The moment you set out from your crouched hiding place, a voice crows "I knew it!" and you feel a vice-like grip on your shoulder.
You prepare to scream or fight or something to get away, but before you can move a muscle, you're being pulled back into the shelter of the crates behind you, and the voice is hissing urgently, "SHHH! Shut up, shut up -- okay? I'm not gonna hurt you, just listen to me for a moment."
Finally, you manage to lock gazes with your "attacker" and the first thought you have is that well... if he is a pirate... he's certainly a young one.
He's dressed in ill-fitting clothes with a dusty cap and worn working gloves. He sort of grins and cocks his head at you when he realizes you're looking him over. "Sorry about that. But since you're soaking wet I figure you probably came down the well, so I've been waiting around to see if I could get a look at you. I almost gave up and thought I'd imagined you. But you happened to dart out towards the tunnels about two seconds before I headed back to the ship. Look... I got a favor to ask. We'll call it a trade, I bet you're looking to get out of here, right? I'll tell you how, if you'll do something for me..."
Before you can say anything or agree to this arrangement, the pirate bends down, pulls a sack from behind a large chest, and very carefully unties the cord keeping it shut. As he tugs at the opening, a little mewing sound reaches your ears. Then he stands up with a kitten in his arms... with a set of bat wings and a scorpion tail?
"I need you to take this little thing with you," He pleads. "Look, I'm just a skipper around here. They'll just laugh me off the ship if I tried to do anything. Probably throw me in the Deep for kicks. But they want to take this critter and put it on an auction block. Think it's really endangered or something... supposedly they make good guard animals because of the stinger and being really loyal types and all." The skipper shakes his head. "Don't wanna see this little thing go to the highest bidder, y'know? It's just a baby. Think you can take it off my hands?"
He settles the creature in your arms, and it immediately begins to purr. With a laugh, he points towards the tunnels and gives you some basic instructions. You nod along, trying to remember everything he says.
"Anyways. That's about it. The portal down there is one-way back to your world, and the well is one-way here. There's a bunch of other ones and this little thing might be able to help you find them if you raise 'em right. Since you got through once you're guaranteed to be able to do it again." He tips his hat at you and turns away. "I gotta go. If they catch me then we'll both be in trouble."
You watch the skipper leave and take a deep breath, then make for the tunnels as fast as you can. Turn right, then left, then right again. You find the portal with ease, and look down at the sleeping bundle in your arms.
Maybe you can come back someday. And taking care of this little creature is sure to be an adventure unto itself. But for right now, at least you've found a way home.
💚🧡💚🧡
