In the distance, Kaimana was rowing a boat with Sasha not too far in sight. They already began moving away from shore. There was one more sailboat left tied to the dock.

"Get Bluey on the boat with you," Mei commanded as she untied the boat.

Sable gently ushered Bluey to the boat whom seemed frightened at first by the rocking motion of the boat. Sable sat down and the feline lay down beside her.

"Don't worry, Bluey," Sable spoke softly, calming the nervous alacat. "It'll be fine."

Bluey relaxed her ears and body, being soothed by Sable's voice. She had been in water before but never on a moving boat. This would be her first experience.

Mei got on the boat and prepared it for sail. The boat started to move into the sea.

Bluey jumped, her eyes dilating, at the movement of the boat. Sable had to hold the feline down.

"Her first time?" Mei asked, feeling sorry for the frightened alacat.

Sable nodded. "She's brave though, so she'll get used to it. I remember she was first frightened by the waves of a beach, and now she loves swimming in beaches."

Mei smiled with amusement. "I never knew giant felines can be like domestic cats."

"They are almost the same thing," Sable began, "giant cats are just bigger and wilder."

Sable looked back toward the Tameka Forest and Lesendi, hoping the soldiers would not search for them at shore. 

"Why are you trying to protect me?" Sable asked, looking away from the knightess. "Do you feel sorry for burning down my home?"

Mei flushed as she was reminded of her guilt. "I am greatly sorry for being responsible for that, but it was an order from the queen to burn the forest. I did not know your home was there."

Sable sighed, staring at Mei's apologetic glacier blue eyes. The ranger never wanted any of this to happen—she returned to the cottage in Tameka Forest to be welcomed back home, not to see her home burned down. It was very depressing to live with the fact that her childhood memories of being raised by her grandmother were extinguished in a forest fire. Now she was being chased by soldiers.

"My duty is to serve my queen and her people," Mei continued quietly. "If I'm given an order by her, I do it. The queen trusts me to do anything she asks for her kingdom. But you are also a citizen, so I must protect you as well because you did nothing wrong. The people of Lesendi would think you did something wrong, so you need to be safe from them." Mei did not blame Sable for accusing her to be a cold-blooded knight after what she did for destroying her home due to the queen's orders. Rangers lived an isolated life from civilization, so they were unaware of the city's economy and military, seeing forests as their homes.

Sable listened intently, feeling unsure what to think about the knightess. Mei was too humble and noble to be serving Queen Fajra. The queen was a greedy woman, wanting to destroy forests to build glorious cities. She did not care at all for nature and the creatures that inhabit them. The lives of many forests were dying because of her orders. Sable looked over to Bluey, noticing the alacat had taking a liking to Mei.

Maybe Mei is a good person, Sable thought. Bluey knows which humans are good and bad. 

"Aren't you going to get in trouble for helping me escape?" Sable asked.

Mei shrugged. "I'll figure something to tell the queen." The knightess knew that Queen Fajra liked her, a bit too much, however. Being the queen's pet gave her advantage and power over the rest of the knights.

The black-haired knight squinted, losing Kaimana's boat into the sea. She was gone, but Mei knew where she was heading to—Coconos Island. It was the nearest island from land which is probably where the prisoner's native home.

Sable was following Mei's gaze. "Are you going to go after her?"

"No," Mei decided. "But we will end up sailing to Coconos Island where she's heading to. You'll be safer there temporarily."

Sable sighed with relief that the knightess was going to let Kaimana go. Maybe she isn't so bad after all.

The sky grew drearier when no clouds in sight. The heaviness of rainfall escalated in mere minutes, stirring the Oculis Sea wide awake. The waves rose higher and crashed violently against their boat.

"I think a storm is coming," Sable said quietly, hugging Bluey closer to her. The boat was getting rockier, unnerving Bluey. The alacat's copper eyes dilated, knowing the danger ahead.

Mei looked back and forth between the direction of Coconos Island and the shore which was no longer in sight. "I think it's a bit too late to go back to shore," Mei began. "We are already sailing in the middle of the sea. And even if we did go back, you'll be found." There were probably many soldiers now looking for Sable and the prisoner. If there was a storm, it did not unnerve the knightess. Mei had sailed many times before during storms, even tough ones. However, they were in a small sailboat, so it did pose a bigger risk in a big storm.

Sable and Bluey looked worried, but Mei had to keep them feeling secure. 

"We'll be fine," Mei told Sable, getting up to raise the sail higher. "If the winds get tougher, you'll have to tie yourself to the boat and hold onto Bluey. We don't want your cat to go missing in the sea."

Sable laughed dryly. "I can imagine how that can go…" She found long pieces of rope by her boots and tied the rope firmly to the boat and looped it around her wrist. Sable also tied another rope to loop around one of Bluey's paws.

The winds blew harder, and Mei tugged the sail. The boat was moving faster against the high waves as some water made its way inside the boat.

"Try to make sure water isn't filling up the boat," Mei shouted, tugging the sail again. Her blue cape was flapping wildly behind her with the sail against the wind. "Do you see a pail anywhere?"

Sable scanned the boat floor quickly, noticing a pail in the corner. "Yes, I see one!" She quickly grabbed the pail and tried to scoop out all the water. At the same time, Sable kept a close eye on Bluey. The alacat was purring loudly in fear as she lay down, clawing onto the floor in attempts to keep her footing and not fall off the boat.

A large wave moved toward them, shaking the boat. Sable dropped the pail, holding tightly to the rope. It was getting impossible to get all the water out because it was filling up the boat too quickly. The ranger moved toward Bluey to hold onto her.

Mei was focused on holding the sail together against the wind. It was getting more difficult to control their boat in the storm, but the knightess was trying her best to manage it.

A larger wave rolled in, making the knightess stumble back into a fall. Mei almost slipped off the boat, but her hand caught a rope.

Sable was relieved the knightess did not fall off the boat. She helped Mei back up to her feet.

"I think the boat is doing okay now," the ranger said. "You should sit down with us until the storm calms."

Mei nodded and sat down next to Sable and Bluey. All of them were soaking wet from the rain. Mei moved her wet black bangs out of her face and used her cape to shield all three of them from the rain. It was not the perfect umbrella, but it would do.

Sable felt uncomfortable and sticky in her clothes. They were making her feel colder, so she cuddled closer to Bluey.

Fewer violent waves rocked the boat back and forth as time passed. Water had reached up to their calves. Rainfall was soon slowing down to fewer droplets as the storm showed signs of receding.

Mei kept her eyes awake to scan the sea. Her attention moved to her right shoulder where Sable's head suddenly thudded softly on. Mei found herself blushing at Sable falling asleep on her with Bluey. Mei had never been that close to a woman before. She moved closer to Sable to keep her warm.