Inigo got up from where he sat and started to go to his seat at the back of the boat when Quinchal walked towards him; an
inquisitive look on his face.
"Inigo," Quinchal called, in a level-headed voice, "May I ask why you are so scared of the undead?"
Inigo shook his head; not wanting into that dark alley too soon.
"Sorry, my friend, in time, maybe, but right now, let's just get to finding those artifacts, okay?"
Quinchal nodded. The ship made its way through the Padomaic ocean, speeding past lesser islands and bits of debris like a needle
through a bunch of loose hay.
"How long until we get to Akavir?" Moonman asked from his seat
Quinchal checked the compass. He told the cat and nord that they would reach their destination when the moon is above the ocean.
"Inigo, hold on to something, there is an obstruction of some kind about six knots in front of the bow." He shouted over the
thunderous roar of the waves.
Inigo and the nord did as the tsaesci instructed. He looked around for anything to hold onto. Failing to find a sturdy handhold, he
resigned to clutching the seat with his hands, he held on so tight that he started to felt his hands were going numb, giving him a
'pins and needles' sensation' that truly terrified him.
Moonman had more luck than Inigo and found a nearby pole which he wrapped his arms around. When the object came into view,
the tsaesci saw that it was a five foot tall iceberg, well, it looked smaller because the majority of it was underwater. Quinchal
swerved hard to portside to avoid it. The ship nearly toppled over when he did this maneuver and poor Inigo was starting to think
his brain stopped sensing his hands because of how numb they had become. The ship passed by, unscathed.
Quinchal told Inigo and Moonman that they can let go of what they were holding on to. Moonman let go of the pole he had clung
onto. Inigo breathed a sigh of relief.
"Well, that is good, I am happy to have my hands wake up from their little nap." He said, flexing his fingers, He would have laughed
at this, but, he did not feel amused at the moment.
Moonman got up from his seat and went to the upper deck.
"Um, Quinchal, sorry to interrupt, but, are we there yet?"
Turning to face him, Quinchal told him that the sun has set, and soon the moon will shine brightly upon the glassy surface of the
water.
"Meaning what?" Moonman asked, a little confused.
Quinchal sighed angrily, "Meaning we will be there soon." He said through gritted teeth. "Now go back to your seat and relay the
information to Inigo would you?" Moonman did as he asked.
The ship reached Akavir at nine o'clock in the evening. Quinchal knew he would not change into his wolf form here because of small
trace amounts of silver dust that lay scattered about the water.
Ingio and Moonman don't know! By the divines, I must tell them to avoid confusion or panic He thought. He souted to them so he
could be heard over the glistening metal in the water.
"Inigo, Moonman, we have reached Akavir, it is night, not to worry though, you will not transform whilst we are in Akavir because the
water has minute traces of silver particles dissolved in its water, be care not to touch it."
Down below deck, Inigo got up from his seat and walked to where Quinchal piloted the boat; using his tail as a rudder.
"My friend, is there anyone here who can cure the moon sickness? I ask this because I will be much happier, over the moon actually,
to be a normal tree- climbing, fur licker than a-," then he paused and thought about his next thought. "Never mind, I already told
you I-nevermind."
He looked at the tsaesci, sighed and went back to his seat.
"moonman, what about you? How do you feel about the idea of being a lycanthrope?"
Quinchal's voice was like a cold knife that cut through the silence that hung about the ship like a shroud. Moonman was dozing on
the bench next to Inigo. The blue cat gave him a nudge with his elbow, but to no effect. Inigo kicked the nord, but he misjudged his
strength and the poor nord, still unconscious, slid off of the bench like a dead fish and fell in a heap on the floor. The Nord yelped
upon impact with the wooden floor, which caused him to wake up.
He sat there, dazed for a minute or two until he heard Inigo's voice chiming loudly over his pounding head.
"Moonman, you dumb nord, the tsaesci asked you a quuestion."
"Huh, what?" Moonman said, still a bit dazed from the bump on the head Inigo have inadvertently given him. "Oh, oh, right, sorry."
He said as he got up and went to the the front of the ship.
"Quinchal, can you repeat your question?" He said as he tapped the golden reptile on the shoulder. When Quinchal repeated his
question, he was burning with anger.
The tsaesci did not know, however, that the nord had been asleep during him asking Moonman about his take on lycanthropy,
whether or not he wanted to cure it.
"I do not want to cure my lycanthropy. Whether you and the blue khajiit and you do is on you guys," He shrugged, "I like being a
werewolf. It is not a curse like you may believe it is. It's a blessing that the wolflord has granted his chirldren and if you want to cure
this so-called curse you go right ahead."
Inigo heard the explosive 'bang' as the reciever hit the bench with eccesive force before he saw it. He turned around, his eyes went
wide when he saw that Moonman had split the bench beside him right down the middle due to the force of the his fist connecting
with the wood. the khajiit tore his eyes from the broken bench to look, concerned at Moonman, whose face was twisted into a
malicious mask of rage.
Inigo invited Moonman to sit next to him so they can talk.The nord did just that, after denying a couple of times, saying he was
'fine.'
"My friend, what has got you so angry? The khajiit asked as he faced the nord. "Better to talk abut your feelings than keep them
bottled up inside." At least that is what my adoptive father told me He thought. The nord's protective wall began to come down. He
also knew Inigo would keep this little talk between them.
