Storm Chasers

"Storm Chasers" is a [SEASON NUMBER] thread written on [IRL DATE].
==Summary==
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==Full Text==
The Crows sailed for weeks on the rough waters. What normally would have been a relatively simple journey was made much harsher due to the paranormal storm that followed them. But they were seasoned sailors the lot of them, and soon the half-breed up in the crow's nest, Bramblepelt, called down. "Land ahoy!"
The captain came out from her cabin and pull out her spy glass. Even as the rain slid down the lens she could make it out. Haligan Island. "Bring us into to port, and change the colors quick as you can. Don't need them knowing who we are while we're here." She said, collapsing the spyglass again as she stalked back into her cabin. "Now we'll see how much she cares about her beloved rebels." She smirks.
Dec 2, 2020
The Chief shivered slightly as she and Shadow flew around the island. This was something they always did ever since she rode on Shadow for the first time. If the weather was bad, it would always be a quick flight around the island so that Shadow could stretch her wings. However, now, Grey was keeping an eye on the storm that Hel had caused. Mostly everyone was hunkered down in their homes...just to be safe. 
She couldn’t help but feel on edge lately with Dixie criticizing her judicial decisions...He did apologize, and she did talk to Brandt about it. But still... Not only that but the anonymous letter and Blunt’s letter had added more stress that she tried to keep in check. At least for now, she was up in the sky with her best friend...her sister, where she could just forget for a moment and relax.
Shadow crooned as she shook her head jolting her out of her thoughts.
“I know, girl,” Grey said. “I’m getting sick of this weather, too. Let’s head back down and get home--”
“Chief Grey!” a voice shouted from below. 
Grey looked down and saw one of her men in the watchtower. She directed Shadow toward the tower before the Night Fury set herself on the perch. “What is it?” she asked.
“A ship on the horizon,” one of the men said handing her a spyglass.
“One of ours or Central’s?” she asked.
“Doesn’t seem to be either,” he replied.
The Chief held the spyglass to her eye only to see the ship approaching...clearly meaning to dock. She didn’t recognize it. It didn’t look like a trader’s ship nor Central’s. “One of you notify Brandt and bring him here,” Grey commanded. “Shadow and I will go investigate.”
“Yes, Chief,” they said in unison before she and Shadow took off. 
Dec 3, 2020
Hel stood still as the ship docked, her eyes still set on the land of Central that spread before her. All at once though, one of her newly form pupils cleared from its daze, and shifted over towards the singular boat.  
The white orb scanned the vessel as the air seemed to tighten around them. The tension in the area was palpable...
And then Hel turned away.
There was a moment of quiet, and then the thunder in the distance clapped again, and a singular, devoted cloud appeared over the ship, and began to drench it in rain.
Dec 3, 2020
The captain watched as the skies began to clear everywhere. Everywhere except around her ship. "She really just loves to piss in my tea. Belay that last order. Take us around the island and head west!" Hopefully they hadn't turned enough to look like they were coming into port.
Dec 3, 2020
“What in Hel’s name?” Grey asked aloud as she and Shadow got closer to the strange ship. “I must be going mad. Is that a storm cloud over a ship?”
Shadow crooned and raised an eyebrow at the sight, and she quickly flew toward the ship.
“Keep your eyes and ears open, girl,” Grey whispered to her dragon. “We don’t know what we’re dealing with yet.”
Dec 3, 2020
Ai growled as she watched the night fury draw closer. "Oh fuck off." She groaned. She really didn't want to deal with the chief now. Hopefully she wouldn't draw any closer.
Dec 3, 2020
Grey squinted trying to get a better view and quickly patted Shadow urging her to get closer to the ship. 
“Let’s see what’s going on, Shadow,” Grey whispered with a smirk.
Shadow crooned and smirked as well as she flew even closer to the ship landing on the front under the raincloud.
Dec 3, 2020
The crew quickly drew various manner of weapons, swords, staves, crossbows, as the stranger landed on the ship. "Hold!" Ai called as she stepped forth. "Welcome aboard stranger. It is often considered polite to ask permission before boarding, but no matter. "May I help you with something?"
