Out at sea

[Skipper of Sea Otters]

"As much as I would like ta' tend to my old mate...Im afraid im a bit tied up...uh...making sure these kind beast have a safe journey back to hel- I mean shore...Ya know...tis my job and all...." he said correcting himself in the middle of the sentence. "Perhaps you could stick around a bit or deliver another message for me 'eh?"

[Toriphess]

"Certainly. How long will it take for you to help them to shore?" His foot stopped and a mask of calm expectancy slipped on his face.

"I told you before, I don't need your help. Me and my crew can make it to our territory just fine." Toriphess yelled to the other crew. He sighed and pinched the bone between his eyes. Why couldn't the other ship go away? Did they not understand that he needed to get his ship as far away from possible from the ocean. Just in case something like this happened. Why were things going so badly?

['Piper']

"Sir fox would you mind coming aboard so you wouldn't have to yell so much? Or at least climbing abord their ship?"
This was also Tori'd way of trying to tell her brother to shut his trap. The more he argued against seemingly honest help , the more conspicious the crew of the Swiftraider looked. Eventaully it would likely escalate to a argument that would end in death ancd the sinking of one of the two ships,especially that the Swiftraider looked jsut like a SWIFT RAIDING ship. That would not be good.

With a sigh she looked towards the shore. This would be the perfect time to make a break for it. Say she was scouting out some new venues, nd instead going to redwall. or she could wait and end up tied to the mainmast by her brother's orders. yet coul' she really leave him out here where he was liable to get both ships sunk? No. She couldn't. Male or not she loved her brother.

So all she had to do was make sure that the packs under Bilg's tunic were not discovered. that wouldn't be to hard right? Remembering her dagger she tipped her paw and let it rest in a sheathe she had made just for that purpose.

[Toriphess]

Alaris looked at the otter who just spoke. "No thank you miss. I'm fine down here on the sand." he grinned broadly at her and turned back to the otter he was speaking to earlier. still patiently waiting for the message.

Toriphess closed his jaw with an audible snap and looked at Tori. He heard the subtle clue there to shut up, and he reluctantly followed it. He aggreed that he shouldn't shout, and he respected Tori after all. He suspiciously narrowed his eyes at Alaris. What was that fox playing at? Was he truly friend to a long patrol hare? Or did he have more sinister aquaintences? Toriphess couldn't decide.

[Skipper of Sea Otters]

The Skipper Jumped down to the fox as did a few of the other beast. "Listen matey...." he started quietly to where only they could hear. "We protect these shores as well as the sea... Is there some kinda oh fightin' force you beast have at that stronghold that could...ya know...give a hand...like...i dunno...A few...bunnies or maybe some rocks..i dunno but these beast mean business and as much as I would like to give me mates the chance to skewer these beast onboard i dont want to risk losing anybeast just yet...it so close to wintersday...well...the peak of it...and sure these beast dont have anythin' ta' go back to but at least i want em to have a last meal....any hand you or any beast in that rock you've got would be great...."

[Toriphess]

Alaris' carefree expression slowly vanished. "So them on the ship, they're corsairs?" he lowered his head and closed his eyes in thought. "This isn't good at all." He finally said after ten minutes in thought. "I'll go back to the mountain and tell Lord Ashstripe. He'll probably mobilize the Long Patrol, and they will come out here as soon as they possibly can." He nodded sagely. "Yes, that's probably best. My encounter with pirates says that these corsairs will run at the sign of an all out fight, meaning extreme limited loss of life. I will go relay your message." Alaris hiked his bag higher on his shoulder and gave the Swiftraider a cheeky wave. "Cheerio chaps." He then turned and ran back to the mountain at speed.

"Why that..."Toriphess cut himself off just in time. If he said anything about that fox, then the other ship wouldn't take it too kindly. He muttered under his breath. "Why can't I just get back to my territory?" He tapped his paw on the railing of the ship as he watched the goings on down on the sand. His eyes followed the fox untill he vanished in the sandy haze. "A fox allied with the long patrol. What now, a whole bloody hare regiment?"

