“Ugh.”

	That single word broke through the sound of rolling waves crashing against the side of the rocking ship, flags fully unfurled. The ship itself creaked and groaned with any movements that it performed, and the large male kept his ears up to listen to the sound of his crew dashing from end to end, frantic yelling as they tried to patch the damaged hull and make sure the ship would be able to reach the nearest port. His lips pulled back in a slight snarl, showing off large canine fangs as he brought paws to grip the shoulders beneath him.

	The man’s pants were already on the floor, and his grunts rang throughout the room as he forced himself into the body beneath him again and again, enough strength from his broad form that he could push his entire bed against the wall, hearing the excited and satisfied squeaks of the boy beneath him. He railed straight into that rear as he felt two rather large, soft feet pressing against his sac, fondling his orbs with gentle toes.

	“Don’t stop, caaaaaap’n~” The boy’s voice droned on as he gripped at the sheets beneath him, large blue ears held high. He flashed a slight smirk over his shoulder, orange eyes shining in the light of a lantern as that thick shaft plowed into him again, kissing the rim of his pucker with a large bulb of his captain’s knot. His striped shirt was covered in marks from the rough treatment he received regularly, and his tongue was hanging out to show how much he lavished this attention. He pressed his feet in a little more, an eager cabin boy ready to please, and braced himself for impact like a well-trained tool.

	There was a growl from above. A large, clawed hand found its way around the boy’s ears and gripped both of them together, yanking back as he squealed. Large lobes, rabbit in nature, were tugged with enough force to pull the boy’s head up from the mattress as he yelped out. “W-wait, not those! Cap’n!” Only enough time for a few words as that little tail tuft of his twitched excitedly from left to right and he felt the deep plunge into his rear, his hole giving way as the bulb stretched him wide and planted itself inside, soon followed by a hot gush of familiar fluid.

	…The little rabbit collapsed with a groan and mumbled softly. “Mmmm…. S’at all ya got?” Big words for someone who soon fainted from the exertion.

*****

	Beams of light shone through the broken walls and windows of the ship, placing themselves directly onto the rabbit’s eyes as he scrunched up and started to open them with a steady groan. He sat up in the bed, a fine quality mattress that the crew had quite obviously stolen during a recent raid of theirs, and couldn’t keep himself from groaning just a bit as he felt the ache from his rear, the soreness of his muscles… and a few stings from the marks the Captain’s claws had left on him. It was a struggle to get himself on his feet once out of bed, and he stumbled away from the cabin, tossing aside his ragged shirt.

	Nary a soul was in sight as he gathered some water to clean himself of the night’s deeds, rinsing the spent seed from his rear and cleaning his small form as best as he could, shaking himself dry of the water afterwards and looking through a nearby chest to see if he still had any clothes left… Just a few more shirts and a bandana. Thankfully his shorts were always removed when he was so “heavily needed” by any other members of this crew, so he needn’t worry about those. He carefully pulled his ears through the shirt first before sliding it over his head, making sure his tail stuck up over the rim of the shorts instead of using the loop, and tied the bandana in a way that would let his tall ears poke free.

	“Kai!” A voice from outside cut through, bringing the rabbit’s attention outside as he rubbed his eyes a bit longer. “Yer needed out here! We docked o’ernight an’ the Cap’n needs ye to scout th’ town and see if we’re safe here. Get yer flint, too!” The adult canine was staring daggers at the little rabbit before they went back to work, and he could hear the sound of hammers banging against the walls. He stuck his tongue out once the coast was clear… but he didn’t dare go against his orders as he left the room, checking the Captain’s chest for a small flintlock pistol to carry at his side, and two pouches for powder and ammunition, just in case.

	He was a pirate, after all. Whether or not they’d be able to stay ashore for very long had nothing to do with what they were doing and everything to do with how well known their ship was in this part of the world. The last three attempts to dock had been met with massive resistance from the townsfolk, ushering the crew to continue sailing with only the food they could manage to steal before being run off… and their latest venture had even seen them being attacked by a naval crew shortly after that they had barely managed to outrun, the strain on the ship apparent as the hasted repairs continued. His captain had never even set foot ashore.

	As the rabbit emerged from the damaged cabin, he saw the canine crew hard at work doing everything they could. The shipwright barked orders and growled at any subordinates who dared talk back or slack off, but his eyes centered on a rather large, black-furred canine standing to the side to watch over the others, and he darted to this canine’s side rather quickly, looking up with his orange eyes shining from adoration. “Cap’n! Ye got orders for me?!” Kai’s excitement was apparent in his voice, his soreness from the night before already forgotten as he felt the same paw that had yanked his ears now patting the top of his head.

	“Yea, that’s right. Ye git yourself into town and see if they knows us, an’ if not, come back so me an’ the boys can get a moment of relief finally. Looks like this town’s got a bustlin’ market and a few other ships here, so maybe we can keep quiet and sell off some o’ the stolen goods like real items, make some funds to have a good night ‘fore we set off again. That’s th’ kinda life ye wanted, ain’t it?”

