After an uncomfortable night trying to squeeze into a bedspace that seems to have been designed for smaller people, WolfSinger is once again harried out and about the ship on the general principle that 'idle layabouts are tools of Dagh'. Shaki urges Wolfsinger to familiarize himself with the workings of the airship, then promptly heads back into the captain's cabin to catch a few winks.

So with a breakfast of gruel weighing down the wolf's belly, he is left to make himself busy… But that smell still teases at his nose. It seems he ought to recognize it.

WolfSinger sniffs around curiously as he looks up at the dizzying array of ropes and pulleys designed to move the sails.

WolfSinger thinks, "there's that smell again… I wonder what it is?"

WolfSinger sniffs around, trying to discern where the familiar scent is coming from.

A very short Kavi sits greedily finishing his breakfast, one eye fixed firmly on his bowl, the other… not very fixed at all, moving unnervingly.

A nearby crew-Kavi bounces over the side and into the cargo net, black with white splotches liberally applied to his fur as if he had been rolling in paint tracked by some large creature. "Aha! Give me a hand here, Swishytail," he says. "Is too much grain weighing down this side! Must shift it to balance ship properly."

WolfSinger grrrs!! "My name is not SwishyTail! It's WolfSinger!" He goes to help the Kavi with the sack.

"Is joke," the Kavi says holding up both double-thumbed hands and grinning. He 'helps' with the grain: in fact, he points to the sack of grain to be moved, a fifty-pound bag, and then climbs up the netting's side back to the railing, where he chitters to some other crew members to come over. They wait for WolfSinger to haul it up to them.

Finishing his breakfast, the short Kavi wanders out of the mess hall… Wolfsinger's nose can pick up stronger scents of… whatever-it-is on the Kavi as he walks past, and trundles off below decks.

WolfSinger tilts his head curiously at the Kavi as he walks by.

The crew Kavis look down at WolfSinger. "Hah, little bag of grain too much for big wolf like you?" the black-and-white one chitters. "Come, come, pass it up!"

WolfSinger nervously looks down the side of the railing, suddenly getting a queasy feeling as he sees how high up they are.

WolfSinger thinks. "just don't look down… don't look down… "

WolfSinger nervously picks the sack up, and passes it up to the waiting Kavi's.

The green grassland below gives way to the sands of the Himaat, specked by an occasional Gooshurm's head rising over the dunes to sniff about. They look like huge cousins of the gooshies that attacked the sacrificial fox… The occasional oasis gleams like a blue-white diamond in the sunlight, ringed by tiny green emeralds.

The Kavis take the bag and set it down on the deck; it takes three of them to get a good handle on it. "Good! Good, SwishyTail. Now up with you and then we'll take this to the other side."

WolfSinger clings onto the netting for a moment, eyes squeezed shut. "ummm… just give me a few minutes… "

The others chat between themselves in Rephidim common, glancing toward WolfSinger occasionally. Is that a giggle?

The ship rocks in the air currents, a breeze rustling through WolfSinger's fur.

WolfSinger yips! as the ship rocks. He suddenly grabs the ropes much more tightly.

The Jupani-speaking crewhand leans over the rail. "You all right, Swishytail?"

WolfSinger decides he'll be MUCH better off on deck, and slowly starts to climb back up.

WolfSinger says, "ummmmmmm… Yeah… " The tone of his voice says otherwise, though."

"Good! That's the *untranslatable, liquor or alcoholic beverage?*," the Kavi says. The crew gives WolfSinger several hands back onto the ship.

WolfSinger clings to the railing once he makes it back on top. He's panting heavily.

"Go lie down, maybe tell the ship's doctor you need something for air-sickness," the black-and-white crew Kavi advises. He points below-decks where the shorter Kavi went earlier. "Infirmary's that way. Go along now!"

WolfSinger nods, and goes down the steps hanging onto the railing.

Below decks seems much better, without the skies and the faraway horizon reminding WolfSinger just how high in the air he is. The ship's doctor gives WolfSinger a lookover and then gives him a handful of little black nuggets that look like translucent licorice. "Two every time you start to feel sick," the mouse advises.

The strange scent of… something is stronger belowdecks, and seems to build as Wolfsinger walks astern.

