The crew of the Stampede were far too tired to notice or even care about the rabbit darting between their legs as she made her way down to the brig. She still made sure to peek around the corners, just in case Bogo was around one of them. Fortunately, her journey was unhindered but she slowed down as she neared her destination, not knowing who was in there. She didn't think there would be other prisoners, though she needed to consider the possibility of a guard. Carefully she opened the door and poked her head in.
"Hello?" she tentatively called out.
"Judy!" The pirates swarmed to the bars to get a better look.
"Are you alright?" Judy asked as she rushed over to them.
Flash raised a claw to answer her. "We...are...doing..."
"We're fine," said Finnick quickly. "As much as we can be stuck in a brig in the middle of a battle, anyway."
"What about you?" asked Honey.
"Father and I are fine. A weasel managed to break into our cabin, but we took care of him." Judy couldn't help but allow a small bit of pride enter her voice.
"You don't like anyone," said Bobby, rolling his eyes.
Judy scanned all of their faces to further reassure herself of their wellbeing. They still had the low spirits from when they had been captured earlier, but they all seemed pleased to see her. However...
"Where's Nick?"
"Gone," replied Finnick. "Said he was inspired by our stunt a few weeks back. Probably the one where we snuck aboard Boarbossa's ship."
Her eyes widened in shock. He must have managed to get aboard Boarbossa's ship somehow. That's why they stopped firing. Nick must have offered them some sort of deal. I have to help him!
"Come on! Let's get you out of here." She tugged on the cell door to test if it had any give. She stumbled back when it opened easily.
"Nick already picked the lock," explained Honey.
"Then why are you still down here?" asked Judy, confused.
The pirates looked at each other uneasily.
"The captain, like, told us to, you know?" said Yax.
"Well, let's go now!" Judy held the door wide open and gestured with her free hand. After that cell emptied, Honey made quick work of the lock on the second, and soon the entire crew was free.
"Almost everyone is in their cabins resting," Judy told them. "There may be a few sentries, so move quietly. I'll meet you on the Black Paw in a moment. I need to get something." When it was time to part ways, Judy sped off to her cabin.
She made it in good time and hastily opened the door, hoping that the weasel hadn't somehow managed to escape and attack her father. Instead, a different surprise awaited her.
"Ben?"
"Judy! There you are!" The cheetah ran over to her and picked her up in a hug. "I went to see if you were alright, but you weren't here, but this weasel was, and - "
"Calm down, Ben," said Judy. She quickly returned the hug when she was placed back on the floor. "I'm glad you're alright, too."
"Judy, do you know what's going on?" asked her father.
"Nick managed to sneak aboard the Bloody Tusk and convinced Boarbossa to leave." Judy went to her cases and started rummaging through them.
"Nick?"
"Captain Wilde of the Black Paw," answered Ben.
"You mean, the fox?" asked Stuart, scrunching up his face.
"Yes, father, the fox," said Judy, curtly. She pulled out the box Jack Savage had given her.
"You're leaving again, aren't you?"
The sadness in his voice had Judy's head turning towards him. He looked frightened and heartbroken.
"I have to save him, father," she said, pleading for him to understand.
Tears welled up in his eyes and he embraced her. "Don't let me lose you."
"You won't, I promise." Some loud sniffling caused the two rabbits to look up and see Ben wiping his face, failing not to cry.
Judy pulled back from her father and held his hands. "Look after each other. Give us some time and then tell Bogo about Weselton." She jerked her head to the tied up weasel, still unconscious. "He may have some useful information when he wakes up. And Ben, you remember how to get to the island and the cavern?"
Ben just about managed to nod before blowing his nose.
Judy extracted the pistol from the box and tucked it away, quickly said "I love you" and left the cabin before tears could escape her own eyes.
Caution overtook her again on deck. She could just make out a body lying on the floor which turned out to be a wolf. He was still breathing, and Judy reasoned the pirates knocked him out on their way to their ship. As she neared the Black Paw, she heard a small number of mammals moving about on it, and noticed the sails were being replaced. The two ships were tethered together with a rope, which she shimmied across without too much trouble.
"So you came back after all?" said a voice just below her when she boarded.
"Finnick?" It was hard to see in the low light, but there was no mistaking the voice. "Is everyone here?"
"Yep," answered Finnick, cutting the rope with his sword. "We're just about ready to cast off."
It was an agonisingly slow process, but little by little the Black Paw inched away from the Stampede and soon found itself a good distance away, though they waited until they had completely disappeared into the mist before they felt safe enough to talk.
"Alright everyone!" Judy marched across the deck, trying to get the crew's attention. "The Bloody Tusk headed off in that direction. We may not be able to reach them before they reach the island, but that means the ship will only have part of her crew, assuming they want to get to the treasure as soon as possible. If we drop anchor at a different side of the island, we can organise a small party to go ashore and find a way to save Nick." She turned towards them, about to ask whether they had any thoughts or ideas, but faltered when she saw a group of stunned faces staring back at her.
"What?"
"We can't just go up against Boarbossa!" said Finnick. "That'd be suicide!"
Judy gaped at him. "But we have to save Nick! Who knows what's happening to him right now!"
"He made his choice. He knew what he was getting into."
"Besides," added Honey, "we're no match for that crew."
"I know we're outnumbered," began Judy, "but if we all work together - "
Finnick huffed. "Flash is a sloth, Bucky and Pronk are dunderheads, and I don't think Yax has even held a sword!"
"I'm a strict pacifist," said Yax, shrugging.
"Our only two decent fighters are Nathan and Bobby, and that's two against thirty!"
"It's all well and good attacking merchant vessels crewed by lemmings," said Honey, "but we never risk anything bigger than that if we can help it. At the end of the day...we're cowards."
Judy continued gawking in disbelief. "We - we beat him before - "
"And we almost got killed!" snarled Finnick.
"And what about Nick?" Judy shouted back. "Your Captain! Have you no honour?"
"Honour?" spat Finnick. "We're pirates!"
"He's in danger! Doesn't that mean anything to you?"
The crew shuffled uncomfortably, some of them having the decency to look shame-faced and guilty.
Judy jumped on to the bulwark and faced them with a fierce look.
"Maybe you haven't done anything like this before. Maybe you planned never to do anything like this, but life doesn't work that way. There will be times when you have to be more than you think you are, and for you, now is that time! Your Captain, your friend is in mortal danger, and only we can save him. I have seen this crew weather storms and sirens. It was thought that Captain Maul's treasure would never be found, and yet who found it? The mammals standing before me. We have done incredible things, and we can do it again. But we're not going because we can, but because we must. We don't know yet if we'll win, but the important thing is that we try. Who's with me?"
"Embleer pirates!"
Judy continued to grumble to herself as she continued rowing the longboat towards the island. She glared at the retreating Black Paw with contempt, but had to acknowledge they had been at least kind enough to take her reasonably close to the island before dropping her off. She had even been gifted some food by Yax and some musk mask from Honey, along with a blow pipe and a couple of darts laced with a sleeping agent that the badger had been saving for an emergency. They had been reluctant to let her go, but her constant shaming was soon too much to bear and they just wanted to be rid of her.
Eventually the shore became reachable, but she decided to keep circling the island until she found the Bloody Tusk. From there she wasn't entirely sure what her plan was, but kept going anyway.
"Well?" demanded Boarbossa.
Nick looked around the cavern, his eyes flitting from tunnel to tunnel. It was amazing how he was here only a short while ago, filled with brimming excitement and hope instead of encroaching dread. He briefly considered sending the boar down a wrong tunnel, but decided against it. Boarbossa would insist he lead the way down whichever path he pointed out, and he was determined to stay alive for as long as possible. He finally spotted the red paint Honey had left, but made a show of studying the markings above the tunnels before choosing. He needed to keep some sort of advantage.
"This way," he said as he moved forward.
"You're sure?" asked Boarbossa.
"Most definitely," replied Nick confidently as he entered. "You can send some of your lackeys down one of the others if you don't believe me." Boarbossa had taken most of his crew with him on this excursion, and they had been giving Nick the creeps the moment he boarded the Bloody Tusk. Any chance to lower their numbers would be greatly appreciated. Unfortunately, Boarbossa seemed satisfied with Nick's confirmation and they all followed the fox deeper into the labyrinth.
They continued through for some time, a few softly growling with impatience, but soon enough they came to the end. When they reached the treasure trove, Nick stepped to the side to let the others through and watched in amusement as Boarbossa and his crew stared in awe at the riches before them. One brave panther whooped and rushed forward, prompting the rest of them to follow suit. Nick hung back, wondering if he could quietly slip out when Boarbossa snorted at him to get his attention.
"You are staying with me," he stated. He jerked his head towards the open cavern and Nick took the hint, staying reasonably close while the boar wandered about the cavern, searching for something. As they travelled, Nick watched Boarbossa's crew root through the treasure, reminding him of his own crew when they had first seen it. He hoped they were OK and not doing anything foolish. Self-preservation is the way of the pirate, he told himself, before also telling himself that he was currently right next to a mammal who wanted him dead and he had chosen to be there in a desperate attempt to protect his crew. He found he didn't regret it.
He then realised they were getting close to the cursed medallion.
Before his panic had sufficient time to manifest, footsteps were heard thundering through the tunnel and a wolf burst out panting heavily.
"The ship's on fire again!"
Boarbossa's eye twitched. He whirled towards Nick, brandishing his sword. "You!"
"I had nothing to do this," said Nick, hurriedly, holding up his hands. "I've been with you the whole time."
The boar snarled in anger, then addressed his crew. "I want you all to get out and find those responsible! When you find them, kill them. And remember how you killed them, so you can tell their beloved captain later. You four!" He used his sword to point to a black bear, two tigers and a leopard. "Stay here."
The rest of his crew raced after the wolf out of the cavern. Once they were gone, Boarbossa snarled at Nick, though didn't say anything, and stomped back down the cavern once more. Nick gingerly followed, desperately trying to calm his breathing and hoping against hope his crew knew what they were doing.
Judy quickly paddled her longboat a safe distance away as she watched her handiwork from afar. She was a little disappointed that she couldn't come up with a better plan than setting the Bloody Tusk on fire again, but she couldn't fault its success. When she had eventually found it, it was just a matter of using the anchor chain to clamber up to a nearby porthole, sneaking to the gunpowder room again, lighting it, then diving out of another porthole to swim back to her longboat. Fortunately the ship had been even less guarded than before, and she was surprised Boarbossa had taken no action in protecting his ship from another explosion. The thought of treasure makes fools of us all, she thought.
Once she found a suitable hidden alcove to hide her longboat, she made her way ashore and ran into the jungle. She soon spied a wolf who was also racing through the dense foliage, occasionally stopping to sniff the air before moving on again. Deciding to trust his nose, Judy secretly followed him to the cavern's entrance and through the network of tunnels, silently thanking Honey for the musk mask. About halfway through, she veered into a different tunnel and sat inside as far as she dared go and waited. Her patience was soon rewarded when her ears picked up a large number of mammals charging through the tunnels. In their haste, they didn't see Judy hiding, and once there was silence again, she ventured out and continued towards the treasure.
