Dred the Unsure

      He was torn from his thoughts when the water’s surface was broken by a bright purple face. The Hippalop tried to do a little flip, which he spectacularly failed, splashing the eyrie. Wiping his face he chuckled knowing who it belonged to.

      “Well come on up then,” He called looking past the Petpet. A pale white scaled face emerged from the water. The Maraquan Draik smiled at him.

      “I found some things I thought Forest might like,” She told him. “But I need some help getting it up, stubby legs you know.” She held up the basket for Dred to get first.

      “I know,” He laughed, good-naturedly. Despite their first meeting being rather tumultuous, he and the Draik were quite good friends. He’d even replaced the table he had mistakenly broken during that first meeting. She was the only one who understood what it was like to be torn between land and sea, though she couldn’t fly like other Draik. “Would you just let me help you up?”

      “I can do it,” She insisted after he accepted the basket. Her small claws clicked against the side of the ship as she scrambled up. It has been some time before she was comfortable coming aboard the ship. Since Forest had brought on a chef, Yelsie was more inclined to have her tea parties out of the ocean.

      “If I’d known you were coming I would have had Hem make your favourite before he left,” Dred said making room for the Draik on the deck. She shook herself off, something he always thought was funny. Dred preferred to be wet or at least damp at all times, but Yelsie liked to sun herself.

      “Visiting his family?” She asked, she accepted the basket from him and dug through it. Among her collection of shells, Dred spotted gems and tarnished metal pieces. “What were you staring at?”

      “Huh? Oh, sorry, I was just admiring what you brought,” He answered.

      “No, before,” She replied as she laid out the pieces she’d brought. “I wanted to talk to Forest about something by the way.”

      “Oh, nothing, really,” Dred lied. He wasn’t sure why but he didn’t want to tell her what he’d really been thinking about. “I was thinking of going for a swim. How’s Cora?” Yelsie raised an eyebrow. He had a feeling she could tell he was lying.

      “Cora is fine,” Yelsie replied, fishing the last few items out of her basket. She added them to the row neatly. “Are you wondering if you might run into her? She doesn’t hate you, you know. She’s just, sensitive, about pirates. She likes Hem though, so that’s a good sign. She likes you even more now that Hem joined the ship. You don’t have to worry about running into her if you go for a swim.”

      “No one’s gonna get upset with us if we try to sell this will they?” Dred asked, steering the conversation back to the treasures that lay glittering on the deck. “Herbie hasn’t had a flipper in acquiring them?”

      “No he didn’t steal them,” Yelsie replied, admiring her treasures. She preferred the shells, and land items that sometimes sunk to the bottom, bottles, tea cups, and wooden boats with snapped masts. She repaired what she could and gave the rest to Forest and Dred to dispose of properly. She didn’t have any trash for them today, but she did pull out a small little boat she’d found for Door. Forest’s adopted son. “Ah, Forest. Would I be able to speak with you for a moment, in your cabin?”

      The Mutant Aisha had emerged from below deck, pleased to see Draik. She heard them talking as she climbed the ladder to join them. At first, the Aisha and Draik were not particularly close as Forest was unable to join her underwater tea parties. The kindness the Draik showed to her son and brother however could not be ignored and she quickly became quite fond of her.

      “Of course, Yelsie,” Forest replied, not even blinking her one eye. She considered herself greatly in debt to the Draik, for all her kindness and help. Yelsie never saw it that way but she did have a favour to ask.

     ***

      “Swim safe,” Forest called to her friend as Yelsie slipped over the side of the ship. There was a lot less scrambling this time, as she let gravity do her work for her.

      “Sooo what was that about?” Dred asked. The girls did not often talk without him present. It wasn’t that they couldn’t, but he and Yelsie were closer. When it came to matters of the ship, Dred was usually involved as the first mate.

      “Since when are you so nosey,” Forest teased her younger brother. “I need to get something on the mainland, I don’t think we’ll be able to get it in Miniglen but I might be able to get it in Meridell. You want to stay aboard the ship, or will you be going to hang out with Hem. My last Weewoo from home said Kookie might be there around the same time. We’ll dock in Miniglen, their harbour is safer, and I know the boat will be looked after.”

      “Something, something that you think you can get in Meridell,” Dred repeated, sounding sceptical. It wasn’t like his sister to be so cryptic. “O-kay, I guess if Kookie will be there I will go see her then.”

