Ravenna didn't have time to close her mouth before her head was slammed against the molding deck again, the taste of salt making her gag. Grunting in satisfaction, the brute released her jacket and Ravenna thudded to the deck like a rag doll. Jumping to her feet, she attempted to compose herself as much as she could, and drew her dagger. The giant man chortled at the sight. As he reached out a fat, grubby hand to snatch the dagger from Ravenna, the back of his shoulder was exposed to reveal a tattoo: a long, curved sword splattered with blood.
Ravenna felt a pang in her chest and narrowed her eyes, hand clutching the handle of her knife. The brute grunted in amusement and wrapped a meaty fist around her throat, pitching her against the wall. Feeling a tsunami of fear crash around her and a tightening in her chest, Ravenna’s vision began to fade, darkening and swirling like a morning fog.
Desperately groping for her lost knife, Ravenna prayed she could reach it before losing consciousness. The monstrous man drew back his other hand into a fist, preparing to smash a nasty hole into her face. Suddenly, his hand fell limp, his fingers relaxed, and he slumped to the ground. Behind him, a slight, smirking woman stood, one claw raised. “I hate to leave the idiot alive, but blood would get everywhere.”
Ravenna rolled her eyes and sighed. “You’re late again! Where were you this time, Amore?”
Amore shrugged, shoulders lolling and relaxed, body confident and uncaring. “I was just gathering a bit of pocket money through some sailor’s ‘generous donations’. I thought it would be fine, but apparently you can’t handle a hairy idiot. You mind if I kill him?”
“Let’s have a little fun first.” Ravenna proposed, raising her eyebrows.
They smirked, and Amore said, “I’ll get the rope.”
? -    -
Sputtering and gasping, the brute blinked the sweat out of his eyes, leaning away from Amore, who was grinning maliciously and sharpening her claws. He stared down into the darkness of the ship’s interrogation room, or as Ravenna called it, The Dark Box. The best way to make a sailor break is leave them in the dark, and so it was one of her favorite torture strategies. The brute whimpered and edged away from the staircase, eyes wide with fear, only to receive a kick to the back of the knees from Amore, sending him tumbling into the depths, heavy limbs making a thud on every stair.
“There you go, Rat! Get your sealegs.” Amore calls down spitefully.
Ravenna stifles a grin, trying not to encourage her behavior, but fails miserably. It had always been difficult for her to stay serious around Amore.
Rat groaned, lying in a heap at the bottom of the stairs. “I can’t feel my legs….”
“Oh, shaddup.” Amore snarled, then bounded down the stairs gracefully, landing with a flourish next to the giant man.
Ravenna chuckled and jogged down the stairs, knowing fun was ahead, and maybe revenge.
The single, blinding bulb shone onto the man’s face, making him look even gaunter. Despite his muscular build, his fear and recent beating had reduced him to a quivering lump.  His lip quivered, and Amore sighed. “Why don’t we just kill him already? I’m tiired.” She whined, her composure that of a child who missed her nap.
Ravenna exhaled slowly, and leaned on the table. “If you cooperate, you’ll be out of here faster… and with all of your limbs.”
Rat flinched, muscles tensing under the ties around his hands and feet. “Now, I’ll ask one more time… who do you work for?”
He sighed heavily and grunted, then mumbled, “O.M.A.S.”
Ravenna felt a chill sprout through her body, starting with her heart and reaching the end of her fingers. “I’m sorry, what was that?”
He grumbled, “Ordi mundi a sanguine.”
Amore piped up, picking at Ravenna’s last nerve. “And what exactly would that mean? I don’t speak idiot.”
“Order of clean blood.” The words sparked a flame in Ravenna’s chest, one that had been quenched for ten years.
“What the hell is the order of clean blood? Sounds like a bloodletting clinic.” Amore smirked, leaning back and flexing her claws.
The brute sighed again, like he was speaking to children. “Our blood is clean. We come from all clean species families. We kill out the dirty species, like dwarves.”
Ravenna stood up suddenly, her chair screeching on the floor. “And why are dwarves dirty?”
Rat licked his lips, put off by the tension building in the room. “Well… they look different… and they’re disgusting. Barely sentient.”
I still remember the salty spray of the pitch-black water, droplets scattered across my face amidst my tears. Her eyes shone in the moonlight, then clouded over as her head hit the water with a sickening smack. Desdemona! I scream until my throat is raw, my ears ringing with her name, knowing I will never be able to rid myself of the image of her  body hitting the water, golden hair billowing out into clouds as one hand reached out towards me, fingers blue and riddled with scars. A wall of grief hits me square in the chest, taking my breath away. My fingers, clenched tight against the rotting wood of the dock, are scraped raw at the knuckles, evidence on my futile attempts to ward off the brutes who murdered my sister. “HEY! HEY!” A seemingly distant shout pulled Ravenna out of her murderous rage. She felt her eyes stinging with tears, and her hands were covered in blood, scraped raw. The scent of death was thick in the air.  Looking down, Ravenna saw the mangled corpse of the brute, face marred with scratch marks, lip split, and a gaping hole in his chest. “What the HELL was that?” Amore was almost screaming. She was close to tears, and kneeled to the ground, ears flat against the side of her head and whiskers quivering.