['Piper']

"This has just begun you vile little beasts."
Tori snarled turning her back away from the rail. Even if she couldn't hear the exchange se could peace together what was going on. What she had didn't show good for them. They needed to get out of here, and now!
"Phessy you great Lummox you just had to argue didn't you, your lucky they didn't box us in!"
She growled, not at her brother but at thin air. Throwing her hands above her head she ran towards the rudder and steering oar.

Leaning her back against the tiler/rudder the boat turned ever so slowly.
"Do you idjits want more rocks in your skull or do you want to help!?"
Tori was tired of being civil today! Besides she didn't want to lose the only home, and family she had. If Phessy was to stubborn to move she'd do ti for him. Even if the fox hadn't been doing anything but asking Ashstripe at least one hare was bound to recongize the ship's description. They wouldn't get that chance, no.

[Toriphess]

Toriphess quickly came next to her and set the tiller. "Come on you lot. Lets get this bucket moving!" He roared. The crew, frozen untill now quickly came to their senses. Many went down into the bowles of the ship, and soon the slave oars were taken out. There were four to a side, and soon each went up and splashed back down in the water. With a great heave, the ship moved foreward, further into the protection of the narrow trees and swift river. Those of the crew who didn't go belowdeck, climbed the ropes to the sails like a bunch of gangly spiders. Soon, the mainsail and the jib billowed out, catching a fresh easterlie wind. The Swiftraider practically flew over the water. The otter corsair left the helm and leaned over the stern rail. "Please leave us alone." he muttered. The Lancebreaker was soon out of sight. Just a little while further and they would be free.

[Skipper of Sea Otters]

The otters onboard kept watchful eyes on the ship though. They grinned as the saw the beast bustling about. The grabbed the boarding grapples and tossed them. They caught the rails and the Lancebreaker began to move with it. The otters below pushed their own slaver ores out and began rowing with them keeping up as best they could. It was good thing The Lancebreaker used to be one of the most feared slaveship to sale the sea(According to some).

"Keep up with em mates!" he shouted to them. "Send em to tha' Hellsgates!" He turned to the other otters. "Lets pay a visit to that rock.......shall we?"

['Piper']

"Come on lazy bones. Weapons out."
Blade bewtween her teeth Tori ran towards the closest hook, and with a swift downwards slice sent the hook rattling to the ships deck. Picking it up she threw it towards the ship following them. Hopefully the rest of the crew would be smart enough to do likewise. Of course if worse came to worse they could all make a swift run into the moss, they all could swim. Yet in the chaos that would surely follow in a life or death situation could they do that without stomping eachother's brains out.

"Hellsgates with us!? HAH! We'll see who gets to meet ol' death first otters!"
Tori roared back. Behind her Bilgey was twisting his tunic, and mumbling. He didn't like this, death was nasty business, he didn't like dealing it! But it was between hs beloved Tori and those beasties trying to ruin their lifestyle. He'd chose Tori anyday!

[Skipper of Sea Otters]

The Otters lept upon the front railings of the Lancebreaker with thier weapons outward thrusting them forward into the air towards them shouting their Insults. One Otter in particular another one of the skipper's closest mates jumped forward. "You dont know death! Everybeast on this ship has seen it!" The otters stopped thier shouting and turned towards him...they agreed. They had all seen death and some of them had seen the dark forest and returned from it somehow. It was a subject they were all to familiar with. They released the grapples and pulled them back on deck...The Skipper would have a better surprise for them in time....now that the subject of death was brought up upon them. The Lancebreaker turned around and headed back out to sea and awaited for Skipper.

[Toriphess]

Toriphess sighed in relief. "I had not wished for that chase. I hope they come no closer." The captain set the rest of the crew back to cleaning and the other various chores, except he had everyone hold a weapon close to pawl. Who knew what those otters were up to? Certainly not him. Though he was an otter himself, it had never been to where he thought of fighting. He drummed his paws on the wheel. "I really hope that they don't suddenly decide to turn around and face us."