#I was on call when I spotted this thing and Yax started yelling at me to see it

[hizznbyte]

Yall fw this random ass kitten I found running outside my house when I was coming home from school?

It ran into the gap between me and my neighbor’s house fence thing. I like this guy.

[piratethornton]

Pirates of the Clawribbean

Chapter 4: The Storm

Fandom: Zootopia

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After dinner two more hammocks were strung up in the gun deck along with a few sheets which created a small, enclosed space. Within this was one of the hammocks and a heavy chest into which Judy's belongings had been transferred. Nathan had gladly helped Judy and Ben recover their things, and Judy sighed with relief when she secretly checked her gun case to find it present and untouched.

It was only when she settled down for sleep that she remembered she was still wearing Finnick's hat. She took it off and gazed at it, her mind running through the eventful day, and not entirely sure how to feel. She had finally achieved her dream, to be a member of a crew, and had done it in a way Jack would have chuckled heartily at. The only thing was that it was a pirate crew, the type of mammals she wanted to help bring to justice, and she was willingly helping them in exchange for money. Did this make her as bad as they were? She shook her head and placed the hat on top of her wooden chest beside her. She was only doing this to save her family, and then she would never dabble in piracy again. Besides, the crew didn't seem that bad themselves. Though she knew what Nathan was capable of, he was very pleasant with those he liked and respected. Flash, Bobby and Yax were a little odd, but friendly. Bucky and Pronk kept themselves to themselves, and Finnick and Honey had not uttered a single hostile word. They seemed less like bloodthirsty pirates and more like a band of merry drifters, which confused Judy since they fought and invaded the Cloverleaf in a typical pirate fashion.

The only one who seemed to fit the description was the captain. Cunning, greedy and with no qualms about killing either her or Ben if he needed to. She absent-mindedly brushed her left cheek as her thoughts dwelled on the fox. How many mammals had he killed? What had he done to win the loyalty of these generally good-natured mammals? Could she force herself to be careful around him, or would her pride get in the way? Sighing in frustration, she rolled over and closed her eyes. Tomorrow was another day. If only she could ignore the snoring.

Everyone was roused from their slumber the next morning by Honey banging two pots together. Several mammals tumbled out of their hammocks in shock, and poor Ben had to be pried from the ceiling. As the majority of the crew journeyed to the galley for breakfast, Honey presented Judy and Ben with simple shirts and breeches she had managed to rustle up. They would learn to be grateful for these, as they soon discovered that they had been assigned chores their dresses and itchy officer outfits would have been unsuitable for.

Their responsibilities included scrubbing the decks, cleaning the cannons, mending the sails, and anything else Bucky and Pronk were previously in charge of. Instead, the two antelopes had been 'promoted' to supervisors, who were more than happy to lean back and shout out criticisms. They very quickly became the bane of Judy and Ben's existence.

"Circular motions, bunny! Have you never cleaned a floor before?"

"That mop's not gonna carry itself, y'know."

"Put your back into it, Tubby! Or is your spine made out of fat, too?"

After one particularly nasty comment regarding Ben's weight nearly brought him to tears, Judy decided she had had enough. A few minutes later, two soaked antelopes burst in to the Captain's cabin raving about mad bunnies and demanding justice. By lunchtime they were stripped of their new titles and back to performing the grunge work, always on a separate deck from the rabbit and cheetah. The Captain would have reprimanded Judy if it weren't for the fact that her stunt had just made her even more popular with the rest of the crew, and even he had to admit the antelopes had it coming.

Over the next few days Judy and Ben settled themselves among the crew. Ben's apprehension still lingered, but his initial fear diminished greatly thanks to the pirates' surprising welcoming nature. Judy was very happy, taking great satisfaction from being a part of a ship out at sea on a daring quest, even if all she was doing was cleaning, and the crew made it clear that anyone who could show up Nick Wilde was more than alright in their book. She swore she saw Finnick give a proud smirk as she adjusted her hat.

She also had a role in the ship's navigation. Every afternoon she would meet the Captain in his cabin, occasionally joined by Honey or Finnick, and confirm if they were heading in the right direction. She deliberately kept most of the map's instructions to herself, as she reasoned if she were to translate everything in one go her usefulness would come to an end and she and Ben would be in danger. Her tiny nuggets of information tried the Captain's patience, but as he was bound by their deal, he instead took his frustration by irritating the rabbit whenever he could.

He would often comment on her small stature, 'accidently' trip her up when they passed each other in the corridors, and on more than one occasion her mop mysteriously disappeared. The tension was high between them, as they both wanted to express their intense dislike for each other but couldn't risk going too far due to the importance of their bargain. This tension was felt by the rest of the crew and they took it upon themselves to effectively chaperone the fox and rabbit in case things grew out of hand. Spirits were not dampened however, as the thought of getting closer to Captain Maul's treasure was far greater than a few petty arguments.

