Cinnamon Bun Chapter One Hundred and Sixty - You're Grounded, Young Lady

Chapter One Hundred and Sixty - You're Grounded, Young Lady

The sun was well on its way to setting by the ti we finally slipped over the Darkwoods and began to cross a wide open field, one filled with a myriad of foot-tall stumps.

Get ready to drop the anchors! Clive called across the deck.

Steve and Gordon were already at the anchors on both sides, hands grabbing onto the levers that would loosen the chanism holding them in place and let the iron weights fall to the ground below and hopefully grab onto sothing.

Awa! Awen called. Theres sothing over there!

I rushed over to her side of the ship and hung off the side to look out ahead. We were only a hundred or so ters away from the ground now, but we were still moving along at a decent pace.

I followed the direction Awen was pointing in and squinted.

Buildings out ahead! I shouted. Off to port!

Clive nodded. Aye! he replied.

I went back to hanging off the side of the ship, one hand holding my hat in place while my ears flopped back with the wind. The buildings out ahead werent anything impressive. A lot of long, low houses made of wood set in orderly rows, a couple of warehouses and one bigger building near the middle.

The machinery around it, and the presence of a large sawmill gave away their purpose. A lumber yard.

That explained all the cut-down trees, at least.

Drop the anchors! Clive said.

The engine roared, and the propeller started to spin in the opposite direction as usual.

The Beaver tilted strangely and pitched as we started to slow down.

With a great rattle, the anchors dropped, their chains jangling as they fell to the earth below.

Stow the sails! Clive said.

Every sail alongside the ship pulled in, taking away the Beavers great big wings that caught in the air.

I hopped over to one of those that needed to be manually stowed and started spinning its crank as quickly as I could.

Then, finally, with the snapping of ropes and the rumble of the engine, the Beaver ca to a lurching stop. The anchors caught onto sothing and the ship wobbled about for a mont before settling.

A glance over the edge showed that we were only a couple of dozen ters from the ground now.

The engine sputtered and choked off as Clive cut the gas. It was surprisingly quiet when there was no wind whipping at us and no engine rumbling away in the background. Lets crank him down, Clive said.

Steve and Gordon got to work winding up the chains leading to the anchors, and the Beaver started to lower his way down to the ground below. I wiped the back of a hand across my brow, then grinned over to Awen. We made it, I said.

Ah, I guess so, she agreed. That was a bit... a lot stressful.

I gave her a quick hug, because that was the best way to reduce stress. No worries, were safe now, I said. Im going to go check on Clive and the others.

Awen nodded a bunch, then gestured towards her cabin. Ill be down below, she said.

I waved her off as I skipped across the deck towards Clive. The older harpy was leaning on the wheel, looking quite tired. Ah, Captain, he said when I approached. That was a good bit of flying, if I do say so myself.

I nodded. Im really happy youre onboard, Clive, I dont think we would have made it down here in one piece without you.

Bah, Ive been in worse scraps. Mind you, I was a pinch younger then.

I can imagine, I said. Will the Beaver be alright now?

Aye, he should be just fine. If the weathers kind tomorrow morning we can take off and head down south. Ill have to look at the fuel for the engine. I think we burned through a chunk of it there. Still plenty in the bunker, but not as much as Id like for a trip as long as ours.

You ntioned Needleford earlier, I said.

Aye. Nice little port. Quiet and out of the way. Lots of lumber and the like passing through. Should be able to get a decent price on fuel there if you do the negotiating, he said.

? I asked. He knew a lot more about ships than I did.

He nodded. They dont like strange folk, and they think that harpies are mighty strange. Theyll be kinder to you.

Oh. That wasnt very nice at all. Not much we could do about it now though. I glanced up and to a sky turning orange. In an hour or two the sun would set and wed be wrapped in night. Well need to set up a rotation for the night, I said. You should get a full nights sleep though, your jobs too important to do half-awake.

If I was a few years younger Id protest, he said. But Ive learned better since. Ill take a nights rest if I can afford it.

Cool, I said. You certainly deserve it after the day weve had. I just hope that our next bit of flying is a lot smoother. And... and I'm sorry about leading us so badly off course. I didnt an to.

Clive waved the comnt away. Its fine, Captain. No one was hurt, and the worse that happened was that we got blown off course a fair way. Itll cost us a day in the long run, but thats all.

I nodded, then paused as I saw Steve looking over the side of the ship with narrowed eyes. Captain! he said.

You get so rest, I told Clive before jogging over. What is it? I asked.

I really didnt need to. The thing bothering Steve was painfully obvious. There was a group of humans heading our way, maybe a dozen in all.

