Just Another Day

"Lazy brute," they grumbled in unison.

Shanku flew up to the crow's nest and landed grumpily next to the bored man looking out at sea.

"Hello again," he said.

"Yo," Shanku said gruffly and stared at the sea with him.

"Whitten try to get you to do his chores?" he asked blandly.

"Yup," was Shanku's flat reply.

"Hmph. The cur."

"Yup."

"Name's Dawson, Caelin Dawson."

"Ravenwing. Shanku Ravenwing."

Thus was the end of their brusque conversation. Night began to fall and Shanku decided she wanted to sleep up in the crow's nest.

Over the next two months, Shanku worked to fit in on the ship. In the mornings she would visit with Templeton and help him prepare the midday meal. Her afternoons were spent learning how to spot things on the horizon with Dawson and helping the other deckhands with their duties. And her evenings were spent in study with Doctor Newbury. He sought to pick up where Master Woodstock had left off, much to Shanku's displeasure. It was difficult and she didn't grasp it well. But Doctor Newbury was patient and continued to work with her.

Shanku found herself growing quite attached to the crew and would follow them around during the day, despite growing suspicions that some enjoyed to pick on her. One day as Shanku was keeping Dawson company she noticed he had been looking through his spyglass often.

"Is something wrong?" she finally asked.

"Your kind is supposed to have good eyesight, right?" he asked.

"I reckon," she shrugged. "Why?"

"Do you see what I see?" he asked and handed her the spyglass. She picked it up gently and looked out over the horizon where he had been looking. She adjusted it a bit and squinted through it again.

"Blue. Lots of blue. And a big greyish-green lump way out there," she said.

"Land ho!" Dawson shouted over the edge of the crow's nest, which made Shanku yip.