The lone wolf

Chapter 10

The wailing, screeching sound continued to echo across the moors as a young girl seemed to march over one of the hills of heather. She was a short girl, just scraping 5ft, and she had fiery red hair tied in a braid down her back. The screeching sound didn't come from her though, it seemed to emit from the tiny creature ahead of her. Despite the immense sound coming from it this creature was tiny, only reaching the girls ankle. The creature had rough looking brown fur all over its body, four tiny legs that scuttled hurriedly and a long snout with rather large eyes.
Before any of us could register what was going on Luffy ran towards the girl and creature wanting to see the creature but he startled them. The creature gave an almighty, ear piercing screech louder than anything we have already heard, I screamed while covering my ears, my hearing was to sensitive for this the noise hurt my ears.
"Sakura, are you alright?" Chopper panicked as he made me sit on the ground and took my hands from my ears, blood was dribbling from them but no permanent damage was done.
The girl ran over with her little creature scuttling beside her and Luffy following it,
"I'm so sorry, yer naw hurt are ye?" She had such a thick accent. I shook my head before Nami spoke to the girl,
"It's alright, we're sorry for surprising you and your .......pet"
The girl laughed, "he's naw a pet, he's ma friend"
Luffy was more or less lying on the ground to look at the creature, "what is he? Can we eat it?"
"YER DUNNA EAT IM!!" The girl looked ready to hit Luffy. "This ere is Hamish the Haggis, ere wee critters at live on the moors an love driche days like is"
"Love what days?" Ussop questioned
"Driche........damp, misty days" she looked at us weird for not knowing the word.
Chopper had finished cleaning my ears with cotton while Nami explained how we arrived at the island and introduced us all. The girl gave a laugh while Hamish gave an amused toot,
"Aye, the seas round ere are rough but ats Stormyway for ye. I'm Bec, clan Chiefs daughter ov the MacDonald clan. Ye all seem like braw folk, come to the village an meet the rest of the clan, we can ave a ceilidh.
"A Kayleigh?" Brook questioned, "isn't that a girls name.....oh someone is having a baby, how wonderful yohohohoho"
Bec gave Brook a very confused look, "naw, ceilidh is a get together with music an drink"
Bec placed Hamish on her shoulder and started to lead us to her village.
As I stood though I stumbled due to my ears still being a bit shaken, before I hit the ground a strong pair of arms wrapped round my waist, Zoros to be precise, he pulled me to his side and kept one arm round me as we walked. I gave a small growl and tried to shake him of but he just tightened his hold,
"I can walk fine now thank you, there's no need to hold me"
He just kept looking ahead and walking as he spoke' "it's a just in case and I don't mind keeping you out of trouble"
At this my ears flickered angrily," I don't need help staying out of trouble! Are you just afraid you'll get lost again if you don't have me guide you, hmm? Maybe that's it"
Zoro gave me a side ways glare at that as I chuckled. " I don't get lost and I don't need you to guide me!"
I continued to chuckle at him, his huff face was so cute.

We reached the village, it was a small settlement with timber huts. The people went about their daily duties but eyed us warily as Bec led us to the centre of the village to a large hut stood in the middle.
"This ere is ma fathers hut since he is the clan chief. Wait ere an I'll go get im."
Bec went inside the large hut and I took this opportunity to slide out from Zoros grasp causing him to raise an eyebrow at me, we were stood slightly back from everyone else so they didn't hear our conversation,
"What? You don't like being treated like a damsel?" That teasing tone he used annoyed me.
"Ugh, no! Hate it, much prefer when a man treats me like an equal. It's urm, kind of why I have some respect for you, even though we argue at least you argue with me like you would with any of the guys."
Zoro seemed taken aback by what I said but he nodded in understanding,
"So when euro-cook does it why don't you tell him you hate it?"
I just shrugged, "don't want to hurt his feelings I guess"
Before Zoro could reply Bec came out the hut with her father, he was built like a mountain, tall and broad. His beard matched his hair, bushy and ginger, the massive axe strapped to his back didn't exactly diminish his imposing image either.
"So yer the pirates ma daughter spoke ov, I'm Kongar, clan chief ov the MacDonalds. Yer welcome to stay long as yer don make a buroch."
"A what?" We all looked confused until Bec explained,
"Buroch means mess"
We nodded in understanding. Luffy walked up to Kongar and pointed at his clothing,
"Why are you wearing a skirt old man?"
Kongar gave a hearty, rumbling laugh,
" it's naw skirt cove. It's a kilt, we celts make then from oor clan tartans to show to who we belong an use them in battle for movement."
Luffy nodded seeming to understand until he spoke,
"So it's a man skirt!"
"ITS NAW A SKIRT!" Kongar looked fit to burst in rage. I quickly went up to Luffy and pulled him away from the enraged chief,
"Don't anger him Luffy, he's a ginger, their temper is as fiery as their hair."
Kongar gave another belly rumbling laugh,
"Och, yer a funny bunch. Stay the night, we will ave a ceilidh and yer can stock yer stores"
We all sweat dropped but thanked him non the less.

The ceilidh was amazing! The music was so up beat with drums and bagpipes, Hamish was tooting along and running around with Chopper. There's was loads of booze and food, we were able to completely restock our ship, and the villagers were so welcoming once they got to know us. I danced with some of the children around a bonfire but every so often I stole glances at Zoro. He was with some men having a drinking contest or something and a laugh with them, he looked good when he laughed.
After dancing with the children I was quite tired so sat down, Bec brought me over a drink and sat with me,
"What's with the dour face lassie?"
"The what face?" I questioned to which she giggled,
"Dour, gloomy. What's with the gloomy face? Yer as dour as the moor"
I giggled at her rhyming and just waved of her question.
"It's nothing, just ignore me."
Bec frowned,"it's naw nothing lass, is it the green aired cove? Yer been glancing at im all night. Ye got a fancy ov im?"
"No!.......well, maybe. But nothing would happen, I'm not ready and I don't think he sees me that way" my ears drooped  as I spoke but perked up once i heard Bec laughing.
"Yer naw too wise, he's bin looking yer way too this night with the same look lass."
I glanced away from Bec to look at Zoro to see he was indeed looking over here, once he saw me looking he blushed and went back to drinking. Bec and I looked at each other and burst out giggling.

The next day a few of us were a bit rough but we stocked the ship and thanked everyone for their hospitality. Bec gave me a small dagger called a Sgian Dubh, it was lovely, the blade was well polished with an intricate Celtic design carved into the handle. It had a beautiful red jewel on the hilt and a sturdy black leather sheath. As the ship sailed I thought over my conversation with Bec, although me and Zoro do argue he has also been very good to me. Numerous times he has allowed me to spend the day watching him train so I could avoid Sanjis smothering and he has helped me but not treated me as being weaker. I guess I have developed some feelings for him but I'm not ready to say. Oh well, got plenty time to get up the courage, not like anything is going to happen soon.

Thank you all again for reading. Don't know if people are still enjoying it but if even one person is enjoying it then that's enough ☺️ next up is the shabondy archipelago arc, a couple things may be tweeked but I'll try not to drift to far from the story line xx