Thread:Riftgard Princess/@comment-1298206-20120103034952/@comment-1298206-20120105044515

Here's the prologue!

Prologue

The night was pierced by the screams of creatures locked in combat. Death cries were heard over and over until it seemed that they were nothing but echoes that would never cease to repeat. The sound of steel against steel rang out as many creatures engaged one another in battle. Hares and sea otters fought against searats and fox, weasel, stoat, and ferret corsairs. Nearly a score of ships containing woodlanders and vermin alike were clustered together as each creature fought to board another ship. A few ships in particular had been victims of fire arrows, timbers crackling as the flames consumed he ships they had made their prey. The flames rose into the dark night atmosphere, the glow of the fires illuminating the darkness; flaming sails fluttering dismally as if they acknowledged defeat by the enemy’s doing. Chaos reigned that night over the ships and the creatures aboard them who participated in that grand and revolting battle.

Below the deck of a ship known as the “Deathsail,” an attractive female weasel of about nineteen seasons old sat in a bed, gazing down at a newborn weasel like herself with love and pride glowing in her brown eyes. A female rat stood beside the bed, smiling slightly at the new mother as she saw her son for the first time. She nodded respectfully to the female weasel before addressing her. “Congratulations, Shia.” Shia looked up from her infant son to the rat attendant, her bright eyes meeting the nurse’s.“Thank you, Sagra.”

Sagra raised her head slightly as the sounds of the warring creatures came from above deck. Shia’s ears twitched as she held her son close to her chest. Sagra met the weasel’s eyes before speaking what the pair of them were thinking. “We need to leave this place at once. The lives of you and your son are at stake.” She noticed the look Shia gave her and responded quickly. “I’m just a mere attendant, Milday. It doesn’t matter if I am slain doing my duty to you.”

Shia did not respond to what her attendant said about her life being the least important of the three creatures present, but simply nodded before speaking. “Very well then. Let’s be off. I know of a place where we can go where we will be safe. That includes you too, Sagra.”

The rat grabbed a blanket and gingerly lifted the child from its mothers arms. Her son gave a faint cry as he was held by the stranger as he was wrapped in the blanket before being handed back to his mother. Shia eyed her friend before querying her. “Are we ready?”

Sagra helped Shia out of the bed as she replied. “That we are.”

The going was slow for the two female creatures, especially for Shia, who was still in pain after having given birth to the creature who she was now holding. Fortunately, Sagra was patient with her and did not leave her side. Shia’s anxiety increased as they each step. As they reached the top of the stairs that led to the deck, they met one another’s eyes. Sagra speaks to her friend in a calm voice. “This is the dangerous part. If either you or your son’s life is in peril, I will do all I can to protect you two.”

Shia smiled despite the contingency that they may all succumb to death by taking the risk of escaping the ship in the midst of the widespread battle. “Thank you, Sagra for all you’re doing.”

Sagra modestly dismissed her friend’s remark as she placed a paw on the doorknob. She turned the knob slowly and glanced at Shia. Shia nodded in confirmation, her heart pounding in her chest. The rat opened the door and aided her friend out onto the deck, making sure that she was blocking Shia from any enemy that may come their way. Shia’s child wailed as the sounds of battle rang in his ears.

A ferret appeared before them and raised his cutlass. “I’ll cover both o’ ye while ye make it for the lifeboat! Go, go!”

The pair nodded gratefully while making their way quickly towards the jolly boat, the ferret following them closely. He kept watch while Sagra helped Shia climb into the jolly boat with her frightened son. Sagra began to lower it towards the water. The ferret corsair turned and watched as the jolly boat continued to go lower. The ferret let out a cry and gritted his teeth together as a shaft struck him in the back. He swung his cutlass at the ropes holding the jolly boat, severing them. He gripped the rail with a paw for support as he watched it land with a small splash on the surface of the water. He felt a second arrow lodge itself in his back. He watched the rat pick up the oars and begin to row through eyes which were beginning to cloud over. The cutlass fell from his paw as his life ebbed away; falling to the deck in a heap, his dead eyes looking in the direction of the escaped creatures.

Shia turned her eyes away from the ship in an attempt to erase her mind of the death she had just witnessed. She frowned sadly and began cradling her son in her arms, causing her son’s sobbing to end as he fell asleep. Sagra raised her head and looked at Shia. “Where to?”

The female weasel nodded towards the direction they were already going and replied in a soft voice. “You’re going the right way. My friend doesn’t live too far from here.”

Sagra rowed in silence, glancing back at the scene of the battle before turning her gaze away. Shia looked up at the sky, stars twinkling brightly against the blanket of darkness known as night. After the rat had been rowing for a while, land came into view. Along the coast was a port town, which was shrouded in the dark of the night. Sagra continued to row until they had pulled up to the dock. The pair climbed out and headed into the town. Shia stopped and looked around before having spotted the house she was seeking. She approached the house with help from her faithful friend. She knocked on the door and waited for the creature living their to answer.

The door was opened by a male weasel with dark brown fur. He looked at the two creatures standing at the door and met Shia’s eye. He glanced down at the baby bundled in blankets that she was cradling in her arms. He smiled at her. “Shia, it’s good t’ see you! It seems that you’re a mother now! What can I do for you?”

Shia smiled back at her friend. “I need to talk to you about something very important.”

The weasel blinked and took a step back. “If that’s the case, you two come on in and have a seat!”

Shia entered the house with Sagra right behind her. The mother weasel took a seat by the fireplace while Sagra sat next to her. The weasel shut the door and sat in a chair across from the two creatures. He picked up a glass bottle from a table and pulled the cork out of the top, taking a swig of the contents. He wiped his mouth with the back of his paw. Shia eyed the bottle disapprovingly as he placed it back on the table. “Drinking’s a bad habit, Gard.”

Gard waved a paw dismissively. “Ah, don’t worry about it. Now what is it that we need to talk about?”

Shia cast a quick look down at the infant she was holding before looking back up at Gard. “It’s about my son. I am unable to care for him without putting his life in risk of danger. His father also leads a life of danger. You’re the creature I can trust to raise him like a real father. Can you handle it?”

Gard met her gaze steadily for several moments before looking down at the sleeping bundle she held. He replied calmly. “I’ll take on this child as my own son. It’s just for you, Shia.”

She smiled brightly and looked down at her son. Sagra helped her out of her chair as she walked slowly to where Gard sat. She cradled the child in her arms with a smile on her face before kissing him lightly on the forehead, her eyes shining with unshed tears. She turned and began to walk to the door with Sagra. Gard called to her as she walked away. “Shia, wait! What’s the child’s name?”

She looked back over her shoulder, a tear running down her cheek as she answered the weasel. “His name? You shall call him Sharrk, Black Sharrk Kidd.”  