The Glowing Powder Seas - The Bonny Diamond [5]

Chapter 1/5

The Bonny Diamond, the duo had discovered, is one of those ships that really shouldn't work as well as it does. The entire brigantine seems like she's constantly falling apart at the seams, with paintwork scratched off in a ludicrous number of places and decaying planks of wood of various ages covering every previous hole ever made. In fact, it's doubtful the crew have had her repaired once since she was built. It's a miracle a slight breeze doesn't send her top-down into the sea.

When Copper and Farley of the Warmglow saw the lime green flag of a nomad, and then the state of the brigantine beneath it, they presumed that she'd just been in a scrap and was in desperate need of assistance. But now, as they sit and watch the questionably five-strong crew of the Bonny Diamond perform Maid of Amsterdam on various instruments with each member getting a turn to sing a verse, the duo realise that the reason behind the dishevelled appearance of the ship is because the crew are too busy playing music and drinking to care about what they're sailing in. Which, admittedly, is an admirable mindset.

It hadn't taken long for Copper and Farley to be drawn in by the crew's charisma, and before they both know it, they're listening to various sea shanties played with incredible skill and infectious enthusiasm.

When Maid of Amsterdam comes to a satisfying conclusion, the fox and the hybrid immediately launch into applause, clapping and grinning and cheering, and the nomad crew smile and bow, before finally Devon, the wolf guitarist, puts his instrument down and says,

"I think that's enough for now, eh lads?"

The other four nod in agreement, each placing their own instruments down in a pile on the deck, and Jose, the feline accordionist, immediately picks up the bottle of rum he placed next to his seat just before the performance started.

"You're all so good!" Copper says instantly, "I've never met musicians as talented as you guys!"

"Yeah neither have I," Farley chimes, "and that's saying something."

"Much obliged," says Devon with a toothy grin, "it's literally all we do all day."

"That an' drenk." Jose holds up his bottle, causing everyone else to cheer in response.

"Drinking's your forte, mate," Muriel, the fiddler, teases, "good job you ain't the helmsmen, otherwise we'd never leave the inns!"

"Says you, Temptress of the Barmaids," Devon sneers.

"Shut it you!" Muriel yells, throwing a gold coin at him. "Are we forgettin' Skirnside?"

The other three band members make a collective 'ooo' sound as attention is brought back to Devon.

"It's not like any of you would've done anything differently there," the guitarist points out, "especially not you, dear sister."

The young she-wolf grins, then she leans back and folds her arms as she mutters, "At least I woulda lasted longer."