the owl, w ho kept watch high above. Elle listened carefully to the creek and swoosh of the ship as it sway and moved. She could hear it even though it the sounds of the rest of the crew swaying and snoring in their hammocks almost covered it completely. She spared a glance around, and then twisted out of her hammock.

The squirrel's ears twitched as she dropped nearly noiselessly onto the deck, stealing glances around in the storm-light as lightning crashed above. Not a fur moved, and so she snuck quietly to the hatch and pushed her way carefully out onto the deck.

Immediately, the pouring rain lashed down and covered her from head to toe, soaking her to the skin in a chilly, but manageable pouring torrent. Elle tilted her head back to the sky and opened her mouth, catching the rain in and letting it pour down her throat as she sighed in relief at the chance at getting a shower, even one nature provided and as cold as this one.

Another glance back and forth, making sure not a single fur stirred, and she glanced up where the owl held his perch, though he was watching the shore and the horizon, not the deck of the ship below.

Sure she wasn't seen, Elle stripped the soaking wet tunic and breeches from her tired, aching body and tossed them onto the deck beside her. She opened her arms wide and reveled in feeling of the water on her skin, even as it slickened down her fur and turned her tail into a wet bottlebrush. She did not care though as she smoothed her hands over her body, washing away the grime, filth and salt of weeks at sea surrounded by men. Her nipples tightened under the cold, and she secretly smiled as she ran her fingers down between her thighs, stealing a stroke and caress with bitten lip, but making sure she got as clean as she could in the impromptu shower. She tilted her head back and just stood in the rain, letting it sluice off her skin as the storm raged around her.

It didn't take too long though before she became paranoid again. She was sure someone was watching her. She glanced around again and snatched her clothes up. She scrubbed them as best she could in the rain to get them somewhat clean as well, before she sighed and pulled them on over her rain-soaked body. The cold clothing clung to her skin, and she shivered, but gave one last look around before she opened the hatch and ducked back down beneath the decks.

She closed the hatch behind her and let the water drip down off her. She sighed internally a bit and hoped she didn't catch chill, but the risk was worth it so she could finally feel clean. She shook off as best she could before she tried heading back to her hammock.

She was nearly back, just passing the first mate's quarters, when hand suddenly shot out and grabbed her around the muzzle, stifling off any sound she might make at the surprise at being caught. Before she knew it, large hands grabbed the back of her neck, and still held her muzzle before they dragged her back. She recognized with startled realization that the first mate pulled her into his cabin just before she slammed back against his bunk and the door closed remarkably quietly behind the large bull. She couldn't do anything but look up at him fearfully as he turned around and folded his arms in front of him. She also noticed he wasn't wearing his normal pants, and glanced away when she noticed his rather large, but flaccid manhood hanging between his thighs.

"As tha' first mate...I always get ta' know what's happening on deck..." He said, and pointed to a porthole above his bunk.

Elle blinks, looked at the porthole, and then back, before she stammered out,

"I...I was just trying to get a little clean,"

The mate smirked slightly, "Ya', but what were ya' trying to get clean, huh?"

He reached forward with a big hand, and before she knew what was happening, he'd grabbed the leg of her pants and pulled hard. They clung, but she'd forgotten to tie them, so with the hard yank they came off her legs. She let out a very girly squeak, which he silenced quickly with a big hand on her muzzle as her rain-slicked fur easily revealed her lack of masculine equipment to the mate's gaze. He smirked even more as he looked at her bared pussy,

"So you'se a girl huh, I thought it off that ya' never cleaned up with tha' rest of us."

His eyes looked over her, and she couldn't help but blush a bit at the obvious intensity of his gaze, though she still shyly slid her hand down and covered her sex.

"Some 'o tha' boys, they think girls at sea is bad luck...what do ya' think," he asked as he took his hand off her muzzle.

"Please...please don't tell any of them...I know the boson's just looking for an excuse to pitch me overboard," she pleaded quietly, shaking slightly as she realized her predicament in front of the big bull.

"Ohss...I may not have ta 'tell em anything...but you'se better be nice to me. I can think of other duties we can add ta' yer job list," his tone turned amused, but beneath it was the slight threat belied by his words.

"Wha...what do you want me to o," she asked, even as a sinking feeling shivered through her, suspicion growing at his reactions.

"Well first...girlie, let's see what we gots ta' work with," he muttered, "So off with the rest of that," he continued with a gesture to her cotton shirt.