Boarbossa's anger vanished once he found what he was looking for. Glinting in the torch light, the medallion grinned up at him, as if delighted to see him. As the boar reached out for it, Nick frantically searched the room for something that might help him, and his eyes fell upon an ornate sword nearby, held upright by a little mound of treasure.
"What's that, Captain?" asked one of the tigers eagerly, getting in close.
"This is the key to immortality," answered Boarbossa, taking the medallion and holding it reverently. "It protects the bearer from death, whether from age or sword."
"So...if someone took a swing at you, it wouldn't kill you?"
"That's the general idea."
The excited tiger reached his paw out. "Can I have a go?"
Boarbossa grabbed the tiger by the ear and pierced his throat with his tusks. The spluttering tiger clutched at the wound until finally falling to the ground dead.
"Oh, did you mean with the medallion?" asked Boarbossa. "My apologies." He wiped the splattered blood off the medallion and placed it around his neck. "Anyone brave enough to volunteer to test it?"
The remaining crew members shifted awkwardly and looked away, trying not to make eye contact. Nick inched ever closer to the sword.
Suddenly, there was a soft whoosh followed by a thud as the other tiger collapsed to the ground.
After a few seconds of stunned silence, the bear managed to work his mouth enough to say "What the -?" before crumpling himself.
The leopard shouted in alarm and jumped away from his fallen comrades, his sword out and his eyes searching for the perpetrator.
Boarbossa also had his sword out. "Show yourself!" he demanded.
It was Nick who found her. His wide eyes locked on hers and she smiled at him. She almost looked a little embarrassed about the situation. Judy waved the blow pipe at him and then replaced it with a sword she had taken. Nick smirked in amusement and grabbed the hilt of the sword that he was near and winked. She nodded back and moved to position herself directly behind the leopard. Once they were both ready, Nick wrenched the sword from its place and slashed furiously at Boarbossa.
The boar parried just in time, and at that same moment Judy attacked the leopard, wounding his arm. It wasn't enough to incapacitate him however, and he fought back, forcing Judy backwards.
Meanwhile, Nick and Boarbossa exchanged blows, neither one refusing to let up. Enraged, Boarbossa let out a wide swipe which was easily dodged by Nick who took the chance to mount his own attack and managed to land a heavy stab through the boar's gut. Both mammals were surprised at the lucky hit, but their eyes widened further as the wound suddenly stopped bleeding. Boarbossa touched his stomach with his free hoof to find no injury and smiled at Nick.
"Thanks for the test," he said before striking again.
Across the cavern, Judy was having problems of her own. She had never had an opponent as large as a leopard, and once more had to rely on her speed to survive. She relied on dodging more than parries as she led the large cat on a merry dance around the cave just to stay out of his reach, and she quickly realised she had to get creative if she was going to win.
She grabbed a handful of coins and threw them at the leopard's face, but these were easily blocked by his large forearm. She moved the fight to more uneven ground, hoping for an opportunity to trip him however his feline balance kept him upright. Instead, it was her own foot that caught the underside of an upturned chest. She rolled with the fall, though sadly her sword had been flung from her paw and her opponent was nearly upon her.
Spying an elephant-sized ornate spear behind the leopard, she dashed beneath his legs and jumped as high as she could and grabbed the top of the shaft. She swung herself around it once then launched herself squarely into the leopard's shocked face. He crashed to the floor, out cold.
Some distance away, Nick was starting to get worried. Or at least, a bit more worried than he had been before. He was barely holding his own against the boar, and even he could land a hit it wouldn't do much good as long as the medallion was around Boarbossa's neck. It glinted at him from the boar's chest, mocking him. But how could he separate it from its master?
A particular heavy strike caused Nick to stumble, and that was all Boarbossa needed. He grabbed the fox by the shirt and pulled him close, impaling him through the stomach. Nick felt more shock than pain, though the latter soon made itself known as the sword was withdrawn and he fell backwards, his own sword clattering beside him. His mind only just managed to register Judy's shout as his body hit the floor.
He clutched at his wound, blood staining his shirt and paw. His breathing came out in wheezes and grunts, and he looked up to see Boarbossa standing over, a wide smile on his face and his blood-soaked sword held aloft.
"I should offer you the chance to speak your final words," the boar said, readying his weapon, "but I really don't like you."
BANG!
Before the boar could bring down his sword, something hit him in the chest, causing him to flinch. He raised his head to find the source and his eyes fell upon a grey rabbit, holding a recently fired pistol aimed right at his heart.
Boarbossa snorted. "Sorry to say you've wasted your shot. With my medallion, death itself cannot touch me."
"Oh, you mean this medallion?"
Boarbossa stared in horror at the medallion dangling from Nick's paw. His hooves grasped at his chest, missing a golden pendant but steadily seeping with his own blood. He gasped, his fearful face turning from his wound to the fox and then to the rabbit before he succumbed. He fell with a heavy thud and breathed his last.
Judy immediately sprinted to Nick and knelt beside him. Her paws shook as they neared the place he had been stabbed.
"Oh, Nick," she said despairingly, her eyes quickly welling up.
"It's alright, Fluff," said Nick, his voice strained. "I've had worse."
"How could you possibly have had - " Judy stopped when she noticed the wound suddenly stopped bleeding. She lifted his shirt to reveal his stomach. Before their eyes the wound shrank and soon there was no evidence he had been stabbed at all, except for the blood staining his fur.
"Wow, this thing's amazing." Nick twirled the medallion in his paw.
"I'm just glad you're OK," said Judy, her whole body sagging with relief.
"Aww."
Judy tried to give him an annoyed look, but couldn't help smiling back.
The glinting medallion caught her gaze. "We should probably put that back," she said. Though it had saved her captain's life, it still unsettled her.
"It's too late. I'm already cursed." Nick closed his eyes in sorrow. "I am now an undead creature of the night, doomed to walk the earth for eternity."
"Nick."
"My true form only revealed by the light of the moon!"
Judy finally silenced him with a swift punch on his arm, then with a sudden impulse hugged him fiercely. Nick hesitantly put his own arms around her, and they stayed like that for a few moments.
A/N: Just so you know, the bat (who I just realised I've neglected to name) is a flying fox, a species of macrobat. Instead of using echolocation, they use their senses of sight and smell to get around.
The bat was very glad to drop his load when he reached the HMS Stampede again. The passenger had made the second trip more cumbersome and therefore trickier to avoid detection. After taking a few seconds to catch his breath, the bat took the sword offered by the weasel and placed it in his belt. The two mammals nodded to each other before setting off on their respective missions.
While the weasel stealthily made his way below deck to sever the cannon support ropes, the bat ascended to the crow's nest and waited patiently to dispatch the young wolf posted there. Once the wolf's throat was slit, the bat started his work on the rigging, slicing through the ropes just enough to weaken them. Then he waited again, staring intently at the horizon. As soon as he saw the beginning of the Tusk's dark shape forming through the mist, he launched himself from his post and severed all the ropes one by one in quick succession.
The sails and rigging unceremoniously fell to the deck, landing on a few officers who happened to be standing in the wrong place. Shouts of confusion filled the air, and heads whipped back and forth as they tried to fathom what had happened. Eventually they got themselves organised enough to inspect the ship properly, those with good noses sniffing everything they could find, and one jaguar started to climb the main mast to the crow's nest with the intent of consulting the wolf stationed there. Before he was half-way up, a large BOOM sounded and the ship jolted as the first cannon ball struck.
Judy jolted awake. She sprang up to a sitting position and her ears swivelled in quick, jerky movements and her nose twitched. Her eyes sought her father who had been sleeping on the floor next to her, and he too was awake and alert, though slightly sluggish.
"What was-?" he began to say before Judy leapt off the bed and toward the door. "Judy!"
Out in the passageways they came across a couple of crew members just as confused as they were, and eventually found Captain Bogo thundering out orders to anyone close enough, his voice holding its own against the continuous hammering of cannon fire.
"I want every able mammal at their battle station! Wolford, why haven't we fired back yet?"
"The cannon support ropes!" a gasping wolf replied. He was leaning on the wall, panting heavily with one paw on his chest. "They've been cut! We can't keep them in place!"
"What do you mean they've been cut?"
"There's weasel scent all over the gun deck, Captain. One must have snuck aboard."
Judy's eyes widened at the word 'weasel'. The last weasel she had encountered was the one from...
"Who's attacking?" she demanded.
Bogo's surprised and angry gaze snapped to the two rabbits. "Go back to your cabin!"
"It's the Bloody Tusk, isn't it? I've met them before. I can help - "
"Now, rabbit!"
Judy stepped forward and was about to retort when she felt a gentle paw on her arm.
"Judy," Stu quietly pleaded.
She took a deep breath and released it. She couldn't cause her father any more pain. Not after he had just found her. She glared at the buffalo for a full two seconds before following her father back to the cabin, though she had no intention to just sit and wait there patiently.
Most of the Black Paw's crew had been drifting off into an uneasy sleep when the cannon fire started. Everyone of them instantly became alert, and Nick, Finnick and Honey ran up to the bars of the cell just before another shot almost shook them off their feet.
"It can't be him," breathed Honey.
"He's the only one crazy and powerful enough to pick a fight with a naval vessel," replied Finnick.
A short while later hurried footsteps grabbed their attention as a rhino burst into the brig and ran to the lion on guard duty.
"We're being attacked! Captain's ordered all mammals to battle stations!"
"What about the prisoners?"
"You should be more worried about the pirates out there, now come on!"
The rhino and lion had reached the door to leave when they heard Nick calling out to them.
"Hey! These new pirates. Their flag wouldn't happen to be a couple of boar tusks, would it?" he asked with the air of someone inquiring about the weather.
There was a flash of shock on the rhino's face which lasted about half a second before it turned into a scowl. "Shut it, fox!"
"Well, that answers that question," remarked Nick once the naval crew had disappeared.
"Do you think this ship could take him?" asked Honey.
"They didn't know about the Tusk until it started attacking, otherwise they would have told the guard earlier. Buffalo Butt's good, but he's been caught completely unawares. He may be able to hold out for a while, but not without taking some damage."
"He's gonna slaughter everyone in his way 'til he's got that map," added Finnick. "Maybe he'll leave as soon as he finds it and not bother comin' down here for revenge."
"Just remember, it was your idea to blow up his ship."
"Oh my gosh!" Honey suddenly exclaimed. "Judy! She's up there! What if she gets caught up in all of it?"
Bucky huffed. "As long as she barricades herself in her cabin and stays there 'til the battles over, I'm sure she'll be fine." Everyone stared at him. "Well, she's dead."
Nick sighed. Finnick was right. If Boarbossa and his mammals managed to board, there would be no mercy. He would simply rip the ship and its crew apart until he got what he wanted, and then seek out Nick and the others to satisfy his lingering wrath. Nick's crew was in danger, and while he had no love for the Navy he wouldn't wish Boarbossa's rage on anyone. Something had to be done.
"What are you doin'?" asked Finnick as Nick fiddled with the lock on the cell.
"Let's just say you inspired me with your stunt a few weeks back," answered Nick, concentrating on the lock. With a combination of his claws and a small knife, he managed to force it open.
