//------------------------------// // Chapter Sixteen, Fishing with Vikings: Fishing ensues. // Story: Airship Mauled // by Darkonshadows //------------------------------// -Maries- “This should be a good place to start fishing.” Leading us to a nice spot at the riverside, Jade started by sitting down and patting a spot next to her. We came up to her and sat down with her. “So what do you want to know about fishing Maries? I’ve brought several methods of fishing with me. Which would you like to learn about?” “What would you recommend we learn?” Mara asked for us intrigued by the stuff Jade brought with her. “It’s not like we’ve ever had a reason to go fishing before Jade.” As Maria just said, we lacked the need to have gone fishing before now. “Well I could go over using the fishing rod method, the fishing net method, the tail method could be fun for Marie, there’s the spear fishing method, the fish slap fishing method and my personally favorite the quick and unbelievably smart trap method.” Taking a thoughtful look at the river Jade turned to us. “We’re in a good position to use the smart method here, but the smart method requires that we catch at least one small fish to use.” “Which would require us to use the other methods first?” Our tail inquired politely. “Yes, I think the easiest method for you to learn would be tail or fish slap fishing. You’re not exactly built to use a spear, a fishing pole might be easier for you as it requires physical strength and all of you have that in spades.” You flattered us Jade. Were we all blushing or was it just Mara? “Wielding the pole may be a bit of a problem with you. The fishing net wouldn’t be too hard for you to use either, but it requires patience and slower movements.” She motioned for us to follower her and we did, we quietly moved down the river a bit and she eventually stopped. “Don’t make any loud noises, we wouldn’t want to scare the fish before we’re ready to grab or slap one.” We crawled up to the edge of the water. “Do you have any bear in your ancestry Maries?” “No, we do not. Also we don’t think Fizzle would be very welcoming of anything with bear like traits given how her horn was damaged.” Nodding in acceptance at our wise words, Jade moved to the edge of the river. “I was asking because fish slap fishing is the method bears use to get fish meat. Well, when they’re not consuming honey or berries that is. Watch what I do carefully guys.” Do not worry Jade, we were watching you closely. You shall not come to harm while we are here, you were spirited in unusual ways that attracted our hearts to one such as you. Jade stood next to the water and moved slightly into it slowly, she then watched the water carefully. I could see a shadow in the water shifting and swimming to Jade’s left. She approached it carefully and then she raised back her right arm and her claws popped out of her fingers preparing for a swift solid strike. She was acting like we did when we went hunting. Hunting was something that we haven’t done in a while, there wasn’t much need to, but we still remembered how to do it. We hunted by sneaking up on a target from behind, above or any other direction they are not paying any attention to. Once we were ready, we would then strike when the time is right. That being when the prey is not able to react fast enough to avoid being eviscerated, all one quick fluid motion. With a swift swing of her right arm, and a shift of her hip to throw weight and momentum behind her swing, Jade sent a silver colored fish flying out of the water with claw marks on its side in a single glorious awe inspiring motion. We could feel our hearts quicken at the sight of seeing Jade move like a hunter, she was beautiful to watch in motion. There was that fierce side to her, like what we saw on the day we first met her. She may have a nice demeanor, but that didn’t mean she was weak. The injured fish landed on the bank to begin flopping, but that didn’t last long as Jade quickly pounced on it and swiftly killed it by snapping the fragile bones in its neck with her bare hands. The bones made a rather audibly snapping noise, “I don’t like to watch the fish suffer, I always try to make the fish’s death as quick as I can.” Picking up the average sized fish, Jade looked it over and nodded. “Okay, help me build a small wall of rocks in the river so I can show you the quick and smart method to fishing.” A wall of rocks? -A minute or so later- I find this intriguing. You and us both Marie, we are building a small beaver dam. Say, Mara, what do you suppose this is that we’re making? We will soon find out sisters, be patient. We are learning