She trembled as she undid the laces to the top and slowly reached down, realizing she had no other choice as she tugged the fabric up and off. The cold still was in her skin, so the buds of her barely-there breasts were topped by perked nipples, which she tried to cover with crossed arms. He roughly pulled her arms down, used his left hand, and felt up first one breast, then the other, squeezing them with a hand that nearly covered her entire chest. Surprisingly, his touch was fairly gentle, and Elle found that as he pinched and tweaked her nipples she found little spikes of pleasure coursing through her chest. She bit her lower lip and did her best to it still as he 'inspected' her with his hand. She was startled when his hand slipped between her thighs, and she started to protest when a stern look caused her to close her mouth without a word. She did shift a bit, biting her lower lip harder when one large finger probed her sex, stroked across her mons and fondled her entrance, but again, he was more gentle then she expected, and she stifled a sound of pleasure. She also couldn't help but watch, wide eyed, as the massive phallus between his legs twitched and started to rise, growing harder even as she watched.

"So girlie...ya' ever have a man with one 'o this size before," the way he looked at her made it obvious it was not so much a question as a challenge, and she ducked her head a little as she responded.

"N...no sir...n, never been...with a man, before," she stammered.

"Ohs...youse a cherry huh, well, looks like you get a treat then, getting your first time with a big man, ah'll try not ta break you."

He grinned wickedly as he flexed his hips, her eyes widening as his shaft grew even more and slapped up against his belly. His cock had grown to more than the length of her forearm; it must have been almost eighteen inches long, flared at the tip as he looked down his body at her.

"So girly...do ya' know what 'ta do with one of these then? They teach ya right?"

"I...I think so, I mean...I've seen."

Elle blushed a bit, sitting as she was the massive bull cock rose up like a pillar in front of her, she could barely believe a man's appendage could get that big around, and had no idea how that thing might have any chance of fitting inside her. At the same time, visions of the boys at the baths, and after their fighting practice filled her head, and a warm tingling started between her thighs at the sight.

"Well...good then, ya' should get started then...before first watch wakes up, and I have ta' let 'em join in the fun."

He gave another cruel smile at her and Elle suddenly realized that cruel or not, he probably wouldn't have too many problems tossing her to the rest of the crew if she really didn't follow his instructions. She slipped down off his bunk and knelt down in front of his massive length. She looked up at him, and with him merely crossing his arms and looking down at her she took that to mean she was getting no more prompting.

She took a trembling breath and tentatively reached out with both hands, wrapping her fingertips around his length. She could barely get her longest finger around his girth to touch her thumb at the base of his shaft, but the first thing she noticed was how warm, and soft the skin was. She wondered at that as she started stroking up and down his length with both hands, trying to emulate what she saw the boys doing when they were in private, though with no bulls or horses in her city, she'd never seen one of this size. She did her best though, and stroked up and down along the mate's long shaft with both hands, sliding them all the way up until it was just under his flared tip before she stroked back down to his balls. Her hands sometimes rolled the flesh a little, especially near the tip, pushing it up a bit and she watched with fascination as the hole at the tip opened and squeezed close with her hand movements.

"Tha's all good girlie, but you better get some tongue action in on this, or we're gonna be here all night."

His voice somehow sounded gentler, and when she looked up at him again, he didn't have as mean an expression. She nodded to him though, and looked over his shaft...how was she? She leaned forward slowly, and hesitantly extended her tongue. She took a quick lap over the underside of his shaft, just getting a taste. It was smooth, and warm, and musky, not entirely 'clean' tasting, but not bad. She slipped forward again and tried a longer lick, this time going from the top of her hands to just underside of his glans. A twitch, and a grunt, acted as encouragement, so she licked back down, this time along the side of his long shaft. She quickly decided the taste wasn't bad at all, and at another grunt, she stroked up and down along his length with both hands, while at the same time she licked up and down it as best she could. Sometimes she even mouthed it as well. She'd kissed a few boys, little pecks and smacks here, so she decided to try that on h hardening cock. He seemed to like that, as he twitched his hips, making his shaft bob in her hands.

"Tha's it girl...just like that, you get me nice and slicked up...it'll make tha' next part easier..."

She blinked as she thought about that, next part, passed through her head while she stroked up and down. She soon learned that he liked her alternating her strokes and her licking, both in length, and speed. On one up-stroke, a pearl of a whitish liquid appeared at the tip of his shaft, from the slit in his flared head.

"Lick it up girlie...you'll be gettin' plenty later," He said in a low, gruff tone.

"Y...yes sir," she replied, and quickly lapped the pearl from the tip of his cock. It was salty, and bitter, not horrid, but Elle couldn't says she liked or hated it. Instead, she just continued stroking up and down his length with her hands and tongue, licking up every time a pearl appeared at the tip of his shaft. On one lick though, one upstroke she felt a massive hand at the back of her head, behind her ears.