The map took them to waters not frequented by Navy vessels since there were no populated areas to protect. The sea was calm and wide, and other than the fish in the ocean no other souls could be seen. On a particularly breezy day Ben found Judy rather melancholy as they took up their mops and buckets to swab the deck.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Today would have been the day I returned to Bunnyburrow," she replied. "I'm glad I'm out here, of course, and I'm doing this to help my family, but I still miss them. I keep thinking of what'll happen when they find out I'm missing. Maybe they already know. They must be so worried."

"They're gonna be distraught," Ben agreed. "Uh - I mean - " he stammered when he saw Judy's crestfallen face. "Yeah, they're gonna be upset, but think how happy they'll be when you do return, and with all that treasure!"

"When they find out what I've done, they'll never let me leave the manor again," she sighed despondently, placing the bucket on deck and wetting her mop. The door opened behind them and Captain Wilde strode out, heading towards the main mast.

"You missed a spot, Carrots," he said as he passed them.

"I haven't started yet."

"What's taking you so long? I thought bunnies were supposed to be fast."

Judy glared at him, but he didn't look at her. When he reached the mast he called up to Bobby in the crow's nest.

"Looking good up there?"

"I think a storm's approaching," Bobby shouted down. "We'd better start preparing for it."

The Captain groaned in frustration. "Alright. I'll warn the others." He turned around and walked back to the door, pausing to glance at Judy who had been listening to the exchange. "Did I tell you to stop swabbing?"

"Don't you want us to help prepare for the storm?"

"No, I want you to keep swabbing." The Captain disappeared below deck before Judy could be tempted to hit him with her mop.

Despite what the Captain said, Judy and Ben joined the rest of the crew in ensuring the ship was ready to endure the incoming storm. The hull was checked for leaks, the sails safely furled, and everything else locked away and strapped down. They barely finished in time before the first flash of lightning cracked across the sky, something which unnerved the crew greatly.

"A storm arriving this quickly and out of nowhere means we're close to the Bearmuda Triangle," Honey explained to Ben and Judy, "and now we're entering the Serpent Seas."

"Serpent Seas?" asked Ben, nervously.

"The parts of maps that are usually decorated with sea serpents," Honey answered as if it were supposed to be obvious. "It's filled with monsters and cursed ships and mysterious islands. Loads of pirates hid their loot in these waters, so we've been here a few times. Not that you'd know from this gibbering wreck." She stuck a thumb towards the rest of the crew who were huddling round the table talking to each other in low voices. A few of their heads turned sharply at a particularly loud creak. Honey shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Cowards."

Judy knew she should be feeling wary herself, but the roaring thunderstorm outside reminded her of the stories Jack told by the tavern's fireplace. She was even enjoying the rocking of the ship as it was tossed by the sea. She was shaken from her reverie when a loud crash sounded from above.

Heads snapped to the direction of the crash, and a second later the crew swarmed to the door and made their way to the deck. Thanks to his size, Nathan reached the outside first and swore under his breath when he saw what had happened.

The foremast had been struck by lightning, causing the wooden structure to be covered in bright orange flames that were slowly making their way down its length. The crew, now gathered on deck, gaped at the sight for a second before scrabbling about, looking for anything that might be helpful.

"The buckets are below deck, you idiots!" shouted Honey, just managing to keep her voice audible in the storm.

"What about water?" yelled back Bucky.

"Someone toss him overboard for me!" was Honey's response as she raced downstairs.

The rope and buckets were brought up and everyone started drawing water from the sea. Due to the buckets being almost as large as she was, Judy couldn't contribute much in way of physical strength. It took all her effort to not be thrown into the ocean from the ship's violent rocking. Nonetheless, she refused to hide below deck and instead stood next to Finnick and helped him keep an eye out for any other incoming danger.

"We just need to keep the fire from spreading 'til the rain does its work," Captain Wilde said, helping to pull on of the loaded buckets on to the ship. As soon as it was up, Nathan grabbed it and hurled the water as far as he could up the mast, dousing the lower flames. After several more buckets and moments of heavy downpour, the fire finally died there was a collective sigh of relief.

"OK, everyone back below deck," ordered Captain Wilde, about to lead the way. Before they had travelled more than two steps, there was a commotion above them. The sail of the main mast suddenly unfurled itself and caught the heavy wind, which caused the ship to surge forward and knock the crew off balance.

The Captain looked up at the sail, then at his crew. "Who was in charge of securing that sail?"

Bucky and Pronk looked at each other then tried to sneak away from the Captain's line of vision.

Captain Wilde growled in frustration. "We're gonna have to secure it again. Bobby? Honey?"