Dec 3, 2020
“Yes, as a matter of fact, you can,” Grey said with a cool smile on her face. “You can tell me who you are and what you’re doing coming towards my island...with a storm cloud over your ship.”
Dec 3, 2020
"We're merchants, traders. As for why we're approaching your island, we're not. As you can see, your island is to the west there," she gestures to her left. We're simply passing through on our way up north. As for the storm, damned if I know." She shrug. "If I'm honest it's freaking me out."
Dec 3, 2020
The Chief eyed the stormcloud and raised an eyebrow at the strangers, and she couldn’t help but feel that something was still off. She wanted to believe the strangers, but there was something in her gut telling her not to. Instead, she feigned a smile. 
“Oh, well, pardon me,” Grey said with as much innocence as she could muster up. “Haligan Island has been through a lot for the past few weeks, so I’m a little bit on edge. I’m Chief Grey Bergman-Felman. Please, allow me to escort you until you reach the edge of our waters. I...I’m afraid I can’t get rid of this stormcloud, but it’s the least I can do.”
Dec 3, 2020
Well that wasn't going to work. "Thank you for your generous offer ma'am but I'd prefer to just head on our way. It's not every day that my crew gets to see a night fury. They'll be talking about it for the rest of the voyage and I'd prefer to keep them focused, a lovely lady such as yourself certainly won't help with that." She said with a smile.
Dec 3, 2020
“Oh no, it’s no problem, really,” Grey insisted. “I would like to make sure you and your crew continue your journey safely, and Shadow and I will fly up ahead close to the clouds. You won’t even notice us.”
Dec 3, 2020
She shrugs. "Fair enough. Out of curiosity where does your territory end? After this voyage we could perhaps pursue a trade relationship with you and your island."
Dec 3, 2020
The Chief smiled and looked out over the waters. “Pretty much up until the next island in this direction,” she pointed to the island near where they sat in the water...the same island that was used as an evacuation point, “With the exception of Haligan Island, they’re all uninhabited,” she explained. 
Dec 3, 2020
She nods. "Alright, well, thank you again and if you don't mind, we'll be getting back to work now." She says.
Dec 3, 2020
Grey nodded. “Shadow and I will fly overhead,” she said as Shadow flapped her wings and ascended slightly. “Shout if you need anything.”
Dec 3, 2020
"Will do." As soon as she was absolutely certain she and her dragon were out of ear shot she turned to her first mate and whispered. "I want this ship run tighter than a priest of Baldr." She growls before stalking back to her cabin, her first mate barking orders to the rest of the crew in her stead. The voyage passing by uneventfully.
Grey glared at the ship below as Shadow ascended into the air. The strangers hadn’t done anything, but their interaction did nothing to ease her worries. She smiled to herself. Surely, these newcomers didn’t expect her to have powerful comrades.
“Indigo, Warden, if you can hear me,” Grey thought to herself, “I need your help. They haven’t done anything too suspicious, but…they have some kind of storm cloud following them.”
Dec 4, 2020
Nala broadcasted Grey’s words to Indigo while communicating with both of them. Then they have drawn Hel’s wrath, for reasons unknown. They can be easily dispatched with dragons…what would you have us do?
Dec 4, 2020
“Don’t engage with them yet,” Grey added mentally. “Just keep an eye on them and see where they go. If they really are innocent traders, then we will have no reason to fight back and let them go on their merry way.”
Dec 4, 2020
As she’d ordered the ship was ran tightly, with nothing done nor said to arouse suspicion.
Dec 4, 2020
Nala invisibly tracked the ship as it passed by, as well as noting the strength of the storm battering its sails and its sails alone. It never wavered or let up the entire time that it seemed to simply glide north past Haligan. Once or twice, she attempted to scrutinize an unsuspecting rigger’s mind to try and swipe any information she could find.
