EDIT: Writing at first may be a bit plain, but it picks up later since this was written a while ago.

I get the feeling this could have been written better in the first few chapters.

The writing does pick up a little later on, but I feel its too late to add in too much more detail.

All well, please review!

CHAPTER 1: A CREW OF SURVIVORS.

The sun was high in the sky, sending beams of light down on the ocean below. The shifting ice beneath glittered in it's gaze, floating gently along the waves. It was quiet and the air around the minuter glaciers was damp and salty; The water was very slow and the current moving in a careful, delicate manner.

A large iceberg in the shape of a ship passed silently through the waters. A tree stood tall and drying the center but still bearing fruit on it's branches. It was as if it had been torn right from the shora and whisked out to sea.

Then again, that was almost exactly what had befallen the iceberg.

Near the bulkier end of the ship, that is the back, was a small ice cave were old, crumpled leaves served as a place of comfort to a hurt individual.

The male elk was scarred all over, a lot like the other people of the ship- including a healer rabbit, who was sitting next to him, an armadillo who was currently leaning against the tree nearby, a bat hanging lethargically from the branches above him. Finaly, a glypptodon ( a round, shell covered creature with a round head) was wandering along the edge of the makeshift boat.

The rabbit doe was smearing some mashed up herbs, that she had mixed together in a small wooden bowl, on the Elk's wounds. The elk in question was doing his best not to flinch. Sighing, she glanced over the silent ship, meeting the eyes of the armadillo nearby.

He was a stubborn, anti-social fellow with a frown always present. His arms were folded and his eyes were narrowed moodily. He frowned at her, before grunting and looking away.

She hadn't really caught his name over the past few days- it seemed he'd rather not socialize with the rest of them- but she thought it may have been something like 'Argeth.'

The ship was awkwardly silent. Apart from her and the elk, not much conversation went on other than trying to decide what to do.

They'd escaped from a continental earthquake; their homes destroyed and whatever family or friends they may have had lost. Most of their home on the land had sunk deep into the deep or ended up as a pile of rube.

They were lucky.

Clementine- the female rabbit- had found an iceberg that The elk called a ship and had rushed aboard while she still could, taking her leaf constructed pack filled with herbs with her.

The Elk had tied to get as many people on the boat as possible, but no one else but they five had made it.

The elk, a neurotic yet firm buck, was called Kurues. He'd appointed himself- or stood up to- the position as leader of the group. He made sure they all got enough rations from their tree- the only thing keeping them from starvation.

Some water had been collected in some hollow rocks and stored inside the small ice shelters at the end of the ship. He made sure that was rationed out as well until they found land.

Clementine was also one of the main things keeping them alive. They had all suffered serious wounds from the destruction back at home- but it turned out the doe had picked up healing techniques from some odd creatures called humans.

She used things like needles to sow cuts together and herbs to bring out poison and help the healing of the wounds. She'd told them a human had saved her once when her leg had been broken and scarred- and had spent many nights watching them use familiar plants to heal her.

The wounds they'd suffered needed to be treated again and again throughout the process of healing, and they would've been dead otherwise.

Being a good-hearted yet timid person in general (though very quick-tempered) Clementine was glad to contribute- but the constant work was beginning to take its tole. She was tired and loosing hope of ever finding land- something they were all beginning to worry about.

But she remained optimistic There had to be land somewhere, right? at least, that's what Kurues said to cheer the group up whenever their spirits were lower than usual.

Though she'd gained the trust of the crew somewhat, being their carer, there was still an aloofness between them all.

They weren't friends- well, maybe she and were, they weren't family- they were strangers.

But they were also survivors.

"There you go, Kurues. All done." She stepped back and allowed the elk to stand and duck his way out of the cave, stretching.

"Good show, Clementine. I don't know what we wouldn't done without it."

Clementine shrugged it off with a smile as a voice behind them muttered.

"Died quicker and less painfully than starvation? pfft."

Clementine growled at the armadillo, striding over with her paws clenched, adjusting the sling of her pack as she went,

"Look, I don't know what your problem is, but-"

"But what, skinny?" The armadillo stood up threateningly, and imminently the rabbit backed up, ears down timidly "We all know it- you're just stalling our death. We're doomed, face it."

