Not knowing what he'd find when he got down below, Azdrubaal took his nimcha with him. However Bacchus had everything under control - more or less. Ghadu and Qhadir had torn the man up pretty good before 'Dad' brought them under control. There was blood all over the rigger, the floor, the lower crates and the dogs. The two were still snarling, wanting to lunge at the man. Ghadu and Qhadir were guard-dogs. It's what Bacchus had trained them to be from little tiny puppies. Not even he was entirely sure they were 'dogs' - but at least part. He suspected they were some combination of wild dog and Abyssinian wolf. He'd come across them while he was out riding one day, their mother lying dead nearby and most of their siblings in the same state. She was most definitely a wild dog. These two clung to life. He took them home with him, and he and Dido nursed them back to health. Azdrubaal always teased him that they were their children. The Pilot's voice was a threatening growl as he approached the cowering, whimpering rigger. "What're you doin' down here, Marcus? An' don't lie ta me. I'll know it and it'll be all the worse for ye. I thought I'd made it very clear no one was ta come down here but me, the Egyptian and Bacchus 'ere. Ya don't listen real good, do ya boy?" "Please don't kill me, Pilot! Make them dogs go 'way!! I...I got curious. Curious - that's all. Honest. Please don't kill me. I'll never come down 'ere again. I swear it!" Every inch of the man was trembling, his body in shock from all the wounds and scratches the dogs had inflicted. He was losing blood out one gash in his left bicep real bad. "Just a lot o' crates boy - like always. I expect orders to be followed when I give 'em." Azdrubaal had sailed with Marcus before and knew he wasn't really an ill-intentioned sort - just not entirely bright. "What d'ya think I should do with him Bacchus? Leave him to the dogs?" Bacchus shrugged, stroking Qhadir's neck to calm him. "It's up to you, Ba'al. I'd break his neck and feed him to the fishes," Bacchus winked. "Nah. That'd be be too easy on 'im. He's gonna live with this mistake. I think I'll leave ya as a walking warnin' ta anyone else thinks they wanta come down here. Get yer butt up topside and go to the cabin. We'll clean ya up an' stitch up them wounds. Did ya learn anything, boy?" "Yessir, Pilot sir...orders is orders! Ya aint gonna kill me?" Marcus knew about the Corsican. The whole crew did, as some of them had been on the Miryami - Azdrubaal's other boat. "I've known ye awhile now, Marcus. I know ya aint bad...just stupid sometimes. Do I have ta goad ya up off the floor with this?" He waved the nimcha at him. "Get up!" Azdrubaal extended his free hand. "Close it up down here, Bacchus?" "Sure. I have to clean the blood off the boys anyway. Don't want them tastin' it. They might like it." Bacchus smiled. He would have expected no less from his friend. ***** Ohhh, what's all these bad things you're thinking about poor lil Shu-shu? Shu-shu's a good girl ;) Yes, Odile I am a TB fan, but I was a Bela Lugosi, Christopher Lee and Bram Stoker fan long before TB came along. Vampires, witches and werewolves have a very interesting and long history. They have a more or less common root. Marked for 'Violence' because of all the blood. Have a great Sunny Sunday and thanks for looking! Rayvn