Inspired by the Sea of Thieves concept art of a cat released a while back (pictured below), I really wanted to make one
So here he is....... FINALLY! (He was made by a slow process of needle felting wool)
And here is his story...
Dagger Tooth was a bustle of activity, traders selling their wares, crews coming and going as well as the occasional outburst heard from the direction of the local tavern. It was early morning but already the Bonny Badger was pulling up to the jetty.
The captain, a big stocky man with a wooden leg and bright red beard was the first to disembark. “Look lively mateys” he bellowed. His crew followed the order, making their way down the wooden jetty. Amongst them a scrawny fellow covered in tattoos, a solid dark-haired lad and a young blonde lass bearing a deep scar across her cheek.
They each made their way with purpose while the captain paced impatiently. His missing leg was the result of a shark attack a long time ago but that is another story entirely. His crew knew better than to bring it up and despite his maimed leg and fear of sharks he was a fair man and well respected.
He raised his head as the blonde lass came back into view, fished out something from her pockets and threw it at the ground. “Ashton! …” but then he stopped, what was the point; she glanced over with a smirk and then back to the little cat that had slunk its way out of hiding. The little cat quickly grabbed the food eyeing her cautiously before setting about to eat it. He was a small grey cat with many scars. She watched him for a bit and then picked up the barrel of supplies, making her way back to the ship.
“ye should stop encouraging ye cat” The captain barked. Ashton just shrugged and dumped the barrel down below deck. Cats often frequented the outposts scavenging for food and she probably didn’t help the situation but she had grown attached to this little one. When the rest of the crew soon arrived the captain gave the order to set sail.
Now you must know that pirates are a superstitious bunch and no more so than Captain Redman. When all was well, it was a good omen but when things weren’t then it usually foretold of bad things to come.
It was the fourth night at sea when their tattooed lookout spied a shadowy figure streak across the deck. He raced down the crow’s nest to raise the alarm but stopped, hand on the bell listening for any more noise, nothing. Strange, he searched around the deck and then popped his head down below but all was as it was, the others were sleeping soundly. He was about to go back to his post when he noticed a dead rat lying outside the captain's door. A rat was nothing strange to see but this one was dead with fresh blood still seeping out of its neck.
The captain’s light was on so he knocked on the door. "Captain, something is awry. There be some sort of creature aboard" and he showed the Captain the rat. The Captain just shook his head "Ye cat!" He growled and stormed out of the cabin.
On deck the sea had calmed the others must have noticed it too as they came up from below. The captain forgetting his exasperation looked up at the sky, pitch black with no stars and the occasional flash of lightening in the far distance. "I don' like the feeling of this".
There was a heaviness and faint scent to the air, a scent you couldn’t quite put a finger to. They all heard it though, soft and soothing. It filled their senses, calmed their movement, an intoxicating lullaby.
Then all of a sudden another sound cut through their consciousness, a high pitched yawl. It was enough to snap the Captain back to his senses in time to grab the wheel. The little cat continued to growl fixated on a dark patch of sea. The others came to and tended the sails.
Becalmed as they were they would not be moving fast. “Block ye ears!” the captain yelled.
Time seamed to stand still, each of them cupped their ears watching the little cat on deck. He stood tense, teeth bared, ears pulled back and tail twitching. For what seemed an eternity he remained poised then as a breeze ruffled his fur he raised his head to sniff the air. The wind began to pick up and everyone's heads turned to the billowing sails. Ashton glanced back down to where the cat had been but he was no longer there.
Sailing for hours they did not stop. The dark –haired lad, Isaac, eventually relieved the captain from the wheel and he retired back to his cabin to check the maps. Ashton took over watch and their tattooed crew mate Fitz went below deck.
It was only when light began to dawn on the horizon did they speak. "You reckon the captain will let ye keep that cat?" Isaac asked. Ashton just shrugged; probably not likely, he never had a great love of cats.
Sure enough when they returned to Dagger Tooth the Captain ordered they release the little cat, having caught it in an ammo box. The little cat however had other ideas and somehow found its way back on-board. It accompanied them on many journeys after that and even the Captain became somewhat fond of him. Well until it decided to use his wooden leg as a scratching post that is. “Yecats!!!” he would yell, and so that is what they named him. He had mischievousness to him and was either getting into trouble or proving his worth finding treasure or sensing danger; and not to mention he had saved their lives that night.