The bobcat and honey badger quickly climbed up the mast to the top of the sail. They fumbled with the ropes but the storm made it nearly impossible for them to keep steady. The Captain soon ordered the two antelopes to help them, which they did so with much grumbling and less grace.

Yax, only wearing a coat to cover himself from the rain, and Nathan took their place beneath the riggers in case they should slip, though they were finding it difficult to not fall over themselves thanks to the ship's unsteady movements and the waves that spilled on to the deck. One wave in particular completely engulfed Finnick and slammed him against the railings.

"Fin!" yelled the Captain and Judy at the same time.

"Stupid water," cursed Finnick, getting up and shaking himself.

The Captain, temporarily distracted, did not notice Nathan stumble and trip beside him. Judy watched as the enormous mass began to descend over the fox. Before she gave herself a chance to think, she raced forward, leapt towards them and pushed the Captain away just before the polar bear's body slammed into the floor, leaving a hefty crack in the wood.

Captain Wilde stared at where he had just been standing, his eyes wide with horror. "Carrots!" He looked down at Judy. "You just saved my life!"

"I...guess I did," she replied, smiling uncertainly.

They both turned to Nathan when they heard him groaning. He had landed flat on his back and didn't seem to have the strength to pull himself up. Judy ran to his side and placed comforting paws on his large shoulder.

"Is that sail secured yet?" Captain Wilde called up the mast.

"They are..." Honey finished the last knot. "...now!"

"Good! Get down here! Nathan's been hurt!"

It took every mammal on deck to lift Nathan on to his feet, and he managed to shuffle towards the door with the help of Bobby, Yax and Ben. Honey led them to a small room off the galley which served as her medical area  while the others filled in Flash with the recent events. In the crew's early days, they soon discovered that due to his speed Flash was more of a hindrance than a help in emergencies and so had specific orders to stay below deck unless his driving skills were needed. He was more than happy to comply so long as he was given a complete run down on what he had missed.

Judy sat close to Ben, watching the door that led to the medical room. Other than Ben, Nathan was the closest thing she had to a friend on the ship, and despite knowing how tough he was she couldn't help but feel extremely worried. She only stopped her vigilance when the Captain ordered most of the crew to bed and Ben gently pulled her toward the sleeping quarters. She had an uneasy sleep, her mind drifting between Nathan and any other surprises the storm may unleash upon them.

Fortunately the storm passed with no other incidents. The morning was clear and bright, and Honey happily proclaimed that although Nathan may be out of action for a few days, he would soon make a full recovery. Judy visited him straight away and he told her that if she had any trouble, he would help her out no matter what state his back was in. After reassuring him that it shouldn't be necessary, she left to start her chores.

On deck she breathed in the post-storm scent and admired the now much calmer waters, feeling rather exhilarated at experiencing and surviving something as ferocious as last night. Her eyes wandered up the main sail which fortunately hadn't suffered much damage, but then her gaze fell upon the foremast. She went closer to it, confused at the sight. The wood that had been ablaze several hours ago had no burn marks at all. It was completely untouched.

She heard someone come on deck and turned around to see Honey stretching her arms above her head and taking in the relative serenity before her. She waved to Judy and joined her under the mast.

"We did well yesterday," she said, grinning at the mast with her hands on her hips.

"It's like it was never struck by lightning at all," said Judy, still bewildered.

"That's because the ship's undead," explained Honey. She went on when Judy gave her a look. "It's got some sort of enchantment upon it, which means it cannot be destroyed. Roughed up a bit, but not destroyed. It has to exist. We still have to protect it, though. The Black Paw may be undead, but the crew and cargo aren't."

"Undead?"

"Some witch or something must have done it," Honey answered, casually. "It was like this when we got it."

"Where did you get it?"

"Nick won it off another pirate." Honey chuckled at the memory. "He was very pleased with himself. The other guy? Not so much. Good thing this is the fastest ship on the sea."

Judy was feeling very uncertain. She had heard a lot of tales of the supernatural thanks to Jack and her books, but she was never sure if she actually believed them. Strange things happened at sea, of course, but magic? And now she was on a magic ship?

Honey gave another stretch. "I better make sure the idiot twins haven't slept in again." She walked back to the door. "I'll let you know how Nathan's getting along. Ah! Mornin' Cap'n!"

Captain Wilde stepped aside to let Honey through. Judy used this small distraction to run and grab her sponge and bucket before he could make his usual comments on the quality of her work. However, instead of the snide insult she was expecting, he coughed softly. Puzzled again, she turned her face towards him.

"Erm..." He looked nervous, and didn't seem able to look her in the eye. "I just wanted to say thank you for what you did yesterday."

What she did yesterday? Oh, that.