"Now, open that mouth girl, and suck...," he rumbled.

She blinked at that command, *suck? Suck what?* passed through her head, but she opened her mouth obediently. She found out what he meant quickly as he thrust forward, shoving the first few inches of his bullcock deep into her muzzle. She barely avoided gagging, but tried to jerk back, he just held her as he stroked his hips back and forth a bit, fucking her muzzle with the first few inches of his shaft. It was all he could get in and she soon realized she had to relax, though the girth of his length stretched her jaw open. She could feel the pulsing underneath her hands, and she realized that was his heartbeat. Something about that made her squirm, sent tingling sensations though her loins, and made her want to take even more of his length, as much as she could. He continued leaking his pre-cm into her mouth, and soon she couldn't taste anything else. She couldn't feel anything but the rough boards under her knees and the pulsing heat in her muzzle and under her hands. She stroked him faster, and he soon grunted and let go of her head when he realized she was voluntarily taking as much of his length into her muzzle as she could. Sure, it was only a few inches, but she was quickly becoming enthusiastic.

"Oh yeah girlie....that's good...now here it comes...your first load..." he groaned out.

Elle didn't know what he meant, but she could feel his cock start to get even harder, and swell a bit more. She then felt a pulsing, and his hips twitched as suddenly thick streams of bitter cum flooded her mouth. She pulled back in surprise at the gushes of the white bullcum filled her mouth with bitter thick heat. He didn't hold onto her as she yanked back, but she caught the amused look on his face as his cock dropped a bit and the gushes continued. The bull came hard and quickly painted the front of her chest from her neck, down to her belly with thick white streams. Elle gasped at the hot liquid as it coated her, the sticky stuff catching in her rain-slick fur and heated the chilled skin, especially where it spattered her nipples and dripped down her belly, intensifying the tingling and dampness she felt between her thighs.

He grunted and reached down; stroking the last few busts of semen onto her chest while a self-satisfied look crossed his features.

"Oh yeah...that's it girlie, much better then tha' whores in town. They got skill, but they just want the' money."

Elle looked down again and blushed from the tips of her ears, she felt, all the way down to her toes. She shook her head slightly,

"So...you'll keep quiet...then? About me, being a girl? That's enough?"

He gave a low, snorting laugh and then reached down. A single finger tilted her head up until he forced her to look at him.

"Oh Girlie, that just took the edge off...now yer' gonna earn my quiet tha' ol' fashioned way. Get up and put your hands on tha'bunk. Turn yer' pretty little ass ta me."

His breath rumbled in his chest, and something about his tone sent shivers down Elle's spine, so with that command she bit her lip again, tasting his semen on her lips and got to her feet. She turned around and bent over with her hands on the bunk, instinctively, even to her, her rain-ragged tail flagged up, presenting her tight ass and virginal pussy back to the first mate's gaze. She closed her eyes when he heard the deep, low chuckle come from his barrel chest.

"Oy...tha's it...you're an eager lil' cherry ain't ya."

She tensed a little when she suddenly felt rough fingers probing her again between her thighs, though they were surprisingly gentle as he pushed first one, then two fingers into her passage. She tried not to tense down at the unfamiliar intrusion, but had to whimper when they pushed in and seemed to press against something inside her.

"Well...how's about tha', you'se really are a cherry...well, don't want to make things too tough for ya, for yer first time."

She was just about to turn and ask him what he meant by that, when Elle felt the fingers withdraw from between her thighs. She just managed a bewildered "What?" before she felt something hot and damp wash across her sex. She realized it must be his breath when suddenly something firm, but flexible, slightly rough, and wide swept from the apex of her sex all the way back to right under her tail. The spike of pleasure it sent through her sent a shiver down her spine, and she couldn't suppress a moan, one that rapidly he clamped off with his massive hand over her mouth again.

"Now quit tha' girly, if you make too much noise, no ways tha' crew won't work up...now keep yer' mouth shut while I get a nice taste o' fresh pussy."

