The Pirate Hunter's Smarter Brother!

[Jacky Tar]

The hairs went up on the back o' me neck, it sounded like a heavy body had fallen in t' a pit. I scowled at Red Cat, if she had shot a member o' the TRIBE, it ment we'd drawn first blood. I had a bad feelin' 'bout this. Surely that shot would wake someone or alert a sentry.

"Red Cat, head back t' the boat an take Silkie wit' ye." I didn't wait fer her response, an walked quickly wit' Ransom, in the direction the thud had come from. The moon was high overhead, but this was dense jungle like growth, I didn't want t' stumble in t' a trap. I heard a familiar voice ahead o' me, as I inched forward through the bush. I stopped at the edge of a hole in the earth, dropped t' me knees t' get a better look."Oi, anyone down there!" I said in a low voice.

[Red Cat Jenny]

Red Cat sputtered an scowled. "I ain't leavin! Wot ye make o me aye?! " *unintelligible grumbling * She shoved next t' Jacky an peered down as well. "Oi! Roberts! Dammit ye pirate!" Her voice dropped as she realized the fall may have saved her longtime friend from his demise.. "Are ye hurt Jon?" she called down in a most unCatlike manner. A single angry growl emanated from th dark hole...

Knowin him t' be ok (she'd heard that sound afore) Red CAt considered mayhap ol Jon would need a bit o time alone.. "Ehrm..on sekin thot JAcky" she leaned in an glared at Tar "an it AIN'T cos yer sayin so" closed wit a quick wink, which turned up one corner o his scowl ever so slightly..well they were Pirates after all.."I'll take Silkie here an go check on th boat. She kin speak t the moss r' wot have ye an get us outta here. I've see enough dry land fer awhile" Wit that, cutlass still in hand, Red Cat dissapeared into th brush wit the red haired lass in tow hummin softly.

[Jacky Tar]

Sure enough it was Roberts an he appeared t' be unharmed. "Damn, am I glad t' see yer face." I said, "But 'fore we start receivin' guests here shortly, wot say ye take me hand an we get ye out o' this hole?" He stopped growlin' an took me hand; thankfully, Ransom kept Roberts from pullin' me in t' the hole wit' him.

He brushed himself off, an we three followed not far behind Red Cat an Silkie, back t' the boat.

[Silkie McDonough]

"I'm gona pay fer dis", Silkie thought as Cat led her through the forest. "If I don't colapse soon I'll be a lucky sealkie." she continued to complain to any who could hear and understand her communications. "N'wot's dis bout mae talkin t'moss? Moss is inanimate! It's d'cretters wot I talks t'. Des Cat, now ...det cretter? She's a bit ard t'understan!"

Silkie stopped short. Her thoughts focused on a small voice "Day er watchin" she opaused trying to get details. "Dose wot er in d'trees." Was it TRIBE that the tree frog was making reference to?

[Red Cat Jenny]

Silkie had been lecturin Red Cat as they went, inbetween random answers t' creatures unseen. Their questions r' statements unheard by any other. Red Cat continued to head them towards th shore listenin herself, above Silkies mumblin an hummin, fer sounds o hostility in th form o' 6 foot tall wimmin missin their latest catch. They broke through th trees an sprinted down th beach gainin some ground twixt themselves an th others. Who were still makin their way through th jungle of palms an vines. Cat figurin they'd have th craft in the shallows an ready, glanced toward th shore an saw an odd sight. There were a man on wot looked like wreckage paddlin fer dear life, His wee lantern swingin wildly on it's hook as th raft was tossed in th surf.

She slowed, an looked sharply t' b sure o wot she saw. Silkie came up behind an almost plowed clean inta her. "Now wot ye see Silkie? that could be wot Africa fired upon... did yer critters tell ye of tha?" She looked past the wobbly craft for the ship r' wot was left o one wot it may have come from, but saw nothin. She removed her tricorn an ran a hand through her hair as she tried t make a quick decision. "damn.."