"It was no problem, really," she answered. "We may not get along, but I don't know many mammals who deserved to get squashed by a polar bear."

He gave a small huff of amusement and smiled slightly. "Still, I thought I should thank you."

Judy smiled back. "You're welcome, Captain."

He waved his paw and started to walk away. "Call me Nick. Everyone else does."

She tilted her head then smirked. "Does that mean you'll start calling me Judy?"

"No."

[piratethornton]

Pirates of the Clawribbean

Chapter 9: The Navy

Fandom: Zootopia

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Judy’s heart sank even lower. Bogo. Bogo. Ben’s superior. The one who had given him the map to protect. He had found them.

“They’re signalling us!” called out Bobby. "They're ordering us to surrender!"

Nick faltered for only a moment. “We can’t do that. We have to try and make a break for it. Honey!” He looked wildly around for the badger.

“I’m here, Cap’n!” she answered as she burst through the door with Yax, both of them holding bundles. Judy blinked as she recognised them as the mammal dummies she had found in the cargo a few weeks ago. She looked up at Nick with questioning eyes.

“We place them around the ship to make it look like there are more of us,” he explained. “We use it as a deterrent.”

“That’s not going to be enough to stop Bogo,” said Ben, as he watched Honey drag a fake wolf up the rigging and secure it.

“Well, what would be enough to stop him?!” snapped Nick.

Ben smiled sheepishly. “Surrendering?”

Nick slapped a paw to his head and was about to make a retort when the ship rocked furiously.

“They’re firing, Captain!”

“Are they?!” Nick shouted back to Bobby. “I hadn’t noticed!”

Another hit nearly knocked Judy over, and Nick grabbed her arm to steady her and Ben’s shirt to steady himself.

“There must be something you know about him that can help us!” he asked desperately when he let them go. “Do you want to get caught by him?!”

Ben’s terrified face stared down at Nick as his mouth tried to function. “I don’t want to get caught by him, but he’s never lost! He’ll keep going until...until...”

Nick growled angrily. “Get below deck and tell everyone to start firing back. Flash, you need to get us out of here!”

Another round of cannon blasts fired from Bogo’s ship, only this time instead of the hull they tore holes through the Black Paw’s sails.

“They’re trying to intercept,” shouted Bobby.

Judy ran to the side of the ship with Nick close behind. The naval vessel was heading to block the Black Paw’s path, and Judy couldn’t help but gaze in awe at its efficient and precise movements, its sheer power and majesty as it hurtled towards them.

“Wow,” she breathed.

“Well, I’m glad someone’s happy,” said Nick.

“Sorry,” replied Judy, apologetically. “Ever since I was a kitten I dreamt of working on a ship like that.”

“And now you’re going to be blown up by one. Isn’t life fantastic?”

“I thought this ship was undead.”

“The sails are new,” said Nick, gesturing to the heavily damaged black trappings, “and they’re kind of important when you want to escape from the Navy.”

“NICK!” yelled Finnick from across the deck. “IDEAS?!”

Nick gaped at him and at everyone else on deck. He rushed up to the helm.

“Flash, please tell me you can get us out of here,” he asked when he reached the sloth.

“I’m...doing...the best...I can...”

“That’s great - ”

“...given...the...circumstances.”

At that moment a cannonball whistled over their heads and landed in the sea beyond. In the time it took Flash to react to this and move his head to follow the cannonball’s trajectory, Bogo’s ship got dangerously close.

“No no no no no!” Nick wrestled with the wheel to make up for the distraction, but it was of no use. Flash’s claws were locked on tight. He looked up to the see the other ship coming up alongside them and the crew aboard it readying themselves for a takeover.

Nick jumped back down to the deck where his own crew were grabbing their swords. His eyes landed on Judy. “Carrots! Get below deck!”

“What?!” she shouted back incredulously.

“Get below deck, find Spots, and hide until this is all over!”

Her eyes widened in shock, then narrowed in anger. “I am not going to hide!”

“That is an order!”

She glared at him for a moment, then turned and marched through the door.

Mercifully the cannons had stopped firing, though this was likely due to the proximity of the naval ship alongside them. Pistols were now the weapon of choice, and Nick's crew dropped to the deck to avoid the bullets, while above them the dummies were torn to shreds. Nathan managed to draw his own pistol and raised himself just enough to start firing back.

"Nick," said the badger lying next to Nick with her hands over her ears. "I don't think we're going to win this one."

"We can try," responded Nathan gruffly as he fired another shot.

A couple of thumps caused Nick to raise his head. A lion and tiger wearing the blue uniforms of the Royal Navy had leaped across and landed on the deck of the Black Paw. They drew their swords.

Before Nick and the others could react, several other mammals had swung on to the ship and quickly surrounded Nick's crew. Everyone leapt to their feet as the boarders edged closer.