Elle nodded against the hand clamped around her muzzle and bit her lip, hard when she again felt that long wetness from his tongue slide up and over her pussy. His tongue was broad enough that it seemed like it reached every bit of her sex at once, even as he lapped up between her cheeks. It felt so different from when she'd rubbed herself or used the flat of her brush to rub roughly over her outer folds that she almost had to draw blood suppressing the moans she wanted to make, especially when his tongue dragged over the sensitive nub at the apex of her outer lips. Her ass swayed back and forth, as she tried grinding back against his muzzle as a tense feeling started building up between her thighs. She'd rubbed herself to climax a few times, but this felt much more intense, as though it was coming from deeper inside her young body. Her hands clenched on the rough sheets that covered the mate's bed as she raised her hips higher and higher with each lick. She could feel it building up; growing into a wave...it was just about to crest when suddenly she felt him shift again, and that pleasure left with him. She couldn't suppress the whimper that followed from being so close, which he answered with another rough chuckle behind her.

"Ohh, ya' liked tha', did ya' cherry? Well, that's just gettin' you ready for me..." He rumbled.

Elle looked back and her eyes widened as she saw his cock had hardened again, reaching its previous achingly large size. He was stroking it lazily and even as she watched, he aimed it down and guided it forward until it rubbed against her sex.

"W...will it fit?" she squeaked out, since from her perspective it looked like it was as big as she was!

He had another predatory grin on his features as he stroked the flared tip up and down between her cheeks and over her pussy. He pressed it down, nestled the tip just so it caught at her entrance before he answered,

"Oh...it'll fit girlie, just how much will fit....tha's the question...which we're about ta' find out."

Then, even as she watched, he thrust forward with his massive hips. He wasn't gentle, or slow, his thrust could only be described as 'inexorable'. First Elle felt the tip spread her open, stretching her in an aching, but pleasurable way she couldn't describe, at least until he hit the barrier she felt before when he'd probed her with his fingers. He didn't stop though, and with a spike of tearing, burning pain Elle felt his cock sink into her another inch. Tears immediately sprang to her eyes and she bit down onto some dirty blankets as she did her best to suppress the scream she wanted to make as she felt him shove in even deeper, spreading her wide until she felt she would split open. When he finally stopped, she felt she must have him all, but when she looked back, she couldn't believe that it seemed that only a third of his massive cock was inside her! The rest stretched out further, and even as she watched a little matting of blood appeared on her fur below her split open pussy.

The look on his face was different though, his tongue lolled out over the side of his muzzle and he looked like he was in some state of bliss, even as he used one hand and kept his massive length steady.

"Ohh yeah girlie...you gots' a tight snatch, tha' boys would be lining up ta' make use of you...so ya' best be nice ta' me whenever I want," he groaned in a low tone of voice.

Elle blinked away her tears as best she could, though the burning feeling persisted between her thighs and nodded quickly, her throat going dry as she answered, "Y...yes sir...whe...whenever you want...I'll be nice." She panted out, even as she did her best and pressed to the bed, propped up by the rough wood, fabric, and the bull's cock impaling her.

"Ya', that's it...be nice...and we'll see how much o' me, ya' can take..." he rumbled again, and, unbelievably to Elle at least started moving his hips back and forth.

The bull stroked slowly, restricted by the squirrel girl's tight pussy as he worked into her initial virginal resistance. He pulled back until his flared tip nearly caught at her entrance, before he pressed back into her again. Elle just leaned against the bed and closed her eyes, trying to sort the conflict of sensations rolling through her. There was still some pleasure from his earlier licking, but the pain from that initial penetration had overwhelmed that somewhat. She still felt the tingling between her t highs and across the tightness of her nipples, but every time he thrust into her, the pain and stretched feeling increased. With a little whimper, she realized that he was thrusting just a little deeper into her with each thrust, pressing forward into her stretched and abused pussy with his massive cock until the tip finally hit something else inside her, a deeper barrier that sent an ache through her belly with each thrust. She panted and looked back, realizing that he had just half of his massive bovine dick moving in and out of her, though there was still a pleasured look on his face as he moved,

"Be proud girlie...ya' tak'n more'n most o' this big bull's cock," he grunted, while he emphasized his words with a particularly hard thrust that slammed his flared tip right up against the barrier she felt earlier, which provoked another whimpered note from her throat.

He soon got used to this new depth and started fucking Elle in earnest, which sent her practically slamming against the bed with each thrust. She did her best and tried to relax and keep herself open, but being battered by the big bull cock left her with no real chance to pause and process the sensations, especially since foremost was the burning pain from her split virginity. She couldn't help the tears rolling down her face, both from the pain, and the shame at having to give up her first time to this big brute of a first mate. She was confused too, because the pleasure kept coming, and she felt even a little turned on as the bull used her like a toy, and she wished she could pause to sort through the different feelings.