      “Alright then, it's decided,” Forest replied matter of factly. “You’ll go see Kookie and I’ll take care of the business I need to. Would you mind taking Door with you? I don’t want him with me causing trouble. He’ll be much more behaved at the palace I’m sure.”

      “Suure,” He replied, still just as sceptical. “Whatever you say.”

      “Ih stop,” Forest replied. “I’m sure Yelsie will tell you what this is all about when she is ready. She asked me not to tell you, yet.”

     ***

      “I know that Yelsie is not a fan of the rumour but it does help to have people believe that there are sea monsters in our waters,” Rillian joked as he accepted a cup of tea from the Lupe who offered it.

      The favourite place of visitors to Miniglen, particularly for Dred’s family, was the royal library. Whenever they visited tea was served, and they all made themselves comfortable in the overstuffed armchairs that were provided. The Lupe, Xander by name, made exquisite tea.

      This visit of course was no exception and there was fine company to be had. The crown Prince Rillian, Captain of the Guard Nyx and his sister Kookie were all present, as well as Xander of course. Door was always well behaved in the library especially when the serious Gelert guard was present. Currently, he was sitting on the floor with a book that covered his whole lap, though he couldn’t read the words he could admire the pictures.

      “Yes, well Forest is taking full advantage of that,” Dred agreed.

      “Where is our darling sister?” Kookie asked, her ears flicking toward her brother. She did not turn to face him. Her eyes were white and unseeing but she was an exquisite dancer. Dancing with her friend Nyx was the reason she’d come to visit after all.

      “Darling? Do you know something that I don’t know?” Dred asked. “She is running an errand in Meridell.”

      “Perhaps,” Kookie smiled, taking a sip of her tea.

      “Well it does sound like there is a story to tell,” Rillian piped up. The uni sat forward in his chair and looked around at the company. “Well it does seem perhaps Dred and I are the only ones in the dark. Someone, do tell.”

      “I’m afraid that it will have to remain a secret for now, your highness, whistle Dred is in our company I’m afraid,” Nyx answered, looking at his friend, then the eyrie. “Scarlet shared with Princess Violet, who shared with Xander of course.”

      “And naturally I told Nyx,” Kookie continued. She laughed as if she could see her younger brother’s expression. “I’m sorry to keep you in the dark, Dred, but I must insist.”

      “So it is a conspiracy,” Dred answered, also sitting forward. “Who else knows. Steel, I suppose, and Jungle, I’m sure all the sisters must know. Tenz as well, but Bandy I’m afraid can only keep a secret when it's of utmost importance. So either it is gravely serious, or he doesn’t know.”

      “He doesn’t,” Kookie confirmed. “Though I think we could trust him with this. Really you are putting too much thought into this. What deviousness could we be up to? You’ve been on too many adventures, you really must relax.”

      “How can I with you all keeping so many secrets,” He accused good-naturedly. “I do appreciate the hospitality, but I do think I’ll sleep more comfortably on the ship tonight. I’m afraid I may get too dry trying to sleep this far inland.”

      “We can flood your room like we do for Nessie,” the prince joked. He refers to his sisters’ guard, a young Tyranian Peophin.

      “Your highness,” Nyx replied, in a lightly scolding tone. “Dred, you would be more than welcome to spend the night, and we have adequate accommodations for those who prefer to stay in the water such as yourself and my dear friend and apprentice, Nessisira.”

      “I appreciate the offer,” Dred assured them both. “Thank you, your highness, Nyx. I don’t like to be away from the water too long, or the ship.”

     ***

      “I dun like the looks of this place, supposin the ship captain really is one of them mutants,” Dred awoke to the sound of unfamiliar voices outside his cabin. He sat up, groggily, thinking he’d drunk too much grogg before bed.

      “Don’t worry, dummy, I saw her and her brute go off the boat early in the afternoon, sides she was just a little Aisha,” the second voice responded to the first. “She can’t be to tough, and the other was one of them Maraquas, prolly in the water by now, else he’d be all dried up.” Dred almost laughed. They were wrong about two things, he was definitely not ‘all dried up’ and Forest wasn’t just a little Aisha.