"Honey," Nick muttered out of the side of his mouth, "any gadgets on you?"

"Nothing useful," she replied.

A loud growl sounded from Nathan as he swung his sword threateningly at an encroaching grizzly bear who responded in kind. While Nick knew that Nathan could easily dispatch a few naval officers, even on a bad day, he also knew that they were grossly outnumbered. Honey was right. They couldn't win this one. He had been too careless, thinking the Bearmuda Triangle would protect them from patrolling naval ships. He should have remembered the warning Judy gave him about the Navy searching for her and the map. He had gotten too cocky, and now his crew were going to pay for it. With a heavy heart, he dropped his sword and raised his hands.

One by one his crew noticed his action and followed suit. Nathan was the last to comply, throwing his sword down with a snarl and keeping his teeth bared. Once the naval crew were satisfied with their surrender, one of the wolves signalled to his ship and a gangplank was lowered to create a bridge.

As they were escorted across the gangplank, Nick watched a rhino walk up to the helm to get Flash and a handful of wolves go through the door, presumably to search the lower decks for any remaining crew. Other than Judy and Ben, the only mammals below deck were Bucky and Pronk, who had been tending to the cannons, and Yax. Nick managed a wry smile as he imagined the surprise the wolves would receive when they reached the galley.

The smile soon vanished when he was stood in front of Captain Bogo. The enormous buffalo towered over the pirates, a solid unmoveable pillar wearing a pristine captain's uniform, his arms folded over his chest and his small eyes set in a calm fury. Nick had to fight the urge to gulp.

"Which one of you is the captain?" Bogo's voice was deep and measured.

The pirates shifted uncomfortably. They didn't say anything but inevitably each one of them glanced towards Nick. Bogo's gaze zoned in on the fox and his eyes narrowed. Nick sheepishly smiled back.

"How many more are below deck?" asked Bogo.

Nick swallowed. "Uhh..."

"You shut up!"

"No, you shut up!"

Everyone looked back to the Black Paw to see the two antelopes being brought up and led to the navy ship, predictably arguing over whose fault this was. Behind them was Yax escorted by two wolves, who seemed to have found a sheet to cover the Yak's modesty. Next to emerge was Ben, his body completely hunched over and his face full of shame. Finally the last wolf came up with a furious Judy struggling in his arms.

"Is this everyone?" asked Bogo when everyone had boarded.

"All except our pet Kraken," answered Nick, instantly regretting his quip when he heard a deep rumble from the buffalo.

The pirates were herded to a corner of the deck, with Judy being unceremoniously deposited in front of them.

"I can walk, you know!" she shouted at the wolf who had carried her. She stepped back when Bogo placed himself in front of the group.

"Welcome aboard the HMS Stampede," he said, his voice far from welcoming. "I'm happy to say you made the right choice in surrendering - "

"Judy?"

Bogo's head snapped to the voice that interrupted him. It belonged to a slightly portly rabbit wearing a scarlet jacket, and his wide brown eyes were fixed on Judy.

"Father?" Judy's mouth dropped open in shock and her ears rose slowly.

"Judy!" Governor Hopps raced forward and engulfed his daughter in a tight embrace, his eyes welling up with tears. "I'm so glad you're alive!"

Separated from her family for so long, Judy eagerly returned the hug with the same vigour.

"You're on a ship?!" she exclaimed when she pulled back.

"Don't remind me," Governor Hopps told her, suddenly looking ill. "I've been seasick ever since I stepped aboard this wretched thing!"

"What are you doing out here?"

"We came to find you of course."

Judy looked past her father to see James Buckington walking towards them, his face full of relief.

"When we heard the Cloverleaf had been attacked, we feared the worst!" Stuart gripped Judy's shoulders firmly but tenderly. "James and I set sail for Zootopia to get help and we bumped into Captain Bogo on the way. Seemed he was already trying to find you. Apparently Mister Clawhauser had some special document or something."

"A very special document," said Bogo, now glaring furiously at Ben.

The cheetah's ears lowered submissively. "I-I did my best, Captain - "

"Your best clearly wasn't enough!" snarled Bogo. "You, a representative of His Majesty's Navy, were entrusted with an item of great significance, and you let it fall into the hands of pirates!"

"I'm-I'm sorry - "

"Not to mention letting my daughter get kidnapped," added Stuart.

"Father!"

"He was supposed to be protecting you, Judy!"

"I'm fine!" Judy gestured at herself. "Look at me. I'm not hurt. Captain Bogo, he only gave up the map because he thought I was in danger. He never wanted to disobey your orders, I promise!"

Bogo stared at Judy for a moment then turned back to Ben. "We'll have a proper de-briefing later."

Ben nodded and lowered his head dolefully.

