#then-teeth

Things were incredibly boring on the ship. He'd often curled up somewhere to watch the crew, to draw their movements and their habits, or to hide away from their prying questions. Too many questions, too tiring to write, many of them struggled to read his script. He missed his horse, she never asked any hard questions.

It was a little under a week on the open water when it happened, they could see land. Adrian was refreshed by the faraway sight, soon he'd be back where he belonged and his duties could resume once more. He'd been told it was another day of good travel until they'd be close enough to dock, and he eagerly had counted down the hours. That night, he couldn't sleep, far too excited and restless, but that nagging worry was growing to a full-on growl inside his mind.

He'd been playing cards with a few of the other silent deck hands when the first violent jerk sent their coin scattering across the wood. Sharp green eyes narrowed in the darkness, finding it odd that he could no longer easily see the glow of land. Perhaps the Captain had gotten them turned around? While he pondered that, another wave slapped across the ship, water droplets spraying across the deck as it broke. In the distance, thunder rolled overhead before a dazzling crack of lightning temporarily lit up their features.

All at once, the ship exploded into movement, deckhands scurrying about, shouting at one another while the sea seemed to rage around them. Despite his rolling stomach, Adrian managed to forget about the sick feeling in order to feel the sharp, cold dagger of terror in his heart. This was not supposed to happen!

The merchant ship was thrown about like a toy in the water, a few deck-hands were swept away in the water and Adrian wasn't sure if the waves even felt pity for the drowned souls. He'd been trying to help a man tie down cargo when he heard the first frightening crack of wood. The ship heaved and groaned, violently tipping towards the left. Men shouted and screamed, they were taking on water. In all the commotion, Adrian found himself grabbed by two sturdy hands and tugged face to face with the angered Captain.

"You did this!" He shouted over the roar of the waves, and even as Adrian shook his head, the grizzled man continued, "You've gone and cursed this ship - damn outsider, I smelled the witchcraft on you!" With strength the hunter had no idea this Captian had, he was dragged towards the edge as the lightning cracked above them. "I'll return you to the sea, siren," The man snarled, and with another heave, Adrian was lifted over the edge.

The silent hunter barely managed to grab the ritual blade from his belt, lashing out at the man's throat as he was dropped into the sea. An eye for an eye. Adrian watched the blood spew from the Captian's neck as a final crack of lightning danced in the night sky before he was falling -- falling down into the chilled, thrashing waters, swallowed whole with his free hand reaching towards the sky desperately.