Dec 4, 2020
Each time she tried it bounced off, as if they were shielded, a bubble surrounding their minds. It was reminiscent of the talismans and charms used by the rebellion to prevent possession, but enhanced to deflect demonic mental powers in general.
Dec 4, 2020
Hissing a curse, Nala immediately reported the information to Grey. I cannot get through to them. They are shielded from me. It was not suspicious in and of itself–many people were wary of demons these days–but the Warden was unsettled.
Dec 4, 2020
Grey furrowed her eyebrows together even more so as she listened to Nala’s information. She couldn’t get through to these strangers. That must’ve meant that there was some magic involved, but again…they hadn’t done anything. 
“Indigo, perhaps, you can,” Grey thought to Indigo hoping he could find something. 
Dec 5, 2020
If they’re trying to keep only demons out, I probably can. I’d be more than willing to help.
The Phantom responded, trusting that the Warden would pass the message on from where he sat in the jail. He’d been paying attention the moment the first message had hit his mind from the Demon, almost a little too eager to have some way he could help and build trust.
I’d need to be closer, though. I can’t feel them from here. Perhaps I can make my way to the edge of the island and reach from there. Would that be okay with the both of you? 
Dec 5, 2020
“It’s alright with me,” Grey replied mentally. “You can take only one of your Furies with you. I don’t want these guys to get suspicious if we have a whole flock following them. Warden, is that alright with you?”
Dec 5, 2020
As long as the option remains for me to strike him from the sky should he turn on us. She said this with little malice, but still fully intending to follow through with her protection.
Dec 5, 2020
Indigo sent thoughts of agreement and assurance, and left the jail, informing the guard he was on a mission. Still a little too excited, he ran as far as he had to into the woods to get Storm’s attention, and the Night Fury quickly joined him. Indigo informed his friend about the specifics as they took off to help. 
On the edge of the island, Indigo peered at the ship that was skirting the island., as well as its personal rain cloud. 
“Alrighty, Let’s see what they’re hiding.” He murmured to himself, focusing his mind out there to see what doors he could enter.
Dec 5, 2020
The crew mate whom Indigo was poking around in’s face scrunches slightly. He begins to sing a sea shanty, soon the entire crew is singing along and that’s all that can be read in their surface thoughts.
Dec 5, 2020
Thrown off a tad, the Phantom seemed slightly perturbed at the shanty. “Oh really? You think a little music can keep me from figuring out why you’re here?” He rubbed his hands together. “We shall see.”
He quietly poked a little more at a few minds here and there, managing just barely to ride through the shanty they were burying themselves into to find the captain, though… 
He had to admit, they were doing a very good job of keeping him out. He could read a few things here and there, unlike The Warden, who hadn’t even been able to get in, but nothing stood out. He picked up the barest minimum of some… interesting things from the captain, but not enough.
They’re too good. I can’t get anything specific at all. Though they’re definitely up to no good whatsoever. Sorry I couldn’t get more out of em. If only I was closer, I bet I could dive right into the mind of that leader.. ah well. My apologies.
Dec 6, 2020
“It’s alright, Indigo,” Grey replied mentally as she continued to glare at the ship. “For some reason, there’s something very off about them, but…something’s preventing us from seeing what it is. We won’t really know anything until they do anything or say anything.”
Dec 7, 2020
The ship soon sailed passed the island they’d indicated. Ai hoped that’d be the last of it.
Dec 7, 2020
The Chief watched closely as the ship passed the island the traders said they would pass, and while she was somewhat relieved, she still couldn’t help but feel uneasy. Something still didn’t feel right, but…the traders hadn’t proven their suspicions correct. Therefore, there was nothing else to do…except direct Shadow to turn around and head back toward the island. 
“Come on, girl,” Grey whispered to Shadow. “Let’s head back.”
Dec 8, 2020
Ai stood at the stern of the ship, a glass of wine in her hand and scowling back at the island and the retreating rebels. They'd get theirs one day, she'd make sure of it. For right now though she needed to get up North to a safe harbor.