	“Aye aye!” Kai didn’t need to say any more, strapping the pistol and pouches to his shorts before he ran for the side of the ship. A few other crew members saw him and went to block, yet the size of the small boy worked in his favour as he ducked right underneath and hopped off the side of the ship, hitting the docks with his large feet. A rabbit through and through, he took the entire shock of the landing with his legs, something the other pirates would likely never dare to try, and was soon darting towards the town as the Captain watched over him before returning to his duties of getting their ship repaired.

*****

	“Aye. That’s right. You can run any test you want, these are absolutely kraken eggs.” Roberto’s voice droned on a little bit inside of the home of the wealthy “investor” that had taken an interest in their cargo, much to the chagrin of the cabin boy who had been required to escort the rabbit to the home just to keep the cargo safe. Now that they had arrived and deals were being made, receipts written up, all the necessary things that the merchant vessel needed to secure funds to continue sailing, the Mourrel just sighed and shook his head. Those big, round ears perked up as he peered back into the room, seeing the rabbit and the large lion seeming to shake hands and nod in agreement.

	“Cap’n!” The sailor gave a slight salute as he stepped into the room, tail curling behind him. “All looks clear! If…” His voice trailed a little bit as he tried to lock eyes with the rabbit. “I-if it’s alright, I’d like a chance to browse before we set sail again. Our time ashore’s almost up.” The salute slipped down into a little bit of a nervous fidget. The crew had been docked for about four days now, and they’d had strict orders that if Roberto couldn’t secure a seller within five days, they would set sail for the next port. Their cargo was too rare to go below a certain selling point, is what they had all been told.

	“Aye… We got ourselves a deal, so you don’t need to guard any more. He’ll have plenty of guards on duty now.” The rabbit’s heavy accent was gone. He had told the boy it was to keep them from looking too uncouth while conducting business. It was almost a shock to hear the rabbit speaking so well after the usual barrage of colourful language and cut-off words. “We have two more days, so relax until it’s time to set sail again. I expect you back aboard tomorrow night for any loading we might need you for.”

	“Aye-aye!” Another salute, and the boy was out the door. The manor was rather extravagant, he noticed, a complete contrast to the rest of the port’s run down buildings and barely hanging signs. Some of that money being spent on those eggs would easily serve the markets here, but that wasn’t his business to worry about since they’d be leaving soon. Yet, despite the look of the town, the market was alive and bustling with life as the fishermen called out their catches from this morning, other merchant vessels trying to sell off their treasures, and the whispers of the citizens who lived here and other visitors to the area.

	“Did you hear? That ship at the end of the line, trying to hide amongst the others?”
	“I did! Isn’t it Death’s…” The voice trailed off, but those big ears caught enough.
	“I heard the ship itself was abandoned! Aside from the Captain, no one knows the crew. What if-”
	“Don’t even go there. Those rowdy boys from last night came from that the ship, the Tig-”

	The voices stopped again as the two gossiping women noticed Zeke, his face flushed as he realized they were talking about him, and the rest of the crew from his ship. He tipped his hat just a bit and apologized profusely, both for the trouble the apparently rowdy boys had caused and for eavesdropping, then took his leave as he stumbled through the crowd. He caught sight of a few of the others among the hustle and bustle, though the boy made sure to take an abrupt turn each time he saw one, just to ensure that as much of the market as possible was explored by them all, and he kept a tight grip on his meager stipend that he’d been given as a spending allowance, checking what items he could before darting to the next stall.

	“Oh! I know something everyone would appreciate… Maybe I can get a barrel of it before we leave.” A snap of the fingers, and the boy was on his way to the town’s brewery. The ship had been at sea so long that alcohol had ended up in short order long before they had managed to return to port, and he easily had enough funds to afford at least one barrel since nothing was catching his eyes at the markets… even if he might be a bit too young to actually buy the barrel himself. While a few of the barrels had been openly ready to go… The boy believed it would be better to buy a new one that would have time to age while they were at sea. He made his way towards the brewery, turning the corner quickly, and soon finding himself on the ground.

	“Ooof! Wha- hey! Outta th’ way!”

	The mourrel had collided with another person, and tumbled himself backward as a foot from this new figure planted itself into the ground to keep their balance. The cock of a gun was all that Zeke heard as he looked up, staring at the barrel of a pistol pressed against his head before the paw behind it quickly pulled away. A dark blue and white striped shirt sat on the body of a young boy, possibly even younger than Zeke from what he could see, a small tuft of orange hair poking out from underneath a tied bandana… and large, light blue rabbit ears poking out of expertly placed holes within the pattern. “Tch… Ain’t gots time for ya. Gotsta git back ‘afore the Cap’n gets caught.”

	The gun was away in an instant, and the rabbit jumped right over the dazed rodent before bounding down the hill, quickly out of sight, just in time for the heavy stomping of an adult to become clearly noticeable to Zeke as he was hoisted right up off the ground. “Gotcha, you little blue-bellied thief. Thought ya could just try and rob us an’ get away?” His attention turned right towards this new figure, a large bull holding the frail boy in the air as he let his arms and legs dangle.

	“Thief? I… ain’t no thief.” Speaking was a slight struggle with the grip that was holding him, but he made no motions to resist. “I just came ta buy a barrel… For my Captain, s-sir. Cabin boy’s duties and…” He stopped speaking to cough before the grip finally loosened, and he was dropped to the ground.