His crew got up, intending to follow him out of the cell, but he closed the door behind him. "Sorry. One mammal mission. You all need to stay here unless there's an emergency. Finn, you're in charge. Honey, make sure you boss him around."
"Nick?" said Honey, fright and confusion clear on her face.
"Hey, trust your captain." Nick tipped his hat and gave his crew his most winning smile before dashing out of the room.
"Well, he's dead."
Duke Weaselton could never decide whether he loved or hated his job. He thoroughly enjoyed sneaking around and causing havoc, however there were a great many times when his life was in great peril. The last few minutes had consisted of cutting cannon support ropes, displacing cannonballs and, whenever he felt brave enough, dashing out to attack the lower limbs of any passing sailors and officers. His sword would stab and slice at whatever he could reach, and fortunately for him his small and flexible body kept him out of harm's way. Any counter-attack often resulted in the larger mammals losing their balance, and by the time they had recovered the weasel had disappeared back into the shadows.
Eventually his journey led him away from the gun deck and towards the officers' cabins, each of which he ducked into in case there was something of interest. They were mostly empty, and he only gave himself enough time for a quick glance before moving on. That was until he reached a door slightly more ornate than the previous.
"What is it you hope to do, Judy?" asked Stuart as his daughter got changed behind a makeshift screen.
"I'm not sure yet, but I have to do something," answered Judy, pulling on her 'pirate' clothes. "I could go to the brig. Maybe Nick or the others will have some ideas. They've dealt with Boarbossa before."
"And who is Boarbossa?"
Before Judy could reply, both rabbits' ears twitched as the door creaked open. Stuart gasped in fright as a weasel slinked in, a sword in his hand and evil smile on his face.
"Alright, tubby. Hand over yer valuables and I won't cut off yer feet for good luck!"
"I-I don't have any valuables!" stammered Stuart, his paws raised defensively.
"Too bad." The weasel's smile grew as he stalked towards the trembling rabbit.
Suddenly there was a flash of silver as the tray was swung at the weasel. He barely had time to dodge out of the way and then dodged again as Judy attacked again, using as much force as she could muster. The weasel soon began swiping back with his sword, forcing Judy to hold the tray like a shield until her opponent managed to hook his weapon near her hand and flick the tray out of her grasp.
"Judy!"
Judy snapped her head towards her father and deftly caught the sword he threw at her. Immediately she re-engaged the weasel and the two clashed steel with much vigour.
The doe was struggling. She normally relied on her speed in sword fights, however the weasel was incredibly quick. He swerved away from her every lunge, and she barely managed to parry his attacks. The circled for several minutes, neither able to gain an advantage until Judy span and swung her sword in a large arc, finally making contact with weasel. It was only a small cut on his arm, but it still caused him to pause and snarl at her.
He raised his sword to counter-attack, however at that moment the dinner tray had smacked him on the back of the head, knocking him out cold.
"Ha!" huffed Stuart, holding the tray aloft, astonished but pleased at what he had just done. "I popped the weasel!"
Thanks to the chaos on the ship, Nick managed to travel through the ship without any hindrance. The sailors were too busy tending to the cannons or shouting and receiving orders to notice a lone fox skulking through the shadows. Soon enough he reached a porthole large enough for him to slip though and, after taking a deep breath and trying not to think about what he was doing, he dived into the waters below.
He swam as fast as he could to the Bloody Tusk, and when he finally reached it took a couple of daggers he had on him and began scaling the bulwark. He froze when the ship shook from either giving or receiving fire, but he persevered all the way to the top where he flung himself on to the deck. Panting heavily from both exhaustion and relief, he just sat there as a group of bewildered pirates gradually surrounded him.
"Parlay?" he asked hopefully.
"Enter!"
The door opened to reveal a dimly lit room with a table situated in the middle at which sat Captain Boarbossa, his arms folded and a disgusted look on his face. A leopard and black bear stood behind him, staring at the visitors through narrowed eyes. The wolf who had shown Nick inside pushed him forward and leaned against the now closed door.
"What is this, Wilde?" sneered Boarbossa. "Scrambling back to me when you realised which way the wind was blowing? I thought you were a fox, not a rat."
Nick smiled and gave a small shrug. "What can I say? I value my life."
"And your ship?"
"I just had my cabin redecorated. Be a shame to ruin it."
Boarbossa snorted. "What is it you wanted to discuss, and what makes you think it will save you from death?"
"I can get you to the treasure."
"The map aboard that ship can get me to the treasure."
"But I'm already here. You won't have to risk any more mammals or ammo, and the map doesn't tell you how to get past the traps guarding the loot. I've been there. I've seen the treasure. I've touched it. I can tell you much more than that map can."
The boar sat silently for a moment. Nick tried to breath calmly as he waited for a response, trying not to pay too much attention continuous blasts and thuds from the cannon fire outside, the occasional heavy rocking of the ship, and the foul stench assaulting his nose. Yeesh, he thought, I know they're all pirates, but couldn't they at least have a dip in the sea now and then?
"How do I know you won't stab me in the back?" Boarbossa finally replied. "You already tried that once."
"You know I couldn't do anything with all your goons watching me," said Nick, gesturing to the other pirates around the room. "Hey, Sammy!" He waved at the bear. "It's been a while. Is that a new eye-patch?"
His comment was met with a low growl.
"And what do you get out of it?" asked Boarbossa, gaining back the fox's attention.
"My ship spared, my life spared and maybe a few coins..."
Boarbossa's scowl hardened.
"...if I behave myself?" Nick finished with a wide, pleading smile.
Boarbossa glared at him for another silent moment. "If I find out you have lied to me -"
"You'll slaughter me on the spot. So really it's a no-lose situation for you."
This finally caused Boarbossa to smirk. "Very well, we have an accord." He held out a hoof and Nick shook it.
The two rabbits straightened up and admired their handiwork. The weasel, still unconscious, was now tied to a chair and his pockets emptied of weapons and other belongings which were sitting in a pile on the bed. They had shown him a small mercy and bandaged the wound on his arm, but didn't bother providing a cushion for his undoubtedly sore head.
"What do we do with him now?" asked Stuart, his adrenaline starting to ebb away.
"We'll have to alert an officer," replied Judy. "Maybe they can get some information out of him." She put her hands on her hips and brushed the sword's hilt. After her spat with the weasel, she had quickly stowed it into her belt as they dealt with his body. She gestured to the blade. "Where did you get this sword?"
"It was in the family vaults," explained her father. "I grabbed it before we went looking for you. Thought it might be useful, even if I had no idea how to use it."
"Well, it certainly came in useful," said Judy, chuckling. "I'll go and find someone. If he stirs, just hit him again."
"Aye aye, ma'am, and be careful." He saluted and gave her a concerned smile.
She saluted back and left the cabin.
The cannon fire continued to hammer, and several sailors were rushing through the passageways, completely ignoring Judy. She didn't mind, as ideally she needed to find an officer. She ducked between the larger mammals, keeping her eyes peeled until she found Bogo near the stairs that led above deck.
"Captain!"
He whirled around furiously. "I thought I told you - !"
He stopped at the new sound, or rather lack of sound. The cannon fire had seized.
"Captain!" A tiger burst through the door. "The enemy vessel. It's turning away!"
Bogo stared at the tiger for a second before charging up the stairs, Judy close behind. Once they reached the side, they strained their eyes against the darkness to see the Bloody Tusk smoothly turn around and sail away.
"Where are they going?" asked Judy. "Why did they stop?"
Bogo's only response was a loud huff.
The tiger walked up to Bogo. "Orders, sir?"
Bogo looked around his ship, taking in the damage to both the vessel and his crew. A few bodies lay unmoving on the deck, their crewmates tending to them. Several more were standing but were obviously wounded or exhausted. Those that could all stared at Bogo expectantly.
The buffalo closed his eyes and huffed again. "We're in no state to pursue. Officers are to gather in my cabin for further orders. Everyone else is to go to the medical room or their cabins to rest. I'll post a sentry in due course. Dismissed."
The crew immediately started heading below deck, some of them carrying the bodies of their fallen comrades. Judy looked back at the departing ship, knowing that something was wrong and needing to do something about it. She ran up to Bogo.
"You're just going to let them leave?"
"As I said, we are in no state to pursue, let alone re-engage. We've had too many casualties already." He finally looked down at her and added a small amount of threat to his voice. "May I suggest you go back to your cabin and stay there?" He headed below deck without a second glance.
Judy watched as Bogo disappeared from view and then turned back to the sea. Her feeling of dread grew as the Bloody Tusk slowly shrank in the distance. Her gaze shifted until it landed on the Black Paw, still tied to the Stampede and in much better shape, having not taken damage from the previous battle.
An echo of an idea flittered into Judy's head. It would be a while until it was fully formed, but it was enough to work out what her next step was, and that next step was towards the brig.
Judy’s heart sank even lower. Bogo. Bogo. Ben’s superior. The one who had given him the map to protect. He had found them.
“They’re signalling us!” called out Bobby. "They're ordering us to surrender!"
Nick faltered for only a moment. “We can’t do that. We have to try and make a break for it. Honey!” He looked wildly around for the badger.
“I’m here, Cap’n!” she answered as she burst through the door with Yax, both of them holding bundles. Judy blinked as she recognised them as the mammal dummies she had found in the cargo a few weeks ago. She looked up at Nick with questioning eyes.
“We place them around the ship to make it look like there are more of us,” he explained. “We use it as a deterrent.”
“That’s not going to be enough to stop Bogo,” said Ben, as he watched Honey drag a fake wolf up the rigging and secure it.
“Well, what would be enough to stop him?!” snapped Nick.
Ben smiled sheepishly. “Surrendering?”
Nick slapped a paw to his head and was about to make a retort when the ship rocked furiously.
“They’re firing, Captain!”
“Are they?!” Nick shouted back to Bobby. “I hadn’t noticed!”
Another hit nearly knocked Judy over, and Nick grabbed her arm to steady her and Ben’s shirt to steady himself.
“There must be something you know about him that can help us!” he asked desperately when he let them go. “Do you want to get caught by him?!”
Ben’s terrified face stared down at Nick as his mouth tried to function. “I don’t want to get caught by him, but he’s never lost! He’ll keep going until...until...”
Nick growled angrily. “Get below deck and tell everyone to start firing back. Flash, you need to get us out of here!”
Another round of cannon blasts fired from Bogo’s ship, only this time instead of the hull they tore holes through the Black Paw’s sails.
“They’re trying to intercept,” shouted Bobby.
Judy ran to the side of the ship with Nick close behind. The naval vessel was heading to block the Black Paw’s path, and Judy couldn’t help but gaze in awe at its efficient and precise movements, its sheer power and majesty as it hurtled towards them.
“Wow,” she breathed.
“Well, I’m glad someone’s happy,” said Nick.
“Sorry,” replied Judy, apologetically. “Ever since I was a kitten I dreamt of working on a ship like that.”
“And now you’re going to be blown up by one. Isn’t life fantastic?”
“I thought this ship was undead.”
“The sails are new,” said Nick, gesturing to the heavily damaged black trappings, “and they’re kind of important when you want to escape from the Navy.”