The mate obviously didn't care about any of that though, he just kept pumping away into the girls' tight wetness, grunting and slapping with each thrust. One hand stayed on his cock, stroking the remainder that couldn't fit inside her; the other eventually grabbed her tail and held her hips so he could thrust at just the angle he liked. He pounded away like that for so long, she didn't know, until her hips went numb from being in one position for so long, and her pussy ached from his deeply intruding member. Eventually though his breathing grew heavier, and she felt him swell even more inside her sex,

"Here ya' go girlie...yer' first...grunt payment."

At the grunt, Elle felt him thrust as far into her as he could and held still, and she felt the pulses travel down his thick cock. The heat was impossible as she felt his cum pour into her battered pussy. The sensation was also strangely pleasurable, as she felt it fill her and spill out around his intruding shaft. Like most bulls he came a lot, and she soon felt like she was full of hot, sticky heat and more and more of it gushed out around his shaft as she couldn't contain it in her tiny body.

He jerked against her almost limp body a few more times, making sure every last stream of cum poured into her, only to spill out as he withdrew with a wet, slick _schlorp_sound. Her stretched, opened, abused sex suddenly pierced her consciousness with agony as cum poured out, coated her inner thighs, and dripped down to the floor between her feet. She groaned as soon as he pulled free, though she remembered to keep it quiet enough that he didn't clamp down on her muzzle.

She was slowly becoming conscious that she felt even filthier then before. Cum matted down and caught up her fur up and down the front of her body, while more of it coated her inner thighs, mixed with the blood of her spent virginity. She whimpered and dropped to her knees while her body shivered and trembled from a physical exhaustion she felt coursing through her. She panted, catching her breath when she felt a rough towel land on the back of her neck,

"All right girlie...yer' done for tonight...use tha' an' get cleaned up outside...then get yer' ass back in here and clean the floor o' your mess, then yer' paid for...for now."

Elle nodded weakly and grabbed the towel behind her neck. She carefully left his quarters and headed back up onto the deck where the falling rain hid the squirrel girl's tears as she washed away all evidence of the new fare for her travel.

*

The storm passed mid-morning the next day, which put the entire crew back to work so they had a chance to make up the time lost to the storm over the next several days. This was both a bane and a blessing for Elle. As she worked she could occasionally feel a gaze between her shoulders, and when she looked the first mate often caught her eye and favored her with a leer that sent a shiver down between her shoulders. The aching pain between her thighs hindered her pace, which earned her a few more cuffs across the back of the head or back from the boson for 'slacking off' on her work. The pace set by the captain prevented the first mate from taking advantage of Elle though, as there was no chance for him to claim another 'payment' for her travel on the ship. With normal watches and the captain's insistence on a vigorous pace it was impossible for the first mate to pull her away from her duties.

For the first day or two following their time in his cabin Elle practically panicked every time someone from the crew came too close, thinking they could smell the first mate's cum somehow still in her fur, or between her thighs. No one gave her a second glance though, and she soon let the pace of the work numb her mind, which had a tendency to go over the events of that night whenever her brain idled. Even as the ache between her thighs faded, she found that another ache replaced it, an ache that left her ashamed and hiding in her hammock as she tried to suppress the underlying pleasure that lay beneath the pain, the humiliation heaped on her by the first mate.

Her thoughts twisted up that the passage of another week passed without her notice, until finally the first mate managed to get some privacy in his room once again and he called for her 'services' as another fare payment. The next time in his cabin, they only had time for her to give him another session of oral service. It ended with her rubbing his long cock against her chest as she stroked him as best she could between her little breasts, while she sucked on his tip until he gave her another covering of his seed. He casually tossed her a wet towel so she cleaned up before she returned to her other duties. She learned quickly that he wasn't particularly vicious, or cruel even, he just didn't care whether she was getting any pleasure at all. He was using her as a warm hole and as she learned, he enjoyed it when she made extra sounds, which wasn't hard whenever he stretched her young pussy with his cock, or sent her jaw aching as she tried sucking down as much as his length as she could. They even formed a sort of rhythm, whenever she had a break in her duties after mid-day meal, every two or three days, she would find an excuse to wait in his cabin. He'd come in, and she'd find a way to get him off quickly so he could go back to work. Most of the time they only had time and she'd suck him off, but other times he'd bend her over, lick her until she was wet and slobbery, and then make use of her tight hole.

The second types of sessions were even more confusing for her. She buried her shame enough when sucking him off that she could rationalize that she was keeping him happy, and staying safe so he wouldn't tell the others. When he licked her, and she felt that arousal and wetness seeping from her, when he fucked her and stretched her, she felt that pleasure growing. It was a hidden pleasure that reveled in his use, even as it built frustration, as he never stimulated her enough to get her to her peak. Each time he left a huge load between her thighs she panted and rubbed herself between the thighs, savoring the hot, sticky, wet feeling left behind before he would toss her his towel and make sure she cleaned before going back on deck.

