The Black Plague

Caralina(Peter)--

Caralina woke up to someone shaking her. She blinked and looked up at Captain. "We're gettin close, let's go." He smiled. She rubbed her eyes and pulled her hat down tight running up the stairs. It wasn't until she was on deck that she figure out where she had been sleeping. She didn't know what to say. Course nothing she just went to help.

Arthur Hearthorn -- April 12th, 1650 -- Helmsman/Navigator

I blinked my eyes open just as the door closed again. Then, remembering where I was, I shot up and out of the bed, cursing under my breath.

"I have to get up on deck," I mumbled, readjusting my clothing and hair so that I looked presentable. It was a pitiful attempt, but it was better than nothing.

"I'll be up in a moment," Isabella said, pulling her boots on. I nodded and raced out the door and up on deck.

I took my position at the helm and awaited orders from the captain, looking across the water to the small island that seemed so innocent...

Toribrio -- Day Count: 5882 -- Keeper of the Maps

The ship on the horizon continued to draw closer. Thoughts of hiding away with my maps in one of the many hiding places on the island crossed my mind. It would seem the logical thing to do...

Making up my mind, I turned and sprinted off. By now, I knew the island so well that I could easily avoid every tree, rock, bush, or other obstacle that stood in my way. Perp followed me closely, chirping and twittering every once in a while.

I gathered up my maps and stored them in their carried, strapping that to my belt. Then I took off again, heading back to the cliffs.

The ship still hadn't quite reached the first reef, but now it would only be a matter of time. I frowned.

"Stupid pirates. They should know better," I murmured, scowling. I turned and slipped into one of the deep, thin cracks in the cliff that faced away from the beach, awaiting the arrival of the ship.

Isabella - Tristan

I sighed and slammed my head into the nearest solid object, the door, before leaving the room.

Thorn was standing in his place at the helm, and the others were moving about. I began to help, but Captain Raphael touched my shoulder gently and pulled me away.

Captain Raphael

I walked around the ship, beckoning a few members of the crew to follow me. I led them to my office below deck.


**Cap'n Raphael is pulling all the female characters who are pretending to be men below deck. One of you can go ahead and start that scene. LunaBuna - I'm really not sure if your character is pretending to be a guy, or what, so if you could tell me that'd be great!**

Arthur Hearthorn -- April 12th, 1650 -- Helmsman/Navigator

I watched as Cap'n Raphael motioned for a few of the crew members to follow him below, Isabella among them. I frowned, wondering why.

The thought soon vanished in the cool breeze that blew against my face, the salty-sweet smell of the sea flowing past me. Placing my hands firmly on the wood that was so familiar by now, I guided the Black Plague through the first shallow reef that surrounded the small island. Sailors on deck struggled to get the sails right, pulling ropes left and right.

The second reef was easy enough, as was the third. The island was becoming larger and larger, and more beautiful. There were no signs of human life, though plenty of animals. I could just make out the soaring shapes of a group of birds just above the largest cliff and could just make out their exotic voices above that of the sea.

Finally, it got too shallow to keep the Black Plague going.

"Drop anchor!" I called loudly, listening to the satisfactory splash. I left the helm and ran to the deck, peering over the edge of the ship. The water was crystal clear and sparkling as it caught the sun. I smiled.

"It's too shallow to take the ship in any farther," I reported. "We'll have to take the rowboats."

**I hope I don't miss anyone. I think I just might not put names, and let you guys figure out which characters I'm talking to. Remember, it's all the girls pretending to be guys.**

Isabella - Tristan

Captain Raphael gathered all of us into his office. I noticed that they were all the girls, but wasn't sure that he knew that.

Of course he did.

Immediatly, he yanked each of our hats off of our heads.

Our eyes grew wide, afraid to know what he was going to do next.

He laughed.

"Capt'n," I said nervously. He looked at me, still grinning.

"Yes?"

---------------------------
Captain Raphael

I found it hilarious that such an amount of my crew were, in fact, women.

"What are you gonna do now?" Tristan asked. I looked at her, wondering what her real name was.

"Absolutely nothing," I answered, handing each each of them back their hats. "This is up to you, of course, but I do have an opinion. I don't think you need should hide you gender at all. There is absolutely no sense in it. The men are accepting, some more than others," I winked at Tristan knowingly. She began blushing.

The girls stared at me for a moment.

"Well, go on then, get back to work!"

I watched them leave the room. Tristan went first, dropping her hat next to the door on her way out.

Caralina (Peter)---

Caralina chewed on her lip as Tristian dropped her hat by the door and went up deck. Could she really let everyone know she was a woman. She looked at her hat that she had in her hand and took a deep breath tossing it on Tristian's. She liked the feel of her black hair against her neck. She pulled it back with some string then started up the stairs. She glanced back at Captain and then took the last step up to where she couldn't see him any more. She walked up to one of the crew member, the guy that steered the ship,

"Do you need me to do anything?" She asked.

Arthur Hearthorn -- April 12th, 1650 -- Helmsman/Navigator

I glanced at the girl, noting that I had never seen her before. But she looked awfully familiar.

"You can help get the rowboats prepared. Two days supply of food for seven men on each, same with water. Enough ammunition and gunpowder as they might need, and extra weapons. You can get a few other deck-hands to help you."

