Campaign on the High Seas

[Tracy]

While others had gone off, taking matters into their own paws, the Long Patrol was still following procedure. In the evening, some of the younger and more diplomatic runners had been sent out in every direction from Salamandastron. After news had gotten back to the mountain that the captured hares had been taken to sea, it had been the higher-ups that felt they should seek support from their various sailing friends.

The Guosim was nowhere to be found, likely deeply entrenched in the Mossflower waterways. One lucky runner managed to find a sea otter crew, friendly and familiar with the regiment, moored at a small inlet north of the mountain. After explaining the situation, the captain of the ship graciously offered the use of his vessel. Most of the otters were left onshore, and the captain took with him a few of his crew, just enough to keep the ship running smoothly. With promises to have the ship south to Salamandastron by daybreak, the otter captain bid adieu to the hare runner, who made his way swiftly back to the mountain with his news.

The Badger Lord stayed up through the night with his advisors, choosing the hares that would be sent on the mission. With only one vessel thus far at their disposal, they had to be picky with their selections. All told, forty hares were being sent, five of them being officers, each with a handful of soldiers under their command. Preparations were made throughout the night, quickly, efficiently and quietly.

-------

The following morning, on the dim and chilly shore, the contingency of hares waited patiently and silently for their orders. Jamie was among them, but not actually as an assigned officer. Being only a leader over the youngest members of the patrol, there wasn't a decent group of soldiers that could be scrounged up to serve under Jamie's command. But he wanted to go. Jamie worked his reasoning skills and charisma to their full extent. He'd slipped into the advisor's meeting and pled his case. It really hadn't taken too much effort. That was generally how things worked with the young lieutenant.

Now he stood there, looking about at his peers. By some of his own persuasion, Jamie had ended up under Captain Aidan Wavebob's command, but Aidan wouldn't learn that until the morning when he actually met with his small crew. Jamie was dressed lightly despite the chill, his saber attached faithfully at his hip.

Colonel Braespur, commander of the mission, could be seen talking in muted tones with a burly sea otter. After their quiet discussion, Braespur walked out before his waiting audience. He cleared his throat to gain everyone's attention, although it was rather unnecessary. "Castor Sargassum has graciously offered his vessel for our mission. It is moored a short march south of here. He has also offered his and his crew's sailing expertise to help find the vermin's ship."

Braespur had little else to say. There was little else he could tell the others, as he didn't know much himself. He wasn't a sailing beast, and while he was commander of this Long Patrol campaign, he was deferring a lot of decision-making to the experienced sea otter.

"Officers, take this time to become acquainted with those in your charge. We march out in ten minutes."

[Prankster101]

((Ooc: Oupes! I edit that out...))

Corporeal Dallas Dwayne Delory Devereux was physically exhausted. If he could collapse where he stood and rest, he would. But he couldn't. Dally was on duty. When you are on duty you have no time to relax, or so Dally had come to realize.

Last night, after briefly being interrogated by some of his superior officers about all who had left the mountain, he was then immediately sent out with a bunch of other runners down the coast to find out any more information on the kidnappings.

Then upon his return, the runners were sent out again in order to find sailing accommodations for the Long Patrol to go after the vermin. And of course, being one of the more experienced and faster runners, Dallas was sent out again.

Dally had been sent north-ward along the coast, but thankfully he didn't have to run all night. (Hope no one minds if he's the "lucky runner") Running close to the waters, Dallas had come upon a sea otter crew that had settled down for the night in a small inlet, their large ship just off shore.

Recalling the otter crew around Salamandastron before, Dally immediately went to the Captain with the request of using his ship. Thankfully the Captain willingly agreed and replied that once they were ready to sail again, a small crew aboard the ship would meet the Long Patrol at Salamandastron at daybreak. Thanking the Captain, Dallas ran back to the mountain and reported his findings to the Badger Lord and his superiors.

After he had completed that task, Dally had practically no time to sit down until he was called up again. He was wanted to be on the patrol that was going on the ship. Something about him having experience and knowing the other hares who went on an AWOL recuse mission, blah blah blah...

So the Corporeal stood in the company of the chosen ad-mist the Patrolers with Captain Aidan Wavebob to his right. On this deployment he had no real command of his own. He was under the Captain's command this time around. Dally didn't mind really. As long as he could take his fair share of vermin, it didn't matter who was his commanding officer.

It was rather chilly and still foggy from the previous night, but Dallas didn't really care. The chill kept away the sweat. So dressed in his navy uniform with his scythe blades hanging on his criss-cross belts, Dally waited at parade rest as the commanding officer of the mission, Colonel Braespur, finished addressing the sea otter Captain and addressed the company.

"Castor Sargassum has graciously offered his vessel for our mission. It is moored a short march south of here. He has also offered his and his crew's sailing expertise to help find the vermin's ship."

Dallas's ears twitched. Great! How many hares were going to be sea-sick this time?

"Officers, take this time to become acquainted with those in your charge. We march out in ten minutes."

Dally turned his head to look at the Captain, awaiting further orders.

