The Wraith of a Snowy Sea Part 4

A Chapter by CLCurrie

Spencer stepped off his ship onto the small dock under a sea of stars. It felt odd to not feel the walking sea under his leather boots and lean on his cane. He was in the Green Smoke Port looking for a squirrel named Rage Stromwing. A once friend of Captain Rayner Snowgun and the top of the list on who would want him dead. Spencer was kicking himself for agreeing to Zendaya if she could find a name he would help her. It was not the best move in his life.

“Where do we start?” Zendaya asked standing next to her new Captain. Elizabeth and Twiggy stood behind them both waiting for orders as well.

“We start with food,” Spencer said. “I could use a good late-night dinner.”

Zendaya went to protest, but Elizabeth paw landed on her shoulder with a hard shake of her head while she mouths the words for her not to say anything. They followed their Captain to the first Traven with lights still burning in the windows.

They went in only to find a few squirrels at the bar who had drunk too much and a fire slowly dying across of the room. Spencer made his way to the table closet to the fire and sat down beside it. The other join him at the table with the Captain pulling out his pipe to smoke.

“Should I get us some drinks?” Twiggy asked.

“If you don’t mind,” Spencer said. Twiggy shot over to the bar ordering a round of ale and eyeing the drunks beside him. It would be far too easy to steal their acorns from them, and he smirked.

Spencer yelled, mostly to stop his plans and getting them in trouble, “Twiggy, order some food as well.”

“Right, right,” he yelled back looking for the Traven keeper.

“I don’t mean to be a brat,” Zendaya said quietly, “but how does this help us find Rage?”

“Patients, child,” Spencer said calmly. She sighed sitting back in her chair frowning at him.

Twiggy shouted for the keeper pulling the tall and big squirrel out from the back. He was a squirrel from the Northern clans which had thick fur for the snow storms. He growled down at the tiny thief whit his red and black fur.

“What?” He asked.

Twiggy grin and said, “We need some drinks and food.” He pointed back to the table, and Spencer smiled at the Traven keeper.

“Get yourself,” The keeper braked with Twiggy breaking out into laughter. The giant squirrel quickly followed the little thief and started laughing as well.

They walked over to the table with Elizbeth hugging the big squirrel. He smiled at her and then asked, “My King, what can I do for you?”

Spencer pointed at Zendaya and said, “My friend, this is Rayner’s daughter.”

She glanced up at him as he shot her draggers and asked bluntly, “Why do I care?”

“Rayner is dead,” Spencer said very coolly like it was something everyone show know by now, but the words still hurt Zendaya to hear. She didn’t understand how he could be so cavalier about the deed and yet, it seems to be nothing to him. It was after all a part of their lives being on the sea. “He was killed by a wraith, and we were wondering if you had a paw in this matter.”

“By the gods,” Rage said shock over the news. “No, by all the old ones, no.”

“Bloody,” Spencer said with a snap of his fingers. “I was hoping this would be easy.”

Rage slowly sat down at the table trying to understand how his once friend had died. He stared long and hard at Zendaya but not saying a word.

“I thought you hated him,” Spencer said.

“Yes,” Rage said with a slow rattle nod, “but I didn’t wish death on him.”

“Any idea who would?” Spencer asked.

“You look just like your mother,” Rage told Zendaya. She sat back uncomfortable at the statement.

“What did you do with his body?” Rage asked turning to Spencer. A question Zendaya didn’t think about asking but now she wanted to know as well.

Spencer sat up and said coolly, “I gave him the funeral of all captains deserve.”

Rage nodded knowing his friend was sent to the bottom of the sea with his ship. It was the most honorable death for any captain, set the ship ablaze and let the body burn with it.

“Good,” Rage said standing up. “I need a drink, anyone else?”

“Yes,” They all seem to say at the same time. Rage came back with cups of ale for everyone and sat them all down. He almost drank all of his ale before asking, “A wraith? You said a wraith?”

“I did,” Spencer said looking over at Zendaya.

“Yes, it was a wraith” she agreed. She read one of Spencer’s book to find out the monster that attacked her father’s ship was, in fact, a real-life wraith. Spencer had a great many books on unusual subject but mostly, spell books. She liked all the books, it was the best part of the ship.

“Powerful magic,” Rage mumble, “powerful bad magic.”

“Any idea who could have that kind of magic?” Spencer asked slowly drinking his ale.

“No one good,” Rage said. “There is a witch near Skullrat Paw, who might be able to help.”

Spencer frowned deeply and said, “I do not fancy witches too much.”

“No one does,” Rage said, “and you’ll not like this one either.”

“What is this witch’s name?” Elizabeth asked.

He sighed shaking his head and said, “You’ll not going to like this.”

“Name?” Spencer asked with an eyebrow raised, hoping and praying it was not to be the name falling out of Rage’s mouth.

“Circe Redwater,” Rage told them, “the Dreadful.”

Spencer's shoulders dropped with him shaking his head in disappointment. “Not good.”

“Anyone else?” Twiggy asked biting his nails.

“Not that I know of,” Rage said. “A wraith is deadly magic. You father �"” He looked at Zendaya -,” made the worst of enemies.”