She nodded and turned. I grabbed her shoulder before she could take a step, spinning her back around.

"Name?"

She hesitated. "Caralina."

"Most people aboard call me Hearthorn, or Thorn for short," I said. "You can call me either. Now get to work."

She nodded again and ran off. I scanned the deck, looking for Isabella or the captain.

Caralina----

Caralina hurried to find others to help her get the supplies. When she did she went to the kitchen and started gathering the supplies that had been listed off. She worked quickly, she had to prove herself again. She didn’t know if she was going to tell them she was Peter. She might, she wasn’t sure. She would ask Captain if he thought it to be a good idea to do that.


*sorry, short*

Isabella--

I came up behind Thorn, tapping him lightly on the shoulder.

"Anything you need done?" I asked as he turned to face me. My hair was blowing behind me, making it quite obvious that I was a girl. I waited for his response.

Dammit! My mind was thinking extremely romantic thoughts. Thoughts of him at least kissing me before going off on his way. Hush up! I growled inwardly.

Arthur Hearthorn -- April 12th, 1650 -- Helmsman/Navigator

"Your hat is off," I pointed out, raising an eyebrow. "Is that what the captain wanted you for?"

She nodded.

"Hmm. Well, if you want, you could help Caralina with loading up the rowboats," I said, shrugging. "I don't know if the captain will let you go to the island, but more likely than not, he will."

She nodded again but didn't move otherwise. I frowned slightly.

"What?"

Her eyes met mine for a moment before flickering to the side. I followed her gaze and saw a few of the sailors eying her with open curiosity. Maybe too much curiosity than was really necessary.

I understood what she wanted. Smiling slyly, I leaned down and pressed my lips against hers for a moment before pulling away and turning, going to find the captain.

Isabella

I grinned, kissing him back before letting him leave. The other men watched, obviously curious. A few of them whistled, or made other inappropriate noises, but I ignored them.

Captain Raphael

I watched how the others interacted.

Many of the men stared, but that was to be expected. When you were on a ship for months on end with little interaction with women, you became rather....lustful.

Thorn kissed Tristan...or whatever her real name was, I had yet to ask, and the other men stared. Tristan ignored them, joyfully moving on to help Caralina.

I watched Caralina for a moment. Her hair was pulled back from her face, but blew out a bit behind her. She looked, to say the least, amazing.

"Captain," Thorn said, coming to stand next to me.

"Yes?"

Arthur Hearthorn -- April 12th, 1650 -- Helmsman/Navigator

"Cap'n, the rowboats are being prepared now. I dare not take her any farther for fear of running aground."

"Aye, we can't have that. Take six other sailors you see fit to go with you on your boat and row ashore before the rest of us. Scout across the island and look for Toribrio. If you find her, send one sailor back to the beach to wave the rest of us in. If you don't find her, we will join you before sundown."

"Aye aye, cap'n," I said, nodding firmly before turning and going to find my sailors, trying to decide who to take.

Isabella, obviously. Before I had known it was her, she - or Tristan, rather - had always had a keen eye. She would be good to have along. Dierik and Garin were obedient and strong. They too would be valuable to take.

I chose the other three and rounded them all together in front of the boat we would be taking.

"You six have been chosen to come with me to scout ahead. We are to search for food resources, water resources, and of course, Toribrio. You are not to shoot, stab, or harm her in any way unless ye be wanting to answer to me, the cap'n, as well as the sea. Word is Toribrio has a bargain struck with Poseidon."

They all nodded.

"Load up. You have five minutes and we get dropped."


*Hope this is alright with everyone. I wanted to leave the captain and Caralina on the ship together...the other three sailors can be anyone I forgot. No one else seems active, so I just went with who was.*

Caralina----

Caralina looked over the stern of the boat as she watched the few saliors going towards the shore on the rowboats. She had no want to go ashore until they were waved on. She rather liked the ship. She liked how it was quite with six less saliors too. The others were below deck playing cards so she untied her hair and let the wind play with it. She felt jittery. Seeing land must've done it. She silently skipped up the steps towards the wheel. She traced her fingers over it then went to the point of the stern looking towards the shore watching for someone to wave at them to let them know they had found this girl. She wanted to giggle at the feel of the wind through her hair. But she didn't. She just stood there.



*Grr*

Garin

Girls, Garin thought, gazing at one of them as he helped with the rowing. He would've never thought.

"You're slacking," a sailor huffed under his breath.

Garin smiled. "Sorry," he said simply, and kept his gaze on the bottom of the boat. He was excited to be back on land again. Sure, the sea was great and grand and all that, but there really was nothing like setting your own two feet back on solid land again.

*sorry, a bit short....Just to let you guys know I'm still here, in spite of school and all....grrrr. haha.*

[Dierik]

Dierik smirked at Garin, "A bit distracted maybe?"

Garin just grinned back at him, and Dierik turned back to rowing. The skin of his hands seemed to itch, but he couldn't tell whether it was from the salt-stained oars or the excitement bubbling inside of him.

He glanced down at the rippling water outside the boat, noticing the sharks lurking beneath them. The reefs loomed ominously and he looked back at the Plague, she would never have been able to make her way through them.

His shoulders started to ache a little, he hadn't done any rowing in a long time. Ignoring it, he gazed with wonder at the island ahead.