      Of course it was hard to tell just from their voices how tough these two were, he still liked his odds. They didn’t know yet he was on the boat. He wondered if they’d been following them. He didn’t want to lose the element of surprise, though. There were of course a few coffering that may dissuade them, Dred didn’t want to take any chances. Forest was sure the ship wouldn’t be plundered while she was away and Dred was going to see to it that it wasn’t.

      He crept out of bed, stepping carefully so as not to be heard. Dred knew where all the creaky boards were in his room. It was an old ship, but Dred helped lovingly restore every inch of it when they found it wrecked on the shore of Mystery Island.

      “No one messes with my home,” He muttered under his breath. He charged out of his room empty-handed. This was a mistake.

      While he had surprised two of the intruders, he should have waited longer. There was a third rather burly Grarrl aboard with the Techo and Tonu intruders.

     ***

      “I thought yoose said there weren’t nobody aboard!” the Tonu accused the Techo after they’d tied up Dred. The eyrie glared at them from where he was tied to the mask. He hadn’t gone down without a fight. The Tonu was holding his head.

      “I didn’t think nobody was, keeping an eye on the boat was your job!” the Techo accuse.

      “Ah, be quiet the both of ya,” The Grarrl growled. “Let’s find what we came ‘ere for and get off the cursed ship! I don’t trust this one to stay put. He almost took down the both of yous.”

      “I’d listen to your friends if I were you,” Dred told them. “I’m working on your knots right now and I won’t let you get the jump on me a second time.”

      “Why dun you be a good little fish and tell us where that treasure at,” the Grarrl turned to Dred. “We know you got that sea serpent workin' for yous.”

      “I dun know what you are talking about,” Dred answered, mocking his speech.

      “You know it's not nice to make fun of people!” the Techo hissed.

      “It'sss not nice to ssteal either,” They all turned when they heard a new voice. Dred couldn’t quite see the speaker, given he couldn’t turn his head far enough to see. They had a strangely familiar, yet unfamiliar voice.

      Something, two somethings in fact, broke the binding that kept him attached to the mast. He shook off the ropes and stood up to face the intruders. The numbers were now not in their favour.

     ***

      “We’ll be shipping them off to Krawk Island and let them deal with them,” Nyx informed them as they said their goodbyes. “And adding more security to the docks. We’re starting to garner some attention.”

      “Sorry about that Nyx, I know how you enjoy your privacy here in Miniglen,” Forest apologized again.

      “Eh, those are the old ways,” Rillien replied, good-naturedly. “We can’t stay hidden forever. Besides, we are still the best at camouflage.” Nyx gave the young uni a meaningful look.

      “Yes, well, you are not to blame Forest,” Nyx answered stiffly. “The king and queen know that and you of course are always welcome to dock at our harbour. Your family is always welcome here. Especially the young master, quite a bright young Draik.” The pirate captain smiled fondly at her young son. The ‘young master’ was always on his best behaviour with the guard, hiding his usual mischievous behaviour.

      “Please extend gratitude to their royal majesties,” Forest replied. “And our services, should they ever need them.”

      “Of course,” Nyx smiled, the captain a small bow of respect before passing her on to the next in the procession to say goodbye to their visitors.

     ***

      “So a Hissi,” Dred asked once they were all back aboard the ship. He looked Yelsie up and down, admiring her new teal-green wings.

      “Well, I may have spoken with Forest about it, and Draiks were always meant to fly,” Yelsie replied. “Even Cora thought it might be a good idea.”

      “She spoke with mom, too,” Kookie told him. She had joined them for the trip home, and on the ship that night. The blind Kougra could be surprisingly quiet when she wanted to be, as well as a brilliant fighter. “And Steel. Steel knows everything you know.”

      “That he does,” Dred agreed with an eyebrow raised. It was an old family joke. The two eldest, Steel and Kookie always seemed to be the ones who knew what was going on with their younger siblings and were the ones to help them. It was Steel who encouraged them to tell their mom they’d wanted to be pirates in the first place.

      “Well they all knew that they’d never really understand how you felt, being a Maraquan and being a flier, but they knew how important it was to you,” Yelsie told him. “I know how hard it can be, being different from all the others, and you’ve always been such a good companion to me. I thought you might enjoy a little bit more understanding company. Now I can fly and swim just like you.”

      “That might be one of the nicest things anybody’s ever done for me,” He answered, trying to hold back tears. “You are a good friend, Yelsie.”

     The End.