Advent Calendar 2014, Day 9: "Reindeer" (Part 1/2)
My apologies for this being somewhat late in the day, but it is still 9th by my clock. Just.
This story turned out to be a lot longer than I thought it would be, so I had to split in into two installments, the second of which will be posted on 24th. I hope you enjoy. xx.
Title: "Reindeer" (1/2)
Author: latin_cat
Rating: G
Characters: Jack Aubrey, Stephen Maturin, Tom Pullings and the Surprises.
Summary: A storm in the Pacific brings Jack and Stephen an unexpected guest.
“What on earth is this?”
“Rangifer tarandus!” Stephen exclaimed in awe. “Of the subspecies groenlandicus, if I am not mistaken. Oh, how wondrous, Jack!”
“I did not mean - !” the captain began, but stopped himself as he realised how foolish it would be to attempt to argue with his friend on that point. Stephen could often be infuriatingly pedantic at the most inappropriate of moments. Instead, he said: “I meant, I don’t so much care what it is, Stephen. What is it doing here?”
“As to that, I’m afraid I cannot offer any explanation,” the doctor said, extending his hand to the large horned creature currently occupying a significant portion of the deck amidships. The beast extended its neck towards him in response, snuffing the air cautiously with its great nostrils as it did so. “Rangifer tarandus - reindeer, as they are commonly called - are usually to be found in the forests or on mountainsides in northerly climates. What it is doing on your ship, miles from land and south of the equator? No, I am afraid I am as mystified as you!”
Mystified was certainly a very apt word, as no one aboard the Surprise seemed to have the slightest idea how the reindeer had got aboard. It had been the early hours of that morning - Christmas Eve - before the end of the middle watch that the Surprise had sailed through the tail end of a very spectacular lightning storm. Whilst the heavens had been split with bolt after bolt of jagged lightning, the thick grey clouds rumbling with thunder, the swell had not risen enough to merit the captain’s presence on deck. Besides, it had been Pullings’ watch, and Jack judged his Premier more than capable of dealing with all but the foulest weather.
Yet just as the storm had almost blown itself out, there had been a mighty flash of lightning followed by what sounded like - as Killick had so eloquently put it - ‘a bull roaring at both ends’, which moments later had culminated in a loud thump! as something heavy landed on the deck. Woken from their slumbers, the captain, doctor those of the Surprise’s officers not on duty had come up on deck to find the hands gathered just below the quarterdeck in wonder and fascination around a somewhat startled-looking reindeer. Yet, in Jack’s opinion, the deer had not looked so shocked or startled as had poor Tom Pullings.
“It fell, sir!” he stammered, as he saw Jack come up on deck. “It just fell right out of the bloody sky!”
Now the reindeer was happily nuzzling Stephen’s palm, doubtless in the hope of some treat, and the captain narrowed his eyes. Somehow the reindeer’s show of affection towards the doctor only seemed to annoy Jack more, as not only had it the affront to turn up on his deck in the middle of the night in an unexpected and theoretically impossible manner, but it now presumed to be familiar!
“The question is what to do with it now,” he said, choosing instead to tackle the practical problems of the beast’s presence. “It is a sort of deer you say, Stephen? I suppose it would make good enough venison, if perhaps a little tough.”
Meanwhile, Stephen had moved on to stroking the reindeer’s flanks and, as he did so, had been studying the creature intently. It seemed that so far he was the only one to have considered the significance of the fact the deer was wearing a harness. And no ordinary harness either, but of red leather studded with brass, polished until it gleamed like antique gold. Most significantly of all, the name ‘Blixem’ was tooled into the leather of its headband. Coming to a decision, Stephen turned to the captain and assembled officers.
“Gentlemen,” he said firmly, making sure he spoke in a voice loud enough that the nearest hands were sure to hear him. “I would advise against butchering it. Indeed, you must put all thoughts of doing so out of your heads this instant!”
“Why, do you think it unhealthy, Stephen?” Jack asked, surprised by the doctor’s sudden proclamation.
“I believe so,” Stephen replied. “Though I would merit it as equally unhealthy in matters of the soul as of physik. This creature is harnessed and well cared for; clearly it belongs to someone. I do not think it matters so much as to how it came to us, but the fact that it is here. Indeed, it came to us in the middle of the storm in some distress, and I believe it to be our duty to care for it.”
“Care for it!”
“But of course! See how its harness is broken here? Clearly it took fright and bolted, losing its way in the storm. I believe its owner will be back for it; and more to the point, I do not believe we will have long to wait.”
“But what on earth are we to feed it?” Jack protested, feeling as if he were somehow no longer the master in this matter. “It can never be easily kept!”
“It is a ruminant. At this time of the year in its homeland it would feed on mosses and lichens, but during the summer months -” the doctor continued, raising his voice to cut off the captain before he could protest again. “- it will feed on grasses like any deer. It shall be quite satisfied with the hay we feed to the other animals.”
“Well, I suppose so, Stephen,” said the captain, admitting defeat. “But what are we to do with it in the meantime? It certainly will not fit in the manger, even if it weren’t crowned with those blessed great antlers.”
“Do not fret, Joy. We can rig a canvas awning and it can stay up here on deck. It will give it plenty shelter, for the air is not cold and the weather quite mild.”
“Very well. See to it, Mr Pullings.”
“Aye, sir.”
No, the doctor thought, caressing the reindeer’s ears absently as the Surprises went about the business of creating a makeshift stall. It would not be very long at all.