"How did you manage to find us out here?" asked Judy.

"The lemmings from the Cloverleaf gave us a description of the pirate ship," answered James. "We then sailed to Tortiger where Captain Bogo had a couple of informants. They said they saw a rabbit fitting your description with the captain of the Black Paw." James' eyes wavered disdainfully towards Nick before returning to Judy. "It also helped that two of his crew members had bragged about their destination whilst drunk off their horns."

Every pirate turned to glare at the two antelopes who had grown incredibly pale.

"This is all your fault!" Bucky snapped at Pronk.

"My fault?!" Pronk shouted back. "You were the one who blabbed!"

"You were the one who blabbed."

"You're the one who doesn't know when to shut up!"

"No, you shut up!"

"No, you shut up!"

"BOTH OF YOU, SHUT UP!" roared Bogo.

The antelopes' mouths clicked shut and they shrunk back in fear.

Bogo gave a huge snort then addressed the pirates. "You are now prisoners of His Majesty's Navy and your ship and cargo are in our possession. You will be transported to the city of Zootopia where you will be put on trial for piracy and any other crimes the Court seems fit to charge you with. During the voyage you will remain in the brig. If you are asked a question by myself or my senior officers, you will answer without hesitation or complaint. Failure to comply will result in immediate flogging. Do I make myself clear?"

Resigning themselves to their fate, the pirates turned the gaze towards the floor.

Judy was distraught. If she hadn't visited Tortiger, they may have had a better chance of not being found. And poor Ben. He had been terrified something like this would happen, he had kept warning her, and all she did was reassure him she wouldn't let anything bad happen. Now he was in serious trouble. He may lose his place in the Navy, or worse. The treasure would be confiscated by the Crown so she could no longer use it to pay off her family's debt. And the pirates. They didn't deserve this! Well, they were pirates, but after weeks of living and working with them, Judy knew they weren't evil. They had looked after her, fed her, treated her as one of their own, and given her the experience of a lifetime. They'd never hurt anyone if they could help it. They only wanted to make their way in the world, whether it was seeking fortune or adventure. They were good mammals, and now they were going to be put on trial and punished to the full extent of the law.

She looked at Nick, who stared blankly at the floor, devoid of hope. He only became a pirate because foxes were supposed to be villains.

Her eyes flicked towards James, and an idea struck her.

"James. I need to ask you something."

The young buck smiled brightly at her. "Anything, Judy."

She led them a short distance away from Bogo and the pirates. Her father, curious, followed them.

"I need your help," Judy stated.

James' brow furrowed in concern and he nodded.

"Those pirates, it's true they took me aboard their ship against my will, but they never hurt me. They gave me food and a bed, and we became good friends." She smiled softly at James. "I know it's hard to believe, but it's true. I can't let them be punished after all they've done for me. It wouldn't be right."

James made a confused but sympathetic face. "Judy, they're pirates..."

"And good mammals!" Judy said in earnest, clasping at his hands. "Please. I can't let them be locked up or...or..."

Growing more uncomfortable by the second, the buck's gaze flickered between Judy and the pirates, who were now being put in shackles.

"It would be the most wonderful wedding gift you could give me."

With an almost audible spring, James' ears flew up to full height. His eyes were wide, his nose twitched and his whole body was rigid.

"Judy?" said Stuart, just as astonished. "You're accepting James Buckington's proposal?"

She swallowed and continued staring at James with pleading eyes. "Yes."

James was frozen for several seconds as his ears burned redder than Judy had ever seen them. Eventually he brought himself back to the present and after giving Judy a firm nod, he marched towards Bogo.

"Ahem!" he said loudly in order to gain the buffalo's attention. He jumped back when said buffalo suddenly whipped his head towards him. "Uh - uh - I want these pirates released immediately!"

Everyone, even Bogo, blinked in confusion.

"Keep your nose out of my business, bunny," growled Bogo, turning away.

James, embarrassed and at a loss, looked around for help. His eyes landed on Judy.

"You can do it!" she mouthed at him.

James found his resolve once more and raised his voice. "I, Sir James Buckington, son of Lord Henry Buckington, esteemed member of the Royal Court, hereby order that these mammals are released and allowed back on their ship. I have it on good authority that they are of strong moral character and are undeserving of this arrest."

Bogo looked at James with a bored expression on his face. "I don't care."

"You'll care when my father hears about this!"

"Did he really just say that?" a disbelieving Honey muttered to her fellow crewmates.

"My father is on very good terms with the king," continued James. "Once I tell him of this travesty, he can make life very difficult for you. You'll be demoted so fast...your horns will fall off!"

This last remark caused everyone watching to make a face, all in various states of confusion. Nick locked eyes with Judy and jerked his head towards James as if he was trying to say 'That's your fiancé?' Judy could only shrug helplessly in reply.