[Black Nate]

Nate paddled and paddled, making as best as he could to escape what he had hoped was his savior, but now appeared to be enemy. He suddenly realized he was also near a shore of some land mass. He giggled some and redoubled his efforts to get to that shore. He eventually found himself paddling in the hazardous surf, barely keeping his raft from being rolled many times. With a jolt the edge of the raft made contact with the soft sand. Nate threw down the sweep and grabbed up all his precious belongings and weapons and jumped off his vessel into knee deep water and hopped, jumped, and scampered to dry land. "He he he he!!! Ya didn't get ol' Nate! No sah! I done saved meself!" He ran up the beach and was about to head into the trees when two figures walked out onto the sand. He nearly fell over himself stopping about fifteen feet from the tree line. Dropping the canvas sack and sticking his cutlass into the sand he brought up his musket and drew back the cock. The sound of the weapon being cocked got their attention. There were two of them and only ol' Nate, but he had the jump on them if they wanted trouble. He grinned in the moonlight and called out softly. "Ahoy there. Come closer sos I can sees yer better, aye?"

[Red Cat Jenny]

Silkie dropped back behind her friend. Red Cat drew a hand t' the hilt o her cutlass an stepped closer..scowlin at first. She'd had jest abou enuf fer one early mornin an no coffee nor rum. She'd have t' deal wi Roberts later fer takin a shot at him an now here be this tattered figger in slops, no shoes nor stockings a checked shirt hangin out from under a short jacket. Just tumbled outta th surf. He was holdin a musket but wavered as he pointed at them unused yet t dry land. She yanked her hat down in front wit the other hand and answered th scruffy lad wit demand "Oi! lest ye wont yer time on land t' be short.. ye best lower tha thing. wot's yer name an whar ye come from?..answers now! I aint in no mood fer any more. She drew the cutlass up slightly from it's scabbard. N' if ye know wot's good fer ye.." She wondered if he did as he swayed wider "Ye'll speak up fore severl angry natives come through them trees!" Behind her Silkie began t' hum again...

[Silkie McDonough]

The humming stopped. "Ifin e'was wrecked ...is powders may ave been wet, maybae unpredictable." Silkie, standing behind Cat, began to hum but the sound was different to cats ear, more like an actually melody than the song of the wild she had been singing. Silkie, hidden by Cat, stealthily lifted a Murdock from her brace.

[Roberts]

Roberts limped along wit one arm on Jacky's shoulder. He'd twisted summin in th fall. He warn't aware o which one of 'em took a shot at him, but he figgered he'd wait tha one out until they got back t' th Rakehell.

His limpin slowed them down a bit an he wondered if TRIBE weren't far behind.

[Black Nate]

"What's this now?" Ol' Nate was taken aback for a moment, then grinned wider. "Come on now, I ain't seein no natives, just you two." He braced his musket on his hip and slowly reached down and drew a pistol from the sack, cocking it with his thumb. "Just ease on over here an ol' Nate'll have a look at ya. Lets see them hands empty now." He held out the weapons as he talked, keeping them trained on the two.

[Silkie McDonough]

Silkies song grew louder to be heard above the surf and Nate began to wonder exactly what he was doing pointing loaded weapons at these two alone on the shore. The one in the back was ...was ...the song ...it was so ...it lulled him into...

Nate regained his senses only after the little one in the front moved aside and revealed a fully cocked Murdock aimed at his gut.

"Ifin I knew wot a Mexican stand off wuz I'd say we ad wun ere!"

[Red Cat Jenny]

Red Cat grinned widely at the sound of a pistol bein cocked behind her. She stepped aside t' reveal Silkies Murdock aimed at the man. "Wall now"...CAt started..as she swaggered closer.."I see we has ourselves time fer... a chat" She cocked her head to one side still grinnin an took another few steps comin up close to the lad. He took a defensive stance but still wagged to an fro a little. She figgered mayhap he hadn't had water 'r food fer a while..Cat waited fer a response..or him ta fall over..

[Black Nate]

Ol' Nate tisked as he saw the pistol revealed. "Oh deary me. I been shot with worse lad. An if ya were gonna shot me, ya would have already. Be a smart lad an put it away." He now aimed both pistol and musket on the one armed with the murdock but kept an eye on the other as well. He started humming a song to himself, even letting a word or two spill from his lips.

