The sequel to Heart of oak. Acorn again sails the seven seas on the good ship The Royal Oak.  This time a deadly foe lurks in the bowels of the ship.  Its sinister presence makes even hardened mariners cringe.  Join Acorn in his quest for revenge.

Acorn and the Creeper

The sun stood high in the sky, the Royal Oak, a Man ’o’ War of his Majesty’s Royal Navy fairly flew through white-capped waves.  White spume flew over the prow, sails billowed aloft like white balloons, fit to burst.  The crew worked like a well-oiled machine, hauling on ropes, trimming sails a myriad of tasks to keep a ship of the line in trim and up to speed.  We were on our way to Tahiti to re-provision and take on fresh water. We all looked forward to fresh food, especially me, Acorn I’m called, sea-cat 1st class.

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Herbert had never imagined that his cigarette end would be relished by the creatures of the deep when he threw it overboard. When they gave him a pearl in exchange he thought he’d found his fortune, but can you really trust a sea creature?

Bad Habit

Herbert stood at the deckrail, the invisible sea stretched endlessly out to nothingness. Only the translucent wake of the old cargo ship cutting a watery furrow through the deep gave any hint of the ocean below. Herbert pulled on his cigarette, the bitter taste of the cheap tobacco felt like he was smoking an old piece of rope.

Why do I buy these bloody cheap fags? Herbert thought… “Because they’re cheap,” he answered himself.  Herbert flicked the half smoked cigarette into the velvet stillness of the night and watched as the glowing stub lazily arced through the air.

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Fortune smiled on Ida Kite or at least that’s what she thought, perhaps it was not so much smiling as having a good laugh.

Chosen

Ida Kite sat on the bench in her usual spot underneath the huge branch of an ancient oak tree; she just sat, gazing silently at the people in the city square.  It was a pleasant spot, as she sat watching the myriad of people scurrying to and fro, making their way to occupations varied and necessary.  The tree lined square, was bursting into song as the birds of the air gave vent to their ritualistic tunes.  A singularly beautiful yellow-brown bird sat in a tree on the branch right above Ida’s head, it seemed to sing the loudest and it seemed to sing for her.

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Acorn the prodigal ”sea cat” abandoned and lost as a kitten, befriended by lame john, a sailor of the king.  Now Acorn’s adventures start, cared for by greasy Westcott, mentored by Horatio the crusty 1st “sea cat” aboard the good ship Royal Oak.

Heart of Oak

I could feel the cold rain on my fur, feel the icy wind against my face and feel the hunger in my belly.  It was dark and I felt so lost and alone. Where my mum, brothers and sisters were I do not know, in fact I never found out.

“What’s this then”, a voiced boomed, it was loud, though not nasty, but I was frightened.  “Shiver me timbers, why it’s a little kitten”, the human said.  “Soaking wet and freezing, shivering all over.  Why, it can only be just weaned, no sign of the mother, must be abandoned.

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