((Ha, wrong account too, I'm doing well today!))

[Grath]

[[No green recruits on a mission where they would have to be picky with their choices, Prank ]]

Aidan was particularly well decked out that early morning. Every weapon shone clean, without being polished to a high sheen. The bands strapped in an X on his chest was festooned in daggers. They were attached at his wrists under the long sleeves of his navy Officer’s tunic, and at his ankles. Perhaps ominously, he carried no longer weapons, no sword or saber or rapier. Just various knives.

"Officers, take this time to become acquainted with those in your charge. We march out in ten minutes."

Aidan had been put in charge of Squad One. Many of them had worked with them before, but there were a few faces he didn’t know well. As the officers moved forward to greet their teams, the Captain was not surprised to see Lieutenant Sersea in his group. He approached the team, his face impassive, a distance in his eyes though he focused on his team.

“I hope none of ye are prone to seasickness.”

[Tracy]

Jamie didn't speak to Aidan, and said very little to the others around him. He seemed an entirely different creature on this mission, focused and uncharacteristically quiet. The officer had a lot going through his mind, not the least of which was how he'd fair on the sea. Despite growing up on the shore, he'd only ever sailed on the river, and even then it was a brief and limited experience. He was not exactly worried anything terrible would happen, it was just an unusual feeling, being out of his element. Jamie never felt out of place.

Colonel Braespur had spoken truthfully. In ten minutes time the lot of them were marching off near the tideline, headed south for the ship moored at a small inlet. Following the sea otter captain and the Colonel, the short trip was almost silent. The hares boarded the vessel without incident, although the vast majority of them, upon stepping onto the ship, appeared utterly lost. However, the group of otters that had remained on the ship went about taking care of business, not asking anything of the hares whom they were ferrying.

The officers and the otter captain had held a brief meeting on their course. It had been decided that they wouldn't sail far from shore, but head south. Their reasoning was that the vermin ship would probably need more fresh water soon and wouldn't venture too far from land. They elected south because before they'd left, the otters left on shore had agreed to keep an eye on the northern waters as well as try to procure a second vessel either with another otter clan or, if they could be found, the Guosim shrews. It wasn't a foolproof plan by a long shot, but it was the best they could concoct under such rushed circumstances.

It was growing late in the morning now, and practically nothing had happened. Not that it was a surprise, but one could not believe how painfully slow time passed by out on the sea. Several of the hares were already seasick and had instantly become the targets of the otter crew's playful jibes.

Jamie was out on deck, arms crossed on the railing as he gazed east, trying to make himself believe he could see land, although it was impossible now. He had never been in a situation where he could not see land. It made him, and this ship, seem small, insignificant and vulnerable. More than anything, it made this whole mission seem hopeless. He was also feeling ill from the rocking motion of the ship. Although he refused to let that show, it did very little to lift his spirits.

[Mista P]

Dallas stood silently at parade rest as Captain Wavebob turned to address Squad One. The Captain appeared stiff and moving. His eyes also had a distant look about them. Dallas wasn't surprised. With all the events that had taken place, Dally figured that being this way was one of the better conditions that the Captain could be in.

“I hope none of ye are prone to seasickness.”

Dally blinked, but didn't respond to the Captain. He never really got seasick. Dallas had been on a boat once or twice, and it didn't bother him. He adapted to the conditions at sea rather quickly for a land-lubber and he knew that. He also knew that others did not. Hopefully they wouldn't be sick for long, Dallas thought to himself. They may need every fighting creature ready at any moment in time, since they did not know the vermin's location.

In no time at all the Patrol was marching south to a small inlet where the ship was moored. Barely any of them spoke as they boarded the vessel. The Corporeal knowing he would be in the way just standing there, scooted off to the side as the patrol filed on board, most of them having know idea what to do.

The friendly otter crew showed the Patrolers where they could stay below deck if they had no idea what was going on and gave those who knew their bearings and wanted to help something to do. Even though he was tired, Dally knew he couldn't sit still for long and volunteered.

Dallas's job was to help the otter crew furl and unfurl the sails when the proper time arose. So after the ship left the small inlet, Dally was free to his own whims until called upon.

Seizing the one chance that he may have for a long time to relax. The Corporeal found a semi-comfortable pile of extra rope on deck and settled himself down in a half-sitting, half-reclining position.

With his eyes closed, but not really sleeping, Dallas let his ears be his eyes. He listened to the waves hitting the side of ship, the distant sea birds call, and the sound of footsteps upon the deck.

Flickering his eyelids, Dallas saw Lieutenant Sersea nearby, leaning on the railing. Closing his eyelids, Dallas relaxed. It wasn't the Colonel, so he wasn't in deep trouble for relaxing on duty. He wasn't going to worry.

And if by chance the Lieutenant wanted to talk, Dally might. But he wasn't starting the conversation. He never did. Never liked to anyway. It wasn't that he was anti-social (ok, so maybe a bit), it was the fact he didn't like talking just for the sake of talking. If you've got something to say, say it and move on! If your going to talk for days with out actually getting to the subject, then join a traveling performers troupe or something!