"I would have liked to have invited them back to the ship," Doctor Newbury said wistfully.

"For study?" Shanku asked.

"Indeed," nodded Doctor Newbury.

"Much writing to do tonight then?" Shanku teased as they approached the ship.

"Oh, very much!" Doctor Newbury exclaimed. "What a wonderful day! Meeting Bhadarukians!"

"Bhada-wha?" Shanku asked as she sat on the deck railing of the Meriweather.

"Bhadarukia is the country to the east of L'aernth and is divided from us by Mruha," Doctor Newbury explained.

"Ah," Shanku nodded. "Not so common to see them then?"

"Not at all. Very few have left and even fewer have visited. Tales tell of great deserts and jungles full of all sorts of exotic creatures," Doctor Newbury said. "I hope to have a proper interview with a Bhadarukian someday."

The doctor bid the cub goodnight and went to his quarters. Shanku went down into the galley and curled up next to the potatoes.

"Oy, pup!"

Shanku looked around. "Templeton?"

"What are you doin' here by yerself, eh?" he asked as he came up from below decks.

"Doctor Newbury and I just came back from the city," Shanku explained and stood up.

"That's where I'm heading now," Templeton grinned.

"At this hour?" Shanku asked, bewildered.

"The day is far from over!" Templeton laughed. "Except for kids, I reckon you probably do need to be gettin' to bed."

"I'm plenty big enough to stay up with you," Shanku said matter-of-factly.

"Newbury would probably skin me alive if you came with me."

"What he doesn't know won't hurt us," Shanku grinned.

Templeton laughed and shook his head. He beckoned for Shanku to follow and Shanku soon found herself back in the city. She wondered just what could appeal to him at night when all the businesses were closed. Well, the shops. A few buildings were still open and lit. Templeton ducked into one and Shanku followed. The first thing she noted was just how loud it was inside. Promptly followed by the strange, sweetly sour smell.

"What is that?" Shanku asked and wrinkled her nose.

"Ale!" Templeton grinned.

Shanku looked up at him curiously, remembering the lengthy preachings of both Master Woodstock and Iris Birchfield regarding alcohol.

"Ah now, pup, don't give me that look," he said. "It's not as bad as some make it out to be."

"If you say so," Shanku shrugged.

Templeton sat down at a table and Shanku sat across from him. She looked around curiously. The wood was weathered and worn. Parts of ship gear adorned the wall, like old rigging, nets, and anchors. Most of the patrons there were other sailors present and Arnthians behind the bar. The ladies who served various drinks and meals were distinctly locals. Unsurprisingly, Shanku didn't see the captain among the crowd. There was a stage not far from the bar were various performers were singing or dancing, some human and some kurach.

One of the ladies came up to their table to take their order. Templeton ordered an ale but wouldn't let Shanku order anything stouter than a juice. She also asked for some of the cheese bread.

"Newbury really would skin me alive if he found out I let you have some at your age!" he said.

"What's the difference between my age and yours?" Shanku asked with a raised eyebrow. "We had wine all the time back in the Nyre, which is made from juice, you know."

"I'm supposed to be old enough to know better," Templeton grinned. "You're not."

Before long, the lady returned with their drinks and Shanku's snack. As Shanku nibbled on her cheesebread and Templeton sipped his ale, some more of their crew came to join them. Marley, O'Hare, and Clements sat with them, Patton, Ward, Kemp, and Arrington sat at the table nearby. Shanku saw Whitten off in at the bar by himself.

"How come he doesn't sit with us?" Shanku asked.

"After being stuck with the lot o' you for months, I'm wondering about doing that myself!" Kemp said.

"You're welcome to go join Whitten," Arrington teased.

"No thank ye, I need a break from Captain Surly," Kemp shuddered.

"Why is he so grumpy all the time?" Shanku asked.

"He wasn't always like that," Ward said. "Would you believe he once had a wife?"

"Hard to imagine anybody willingly being with that," Kemp replied.

"He was much different those days. More like the rest of us, although still a bit rough around the edges," Ward said.

"So what happened? Did she die?" Shanku asked and cocked her head to the side.

"Oh no, much worse," Ward shook his head. "Left him for a shore man."

There was a silence on the two tables and the sailors took a solemn drink.

"Huh?" Shanku asked as she pricked one ear forward and laid one ear back.

"It's hard for a sailor to find a wife. When we do, we're pretty happy about it. Takes a real woman to love a man always at sea. He came in after one trip to dote on her as all sailors do when they come home, to find some local clerk in his bed with her," Ward shook his head in disbelief. "A clerk! Twice the insult. Just some store hand. Not the owner of a shop, stable, or master of an estate."

