Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.
Cat was the only one to blame for her predicament. Being the guest, the men would have easily let her out of the competition, but now that she'd agreed, they wouldn't let her out until she won or passed out. And passing out meant Thal would have to babysit the woman all night. The captain just sighed in mourning for the peaceful night she could have had.
However, things got worse as they dragged her into their antics. Her blue eyes narrowed with displeasure, but there was a benefit to judging the competition: she could stop it from getting out of hand. Maybe she could prevent Cat from developing alcohol poisoning before the night was over, not that she really cared either way. It just meant more work for her, and that wasn't something she enjoyed.
Finishing off the dregs of her bourbon, Thal handed her empty glass to a nearby crewmate and stepped forward. The answering action earned her a pleasant cheer as they all gathered around, eager for the rare test of fortitude hosted by their fearless leader. They jostled each other in their rush for a close visual but made room for her to step through, the excitement palpable. A few in the back stood on boxes, sloshing their ale across the floor as they passed bets amongst themselves. From the few snippets of conversation Thal caught, Cat wasn't being favored by the odds.
She stood beside the table and gestured for the first bottle to be brought over along with two shot glasses. Within moments, she held a large bottle of tequila that had her raising an eyebrow at the crew. It was a surprise they still had any after the last challenge, not that she was complaining. Thal filled each glass to the rim, glancing around the room for her predetermined victim. Spotting him in the corner, nearly translucent against the wall, she smiled. He gave her a suspicious look before her mouth even opened. "Spook! As the new first mate, it's tradition to take the first challenge." Although he didn't seem thrilled with the idea, Spook had been chosen for a reason, he followed orders.
The crew made a path that closed tight behind him as the first mate reluctantly took his seat across from Cat. Thal was legitimately curious as to how he'd do, but she wouldn't let that cloud her judgement. Slamming the bottle against the table, the room grew quieter. "The rules are simple. You each take turns throwing back your shot. You pass out? You lose. You puke? You lose. You refuse to drink? You walk the plank." The last one brought a bout of boos and slamming fists from around the room. Obviously, that was an unpopular choice. Looking between the two competitors, Thal finished the script, "Do you agree to the terms?" Spook narrowed his eyes in acceptance but nodded his head. Turning to Cat, she raised an eyebrow. It was her last chance to back out.
However, things got worse as they dragged her into their antics. Her blue eyes narrowed with displeasure, but there was a benefit to judging the competition: she could stop it from getting out of hand. Maybe she could prevent Cat from developing alcohol poisoning before the night was over, not that she really cared either way. It just meant more work for her, and that wasn't something she enjoyed.
Finishing off the dregs of her bourbon, Thal handed her empty glass to a nearby crewmate and stepped forward. The answering action earned her a pleasant cheer as they all gathered around, eager for the rare test of fortitude hosted by their fearless leader. They jostled each other in their rush for a close visual but made room for her to step through, the excitement palpable. A few in the back stood on boxes, sloshing their ale across the floor as they passed bets amongst themselves. From the few snippets of conversation Thal caught, Cat wasn't being favored by the odds.
She stood beside the table and gestured for the first bottle to be brought over along with two shot glasses. Within moments, she held a large bottle of tequila that had her raising an eyebrow at the crew. It was a surprise they still had any after the last challenge, not that she was complaining. Thal filled each glass to the rim, glancing around the room for her predetermined victim. Spotting him in the corner, nearly translucent against the wall, she smiled. He gave her a suspicious look before her mouth even opened. "Spook! As the new first mate, it's tradition to take the first challenge." Although he didn't seem thrilled with the idea, Spook had been chosen for a reason, he followed orders.
The crew made a path that closed tight behind him as the first mate reluctantly took his seat across from Cat. Thal was legitimately curious as to how he'd do, but she wouldn't let that cloud her judgement. Slamming the bottle against the table, the room grew quieter. "The rules are simple. You each take turns throwing back your shot. You pass out? You lose. You puke? You lose. You refuse to drink? You walk the plank." The last one brought a bout of boos and slamming fists from around the room. Obviously, that was an unpopular choice. Looking between the two competitors, Thal finished the script, "Do you agree to the terms?" Spook narrowed his eyes in acceptance but nodded his head. Turning to Cat, she raised an eyebrow. It was her last chance to back out.
Thalassa