WolfSinger thinks, "there's that scent again… "

"Yes sir… " he answers as he glances around the room, looking for the source of the scent.

The dirty-white-clothed doctor nods to WolfSinger. "Run along now," the blond mouse says with a good-natured smile as he picks up a magazine and begins leafing through the yellowed paper pages again. The front cover has a sepia-tone picture of what looks like a Kavi stitched together from several pieces, hooked up to large electrodes…

The title of the magazine is unreadable, however.

WolfSinger leaves the mouse to his reading, curiously sniffing at the air,

WolfSinger tries to peek into some of the other doorways as he leaves the doctor's office.

The aft corridor passes several more crews' bunk spaces before opening into a large interior space stacked high with crates and barrels lashed to the deck and the walls; tiny hatches overhead allow air in from the outside. The smell is strong here and seems to come from… behind those crates that form a near-enclosed area.

Curiousity gets the best of him, and quietly goes in to investigate, listening carefully.

The smell gets stronger. Muskier, something that makes WolfSinger's fur crawl. A keening sound comes from… whatever it is, a shadowy barely visible from around the corner. Something clanks.

WolfSinger resists the urge to growl, and steps forward to peek around the corner.

Two large yellow eyes glare back at WolfSinger! A black shape growls, instantly on its feet; light briefly glints off of the chain that it wears on its hindleg to keep it fettered here.

WolfSinger yips! as the creature starles him. He steps back waiting for his eyes to adjust.

The shape resolves into a large gray wolf… About adult-sized but with proportions that suggest this one has a fair amount of growing to do yet. It looks ill-tempered, and something about its scent suggests 'female' to WolfSinger's long-buried instincts. A bowl nearby has been tipped over, causing hundreds of little crunchy pellets to roll around the deck.

The wolf-thing snaps at WolfSinger, then grrrrrs again.

WolfSinger tilts his head curiously, wondering why the Kavi's would have a wolf chained up below decks.

"It's okay… " He calls out. "I won't hurt you… "

The wolf's snarl and subsequent loud barks almost sound intelligible to WolfSinger – as if it were saying 'Hurt' in baby language. But it definitely does not look babyish anymore, and its fur is unkempt and matted, though glossy in places. Scars show some places where it might have been hit once.

It backs away from WolfSinger slowly, growling and with hackles raised.

WolfSinger whimpers softly to her as he holds out a hand.

The wolf continues to back away, but looks uncertain. Her ears come up slowly. *Yip!* (untrans., baby noise possibly meaning 'Huh')

WolfSinger wufs gently to her, slowly inching his way closer.

She whines and whimpers, now down on her haunches and looking submissive before the much taller wolf. Her tail swishes rapidly.

"There… see? I won't hurt you." He slowly move his hand down by her head, letting her sniff him.

The large wolf makes… big sad puppy eyes at WolfSinger. There's no other way to describe it. This close, WolfSinger catches a hint of some soap in her fur, some rich perfumed stuff. She sniff sniffs… then chomps! on WolfSinger's fingers.

"Ouch!" WolfSinger quickly pulls his hand away.

The wolf skitters away to the side and peers at WolfSinger, her mood definitely strangely playful. She yelps! and yips at WolfSinger, then whines. ("Mom?")

WolfSinger tilts his head curiously at her. "Poor thing… you look about the same age as when I was taken from my parents…

WolfSinger slowly reaches out again to scritch her between the ears.

The wolf swishes her tail… then pounces! on WolfSinger, the chain's links singing.

The wolf chomps! on WolfSinger, like an overeager cub who hasn't learned yet that teeth can hurt. She seems to be everywhere, wrassling the larger and humanoid wolf.

WolfSinger yips!! and tries to hold her to calm her down.

Just at that moment, a short Kavi steps into view. He yelps something in Rephidim common that sounds, by the tone of it, 'Bad dog!' and rushes forward with an upraised stick to help get the puppy off of WolfSinger, or maybe to get WolfSinger off the puppy…

WolfSinger snarls at the Kavi!

The wolfess grrs! She stands athwart WolfSinger and bares her fangs at the short Kavi, who wears leather gloves and vest, as if defending a newly won toy.

"Eep!" The Kavi backs off from the two. He says something that sounds like a question, and not too friendly, then notices WolfSinger's lack of understanding and tries again in poor accented Jupani. "What you do here?"