“I thought YOU were the stable one.” Her voice shook. Ravenna’s eyes dropped, avoiding eye contact.
“Hey.” Her voice was gentler, but still had an edge, as she slapped Ravenna, snapping her out of the nightmarish haze she was stuck in. “I need to know what happened. You freaked me out.”
She squeezed her eyes shut, tears leaking out of the corners and leaving tracks on her dusty cheek. Amore’s hazel eyes were wide and searching, looking for the secret that was buried so deep inside, under years of regret and shame.
Voice choked with emotion, Ravenna opened her eyes a crack, allowing a few tears to run down her pale, dusty face, and muttered, “Those….men… they’re horrible….they…. killed my sister.”
Amore exhaled heavily, the weight of realization settling on her shoulders. Untying the ever-present bandanna from Ravenna’s arm, she handed it to her and said, “Don’t stay in here all day, alright? I need you for sails, but I’ll dispose of this trash.” She hugged Ravenna tightly, then left her in peace.
Ravenna leaned against the wall, head in her hands and hair sticking to her tear-stained face. Her thoughts swirling uncontrollably, anger and guilt pressed closer and closer until they suffocated her..
- -    -

Gagging at the thick stench of blood, Amore hauled the corpse up the steps, trying to block out the hollow thud the head made against every stair. Dropping the legs to the deck, she stared wordlessly at the smashed face, the glassy eyes.
The sight of the crusted blood gathering below his lip sent Amore into a twisted maze of memories, with no way out. Feeling a catch in her throat, Amore’s eyes welled with tears. She brushed her fingers against his face, feeling the tough skin, the creases and the bone poking through. “Why were you so terrible?” she demanded, her voice cracking with emotion. “How did you manage to be so twisted, so broken?” Raising her voice to a shout, she shook the brute’s shoulders, as if waking him from a deep sleep. “WHY DID YOU MAKE SO MANY PEOPLE SUFFER?” Eyes wild, she stared at the corpse silently, expecting a response. Getting none, she screamed in frustration, her anguish lost to the boundless grey sky.
After a few minutes of tortured tears, she gathered herself and with great hatred heaved the corpse overboard, immediately turning away with revulsion.

Chapter Two

Inhaling the thick aroma of cooking meat and spices, Amore grinned and tossed the rope onto the dock. Rambling on for miles with narrow pathways between rickshaws and wooden carts, the market of Trellor Shoal was home to all kinds of vendors. There were bakers selling fresh loaves of bread for a few copper each, mages claiming to shrink you to the size of a mouse or give you the power to breathe fire for exorbitant sums of gold, and street urchins, lurking in between carts, their sunken faces and jutting ribs making it painfully clear that they had never had a decent meal or house to call their own.
“Oy, I’m gonna start the shopping, alright?” Amore called over her shoulder to Ravenna, already halfway down the dock and not waiting for an answer. Whooping with joy, she flies down the aisles, tail streaming behind her, examining all of the wares. Slowing down, she pulls the list out of her pocket, and pats the hefty pouch of gold clipped to her belt.
“That is sure some nice jewelry ye got there, kitty.” Amore glanced up to see a stout salesman, apron smeared with god-knows-what, licking his dry, salt-cracked lips and reaching a stubby finger out to caress her bracelets.
Tensed and every muscle in her body fighting against her, she smiled with her teeth gritted, turned, and stalked off.
“Oy! You’ve got a nice arse to go along with that gold!” The peddler called out, smirking and smacking an imaginary ass in front of him.
In a second, Amore was in front of him with her claws digging into his throat, lifting him off of the ground with his feet flailing wildly. Once his face was good and purple, she released him. Rubbing the claw marks on his neck, and leaving crimson streaks behind, the peddler inched backwards, mustache twitching in fear.
“Don’t you ever say that to anyone ever again, you little maggot. It is NOT your place to comment on my hot-ass body, and even if it were, that is not the way to do it, you small-minded, misogynistic meat handler!” She spat in disgust and turned on her heel, making sure to kick up dust as she strode away.
Feeling a tap on her shoulder, Amore stopped and sighed. “What is it now, a**hole?”
“Well that isn’t a very nice way to greet an old friend, is it, A?”
“Joanna! ” She grinned as she turned around to embrace her old knife skills mentor, then stepped back to examine her. Waist-length braided chestnut hair, shining emerald eyes, pointed ears and milky-white skin, the half-elf wore a worn tank top covered by a leather jacket, boots, and pants that hugged her voluptuous frame with a thick men’s belt lined with knives. A smirk tugged at Joanna’s lips as she looked around, noting the staring merchants and wide-eyed customers. She tensed when she saw a brawny man dressed in a steel chestplate with a belt loaded with weapons pushing through the crowd, making a beeline for them.
“We need to leave. Now.” She leaned in and muttered in Amore’s ear, then eyed her imploringly. “Can I board until the next port?”
