Stavanger Bay towers and shadows

It felt almost as though Raptor had appeared right before him. Smokestep watched the sable corsair approach and felt his stomach sink further within him. He thought he ought to have been carrying stones in the pit of his gut for it to feel such a way. It was in the few moments that it took for Raptor to arrive where Smokestep felt most aware of how he was standing and behaving. His feet shuffled for a moment in the sand and when his Quartermaster finally closed the space between them, he did not say a word but locked his eyes with the sand at Smokestep’s paws. The silent resolve that passed over his friend was enough to cause the Captain’s heart to clench tightly within his chest. He breathed deep and then shook his head back and forth.
 
“Rap, mate… I’m awful sorry ‘bout wot I said to ye last,” he started with a near sheepish expression. It was difficult for the proud young Captain to admit that he had done something wrong, but he was hell-bent on fixing what he had done to the pirate who stood before him. After all, the young Cairn believed they were already kin. “Piper would be lucky to have a mate like ye. Ye didn’t deserve wot I said, right, an’ I’ll give ye one free hit wit no fight back ‘cause I know yer doin’ yer best and I need ye here, mate… I need ye to help me run the crew.” He then straightened himself and waited to see if Raptor would take him up on the offer. It was only then that he noticed the marks on the other male’s body. His brows furrowed tightly over his gaze and he gaped daftly before Raptor.
 
“Wot the fuck? Ye fightin’ sharks? Who the fuck did this to ye? I’ll kill ‘em,” he snapped.