GLORY, a swashbuckling tale


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GLORY

My backside itched, like it always did that time of year. The seas became choppier and the skies darkened as the seasons slid towards the icy winters. When the autumn turbulence grew, the fleas came out more and more. I hated fleas. They would dig into my fur and just burrow there. As much as I scratched at those places, I could rarely dig any out. Even so, I would keep trying.

I rested against the chest in my tight chambers, twitching from paw to paw against the ship's rolling movements. I used to get sick when the waves grew stronger, but it had been a good dozen years since the last time I emptied my guts at the crash of waves. I still kept the bucket, but now it was used for soap and water more often than not. I was rarely ever even sick any longer.

"Gara!" I heard the shout.

I sagged slightly at the request. We just got out of a fight, what now? We were only like a day out of port!

Instead, I slid into my boots, belted on my squat sabre that I called Kilmer, and set off at a dead-run. The boots echoed down the silent passage and clicked softly as I leapt smoothly up the steps. I shoved at the door and it barely budged. I leaned heavily and it squealed in protest. Then I kicked it open with all the power my little legs could muster. It flew open to a scene of chaos.

"Gara!" I heard again.

The captain was pinned down by three lean Coyotes, tall poles in one hand and twisting together as if in a strange dance. I bounced off the back of Beeza, using her back-slime to hit the planks in a forward slide. A pair of blades barely missed my head by scant inches and I blocked another staff with my arm. It stung like bee stings.

"Coming!" I screamed, breath catching as I came to a sudden stop against the forward prow.

I used my sabre as a lever and flipped myself over it, kicking my heels against the railing and running sideways along it's length to the first porthole hook. I slid my sword into a forward-facing pose and kicked out. The blade struck against an enemy Coyote's hide and slid deep, catching against the bone of the spine and snapping back.

The enemy assailant squealed in terrible pain, dropping to the deck with blood pouring out of the damage back. I thought perhaps I might have broken his spine. He pulsed and gulped for air.

I stopped watching and turned toward the next enemy in line, gaining my footing against the blood-soaked deck. I dipped tot he right and let a hammer whistle through the air over me. Twisting, I flipped my arm full-force and sank the side of Kilmer against the stomach of a young female Wolf that slid inbetween myself and the Captain.

I couldn't tell how the Captain fared in his plight, but at least I was able to even the odds more. I didn't have the time to think. The wolfess danced towards me, her pale overcoat hung with hooks. The wicked Scythe was about as tall as she was.

"You die, Drangling!" howled the wolfess. "I am going to separate you from your head." She grinned the cliched wolfish grin.

I growled deep in my throat. That was an insult I couldn't tolerate. I gritted my teeth, slipped into Serpent Form, and the wolfess died where she stood, the wolfish grin forever fixed to her stupid face.

"I guess you were wrong," I hissed, spitting on her head and jumping over her still-toppling body.

Out of the corner of my eyes I saw knots of animals fighting, heard the clashing of metal-on-metal, and smelled iron heavy in the air. I sank to the ground, rolled to the side, and split the remaining Coyote from crotch to chest with an upward thrust. The gurgling seemed to echo in my ears for long moments as I popped up to a standing position. I was back-to-back with the Captain. I flicked the blade clean of blood.

"You okay sir?" I asked.

"Thanks to you I am," the Captain nodded.

I felt the thump of heavy boots and jumped. The blade bit deep into my belly. It was a huge Hippo with bulky arms and a kerchief on his head. The Captain leapt over me and sliced open the beast, shreiking in fury.

"I'm dying, sir," I said as the Captain bent down. "I can feel it. I burn all over and am feeling so heavy."

The Captain patted my head and whispered, "You done well, lass. Sleep well."

Darkness overcame me pretty quick, the blackness as black as anything. When I woke up in my room I was completely confused.

"I was dead, though," I whispered, my voice weak.

"You're not that lucky, lass. You can't escape me that easily." The Captain grinned.

I cringed, knowing that grin all-too-well. I wished I had died.

The next day, I had to tolerate a whole bunch of punches in the shoulder and congratulatory back-slaps. I would be so soar for the next week. I think it would have been better to have died than to saved the Captain... but then again, now the entire ship would bend knee to me.


This is the contest that this is for: https://steemit.com/art/@juliakponsford/art-explosion-contest-5-40usd-sbd-prize-pool-we-have-a-sponsor-art-music-poetry-every-form-of-art-acceptable

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Congratulations! This post has been upvoted from the communal account, @minnowsupport, by dbzfan4awhile from the Minnow Support Project. It's a witness project run by aggroed, ausbitbank, teamsteem, theprophet0, someguy123, neoxian, followbtcnews/crimsonclad, and netuoso. The goal is to help Steemit grow by supporting Minnows and creating a social network. Please find us in the Peace, Abundance, and Liberty Network (PALnet) Discord Channel. It's a completely public and open space to all members of the Steemit community who voluntarily choose to be there.

Nice @dbzfan4awhile I enjoyed it! Perfect short story

Thanks @dpt-darkfox12. I enjoyed writing it as well.

Wow coyotes, wolfesses hippos such a great animal/pirate story thank you for submitting this dbz! Maybe you will kill the caption in part two?

I haven't decided if I would go into that route or if she'd be the captain's most trusted adviser. You should do another contest so that I can write a Part 2!

I do art explosion every week (except my one week a year vacation) so you will have many opportunities to add follow ups!

Then I shall maybe try to make it into a serialization just for your Art Explosion Contests!! When I remember to do the contest (or you could drop me a DM in Discord to remind me when the next one's are up). I'll make you laugh and cry and root for this Piratecoon.

What an awesome, fanciful tale! At least you saved the captain! Nice work.

Thanks so much @wandrnrose7! You're an amazing friend and creative person. I highly value your opinions.

❤ you are a gifted storyteller that Steemit and MSP has brought into my world and I am humbled by your kind compliment, my friend.

I'm here to write and delight.

Resteemed your article. This article was resteemed because you are part of the New Steemians project. You can learn more about it here: https://steemit.com/introduceyourself/@gaman/new-steemians-project-launch

Many animals in this story, nice!!! Thanks for share ^_^

And thank you for reading. I hope it brought a little bit of entertainment into your life that wasn't there before.

Wow! Great story! Terrific action and you even saved your captain in the end! :D

Had to save the Captain... must set up for more in the saga.

good one, I enjoyed the romp, even through all the gratuitous violence.

lol
I like coyotes
I like wolves too
then again, I like racoons too, and serpents,

even fleas
sort of, I still kill them though
sorry I still haven't written you that other comment.

these are strange days indeed

No worries my friend. We do what we can to make this world a better place.

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