WolfSinger says, "Why is this wolf chained down here?"

The Kavi looks at Wolfsinger fixedly with one eye, while the other moves seemingly randomly. "Allisabelle here being shipped back. She bad *untranslatable, puppy?*."

WolfSinger says, "Shipped back where?"

The Kavi grumps. "Back to Himar! Nobles in Rephidim, always want new pets from Himar. You think one like this *untranslatable, grows?* on Rephidim?"

"Is there any way I can have her?" he asks as he scritches the wolf between her ears.

The overgrown wolf backs away quickly with a 'caught in the act' look on her face. She whimpers and makes those big sad puppy eyes again.

The Kavi's jaw drops, and he stutters in Rephidim common for a few moments. "Mudaro sni'opni por- Have her? You must have brain that swish like your tail. Wolf like this cost a silver, even *Untrans, something the menace?* like this one."

The wolf peeks out from behind her overturned bowl, around which a large number of small dry food bits have been scattered. She swishes her tail and whines, her yellow eyes looking up at WolfSinger and then the Kavi animal handler soulfully.

WolfSinger says, "I'd be doing you a favor getting rid of her if so bad, Aye?"

WolfSinger looks down at the young wolf, petting her gently.

The oversized wolf-pup backs off again, in a different direction that causes the ceramic chain to be wound halfway around WolfSinger's legs. She looks nervous.

"Pfah!", the Kavi says, "She fetch a good price in Himar, be sold as sled dog. Is bad, but for such a bad *untrans, that puppy word again*, is not much else." The Kavi considers=, pausing a moment. "But I just take care of Allisabelle, not sell. Maybe you can talk to Captain, make deal."

WolfSinger says, "you're damn right, I'm going to talk to him… It's not right taking a pup from her parents… I know I don't like it."

The Kavi shrugs. "Business," he says calmly, as if that sums it all up.

The pup suddenly jumps up as WolfSinger speaks and starts running the other way! Unfortunately, this completes the circle of the chain around the humanoid wolf's legs; as she goes *boing* to a halt, pulled up by the chain looped around WolfSinger, the links act to give him a push to the side.

WolfSinger starts to loose his balance, and then steps out of the chains wrapped around his legs.

The Kavi groans, dropping back to Rephidim Common, and uttering what seems to be a harsh rebuke to the wolf.

WolfSinger says, "and as for YOU! If I ever catch you hitting her with a stick, you're going tohave to answer to ME!"

The puppy whines! She seems to be scared of the increasingly angry tones that WolfSinger has adopted.

WolfSinger frowns slightly, and goes over to Allisabelle to calm her down.

The Kavi glares at WolfSinger. "You think you know better than me how to *untranslatable, home-school??* her?"

Allisabelle grrrs! at WolfSinger, but continues to back away distrustfully.

WolfSinger says, "I may not be a parent myself, but I know enough not to beat a child into submission."

WolfSinger storms off, but not before yanking the stick out of the Kavi's hands.

"Beat? I never beat this *puppy-word*. *Untrans* owners, *untrans again* poodles beat her." The Kavi grumbles as Wolfsinger is leaving.

WolfSinger tosses the stick up onto a high pile of crates. He sighs as he walks out.

It is mid-morning when Shaki receives WolfSinger in his stateroom, his breakfast consisting of the same gruel that the rest of the crew has been munching on – except for him, it is served in a ceramic bowl and has a small sprig of something green on top. "What's the problem?" he inquires solicitously. "Maid not change your sheets? No mint on your pillow? Work too hard?" The little Kavi grins up at the big wolf.

WolfSinger says, "It's about a wolf you have chained up in the cargo hold… "

"Ah! Allisabelle," Shaki says. "Poor thing! You should have seen her when we got her just a few days ago. All scared and thin because she wouldn't eat, and oy, the marks! Very cheap, of course. Who wants disobedient puppy?" He shakes his head sadly. "Hoki does his best, but is only so much can do in a few days, noh?"

WolfSinger says, "I'll take her."

Shaki raises an eyebrow. "You got money hiding somewhere on you, SwishyTail? Maybe you heard aunt died and left nice stash for you in Elamoore?"

