Lucia simply closed her eyes to focus on the illusion
For a brief second, the lantern flame seemed to stretch - just slightly - like it had been pulled thin. The shadows on the walls deepened and the air grew...quieter somehow.
Then she opened her eyes again.
"It's done," she said.
Kristen blinked.
"…What's done?"
"The room," Lucia replied. "Anyone who enters will see what they expect to see."
Olivia tilted her head. "Which is?"
"Nothing unusual."
Kristen frowned, glancing around.
'Well thats fucking weird.'
"So what are we going to do? No one seems to want to answer my question. " She huffed.
Lucia gave her a look.
"We are just going to get a feel for this place.
There are countless ways for us to die on this cursed boat and we can try to reduce that number by getting to know our surroundings. Duh."
Now with her curiosity satisfied, Kristen didn't actually have anything to talk about, which was weird since she was almost always talking.
Olivia also silently used her ability to cover their presence.
The three birds then made their ways across the extremely long and packed room, trying not to touch anything that could raise suspicion. They soon reached the door and found that it was already hanging open, so there was no trouble trying to leave.
As Kristen peaked her head out she noted that the storage room they were in was one of the bottom levels of the ship.
And even further down, it was humid and damp, creating the perfect area for diseases to breed and grow. Although this ship was in great condition it didn't mean some places wouldn't not suck.
'Yikes. Would hate to be living there.'
To whatever poor soul that was stuck with a job at the bottom, she had pity for them. Kristen had read back on earth that a lot of people on ships died from illness so she knew that it was no good luck to be down there.
Outside of the storage room was a steep ladder/step combo, designed for fast and effective movement.
The trio moved up the steps of the ship and cautiously checked for any humans before going into the next level. Unlike the storage, this area was organised and put together.
It was the bed chambers.
Across a 50 meter hallway there were 5 doors, the closest 2 were used for the main crew and housed almost 30 each.
The other 2 doors were occupied by the more trusted or valuable members like the vice captain, navigator, cook and, surprisingly a doctor.
Doctors were especially rare on pirate ships due their inability to defend themselves.
At the end of the hallway was the captains quarters. No one knew exactly what was inside, but they did know that it was the most prestigious part. Whether it be gold or treasures, it was all kept there.
The corridor was dimly lit by two wall mounted lanterns, their flames much more steady compared to the swaying light in the storage below. The air here smelled different too. Less rot, more sweat, leather and elbow grease.
Kristen's claws made almost no sound as she padded forward.
Doors lined both sides of the long hallway, thick wood reinforced with iron bands. From behind a few of them came low snores. From another, quiet murmuring—two crew members whispering about watches and rations.
Kristen leaned toward one door, curiosity itching.
Olivia lightly smacked the back of her head with a wing.
"Focus."
'Right. Not here to socialise.'
Lucia decided that it was risky to go any closer to that ominous door at the end and so they left the hallway and went even further up.
The stairs led them into a more boring part of the ship. 5 dinghies were set in a row, sitting there in case something happened to the main vessel.
They skimmed through this level quickly and then they reached the kitchen and dining area. Some crewmates still sat there, so they skipped that area and darted onto the next one.
It turned out that the next one was actually the main deck, and like before, people were still on it.
Again, the three of them immediately went into action and located a place to hide. Kristens chest pounded as she snuck away behind a few pieces of wood before being seen.
Moonlight spilled across the floor in long silver streaks, broken only by the shadows of the rigging and masts. The sea stretched endlessly on all sides, dark and heavy, waves rolling with strength.
Sleepy men drowsily talked to each other to pass time, failing to see the 3 intruder birds that had just emerged.
Kristen pressed herself behind a stack of spare timber, heart hammering so loudly she was convinced the nearest sailor could hear it.
"Do you think we'll reach Averdale by next week?"
"I dunno. Depends on the weather."
"Yeah."
'Whats Averdale? Is it a continent? Only a week, maybe it isn't as far away as I thought.'
"Cap says we'll get there sooner."
"She always says we'll get there sooner."
"Hahahahahaaa."
Silence fell over the ship as the conversation ended, until one of the men caught sight of a black feather.
"Whats that?" He said gruffly.
He walked over, his footsteps thumping faintly on the ground.
Kristen's blood ran cold.
'The feather. Of course. Of all the stupid shit to happen-'
The sailor bent down, thick fingers reaching toward the fallen black plume lying just inches from where she crouched behind the timber stack.
Olivia's and Lucia tensed beside her.
The man picked the feather up and turned it between his fingers.
"Huh," he muttered. "Didn't know we had crows onboard."
Another deckhand snorted from behind him. "It's a ship. Birds land on ships."
"Crows don't go out this far."
"We just left port, ya idiot."
The first man grunted but didn't drop the feather. Instead, his eyes drifted outward, scanning lazily.
Kristen flattened herself instinctively, pressing so close to the wood she could feel splinters against her feather. Her heart pounded violently in her ears.
'Don't look here. Don't look here-'
The sailor stepped closer.
One more step and he'd see her.
Lucia's wing brushed lightly against Kristen's shoulder and she felt a slight shift, barely noticeable to the untrained eye, but she felt it.
The sailor's gaze slid past the timber stack.
His brow furrowed faintly, like he had forgotten what he was looking for.
He glanced down at the feather again.
"…Probably got stuck in the cargo," he muttered.
He flicked it over the railing into the sea.
Kristen's eye twitched.
'That was a good fucking feather?!? How dare you!'