“NICK!” yelled Finnick from across the deck. “IDEAS?!”
Nick gaped at him and at everyone else on deck. He rushed up to the helm.
“Flash, please tell me you can get us out of here,” he asked when he reached the sloth.
“I’m...doing...the best...I can...”
“That’s great - ”
“...given...the...circumstances.”
At that moment a cannonball whistled over their heads and landed in the sea beyond. In the time it took Flash to react to this and move his head to follow the cannonball’s trajectory, Bogo’s ship got dangerously close.
“No no no no no!” Nick wrestled with the wheel to make up for the distraction, but it was of no use. Flash’s claws were locked on tight. He looked up to the see the other ship coming up alongside them and the crew aboard it readying themselves for a takeover.
Nick jumped back down to the deck where his own crew were grabbing their swords. His eyes landed on Judy. “Carrots! Get below deck!”
“What?!” she shouted back incredulously.
“Get below deck, find Spots, and hide until this is all over!”
Her eyes widened in shock, then narrowed in anger. “I am not going to hide!”
“That is an order!”
She glared at him for a moment, then turned and marched through the door.
Mercifully the cannons had stopped firing, though this was likely due to the proximity of the naval ship alongside them. Pistols were now the weapon of choice, and Nick's crew dropped to the deck to avoid the bullets, while above them the dummies were torn to shreds. Nathan managed to draw his own pistol and raised himself just enough to start firing back.
"Nick," said the badger lying next to Nick with her hands over her ears. "I don't think we're going to win this one."
"We can try," responded Nathan gruffly as he fired another shot.
A couple of thumps caused Nick to raise his head. A lion and tiger wearing the blue uniforms of the Royal Navy had leaped across and landed on the deck of the Black Paw. They drew their swords.
Before Nick and the others could react, several other mammals had swung on to the ship and quickly surrounded Nick's crew. Everyone leapt to their feet as the boarders edged closer.
"Honey," Nick muttered out of the side of his mouth, "any gadgets on you?"
"Nothing useful," she replied.
A loud growl sounded from Nathan as he swung his sword threateningly at an encroaching grizzly bear who responded in kind. While Nick knew that Nathan could easily dispatch a few naval officers, even on a bad day, he also knew that they were grossly outnumbered. Honey was right. They couldn't win this one. He had been too careless, thinking the Bearmuda Triangle would protect them from patrolling naval ships. He should have remembered the warning Judy gave him about the Navy searching for her and the map. He had gotten too cocky, and now his crew were going to pay for it. With a heavy heart, he dropped his sword and raised his hands.
One by one his crew noticed his action and followed suit. Nathan was the last to comply, throwing his sword down with a snarl and keeping his teeth bared. Once the naval crew were satisfied with their surrender, one of the wolves signalled to his ship and a gangplank was lowered to create a bridge.
As they were escorted across the gangplank, Nick watched a rhino walk up to the helm to get Flash and a handful of wolves go through the door, presumably to search the lower decks for any remaining crew. Other than Judy and Ben, the only mammals below deck were Bucky and Pronk, who had been tending to the cannons, and Yax. Nick managed a wry smile as he imagined the surprise the wolves would receive when they reached the galley.
The smile soon vanished when he was stood in front of Captain Bogo. The enormous buffalo towered over the pirates, a solid unmoveable pillar wearing a pristine captain's uniform, his arms folded over his chest and his small eyes set in a calm fury. Nick had to fight the urge to gulp.
"Which one of you is the captain?" Bogo's voice was deep and measured.
The pirates shifted uncomfortably. They didn't say anything but inevitably each one of them glanced towards Nick. Bogo's gaze zoned in on the fox and his eyes narrowed. Nick sheepishly smiled back.
"How many more are below deck?" asked Bogo.
Nick swallowed. "Uhh..."
"You shut up!"
"No, you shut up!"
Everyone looked back to the Black Paw to see the two antelopes being brought up and led to the navy ship, predictably arguing over whose fault this was. Behind them was Yax escorted by two wolves, who seemed to have found a sheet to cover the Yak's modesty. Next to emerge was Ben, his body completely hunched over and his face full of shame. Finally the last wolf came up with a furious Judy struggling in his arms.
"Is this everyone?" asked Bogo when everyone had boarded.
"All except our pet Kraken," answered Nick, instantly regretting his quip when he heard a deep rumble from the buffalo.
The pirates were herded to a corner of the deck, with Judy being unceremoniously deposited in front of them.
"I can walk, you know!" she shouted at the wolf who had carried her. She stepped back when Bogo placed himself in front of the group.
"Welcome aboard the HMS Stampede," he said, his voice far from welcoming. "I'm happy to say you made the right choice in surrendering - "
"Judy?"
Bogo's head snapped to the voice that interrupted him. It belonged to a slightly portly rabbit wearing a scarlet jacket, and his wide brown eyes were fixed on Judy.
"Father?" Judy's mouth dropped open in shock and her ears rose slowly.
"Judy!" Governor Hopps raced forward and engulfed his daughter in a tight embrace, his eyes welling up with tears. "I'm so glad you're alive!"
Separated from her family for so long, Judy eagerly returned the hug with the same vigour.
"You're on a ship?!" she exclaimed when she pulled back.
"Don't remind me," Governor Hopps told her, suddenly looking ill. "I've been seasick ever since I stepped aboard this wretched thing!"
"What are you doing out here?"
"We came to find you of course."
Judy looked past her father to see James Buckington walking towards them, his face full of relief.
"When we heard the Cloverleaf had been attacked, we feared the worst!" Stuart gripped Judy's shoulders firmly but tenderly. "James and I set sail for Zootopia to get help and we bumped into Captain Bogo on the way. Seemed he was already trying to find you. Apparently Mister Clawhauser had some special document or something."
"A very special document," said Bogo, now glaring furiously at Ben.
The cheetah's ears lowered submissively. "I-I did my best, Captain - "
"Your best clearly wasn't enough!" snarled Bogo. "You, a representative of His Majesty's Navy, were entrusted with an item of great significance, and you let it fall into the hands of pirates!"
"I'm-I'm sorry - "
"Not to mention letting my daughter get kidnapped," added Stuart.
"Father!"
"He was supposed to be protecting you, Judy!"
"I'm fine!" Judy gestured at herself. "Look at me. I'm not hurt. Captain Bogo, he only gave up the map because he thought I was in danger. He never wanted to disobey your orders, I promise!"
Bogo stared at Judy for a moment then turned back to Ben. "We'll have a proper de-briefing later."
Ben nodded and lowered his head dolefully.
"How did you manage to find us out here?" asked Judy.
"The lemmings from the Cloverleaf gave us a description of the pirate ship," answered James. "We then sailed to Tortiger where Captain Bogo had a couple of informants. They said they saw a rabbit fitting your description with the captain of the Black Paw." James' eyes wavered disdainfully towards Nick before returning to Judy. "It also helped that two of his crew members had bragged about their destination whilst drunk off their horns."
Every pirate turned to glare at the two antelopes who had grown incredibly pale.
"This is all your fault!" Bucky snapped at Pronk.
"My fault?!" Pronk shouted back. "You were the one who blabbed!"
"You were the one who blabbed."
"You're the one who doesn't know when to shut up!"
"No, you shut up!"
"No, you shut up!"
"BOTH OF YOU, SHUT UP!" roared Bogo.
The antelopes' mouths clicked shut and they shrunk back in fear.
Bogo gave a huge snort then addressed the pirates. "You are now prisoners of His Majesty's Navy and your ship and cargo are in our possession. You will be transported to the city of Zootopia where you will be put on trial for piracy and any other crimes the Court seems fit to charge you with. During the voyage you will remain in the brig. If you are asked a question by myself or my senior officers, you will answer without hesitation or complaint. Failure to comply will result in immediate flogging. Do I make myself clear?"
Resigning themselves to their fate, the pirates turned the gaze towards the floor.
Judy was distraught. If she hadn't visited Tortiger, they may have had a better chance of not being found. And poor Ben. He had been terrified something like this would happen, he had kept warning her, and all she did was reassure him she wouldn't let anything bad happen. Now he was in serious trouble. He may lose his place in the Navy, or worse. The treasure would be confiscated by the Crown so she could no longer use it to pay off her family's debt. And the pirates. They didn't deserve this! Well, they were pirates, but after weeks of living and working with them, Judy knew they weren't evil. They had looked after her, fed her, treated her as one of their own, and given her the experience of a lifetime. They'd never hurt anyone if they could help it. They only wanted to make their way in the world, whether it was seeking fortune or adventure. They were good mammals, and now they were going to be put on trial and punished to the full extent of the law.
She looked at Nick, who stared blankly at the floor, devoid of hope. He only became a pirate because foxes were supposed to be villains.
Her eyes flicked towards James, and an idea struck her.
"James. I need to ask you something."
The young buck smiled brightly at her. "Anything, Judy."
She led them a short distance away from Bogo and the pirates. Her father, curious, followed them.
"I need your help," Judy stated.
James' brow furrowed in concern and he nodded.
"Those pirates, it's true they took me aboard their ship against my will, but they never hurt me. They gave me food and a bed, and we became good friends." She smiled softly at James. "I know it's hard to believe, but it's true. I can't let them be punished after all they've done for me. It wouldn't be right."
James made a confused but sympathetic face. "Judy, they're pirates..."
"And good mammals!" Judy said in earnest, clasping at his hands. "Please. I can't let them be locked up or...or..."
Growing more uncomfortable by the second, the buck's gaze flickered between Judy and the pirates, who were now being put in shackles.
"It would be the most wonderful wedding gift you could give me."
With an almost audible spring, James' ears flew up to full height. His eyes were wide, his nose twitched and his whole body was rigid.
"Judy?" said Stuart, just as astonished. "You're accepting James Buckington's proposal?"
She swallowed and continued staring at James with pleading eyes. "Yes."
James was frozen for several seconds as his ears burned redder than Judy had ever seen them. Eventually he brought himself back to the present and after giving Judy a firm nod, he marched towards Bogo.
"Ahem!" he said loudly in order to gain the buffalo's attention. He jumped back when said buffalo suddenly whipped his head towards him. "Uh - uh - I want these pirates released immediately!"
Everyone, even Bogo, blinked in confusion.
"Keep your nose out of my business, bunny," growled Bogo, turning away.
James, embarrassed and at a loss, looked around for help. His eyes landed on Judy.
"You can do it!" she mouthed at him.
James found his resolve once more and raised his voice. "I, Sir James Buckington, son of Lord Henry Buckington, esteemed member of the Royal Court, hereby order that these mammals are released and allowed back on their ship. I have it on good authority that they are of strong moral character and are undeserving of this arrest."
Bogo looked at James with a bored expression on his face. "I don't care."
"You'll care when my father hears about this!"
"Did he really just say that?" a disbelieving Honey muttered to her fellow crewmates.
"My father is on very good terms with the king," continued James. "Once I tell him of this travesty, he can make life very difficult for you. You'll be demoted so fast...your horns will fall off!"