"That's being optimistic." A sarcastic voice above remarked. Clem looked up at the fruit bat, Maut, who was glaring down at the armadillo.

"Y'all should lighten up a bit more. Rabbit, quit bein' so darn timid, Armadillo, stop being a stiff-a-willow and shut it, and shell guy..."

Glett, the glypptodon, looked over. The bat was silent before finishing. "You're good. Don' worry."

Clementine had to agree the Glett was no problem at all- he was quite helpful when they first set off, helping her and the others (sans Argeth) brush rocks and other things off their ship. But he didn't speak much- in fact he hadn't said anything apart from his name.

Though he was polite, which was more than she could say for Argeth.

"You are all idiots." Argeth muttered, going back to leaning against the tree. Clementine raised her ears up again, straightening her light-brown pelt.

"Jerk."

She turned away and wander off quickly to the other side of the ship before he could answer. She wouldn't be able to take him on in a fight if it happened...unless she was really mad.

Groaning at her stupid timid behavior, she resting her hand on the ice on the end of the ship, looking up at the sky.

Then, she stopped something.

A gull- flying high above.

"Hey- hey guys!" the other four looked over, even Argeth, as she pointed upwards, "Look!"

"A gull!" Kurues exclaimed "Gulls means land..."

"Land means life!" Maut finished above him gleefully. "We're saved, y'all!"

High above, Silass grinned as he saw the familiar spark of hope cross the features of the crew members. He'd been watching them for a while now- noting useful skills like the Elk's horns and that rabbit's odd skill in healing- as for the others, not so much.

Still smiling deceitfully, he turned back, ignoring the calls of the stranded crew. They all did that, asking for help, thinking the'd found it...it was very amusing.

Flying through the foggy clouds he approached a bigger, far more modified and inhabited ice ship; At least five times the size of the other ship ahead. The group of animals sailor it were scruffy due to the sea water splashing them constantly, and all were armed and dangerous.

They were the kind of animals you made sure to stay away from.

The ship itself was hidden behind other large icebergs that were distributed around the area, giving them a very convenient element of surprise.

Silass landed on a branch extending from the mast, where a dark-furred primate sat waiting.

"A ship with a good, fruit bounty, Captain." He said menacingly "Two useful creatures- and elk and a rabbit who heals their wounds. All of them have scars- but not too bad now. Their ship's stranded up ahead."

The Gigantopithecus ape grinned, showing a jaw full of large, menacing yellow teeth.

"Really? stranded? what a terrible misfortune..."

He broke off in a gruff, malicious laugh,. "I love terrible misfortunes..."

Swinging down with incredible ease, Captain Gutt addressed the ruffian crew below sharply, and they all jumped as his voice bellowed out.

"Man your stations, boys! we got visitors coming up!"

As they cackled he examined his claws as if remorseful interested "Imagine- being stranded in the middle of nowhere with pirates-"

"ARRG!"

"-All over the place? don't you think we should...I dunno, lend a hand?"

The crew laughed in response the the joke, exchanging nasty looks as they thought of the unfortunate animals of the ship ahead.

They wouldn't know what hit them.

"Yo ho ho and a bottle of aye-aye, Captain!" A scruffy grey rabbit replied, whipping around madly, twirling a dagger in his paw. "We'll slice an' dice 'em!"

Abruptly he was shoved curtly to the side by a female saber, her white fur adorned with black stripes. Shira stood proud and tall, glaring at the rabbit before yelling:

"Cut it out, Squint. You heard the Captians orders! get to your stations!"

"AARR!"

The pirates shouted this in unison, growling madly as they thrusted their fish-bone weapons into the into the air so they glistened in the sun.

Squint glared at the tiger as he zipped to his post faster than a lightning bolt. Stupid saber. He's show her when they took this ship. He'd slice anyone who got in his way so they were as thin as her dumb teeth.

The demented rabbit laughed to himself, once again twirling the blade in his hand.

This is gonna fun.

A little side story for the pirates.

PLEASE REVIEW.

I'll post chapters later when I have the time- updates will proabaly be slower now. Sorry.