Iguanatopia - ONC 2021 (Completed)

13: Capybaratopia

The crew of the Estrella was greeted by the animal inhabitants of the second island before they even stepped ashore. They looked like bobbing furry potatoes in the water. Curiously and peacefully, the capybaras nudged against the hull of the dinghy and sniffed outstretched hands, probably hoping for a snack. Luckily Alba had brought that very thing. She opened a sack of turnips and threw the delicious white vegetables in front of the animals. After cautiously smelling the serving of novel snacks, the biggest of the animals dug into the greenery on top of a turnip and the rest of the animals soon joined the feast as well.

Knowing the taste of her lizard companion, Alba had, of course, made sure to save a delicious treat for Ignacio. She dangled it in front of the iguana who quickly snatched it out of her hand. While the waves washed them to shore, still surrounded by capybaras, the lizard happily munched on his treat beside her.

This beach was also made of rock, but the cliffs weren't jagged and sharp. Instead, they were smooth and rounded. Worn down by the tides of time into soft shapes.

When they stepped ashore the crew found themselves standing inside a big cave, with holes that let the daylight in and water trickling down the sides. And everywhere were capybaras. Most of the animals sat in shallow pools while the water trickled down on their heads, chilled out in euphoric bliss. Not much could get a capybara riled up. A few smaller animals skittered around on the rocks, wrapped up in some kind of capybara version of playing tag. Ignacio looked on with keen interest, perhaps he wanted to join the game.

"What do we do now?" Pedro asked as he sat down on a round stone. Since they hadn't gone back to the ship after visiting the first island he hadn't been able to repair his pegleg, which meant walking wasn't easy for him. He absentmindedly petted a capybara on the head, as if it was a kitty.

"I guess we'll look for another stone," Alba replied with a shrug and touched the bag that hung to her belt where she had put the purple stone from the jellyfish pond. "But it could be anywhere. We might be here a while."

The capybaras hardly seemed to notice as the crew member roamed around the pools, looking under rocks and in shrubbery for treasure. Hot steam evaporated from some ponds. They must be heated from an underground source. Most of the peaceful animals sat with only their large heads above the water, sometimes diving under to submerge themselves completely.

Alba saw some of the men throw longing looks toward the water. Probably tempted to join the animals in the soothing pools. To rest their tired limbs and clean their dirty skin. Because they were all pretty damn tired and dirty at this point. Even Alba could admit that. But they were not here for comfort. They were here for treasure.

The water gurgled as a big capybara disappeared under the surface. It swam a few feet under the surface before it reappeared. Now with something perched on its head. Something purple and star-shaped.

The whole crew stopped in their tracks and stared at the animal. They were in disbelief that it could be that easy.

Alba was the first to act. She rolled up her pants before climbing into the pool and wading over to the capybara. The animal didn't even flinch as she snatched the object from its head. It seemed as if it hadn't even realized the stone was there in the first place. It was simply too relaxed and free from stress to bother with such worldly matters.

Once she got back up from the pool Alba found herself surrounded by the crew. She held the object up to them. It glittered as sunlight hit the sharp edges. "It looks just like the first one," she said. "So I guess we have what we came for."

That had been surprisingly easy. Things never went that easy. But this time it did.

"So what do we do now?" Joe asked. "Should we head back to the ship?"

Alba looked up to the sun to tell how many hours of daylight they had left. "We won't have time to visit the last island today," she said. "Dusk will fall before we get there. So... we could stay here for a few hours before we head back to the ship. These animals don't seem to mind our presence."

The capybaras didn't protest. They were too busy chilling.

She waited for Ignacio to repeat her word, but the lizard remained quiet. It seemed the whole crew had listened to her anyway. And they quickly obeyed her order. Probably because it was exactly what they wanted to do.

Before long they were all pampering themselves in the pools. Washing off all the aches from their journey. They used cold water that seeped in from the roof to wash, lathering up with leaves from soapwood plants that grew around the cave, and then warmed themselves in the heated pools.

It was just what they needed to be ready to take on the rest of their hunt for treasure. Because even pirates have to relax sometimes.