Nekoda paced the beach in search of a particular leopardess. He wasn’t looking forward to their meeting in the least, but who else was likely to help him? Swamp Rat? He laughed. That shrew could drown for all he cared. After all, she was nothing more than a thorn in his paw anyway.
His large, powerful muscles quickly made ruts in the sand. The day’s work was hardly done, and if he was caught he would likely be reprimanded. That being said, she should have been here ages ago!
A booming laugh caught out of a bramble patch, and with it came Scarlett. She was roughed up, head to paw, and didn’t seem to mind it at all. It was also obvious that despite the heat of the day she was drunk off her a**. “Really, boy? Can’t ya at least preten’ to romance me a bit before havin’ yer way with me on the beach?” Her voice was as gravelly as sand against metal.
Scarlett had all the grace of a dead genet, and didn’t care to share it with the world. She walked right up to the handsome youth, rubbing her cheek up against his fur. “What’re ya tensin’ up fer? ‘Fraid I’m gonna deflower ya?” She laughed.
“Get off me, witch.” Nekoda, or rather, Shirou, shimmied away from the leopard like she was on fire. He’d never cared much for leopards, anyway. They were always better off by themselves, holed up in a tree, than on the beach with the rest of them.
“Ye’re suppos’ta be helpin’ me with Blackbeard, and if ye’re not gonna then I’m takin’ my business elsewhere, got it?”
Scarlett pouted dramatically, slung her tail around her legs and flopped down onto the sand. A giant arch of particles tossed themselves into the air, spraying the unwilling lion. She rolled onto her back and arched before settling down into her pit.
The fruit really had taken the edge of the days search, and it allowed her the patience she needed to deal with Shirou. He may have aged, but he was still a brat. “So let me get this straight. Ye be wantin’ to not only join Blackbeard, but fer him ta make ya his First Mate? Ye’re more out of it than me.”
He shook his head and closed the distance between them. From this angle he was practically the only thing she could see, and he made damn well sure of it. “Ye said that ye knew what he was lookin’ fer in a First Mate. Now, are ya gonna tell me or not?”
“For a price.” Scarlett stated bluntly. She tossed her paw up into the air, acting as she was going to cup his face, and much to her pleasure he pulled away with a hiss. Too bad, she thought. He really was quite the looker.
“What is it? Name it, and it’ll be ye’rs.” Though he wasn’t sure he wanted to know what a female like this might want, he knew he had to do it. There was no other way. His goals were riding on this, and he was in too deep not to grab onto them when they were being dangled in his face.
“If’n ye become his First Mate, ye’re ta bring me a male leopard. I be wantin’ lil ones of me own, but findin’ a suitable rat around here is….” She shook her head. “If a hybrid I be wantin’, then I wouldn’a be havin’ a problem.”
“That’s it?” Nekoda stated bluntly. He couldn’t have imagined something so simple would be the key to his future. All he needed to do was find a worthy donor for this…this…things cubs? “Done. Now, what’d’ya know?”
“Ye’re gonna have to have somethin’ he be wantin’. Strength and smarts ain’t gonna cut it. I be seein’ too many get tossed away because’a that.” She rolled over on the sand to give him a stern look. “Tell him that secret of ye’r’s and see what he says. Ye’r a smart lad, Nekoda, and ye know more than anyone when ta let yer secrets go, right?”
Shirou took a deep breath to steal his nerves. Was that really the smartest thing to do? So far he had managed to keep those things contained to the Corsairs who had raised him, and a few of his crewmates. If he let Blackbeard know, of all people, wouldn’t that be counterproductive? The last thing he wanted to be seen as was weak, and with the toll they took on his body….”I don’t see how that would be necessary.” He spoke through gritted teeth.
Scarlett laughed. “Ye’d be surprised. Things like that…not everyone has that. Ye’ve been getting’ pretty regularly since ye’ve been a wee thing, righ? Swamp Rat told me. Them visions be somethin’ I be wantin’ on my side, if I was a Cap’n.” With a yawn, she bounced up to her paws.
“They’re not as fancy as ye say.” They kept him awake during the night, kept him weak and vulnerable. Sometimes he was even physically ill. No, that didn’t seem like a good thing to bring up at all. “But I can see what ye’r gettin’ at. It would give me leverage to get in.”
“Now ye’r gettin’ it!” Scarlett slapped him on the back and grinned from ear to ear. “Show him what ye’r bringin’ to the table, then show him how smart ya are and how strong ye can be. It’ll be a sure thing.”
Despite himself, Shirou managed a tense smile and gave a playful nudge to the sauced leopardess. “A stud for the codger and a Cap’n for the brat. Seems a lil far fet’cd fer me.”
“Ahhh, stuff it. “ She boxed his ears and jumped away before his teeth would have snapped around her ear. The spry old goat bounced across the sands, laughing as the lion gave chase. “If ye’ll come with me, I might even show you where he is.”
“Ye’ll do it, whether I agree or not.” He knew she’d just force him either way.
“Hmm. I guess ye’re right. Well, come on then!”
(Fin! WC: 1,024)