WolfSinger says, "It's not right taking a pup from her parents at such a young age… "

Shaki shrugs. "Not my fault. Poodle family, they is see her in bazaar, think she look so cute, be great hunter when she gets big. Then they find out she not so cute when she widdle all over daughter's bed, eh?" He laughs. "Is sad thing, but hey, it happens. Is better we buy Allisabelle than… Oh, butcher? Know someone who do better with her in Elamoore."

WolfSinger growls at the butcher comment. "I'll find a way to buy her… somehow."

Shaki leans forward. "Look, SwishyTail, is nice thing to have big heart, give to all, but is also not pay so good, noh? You got nothing, Allisabelle cost me plenty shekels, why should I give puppy away? Hoki do good job, maybe she look presentable, act nice, get good place in Elamoore. What you do for me? Give me ulcer before lunch?" He waggles his eyebrows.

WolfSinger says, "and you don't know what I've been through… I don't want the same thing happening to someone else… "

Shaki shrugs. "Sob story good for beer in tavern maybe. Don't buy no jerky meat bits for Allisabelle though."

WolfSinger starts to get up to leave. "And don't call me SwishyTail. My name is WolfSinger!"

The captain looks puzzled. "Sure, name is WolfSinger. Who say different? Is call Swishytail because we like you. Never been teased before?" he wonders. "Make deal though, if you want."

WolfSinger stops to listen. "Well? Let's hear it."

Shaki leans forward. "You like Allisabelle, yes? You help Hoki out, play with her, help make her nice-nice puppy like should be. Maybe take her for walk on decks, make sure she no jump over side, go *whoosh* *splat*." He grins. "You do good job, I introduce you to Big Jake. He buy big puppies for sled, caravan up way high in Himar where it get icy. He like good people, work hard, know which end of dog to feed. Good badger. Pay good. Soon, maybe you get enough shekels buy puppy, start own sled train." He spreads his hands. "Is bargain, gehnoh?"

WolfSinger nods.

"Good. You start right now. You know Hoki? I go introduce you to him." Shaki bounces up and heads for the door, waving for WolfSinger to follow. "He good Kavi, even if eyes not always look right."

WolfSinger sighs, and quietly follows.

Shaki walks quickly down the hallway and to the cargo hold where it sounds like, from the thapping sounds of paws on wood, someone is having an especially spirited runaround with an overenthusiastic puppy. "Yo! Hoki! Get out here! Got you new helper!"

Hoki turns out to be the Kavi from before, with the stick. Only now, the stick is in Alissabelle's mouth, where she's gnawing on it like a chew-toy. "Yah Boss, what is… HIM?"

Hoki launches into rapid-fire Rephidim Common, hands gesticulating wilder than a Savanite's.

"Yes! You know him? Good, good. Show him pooper-scooper, food bag, all the usual." Shaki beams as he introduces WolfSinger to Hoki and vice versa, blatantly ignoring the yelling. "You two get along great. Name is WolfSinger, but we call him SwishyTail because we like him. Have fun now!"

WolfSinger says, "if you liked me, you'd stop calling me that like I asked… "

"Well, what we call you? WolfSinger sound so… " Shaki wiggles a hand. "Like name in book, all dry and flat. SwishyTail, now that have real bounce to it." He goes *boing* in place.

Hoki says "Rella- Rella-… Suraki Firsta Unas! Come along, WolfSwishyTail whatyournameis."

WolfSinger says, "It's WOLF-SING-ER."

Shaki beams. "Right, right, we know that." He waves. "Is got lots other important things to do. Hoki show you ropes – no, not rigging, you know what I mean!" He admonishes Hoki good-naturedly in Rephidim common, then scampers off to tend to something more urgent… Finishing breakfast.

WolfSinger looks over at Allisabelle. "Well, pup… looks like yer stuck with me… "

Hoki nods. "Wolfsinger, okay. I am Hokinellus, but if you call me anything but Hoki, I *untranslatable, device for holding pants on* you something hard. You just remember I am boss and you assistant, yes?" The Kavi looks up at Wolfsinger, from his eyelevel of a full three feet.

Allisabelle wagwagwags her tail from where she has a brush stuck in her fur. She lolls her tongue and gives WolfSinger that 'I'm sizing you up to see how easy you are to tip over' look.

WolfSinger answers, "Got it." He grins, showing his teeth.