The Black Plague

Caralina ---

Caralina sighed and jumped up on the stern sitting on the railing of the boat watching the sharks swim below her. She was bored, without them having to check any masts or anything she had nothign to do. She twisted some of her hair in her fingers.


* I have nothing. :'(, but someone needed to post.*

Captain Raphael--

I came up behind Caralina, wrapping my arms aruond her waist.

"Hello," I said softly, smiling. The day was lovely. I wasn't at all worried for my other men - and women - I knew they'd be fine. It gave us all a chance to relax.

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

We reached the island after a little more than a half an hour. I jumped over the side and helped to pull it up on the sandy beach, grimacing at the feel of ground under my feet. I much preferred the planks that made up the Black Plague.

"Stick together. We can't afford to be separated until we get a feel for the island. Come on, we'll take the boat and hide it in the shade, then we'll start our search. Any questions!?"

"What happens when we do find Toribrio? What if she refuses to cooperate?"

"We'll deal with that later. Just know that you are not to harm her in any way unless you want it ten times worse. Understood?"

They all nodded and helped to pull the boat under two palm trees. I turned to Isabella.

"Can you tell if there are any signs of anyone living here?"

Isabella--

I looked around, examining the plants, and the beach.

"Yes. There are a few broken spots. Definatly Toribrio," I said.

I noticed the way the leaves were bent. "She went this way to get away from the beach," I added, pointing.

Caralina---

Caralina jumped a little when Captain wrapped his arms around her waist, but she relaxed when she heard his voice. "Hello." She smiled turning and looking at him for a few minutes. She looked back towards the island and sighed. "Do you think they will find her?"


*Grrr*

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

"Then that's the way we go as well. Remember, stick together."

We walked into the thick jungle, skimming parallel to the beach. Animal life screamed around us with the screeching of birds and other exotic animals. Vines and thorns tugged at our boots and clothing, threatening to pull us down to the floor.

Finally we broke from the jungle and back onto the sandy beach, gray cliffs looming ahead. The ship could no longer be seen from where we were on the island.

"Isabella, can you tell where she is?"

Captain Raphael --

"Yes,I think so," I nodded, smiling at Caralina. "Isabella is one of the best trackers I've ever met, and Thorn will keep the men together."

--------------------------------------
Isabella --

"Hmm..." I looked around, inhaling deeply.

Something smelled like food. Perhaps the remnants of a fire. It drifted towrad us with the breeze, barely noticable when mixed with the salt air.

"The cliffs," I said.

"How do you know?" one of the men snapped. "You're just another woman!"

"Tell me, do you have any experience in tracking?" I said, turning on him. My dagger was out of it's sheath and half way to his throat as I spoke.

"uh....no..." he gulped visibly, stepping back.

"Then how about we leave it to me?" I said, smiling and resheathing my dagger. "She's at the cliffs," I repeated, turning back to face Thorn.

**How long do we want to take to find her?**

Caralina---

Caralina nodded. She liked the feel of him being close. She ran her fingers over the wood in front of her. "Do you ever wish you weren't a pirate?" SHe asked looking out to the sea. She liked it out here. THe calming of the ocean, the sound of the water against the boat. Not having to worry about gossips, or balls, or reputations. She didn't plan on leaving anymore. She liked it and for as long as she could stay put on the Black Plague, she would.

[Dierik]

Dierik watched with a slight smile as Isabella proved herself to the crew. She would do fine. He looked around at the island, aware of the dangers lurking in the trees but too overcome by the promise of excitement to care.

"How do we get to the cliffs? We'd have to cut through a lot of forest..." he asked, looking around and trying to think of a way.

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

I followed Dierik's gaze up to the cliffs. He was right, there was a lot of jungle to cut through if we were to reach them...

I turned to the others. "We could circle around the cliffs by use of the beach, and approah it from the other side. Or, we could try to navigate through the jungle ahead of us. Those are the only options I can think of. Any other ideas?"

*my character is good at climbing...Maybe we could use him? Only, that might not be a good idea because I can't write right now and probably won't be able to until friday...CURSE SCHOOL!! But if you need him, anyone can play him. Just a suggestion.*

*gasp* This is dying too?!

Captain Raphael --

"No, never." I answered confidently. "Ever since I first learned what being a pirate was about, I was bound and determined to become a captain. And now I am. And I am pleased with that."

*This can't die! We've not even set off with the maps yet!! Don't let this die!!*

Garin

Garin glanced up at the cliffs, then back at the ship. It was wonderful to have firm ground beneath his feet again, but now he was having second thoughts. Jungles weren't all thatcomfortable, and he much rather prefer a smooth, predictable mast than a cliff.

"Uh...is there anyway around it?" He asked. "Or are we going to have to climb it?"

Isabella--

"I bet, if we went around a ways, we could find an easier way up," I said, looking around. "It looks as if it slopes, so perhaps there's another way?"

"That would take more time," Thorn said.

"It would, but I know for fact that I can't climb that. I don't think most of us can. So wouldn't it make more sense to take a bit longer, but assurable get up there?"

[Dierik]

Dierik nodded, "H-She's got a point." Without waiting for a reply, he set off to the left of the cliff in hopes that he was going the right way. His palms were itching with excitement, his feet tingling with the adventure rooted in the sand.

Just around the edge of the cliff was a sloping hill, steep but not impossible to scale. "Over here!" he called, already scanning the side of it for a safe route. There was plenty of undergrowth they could use to pull themselves up and rocks for footholds.

He wasn't too keen on the spiky grass, it almost looked poisonous. "Garin," he addressed him as soon as he was within hearing distance, "Do you get the feeling there's something... off? about this grass?"