Warp Token Update

I've recovered enough to focus on writing stuff again. Thanks to everyone for your support and patience! The first bit is just altered dialogue from the last update, but the rest is new. Enjoy 2k words!

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“I think, that your bond to Miss Seeker has clouded your judgement. I ask that you remind yourself why it is we started this expedition in the first place. Serving the Empire is our sole focus, don’t let your feelings for her distract you from that. Once the artifact is ours, whatever becomes of Miss Seeker afterward, I leave that in your hands.”

“Perhaps we should ask her what she wants to do,” Roderick suggested. “I can’t make her give up her mission, nor can I make her return to the Empire to be studied by the Conclave”

“Then convince her if you can, otherwise…” A pause, and then he called out: “Miss Seeker?”

Skyseeker slapped her face with a palm. In her attempt to push her ear further under the door, she’d applied too much pressure to the floor, and the wood had made a tiny creaking sound. Not tiny enough for the wizard’s hearing, however.

Jumping out of her fur, Skyseeker stood up, and threw the door open with a swift kick of her foot. She barged into the room, pretending she hadn’t heard anything.

“Morning, man-things!” she chimed, placing her paws on her wide hips. “What’s for breakfast?”

“It’s back to salted rations I’m afraid,” Roderick answered. He was sitting behind the game table they’d set up the night prior, a plate of tiny bones sat before him. “At least the fish is different.”

Roderick didn’t seem caught onto the fact she’d been spying on him. Or perhaps he was, and was just not showing it. Wilfred on the other paw, was narrowing his eyes on her suspiciously, but he didn’t make a comment. She concluded she’d made a daring escape just in time.

“Olives?” she asked, taking up her spot at the table. The chair was a little too high for convenience, but she managed, clasping her paws together as she waited with bated breath.

“I’m afraid not,” Roderick replied, shrugging apologetically.

“Awww…” She sulked in her chair, wishing she was back in that inn, with that platter of food and the man-thing’s hairy chest fur ticking her palms…

She snapped herself out of it, avoiding Roderick’s gaze as her chest fluttered with odd sensations. She was still angry over their fight last night, but that didn’t stop her breeder-musk from spraying.

“So!” she began, trying to distract herself by addressing the wizard. “What on agenda today? We at desert yet?”

“We’re a few days off yet. And I’m afraid there’s little in the way of accommodations on this ship,” Wilfred replied. “However, I’ve got plenty of other fun games right here,” he added, producing his carboard box again, what seemed like a hundred different sets of dice jangling like crazy inside the container.

“Need to stretch legs and smell air first,” Skyseeker replied. “Paw-feet not used to all this non-walking.”

“Perhaps later, then,” Wilfred conceded, stashing his box beneath the table, disappointment evident in his eyes.

“I think I’ll join you,” Roderick added. “I’ll get leg cramps otherwise.”

“I-If you want,” Skyseeker stammered, glancing up at him. She scampered over to the exit, Roderick following her out onto the deck as he bid the wizard farewell.

The sunlight blared out from the sky in full force, but she was ready for it this time, her goggles affixed tightly against her eyes as she took in a huff of salty air, the taste stinging her gums. She noted Roderick was carrying a paper parcel, but didn’t comment on it, Skyseeker turning and making her way around the cabin walls jutting from the deck. There was less equipment on the far side, and less sailors too, Skyseeker comfortable enough to lower her guard a notch as she warmed up her long legs.

She skittered up onto the railing, turning her back to the ocean as she peered over at Roderick. For a moment neither of them said a word, and then he held out the strange parcel to her, Skyseeker blinking up at him.

“Peace offering,” he explained without her having to ask. He unwrapped the parcel, exposing one of those fish things she’d spotted back in the port, the exposed, pinkish flesh wisping trails of steam.

She gripped it by the tail, the creature flopping before her pink nose as she took a sniff. It smelled nice, so she popped it in her mouth, chewing a few times before forcing it down, smacking her lips as she considered the taste.

“You’re… not supposed to eat the bones,” Roderick mumbled. “You like it? I’ve got another right here, I managed to convince the chefs to lend me some extra rations.”

“Does man-thing presume he can make peace by offering food?” she asked, jabbing a finger at his chestplate. “Because… you presume right!”

“I know,” he chuckled, offering her another parcel. As she devoured the fish wrapped inside, he leant against the railing beside her, crossing his arms over his chest.

“I wanted to apologise,” Roderick began, the ocean wind ruffling his long hair. “I can say some pretty hurtful things when I’m questioned, and you didn’t deserve any of what I said.”

“Rick-rod’s correct for once,” she replied, looking away pointedly.

“I’ve known for some time now that we have a… conflict of interest,” Roderick continued. “I suppose it’s only come up now because I’ve spent every moment worrying over gryphon’s and rats and just trying to make it onto this ship. Being surrounded by my countrymen has freed up a lot of my thoughts.”

“I’ve arrived to same conclusion,” Skyseeker replied, spinning across the railing so that her feet dangled over the ocean. “Need danger to occupy headspace, but danger bad for health. Ironic!”

“There is also irony in Wilfred’s advice. While I still believe him to be in the right…”

“Here we go-go…”

“Let me finish. While his wisdom shouldn’t be ignored, I can name several instances where his foresight has failed him. He didn’t even know about your existence until recently, correct? Even the wisest minds can be wrong sometimes.”