[Silkie McDonough]

Silkie's new song continued. His body was weak, his mind should be also ...could he be so easily mesmerized by the song of the sealkie female?

[Red Cat Jenny]

Red CAt closed her eyes and heaved a big sigh...

She drew her cutlass with disregard that it may have caused th man t' fire ..though it warn't likely as he'd catch Silkies return volley in the gut. Wavin th blade she glanced at both.. "Will you two pipe down! All this hummin and singin! GAh!!!!" Both stopped momentarily and looked at the fumin Cat. ..."Now, I'm gonna send ye both t' yer fates if ye make one more sound!" She really needed breakfast, coffee wit rum and t' get off this cursed rock Roberts stuck em on...Aye Roberts...he'd be next when they got back..

The lad t her left giggled. Silkie still held th pistol on him.

"Sah, any time now there r gonna be more o me crew comin through them trees...likely followed by some hostiles.." She threw a glance at th trees. "Either way ye'll...we'll likely be outnumbered"No answer from the scruffy lad..just a grin.

[Ransom]

Cursing under my breath, I shoved my shoulder under Roberts' other arm, and helped Jacky carry the weight of him. "Ya big oaf, Roberts. Hope you enjoyed your little night in Eden, for it may cost us all a dart in the neck."

He tried to grumble excuses, but I wasn't listening. Instead, my ears were pricked for any sound of pursuit. When we finally broke through the trees onto the beach, the three of us stopped dead in our tracks, and stared at Cat and Silkie in a stand-off with some stranger.

With another, more venomous curse, I looked at Jacky. "Who in blazes is that?"

[Black Nate]

The grin on ol' Nate's face changed suddenly as he noticed three men come out of the tree line. Two on one Nate could handle. Five on one, he knew he could not. He damn near choked in frustration and clenched his teeth, muttering under his breath as he lowered his pistol and put up his musket. "Sos yer weren't tellin the lie about more o yer crew bein here. Good on you, good on you. I guess ya got ol' Nate fair an square." He continued to stand there and wait to see what his fate might be now as a gurgling sound came from his gut. Seems his stomach thought his throat had been cut and decided to protest. Looking at his belly and back at the others he grinned and chuckled once.

[Jacky Tar]

I saw the stranger on the beach, an cursed, "We've no time fer this!" We had t' set Roberts down, an I drew me pistol, "Avast! If ye know wot's good fer ye sir, ye'll put that pistol away. If ye don't, I swear I'll drop ye where ye stand an leave ye fer the gulls."

I heard Ransom draw an cock her pistol. He didn't look like the fella I'd freed from the cage; how many other men were wanderin' round this island?

[Black Nate]

"Hold fast, mate! Yer got me already!" Nate looked to his arms in hand and decided to slide his musket butt to the ground and rest its barrel on his chest, uncocked the pistol and clipped it onto his belt. He held out his hands to show they were empty. "Ya happy now?" He looked to the fellow with the drawn cutlass. "Tell yer crew there ta relax then aye?" He wiggled his fingers in the air, emphasizing their emptiness of weapons and grinned.

[Roberts]

Roberts stood shiftin his weight t' his one steady leg. He quickly tested th other shiftin his weight again. He winced, but th ol pirate had fought in worse pain than tha..there was th time he'd been cut near t' th bone an still held hisself against more n one, usin the pain t' his advantage t' spur him on in his attack. He saw as much blood as he lost that day he did. When th man lay aside his arms an held up 'is hands. Roberts chose instead t' look behind him, thar were the sound o those drums risin agin. He remembered now, hearin em as he had come to. Shouts an rustlin echoed, still far off in th jungle they'd just emerged from. One angry lass was enough trouble he thought..several was sure t' be bad news.