They were on foot, all of them in rough work clothes and with axes by their sides. They had scruffy beards and looked to be a bit nervous as they took in the Beaver in all of his bright yellow glory.

Ah, darn. I think we landed in soones field, I said.

Should we prepare to pull the anchor? Steve asked.

I shook my head. Nah. Can you go get Amaryllis and Awen? And maybe tell mister Bastion too.

Aye, Captain, Steve said before running off.

I eyed the group for a bit. They were still a ways off. It would take a while before they arrived. They didnt look like they were out to cause trouble. Wed probably just spooked them by landing so close.

Running my hands down the front of my skirt, I made sure everything was nice and neat, then I adjusted my hat while placing one foot atop the railing.

I pushed so stamina into my leg, then shot out ahead and through the air. My feet ca out ahead in a wide V and I kept a hand atop my hat to keep it in place.

I landed a dozen ters away from the lumberjacks, rolled twice to bleed off so montum, then ca to my feet while pushing a bit of magic into my Cleaning aura to make sure my battledress stayed nice and presentable.

Doffing my hat, I brought it around with a flourish and pressed it over my chest as I bowed.

I think that maybe wearing such a feathery hat was making a bit theatrical. Hello, I said. Im Captain Broccoli Bunch, of the Beaver Cleaver, I said. I hope we havent landed on your field?

The lumberjacks all looked over to each other. They were big guys, all of them well-muscled and looking quite tough. I probably seed rather silly coming up to them with nothing while they had axes and such, but I wasnt there to fight.

They seed to elect a leader among their group, an older man with shrewd eyes and a beard that was turning grey at the edges. He stepped up past the rest of them and ca to a stop at the front of the group, the head of his axe thumping into the dirt.

Ahoy, he said. Pleasure to et you, Captain Bunch. Im, Edmund, of the East Mattergrove Companys Woodland Harvesting Division.

That was a mouthful for a company na. I nodded to him and placed my hat back on with only a bit of wiggling to fit my ears back into their holes. Neat. I hope we arent bothering you by landing here?

Not really, he said. At least, not for now. If you plan to stay, thats another story.

I shook my head. No, nothing like that. We got caught in a bit of wind over the Darkwoods, I said. It dragged us over here. The ships pilot is really good though, and managed to land us safely. Were planning on heading to Needleford tomorrow morning.

Understanding flashed in his eyes, and he gestured to his friends who all seed to calm down a bit more. The skies over the Darkwoods can be mighty dangerous, he said.

We sort of realized that, I said. It was my mistake that got us caught up in them, but it might be for the best in the end.

He nodded. Well, its one way to get to Needleford. Usually youd need to skirt near Port Royal then all along the Seven Points. Whered you hail from?

Fort Sylphrot, en route to the Bracklands, I said.

Edmund frowned at that. You went way off course then.

I smiled sheepishly. Oops?

He laughed once, a big barking thing, as rough as he looked. No matter. Most days Id say that you ought only keep a watch overnight. But weve been having troubles lately. Dryads in the woods have attacked our camp a few tis. Weve... negotiated a sort of peace, but its cobweb-thin.

Dryads? I asked. Id only ever t one dryad. Oak had been nice. Especially his chin. How co theyre causing trouble? And if youre at peace with them, why is it so thin?

Edmund rubbed at his chin. Its a bit of a long story, I think. Just so nasty business thats blown up into nastier business. Now we have officials from the East Mattergrove Company here to sue for peace, but its not going so well.

Huh, thats unfortunate, I said. I t a dryad once, he was actually kind of nice.

He looked at strangely. Nice? Never t creatures more tenacious and violent than those walking trees. Good warriors, so of them. Ill give them that. But nice isnt how Id describe them.

I shrugged. Maybe wed t different dryads, or maybe theyd t so under different circumstances.

If you want, captain, you could dine with the gentlefolk from the company. I'm sure theyd appreciate so company that aint as rough as us.

I glanced over to the Beaver and saw that Amaryllis had made her way down already. Surprisingly, Bastion was with her, and there was a rope ladder extending down the side all the way to the ground, with Awen climbing down rung-by-rung.

You know, that might be nice, I said. We have a bit of good food aboard. If you guys have a couple of good cooks we could make a big al of it.

Edmunds eyebrows rose up. Ive never had bun food, but Ive heard good things about it. I wouldnt say no to a al that isnt sothing we foraged here mixed with so oats.

I grinned up at the man. Then we can call it a little party. I love making new friends! And maybe you can tell about your dryad problem. I havent spent all that much ti around the tree folk, but I can maybe lend a hand.

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