The Hunter's Pursuit

1. A Growing Crew

    It smashed into the main mast just above his head. Wood chipped and groaned, but the mast remained whole. Caspian breathed a sigh of relief and knotted the rope around the already broken beam. It was rooted to its original post by only a few splitting wooden shafts. Caspian braced one foot on the rim of the crow's nest and scanned the distance to Valor's Blight.

    The ship was separated from the Leviathan by just a few yards. Caspian tightened his hold on the rope and swallowed hard. Without a moment's hesitation, he leaped out of the crow's nest and swung over the open water towards Valor's Blight.

    Instantly, the remaining wood snapped and he felt himself free fall. Caspian hit the deck of Valor's Blight and went rolling into a siding. Air gushed from his lungs at the impact. Coughs shook his limbs as he lifted his head to see the beam careening down towards the deck. Caspian threw his arms over his head as wood tore through wood. Debris went flying, several pieces biting into his arms.

    Caspian scrambled to his feet and sprinted towards the nearest rope he could see. Already, pirates were aiming their guns at him. Bullets whizzed past his face, coming close enough that he could feel the heat radiating from them. "Flynn!" Kieran Blight bellowed.

    Caspian snagged a rope and leaped from the ship. A shot rang out and scalding metal bit into his thigh. Caspian cried out, but managed to hang onto the rope. He swung over the Leviathan's deck and let go. His knees met the wooden planks and Caspian clapped a hand over his wound. Blood dripped in between his fingers.

    "Shit," he hissed under his breath.

    He hobbled to his feet and managed to climb up to the helm, where two men still remained. Westley was tying a strip of fabric around a bloody gash on his bicep, while the second man guided them away from Valor's Blight.

    Pops raked his fingers through thick red hair, looking over Caspian worriedly. "One of these days you're going to get yourself killed, Lad."

    "That's how one becomes a legend, isn't it?" Caspian slumped to the floor with a hiss of pain. "Get us to still waters. We'll drop anchor and decide what to do next from there."

    "Decide what to do next?" Westley echoed, a note of disbelief saturating his voice. He tugged his belt off and knelt beside Caspian, slipping the leather beneath his thigh. "There's only one thing we can do, and that's return to Port. The ship's taken more damage than we can fix ourselves, and the same can be said about the crew."

    Caspian gritted his teeth as Westley pulled the belt taught around his leg, cutting off the flow of blood from his wound. "Obviously. I meant we'll decide what we're doing about this hunt. If we keep going like we have been, we'll get ourselves killed."

    "You're just now realizing this?" Prim huffed, appearing at the top of the stairs. She smoothed strawberry curls out of her face and crouched beside Caspian. "I've only been saying it since the beginning."

    "Take heart that I've finally admitted you were right, Darling," Caspian grunted. He leaned his head back against the railing, dizziness overtaking him.

    Prim's sage green eyes shone with concern as she assessed the blood soaked hole in his leg and the numerous other cuts and scrapes that he'd sustained. "Let's get you below deck," she murmured. "That tourniquet won't hold for long." Caspian just nodded while Prim and Westley each wrapped an arm around him and pulled him to his feet.

•~ ❘ ✠ ❘ ~•

    Prim bustled around the ship's galley, preparing a quick meal that she knew no one would have the stomach for. The fact didn't bother her. If they were returning to Port, it meant there would be fresh supplies soon so she wouldn't feel bad if this meal was wasted.

    She just needed a way to keep herself busy and there was nothing for her to do above deck. The men who were still capable of working had already begun taking care of debris and weaponry. Besides, Kitty needed her nearby when she was healing. Prim glanced over her shoulder at the table where Caspian sat, with Kitty and Emilia Wilson bent over him.

    As a healer, Emilia was usually the one to treat wounds. She and her husband, Amos, had already taken care of several of the crewmen. Amos was updeck at the moment, and although Emilia remained below, it seemed that she was going to let Kitty tend to Caspian.

    "Once I remove the tourniquet, he'll start bleeding again," Emilia was saying. "Are you ready?"

    Kitty's hazelnut-blonde curls bobbed as she nodded, parting just enough to reveal the delicately pointed tips of her ears. Caspian smiled down at her and ruffled her hair with a trembling hand. "You can do it. It's just like last time."

    Prim's lips curled into a frown. Last time you weren't at risk of bleeding out, she grumbled to herself. Caspian's dark eyes flitted to her. His face lacked its usual olive tone. Prim crossed her arms over her chest, holding Caspian's gaze while Emilia unbuckled the belt around his thigh.

    Kitty leveled her palms over the wound as blood began to flow. A soft blue light illuminated her hands and spread to Caspian's leg. He drew a sharp breath, but didn't move. At last, Kitty drew back and let Emilia check the wound.

    "Healed completely," she reported with a smile. "Well done."

    "Thank you, Kitty," Caspian said, already trying to stand.

    "Wait just a minute," Emilia interrupted, pushing him back down. "Give yourself some time to recuperate. You lost a lot of blood. You're still pale."

    "I'll be fine. There's work to be done," Caspian protested.

    Emilia rolled her eyes. "Eat something first, at least. Then you can go back to ordering your men around."

    Prim chuckled as she dished some stew into a bowl and brought it over to Caspian. Emilia started towards the stairs, then paused and offered a hand to Kitty. Kitty glanced at Prim, waiting for permission. Prim offered her a nod and Kitty joined Emilia. The two of them disappeared updeck.

    "I think you've been a bad influence on Emilia ever since she came aboard," Caspian grumbled, taking the stew.

    Prim sat down beside him. "I was a bad influence on her before too."

    "Even more so now." He took a few bites and gradually, his hands ceased shaking. "Do you still wish they hadn't come along?"

    "Every day," Prim sighed.

    "Me too." Caspian lifted a hand to his forehead and massaged his temples wearily. "Sometimes there are a lot of people I wish I hadn't let join the crew." Prim straightened as he faced her. "Unfortunately, I think we're going to have to bring one more aboard."

    Prim knit her brows. "Who, and why?" Caspian didn't answer. He went back to eating, a thoughtful glint lingering in his eyes.