Bogo shook his head to compose himself before speaking. "They are criminals - "
"And Lady Judy is alive and well because of them," James interrupted. "I owe them a debt of gratitude. I will talk to my father and the king so you suffer no repercussions, and any treasure they have found - yes, I know the document was a treasure map - you can present to His Majesty yourself."
"Hey! We stole that map fair and square!" shouted Bucky before grunting in pain as Bobby elbowed him in the stomach.
The buffalo and rabbit stared at each other, the latter hiding his hands behind his back so Bogo couldn't see them shaking. Though to James' credit, his eyes remained firm and his ears erect.
Everyone gathered waited with bated breath. Judy found her father's hands and gripped them tightly. He squeezed back reassuringly.
After an eternity, Bogo finally sighed. "The pirate ship and cargo are the Navy's property and will be taken to Zootopia. We will release the pirates off the shore of Tortiger along the way. Until then, they will remain in the brig. The threat of flogging in retaliation for lack of cooperation still stands. That is my final offer." He looked about the ship, daring anyone to challenge him.
"Works for me, Cap," piped up Nick, his usual smirk back on his face. "I trust someone will be along shortly to take our dinner orders?"
"Get them out of my sight," snapped Bogo.
The pirates were immediately escorted below deck. Judy managed to share a sad smile with Nick before he disappeared from view.
Once the pirates had gone, James made his way to Judy and her father, looking very pleased with himself.
"Thank you so much, James," said Judy when he reached them.
"You're very welcome," he replied, graciously. "Why don't you go to my cabin and freshen up a bit? It's been a trying day."
"She can use my cabin," said Stuart. "I'll have an extra bed made up for her. This way, Judy." He began leading Judy away. She didn't complain.
"Of course, Sir," James called after them.
Just as they were about to go below, Judy waved at Ben who was standing to the side not sure what to do with himself. He waved back, trying to smile encouragingly.
When they reached the cabin, Stuart left Judy to her own devices and went back up to the main deck. Judy collapsed face first on the bed and curled herself up into a ball, her eyes closed and her heart aching.
A few hours later there was a knock at the door which caused Judy to open her eyes.
"Judy, it's me," came her father's voice.
"Come in," she replied, sitting up.
Stuart entered holding a tray of food and wearing a warm smile. Behind him was a rhino in Navy garb carrying two suitcases Judy recognised as her own.
"I've brought dinner," Stuart said, placing the tray on a nearby table. "They found your belongings on the other ship. They would have brought them on sooner if they weren't so distracted by the treasure." He shot the rhino a annoyed glance. The rhino simply snorted in response and left the room, closing the door behind him.
The mention of treasure caused Judy's stomach to twist uncomfortably and she looked at her meal. Both the cutlery and platter were silver, and sitting in the bowl was some hot soup. It smelt absolutely divine, especially considering her diet for the last few weeks.
"You go ahead and eat up," Stuart told her, sitting next to her on the bed. He had a kind, parental look on his face which gave Judy an immense sense of security as well as guilt.
She brought the tray closer to her and slowly began eating. Though she was hungry and the soup was, as she had guessed, delicious, she could not bring herself to guzzle it down.
"Do you want to tell me what happened?" her father asked gently. "You don't have to if you don't want to. Knowing you're alive and safe is enough."
Judy swallowed her mouthful and laid the spoon down. "The pirates attacked the Cloverleaf. They were after the map. Ben said that it led to treasure and I offered to translate it for a share. I thought I could pay off the debt."
Stuart took a deep breath. "That was...very risky, Judy - "
"I know."
There was a moment of silence. "You must have had quite the adventure," said Stuart.
"Yes, I did," replied Judy, a ghost of a smile gracing her face.
"And the pirates treated you well?"
"Yes."
Stuart nodded a couple of times before silence settled again. Suddenly, Judy gave out a shuddering sob.
"Judy!" Stuart placed a paw on her shoulder.
"I'm so sorry!" she cried, wiping her eyes. "It's all my fault. If-if I hadn't - "
"Now, now," he consoled, pulling her into a hug. "You did what you had to do. Clawhauser told me about the deal. If you hadn't done anything, they may have killed both of you."
"But they wouldn't have! They're-they're not killers. If I had just - "
"You didn't know at the time, and you wanted to help your family - "
"I wanted to get out of the wedding! I never thought about the consequences; what would happen to Ben, or you, or the others. I was enjoying myself too much! And now Nick's lost his ship, and Ben's in trouble, and you and mother must have been so worried - !"
"Oh, Judy..."
"If I wasn't such a selfish rabbit!"
Stuart pulled back just enough to look at his daughter. "There's nothing wrong with wanting freedom. And I know it's been hard for you not being able to pursue your dreams as you should. You've done so much in the last few weeks and I couldn't be prouder. Since the moment you were born I knew you were something extra special, and to this day I have trouble believing how two boring rabbits can have such an amazing daughter."
Judy sniffed and stared at him with wide eyes. "Really?"
"Worthy of the Owsla of El-ahrairah himself."
Judy sobbed again and fell back into her father's embrace. She chuckled a little when she felt her father join in her weeping.
Night fell upon the two ships sitting on the still waters. Bogo ordered the anchor dropped shortly after the battle ended since the wind was not in their favour, and the rest of the day had consisted of exploring the Black Paw and cataloguing its contents. Those not on night duty began to settle in for bed, and those that were quietly paced the Stampede's decks, though expectations of anything untoward happening were considered low, even if there were a gang of pirates aboard.
The pirates in question were currently held in the brig, a handful of cells along a dark passageway which were in much better condition than the one on the Black Paw, though was still a fairly dreary place. The crew had two cells between them, one for larger mammals and the other for medium-sized mammals, and all sat despondently on the benches or on the floor.
Honey, wanting to finally end the silence, cleared her throat. "Well, things could be worse. At least we won't be executed."
Finnick snorted. "We got no ship, we got no treasure, and we're gonna be dropped off at Tortiger by a freakin' Navy vessel. What 're the other pirates gonna think? What're they gonna do? What if that boar's waitin' for us?"
"Nick'll think of something," replied Honey, turning to the fox with his head in his paw. "He always does."
"Yeah, like how he thought having that bunny aboard our ship was a good idea," sneered Bucky.
"We wouldn't have found the treasure without her!" countered Pronk.
"And now we won't be able to keep any of it!"
"We know where the rest is. We can just go get some more!"
"The map's still on the Black Paw! The Navy will find it and claim the island before we can get another ship!"
"The map's in code. They won't be able to read it!"
"All they need is a rabbit who speaks lapine, you idiot!"
"Don't call be an idiot, idiot!"
"Shut up, you moron!"
"No, you shut up!"
Nick quickly tuned out their riveting conversation. He felt he should be grateful they had come out of their ordeal as well as they did, and in truth he was grateful, but he couldn't help feeling dejected. His ship, his pride and joy, had been wrenched away from him as well as the treasure they had found. And if the Navy did manage to find the island there would be no hope for him claiming any more of the gold.
He and his crew had been so excited about the treasure, and he had let them all down. Â He used to be so careful, only performing small acts of piracy to avoid unwanted attention, but Captain Maul's treasure had been too great to resist, and getting his hands on it was all that mattered. Of course the Navy would be hunting them. Of course they would want to get their map back at any cost. Of course Judy had mammals who would brave the Bearmuda triangle just to find her.
Nick let out a silent sigh. He had really grown fond of that rabbit. A few weeks ago he never would have believed he would actually like having her on his ship. A small smile formed as he thought of her. Feisty, determined, a natural talent for seafaring, and he couldn't deny that a friendship had been growing between them. He wondered if he would ever see her again after this. Probably married to that James Bucksworth, or whatever his name was, maybe with a litter or two in tow. The visual image he conjured up didn't suit her, but there wasn't much he could do about it.
All he could do right now was see where the tide took them.
The jaguar standing guard on deck searched the horizon, silently cursing the sudden mist for hindering his night vision. Abrupt weather changes were to be expected in this part of the ocean, but it didn't mean he had to like it. He had just about resigned himself to staring at nothing until dawn, when he felt something flutter past his head. He turned sharply to seek out the source of the disturbance, however could see nothing out of the ordinary. The ship was quiet, and he was all alone save for a handful of guards stationed around the deck.
After a few moments of searching, he shook his head and resumed his post. Probably a confused seagull, he thought.
Once the jaguar turned his face back to the sea, a small dark shape flew from its hiding place and continued its inspection of the ship. It completed several circles, counting the guards and sneaking glances through the portholes. When it was satisfied, it flew away from the ship, beating its wings as fast it could, wanting to limit its time over the open water. At long last its destination was within reach, and it headed straight for the helm where its captain was waiting.
"Well?"
"It's been taken over by the Navy," answered the bat. "Most of the crew are sleeping, only a few guards stationed on both ships. They're not expecting anything. Nick and his mammals are in the brig."
"And the map?"
"The captain was reading it in his quarters. It's in some sort of code."
The boar nodded. "Inform the crew, and prepare yourself for the next step. Tonight we take what is rightfully ours."
The bat took off whilst the boar looked back towards where he knew the two ships were sitting. It was only a matter of moments before blood, revenge and good old-fashioned plundering. He smiled as he thumbed his sword. Yes, this night would be a fruitful one.
After a severe case of writer’s block, the next chapter’s finally finished. With any luck, it’ll posted at some point today. It’s already on fanfiction.net and AO3 though, so you can check it out there.
Here’s a link: http://archiveofourown.org/works/9092599/chapters/30435960
Just one more scene to go and I can finally upload the next chapter. I’d love to give a release date, but my writing times are pretty sporadic. It is coming, I promise!
The crew were fairly quiet the next morning, save for the grunts uttered as they rubbed their sore muscles. They were also particularly grumpy due to a mixture of the embarrassment and pain caused by last night's events, and some of them would occasionally give dirty looks to Judy, Honey and Ben. If any of them started to grumble however, they only needed to be reminded of the far worse fate they were saved from and they would instantly become silent.
As per the promise she made to herself, Judy seized the map straight after breakfast and scrutinised it for any other dangers. Fortunately the only thing they had to be wary of was some rocky outcrops near their final destination, and that was only a two days voyage away. The announcement raised the crew’s spirits immensely, and the sirens were almost completely forgotten.
It was a bright, sunny day when Bobby shouted "Land Ahoy!" from the crow's nest. The crew flocked to the edge of the ship to see a speck on the horizon gradually growing bigger the closer they got, until eventually they were looking at an island. It was a rather unassuming thing; a small beach on one side, a low cliff on the other with dense jungle in between. It was far too tiny to be considered exciting except for any treasure passing pirates may have buried there, and the sheer sight of it shot a shiver though the spines of the crew which told them they had found what they had been searching for. The anchor was dropped and a group gathered around the longboats, eager to get going.
Nick stepped forward and turned to face his crew. “Now, I know we’re all excited, but we have to face the fact that some of us will have to stay behind to watch the ship.” A few faces instantly crumpled at this. “Obviously I’m going because -” he reached up and flicked the brim of his hat “- captain. Honey and Carrots are going in case there’s anything supernatural or in lapine.” Honey and Judy smirked and beamed respectively. “And Finn’s going because I’m scared he’ll bite my face off.” Finnick nodded to confirm. “As for the rest of you, please state your case.” Nick finished with a smile and spread his arms wide.