Bogo shook his head to compose himself before speaking. "They are criminals - "

"And Lady Judy is alive and well because of them," James interrupted. "I owe them a debt of gratitude. I will talk to my father and the king so you suffer no repercussions, and any treasure they have found - yes, I know the document was a treasure map - you can present to His Majesty yourself."

"Hey! We stole that map fair and square!" shouted Bucky before grunting in pain as Bobby elbowed him in the stomach.

The buffalo and rabbit stared at each other, the latter hiding his hands behind his back so Bogo couldn't see them shaking. Though to James' credit, his eyes remained firm and his ears erect.

Everyone gathered waited with bated breath. Judy found her father's hands and gripped them tightly. He squeezed back reassuringly.

After an eternity, Bogo finally sighed. "The pirate ship and cargo are the Navy's property and will be taken to Zootopia. We will release the pirates off the shore of Tortiger along the way. Until then, they will remain in the brig. The threat of flogging in retaliation for lack of cooperation still stands. That is my final offer." He looked about the ship, daring anyone to challenge him.

"Works for me, Cap," piped up Nick, his usual smirk back on his face. "I trust someone will be along shortly to take our dinner orders?"

"Get them out of my sight," snapped Bogo.

The pirates were immediately escorted below deck. Judy managed to share a sad smile with Nick before he disappeared from view.

Once the pirates had gone, James made his way to Judy and her father, looking very pleased with himself.

"Thank you so much, James," said Judy when he reached them.

"You're very welcome," he replied, graciously. "Why don't you go to my cabin and freshen up a bit? It's been a trying day."

"She can use my cabin," said Stuart. "I'll have an extra bed made up for her. This way, Judy." He began leading Judy away. She didn't complain.

"Of course, Sir," James called after them.

Just as they were about to go below, Judy waved at Ben who was standing to the side not sure what to do with himself. He waved back, trying to smile encouragingly.

When they reached the cabin, Stuart left Judy to her own devices and went back up to the main deck. Judy collapsed face first on the bed and curled herself up into a ball, her eyes closed and her heart aching.

A few hours later there was a knock at the door which caused Judy to open her eyes.

"Judy, it's me," came her father's voice.

"Come in," she replied, sitting up.

Stuart entered holding a tray of food and wearing a warm smile. Behind him was a rhino in Navy garb carrying two suitcases Judy recognised as her own.

"I've brought dinner," Stuart said, placing the tray on a nearby table. "They found your belongings on the other ship. They would have brought them on sooner if they weren't so distracted by the treasure." He shot the rhino a annoyed glance. The rhino simply snorted in response and left the room, closing the door behind him.

The mention of treasure caused Judy's stomach to twist uncomfortably and she looked at her meal. Both the cutlery and platter were silver, and sitting in the bowl was some hot soup. It smelt absolutely divine, especially considering her diet for the last few weeks.

"You go ahead and eat up," Stuart told her, sitting next to her on the bed. He had a kind, parental look on his face which gave Judy an immense sense of security as well as guilt.

She brought the tray closer to her and slowly began eating. Though she was hungry and the soup was, as she had guessed, delicious, she could not bring herself to guzzle it down.

"Do you want to tell me what happened?" her father asked gently. "You don't have to if you don't want to. Knowing you're alive and safe is enough."

Judy swallowed her mouthful and laid the spoon down. "The pirates attacked the Cloverleaf. They were after the map. Ben said that it led to treasure and I offered to translate it for a share. I thought I could pay off the debt."

Stuart took a deep breath. "That was...very risky, Judy - "

"I know."

There was a moment of silence. "You must have had quite the adventure," said Stuart.

"Yes, I did," replied Judy, a ghost of a smile gracing her face.

"And the pirates treated you well?"

"Yes."

Stuart nodded a couple of times before silence settled again. Suddenly, Judy gave out a shuddering sob.

"Judy!" Stuart placed a paw on her shoulder.

"I'm so sorry!" she cried, wiping her eyes. "It's all my fault. If-if I hadn't - "

"Now, now," he consoled, pulling her into a hug. "You did what you had to do. Clawhauser told me about the deal. If you hadn't done anything, they may have killed both of you."

"But they wouldn't have! They're-they're not killers. If I had just - "

"You didn't know at the time, and you wanted to help your family - "

"I wanted to get out of the wedding! I never thought about the consequences; what would happen to Ben, or you, or the others. I was enjoying myself too much! And now Nick's lost his ship, and Ben's in trouble, and you and mother must have been so worried - !"

"Oh, Judy..."

"If I wasn't such a selfish rabbit!"

