SWNOVELS Chapter The Captain's Ship
Timber raced away from Fairwood Field all the way down to the coast near Ocean Island. A large ship was pulling up to the dock as though they knew Timber would be waiting for them.
“Ahoy there, young lady!” a voice called out.
Timber looked up and saw a man standing at the edge of the ship waving to her.
“Hey!” Timber called back.
“Need a ride...?!” the man asked.
“Yes, please... To Mycono Kingdom,” Timber called out.
“Mycono Kingdom? That’s a long trip away from here!” the man said.
“I must go, there is someone there I must speak with...” Timber said.
“Alright, I predict that this ship can get there in 7-9 days!” the man said.
“At least it isn’t 7-9 months or 7-9 years...” Timber said with a sigh.
The man dropped the gangplank onto the pier so that Timber could climb aboard the ship. Timber glanced behind herself at her home island, but then she turned back and ran up the gangplank as a wolf and got into the ship.
“I am ready!” Timber said.
“Don’t you have any family to say good bye to?” the man asked.
“No, sir... All that’s left is my grandma... Everyone else is dead,” Timber said.
“Alrighty then...” the man said and pulled the gangplank back up into the ship.
“Sludge, pull the darned anchor out of the water! There was only one to pick up!” the man called.
A scrawny boy with brownish green hair walked to the other end of the ship and yanked on a metal chain until the anchor came up.
“Anchors aweigh!” Sludge reported.
“Then off we go!” the captain called.
“Sir...?” Timber asked.
“Yeah?” the captain asked.
“Why is that boy named Sludge...?” Timber asked.
“Because of the color of his hair...” the captain said.
“So... What is your name...?” Timber asked.
“Captain Raibert Domnhall Dubghlas!” the captain said.
“Why aren’t you named after your hair color...?” Timber asked.
“Because I’m the captain and he’s just a shipmate,” Raibert said.
“Who’s sailing the ship if you’re out here?” Timber asked.
“The sailor, of course! I call him Hairy Rat!” Raibert said.
“Why?” Timber asked.
“Because he is hairy and ugly like a rat!” Raibert said.
“That’s mean!” Timber said.
“My ship, my rules. It’s not like you’re going to be a part of the crew. You’re a passenger,” Raibert said.
“Is there anyone else aboard?” Timber asked.
“Yeah, Sludge’s little brother. I call him Slime. He cleans the ship, especially the poop-deck,” Raibert said.
“Do you ever get rewarded for sailing?” Timber asked.
“Rewarded? Not from Fairwood. They have no money at all there! Crazy people... How do you live without money?!” Raibert asked.
“We just do... We never needed money...” Timber said.
“But you do work, am I right?” Raibert asked.
“Yes, sir, we work very hard... We get to keep some of what we make, that’s why we don’t need money,” Timber said.
“Well, where we are headed, there is plenty of money! There is so much money that it can be found hidden in the grass!” Raibert said.
“Why?” Timber asked.
“My guess is that money grows from the ground,” Raibert replied.
“What’s it like there...?” Timber asked.
“Well, we’ve never stayed long, we usually collect money from the ground, buy more food, and head off with whatever new passengers we get,” Raibert said.
“Captain, we’ve got sharks...” a voice called out from above.
Timber glanced up and spotted a person in the crow’s nest holding a telescope.
“Sharks? Are you sure?” Raibert asked.
“Certain,” the person said.
“Oiy! Hairy Rat! Sharks ahead! Steer clear of them!” Raibert called.
“Yes, captain!” a person called out.
The ship shifted and nearly avoided some sharks which leapt from the water. Night was quickly falling over the ocean and the ship wasn’t moving very fast. In fact, Fairwood Kingdom was still very visible behind them. Timber turned back into a human and climbed up the ladder into the crow’s nest.
“May I borrow that tube thing?” Timber asked.
“Yeah... I’ll need it back though...” the boy said.
“Thank you!” Timber said and peered through the telescope.
“See anything?” the boy asked.
“Grandma... Zephynna must have alerted her that I was going away...” Timber said.
She handed back the telescope and waved to her grandmother who was standing at the shore starting off at the ship.
“Bye, grandma! I’ll be back!” Timber cried out even though her grandmother probably wouldn’t hear her.
The ship sailed further and further away until her grandmother was merely a dot on the giant island.
“Okay, you can get out of my nest now...” the boy said.
“What’s your name?” Timber asked.
“They call me Raven Hawk,” the boy said.
“That’s a fine name in comparison to the rest of the crew,” Timber said.
“And you?” Raven Hawk asked.
“Timber, Timber Gold Smith,” Timber said.
“Ah... You must be related to Timber Wolf... I enjoyed reading her story,” Raven Hawk said.
“Thank you...” Timber said.
“You still need to get down...” Raven Hawk said.
“Right... Sorry...” Timber said.
Rather than climbing down, Timber leaped off, turning into a wolf mid-fall and landing perfectly on all fours. Raven Hawk applauded.