	“Yeah? Now yer buying? A second ago, ya jus’ pulled a gun on my finest worker, but now yer gonna go ahead and buy? You pirates are a buncha lyin’ li’l shites, ya know that?”

	Another cough came from Zeke as he was berated, a paw rubbing carefully at his throat as he tried to suck in a bit of air to keep speaking. His other paw went to his side, unbuckling the pouch that held his money from his shorts and holding it up as he started to get his footing back. “See? I don’t even have a gun…” He was still reeling from the double dose of surprise treatment when the truth finally began to dawn on him, and he shot a quick look at the dust blowing away, just down the hill. “Oh! That boy was blue… Was it him? Did you think I was him since we’re both blue-furred?”

	“Ya don’t, eh?” The bull was paying him no mind as he checked the contents of the pouch, eyes going wide for just a moment before he quickly closed it and returned it to the Mourrel’s paw. “Gods be damned, kid, ya carry this much on yer person at all times? Yer gonna get yourself mugged one a these days!” The bull’s head began to shake as he breathed right out of those nostrils, then went inside. “Which ship did ya say ya came from? Not that horrible beaten piece ‘a garbage at th’ end, right? Let’s see…”

	“The Tigris! We docked recently, haven’t been in town for a week.” From up this high, Zeke could look over the entirety of the wharf, checking each ship. He saw the one mentioned, and squinted his eyes just a bit to see the small-bodied figure running straight for that ship, hopping straight to the deck and running inside. “Though we’re setting off again two morns from now, so I wanted to get a surprise for the crew before we leave. I think a barrel should be fine… possibly two but I need to know the price.”

	There was a slight grunt, the sound of wood scraping along as a barrel was pulled towards the rodent. “An’ that ship sent such a scrawny boy ta pick up their delivery? How th’ hells are ya gonna get five barrels back down all by yerself, kid?”

	“Five? No, I said I only need t-”

	“Receipt says five. Made out to yer shipwright, bought ‘em all up yesterday. Even picked out which of our boys was gonna handle all of it. Yet here ya are, early and askin’ for more!”

	“What?!” …So he’d been beaten to this already. He quickly took the receipt and scanned it from top to bottom, recognizing the name, right as rain, and letting loose a dejected sigh. “Well, never mind then, sir. I’ll have to figure out somethin’ else, I guess.” With a half-hearted salute, the boy left the brewery, possibly a little deflated, and he made his way to the docks to think for just a moment. His feet carried him along as he listened to the whispers and gossip among the town, eyes peeking out over the sea to watch the sun set, sitting over the edge of one dock so he could kick his feet in the water for a bit.

	…That is, until his ears perked straight up and he shot to his feet to run back into the market. “Oh! I got it. I know exactly what we need, then!”

*****

	“I’m tellin’ ya, Cap’n. That merchant’s loaded! He made a fortune an’ we oughta rob ‘im blind.”

	As Kai sat at his usual spot in the galley, his eyes darted back and forth. He watched the canines squabble amongst each other, trying to plot their next move. Their ship would be repaired soon, and his reconnaissance had definitely been of use. Though the wenches and wives knew their ship was a pirate ship, no one in this village had any mind to know who the crew was ‘cept the rich old coot of a mayor, and they’d bought him right off for safety… and for information about a lucrative deal, with just the right incentive to get what they needed cheap.

	“Ol’ big ears did his job, now we jus’ gotta get the coin. Ey, Cap’n?”

	The black-furred canine held up a single paw to quiet the room, addressing them together. “Boys, boys. We ain’t gonna get ‘im here. He be strikin’ up a deal with that mayor now an’ that lion’ll turn on us the second it’s easy. But…” That lone paw turned and beckoned to the rabbit, the boy eager to hop down and bounce right over. “Our boy got some good info outta the drunkards. They only got a day left ‘fore they set sail again. We’ll do it affer they’re away, like proper pirates.”

	Cheer resounded, until one of the other crewmen spoke up with a slam of his mug on the table. “Cap’n, we ain’t ready ta sail as fast as a full ship like that! An’ we ain’t even know where they’re gonna go.”

	There was a slight growl from the Captain, teeth bared and claws at the ready when he was spoken out against, but he calmed himself before too long. “We got th’ food t’ sail for a good while now, so all we gotta do is follow ‘em. Or possibly…” He stopped for a moment, looking at the rabbit holding his paw. Orange eyes looked back up with a smile on the boy’s face, and he couldn’t help grinning as he knelt down and put his paw atop Kai’s head. “I’ve got a good job for ya.”

*****

	The morning breeze blew across Zeke’s face as he sat aboard the deck of the Tigris, watching as the six barrels of alcohol were loaded alongside the other goods that the crew had purchased over the last few days. He groaned just a little bit, seeing the tiger-striped rabbit shaking hands with the overly rich lion, then stretched his arms up before beginning his duties of cleaning the deck in preparation for their departure.

	He’d gone through the supplies over and over, checking that the crew had the food they needed, knowing about the surprise from the alcohol. Gunpowder was stocked, cannons were prepped and hidden from sight, just in case they were needed. The crew had enough food to go for ten days easily, not counting any fish they may catch along the way, and his unique surprise should have been loaded up the night before.