Stuart pulled back just enough to look at his daughter. "There's nothing wrong with wanting freedom. And I know it's been hard for you not being able to pursue your dreams as you should. You've done so much in the last few weeks and I couldn't be prouder. Since the moment you were born I knew you were something extra special, and to this day I have trouble believing how two boring rabbits can have such an amazing daughter."

Judy sniffed and stared at him with wide eyes. "Really?"

"Worthy of the Owsla of El-ahrairah himself."

Judy sobbed again and fell back into her father's embrace. She chuckled a little when she felt her father join in her weeping.

Night fell upon the two ships sitting on the still waters. Bogo ordered the anchor dropped shortly after the battle ended since the wind was not in their favour, and the rest of the day had consisted of exploring the Black Paw and cataloguing its contents. Those not on night duty began to settle in for bed, and those that were quietly paced the Stampede's decks, though expectations of anything untoward happening were considered low, even if there were a gang of pirates aboard.

The pirates in question were currently held in the brig, a handful of cells along a dark passageway which were in much better condition than the one on the Black Paw, though was still a fairly dreary place. The crew had two cells between them, one for larger mammals and the other for medium-sized mammals, and all sat despondently on the benches or on the floor.

Honey, wanting to finally end the silence, cleared her throat. "Well, things could be worse. At least we won't be executed."

Finnick snorted. "We got no ship, we got no treasure, and we're gonna be dropped off at Tortiger by a freakin' Navy vessel. What 're the other pirates gonna think? What're they gonna do? What if that boar's waitin' for us?"

"Nick'll think of something," replied Honey, turning to the fox with his head in his paw. "He always does."

"Yeah, like how he thought having that bunny aboard our ship was a good idea," sneered Bucky.

"We wouldn't have found the treasure without her!" countered Pronk.

"And now we won't be able to keep any of it!"

"We know where the rest is. We can just go get some more!"

"The map's still on the Black Paw! The Navy will find it and claim the island before we can get another ship!"

"The map's in code. They won't be able to read it!"

"All they need is a rabbit who speaks lapine, you idiot!"

"Don't call be an idiot, idiot!"

"Shut up, you moron!"

"No, you shut up!"

Nick quickly tuned out their riveting conversation. He felt he should be grateful they had come out of their ordeal as well as they did, and in truth he was grateful, but he couldn't help feeling dejected. His ship, his pride and joy, had been wrenched away from him as well as the treasure they had found. And if the Navy did manage to find the island there would be no hope for him claiming any more of the gold.

He and his crew had been so excited about the treasure, and he had let them all down.  He used to be so careful, only performing small acts of piracy to avoid unwanted attention, but Captain Maul's treasure had been too great to resist, and getting his hands on it was all that mattered. Of course the Navy would be hunting them. Of course they would want to get their map back at any cost. Of course Judy had mammals who would brave the Bearmuda triangle just to find her.

Nick let out a silent sigh. He had really grown fond of that rabbit. A few weeks ago he never would have believed he would actually like having her on his ship. A small smile formed as he thought of her. Feisty, determined, a natural talent for seafaring, and he couldn't deny that a friendship had been growing between them. He wondered if he would ever see her again after this. Probably married to that James Bucksworth, or whatever his name was, maybe with a litter or two in tow. The visual image he conjured up didn't suit her, but there wasn't much he could do about it.

All he could do right now was see where the tide took them.

The jaguar standing guard on deck searched the horizon, silently cursing the sudden mist for hindering his night vision. Abrupt weather changes were to be expected in this part of the ocean, but it didn't mean he had to like it. He had just about resigned himself to staring at nothing until dawn, when he felt something flutter past his head. He turned sharply to seek out the source of the disturbance, however could see nothing out of the ordinary. The ship was quiet, and he was all alone save for a handful of guards stationed around the deck.

After a few moments of searching, he shook his head and resumed his post. Probably a confused seagull, he thought.

Once the jaguar turned his face back to the sea, a small dark shape flew from its hiding place and continued its inspection of the ship. It completed several circles, counting the guards and sneaking glances through the portholes. When it was satisfied, it flew away from the ship, beating its wings as fast it could, wanting to limit its time over the open water. At long last its destination was within reach, and it headed straight for the helm where its captain was waiting.

"Well?"

"It's been taken over by the Navy," answered the bat. "Most of the crew are sleeping, only a few guards stationed on both ships. They're not expecting anything. Nick and his mammals are in the brig."

"And the map?"

"The captain was reading it in his quarters. It's in some sort of code."

The boar nodded. "Inform the crew, and prepare yourself for the next step. Tonight we take what is rightfully ours."

The bat took off whilst the boar looked back towards where he knew the two ships were sitting. It was only a matter of moments before blood, revenge and good old-fashioned plundering. He smiled as he thumbed his sword. Yes, this night would be a fruitful one.