Captain orange beard's Arc

Chapter 2 of 5

The bone needle pulled east, but Captain Orange Beard's belly pulled harder. He had sailed three days from the frog-shaped cottage and his larder was bare. His crew rowed him to a green island to hunt for food. He could not chase a ghost ship on an empty stomach. But the moment his boots hit the sand, he heard screaming in the trees. He ran toward the noise with his sword drawn. In a clearing he found faeries fighting a beast. It had the body of a lion and broad feathered wings. Its proud human face snarled. Small glowing figures dove at it, but the beast swatted them from the air like flies. One faerie flew straight at the monster's eyes. Her wings held real starlight, swirling with tiny stars. She packed light between her palms and flung it at the beast's face. It roared and staggered back. "Pirate!" she shouted without looking. "The blade. In the chest. Now." Captain Orange Beard saw a wooden chest half-buried in roots. Glowing runes covered its lid. He threw it open. Inside lay a sword made of shimmering water, its blade rippling like a clear stream. He grabbed the hilt. The water held firm as steel. The beast lunged at the starlight faerie. She was too slow. Captain Orange Beard stepped between them and swung the water blade. It cut deep across the lion's flank. The beast shrieked, beat its wings, and rose into the sky. In three heavy flaps it was gone over the trees. The faerie landed on a branch, breathing hard. Her starlight wings dimmed. The other faeries gathered behind her, small and shaking. "You held the blade when I could not," she said. "I am Twinkles Starfall." "Captain Orange Beard." He lowered the dripping sword. "I came for food, not a fight." "Then you came to the right trees." She pointed with one small hand. Past the clearing grew rows of fruit and fat roots. "Take what you need. We owe you a hull full." His crew cheered and ran to fill their sacks. Captain Orange Beard watched the empty sky where the beast had fled. The water blade still felt cool in his grip. "Keep it," Twinkles said. "That beast will not forget your face. It hunts what wounds it." He wanted to ask more, but she pressed her lips shut. She would say no more of the creature. By dusk the hold was packed with fruit and roots. Captain Orange Beard had his provisions at last. He could set sail east again, belly full, crew content. But he carried a new sword and a new enemy. Somewhere above the clouds, a winged beast bled and remembered. It would come looking. And the bone needle still pulled him east, toward the ghost ship, with no time to spare.