Amore responded with a curt nod and took off running, weaving through the crowd, but got cut off suddenly by a weathered old woman who started talking rapidly in elven, waving a piece of paper around. Tossing a few silver pieces at her in a frenzy, she snatched the paper and took off again. Only when they were safely on the ship did either Amore or Joanna bother with formalities.
“Oh, hey Ravenna, this is Jo, she’s staying with us till the next port.”
The waking sky was tinged with gold and crimson, and Amore was sprawled across the deck, eyes devouring the swirled paint pallete of the sky and fur soaking up the first rays of sun. Sighing contentedly, she enjoyed the first true peace she had had in days, savoring the silence. Suddenly, the boat jolted, and Amore was on her feet, running to the side the blow had come from. Peering over the side, she muttered, “S***e!” and sprinted downstairs, banging on Ravenna’s cabin door. “Ravenna!” She shouted, tail twitching in nervousness. The door creaked open, and Ravenna emerged, scowling, hair spiked and mussed, and holding a dagger. “I swear to god, you little cat, if someone isn’t dying, I’m going to cover this floor in your blood.”
Ignoring her threat, Amore said, “Sea monster. Get Joanna. NOW!” Ravenna’s eyes widened, and she sheathed her dagger, shouldered her quiver and bow, and sprinted to Joanna’s quarters. Not bothering to knock, she shouldered the wizened oak door, bursting in without hesitation. The scene that met her eyes was a surprise, to say the least. Joanna, dark hair hanging down her back, standing in front of a cracked mirror, wearing only leather pants, a thick mens belt, and a half-buttoned shirt, revealing her voluptuous figure. Hearing the door, Joanna turned, lips parted and head tilted inquisitively, hair swishing behind her. “I- you- sorry- wha….” Ravenna stuttered. Licking her chapped lips and trying again, she took a deep breath and blurted, “THERE'S A SEA MONSTER TRYING TO EAT US ALL GET A DAMN KNIFE AND GET YOUR ASS ON DECK NOW- also sorry for barging in…” She darted upstairs, notching an arrow, cheeks burning. Joanna smiled, attempting to hide her amusement, then sheathed her knives and hurried upstairs, buttoning her shirt as she went.
Wiping the salty spray from her eyes, Ravenna dropped to the deck, barely avoiding a barbed spine that whizzed past her head, embedding itself firmly into the deck. Scanning the gargantuan creature for weak spots, she was in awe of the power of the beast. Shining cobalt scales covered it, with an almost-white underside, where a slippery looking skin replaced the scales. That’s it!  “Wave formation!” Ravenna called out to Amore, who nodded in understanding and shouted, “Joanna, hit the mark Ravenna sets, I’ll distract.” Leaping deftly onto the hulking creature’s back, she scampered towards its face, digging in her claws and occasionally teeth. The beast reared its head, shaking in an effort to fling Amore into the ocean, leaving its stomach exposed. Ravenna drew back her bowstring, relishing the feeling of power that came with the tugging cord, itching to be released towards its target. Exhaling as she released, she grinned as the arrow found its way in between two folds of skin, burying its head deep within the serpent. Emitting an eardrum-bursting shriek, the sea monster writhed in pain, and Amore batted at its face, distracting it once again. Joanna arched her back, a weighted knife firmly in her right hand, and released it. All three comrades watched as it soared through the air and gashed a neat hole directly above the arrow. “Again!” Amore called out, swaying as she struggled to keep purchase on the struggling serpent. Ravenna took aim again, this time for the face of the creature, and pierced one of the glassy eyes. It shuddered, and Amore leapt off as Joanna took aim, perfectly stabbing the other eye with her knife. The monster screeched, and Ravenna dove forward, slashing at the rubbery underside of the creature. Gallons of bluish fluid poured out, and the serpent sunk below the surface once again, and the comrades ran to the front of the ship just in time to see the tail of the monster vanishing into the rising sun. “Damn, those were my good knives.” Joanna grumbled, fingering the empty loops in her belt.

 “Now, I believe this magnitude of victory deserves a drink! Where do you keep your alcohol?” Joanna declared, hoisting her glass into the air.
“Well, I do have some wine, but it might be a bit *ahem* strong from some of us,” Amore chuckled, looking pointedly at Ravenna.
Ravenna felt her cheeks redden. “Nonsense! Bring it on!”  
“If you say so…” Amore muttered, hopping off of her stool to retrieve the wine.
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“You know….. Your hair smells really good after you shower… and I love the way it swishes side to side….” Ravenna mumbled, eyes half-closed and cheek pressed against the deck. “You’re just so brave and pretty and graceful… like a dolphin! Joanna the dolphin… that’s what I’ll call you…”
Joanna stifled a laugh and sipped her wine, amused by the blatant display of affection.
“I love the way your clothes fit your body… I love your knives…. I love the way you walk…” Ravenna paused to swig more wine, emptying her second bottle. “I looooove you, Jo. If I was one of the gays I would try to kiss you right now, but I’m not so I gonna go to bed, even though I really really wanna.” She clambered to her feet and toddled towards the sleeping quarters, muttering about dolphins the whole way.