“A sentiment I can relate too!” Skyseeker chittered. “Am sorry as well, Rick-rod,” she added. “called man-thing pretentious, but you the most kindiest thing I have ever met-met. So selfless and… uh, selfless.”

“Perhaps I was being a little pompous. I did call you vermin,” Roderick said, shaking his head in disapproval. “it seems so pointless in hindsight. We’re still a long way from the artifact, and here we are, arguing about what we’re going to do with some magical thing we don’t understand, let alone what it even looks like. There’s simply too many unknowns at this stage.”

“We both were being silly,” Skyseeker said. “Need to argue over now things! Like that boat over there!”

“Exactly, and- Wait a moment, what boat?”

She pointed a nonchalant finger over the water, across the V-shaped waves the ship left in its wake, towards where the ship had come from.  

“That boat!”

“I see nothing,” Roderick replied, phrasing it almost like a question. He shielded his eyes against the sunshine, squinting as he searched the area she’d indicated.

“Maybe because man-thing has no super goggles,” she suggested, tapping at the lens with her nail.

“Are you quite certain? Can you see any flags or discernible marks? Is it a Tilean vessel?”

“Unknown!” she answered, turning the zooming dial to its maximum setting, the sound of winding gears filling her head. “But, do know that it follows us, just like Rick-rod followed me on your horse-thing, remember? Once it’s closer, will know more details.”

“We need to call this in,” Roderick said, pushing off the railing. “Wait here.”

He turned and walked down the way they’d come, Skyseeker bundling herself up in her cloak as the sea breeze ruffled her fur. They had distanced far enough away from Tilea that she could no longer see any landmass, bobbing water dominating the scenery in all directions. She had never beheld so much water in her life, not even the sallow swamps compared to this so-called ocean. While it was a wondrous sight, she was also intimidated by it. According to Roderick, man-eating fish lived below the waves, and there had been no shortage of men being devoured alive by the aquatic life throughout history. Good thing she wasn’t a man, though that wasn’t to say her own people hadn’t encountered dangerous marine life in the past.

A few minutes later, and Roderick returned, this time in the company of none other than the clawcaptain, Von Kessel, his feathered hat and puffy tunic rippling in the wind. Skyseeker turned her gaze away. Not because she feared the clawcaptain, but because his attire was overstimulating her senses. Perhaps her goggles had some sort of grey filter that could block it out?

“Pray to the Emperor that you’re not mistaken, rat,” Von Kessel snarled as he took up position nearby. “I do not like being called away from my duties.”

“She has no reason to lie,” Roderick added, but his affirmation had little effect on the grumpy sailor.

Von Kessel reached into his tunic, producing a device that resembled a cylinder composed of bronze metal, about the size of her paw. He pinched one end of the device between his fingers, Skyseeker watching in astonishment as he began to peel the cylinder out until it resembled a tube.

“What is that-that?” she demanded. The device extended further, its length matching her arm, then exceeding it. It appeared there were multiple layers of the cylinder nested inside the casing.

“A spyglass,” Roderick answered. “It uses mirrors and lenses to allow one to see further away. Much like your goggles do, I imagine.”

“SSHH!” she hissed. “Don’t give secrets away!”

The clawcaptain had to use both hands to hold the elongated spyglass steady, the man sweeping the frontal lens from left to right as he surveyed the ocean. She thought the clawcaptain would miss the mysterious boat, but he hesitated in one of his sweeps, the spyglass no doubt making up for his stupid human eyesight.

“It seems your scouting ability is not in question, Skaven,” Von Kessel grumbled. Perhaps he’d been praying she’d been wrong, and would use that as an excuse to finally toss her off the ship. “Even my spotters haven’t raised the alarm yet, and their eyes are good.”

“I’m BETTER than good-good,” Skyseeker snickered, glad for the opportunity to rub it in a little.

“They’re ship colours are bare,” Von Kessel continued. “The sail’s are as ragged as a worn out pair of knickers, and the wood’s rotted. Pirates, I would say. Their course appears to match ours…”

“Perhaps its coincidence,” Roderick suggested. “These aren’t abandoned waters by any stretch. Tilea relies on its sea trade routes after all.”

“Yet we aren’t following any trade routes,” Von Kessel said. “Few would dare set sail so close to Sartosa waters, fewer still who would follow a fully-manned wolfship. Whoever they are, they’re either brave or stupid.”

“Methinks its Clan Skurvy ratship,” Skyseeker piped in. She cupped a paw around her mouth, raising her voice at the miniature ship. “Mangy rats! Stay away from relic!”

“Clan Skurvy?” Roderick asked. “What’s their specialty? Ships, I suppose?”

“Very smart, Rick-rod. Skurvy have biggest clanfleet,” she said, holding her arms out wide for emphasis. “However! Don’t take very good care of ships, so not very big threat to Skaven.”

“I’ve never seen evidence of your kind being intelligent enough to sail,” Von Kessel added. “Then again, I don’t often come this far south. How many ships are there in this ‘clanfleet’?”

“Uh… at least one! More than one.”

“Very helpful,” Von Kessel muttered. “I’ll have to double the watch,” he added, pressing his spyglass back into its compacted state. “if they don’t alter course within the day, we may have company, Skaven, pirates, whoever they are.”

Giving her a cursory glance, the clawcaptain walked off without a word, raising his voice at a few nearby sailors as he relayed her findings to his crew.

“How rude!” Skyseeker complained, turning to Roderick. “not even say thank you.”