The rest of the crew soon realized Elle...or 'Allen' to them would do the work without complaint, do it quickly and well, and they started ignoring her more and more often. Even the boson stopped his usual abuse, as he ran out of excuses to do so, and it seemed even he was afraid of the captain's reactions should he punish someone without cause.

Elle settled into the routine, work and sexual, and as the days continued, she counted in her head the number before they reached port. With a start, she realized they must be getting close, and she dared hope she might see the end of her 'adventure'.

*

"Sail ahoy,"

came the call from above in the crow's nest. Elle looked up, startled, as Hathen dropped down from his perch, just as the captain came storming out from his cabin. The other crewmembers looked up, startled as well, as Hathen pointed to a spot in the distance.

"Sail there captain, I'm sure of it...two sails, black sails, low to the seat."

He chirruped out as he rocked nervously from foot to foot, wide eyes occasionally glancing out to sea. Elle looked out where the owl pointed and squinted, straining. She could barely make out two dots against the horizon, and marveled at the owl's eyesight as she and the rest of the crew gathered on the deck.

Natago glanced over the rail and looked back,

"Are you sure...wait, of course you are,"

he growled, unslung a long collapsible spyglass out of his belt and peered in the distance, while Hathen followed his gaze as well.

"I see them..." the captain muttered, "do you think they've seen us?" He asked the owl as he put away the brass glass.

"Oh yes...yes yes, they've seen us...they're coming after us...I'm sure they are."

The owl danced from foot to foot, as Elle noticed he did when the owl got extra excited.

The rest of the crew murmured and the first mate stepped up.

"Capt'n, what're we doin'?"

Natago looked irritably at the bull, "What do you think we can do, we're going to run. We're near those blasted sorcerer city, they might have some ships in the area, maybe we can outrun them and get some help, or get to port before they catch us," he then raised his voice and shouted to the crew, "all right, set to run. Get us under full sail, and tack up every bit of fabric you can and put it up. We're not exactly fast, but we have the wind. We've done this before! Get Moving!"

Elle stepped up to the bull and started in a low voice, as she saw the captain stride up onto the deck and take the helm, "Wh...what does he mean, what are we doing?"

The bull gruffed and looked down, not un-fondly she thought, "We've tangled wit' pirates...we run if we can and fight if we have 'ta, but the capt'n don't like tha' much." He placed a hand on her shoulder, "Jus' get movin' and follow tha' bosun's orders." He then grinned widely in a look that was much too predatory for a bull, "'Sides, yer' payment was ta' keep you from tha' crew, ah didn't jus' mean -our- crew."

Elle gulped and watched as the bull turned away and headed up to the helm with the captain, before she turned back and went to find the boson, whom was already shouting about 'Allen' moving too slow to keep on the boat, and they should pitch him for a bit more speed.

*

"They're gaining too quickly," the captain concluded as he put the spyglass down and looked astern at the approaching ships.

Even Elle could see the sails now on two approaching ships, their hulls very low to the water. They looked like two sloops cutting through the water like sharks, black finned sharks rising up against the seawater.

Hathen was next to the captain, and the two of them seemingly ignored Elle as she secured the straining sails to another bailing pin. She locked the knots down as the rigging strained against the extra wind they caught with all of the additions to the sails.

"Captain..." Hathen started, "I think they're_Ilemen_ oh yes, yes I do...and you know what that means."

Natago nodded soberly, "Slavers, and they probably have some kind of magic pushing their ships, something giving them the wind."

Elle suppressed a squeak at that, even in her town they'd heard of the Ilemen a race supposedly related to infernal creatures. They roamed the seas from their fortresses, plundering towns, and capturing slaves for sacrifices, labor, and more. They often had strong mages with them, but their magic usually involved bloodletting, either from the practitioner, or from sacrifices, usually slaves that outlived any other use.

Hathen hopped again from foot to food and nodded jerkily,

"Oh yes, oh yes...and they don't give up, no no they don't."

Natago shook his head,

"No, they don't." he growled again, "Ok, get the crew to dump the cargo, Hog will go crazy, but maybe they will either go around, or stop to pick them up, but either way we'll need the speed." The captain then smirked and turned to where Elle thought she was hiding as well as she listened to their conversation.

"You hear that Allen, go run to the boson and pass along my orders, would you?"

