


Cold.That was all Moses felt. Pure, unforgiving cold that overcame his body like a spreading poison. It seeped through his fur, nipping at his skin and stabbing at his heart. He could feel the water pulling at his fur, taste the salt that sprayed his face and shot up his nose and mouth. He could hear the waves crashing all around him and the shrieks of seagulls flying overhead. He could smell the ocean, the wind, the salt. But all he could see was darkness.

"Moses!"
Moses's eyes snapped open at the sound of a light, smooth voice that called out to him. Turning to face the approaching kalon, he could feel his heart quicken and his body tense. Why did he always have this reaction around her?
"Calypso," he cooed in response to the female. She bore silvery fur that glistened in the sun. Her eyes were a deep blue-green, but specks of white, like waves, softened them. She was a walking sea, as he loved to call her, and her smile was the promise of smooth sailing.
"You mustn't be so quick to doze, you know," she continued, her lips pulling up in gentle mischief. Moses turned his head to follow her as she circled around him, his gaze and attention spent on her alone. "Sharks could attack at any moment."
Moses let out a soft chuckle at her words. Many kalons would be intimidated by Calypso; with a sharp tongue and sharper appearance, her first impression was usually one of danger. But Moses could see through her playful jabs and narrowed gaze. At her core, beneath the troubled waves of fur and stormy eyes, she was warm-blooded like no other, and her heart was a treasure waiting to be unlocked. And from the moment he had met the fiery kalon, Moses had known that he would be the one to unlock it.
"And how might a shark reach us here, my darling?" Moses teased. The two were aboard a sturdy, oak ship that had set sail two weeks ago. With the mission of transporting merchandise, Moses had found himself on the ocean for the first time in his life, and it was everything he'd dreamed of. A painting of blues and greens that stretched as far as the eye could see on all directions, the sea was Moses's chance for adventure. It was his opportunity to break away from his dull life at home and see the world for what it really was, and what it could be. Calypso had not been part of the plan, but she was certainly a welcome addition.
"Do you dare argue with the captain?" Calypso retorted with a fake growl. As deadly as her glare was, Moses couldn't help but laugh at her words. Deep down, he knew she was in love with him, just as he was with her.
Before he had a chance to reply, however, the two were interrupted with a huge
crash!It seemed as though the entire world had tipped sideways. Within a matter of seconds, Moses had been ripped away from his balance, tumbling across the deck of the ship before slamming into a pole. Desperately using his claws to regain balance, Moses's head shot up to look for one thing: Calypso. He caught sight of her silvery fur at the side of the ship; rather than hitting a pole like he had, she had been thrown to the very edge. Moses called out to her through pants.
"Are you okay?" He cried.
"I'm fine," Calypso replied, eyes wide and fur bristled. "What happened?"
"Cannon!" Called an unknown crew member from the back of the ship. "We're being attacked by pirates!"

"It's your choice. Your sight, or the girl."
Moses could barely hear the voice through the ringing in his ears. His vision was foggy from the smoke and debris, but through the fuzzy shapes he could make out one thing clearly: two tear-filled blue-green eyes.
It had all happened within moments. Surprised and caught off guard, Calypso and her crew had been easily taken over by the fleet of pirates. With cannons flying through the sky like fireworks, their ship had been destroyed beyond repair. Now, as it sank, the crew was held captive by the pirates, and at the center was Calypso held at gun-point by a grisly captain with a nasty scar.
Moses had known the answer before the words had left the captain's mouth. It was her. It had always been her.
"Do it," he said solemnly. "My eyes have no use if they cannot see the one I love."
A swift knock to the head with a rifle sent Moses down to his knees, and he watched as the captain drew his sword. With each step the captain took towards him, Moses forced himself to memorize a different feature of Calypso's face. Her eyes, her nose, her whiskers, her mouth, her fur. It was all burned into his mind. So when the Captain struck and the light faded from his eyes, he was met with her face in the darkness.
"Throw him overboard, and take the girl."

Two years have passed since that day. When Moses washed ashore, his wounds were treated, but he was informed that his vision would be lost forever.
However, his love for Calypso has not yet passed. In an attempt to find his long-lost maiden, Moses formed his own crew of pirates to sail the seas, pillaging every ship in hopes of hearing her voice.

Author's Note: I really, truly apologize for how short/rushed this story is. There's so much more that I'd like to do with it, such as background and an "in-the-future" type thing, but I was worried about when this contest would close. Please know that if I win, the story will be developed further. <3