	“Where are we going next?” He asked the question aloud, though the others weren’t around to hear them. Zeke had only recently been purchased, with enough experience that he could barely understand the fore from the aft, certainly not able to figure out the Captain’s mindset on travel yet. The winds would take them to the south if he didn’t intervene, but that seemed… strange since they had already come from there. The boy wanted to see new lands, new places, the entire world if he could.

	He eyed the last barrel, hoisted over a kangaroo’s shoulder as it was carried inside and the remaining members of the crew filtered their way to the deck. Out of the corner of his eye, the boy caught signs of the lion that the Captain had brokered the deal with watching them from atop the hill where his manor sat, arms crossed with what looked like a slight glare… Was he imagining that? Still, it wouldn’t matter much now. The Tigris’s sails unfurled as the helmsman steered the ship away from the port, turning to catch the winds from the North and bring them closer to their next destination.

*****

	“Thump… Thump…… Crack!”

	“Gods damn’d lid. Lucky I can’t reach th’ damn gun or else I’d really show ye what happens.” Kai groaned a little as he pulled his foot back and kicked at the lid once again. Large feet connected with the wood before he felt it start to tremble, seals cracking just a bit. One more good kick had the boy finally knocking the lid loose as it popped off the top of the barrel, and he struggled inside to right himself so he could carefully poke his ears and snout up, sniffing at the air.

	No bodies in the room… Dark all around. The sun must have already set by the time the bunny had woken up in his disfigured position. With his feet back on the ground, he could leap right out of the barrel, landing atop another nearby barrel that sloshed with the alcohol stored inside, then bounce carefully to the floor of the storage room held far below decks. Even without the light, he could see the outlines of crates upon crates of goods, food, clothing, his twitching nose even picked up the scent of gunpowder nearby. He began to explore slowly, feeling the swaying of the ship beneath his feet as it continued to sail along.

	The stairs were easy enough to locate, not too far from where he’d been so callously dumped in his barrel. Bounding up them, two at a time, the bunny found a trap door that he could push open slowly, large lobes perked to listen for any incoming distractions… Not a sound. He opened the door slowly to find himself in the mess hall, lights still out. Shutting the door carefully behind him, with more room to maneuver as he explored the sailing ship some more, he started to notice the sound of patrolling feet up above.

	“One… We’re movin’, so two. Only two?” The paw went to his side where his pistol was holstered. Two unsuspecting victims… Three at the worst if they had someone in the crow’s nest. Kai made his way to the stairs and started to climb them slowly once again, though this time he was met with an actual door instead of a trap door. He knelt behind to listen, the crew seemed to be dead silent. Directly above his head, he could hear a bit of snoring… Others on the ship must have been asleep so they could have a shift at a different time.

	Thump… thump… the feet drew closer to the door. Large ears held high as he waited, the pirate brought his paw to his grip, pulling the firearm up a bit. Thump, thump… They must’ve been right outside the door now, a wave crashed against the side of the ship. Were they coming inside to check for stowaways below deck? He held his breath before making sure the flint was loaded, bullet and powder both. With that done, all he’d need to do now was wait so he could takeover the ship as planned. By now, that hand should be reaching for the handle of the door.

	The latch turned… The door creaked its way open. A crew this small would have to be run by some fairly strong sailors, so Kai pointed the gun up above his head. Hammer cocked back, ready to fire as his eyes settled… on nothing. He didn’t see a face, quickly recoiling backward as he heard a shrill shriek… A child’s voice? “Shit!” View quickly going back down as he re-aimed, seeing bright green eyes and a messy head of purple hair. Not enough time before the wind was knocked out of his lungs by a body tackling straight into his chest, knocking him to the ground and the pistol from his paws.

	“Hey! Over here!” The kid was yelling. The body that sat atop Kai felt light at first, but steadily grew in weight. He struggled to try and throw them off, and his eyes caught movement near the other boy’s waist… A satchel of some kind? He threw his paws up as hard as he could to push the boy off him, only seeing a slight flash in the moonlight before there was a prick in his neck. Muscles went limp even as the other boy stumbled… and he faded out quickly.

*****

	“Cap’n, you can’t do that. He’s even younger than me! We ain’t criminals like ‘im, jus’ drop ‘im off in the next port!”

	When next he woke, Kai couldn’t help feeling… sluggish. Every muscle in his body was heavy, and he could hear that same boy’s voice nearby. He slowly opened his eyes, seeing sunlight filtering in, and heavy steel bars separating him from two nearby figures. He did his best to get up, barely able to press his paws against the ground, arms wobbling even as he simply sat… And he immediately brought one paw to his neck. He could still feel that pinprick, a dart of some kind. He must’ve been put to sleep for a short while… His head still felt fuzzy as he looked, first at the boy, then at the adult nearby… and his eyes widened.

	“Ye ain’t in charge, an’ ye ain’t got th’ sea legs yet t’ argue. This is how we handle stowaways. Even found th’ barrel he hid in so he’ll float t’ shore.”

