THE ODYSSEY — tsunami

[Verdigris]

  [font=trebuchet ms]Paper had been standing outside yelling for anyone who hadn’t attended the meeting when the rain began descending on all of them. Narrowing his eyes and raising a paw to shield his face from the downpour, he glanced down at his satchel. Sure enough, the book was still there, its leather binding visible through the satchel’s opening.

  Gritting his teeth as Pincher announced they had to go to the Tempest, Paper lifted his head and peered in the general direction of his hut. Was it possible for him to save the ruby? It probably was, but he would have no room for error, and if someone else happened to need help, he wouldn’t have time to help them. He would probably need to leave the gem, as well as the chili plant he’d gotten from Amaranth and the rat totem from the betta ceremony, behind. That was fine; he could find another chili plant and totem, and even if the ruby really did have magical powers, it wasn’t as valuable as the lives of his crewmates.

  Shielding the satchel with his body so its contents wouldn’t get soaked, Paper started heading over to the Tempest, but kept his eye out for anyone in need of assistance, his good ear pointed towards the jungle. If anyone cried out for help, he would hear them, or failing that, see them.