Fujjeyj felt like singing out at the top of his lungs. All the old repetative pirate dittys came floating into his brains as if they had been hybernating for years on end and now wanted some attention. He did not want to sound like an idiot, so he compromised for humming loudly instead. His mustard yellow boat, that he decided he would dub Karma Slap, bounced over the waves merrily in the wake of the other competitors. Just as he was begining to suspect that his trick had not necesarily been in his best interest (for it had taken precious time away from him to make it towards the finish line), a burst of wind proppelled him forward. He threw himself backward instinctively to balance the weight, leaning as far back as he could, digging his claws into the woodwork to defy gravity. He watched as he passed a boat here, and a boat there, their captains looking at him jealously. Fujjyej certainly knew how to get the most out of the wind, but this was more than simply his skill. Whereever this wind was coming from, he seemed to be the only one effected by it. He thanked his lucky stars that he alone had found such a breeze and looked for Alamu to see how she was doing. Once he spotted her however, he changed his thoughts, only he AND Alamu seemed to be effected by it. He grinned and let out a laugh, not allowing himself to think we he suspected. All the others were left behind him now. He was neck and neck with Alamu. He had to hand it to her, the first time he had gone out sailing, his boat had flipped in under a minute. For a fleeting moment he thought about letting her win, but the thought soon left his mind. It was a contest, and he would contend. The win would mean nothing to her if it had been handed to her. He pushed his boat as hard as he could, trying to pass Alamu as the Finish Line loomed right in front of them.
Alamu saw Fujjeyj beside her and decided that was enough of an edge for both of them. Her ears swiveled toward him as the supernatural wind died, listening to him hum. No more cheating. Not against him, she decided, pulling the rope a little more so she pulled a couple feet in front of Fujjeyj. As they came closer to the finish line, she wondered how far she would have gotten if Fujjeyj hadn't taught her about sailing. Now I see why he thought the book was stupid. It was too technical, she realized. A moment later, she sailed over the finish line. Her reverie had pulled her back a couple feet, and, as she sat still on the water, she realized she had been neck and neck with Fujjeyj when they crossed. Photo finish, she thought, and looked around for Jeyj.
Fujjeyj held his breath as he crossed the finish line, eyes flicking back and forth between each boat. As they crossed together, he let his breath go, realizing he had been trying to hum inwardly before, and was now humming again. He promptly stopped and let his boat slow to a calmer pace. He called over to Alamu as the other boats began to cross the finish line, <span style='color:red'>That was some great sailing!</span> he called. He began to turn his boat towards the dock, and begin the long process of tacking back. Without realizing it, he began to hum to himself again. He wondered if this double finish meant they both got to keep their boats. As he made his way back, he began to think about all the little things he would do to the Karma Slap to make it his own unique, perfect little boat.
"Thanks!" Alamu called back, turning her boat around as well. As soon as she was sure he wouldn't see, she grinned. Yes! Success at last, she thought, moving more slowly as she sailed. It took half an hour for her to reach the dock, tying the boat up and dropping the anchor before sitting on the dock, staring into the water as she waited for the rest of the boats. She dipped her paws into the water, closing her eyes and leaning back as she waited for the judges to figure out who won.
Fujjeyj tied up his boat on the dock when he reached it, and tossed the little anchor over the side. He took his folding chair and fishing pole out from a compartment in the boat, and climbed out. By now, most of the other boats had already docked as well, and were in various stages of leaving their boats. A couple cast angry glances in Fujjeyj's direction as he passed, but he paid them no attention. He walked down the docks, back towards the sign in table. That was where he assumed the judges would be. He hoped to find Alamu again before he left, he wanted to congratulate her on how well she had done. As he had hoped, the judges had been unable to tell who had actually won the race. The front of Alamu's ship had passed over first, but the back of Fujjeyj's had passed over before Alamu's. Fujjeyj waited while the other sailors gathered, waiting to see if he and Alamu both would get a prize, and waiting for the deed to his new boat if that were the case.
Alamu got up as everyone walked over to the sign in table, standing in the back of the crowd since no one would let her pass. Her ears perked up, listening, as the judges announced both she and Fujjeyj would keep their boats since it had been a tie. She tried to go up and get the deed to her boat, but the 'dragons all pushed together, giving her nasty looks before focusing on the judges as one began to protest. Alamu stepped back, annoyed, and shifted to her quad form. She was slim in this form as well, but it was easier to wiggle her way through the crowd on all fours. The pendragons closest to the table had shifted to their quad forms as well, blocking her again. <span style='color:gray'>Ok, that's it. My turn</span>, the voice growled. Alamu hesitated before she let the anger take over, nipping dragons hard until she drew blood or they moved. Finally, she reached the table and shifted back to her biped form, accepting the deed to her boat with a grin. She looked at Fujjeyj out of the corner of her eye, giving him a quick smile, before she moved back through the crowd to her new boat.
Fujjeyj accepted the deed to his new boat with a grin, and a snide side glance at the other sailors. He noticed that they were making it difficult for Alamu to get through, and he thought of intervening, but before he could, she had forced her way through. He saw that she was quite different from how she had been before. When she smiled at him with almost a new face, he nodded in her direction with a fierce glint in his eye and a grin. He felt stupid for ever asociating her with his sister, she was strong when she needed to be. He could not help it, it was force of habit. Every act of shyness or helplessness reminded him of her, like a ghost that kept reapearing in the right light to haunt him. He sighed, glad that Alamu had gotten her prize. He made his way back to the Karma Slap, unanchored it, and set off down the beach to have a nice quiet romp on the waves. <span style='width:100%;font-weight:bold; font-size:10px'>Out of Character</span> <table class='ooc'><tr><td>The End I guess. Hehe.</td></tr></table>