Nathan immediately stepped forward. “I’m going,” he said simply, his eyes bearing down on the fox beneath him.
Nick was silent for only a second. “Nathan’s going.”
It wasn’t quite as easy for the rest of the crew. Fortunately only Bucky, Pronk and Bobby expressed any interest in the island, but Nick decided to let them argue it out between them. Predictably, the two antelopes yelled at each other whilst Bobby scowled at them; he didn’t bother trying to get a word in edgewise, hoping that their shouting would cost them their places.
Judy meanwhile had to fight the urge to bounce with excitement at the thought of seeing the island and finding the treasure. She looked around to grin at Ben, only to see him standing a little away from the group, his face twisted as if there was an intense debate going though his head.
"Hey," said Judy as she approached him. "Are you OK?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm fine," he replied, looking anything but fine.
Judy considered him for a moment. "If you'd like to come with us I'm sure I can talk to Nick for you."
"Thanks, but that's not it. I mean, I'm curious but..." His hands fidgeted nervously. "I just keep thinking about Bogo. I was given a job to do: to protect the map. And not only did I fail, but I'm helping the pirates who stole it and I kinda want to see the treasure everyone's making a big fuss about but I'm a Naval officer and they're going to find out-"
"Ben!" snapped Judy, snapping the cheetah out of his ramblings. "It's going to be OK. We'll come up with something. I won't let you get into trouble, I promise."
Ben looked at her forlornly. "It's all getting a little too real now, Judy. What's going to happen after we get the treasure?"
Judy blinked. She hadn't dwelled too much about her arrival back home. Just a vague idea involving her docking a little away along the coast from Bunnyburrow, transporting the treasure and herself to the manor and then hoping the Royal Court wouldn't care where her sudden wealth had come from as long as it cleared the debt. She hadn't thought about the logistics or if mammals started asking too many questions. Guilt twisted in her stomach as she realised she hadn't thought of Ben, either. She had made sure he was entitled to a share of the treasure as part of her deal with Nick, but what was he supposed to do with it, even if he wanted it? And while the Navy may not give her too much notice if she played up the 'dumb bunny' persona, Ben was certainly going to be thoroughly questioned.
She took a deep breath and reached out to hold Ben's paw. "I won't let you get into trouble," she repeated. "I promise."
Ben still seemed unsure, but he sighed and nodded.
Judy smiled. "So...?" She gestured with head to the island.
Ben looked away but was smiling too. "Like I said, I am curious."
Judy's smile grew and she walked up to Nick. She coughed lightly to get his attention.
"I think Ben should come along," she told him. "He's feeling a little down. Maybe seeing the treasure will cheer him up. You did promise him a share after all."
Nick raised his eyes to Ben then back to Judy, seeming reluctant. "Well..."
"Please?" Judy widened her eyes as far as they would go.
Nick stared at her, a little taken aback, then sighed and smiled fondly. "Alright."
"WHAT?!" Bucky and Pronk shouted at the same time.
"You're letting her bring the fat cat along?" asked Bucky incredulously.
Nick shrugged. "She asked nicely."
After about a minute of Bucky and Pronk attempting to 'ask nicely' which devolved quickly into arguing again, it was no surprise that Bobby was chosen to join the landing party and the two antelopes were ordered to help Yax and Flash look after the ship. Spades and provisions were packed into two longboats along with a bag of Honey's 'gadgets', and they were ready to go.
"Have fun, guys," said Yax. "Don't let the treasure and the material wealth it represents block your chakras."
"We won't, Yax," reassured Nick, causing most of the crew to roll their eyes.
Flash slowly raised his hand in farewell. "Good...luck...everyone. I hope...it goes...well. Be...careful...of...traps. Don't take...too long. We'll...be...waiting."
Everyone waited a few more moments to make sure he had finished, Judy thumping her foot out of frustration.
"Thanks, buddy," said Nick, climbing into a lifeboat. "We'll be back before you can say 'fifteen mice on a dead rat's chest.'"
The rest of the boarding party quickly followed Nick before Flash could attempt the saying, and once they were lowered into the water, they immediately began rowing towards the island.
During their short journey Judy couldn't help but bounce excitedly in her seat, prompting Ben to gently hold her still so she wouldn't disrupt the rowing. As soon as they reached the shore she was first on the white sand and she barely stopped short of the jungle's edge to wait for everyone else. While the longboats were unpacked, Nick handed the map to Judy with an unnecessary dramatic flourish to which the rabbit responded with a small chuckle. Once they were ready and Judy determined the correct direction, they set off through the trees.
They traversed the jungle at a steady pace, pausing only when Judy needed to gather her bearings. Their journey was rather uneventful, however they all shrieked when a bright red bird suddenly flew past them, squawking at the top of its lungs.
Honey shuddered in revulsion. "Uhh. Birds."
"You're afraid of birds?" asked Judy.
"Who knows what's going on in their heads?" Honey responded. "Who knows when they'll rise up against mammal kind? And how will we stop them? They can fly for goodness' sake!" She waved her arms frantically.
"Chickens can't," Ben pointed out.
"They're the ones who will want revenge most of all!"
Nick cleared his throat. "Shall we get going? You know, before the birds steal all our treasure."
They continued along their course, with Honey casting suspicious glances at their surroundings, until they trees finally thinned out and they reached a grassy uphill slope. Judy studied the map.
"It should be buried somewhere around here," she told the others.
"Pick a spot and start digging," ordered Nick, gesturing towards the slope with his head.
The crew spread out and set to work. Nick's original plan of watching whilst leaning against a nearby tree was halted when Finnick pressed a spade into his hands, but before he joined the others, he noticed Judy scrutinising the map, her face scrunched up in confusion.
"What's wrong?" he asked when he reached her side.
"The map," she replied. "We're here" - she pointed to the corresponding part of the map - "and the treasure is here" - she pointed to the black 'X' - "but there's a word next to it which means 'entrance'. Why would he write that?"
"I guess because it's the entrance to the treasure," said Nick, shrugging his shoulders. "It is a bit redundant - "
"AAAAAHHHHH!"
All heads turned just in time to see Ben falling through the earth he had been digging and into the ground below. They rushed to what used to be a shallow hole and was now an opening to a stone tunnel sloping downwards.
"Ben!" Judy called down the tunnel before rushing in, taking care not to trip herself.
There was just enough light at the bottom for Judy to make out a large, round, stirring object. She helped Ben to his feet, aided by the rest of the crew once they joined them. "Are you alright?"
"The ground just...disappeared," he said, still shaking slightly from the shock.
"Shouldn't there be, you know, treasure?" asked Finnick, looking around the cavern which was seemingly empty save for the group of mammals gathered within.
"I think there's a tunnel," said Ben, pointing towards the gloom.
"This must be the 'entrance' on the map," said Nick, examining the walls.
"Aha!" Everyone turned to see Honey rummaging on the ground near the opening. She picked something up from the ground, took something from her bag and a moment later she was holding a lit torch. Â "Whoever was last here was kind enough to leave these for us." She lit a few more torches with her device and handed them out. The cavern was bathed in a healthy orange glow, and a tunnel was clearly visible, large enough for Nathan to walk through comfortably. The crew nodded to each other and started walking.
They journeyed deeper and deeper into the cave, keeping an eye out for anything other than stone. After a couple of minutes, the tunnel opened up into a round space with several passageways dotting the walls. The crew gathered in the middle.
"So," said Honey, after looking around her, "where to, Captain?"
"Uhh..." Nick's eyes scanned the cavern for anything that might help, but came across nothing obvious. All the tunnels looked the same; dark and foreboding. "Carrots?" he asked, looking down at Judy.
"The map doesn't say anything about this part," Judy replied, fruitlessly scrutinising the parchment.
"Hey!" said Ben suddenly. "It's those markings again!"
Everyone looked towards where he was pointing. Ben's raised torch was illuminating the space above one of the tunnels to reveal familiar symbols carved into the rock.
"Same here," said Nathan, investigating the other tunnels.
"More lapine?" Honey looked to Judy to confirm.
"They're lapine symbols," said Judy, standing on her tip toes in a somewhat vain attempt to get closer, "but they don't make sense. It's gibberish." She rotated to look at each marking in turn. "Except for that one!" She stopped and  pointed to one of the markings. "It says 'forward'."
"Ooh, I wonder if that's the way we're supposed to go," said Finnick.
While most of the others rolled their eyes at Finnick's sarcasm, Honey took a small ball out of her bag and threw it into a different tunnel. The crew heard it bounce in the darkness for a few seconds before a sudden metallic swoosh sounded, causing them all to flinch.
"Booby trapped, as I suspected," said Honey, rummaging in her bag again. She pulled out a pot of red liquid which she applied to the side of the tunnel they had just come through and the one Judy had pointed to. "So we can find our way out again without getting decapitated," she explained.
"And on that cheery note," said Nick, clapping his hands together, "let's go." He leaned towards Judy. "You sure you have the right tunnel?"
She gave him a deadpan look then turned and marched into the tunnel, though she couldn't help but feel wary as she ventured in, her nose twitching and her ears searching for any hint of danger.
Fortunately the tunnel was clear and the crew managed to traverse it without any nasty surprises. They came to another area with several tunnels, all marked with lapine symbols. Again, Judy identified the correct path and Honey marked their way before they continued further into the maze.
"If it turns out we have to solve a series of riddles at the end of this, I'm going back," said Finnick, after the fifth crossroads.
"Cheer up, Finn," said Honey, gently nudging him. "It can't be far now."
Their current tunnel was the longest and steepest so far which only increased Judy's excitement. She was still leading the way with the others close behind, their torches giving just enough light in front of her so she didn't stumble. She was musing about how the cave must have been similar to the warrens her ancestors lived in, when it twisted to the right and she gasped at the sight before her.
They had come to an enormous cavern, its end stretching further than the light of their torches could reach and, save for an empty space around the entrance, every inch was covered in treasure. Mountains of gold and silver coins, overflowing chests stuffed with valuables, jewels of every colour and every size, goblets, plates and cutlery, clothing made from the finest of silks and intricately stitched, a heap of richly decorated purrsian rugs, and a tower of barrels which smelled distinctly of alcohol. Everything sparkled in the firelight, each piece vying for attention. The crew could only stare.
"Finn," breathed Nick. "We did it."
"I don't believe it," replied Finnick, his eyes and mouth wide.
They stood in a silent stupor for a few moments longer, trying to take everything in. Â Eventually Honey cleared her throat.
"So...?" She jerked her head toward the treasure.
"Huh? Oh, right." Nick straightened up and smoothed his shirt. "Come on," he said, striding forward. "We didn't come all this way just to stare at it."
Everyone rushed into the glittering hoard, wanting to touch it as soon as possible. They turned over the gold and jewels in their paws, admiring the way they caught the light from the torches, except for Finnick who made a beeline for the barrels and sniffed them eagerly. Judy was drawn to a rack of swords forged from solid gold; she wasn't convinced they would be very practical, but she could tell they were finely crafted. Next to the swords was a chest of jewellery, and one piece that stood out was a rodent-sized necklace comprised of a gold chain and a ruby pendant, almost pink in colour. Thinking of her friend Fru Fru and how she had asked for a souvenir, Judy pocketed the necklace and then began deciding what treasure would be the best suited to paying her family's debt.
