Ruthless Winds and Raging Seas

Chapter 23

"I don't know."

"Hey Natsu I heard a weird noise. Is everything ok?"

Everyone looked to see Lucy coming aboard the deck.

"No! Lucy! Get back!"

But Natsu's warning came too late and in one swift move the roc swooped down, snatched Lucy up in it's talons, and flew back up the mountain. They could hear her screams of terror all the way from the ship.

"Oh no!" Juvia gasped.

"Now what do we do?" Gray asked.

"Duh! We climb up and get her back before she's eaten!" Natsu said.

"But what if she's already been eaten?" Laxus said.

"Doubtful." Gajeel said. "A roc, much like a cat, likes to play with their food before eating it. We have time but not very much of it."

"In that case I'll just go so I don't have to worry about keeping you all safe." Natsu said.

Acting fast Natsu packed some rope and a pistol in a bag, tied two daggers to the bottoms of his boots, and held two more daggers firmly in his hands. He then used the daggers to climb up the mountain.

"Okay Natsu just keep climbing and don't look down." He told himself. "Stupid bird! Why couldn't it grab Laxus?"

When he finally reached the top he found the roc and Lucy inside of a very large nest. Watching the enormous bird toss her around like a rag doll.

"Stop it! Let me go!" She demanded.

Natsu quietly crept over to the best and fired his pistol at the roc. It dropped the blonde but Natsu managed to catch her.

"You alright?" He asked.

"I think so."

"Great. Now run!"

Roc charged after them as they ran across the surface of the mountain.

"Where are we going?" Lucy asked.

"I don't know! Just keep running!" Natsu told her.

In their haste to get away they didn't notice the puddle they were headed toward. But when they reached it, it wasn't just a simple step and that was the end, no they fell right through the puddle and found themselves floating around in a watery abyss.  They swam around until they reached the surface but they didn't end up back on the mountain. They were inside of a cave.

"What just happened?" Lucy asked.

"I don't know." Natsu said. "But it looks like we gave that overgrown chicken the slip."

"But for how long?"

"Let's just get somewhere and dry off."

They climbed out of the water and on to the nearest land.

"I better ring out my clothes." Lucy said.

"Ooo. Mind if I help?" Natsu asked excitedly.

Lucy picked up a rock and flung it at Natsu's head.

"Ow!"

"Don't even think about it you pervert!"

"I'm just kidding! Lighten up!"

"Just keep your head turned!"

Lucy huffed then went off somewhere private to take her clothes off and ring out the water soaked into them. Natsu respectfully kept his head turned the other way and didn't peep on her once. He was a rascal but even he had his limits.

"Are you almost done?" He asked her.

"Almost. Be patient."

After ten minutes waiting Lucy came back fully clothed.

"Better?" He asked.

"Much." She said. "Now where are we?"

"Honestly, I have no idea but it's definitely moist in here. Almost like the inside of a mouth."

"Ewww! Don't talk like that! That's disgusting!"

"I'm sorry but that's what it feels like to me."

"Can we just try to get out of here? Now you've got me thinking that we're about to be eaten."

"Well a few minutes ago you were about to be eaten."

"Whatever. Let's just go."

"No wait...We came here through a puddle right?"

"I guess."

"A puddle on the other side. This must be where the capricorn is. Let's find it."

"No. I wanna get out of here."

"We'll leave when we get the Capricorn's horn."

"If we live long enough to find it."

"Relax, I know what I'm doing."

"What about everyone else? If we don't come back won't they get worried?"

"Trust me, they know that I'm still alive. We'll be back before they really start to worry."

"Are you sure?"

"I think I know my own crew."

"Okay."