These past two weeks had been fraught with peril. From escaping the prison cart, to fighting their way out of Marienburg and the loss of Ricardo (Cyrdic had not asked Camilla what had befallen him), to booking passage on a ship and finding Ivan of all people, and finally the storm that had torn their sea-faring vessel asunder. It was said that Manann watched over Marienburg and all trade that left it. If their escaping the authorities had not brought upon his wrath, the Imperial hunter on-board the ship that had shot the Albatross out of the air certainly had. Any fool knew that the bird was favored by the Sea God. It wasn't another day before the waves grew larger than giants and crushed the ship as easily as Cyrdic could break a man's nose. 

Now under the unrelenting sun, Cyrdic stood above the others on his perch at the mast, on the outside appearing tireless and vigilant. They didn't feel the dryness of his throat, or the worries in his head. He was glad for the small blessing of such a large piece of the boat drifting off, and of rain the other night, but another two days as they were and he felt they would be dead. The Imperial soldier also couldn't tell if it was a good thing or not that the skies were clear of any clouds. There wouldn't be another storm, but the unbearable heat would dehydrate them before long. Gods, this southern heat was hard on a man. He was already ruddy skinned from having to bear the sun on his expeditions and campaigns as a soldier in the North, but the heat was taking its toll on him. 

He swallowed again, and took the smallest sip of his water jug to help him breathe, by Sigmar, as Camilla pulled the nets in and found a fish they could eat. Cyrdic let out a happy chuckle, and leaped down from the mast he was perched on to lope over to his lover. He'd felt she'd noticed there was a small rivalry between he and Ricardo, and Cyrdic had never known if she was put off about it or not. But such petty things had fled them (if they were even there) since they'd left the mainland. Though the heat could bring a short temper to everyone, if Ivan's uncharacteristic surely disposition was any indication. 

"Ogh, did ve little flowere bring som veasting, egh?" Ivan grunted, pulling himself up to his proper, bearish height and looking over their shoulders as Camilla and Cyrdic began to prepare the small meal. He had found his horseman's gait very much accustomed to the swaying of the sea, oddly enough.  

"Hough big is it?" Ivan asked impatiently, threatening to approach them and sending the entire raft onto its side. "Give us a moment," Cyrdic replied with a bit of his own impatience, giving Camilla room to work at the carcass with her knife. The small blood oozed onto the deck and off the planks, but it seemed what came next had been following them for awhile, as the blood had not even entered the water yet. 

There was a bump against the bottom of the planks, and so intensely was Cyrdic looking at the fish that he almost did not notice until it was too late. A bit of net swaying along the side of the boat on the water surface, was suddenly seized from some force below, and tugged viciously. Parts of the net Cyrdic had been standing on tripped the muscled Ostlander, sending him down onto his back. He nearly lost his foot to a gaping maw, and on instinct the Imperial rolled away from the side of the ship to see three fins scything through the water. 
[@Penny]