something very unique here. “Word of warning, don’t overuse this method. Too much fishing like this and you won’t have any more fish to fish for.” Moving stones according to Jade’s wishes, we had formed an almost full half circle. “Don’t fill in the rest of the circle yet Maries, but be ready to do so with a few big stones to close the doorway into the inner portion of the half circle.” “This is the quick and easy method?” It seemed rather slow to us. “Yep, would you like to eat some raw fish now?” She picked up a nearby slab of rock. It looked a bit heavy for her, but she had managed to lay it across her lap. “I’m going to need to fillet the fish we have here for this next part.” “It did take us a while to walk here, we also had a light breakfast compared to you or the others.” Maria proclaimed. “It was in anticipation of the fact that we’d be eating fish.” Followed up Mara. After giving us two fish fillets and letting Marie swallow the fish head and bones, we watched as Jade carried the slab of fish guts over to the almost complete half circle of rocks. “Get ready to seal off the half circle with some rocks Maries.” Moving to do so at Jade’s request, we waited for her to act. Jade started chopping up some of the fish guts and then scraped it off of the slab and into the river where the bits of it started attracting the fish from downstream. After cutting up a bit more of the fish guts and tossing it into the water, more and more fish were gathering and starting to swim through the gap in the underwater rock dam. “Okay, now I just carefully dump the rest of the guts and entrails into the water and once you think enough fish have taken the bait, you seal off the hole in our half circular dam.” Jade started scraping the rest of the remains into the water slowly, it attracted a lot of fish to start eating what Jade was dumping into the water. We could actually see where this was going. Once quite a few fish had passed through the hole into the trap we and Jade had set up together, we moved some rocks into position successfully trapping at least twenty or more fish in the half circle of rocks. The fish were too busy eating the chum to really notice that they were trapped. “This is a good set up for practicing various forms of fishing as I’m sure you’ve already noticed.” Of course Jade, we would be dumb to not notice the situation placed before us. It wasn’t long before we found ourselves approached by three interlopers into what was supposed to be our private time with Jade. A time we were enjoying up until now. -Jade- “See, they are having an adventure out here.” Okay how did Generic make his excited tone sound so unbelievably normal? “A bit low key, but it's still an adventure.” “I don’t see violent combat or any great adventuring!” Could you maybe do some volume control Flamberge, you might scare off the fish that we don’t already have caught. “I am ‘Fortitude the Fantastically Fragrant’!” Did this Fortitude guy ever get any more elegant than that? “Fortitude is feeling strange and comforting aura around you.” “What are the three of you doing here, you’re kind of interrupting my date with Maries here.” Tapping my foot impatiently, I was a little more than upset on Maries’ behalf. “Speaking of, try fish slapping a trapped fish onto the bank and get it back into the water.” Maries tried to fish slap a fish and only missed, then a fish leapt up and slapped both Mara and Maria across their faces. She narrowed her eyes on the offending fish and try to slap it out of containment, only she missed again. “Well I have heard stories of you from Jacky, she made it sound that you are quite adventurous. That it was a fact that you can’t do normal for long.” Started off Generic, he paused and looked towards Maries trying to get a fish out of the water. He turned to me with an appraising eye. “Are you sure you're dating her?” “Yes, I am.” They were kind of messing with what was supposed to be Maries first date with me. “We are in the middle of a date right now.” “Fortitude apologizes, but we thought you would be trying to hunt a happy little narwhal.” The incredulous look Fortitude received from me was quite a strong one. “Yak not see narwhal yet.” “You do realize that narwhal’s can’t be found in rivers right?” Seriously, where did they get the idea that I could catch a narwhal here of all places? “Narwhals prefer living in colder places. Not only that, I know for a fact that they’re carnivorous and I’d rather not have one try and swallow me whole. Still, fishing a narwhal out of a river like this should be impossible, but you can try to keep me posted on one appearing here. A