[Red Cat Jenny]

Red CAt , still standin wit cutlass in hand, realized in the moonlight the stranger had taken them all fer men. He'd also mistaken her fer 'th Captain! She chuckled, cringin a bit at th same time, waitin fer a retort from Ransom for one 'r both. She didn't dare look at Roberts yet. No use th two of em gettin inta a scrap here on th beach."JAcky, th man's half gone from th heat an I b'lieve hes had no water nor food. put pown th pistol luv, we've more'n got 'im covered." she didn't wait fer a reply as she heard the arms uncocked behind her. All but one. "He's got some belongins an he looks t' be still strong enough t crew. I ain't leavin him here t' th mercy o those" she shot Roberts a sour look "wimmin..." CAt grinned at the stranger who seemed both confused an relieved. She stepped forward an disarmed the sailor. He gave no resistance an looked right pathetic wit his matted brown hair stickin every which way from under his scarf, an he seemed t' shiver a bit in the breeze blowin onshore. CAt looked him sternly in th eyes. They were hazel like Silkies, but a touch darker and looked a bit vacant. She lowered her voice "Listen mate, it aint me decision t' bring ye aboard, so play nice an I'll see wot I kin do. I'm sure they'll be agreeable if ye just keep it quiet an do as yer told. " She stared at him fer a moment. Suddenly understandin showed on his face, the grin returned an he nodded emphatiaclly "Aye, ye got Ol Nate..ye'll have no trouble from me" All th noddin was causin him t' wobble a bit agin.

[Ransom]

"No time for formal introductions," I barked. "Jacky, Roberts, get a move on. Company is coming!"

With my pistol in one hand, and Roberts leaning on my other side, the three of us jogged as best we could to where Red Cat, Silkie and the stranger were waiting.

"Everyone, get in the boat. NOW. No time for questions. Cat, if your new friend is so wobbly, then help him on board. Lively, you lot, we don't have any time left."

As I spoke, something whizzed by my ear and landed with a small thunk into the side of the jolly boat.

"Go, go, go!" I shouted, as Jacky ducked just in time to miss another projectile skimming past to land harmless in the sand.

[Silkie McDonough]

Silkie kept the Murdock aimed at the man as they moved to the jolly boat. Can't trust a pirate as it is, let alone one suffering from a bit daft from too much exposure to the sun.

Silki didn't shift her eyes but was gritting her teeth at Cat ...may well have been her tuning that distracted him just enough to pull her Murdock.

As for Roberts Silkie now knew what he was about now and thought "Two can play at that game especially on a ship of men!" She would flirt with Roberts but he would never bed her!

The locals had arrived ...darts started flying ...once the stranger was in the boat I aimed at the nearest local, fired then helped launch the jolly boat just before I jumped in.

We had enough people to row I looked to Cat, "Ken I see ifin I ken sing us some help?"

[Red Cat Jenny]

Red Cat saw the strangers eyes widen as he looked past her shoulder. T'was not at the pistol Silkie kept aimed at his chest but at th bluff above th beach. Several figures appeared pointing an shouting. Th sun had begun t' just faintly light th sky outlinin at least 10 between th trees. It were still dark down on th beach where they stood. "Wall mate..grab yer belongins an inta th boat wit ye!" He stooped to grasp at the sack at his feet and another dart whized by just missing were he'd have been were he upright. "Come on! " Not havin had time t' reload her own weapon, Cat grabbed th sailors musket an fired high in the direction o the bluff bringin down a shower of palm fronds. With a growl at her use o his prized an trusted friend. Th man tossed his sack over th jolly's edge an followed with hisself. Figures dropped from th bluff onto th sand. JAcky, Ransom an CAt shoved th boat inta th water an Silkie turned takin a shot down th beach an dove in as well.

[Ransom]

From out to sea came a deep BOOM, a familier whine, and then an explosion of sand, as one of the eight pounders spit a ball at the islander's feet. Soon another BOOM split the early dawn quiet, and another fountain of sand spewed into the air.

"God bless you, Africa," I shouted, even though I knew he could not hear me. Everyone grabbed a sweep and started rowing for their life. Even the newcomer helped, weak as he appeared to be.

With the third BOOM and geyser of sand, the islanders retreated into the jungle, while we rowed for the Rakehell like a crew possessed.