The Hollow Grove: The Companions [Book 2]

[5] The Blind Baviin (Part 1)

The Shady Lady and its crew did not come upon further mischief until many days after the pirates attacked them. Before then, the companions became more comfortable with the workings of the ship, their duties, and the monotony of ocean wide travel.

Haygen spent most his days with Otis, helping him with repairs as a carpenter's apprentice. He broke up more than a few scuffles between the crew, to be sure, but that was few and far between and mainly after the rum rations had expired. In his down time, he took to paper and ink and sketched various parts of the ship. Sometimes he drew his friends and the crew. Sometimes he drew what he remembered of his mother. He let the woman, Anyu, to recover in his bed, which meant he bunked in with Wesley in his already cramped cabin, but since Wess barely slept, it made the most sense. To his friends' surprise, the half-orc took to combing his hair more often and, occasionally, bathing.

Otis busied himself with his carpenter's duties and also did a small bit of metal smithing, which was more his trade. Captain Zahdu let the dwarf read a book on healing potions and salves written by a Hinghi shaman. This kept the dwarf busy for hours on end as he poured over the pages again and again every sunset. He took copious notes on the subject and copied Kayla's translation word for word adding in Zahdu's notes and added suggestions. His friends were relieved he had found something that excited him again.

Wesley Whiteknuckle spent most of his time up in the crows nest, swinging from ropes, and climbing ladders as if the ship was his own personal playground. He loved sailing so much that he decided it was the best way to travel anywhere. When night fell, he took watch so that others could sleep and on his breaks he would read one of his books on traps. There were no such books in the captain's library. However, there was one volume on poisons, but Zahdu would not allow Wess to go near it as they were closely held family secrets. Of course that did little to stop the sneaky thief from stealing into the room for a quick peek. Once he found that he could not read the books, he dropped the matter altogether. The faeling's love of fishing did nothing but grow. The cook, a Man named Monty, taught him the ways of deep-sea fishing using a metal sinker the size of his fist and a hook just as large. Whatever Wess caught, the cook filleted up for the crew as a treat.

Kayla stayed by Anyu's bedside until she was able to get up on her feet and fend for herself. During that time, she listened to the woman's stories about the Tushkar mountain tribes, their culture, and how constant war was causing their ancient ways of hunting and tracking to fade. She always found time to hone her magic and share a cup of tea, or a rum ration with her friends at night.

It was after this passage of time when things took a turn for the worst.

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"I see something!" It was Wess shouting from up high in his crow's nest to no on in particular. "It appears to be...a big...head!"

Beckett heard his call, and responded in kind. "Where?"

Wess pointed to the rising sun. "East! Due east! We're heading straight for it!"

Beckett sped to the fore deck with the spotting glass and before him was a site he never thought he would behold. "Gods," he muttered to himself. "Could it be?"

"What is it, Mister Beckett?" Captain Zahdu sprung from his quarters at the commotion and met his first make at the bow of the ship.

"Captain, sir, I think it's a Blind Baviin."

"You've taken too much sun in, mate," the captain smiled. "Let's have a look." He cradled the spyglass and followed Beckett's direction. There, in the distance, was a thing of legend even in these parts. The whites of Zahdu's eyes flared wide as the smooth head of a Blind Baviin broke the water's surface for a gasp of air through its blowhole. He collapsed the looking glass and the sections made a riff with a trio of clicks. "All ahead full, Mister Beckett. Ready my attack boat and...three more—four rowers and one harpooner each. I will find my own crew.

"Aye, captain," Beckett replied. He dashed to the rear of the foredeck overlooking the main deck and gave his orders. "All hands! All hands! All ahead full! Hunters arm harpoons and gather on deck in quickly as you can! Hunters arm harpoons and gather on deck!"

The crew did as instructed and many guards and warriors pulled harpoons from horizontal racks in the armory. Harpoons take many shapes, but the weapon has all the aspects of a footman's spear. The wooden shafts were of hefty weight and were four feet long on average. Some were plain like a normal spearhead and some were forked like a trident. Most had curled barbs so that the weapon would easily enter the beast, but was difficult to remove. A few more serious ocean hunters decorated their harpoons with beads and scrimshaw as if it were artwork. These hunters, who were almost always islanders, were the ones who took the art ocean hunting as a rite of passage and family pride.

"What's going on?" Kayla burst from her cabin. Her long, silver hair was tied back with a row of leather strips. Long strands of silver hung in front of her face and were tossed about in the wind. Her emerald robes flapped from the sudden gusts of wind.

Anyu appeared at her side. Her fur top and bottom was now clean and white as snow. She eagerly gripped a longbow and belted around her waist was a sword and dagger from the armory. They were of simple make and build, but they would do for now. Her emaciated body was replenished and her firm muscles were in the beginning stages of recovery thanks to the wizard's care. She dashed to the railing of the deck and peered to the eastern sky.

"Looks to be a large sea beast," said Anyu. "Must be of some importance." Anyu knew much of the beasts and terrors of the Eastern lands as she had hunted and tracked most of them, but the sea was a mystery to her.

Kayla joined her. "It's called a Baviin." She held up a hand to block the sun to get a better look at the creature. She recalled reading about it in the captain's library. "Their fat is used for oil and the rest of their body has various alchemical properties." Her lips crumpled and she looked down to at the waves hitting the side of the ship. "They are very rare to find at sea. Worth a small fortune."

Anyu looked at her and asked, "What is it, wizard? Something gives you troubles."

The elf shrugged. "The Baviin are blind...helpless. They rely on their numbers and large size and, normally, their family for protection." She folded her robes around her from the chill of the wind. It didn't take long for the magic to sooth her. "Can I get you something a bit...warmer to wear? You must be freezing."

Anyu kept looking at the Baviin bobbing his head up and down. "Cold? I am Tushkar." She said the words as if they were supposed to mean more to the wizard than they did.

Kayla read about rangers and their ability to withstand great hardships of nature, but she thought not dressing appropriately for the weather to be an unnecessary risk.  She ignored the topic for the moment and continued.  "They cannot breathe the water, so they must come up for air eventually and that is the time for the harpoons to strike.  This one appears to be separated from its...tribe.  Gotten lost perhaps."

"Sometimes tribes are bad," said Anyu.

Kayla wondered if there was some deeper meaning with the mysterious woman's words. She rested a hand on her shoulder. "Come on. Let's find the others."

A/N This chapter is dedicated to Haztendencia!
Hope you enjoyed this one.  If you did, please consider hittin' that star!