Elle thought herself proud that she didn't jump, but nodded in response,

"Y...yes sir," she answered, threw a salute she'd learned from the other crew, and ran off for the boson.

*

Natago shook his head, "Roll out the cannon." He pronounced with finality.

In the hours since the crew dumped their cargo overboard, they'd picked up even more speed, but it seemed that it was not enough, as the raiding ships drew closer and closer. Now they were close enough that even Elle could see the details of the two black ships as they shipped through the water towards them.

The ships were low to the water, with triangular sails with different insignias and signs sewn into them with red thread against the black fabric. The wood too was black, made of a deep wood and covered with some unknown material that turned the wood almost as black as tar. More insignias and runes covered the hulls, and the prows of each had figures of horned, demonic threat glaring balefully at their prey. Heavy drumbeats filled the air too as a dozen oars on each side of each ship worked with frightening inexorability to cover the distance between them and the straining freighter. A closer look at each ship revealed a robed, red-skinned figure on each deck, facing astern, and their chanting was mixing with the drum beats that was almost...hypnotic.

In fact, Elle felt herself drifting towards the ship's stern, so she could get a better look, just a look of course, when she felt a hand on her shoulder, and claws biting into her shoulder.

"Don't..." the captain warned, "That's one of the ways they work, they lull your mind, make you sluggish so you can't resist as well." He said, as he looked back at the gaining ships. He looked to Elle and gestured to his cabin, "If you would join me in the cabin for a moment crewman." He nodded to t he first mate, "Get the cannon set, and put out the rune boards, they won't do a huge amount if they decide to start using blood magic, but every little bit helps." With his hand on Elle's shoulder, he pulled her with him into his cabin.

At first, she was startled with how Spartan his cabin was. A simple dresser cabinet, desk, writing table and bed filled the room. She could see the remnants of their last meal sitting on his desk, in front of a simple wooden chair, though it was finished to a high sheen and carved intricately with whorls and designs. It was in that chair he guided her and put her down into it, and then crossed his hands while looking at her expectantly.

"Y...yess captain?" she started, but he cut her off,

"Ok, you can stop that now...who are you really, little lady?"

She blink blinked and dropped her head,

"How did you know?"

"You're not as good at disguise as you think," he snorted, "Nor have you been getting as...clean as you thought."

Her gaze snapped up and she looked at him with fury in her eyes, "What? You knew? How could you let him...how, why did you let him do that?!"

He shrugged laconically, "It wasn't my business, and it didn't interfere with the ship. You were going to get off next stop anyway; it was an indulgence I allowed him until you left. Now I need to know though, who are you? I could be coincidence that these slavers caught up to us so close to the university, but then again, maybe not."

"L...like I told you...I was going to see my brother. He's a student there...and I...I'm Ellesten Firborn," she said, hanging her head slightly.

The captain whistled low, "Firborn huh? That would make your brother Melten? Going to the university because he's going to be the next Archmage for the entire kingdom? That Firborn?"

Ellesten nodded her again weakly.

"And you thought you could just hop a ship and go to your brother then, huh?" He grumbled, "Well, Lady Firborn," he started with a shake of his head, "this might be the stupidest things you've done with your short life."

He walked over to the dresser and opened one of the bottom drawers, then pulled out a sheathed dagger. He brought it over and unsheathed it, which revealed a fine-bladed steel stiletto, with an oak engraved handle with an oak leaf symbol on the pommel. He handed it to her hilt first, and she numbly took it and put it across her lap,

"I expect you've had some training with this?" He started with a raised eyebrow.

"Y...yes." she replied as she pulled the sheath off the blade and inspected it more closely.

"Good, so stay in here until the noise dies down, and if anyone comes in here who isn't a crew member, put that between their ribs. Find someplace to hide, too, because I'm betting you don't these creatures getting a hold of you."

Without another word, the captain turned and strode out of the cabin. Elle watched with trembling lips as the door slammed behind him, and she heard the unmistakable sound of a key clicking in a lock. Her lower lip trembled, and tears threatened to escape but she sniffed, and looked around. Only one corner provided any kind of cover or concealment, so she planted herself in the corner, her tail curled around her, stiletto in both hands, pointing to the door as she waited for her fate.

*

It took surprisingly little time before the raider ships caught up to them. Elle was aware of a strange whooshing sound, as the drums and chants grew louder, though she was determined not to let them crowd around her and seize her mind once again. She curled into her corner as best she could, and she swore she could almost feel the shadows curling around her and comforting her in their embrace. She kept her eyes on the door as the whoosh grew louder and louder. It seemed all at once, there was a moment of silence, anticipation, and ten with a loud cracking *boom* she felt the ship shudder as the cannons went off on either side towards the raiders.

