Ironclaw: A Pirate in Nottingham

Chapter 1: Sinking the Ship

Boom, BOOM! Went the canons as the crew scrambled to and fro across the deck as I

barked orders. It was about time I started getting trouble from that no good, pompous

Prince John. I thought, twitching my ear as I drew my cutlass when members of the Royal

Navy boarded my ship. I'm called "Ironclaw", on account of my iron leg. And that's "Captain

Ironclaw" to you. And I, like other pirates in these waters, do not take kindly to being

boarded. Being boarded by other pirates is bad enough, but by the Royal Navy? Argh, I'll be

the laughing stock of the seven seas! I am among the most feared pirates of the high seas! I

do have a reputation to maintain, you know. Besides, anybody would be crazy to think they

can take me on.

"Captain, behind you!" Called my first mate, Skully. Immediately, I swung around, driving

my cutlass into the soldier's chest, and all at once a great brawl broke out on the main deck.

"Kill them!" Snarled the Prince from the safety of his ship. "Coward! Come on board, and

fight like a man!" I sneered, gnashing my teeth as I taunted the cowering Prince. "Never

mind the crew! Get her!" he fumed, stamping his foot. "Come on, then." I glared. The sound

of clanging swords, and various insults being thrown at one another, and firing of canons

was all that could have been heard for miles. "Sink them! Don't just stand there, sink them!"

Screamed the Prince at his men as they fired the canons at my ship, blasting great holes in

the wooden hull. This was unheard of. It was just not happening. I was losing! How could I

be losing?! I thought frantically, going into a panic. "Abandon ship!" I cried out as the

canons continued to fire, and the Prince's soldiers cut down my crew. Ah, no good, Sybil old girl. I thought, dodging swords as I bolted to the side of my sinking

ship. I'll have to jump. But one problem: I have a solid iron leg, and that'll surely weigh me

down once I hit the water. "Get her!" Ordered Prince John as one of his guards lunged at

me, and I dove into the deep blue, narrowly escaping capture. I held my breath, sinking a

little into the cold waters. I could see my ship going under. I swam up, mindful of my iron

leg, and tried keeping myself up on a discarded crate. That was it. My crew was

slaughtered, and my ship was sent to Davy Jones' Locker. What a great day this was! I

thought dryly, ducking under my crate when Prince John's ship came by to check out the

wreckage, and see if there were any survivors, namely me. He had furiously ordered for my

capture if I was still alive, and he offered a pretty handsome reward for it, too. "Wanted:

Captain Sybil Ironclaw, dead or alive! Reward: 900 pounds!" read the wanted poster he had

issued. I'm almost tempted to turn myself in, and claim that reward. I thought jokingly.

I drifted across the open ocean for many months, finally landing on the shore of England.

"Argh..." I sighed, resting on the beach as the waves rolled lazily on the shore. I was

exhausted, and just plopped down onto the sand, laying up and stared at the blue sky as the

seagulls flew overhead. Speaking of heads, there was now a price on mine, and I had to get

moving. I had to lay low somewhere. But where? I thought. Okay, admittedly I'm gonna

need some kind of disguise no matter where I decided to go. But how would I do it? After

all, an albino wolf with an iron leg would be pretty easy to distinguish. "What am I going to

do?" I thought aloud. "Oi, who's there?" Called a voice. "Shiver me timbers!" I jumped,

crying out a very cliche'd pirate saying. I spun around to see a fox wearing a green tunic

and a yellow hat, accompanied by a bear with a similar, but darker green tunic. "Steady,

lad.." I slurred, still tired from that swim, drawing my cutlass. I may be tired, but I can still

fight them if need be. Besides, what if they're trying to turn me in?

"Now, now, no call for that, my dear lady." smiled the fox. "I'm Robin Hood, of Sherwood

Forest, and this is Little John." Introduced the fox with a low bow. "Hi ya," Waved Little

John. "Aye," I said, scowling suspiciously at the both of them, holding my cutlass at the

ready. "And who might you be?" Asked Robin Hood. "I've never seen you around before."

joined in Little John. "If you must know, I am Sybil Ironclaw." I said, holding my ground.

"You mean 'Captain Ironclaw', notorious pirate?" asked Robin Hood. "The one and the

same, what's it to you?" I snarled. "Why, my dear don't you know?" chuckled Robin. "You're

an outlaw like we are." he said, giving me a friendly pat on the back. "You see, Prince John

absolutely detests us, and now that you've escaped him, he's callin' ya an outlaw, Captain."

explained Little John. "You aren't going to turn me in?" I questioned. "Now, why would we

do that?" chuckled Robin Hood. "You're one of us, and an enemy of Prince John. And that

makes you a friend of ours, if I had to say so." He smiled. "I need to lay low somewhere," I

explained, putting my cutlass away. "Say no more, we'll find you a disguise." they said, returning to the woods, and coming out with a tunic and hat. "Aye, what be that?" I asked.

"Your disguise, m'dear." explained Robin. "So I'm to be a man from here on out?" I asked,

going behind a rock to change into my disguise. "Too right, you are. No longer are you going

to be Sybil Ironclaw. Now you are Orville Gray." he said as I came from behind the rock.

"How do I look?" I said, getting accustomed to me new look. "Marvelous, Captain." bowed

Robin. "Thank ye," I said. No, not good. I still sounded like Sybil Ironclaw. I needed to sound

more like Orville Gray. "I mean," I said, clearing my throat. "T­thanks," I stammered, in a

lower, deeper voice. "Wonderful!" exclaimed Robin. "Take care, wherever you may be

headed." he said as he and Little John went back into the forest. "Okay, thanks." I said as the

timid Orville.