	Standing just a short distance away, the powerful form of the adult, striped rabbit seemed to almost loom over the boy defiantly speaking to him. Kai shook his head, to make sure whatever drugs had knocked him out weren’t having him hallucinate, but those stripes were still there. Feared across several of the seas before he swore to give up pirating and disappeared for good. Fanged teeth of a tiger and muscles to match. The smaller bunny made sure to keep his mouth shut in the presence of this particular Captain… His eyes darted around his prison, but he saw no signs of his pistol anywhere nearby. Of course, they had taken it.

	“I ain’t never heard that before ‘bout any kinda honest ship, Cap’n. That sounds like a thing a pirate oughta be doin’.” Attention returned to the conversation… The boy in front of Kai looked familiar as well. Too young to have ever made anything of himself yet, but something still seemed to tweak in the back of his head. That bushy tail was swaying back and forth, distracting him just a bit as he tried to gauge the age of the boy from his size… As small as he looked, he should be a couple years younger than the rabbit. How he managed to capture the ‘seasoned pirate’ was beyond him.

	The smaller body turned, green eyes shining even down here. “Oh! He’s awake now.” As Kai’s head started to clear, he thought for a moment… He recognized the face as well. He’d seen it recently, even just a few days ago. “He really is th’ same kid from th’ brew house.” Brew house…? Right, the collision. He’d almost shot this kid right through the skull, but didn’t need the murder added to any other attention he’d garnered that day.

	“Good. Now he’s gots to answer fer why he’s here. If he won’t, we’ll cast ‘im overboard in a barrel.”

	“Wha…?” Better to pretend to still be a little dazed from the drug. He wasn’t even sure if he could stand up yet, but he could still win this situation over. “Where am I?”

	“Can it, ye li’l shite. Yer fakin’ and ya been out cold for more ‘n enough time ta let that wear off.” The large rabbit growled… A low, powerful growl of a beast as he pushed the child aside and moved right to the bars of the brig. He knelt down, those blue eyes piercing straight into Kai’s eyes before he shook his head. “Came aboard with a gun an’ everything. Knew how t’ use it, too. Thought ya could take every one o’ us down jus’ like that?”

	“Cap’n…”

	Well… that definitely brought plan A to a screeching halt. Now for Plan B. The bunny, with the words that the drug had worn off echoing in his head, began to stand up slowly. His legs were still asleep, pinpricks rushing through him as the muscles suddenly needed to work again, but he was able to bring himself upright and stumble towards the bars, gripping them in his paws. “Yea?! What of it? Everyone in town kept talkin’ ‘bout how ya struck a deal with that bastard of a mayor an’ I jus’ wanted some o’ the cash before ye got too far to come back! Ain’t ya seen how bad our homes were?”

	“Oi…”

	“An’ what were ya gonna do? Shoot us all up an’ leave the ship ta drift? Yer lucky someone threw ye in here instead of jus’ dumpin’ ya overboard.” Well.. this wasn’t going well at all, but Kai bucked himself up a bit. He stuck out his tongue as he held onto the bars, and shot a glare back to that rabbit as best as he could. Perhaps, if he could move the direction of the conversation a bit, he could keep his intents hidden.

	“I jus’ wanted the money ya got from the mayor, that’s all. Only loaded one bullet as a bluff in case ya thought I wouldn’t shoot anyone, then was gonna demand th’ money an’ use the lifeboat to get outta here.” The mood was set… the kid had to be gullible, right? He must’ve been a brand new recruit, talking back to such a fearsome Captain like that. With the thoughts in his head, Kai took a couple steps back, sitting on the hard floor of his prison and letting his ears droop down behind his back, even faking a couple sniffles. “But… I din’t hurt no one or get anything, s-so you can jus’ take me back home, can’t ya?”

	Zeke’s ears went high. He turned to look back into the brig as he heard the sniffle, then turned his attention back to the large rabbit. The Captain was still growling, teeth grinding against each other as he stared daggers at that locked up boy… The rodent didn’t dare intervene at this point, but he at least had to make a statement. “Cap’n… We can’t turn back, but we can keep ‘im locked up until we make it to port again, right? I ain’t got many daytime duties right now… I can watch ‘im. Please?” It was a shot in the dark, but he’d never sleep at night if he didn’t say something now.

	“Grrrr…” The little bastard was clearly lying through his teeth, but if he bit too much now, he’d never get his image clean again. “Aye… do what ye will.” He could finally relax himself for just a moment… A dismissing wave of one hand relieved his cabin boy before he started to leave the brig and climb back up to the deck. It wouldn’t do to leave that boy sitting around, but he needed to wring any kind of information out before he decided on his next move. He began to bark orders right away, taking control of the ship as the two blue-furred boys listened in, sitting down on opposite sides of the bars.

	Moments passed until the deck finally quieted down… Only the Captain had a loud enough voice to be heard all the way at the bottom of their ship, and Zeke wanted to make sure he wasn’t being called before he turned his attention to his prisoner. “…Zeke.” He offered his name first, then waited patiently, leaning against the wall, out of reach and with a hand behind his back, cautiously placed on his satchel of darts.

	“…Kaimu. But everyone goes with Kai.”

	This was good, but it would definitely take a little bit of time before he gave away too much. “I’ll get ya some food. You slept for easily ten hours if not longer.” With a nod, the rodent scampered up the stairs to the mess hall, then to the galley. He wouldn’t dare give a prisoner anything good, but he could at least find some leftover bread and dried out meat. Things that wouldn’t last the night anyway, small portions to keep the boy alive.