“Raven Hawk! Get back to work! Just because it is night time doesn’t mean you get to rest!” Raibert yelled.
“Yes, captain!” Raven Hawk called.
“Are all of you male?” Timber asked.
“Yes, why?” Raibert asked.
“I don’t know... Just wondering...” Timber said.
“No, we won’t hurt you... It’s not like we’re pirates or anything like that... We’re just men who control a ship business where we take people from one kingdom to another,” Raibert said.
“Alright,” Timber said.
“Sludge, take Timber to see Slime so he can arrange a sleeping place for her,” Raibert said.
“Yes, captain!” Sludge said and took Timber’s arm.
He led her down the stairs to the lower level of the ship.
“Bro, our passenger needs a place to stay,” Sludge called out.
A very sickly looking boy walked over holding an old broom. He smiled at Timber and nodded his head.
“Have you gotten any sun lately?” Sludge asked Slime.
Slime shook his head no.
“How about food and water?” Sludge asked.
Slime shook his head no again and coughed.
“Bro... You’ve got to stay healthy... I wouldn’t want to lose you...” Sludge said.
“I’ll be fine...” Slime muttered.
“What are you doing down here anyways?” Sludge asked.
“Cleaning as usual...” Slime muttered.
“I could help you if you need it...” Timber offered.
“Help me...? Why would you do that...? You’re a pretty young girl with a long life to live...” Slime said.
“I’m not merely a girl with good looks, the queen of Fairwood called me to be a hero,” Timber said.
“A hero! Now why would a hero stoop so low as to scrub the poop deck with a ball of slime like me...?” Slime asked.
“Because you are human,” Timber said.
“So are you...” Slime said.
“Not exactly...” Timber said.
She transformed into a wolf and then back to a human.
“Woah!” Slime said.
“See? Not human... But even if I was human, I’d still help you...” Timber said.
“Such a kind heart!” Slime cried out.
“Slime...” Sludge said.
“Oh... Right! I’ll take you to your room,” Slime said.
Timber held the boy’s dirty little hand. He smiled and led her away to a little room.
“Here you go... The only other person who gets a room aside from the captain is passengers,” Slime said.
“Why?” Timber asked.
“The ship is too small to have many rooms...” Slime said.
“Well... You and your brother sleep here. If only one room is open, I’ll just sleep on the main deck. If there isn’t room for you guys, there isn’t room for me,” Timber said.
“Oh my! You’re too kind!” Slime gasped, falling to his knees.
“Get up,” Timber said, “Don’t bow to me.”
“Sorry, sorry!” Slime said and got up.
“Tell your brother what I’ve given you guys. If he refuses to sleep here, he’ll have to answer to me!” Timber said.
“Yes, yes ma’am!” Slime said, nodding his head and running out to get his brother.
Timber walked away from the room and returned to the main deck. The captain wasn’t around; he was probably in his own room resting. Timber yawned, stretched, and lay down on the main deck.
The next morning, Timber awoke to someone shaking her again. She half hoped that everything that happened from her sister dying to before she closed her eyes was merely a bad dream. She hoped she was back in her grandmother’s house or even her own house with her mom and dad and sister... She was very much disappointed when she found it was Captain Raibert who woke her up.
“Timber... Please explain to me why you’re out here and the rat brothers are in your room...” Raibert said, glaring accusingly with his arms crossed.
“Captain Raibert!” Timber gasped, “I didn’t think you’d find out!”
“I know everything that happens on my ship...” Raibert said with a growl.
“I was only being nice! They’ve been on the ship longer than I have and they have no place to sleep!” Timber said.
“That’s because they aren’t supposed to sleep!” Raibert yelled.
“But that isn’t fair!” Timber cried out.
“My ship, my rules,” Raibert replied.
“But if they do not rest, how can they man the ship well?! What if they crash the ship because they are too tired?!” Timber asked.
“They wouldn’t dare!” Raibert yelled, spitting in Timber’s face.
“I’m sorry, captain... But if they can’t rest, then neither can I,” Timber said.
She got up and went down the stairs to assist Slime with his chores. Captain Raibert just stood there staring after Timber.
“Man, Timber... If the captain could find anyone better to take our job... We’d become shark food...” Sludge said.
His face was all red as though he had been slapped many times.
“I’m sorry this happened to you guys...” Timber said, “I honestly didn’t know what would happen...”
“It’s alright...” Sludge said.
Slime wasn’t speaking... He just kept sweeping the floor with his broom.
“Slime, let me help you,” Timber said.
“I’m afraid I may be thrown overboard if you take this job...” Slime said quietly.
“Then can I at least bring you food and water?” Timber asked.
“The captain might be keeping a closer eye on you to make sure you won’t help us anymore...” Sludge said.
“What have I done...?” Timber asked.
“You tried to help where help wasn’t allowed to be given...” Sludge said.
“This is going to be a long ride... Isn’t it...?” Timber asked.
“Yep...” Sludge said.