Talon describes the giant flightless birds, the large cat, the four-armed ape, and the centipedes before taking another small drink and passing the flask back.

"As to what brought me here... a storm, a sea battle, an incompetent navigator... your guess is as good as mine. My biggest trouble is memory loss. I woke up on the beach knowing nothing, not even my own name. Then it happened again the following morning. Talon... I made that up. So I need to find safety and maybe some answers before I lose it all again. Have you encountered anything like this? Can you help me find a town?"

"You poor fellow. The memory loss happened again? Did it happen again this morning?"

He has a slug and passes the flask back again.

Talon holds a hand up: "Thanks, but I have to keep my wits about me. It's not the end of the journey yet. It didn't happen this morning, but I can't count on it not happening again. So, what is this place? Where do I go from here? You must have a map. Can I make a sketch of it?"

He tucks the flask back in his jacket.

"Do you know that this is an island we're on? Fairly good sized, would take a few days to sail around, longer to avoid the reefs. I can talk to my cartographer... So you remember your yesterday?" 

"Yes. Wait... you know something about this, don't you?", Talon says getting up.

"Easy lad, let's head back to the ship, Mappy's copying stuff over to his master copy, I can have him show you what he's go so far.", he says with a smile.

Talon nods stiffly and follows, feeling that the chances of bringing good news to his companions are becoming very small.

"Alright then... Talon, was it? I'm Captain Edmund Blake, by the way. Captain's fine, if you don't want to say the whole thing. The men would consider anything without the title to be a bit rude, however."

He steps away to have a word with one of his men, who nods in agreement, then the Captain gestures for you to follow, leading you back to the bluff where you can see that the rope is run through a pully chained to the rock, the cage waiting to be sent down. A ways off the ship rests at anchor, an empty row boat alongside. There seems to be one person on watch, though they aren't paying all that much attention. He tosses up his arm, and his raven takes to the wing, circling down to land on the sentry's head and peck at his forehead until the fellow, arms flailing, gives a shout and a few more crew pop up and scurry about. 

The raven hops off, and you can faintly hear it cawwing, the sentry seeming to listen to it, then pulls a sack off of a signal mirror mounted to the deck, swivels it and catches the sun to flash a response. He calls to two of the sailors, who swarm over the side and hop into the rowboat, casting off and rowing in your direction. The sentry and the others remaining on the ship ready themselves at the winch on the other end of the rope.

"I know you've your own way down, but joining me in the lift is probably safer. Less chance of those numbskulls making a mistake and putting a bolt in you."

The Captain steps into the cage and holds the door open.

Son, Mark, and Blue, you see Talon appear on the opposite bluff, with a fellow in a long coat. Talon doesn't seem to be restrained or otherwise in any distress.

Talon starts towards the cage, but his heart starts beating faster and his steps become heavy. "No disrespect, captain, but I don't want to be trapped in that if it crashes." He hops on top of the cage, talons holding onto it and the rope.

"Nor would I son! Nor would I. But I fear my ability to perch atop it would be sorely lacking, so ride within I shall!"

The crew on the boat begin playing out slack, the cage lowering until it rests just above the water, bobbing up and down slowly as the ship shifts at the other end of the line. The rowboat approaches quickly, and positions itself under the cage, where Captain Blake greets the crewmen.

"This here's Talon, and they are to be my guest and treated as such. Talon's a new arrival on these shores and is looking to get their bearings."

The crew nod, Blake settles in and gestures for you to hop down and do likewise, and the boat rows back to the ship. The figurehead depicts a woman, face contorted in rage, mouth open. Along the side is the name "The Howling Gail". 

Talon joins them on the boat, nodding to the crew, then he starts preening his left wing.

"You two think that everything is going okay down there? Not much we can do if it isn't."

"Mappy'll be in his workroom, if you'll follow me."

The Captain strides to the back of the ship and opens a doorway onto some stairs, descending down. His raven flaps up to perch on the rail above, bobbing its head as the Captain heads down the stairs.

Blue shrugs.

"Aye.  Nothing I can do."

"Ex-wife Gail took almost everything from me, sold the rest and bought this ship. Named it after her, but the humor's lost on most of my crew, those that can read aren't much for spelling. Watch your head."

"It's a good name." Talon follows, fighting his fear of closed spaces. The air feels rarefied and his heart beats faster.

19

As his vision starts to darken, Talon hops back up the few steps he descended and falls on the deck breathing hard. " Sorry... Captain... can Mappy come up here?"

The Captain gives you a look. 

"You all right boy?"

Talon gets up as he catches his breath. "Yes, I... panicked." He ruffles his feathers and shakes his head. "It's the closed space. That's why I avoided getting in the cage earlier."

"Ah, I see. I'm sorry to hear that lad, but Mappy's got the opposite affliction. Never comes topside unless it's night. You can do it! I've some more liquid courage, if you need it...", he says, patting his jacket where the flask resides.

"Maybe I don't have to go in there, and Mappy doesn't have to come out. Are you up for more introductions? I didn't come here alone, I just flew over the water on my own to get a feel your your group. A few fellow survivors wait for news on the other shore. Would you send the boat for them?"