"Well, may you all find ladies that like sailors," Shanku nodded. "And maybe sail with you like I do!"

"Oh, wouldn't that be a nightmare!" Arrington exclaimed.

Now Shanku was truly confused. "Why would you not want your wife on board?"

"It's just awkward," Arrington said uneasily. "You'll understand when you get older."

Shanku sighed exasperatedly. Her age certainly got in the way of her curiosity more often than she liked. "So how come you put up with me?"

"We don't have to answer to you, pipsqueak," Kemp teased. "A man can't handle taking orders from both captain and wife all day long."

Shanku gave him a sideways glare and the sailors laughed. The crew sat together and laughed and talked for a long time. When Shanku started getting sleepy and nodding off, Templeton took her back to the ship.

When Shanku woke up the next morning, she found the ship was nearly deserted. She amused herself for a while before she became lonely. Shanku looked around and found only Dawson. He was leaning up against the railing in the shade of one of the masts. Oddly, his hair wasn't down to his shoulders anymore. He had started tying it back off his neck. Presumably due to the wind and humidity.

"Where's the crew?" Shanku asked as she plopped down on a barrel next to him.

"In their bunks," Dawson said without looking up.

"At noon?" Shanku asked in surprise. The sun was quite high in the sky.

"They've been 'working' long nights lately," Dawson chuckled mischievously.

"Bah, I'm ready to go back into town," Shanku sighed.

"Me too," Dawson said. "Wanna come with me tonight?"

"Can we go now?" Shanku asked excitedly and flared her wings behind her.

"Sure, why not? Whitten's coming on deck right now," Dawson stood and stretched.

"Woohoo!" Shanku cheered and glided off the ship. She perched on one of the pier posts. "Can we go see the dancers?"

"I had intentions on it," he said mysteriously.

"I gotta show you my favorite one!" Shanku chirped as they walked through the market. Dawson said nothing and looked at her curiously.

"There she is, Dawson!" Shanku pointed as they came to the outskirts of town.

"Ah, Scarlet," Dawson nodded.

"Do ya know her?" Shanku asked.

"She used to be a barmaid at one of the local taverns. She would dance on stage with the other girls sometimes. We suggested that she do it full time out here with the others," Dawson said as he watched her. "She's always been very good at it."

Dawson and Shanku stood with the crowd and watched until Scarlet's final performance for the afternoon.

"Thank you, everybody! Goodnight!" She blew a kiss to the crowd and hopped off the stage.

"Good evening," Dawson said from behind the corner of the stage.

"Oh!" Scarlet exclaimed and turned to see who was talking to her.

"Dawson!" She exclaimed.

"Hello again," he grinned.

"It's been too long!" she yipped and hugged him tightly on her tiptoes. He was a good half-head taller than she was.

"Could I buy you a drink for old times?" Dawson asked as he bowed to kiss her hand.

"Of course!" Scarlet laughed. She nodded to the little cub standing to herself. "Who's your friend?"

"Shanku Ravenwing, Miss Scarlet!" Shanku introduced herself and bowed low. "Stowaway extraordinaire!"

Scarlet laughed. "Pleased to meet you, Miss Stowaway."

Dawson offered his arm to Scarlet and she looped her arm through his. The three made their way back to the main street through the city as shop keepers and stall vendors put away their wares for the night. Lights from the various restaurants and taverns shined brightly on the street. Dawson lead them into one of the taverns.

"Ah, this is where we met," Scarlet grinned. A server came by to take their orders. Scarlet decided to strike up a conversation while they waited for their meal to come. "So, what brings you back?"

"Work, as usual!" Dawson laughed and gestured around him.

"Have you considered staying on land for a season? Perhaps a winter here in Mruha?" Scarlet asked as she sat up a bit straighter.

"Sea's m'life," Dawson shrugged. "But I wouldn't mind spending more time here. The island's very warm and beautiful."

"I prefer solid ground a bit further north m'self," Shanku said as she slumped on the table. "Sea's too wishy washy and it's doggone hot."

"Heh, little land lover," Dawson chuckled.

"Yep!" Shanku chirped.

"So, that's a 'maybe' then?" Scarlet teased.

"Maybe!" Dawson grinned.

Scarlet and Dawson talked through the evening and long into the night. Eventually Shanku got tired of waiting on Dawson to take her back to the ship before the other customers got too rowdy and headed out herself. Dawson and Scarlet promptly disappeared as well. He would eventually arrive back at the ship around dawn and Shanku wondered how much conversation they had to catch up on.