Mianite Supernatural Creatures

What Makes You Ready

Redbeard

I know I need to stop worrying as much as I am. Nothing bad has happened yet I can't get it out of my head that something will. It's stupid because I know we need to do this, we need to find Capsize, but I can't get my terrible thoughts out of my head. I'm not cut out for this sort of thing, I know I'm not. I'm not like Capsize or Dad, I've never left the tribe lands for longer than a day. I've always been okay with that but now I have to leave and I'm frankly terrified. I don't know what to take and I certainly don't feel like I have the experience I should be doing something this important.

I can't stop myself from sighing as I close the bag that I've been packing. It's not that big of a bag but I can't complain about that. It isn't mine and Capsize can't use anything too big due to the possibility of wings being disturbed. I sort of feel bad using her bag but I don't have one of my own. She's always tried encouraging me to get one while she's been encouraging me to go exploring. I never actually did though. As a result, I don't have my own bag and I've basically never been away from the area within an hour's walk of the tribe land. It's honestly a little overwhelming to think about how under-prepared I am for this.

"You ready to go, Red?" I turn upon hearing Jordan's voice, unsurprised to see his with a large canvas bay slung over his shoulder and wearing the clothes he normally does when he and Capsize are about to leave for a couple of weeks. Looking at Jordan just makes me feel even more unprepared. The clothes I'm wearing definitely aren't made for long distance travel, or really for travelling at all. Knowing that I feel my nerves grow because surely this shouldn't be happening. I shouldn't be going with them. Elder Idestorm choose me to go through, it's not as if I can refuse.

"I'm really not feeling great about doing this. I... I've never left here for any longer than a few hours. I'm not ready for something like this," I can't express how physically scared I am of this situation. I'm not sure I want people to know how scared I am. It's nauseating just attempting to think of the words. Jordan comes towards me with a look on his face that I'm sure is concern but just makes me feel worse because he's younger than I am. He shouldn't have to comfort me. Even so, he manages to come over to sit me down on my bed. It's not like I can stop him trying.

"Look just breath. I know this must be nerve-racking," Jordan says, actually being quite comforting than I expected. Maybe I'm just desperate for any kind of comfort. Maybe it's because I know he actually cares about what we're about to do. He's spent days holed in Capsize's room trying to find anything that could point in her direction, he wants this done right. If he can manage to convince me to go then surely, he'll be doing it because he actually thinks I'll be useful on the mission. I can't imagine how I would be but maybe he'll think of something. "I don't know exactly what you're feeling right now but I do know what thinking you're losing control feels like, how terrified it can make you."

It takes me a few moments to realise that he means it and another few to realise why. Having lived with him for a few years now, I'd honestly forgotten how most of the world views werewolves and how he viewed his transformation before Capsize helped him to understand that he isn't dangerous when he transforms. It's odd to think back to the skittish man he was just before the first few times he transformed when living here. All before Capsize snuck into his room that night.

"I just... I really don't feel like I'm trained for this," I say knowing full well that I'm not lying. I've never done anything like that and in this big of a group, I'm sure I'll end up slowing them down. I'm not even meant to do guard duty. How am I supposed to help take down a kidnapper with enough power to summon a demon? If Capsize can't fight them then what chance do I have?

"Well, from what I've heard, Capsize isn't exactly trained for everything she does," Jordan's words actually make me freeze. Despite everything I think of when I think about my little sister, he's right. Capsize never did get any training for the stuff she does, though that's more due to the fact that she continuously disappeared when she was supposed to be getting said training rather than her not being offered it. Due to that fact, I still don't feel completely comfortable being compared to Capsize but I understand what Jordan is trying to say. If Capsize can rush into things without experience or training and succeed then maybe I shouldn't be scared about doing this. Of course, Capsize also has her visions to help guide her but I feel like bringing them up would just end up being a moot point. Jordan isn't going to let me stay behind. "Come on. You're going to be fine and if any of them try to say you shouldn't be there, I'll bite them and that's not a threat to be taken lightly. We're going to find Capsize and I'm not leaving that to those people."

"I... Okay. I suppose I can't really back out of doing this anyway."

A/N:

So I really enjoyed writing this chapter because I found exploring the idea of the pirates in a world where they would be a lot less combat focused to be very fun. In universe, fairies normally aren't trained in combat due to their healing abilities so they usually can just withstand fights even if they are extremely outmatched.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter, comments and feedback are welcome :D