She moved about the cavern, scrutinising each piece of the trove, though she was continuously distracted my her fellow crewmates. Ben was gleefully rubbing his face against the rugs, Nick had covered himself with as much gold as possible, and Nathan had delicately placed a jewelled tiara on his large head which he quickly took off when he noticed Judy looking at him. She smirked at him then continued her search.
Further and further she ventured into the cavern, now mostly out of curiosity and her natural tendency to explore, until she found herself in front of an alcove containing a stone statue a little bigger than herself. The statue was worn and broken, so much so that it was difficult to discern what kind of mammal it was supposed to be. Around its neck was a gold medallion, tarnished with age and adorned with a grinning skull. Something in Judy's brain told her to stay away, yet she found herself slowly reaching the medallion with her paw.
"Woah, woah!" Honey had appeared at her side and pushed her arm between Judy and the statue. "Careful with that. It looks cursed."
"Cursed?" questioned Nick, who had decided to join them when he heard Honey's shouts. He was wearing several golden chains and a crown which was far too big for him.
"You only have to look at the thing to know it's cursed," said Honey, as if it were obvious. "Besides, can't you feel the evil vibes it's giving?"
Nick opened his mouth to say no, but closed it and eyed the medallion suspiciously. "Maybe a little."
"So...you touch it and die?" asked Finnick. He and the others had wandered over to get a closer look.
Honey hunched over and moved closer to the medallion so that her nose was just an inch away. She narrowed her eyes and sniffed a little, then carefully used the cord on which it was tied to turn it over, revealing the same image. She tapped it lightly with a claw.
"Opposite, actually," she finally said, straightening up. "If I'm correct, it grants immortality, or invulnerability, or maybe a bit of both."
"Immortality? Doesn't sound so bad," said Nick, reaching for the medallion himself.
"Stop it!" snapped Honey, slapping Nick's hand. "Immortality is too good to be true, so you can bet there's going to be a huge price to pay!"
"Like what?" asked Nick, nursing his hand.
"Your sanity, your soul... Whatever it is, it's not worth it! It's clearly made from dark magic!"
"It explains how Maul lasted so long," mused Finnick. "When he had thing he would've been invincible."
"Then why did he leave it here?" asked Ben.
They all stared at the medallion, which smiled eerily back at them, the reflection of the torch light making it seem like it was laughing. As one the crew took a step back.
"So," Nick suddenly exclaimed, "shall we get back to the non-cursed treasure?"
Making sure they gave the medallion a wide berth, they went back to inspecting the treasure they knew to be safe. Eventually the subject of bringing the treasure aboard was brought up, and they agreed that there was no point taking the whole lot. The ship didn't have enough space, anyway. Instead, they would take over the cavern and use it as their stockpile, adding and withdrawing from it when needed. They would only take a few chests this time and use the money made from them for a huge celebration.
Judy still needed to choose her share, so she roped in Ben to help her gather what would be suitable. Nathan came to join them and said that once they returned to Bunnyburrow, he would speak to Mr Big about cashing in Judy's treasure and paying off the debt. A weight lifted from Judy's shoulders, as she had been racking her brains for a way to pay the Crown without questions being asked, and the shrew was an expert in waving away questions. Once they had a chest filled, Judy then insisted on Ben collecting his entitled share. After a bit of persuading from her, he eventually chose a small chest of coins and a very handsome pair of opera glasses in a velvet-lined case.
"Are we all done?" Nick called out to his crew. "Let's get this booty on board!"
The chests were matched with the mammals who had the strength to carry them, and they began their journey to the surface. Honey's markings meant they didn't have to stop at the various forks, and soon enough they reached the slope which took them to the cave's entrance. They blinked several times when they entered the sunlight, and set the chests down so they could cover the entrance.
"Now we know where it is, we don't want anyone else finding it," Nick explained as they tidied up as best as they could. It wasn't a perfect clear up, but everyone was too eager to get back to the ship to show the others what they had found.
Bucky, Pronk, Flash and Yax were waiting for them when they came aboard. The antelopes instantly opened the first chest brought on and began rooting through the contents. The others were in too much of a good mood to stop them, though Honey eventually stepped forward and smacked them when they started fighting over a sapphire necklace.
After the treasure was stored in the cargo hold, the crew gathered in the galley to celebrate. Dinner was Yax's usual concoction, however a copious amount of rum was brought out and the evening was spent drinking, singing and toasting to the future. Judy, feeling more confident than she had been at Tortiger, gladly helped herself to the rum, which led to Ben and Nick taking turns watching her and surreptitiously keeping the bottles out of her reach. Nevertheless, a good time was had by all and when they finally retired to their respective sleeping quarters, their heads were filled with hope, cheer and a pleasant buzzing sensation.
The crew's aching heads could not dampen their spirits as they woke to another sunny morning. They were planning a swift but cautious course for Tortiger to trade some treasure for supplies, then carry on to Bunnyburrow and dock at Mr Big's secret harbour. The fact that an angry Boarbossa was out there and they had something he would want, the location of the treasure, it would be unwise to flaunt their findings as they usually did for fear of rumours potentially reaching him.
The day wore on and chores were completed as usual; though the crew were now in possession of a massive fortune, the ship still needed tending to. Judy had just finished cleaning her share of the cannons and had come up to the main deck to enjoy the sunshine to find Nick inspecting a piece of jewellery.
"Hey, Carrots!" He waved her over when he spotted her and showed her an elegant brooch set with an large emerald. "You probably have a good eye for these things. You think my mother would like this?"
Judy took the brooch and turned it over in her paws. "I'm sure she'll love it," she said, handing it back, "but I wouldn't consider myself an expert in jewellery. I was more interested in vessels and sword fighting."
"Really? I never would've guessed," replied Nick, smiling.
Judy chuckled lightly before frowning. "I'm still not sure what I'm going to tell my family."
"Turning up safe and sound with a chest of gold should be enough for them," said Nick.
"They fret over everything!" replied Judy. "I have to tell them about the gold, but if they knew the truth about where it came from -"
"You don't have to tell them anything."
Judy tilted her head in confusion. "What?"
"You could just drop off the gold and -" Nick looked to the side and shrugged casually, "- come back. If you wanted to."
Judy's eyes widened in surprise. "Come back?"
"You're pretty good at this sailing stuff." Nick turned his face back towards her. "And the crew seem to like you."
Judy blinked a few times, trying to take it all in. "Me? A pirate?" she spluttered.
"Pirate-in-training," corrected Nick, firmly. "You need a bit more work before you can start pillaging and plundering."
Judy stared at him. He was offering her a place in his crew, on his ship. A life adventuring on the sea with mammals she had grown fond off. A life she had only been able to dream about.
"It's a wonderful offer but..." she gave a small, sad sigh, "I don't think I could be a pirate. I've always wanted a life at sea, but in a way that I could help protect mammals and make the seas safer. I could never go against the law like that."
Nick shrugged again. "It's your choice, Fluff," he said, his tone light but his ears low.
Judy looked at him sadly. She stepped towards him and forced a smile. "I'm really going to miss you when this is over."
Nick smiled back. "That's what all the girls say," he replied, which prompted Judy to roll her eyes.
"Captain!" A worried shout came from Bobby in the crow's nest. "Naval vessel!"
Everyone on deck rushed to the side of the ship. On the horizon was another vessel, clearly built for power and speed, flying the colours of the Royal Navy, and it was steadily making its way towards them.
"Ready the cannons!" ordered Captain Wilde. "Don't fire until I give the order! Bring up the reinforcements! Flash, get us out of here!"
There was a thundering of feet as the crew raced about the ship to carry out the captain's orders. Most hurried below deck whilst a couple worked the rigging to aid their escape. Judy and Nick continued to stare at the other ship in panic, racking their brains for ideas to get out of their predicament. They turned when they heard Ben approach them. His paws shook, his mouth was gaping and his eyes were wide with horror and recognition.
I will be on holiday next week, and I won’t be able to write anything during that time so next chapter may take longer than usual (unless I write like Speedy Gonzales in the next couple of days!)
Now Nick knew not to underestimate her, he almost always won their duels much to Judy's frustration. He eventually took pity on her and gave her tips where he could, and the crew watching (who always favoured Judy) would shout out advice and encouragement. Even Bucky and Pronk would try to distract the fox to give Judy the upper hand. She improved each day, reaching the point where Nick's easy smile was overcome with panic as he struggled to keep pace with a flurry of swift slashes from her.
Judy couldn't think of another time in her life when she felt so content; she had seen and done so much, yet there was more to come. She looked out to the glistening sea, reflecting the setting sun, and breathed in the sea air. She thought back to the time she first arrived on the Black Paw. She had been frightened and uncertain, and now she couldn't imagine being anywhere else. Even her view on the Captain had changed. Instead of a fearsome, cold-hearted pirate was a charming rogue eager to go on a treasure hunt, who had rushed aboard the Bloody Tusk to save her from Boarbossa and showed such concern for her safety. Someone she could very easily call a good friend.
"Enjoying the view?"
Judy jolted as the very fox she had been thinking about came up and leaned against the ship's edge next to her. She smiled up at him then gazed at the sea once more. "It's so big. I mean, I always knew it was big, but from here it's easy to believe that there's nothing else in the world."
"Huh? Oh." Judy frowned guiltily. She hadn't given much thought to James Buckington for a while. "To be honest, I only agreed to marry him to help my family. If we find Captain's Maul treasure, I may be able to call off the engagement."
Nick smirked. "That bad, huh?"
"No, he's not bad, he's just...not for me." Her gaze moved to the horizon and became sad. "I do miss my family, though. I hope they're not too worried."
"What do they have to be worried about? It's not like you're on a pirate ship on a reckless search for buried treasure and occasionally almost getting killed by evil boars."
Judy couldn't help but laugh at that. "I'll have to be careful about what I say when I see them again." A thought occurred to her. "Is there anyone you miss?"
Nick was silent for a moment. "I only have my mother. She lives in Zootopia. Every now and then I visit her and give her a piece of treasure as a gift. She thinks I'm a high-ranking merchant sailor. Keeps her happy and gives her something to brag about to her friends."
Her curiosity grew a little. "Why did you become a pirate?"
He gazed intensely at the sea, his ears flickering slightly, as if contemplating how much to tell her. "When I was young I learned that foxes weren't supposed to be heroes. They were villains. So I decided to become one. When I was seventeen I managed to join Boarbossa's crew, and I was excited because I thought I was where I belonged. But then I saw what sort of mammal Boarbossa was, and I knew I had to get out. I met Finnick and Honey, and we set out to do piracy our way."
When he mentioned his crewmates, he managed to pull himself out of his melancholy and he leaned towards Judy conspiratorially.
"Don't tell anyone this, but compared to most pirates, we're pretty soft. We can find buried treasure and carry out robberies by stealth alright, but when it comes to 'plundering', we just put on a huge show, make the sailors wet their breeches and leave as soon as we can with their cargo to avoid any bloodshed."