-------
Next: Part 2!
This story turned out to be a lot longer than I thought it would be, so I had to split in into two installments, the second of which will be posted on 24th. I hope you enjoy. xx.
Title: "Reindeer" (1/2)
Author: latin_cat
Rating: G
Characters: Jack Aubrey, Stephen Maturin, Tom Pullings and the Surprises.
Summary: A storm in the Pacific brings Jack and Stephen an unexpected guest.
“What on earth is this?”
“Rangifer tarandus!” Stephen exclaimed in awe. “Of the subspecies groenlandicus, if I am not mistaken. Oh, how wondrous, Jack!”
“I did not mean - !” the captain began, but stopped himself as he realised how foolish it would be to attempt to argue with his friend on that point. Stephen could often be infuriatingly pedantic at the most inappropriate of moments. Instead, he said: “I meant, I don’t so much care what it is, Stephen. What is it doing here?”
“As to that, I’m afraid I cannot offer any explanation,” the doctor said, extending his hand to the large horned creature currently occupying a significant portion of the deck amidships. The beast extended its neck towards him in response, snuffing the air cautiously with its great nostrils as it did so. “Rangifer tarandus - reindeer, as they are commonly called - are usually to be found in the forests or on mountainsides in northerly climates. What it is doing on your ship, miles from land and south of the equator? No, I am afraid I am as mystified as you!”
Mystified was certainly a very apt word, as no one aboard the Surprise seemed to have the slightest idea how the reindeer had got aboard. It had been the early hours of that morning - Christmas Eve - before the end of the middle watch that the Surprise had sailed through the tail end of a very spectacular lightning storm. Whilst the heavens had been split with bolt after bolt of jagged lightning, the thick grey clouds rumbling with thunder, the swell had not risen enough to merit the captain’s presence on deck. Besides, it had been Pullings’ watch, and Jack judged his Premier more than capable of dealing with all but the foulest weather.
Yet just as the storm had almost blown itself out, there had been a mighty flash of lightning followed by what sounded like - as Killick had so eloquently put it - ‘a bull roaring at both ends’, which moments later had culminated in a loud thump! as something heavy landed on the deck. Woken from their slumbers, the captain, doctor those of the Surprise’s officers not on duty had come up on deck to find the hands gathered just below the quarterdeck in wonder and fascination around a somewhat startled-looking reindeer. Yet, in Jack’s opinion, the deer had not looked so shocked or startled as had poor Tom Pullings.
“It fell, sir!” he stammered, as he saw Jack come up on deck. “It just fell right out of the bloody sky!”
Now the reindeer was happily nuzzling Stephen’s palm, doubtless in the hope of some treat, and the captain narrowed his eyes. Somehow the reindeer’s show of affection towards the doctor only seemed to annoy Jack more, as not only had it the affront to turn up on his deck in the middle of the night in an unexpected and theoretically impossible manner, but it now presumed to be familiar!
“The question is what to do with it now,” he said, choosing instead to tackle the practical problems of the beast’s presence. “It is a sort of deer you say, Stephen? I suppose it would make good enough venison, if perhaps a little tough.”
Meanwhile, Stephen had moved on to stroking the reindeer’s flanks and, as he did so, had been studying the creature intently. It seemed that so far he was the only one to have considered the significance of the fact the deer was wearing a harness. And no ordinary harness either, but of red leather studded with brass, polished until it gleamed like antique gold. Most significantly of all, the name ‘Blixem’ was tooled into the leather of its headband. Coming to a decision, Stephen turned to the captain and assembled officers.
“Gentlemen,” he said firmly, making sure he spoke in a voice loud enough that the nearest hands were sure to hear him. “I would advise against butchering it. Indeed, you must put all thoughts of doing so out of your heads this instant!”
“Why, do you think it unhealthy, Stephen?” Jack asked, surprised by the doctor’s sudden proclamation.
“I believe so,” Stephen replied. “Though I would merit it as equally unhealthy in matters of the soul as of physik. This creature is harnessed and well cared for; clearly it belongs to someone. I do not think it matters so much as to how it came to us, but the fact that it is here. Indeed, it came to us in the middle of the storm in some distress, and I believe it to be our duty to care for it.”
“Care for it!”
“But of course! See how its harness is broken here? Clearly it took fright and bolted, losing its way in the storm. I believe its owner will be back for it; and more to the point, I do not believe we will have long to wait.”
“But what on earth are we to feed it?” Jack protested, feeling as if he were somehow no longer the master in this matter. “It can never be easily kept!”
“It is a ruminant. At this time of the year in its homeland it would feed on mosses and lichens, but during the summer months -” the doctor continued, raising his voice to cut off the captain before he could protest again. “- it will feed on grasses like any deer. It shall be quite satisfied with the hay we feed to the other animals.”
“Well, I suppose so, Stephen,” said the captain, admitting defeat. “But what are we to do with it in the meantime? It certainly will not fit in the manger, even if it weren’t crowned with those blessed great antlers.”
“Do not fret, Joy. We can rig a canvas awning and it can stay up here on deck. It will give it plenty shelter, for the air is not cold and the weather quite mild.”
“Very well. See to it, Mr Pullings.”
“Aye, sir.”
No, the doctor thought, caressing the reindeer’s ears absently as the Surprises went about the business of creating a makeshift stall. It would not be very long at all.
-------
Next: Part 2!