Wenori's thoughts

Woke up with headache. Seamen looking worse than any I've seen before waking me and others up. Get up! Up to see the Captain!

Up! I went up the stairs, up the stairs. Big dark man without hair, no hair, said he was Barnabus Harrigan, Captain of the Wormwood. Looking around I saw seamen, no, not seamen, pirates, and water, much water, only water, no land. Barney kept talking, much talking. If you kill you get keelhauled. What is keelhauled? Don't ask. No questions. Captain talk we listen.

Lots of men and women on the ship, but not enough, not enough. Several new, like me. New to the ship. New to the rules. Who can work in the rigging? Climb up to the crow's nest. Up? I will go up. I like up. Quickly up. Hard work climbing. Not good at climbing. Little Birdie is up. Can't see Little Birdie. Can see others not climbing as fast. I shouldn't win. It would be bad to win. Would have to climb all day. Let big blond barbarian win instead. Back down is safe. Back down again. Who can cook? No one, so fattest got picked. Rest will swab. I know swab. Swab is hard work. But I will not fall.

Red head fakes fainting. Woman help her. Woman is priestess. Woman is Sandra Quinn. Sandra is swab. There are many but in the bilge there is only one. Keep away from Jakes Magpie.

Blond Zuel barbarian came down from rig. I followed her. She chose her bunk, below. I did too. Important choice. Better than last ship. Then work before food. Work, work, work. Food was fish soup and a whole pint of rum to be drunk. Drink all your rum they said. Don't give any away. Don't sell and don't gamble with it. I didn't drink. I made sure no one saw when it was lost. I remember pesh. I will avoid drugs, and spirits. I will not get addicted again. Saved some fish for Little Birdy. We met at the bowsprit. I told her I will meet her there as often as I could. We were given keys to sea chests. My own chest, mine. In it I will put all my fine things. So far a mug. Nice mug. No. Not so nice mug. Put back in belt.

Slept hard. Was tired, very tired. Biscuit for breakfast. Little Birdie liked crumbs very well. Today red head and I chased rats. When we were below she asked if I could keep a secret. I said yes when I remembered the sea chest. I can keep it there. Then her ears grew strange an she got hairier than the worst pirate captain I could imagine. The fur was red like her hair and a tail appeared. Fox. She looked fox-like. Then chased rats. Found rats. Killed rats. Spraying them with cold. Rays of frost. Fox wanted to look in bilge. Bilge forbidden. Keep away. She opened the trapdoor peering down to Jakes Magpie. Talked to him. He said he only took back his things and a few more. Now he chained to mast in bilge. Fox fetched her rum. Gave rum to Magpie. He drank rum. Much rum. I killed rats. Cold rats. Gave cold rats to the cook's assistant. Zyx. Zyx said he'd cook rats.

All gathered on deck. Captain said they will punish Magpie. Magpie bad. Magpie stole. Magpie would be keelhauled. Magpie drunk, but Plugg didn't notice. Zyx told Magpie to walk on the hull and try stand tall for the keel. Magpie tied to big rope beneath ship. They started pulling and Magpie went into the water. Scourge happy to pull on rope. Magpie pulled up on other side dead. Rum didn't help. No more Magpie. Body thrown into water.

Later Fox danced and a gnome sang. Gnome not very good singer. Fox good dancer. Blond barbarian played dice. I looked up Zyx. Zyx had cooked rats. Good rat. Spilled my rum without anyone noticing again.

Morning. Up, up, up. On way up, way up, we were blocked by bullies. Bad bullies wanted a fight. A fight they got. A bad fight. Fox first, followed by Blond. Me last. Zyx in kitchen. Fox moved away. Blond struck someone. I though that if the floor was slippery they wouldn't fight. But I wasn't careful. I should always be careful. Careful, careful, careful. Blond ran away and left me. Big fat bald bully came down, came down and attacked me. Me. Attacked me with knife. I didn't attack anyone. Only deck got greased. I bled. I bled a lot. Fox took the knife. I protected myself. I have to be careful.