#anywhere

"I smell blood." She rises.

Earl doesn't question he rises as well and moves swith her, hand to sword hilt

Zara follows the scent trail.

No one is foolish enough to make a blood hound or 'what is it girl, did timmy fall down a well' joke. Not even the narrator of this story, though he was tempted. Alas, this attempt at levity was not to last. for as they go to the rails. She looks about, and finds it even as they are bout to pass it. Floating in the water and bleeding a bit too freely is a horselike chimera... A hippocampus

"Oh! Oh no... help! Earl, call for help!"

Zara holds onto the rail to lean over. "Help is coming!"

It cannot see her, but one equine eye seems to find her figure and looks up haplessly. It is breathing hard, not from too much air or not enough water but from bloodloss

And the crew seems it

"Hippoacampus!"

"A sea stalion!"

"Neptune's herd!"

"Lunch!"

Glares at the last "oh so I'm the ONLY one who gets tired of fish.."

Earl says "Do any of you have Healing magics? If I hopscotch it up here will you tend it?" he insists

"I could give it a go" a boggan holds up a hand

And so it happens,Earl springs it out of the water, and everyone must move quickly to its side. It fumbles in a panic, no good out of the water, while the boggan tries to heal it

Zara offers glamour, she's no master of primal.

And glamour flows and the wound heals.

Earl says "I can get it back in the water now..."

"Do it before it kicks me in the head" Bilge charm curses

And so with another hopscotch, one the creature doesn't fight, it goes into the water.

And once therre, steadies.

"OH thank goodness," The Chimera says floating "That was terrifying"

"What happened?" A pause, then, to Earl - "Ask him what happened."

Earl does act as her voice, repeating what she says while squeezing her hand

"Siv would adore him" an aside.

"And Dagmar would try to build a moat" Earl mutters "At least from what Siv says"

"Heh."

"What happened? that horrid ship from hell.. happened. they tried to grab me and I don't know if htey wanted to drain me or eat me or both..." the Hippocampi says distressed "I got torn into by their hooks.. they tried to pull me on board.. I was scared, but I swam. But you see I have Airophobia, so when you pulled me up I freaked, sorry about that kick to the head. Man those idiot mortals don't even know what they've gotten into"

Earl looks at the Hippocampus "horrid ship from hell have a name?"

"The Galway Gourmand... " The Chimera answers "Zero stars! I'd yelp them to nothing if I had fingers"

Captain Rick now on the scene frowns "Damn Leanhaun"

Hisss

Earl almost repeats louder "Hisss " because he's been repeating her but catches himself. She might take that wrong

Instead he looks at the Captain "A Leanhaun ship?"

Rick nods "Aye." Then waves to the Chimera "You are in debt to us.. I am Captain Rick. This is the Cutter. Remember that. This is Lady Raven, and Lord Hunter. You are in debt to them also"

"no arguement there" The chimera says "But unless you want a ride under the depths not sure what I can pay you in?"

A smile.

Earl looks to her "Anything yhou want to ask now or just keep that in the 'you owe us' bank for later?"

"I am content with that."

Earl says "We shall call on you if we have need that only one of your wondrous dream can assist with... I'm sorry, what is your name? I've been terribly rude"

"My full name is 'Splooshshgulpgargglebubblebubleargh' but you can call me Sploosh" The Chimer says

"Stupid name" Bilgecharm mutters

"I know a worse one" The Captain pats his friend on the shoulder "let it be"

"Fare thee well, Sir SPloosh!"

"May your victims last breath spell out your name in pleasing bubbles" the Chimer says to her and down he goes SPLOOSH into the water

Earl looks at Zara "Okay, that blessing was a bit too on the nose"

SMILE

And he can't help but smile back. her delight always delights him.

"LAND HOOOOO" A voice yells "We are heading into Nuuk"