	He returned with the meal, not even giving the bunny a plate to eat off of before he pushed the food into the cell, then added in a cup of their drinking water as well. It was only after he saw Kai start to eat that he let out a slight sigh of relief and went back to the stairs. “That’s all ya get today… I’ll be back in the mornin’ with some more food for ya.” As he left, he made sure to both shut and lock the door, adding the key to the brig to his belongings before returning to the deck.

*****

	Kai snapped himself awake. He wasn’t sure when he’d fallen asleep again, but the sun was only beginning to rise. With a rub to his eyes, the bunny boy sat up in his cell. He’d finished the meal and emptied the cup of water… Now it was time for other deeds to happen, so he stumbled his way into the corner, feeling for a hole in the flooring with his foot. It wasn’t the best, but it definitely beat sitting in his own filth, shorts dropped to the ground as he faced the wall and relieved himself.

	His ears perked at the sound of the door opening. That boy must’ve been bringing morning food in as he was told. Despite everything, the ship must’ve sailed through the night and into the day, and a useless little cabin boy like that would be wide awake with the first signs of sunlight. Heavy footsteps soon echoed down to the brig, and the bunny went to the bars of his cell, cottonpuff tail flicking back and forth while he thought of any new tales to spin, just to see if he could escape.

	He saw the striped hand first, then the muscular form of the adult rabbit stepping into the brig, letting out a slight squeak before he took a step back. “Good… m-morning.” He was stuttering as the striped rabbit stepped in front of his cell and faced him, arms crossed, a heavy growl sounding. It took a good moment for him to gather his wits… with that boy not around, he was in much more danger than before, but he needed to find a way to come out on top. Swallowing what bit of fear he could, he approached the bars and grabbed them. “Cap’n Robby Stripes came all the way down to see me.”

	Robby’s growl grew louder for a moment, then he turned his head to spit on the ground and knelt right in front of that little bunny boy. “O’ course ye know that name, don’t ye? Ain’t no one in that town can get a gun as well kept as yours, nor can they be on this ship for more ‘n a few hours ‘fore they keel all over the sides. Now… that ship at th’ port. The broken down one. Ya sail under that flag, boy?” Quick and to the point. The usual wake up call would leave Zeke out of their hair for a good while, so this was Robby’s best chance.

	Kai was a bit taken at how forward the former pirate captain was being, taking a step away as that face knelt so close to him… At this point, he had nothing to give up. “Aye… Jus’ a cabin boy, been sailin’ for two seasons now. Why’s that matter to ya?”

	“Ye stink like the whole lot o’ Death’s Howl an’ that’s embarrassin’ fer any respectable rabbit to be like. Surprised ya din’t piss yer pants the moment ye saw me, but that’s good. Means the world’s forgettin’ about me slowly.” Robby’s groans were somewhat noticeable as he saw the glares from the boy, but he didn’t slow down. “What are ya, eight? Nine? Younger than our own boy an’ their sendin’ ya off to get killed for treasure already?” Standing back up to add his presence to his words as he watched the boy squirm.

	“Yea? They sent me off alone, an’ what of it? Kill yer whole crew, get the treasure an’ get a workin’ ship sos we can leave our hunk a junk behind and get back to the pirate life!” Now he grabbed the bars and threw himself forward. He wouldn’t bow down. His pride was on the line.

	“I oughta throw ya to the shark like I planned to, but… Too cruel to a kid from a dead crew.”

	“…A what?”

	Robby’s smirk was clear as he watched his words pierce through. “Ye think a crew like that with a beaten up ship is gonna be docked and not chased down? Yer lucky th’ navy didn’t attack ‘em th’ day ye stopped. Cuz I made sure that mayor would let us leave port ‘fore any trouble started. And boy, he loves my money.”

	…That wasn’t the plan. The Death’s Howl should be right behind this ship, only a few leagues back for sure. The bunny’s mind was reeling a little bit, but he pushed his doubts back as he prepared to speak, only to be cut off by Robby continuing on.

	“They waited, ya know. All th’ ships what blew holes in yer crew’s, waitin’ until we were clear at that lion’s behest. Wouldn’t do t’ start firing on the only merchant breathin’ life into your city, now would it? But then, I got a message. My men said one o’ the barrels was far too light t’ be anything we bought, so I made sure th’ boys knew to keep an eye on that door and stay up on deck. Usually we’ll go th’ whole ship. Ain’t that an idea.” The rabbit chuckled, then kicked the bars, scaring the poor boy into falling back. “Yer whole crew. Dead. An’ you were gonna join ‘em when I caught ya, too.”

	“…Except?” He’d said the word ‘were’, so Kai stood back up, dusting himself off. One more piece was missing, but he’d already figured out where this was going.

	“…This ain’t a pirate ship, an’ the kid that found ya ain’t a pirate. Aren’t ya jus’ the luckiest li’l bastard that th’ only one who wouldn’t let me cast ya overboard is th’ one that found ya first? Now, if I get rid of ya, I’ll have t’ save face in front of all the others, an’ that ain’t no way to handle a ship.” Another kick. The bars of the cell actually shook from the force, and the rabbit’s growls grew louder. “Can’t toss ya overboard, can’t dump ya off in th’ next port, an’ to top it all off? He woke me up beggin’ to let ya stay on with us. ‘I’ll even split my cut of our sales with ‘im!’ That damn’d brat was nearly cryin’.”