narwhal coming here is about as likely as my mother getting an Al-Mi‘ Raj as a familiar!” While I said this, Maries had managed to smack a fish out of the trap and onto the bank. The three of them smiled before they knocked the fish back into the water where it went back to swimming around aimlessly in the fish trap. “Do that a few more times and you’ll get the hang of fish slapping Maries.” I didn’t think of myself as a good teacher, but obviously Maries picked up some of my technique from just watching me. -Kuril- “Why are all of you afraid of her?” In my arms I held a pink bunny with a sharp looking horn, I gently ran my hand over her head. Well she felt like a girl to me. “She’s such a sweetie.” “That’s an al-mi’raj, they are vicious creatures!” One of the Vikings, a big and strong looking yak, stated while shivering in fear. “Doesn’t seem so vicious to me.” I rubbed my face against the horned rabbit and it squeaked happily at my affectionate gesture. “Ma’am, that thing isn’t safe to be near.” What was up with these overly polite Vikings? Was it Sekhet’s presence that was keeping them in line? “Those things are always dangerous to everyone and everything around them.” “Do they have any weaknesses? I think belly rubs might be one.” The little unicorn rabbit squealed as soon as I started tickling it. Once I stopped I held her high in the air and looked into her bright blue beautiful eyes. “Now what to call you? Oh I know! I’ll call you Sugar. Your fur reminds me of cotton candy.” Sugar nuzzled her face against me and avoided hitting me with her horn, she must really like me. “How can you have that monster so calm? Only a witch would be able to calm something like one of those monstrosities down.” One of the griffon Vikings asked looking at me with awe. “I’m a witch of good taste, does that count?” I received a bunch of blank stares. “You’re a witch? Why didn’t you ever tell any of us that?” A Viking dragon asked looking upset. “Why would I have to tell you, I’m the owner of a restaurant called The Witch’s Fare, it should be kind of obvious?” There was a grumbling among the crowd and a griffon strode forward and examined the unicorn horned rabbit getting comfortable in my grip. “I’m also wearing robes and have on a witch’s hat with some pirate mixed in!” “You seem like an alright mayor to your town to us and have been quite kind Ms. La Perm, I guess you being a witch that knows how to cook would explain everything. I guess that’s alright with us then, a Witch of good taste… who knew such a thing could exist.” The griffon bowed to me and then headed back to his group. “She’s a friendly witch you guys, keep treating her with great respect if you haven’t already!” “What?! You’re okay with her being a witch, but you’re not okay with me being a flying serpent?” A frazzled Quetzalcoatl yelled. “Shut it Ourogundjet!” One of the Viking dragons moved to defend me. “You will not fool us with your lies of how your most certainly cross dressing you masculine hussy!” “One I’m male, two I don’t even wear clothing, three you just mixed up the name of three differing gods together and four my gender should not be that hard to figure out as I have an obviously masculine voice!” Poor Mr. Quetzalcoatl, the Vikings really didn’t seem to like him. “That’s only a likely story and doesn’t meet with reality as we see it!” A blue dragon Viking shouted. I sighed and guessed that I would be better off getting back to my place of business and not questioning any of this, I didn't need the headaches like Mr. Quetzalcoatl was getting by having to deal with the Vikings. -Jade- "That's it Maries, reel it in and bring it home with a hard yank!" The vibrant Vikings might have been sticking around, but at least they weren't being overly intrusive into our date. With a sharp pull of the fishing rod, the fish came out of the water and Maries smiled at the moderate sized pike she just caught. At least things were quiet with the Vibrant Vikings, as they called themselves, down the river from us and out of our fur. "Good job Maries! that's a pretty big fish for your first catch of the day." After praising her she pulled put away the fish and came over to hug me with her tiger paws and then nuzzle me with all three of her heads affectionately. "We're having fun Jade, aren't you worried about this narwhal thing they spoke of?" Looks like I had to ease Mara, Marie and Maria's minds about this. "Look Maries, I am quite sure that there can't possibly be a narwhal around here. It would take a horrendous act of ignorance for one to even be..." A shadow rose up and I turned around to see a humongous narwhal. "here."