Moonman sighed, he thought it best when his emtions were on a level playing field.
"Inigo, I know Quinchal wants to cure his lycanthropy," He sighed, concerned not only for the tsaesci but fearing something much
worse, "the thing is though," Moonman sat there, rubbing his hands together as though he felt a slight chill in the air, "He wants all
of us to cure our because he thinks we are miserable with the 'curse' as he puts it, but we are not, we," He pointed to Inigo and
himself, are happy, this is a blessing not a curse."
While the nord was talking, the blue cat sat there with one leg slightly more extended than the other. Listening intently, as his tail,
which hung down from the bench, was swaying slowly from side to side. After the nord was done talking, he opened his mouth to
answer to offer his two septims on the situation.
"My friend, why don't you talk to Quinchal and explain how you feel about him speaking for you and saying that you want to cure
your lycanthropy? Which, you and I know is not the case." Inigo turned to the nord, "how about you try that, my friend? I am sure
he will understand if you just explain your situation to him."
Moonman got up and walked past the three rows of benches to the stairs that lead to the upper deck, ascended them and turned the
doorknob. When he got outside, he sniffed the cold night air. There was an unsettling stink afloat in the air; he knew there was
trouble ahead. He walked across the deck to yet another flight of steps, he ascended these and stopped at the top; He saw Quinchal
standing behind the wheel of the ship with his claw-like hands clamped onto it.
Moonman walked up behind him.
"So, Quinchal, I heard what you said about me."
Quinchal spun around not sure what lies Moonman had been spreading about him.
"What? I-I did not say-" Quinchal began, breathing heavily while beads on sweat danced on his forehead. He backed away from the
nord, his nostrils flared and eyes darting every which way, closing the distance on the tsaesci, who felt for a handhold. Finding one at
last, he stood with his back to it shaking like a leaf; his usually red eyes now a cowardly shade of pink.
Moonman encircled him like a wolf would its prey
"Quinchal, I know what you did," He said again, "I don't appreciate it."
He clamped his hands down on the tsaesci's yellow ones
"That was a downright fucking lie you told about me wanting to cure my lycanthropy." He hissed at Quinchal; leaning so close that
Quinchal had to grasp the starboard railing for support. "What do you have to say for yourself, I should throw you overboard for this,
SPEAK!" A clear note of rage was heard in Moonman's voice, either it was rage or his wolf letting its presence become known.
Quinchal was too scared to say anything. When his voice finally did show itself, it sounded as if it was a rabbit coming out of
hiberation.
"Well, I-I thought that you want to cure your-, He swallowed hard, I mean to say that I thought you were unhappy with your wolf."
Mooonman raised his hand, balled it into a fist and was about to hit Quinchal square in the face. Quinchal was expecting it too as he
flinched. The nord took a deep breath and relaxed his hand and lowered it to his side, the tsaesci breathed a sigh of relief
Moonman tried to level with Quinchal.
"Look, Quinchal, you are a nice guy, but you just can't just assume someone is going to do something just because you want them
to. You need to focus on yourself, stop worrying about others. What they think, feel and do is nothing of your concern."
He finished and heard Inigo come up the stairs, closed the door to the ship's lower deck and came up the second small flight of stairs
to join them. Moonman, still looking at the cowering form of Quinchal, spotted him in the corner of his eye.
"Inigo, no need to play the sly cat, I know you're there." Moonman chuckled, but stayed where he was to prevent Quinchal's escape.
Inigo cursed under his breath, ashed for having his lackluster steath attempt foiled so easily.
"I thought no one would see me. I guess I am not as sneaky as I think I am. Anyway, that line you spouted, that... was one of
mine, how dare you steal it without me knowing."
Inigo smiled at the nord, not wanting to show anger or any other false emotions towards his friends. The cat turned to Quinchal.
So, are you going to put what my friend here is saying into action?" He advanced on Quinchal, the blue cat's eye bore into the
tsaesci's.
The Tsaesci nodded, nervously.
"Good, see that you do." Inigo snarled.
The blue khajiit stopped staring down the tsaesci and moved aside, letting Quinchal get back to his post. He and Moonman went
back below deck to take their seats as Quinchal manuvered the ship through the akavirian waters to their destination.
When they were seated properly Moonman asked Inigo about how he got those scars.
"My friend, I do not think now is an opportune time to tell this story as I want both you and the tsaesci present when I weave that
impressive yarn."
Inigo looked over and apologized to the nord.
"Anything else you would like to know?"
Moonman said he did have a few questions, Inigo told him not told hold back, to fire away as the old saying goes. Inigo wondered if
there was any fire involved as he had not heard this phrase before, yet his mouth had uttered it.
The nord asked the khajiit where he was born and how he got his bluish fur color. Inigo sighed and told him that he had already
answered that question when he was in the carriage.
"Were you not paying attention, my friend? Should I have shouted it so you could hear it? No, you were there, you must've heard
it." He looked concernedly at Moonman, who was fidgeting with his shirt buttons so that Inigo could not see the look of
embarrasement etched onto his face.
Inigo and Moonman both yawned and bade their goodnight to each other and stretched out on the wooden benches, covered
themselves with furs found under their benches and went to sleep
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