It was impossible to see what was going on, but she heard shouting, and a frantic thumping of boots on deck, followed by another series of cracking booms though much more staggered then the first round. Suddenly the deck pitched to the side, and a loud crunch echoed through the ship as it tossed to the side. A loud grinding reverberated through the hull for a moment, before with another loud crash something affected the ship from the other side.

The movements almost flung Elle from her hiding spot, but she clung to the stiletto with a death grip. She stared at the door as from the deck she heard loud whoops and coming through. The clang of metal on metal soon filled the room and she ducked down even more into her tail, her lips, her tail, her whole body trembling as she listened to the sounds of combat going on outside. Even worse than the sounds of metal on metal, were when another sound came out, a scream, a yell, or a thick, wet gurgle of someone cut off in mid yell as a weapon cut off their breath.

It was all over remarkably quickly, it couldn't have been more than ten minutes before the noises of combat ceased from outside the door. The ship still groaned, and she noticed with a startled realization that the ship was slowly listing to the port side, which should only happen if it were taking on water! She whimpered slightly at that realization and kept looking at the door to the cabin.

Almost on cue, the door handle jiggled, then rattled, and with a thump, something heavy and metal landed against the door. Two, three blows and the door split open, cracked wide under the force of a large, two-handed axe that shattered the door and sent it off its hinges. Through the door came Elle's first look at one of the dreaded Ilemen; it was a he, obvious from the obvious musculature visible underneath deep red skin and tanned, body hugging black leather. The armor covered the necessary parts, the thighs, the chest, the arms, but from the casual way the creature moved, Elle suspected he didn't think it needed to protect anything else. Long black hair strung from a ponytail high on the back of the Ilemen's head, he was otherwise bald, but two backswept horns followed the curve of the ponytail. A long, leathery tail snapped out behind him as well and a simple overlapping leather cover appeared to be the only protection for that appendage.

He also was obviously not expecting any kind of trouble; Elle felt his eyes sweep across the room. She could have sworn they passed over her, and moved right on. She let out a frightened yell and rushed as soon as his gaze moved on.

The move caught him by surprise; he was barely able to bring the axe halfway up before the stiletto found the spot beneath what she assumed was his ribs. She turned the blade upwards and stabbed up under his ribs, seeking the lungs and heart beneath.

Her blow found her mark, as he barely let out a breath, which turned into a gurgled expression of surprise as blood bubbled up out from between his lips and cut off any other sound he might have made as he dropped off her blade, sinking to the floor as black blood poured from the wound and pooled underneath.

Elle was already moving though before he even hit the floor, she darted out of the room, but stopped when the sight greeted her.

The deck was a mess, blood and weapons strewn across the wood, her crewmates surrounded by bodies of red-skinned attackers, blood mixing and pooling while steel glinted wetly in the sunlight. The two s hips sandwiched theirs between them. Their positions trapped their ship; additionally grappling hooks locked them to the two raiding vessels. At least two dozen red-skinned people looked up in surprise as she came out of the cabin. One of them pointed and shouted something as she looked for routes to run.

That is when she noticed the captain, the first mate, and Hethor bound in the middle of the deck. They looked unconscious, or at least they weren't moving, and at least half of the remaining attackers surrounded them.

Elle had time to realize all of this, but the shout had an effect, as the attackers surrounded her with weapons of various types. She saw cutlasses, axes, clubs and whips here and there, as they surrounded her. She yelled and darted here and there, slashing, poking with the blade, and keeping them at their distance. She trembled with anger as she tried to do something, anything.

She barely heard the guttural chanting above the rush of blood in her ears, at least until she noticed the blade growing heavier in her hands. She was suddenly aware that the chanting seemed like it filled her head, it made everything so heavy, so slow...she could barely stand up...and why should she...they lost, right?

The blade tumbled from her numb fingertips, and she dropped to her knees in the middle of the deck as figures surrounded her and closed in, before things went dark.

*

She caught glimpses as consciousness faded in and out.

She felt rough hands tying her arms and legs, binding her tightly.

They tossed her over one of their shoulders and when she opened her eyes, she saw her crewmates, alive and dead, dragged with her by other s from the raiding ships.

She had a view of their ship yawing over, listing as it took in water as the two ships pulled free, revealing giant holes from ram-prows built into the dark ships.

She had a glimpse of a cage with silver bars as they tossed her in it, and the cage door slammed shut.

Then the whispering, chanting in her mind finally overcame her completely, and consciousness fled.