	Kai’s entire body was quivering now. He knew Stripes as one of the most terrifying captains to sail after listening to the tales from the rest of his crew, and those kicks drove the point home. All rabbits had powerful legs to boot, but… a few more like that and the boy could probably easily escape through the hole that would be left. Yet there’d be no chance to get away. And if he couldn’t get away, then that only left one fate for the blue bunny.

	“He begged for me…?”

	“Course he did, an’ I worked that li’l arse right into shape after he was done beggin’. But, when it comes to my own crew, I always gots to hold my end. So ya got two choices. Ya either sail under our flag of honest business, or I break this cell an’ toss ya overboard anyway, sayin’ how ye got out.” The groan as the striped rabbit rolled his eyes was incredibly noticeable. He clearly just wanted the boy dead and done with, but showed a fair amount of honour towards a simple cabin boy.

	He could use this.

	“W-well… I don’t wanna die. That’s a fuckin’ stupid choice t’ give someone, don’t ya think?”

	“Course it is. Ain’t any self-respectin’ pirate in the world that’d care, ye would’ve gone right over with that barrel if it was the old days.”

	“And ain’t no self-respectin’ pirate that would take another pirate at their word!” Arms crossed as he regarded the rabbit with his own glare. He needed a little more than this to be safe. He still had one more trick up his sleeve if he could get out of this predicament. “You’ll jus’ dump me off the first second ya can. I ain’t dumb enough to think you’ll keep me on hand for good.”

	“Kid…” The rabbit’s growl was clearer now, and he pulled his lips back to show off those pointed fangs of a tiger. “If ya get dropped off anywhere, it’s gonna be in a grave. Ain’t lettin’ anyone callin’ me by my old name get dropped off in any town whiles I’m makin’ a clean start. Ya got one chance, right now.”

	“That’s not a choice.” Kai’s voice was firm, even if he was shaking. He held the silence for a bit longer, hoping for some kind of break from this interrogation, finally feeling his resolve give in before he leaned against those bars. “If I found out they’re alive, I’ll come t’ kill ya myself.” His paw reached through the bars, ready to shake on the deal. He could at least stay alive until he knew what happened to his crew for certain.

	Robby didn’t take the hand, but he did at least give a nod to show he understood. His paw fished for keys to unlock the cell, and he moved the door slowly as the bunny approached, making sure the boy couldn’t bolt at the first moment. “I don’t need that,” was the only words he said to the outstretched paw… but as soon as Kai was free, his own paw snatched that boy right up by the collar of his shirt. “Remember this. From now on, you are my boy.” The words were spoken with such acidity that he could feel the bunny reeling, setting him back down on his feet and ushering him up the stairs to the outside world.

	Kai was led up through the galley, well-lit yet empty, then up to the deck with not a soul in sight. He was bewildered for a moment at the lack of an active crew, but a firm thwap to his rear kept the bunny walking along without any questions. He reached the ornate door to what he could only believe to be the Captain’s quarters, watching Robby open the latch and shove him into the well decorated room. In an instant, his nose started to twitch at the smell of recent sex, and he followed it to the source, seeing the familiar, small body of the blue-furred rodent sound asleep in the rather large bed.

	He was led to the bed, hopping up easily enough next to the rodent, waiting patiently as the Captain shut the door behind him. “Now, I’m sure,” the rabbit’s voice was clear, but far more calm than it had been below decks, “that yer old Cap’n did plenty with ye. Th’ gods know I did when I was a cabin boy, an’ he gets it too.” He pointed to the sleeping rodent, bushy tail curled over that dripping tailhole. “So, yer gonna be in here with him. Every morning, as soon as the sun rises, after bein’ woken up all night. If ya do a good job, you can sleep. If ya don’t… a ship like this has plenty o’ work to do.”

	There was a slight nod of understanding from the small bunny. His tail flicked a little bit at the prospect, though he still wasn’t entirely in favour of what he knew would be happening in just a moment. “But,” the rabbit continued, “both you and that boy also have to pleasure the entire crew. If the boys don’t get jollies, then they get too antsy t’ work. I expect ya in their cabins each night at the start of their shifts.” Another nod followed, that wasn’t anything new to the bunny, either. He watched as the large rabbit stepped right next to the bed.

	He saw the paw coming down… Out of instinct, the bunny tensed up. Normally this would be followed with a slap, claws digging into his small body as he was forced against the wall, the dresser, or any nearby piece of furniture. Instead, the paw began to caress him, a thumb rubbing over his cheek, gentle pushes that guided him in a little bit more towards the groin. He looked up, those orange eyes bright as he saw the rabbit just smirking back down, a mischievous gleam sending shivers through the boy’s form.

	“You know what to do.”

