Captain Fury: Pirate of Berk

17: Team Effort

Team Effort

The crew stared at him silently as he finished his tale, his green eyes scanning shocked and astonished faces. He had left out a few details-his real name and family, mainly. But the tough crew slowly began to process his words, sharing glances and inspecting the lanky, lean shape before them with thoughtful expressions. Fury was leaning against the mast with Arild in his arms, exhausted and at their mercy.

"Dude-Astrid as in Lady Hofferson?" Tuff asked. Fury rolled his eyes.

"Er...yes," he said.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"The one who keeps hitting you?"

"Yes-that Lady Astrid Hofferson!" Fury sighed. Fishlegs frowned and paced back and forth.

"We knew it was revenge...but Gods, we never knew exactly how bad it had been," he admitted. Fury sighed.

"I've known you since I first came onto the Thor's Hammer," Fury sighed. "And you knew how miserable I was. How tough it was. I wouldn't have survived without you."

"But I wish to Odin you'd told me all this sooner, my friend," Fishlegs sighed and Fury offered him a wan smile.

"You know, you could have told us all sooner," Mulch reminded him. "Cap'n, we want to help." There was general nodding-even Jorgen who had been looking the most hostile. The pirate hugged the sleepy boy to his chest. Arild mumbled and gave a small smile, his head nuzzling against Fury's chest.

"I thought I could do it myself," he murmured. "I thought I had to do it myself. Until I realised that I have a son who needs me. I can't go round getting killed all the time..."

"No-that's our jobs!" Ruff grinned.

"Yeah-getting killed rocks!" Tuff added. Sven One frowned.

"Cap'n...you risked us all on your personal mission," he accused the man and Fury nodded, his head bowing. "But none of us would not want vengeance for what you went through. Tell us what you want and we will help."

"I-I..." Fury began and stopped. He blinked. Arild opened his eyes and smiled.

"'sokay, Dad," he mumbled.

"You know, we all feel like Arild is ours, Cap'n," Mulch added. "We know he is yours but we all feel like Uncles."

"Hey!"

"And Aunt!"

"But we can't do this again," Fishlegs said. "We almost got killed, Fury. No matter how good the twins are, we don't have the guns to take on that many ships at close quarters. And even the darkness only gave a little edge. We thought we'd lost you. Your son thought he'd lost you..." Fury closed his eyes in shame and the big First Mate grasped his shoulder.

"I thought I'd lost him," he admitted. "I can't do that again. I need a better plan. Because I am so close..."

"You know they'll be even more protected now?" Fishlegs asked him. He nodded resignedly.

"And that ass Eret was there, trying to kill me," he added. "Apparently, he didn't appreciate the lesson we gave him in how pirates deal with mutineers..." He gave a thin smile. "He didn't realise what we normally do is run the bastards through and pitch them into the water for the sharks!"

"We all thought you were being too lenient on the General...when he tried to kill you again-and Arild!" Jorge added.

"Yeah, we don't like people who threaten our little Toothless!" Ruff announced.