Judy titled her head. "You've never killed anyone?"
"There have been...accidents, and moments of self defence, but we don't really like getting our hands dirty if we can help it."
"So... when you threatened to kill Ben and I-"
He gave a huge smile which had a tint of sheepishness. "Huge bluff."
"Oh, cheese and crackers!" She smacked her head into her palm.
"Yeah. We're pretty much all bark and no bite."
Judy gave a small laugh. "You are simply the worst pirates I've ever come across."
"At least we look good." He winked.
They turned their attention back to the sunset, Judy's eyes fixed upon the horizon. Jack had told her that the moment the sun disappears beneath the sea, a green flash can sometimes be seen, signalling the return of a soul from the Land of the Dead to the Living. The sun gently sank lower and lower until...it was gone, with no hint of green at all. She sighed softly in disappointment.
"Have you ever seen the Green Flash?" she asked Nick.
"Once, I think," he replied. "Out of the corner of my eye. The one time I wasn't looking."
Judy studied him for a moment. "Are you waiting for someone to come back?"
"My dad," he said quietly, staring out to sea. "I... heard rumours that he was taken aboard the Sea Vulture. I don't know how true they are, but I still watch out for it, just in case." He glanced back at Judy, who was reaching out a paw to touch his arm. He forced a laugh. "I get a rabbit on my ship and suddenly I'm all mushy. That's a dangerous gift you've got there, Carrots."
Judy stared at him for a second, then smiled back. "Don't worry. I'm in complete control."
"Shut up!"
"No, you shut up!"
The door opened and was quickly slammed shut again by Honey, looking thoroughly irritated.
" Nick Wilde, why did you let those dumb dumbs join our crew?"
"Honestly? They wouldn't shut up."
She growled in frustration then took a deep breath in an effort to calm herself down. "I've just been checking the map. We're about to reach 'u zornhain'. Care to translate?" she asked Judy.
"It's the song of death or destruction," answered Judy. "I don't know what it refers to, though. I assumed we'd know it when we saw it."
"Nathan's probably the expert thanks to Ben," joked Nick. "Right, Nate?"
He shouted the last part to the polar bear inspecting the rigging, who had fortunately made a complete recovery from his injury. His response to the fox was a snort and a tiny eye roll.
"Wait a minute," said Honey, suddenly looking worried. "It's a full moon tonight."
"Yes..." said Nick slowly, an eyebrow raised.
"Captain!" Bobby called from the crow's nest. "There's movement in the water!"
Everyone gathered on deck ran to the side of the ship Bobby was pointing to. Out in the distance swells in the sea could just be made out in growing darkness. Something was swimming towards them.
"Sirens," said Honey.
"Sirens?!" repeated Judy, sharing Honey and Nick's panic.
"Evil creatures banished from their own kind to the open sea," explained Honey. "They sought protection from bloodthirsty monsters in return for-"
"You can tell the story later, Honey," interrupted Nick. "We need to get everyone below deck. Do you still have those earplugs?"
"I have some," she replied, leading everyone to the door, "but I don't think I have enough for-"
A single, long note rang out from the sea, stopping the crew in their tracks.
"It's started," said Nick gravely.
The first note was followed by two others, and the ship jerked suddenly, causing the crew to stumble. They looked up at the helm to see Flash steering the ship toward the singing.
"Nathan, get Flash away from the wheel!" shouted Nick.
The polar bear was halfway up the stairs when the singing turned from a few simple notes into a sweet, haunting melody. Nathan stopped and gazed out to sea, utterly transfixed.
The door crashed open and Finnick, Ben, Yax, Bucky and Pronk rushed through, looking confused.
"What's going on?" demanded Finnick.
"Cover your ears and go back down," ordered Nick, hands slamming over his own head.
It was too late. A second was all it took for their ears to swivel and their minds to be taken by the sirens. Only Judy, Honey and Ben were unaffected, and Nick was digging his claws into his skull to try to escape the growing music. It was to no avail, and soon his hands dropped and his eyes glazed over.
"Oh no," groaned Honey, snapping her fingers in front of Nick's face in a futile attempt to wake him.
Judy looked about her. Almost every member of the crew were standing stock still, focused on the sirens and their singing. It was certainly on the most beautiful things she had ever heard, but she didn't feel compelled towards it, and she didn't feel any different.
"Why aren't we affected?" she asked.
"They're males," Honey answered, now inspecting Finnick. "One track minds."
"But Ben-"
The cheetah waved a paw. "Once you've heard Gazelle, no voice can compare."
"Gazelle?" asked Honey, confused.
"She's just an opera singer," Judy explained hurriedly.
"Just an opera singer?!" repeated Ben, flabbergasted.
"Did you say you had earplugs?" Judy asked Honey, ignoring Ben.
Honey sighed sadly. "Even if I had enough for them, now they've heard the song they won't work."
The hypnotised crew were now moving slowly to the edge of the ship all with dopey smiles on their faces. Judy ran in front of Nick and tried to push him back, but he simply shoved her out of the way, his eyes never leaving the sea.
"We need to get them below deck and restrain them somehow," said Judy. "Ben, can you take care of Flash?"
"On it," he replied, heading up the stairs.
"Honey." Judy jerked her head towards the rest of the crew. The badger nodded in understanding and went over to Yax. She pulled at his arm but he stood firm.
Judy walked in front of Nick again. "Come on, snap out of it! We want to get Captain Maul's treasure, remember? Maybe you can find something for your mother."
"It's so pretty," he murmured dreamily, his gaze never wavering. It was as if Judy didn't exist.
SPLASH!
"FINN!"
Honey grabbed a rope, tied it around her middle and jumped in after Finnick. Judy seized the other end and looked over the side of the ship to see Honey swimming after the small fox. Surrounding them were several creatures: grey-brown, sleek with flippers and a round, protruding muzzle. Their mouths were wide open as they continued their song and they were gazing longingly at Finnick.
As soon as Honey reached Finnick Judy hauled the rope back up, looping it around the mast for extra leverage. She felt something soar over her head and saw Bobby walking to the edge. She quickly tied off the loop and raced after him, snatching his tail. Though this slowed him slightly, he still steadily moved closer and closer to the water.
"Stop! Stop! You have to stop!" she shouted at him as he dragged her along the deck, completely unfazed by her actions. Then something in the distance caught Judy's eye. Several tall, thin fins were slicing through the waves towards the ship, and Judy's panic grew higher.
"Come on, Bobby!" she pleaded. There was no response. They were almost at the edge now, and she looked around wildly, searching for anything to help. She looked down at the tail in her hands and, because she could think of nothing else, clamped her teeth around it.
There was a yowl of pain and Bobby soared into the air. When he landed he observed his surroundings with an utterly bewildered expression, nursing his tail.
"What's going-?" He stopped halfway and put a paw to his head, groaning slightly. His face slowly turned back to the sweet singing as it began to reclaim him.
Judy wasted no time in grabbing his tail again and biting it. She quickly took her chance and dragged him to the door, halting only when she saw Honey scrambling back on to the ship with Finnick struggling in her arms.
"We have to hurt them!" Judy told her.
Honey scrunched her muzzle in confusion. "Huh?"
"They're distracted by pain!" Judy explained further, just as a panting Ben came back through the door.
"I've put Flash in the galley," he said, trying to get his breath back. "It should be a while before he comes back up."
"Get Bobby and Finnick below, too," ordered Judy. She bit Bobby's tail a third time when he started walking to the sea again.
Honey's eyes widened at Bobby's reaction, and experimentally gave Finnick a short, sharp smack to the head.
"Ow!"
Honey quickly handed the small fox to Ben. "There's sleeping draught in my medical room. Give them a swig and they'll be out like a light."
Ben nodded and took Bobby's arm with his free hand, then descended below deck.
Judy and Honey turned their attention to the rest of the crew, and an evil smile spread over the badger's face when she spotted the antelopes.
"I've waited so long for this!" She ran up behind them, jumped and slammed their two heads together. They slumped down, out cold. "Err...oops."
Only Nick, Nathan and Yax were left, leaning against the bulwark and gazing dreamily at the sirens. Yax was leaning over so much that he was dangling over the edge.
Judy grabbed some more rope. "Get Yax next, and keep an eye on Nick! I'll restrain Nathan!"
With one end tied securely to the mast, Judy looped the rope a few times around Nathan's legs and middle and fastened it off with a strong knot, knowing that even if she and Honey were able to cause him pain, they would not be strong enough to get him below deck. She plucked the rope, and once satisfied went back to Honey.
The yak and fox were now trying to jump over, and Honey was positioned between the two, one arm latched on to Nick's shoulder and the rest of her wrapped around Yax, desperately biting and scratching at his back, with the claws on her foot digging deep into the bulwark. Her attacks had no effect on his thick hide. Her mouth full of hair, she looked at Judy with huge, pleading eyes.
"Try his legs!" Judy told her whilst grabbing Nick and punching his arm.
"Ow!" Nick snapped his attention to his arm and rubbing it.
"Come on!" Judy pulled at his coat with all her might, managing to get him a little way from the edge, until his ear swivelled and he heard the song again. Almost mechanically, he turned back to the sea so Judy climbed on to the bulwark and pushed firmly against his chest.
Fortunately Honey had managed to deliver a successful bite to Yax's leg and was now tying him up. Ben had also returned and looked ready to collapse from a mixture of exhaustion  and stress.
"You two, get Nathan!" yelled Judy, gesturing her head to the polar bear struggling against his bonds. As Honey and Ben started hauling him in, Judy risked a glance behind her. The sirens' expressions were no longer serene, but murderous, and the song emanating from them was almost deafening. The sharks were slowly circling beneath her, creating a small whirlpool, the sight of which cause Judy to gasp and look away. The cloth beneath her fingers squirmed as Nick tried to get around her, but she clung on steadfastly. She made sure her feet had a good grip on the wood, crouched down then sprung back up against Nick, causing him to fall on his back and her to fall on him.
Nick's head smacked against the deck which roused him once again from his stupor, and their gazes met. Judy blinked twice, realising she had never noticed how green Nick's eyes were, but snapped out of her reverie when his look lost focus. She rolled off him, elbowed him in the gut, and lead him to the mast.
The poor fox had to endure several punches and kicks while Judy tied him up next to Yax. When she finished, she joined Honey and Ben in restraining Nathan, which took a considerable amount of effort but they were eventually able to bring him down. Judy ran and fetched the sleeping draught, and once administered the three hypnotised mammals fell into a deep and peaceful sleep, and the other three collapsed against Nathan's large form and sighed collectively in relief.
"What now?" asked Ben.
"They'll be asleep 'til morning, by which time the sirens will have gone," said Honey. "There's no point moving them, even if we were able."
"We'll have to take turns watching, just in case," said Judy.
The sirens' song continued, though there was now a hint of desperation that Judy couldn't help but feel a surge of joy from. Honey brought up the stew Yax had been preparing and they ate under the stars, listening to the mournful music and saying little. Ben fell asleep after his forth helping, and Honey offered to take the first watch. Judy rested against Ben's stomach, promising herself that at the first opportunity, she was going to study the map again for any other potential surprises.
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