	His head nodded, and his paws slipped behind to untie the bandana that he was wearing. The cloth let loose the rest of his orange hair before he tossed it aside, then gripped the rabbit’s waist and gave a slight tug to those shorts. He sat on the edge of the bed as he unfastened the button that held them up in the front, the clasp that went over the tail in the back, and let the shorts drop to the floor while looking at the tiger stripes across the rabbit’s body.

	Kai laid back slowly after he left the Captain exposed. He held up his feet, splaying the toes a little bit while his tail started to flick from left to right and his ears flopped towards the top of the bed. “Cap’n always called ‘em his lucky rabbits feet.” He wiggled his toes a bit, eyes catching the darkening expression on the rabbit’s face as Robby moved in a little closer, slipping his shaft between the two soles and letting them squeeze around it while he slid into place, bunny knees bending to make room and catching the orbs on the bottom of his feet while the tip of the rabbit’s shaft pressed under his tail.

	“Yer not gonna mention him anymore. I’m yer Cap’n.” It was spoken as an order, with malice hanging off the tip of Robby’s tongue. Paws went to Kai’s shoulder to hold him in place, and he flexed his fingers just a bit to let the claws come out. The boy was tense, but the touch of those feet gave away his experience, and the rabbit took the plunge right away. His hips shoved straight into the bunny boy while he felt those feet massaging at his package, quickly feeling that tight hole stretch around his length with ease, and slammed straight to the deepest depths he could reach.

	Steady rhythm built between the two rabbits, speed picking up to go quicker and quicker. Kai’s toes curled around the base of the shaft with a grip as he gasped out from the rough treatment, feeling the older rabbit angle and slam against points inside his body that sent sparks rippling through him. He certainly wasn’t as tight as he should be at that age, having taken a knot more than once, but there was enough of a grip to those fleshy walls that he could clench down around the shaft, moaning out into the bedroom.

	The scent of sex had already been hanging in the air, but it grew heavier as he was forced against the bed, dick slapping against his stomach with each thrust and squealing just a bit while his body reeled from the tiger’s strength the rabbit showed off. An impressive showing, with the slumped, spent body still laying in the bed next to them, oozing out the earlier leavings from the rear. Kai started to realize that the rabbit was already building a steady throb, even if he’d been spent just moments ago, and a steady stream of fluid was seeping into his rear.

	It was warmer than it should be, watery compared to what he was used to in the past. His eyes went wide as the rabbit drove into him again and made that fluid splash a bit, catching that glint now as the realization swept over him. When Robby next pulled out, Kai’s nose twitched and he saw the way the shaft shimmered just above his toes, glistening with hints and scents of the golden fluid planted inside him. “You… that…” Only two words before he was shoved back into, knocking the wind from his lungs while the rabbit continued pounding away at his hole over and over.

	The paws clamped tight around his shoulders and he felt the large body towering over him go rigid, the shaft’s throbs getting more and more noticeable as time went by. His own paws went up to grasp at the Captain’s arms, holding on tight. The rabbit pulled back slowly and slammed himself into that young boy’s hole one last time, filled with one set of his leavings, letting the steady throb of his loins start to shoot jets of his seed inside to join his other fluids, scents mingling together to mark the new cabin boy.

	There was gush after thick gush of the cream pumping into Kai’s body, and he laid back against the bed, panting for air and clenching hard both around the shaft and onto those arms. He could feel the fluid seeping deeper into him from the position he was laying in, filtering into his body… And he closed his eyes with just a slight hiss when the rabbit started to pull back. Something pricked him inside, dragging along those inner walls with a slight scratch before the Captain yanked himself out, splashing a mix of pee and cum onto the floor, with the slightest coppery tint of blood on his barbs.

	“Heh… Took it like a champ, didn’t ya?” He flexed a little bit as he fetched a towel to start cleaning off that spent member, nose pointing up and twitching as he sniffed at the air. “Least now the boy’s won’t talk back when they sees ya on deck. You’ll carry that scent ‘til we get ourselves a proper deal, no threats or any kids’ games like that… An’ don’t worry, he gets it too.” He motioned to the rodent’s body nearby, distracting Kai as he pulled his shorts back up and refastened them, leaving the two in the room alone.

	The bunny needed to act fast… He clenched his hole tight and crawled out of the bed, checking the room for anything he could use. The fluids were still running out of his hole and down his leg despite the tight hold, seeping into the fur of his legs while he checked the maps and documents strewn all around the cabin, and he finally found what he needed. Maps, letters, receipts, anything that would show him where this ship was heading, who it dealt with, and…

	“Oh…” The orders to attack his ship and what time, clear as day.

	He felt a grip in his chest as more of those fluids dribbled out and started to pool around his feet, tugging at his ears just a little before he put the papers back into place. The bunny started to carefully search the room for a bucket, something that would hold water so he could at least clean himself of what had happened, and he found what he best figured the Captain used to wash. Scrubbing the mess out of his legs and feet, he stumbled his way back to the bed to get his bandana and tie it between his ears again.

	“If that’s how he’s gonna be, then I gotta play along.” Mumbling to no one but himself, he dried off, then onto his knees went the boy as he made sure to scrub the fluids out of the wooden floor before it could soak in. His mind raced with several thoughts, but he knew only one of them would remain at the end of the day, and he re-dressed himself to go meet his new crew while pocketing that one final thought.

	Revenge would certainly be on its way.