Ponies out at sea

By the next morning, their campfire had gone out. Cotton was up and about, having started gathering what she could for food. It wasn't much, just a hoof-full of berries.

"... Can't believe I'm in this mess." She mutters, "Stuck on some, random ass island, who knows where... All my crew, all my money... And now I'm dancing around all buddy buddy with that asshat..." she'd continue, tears gently welling up in her eyes, "Wish we met on better terms... Yeah, right... Fucker..."

She continues to pace around the island, gathering what little scarps of food she could find. Luckily, she'd spot what seemed like mangoes up In a tree... That's a considerably better meal than some berries... She'd still weak from setting up that, vine tent earlier, and couldn't climb the tree due to her injury. She'd look around, collect some rocks and pebbles, and start throwing them at the mangoes, trying to knock them down. Cotton would miss almost every time, except for one, which ultimately did nothing besides bounce off and smack her dead center between the eyes, leaving a small bruise.

"MOTHERF-" She groans, throwing a rock hard at the tree, sitting down and just, holding herself softly... She never wanted this life, but it was the only thing she could do properly... So much for properly, though, as getting her crew and ship torn away from her was far from proper...

She'd sit under the tree, quietly crying for a little while.

Meanwhile, Umbra was waking up himself, very weary of his surroundings once he'd notice the captain's absence. He'd move slowly, looking around every little spot in case she'd try to jump him... Eventually, instead of worrying about his own safety, he'd begin worrying about hers... Sure she was, likely just gathering breakfast... But... What if she got caught by some predatory animal? Hell, she was seemingly made out of plant matter wouldn't be unlikely if even herbivores posed a threat to her... He wouldn't panic, and just stay near the camp for a while longer, hoping to see her return. "How'd you end up like this man... Pirate hunter babysitting a pirate, ain't that ironic..." he'd quietly tell himself, then sigh "... I hope she's okay..."

A few more minutes pass, as she finally returned, getting a soft sigh of relief from the stallion. Her face was slightly stained with tears, and the bruise on her forehead was definitely noticeable with little effort, so she'd try to stay turned away from him as much as she can.

"Where were you? Had me worried something snatched you!" he'd say, a crude attempt at trying to seem friendly

She'd stay quiet for a bit, sitting down, "there's... A mango tree over in that direction... My hoof is too injured to accurately knock any of 'em down by throwing rocks, and can't climb with it either... Hungry? Go fetch 'em..." she'd say quietly, going back to just, holding herself

Umbra would pick up on this, how could he not... He already felt bad for injuring her the way he did when they first woke... Then pushed her round like some, sub-pony garbage... "hey, are you-"

"I'm fine, fuck off me, or are you going to cut it off completely this time?" she'd snap at him, huffing and hugging herself tighter.

He'd want to push further, but... He'd just nod, get up, and head off to where she'd said there were mangoes. It would certainly take him some time, but... She wasn't lying, and, hell, they seemed pretty damn ripe too... Making sure his sword was securely in its holster, he'd begin slowly trying to climb the tree. Ponies we're not built for this, and it was more than obvious as he had lots of trouble getting up the tree, to the point that, by the time he'd finally reached the top of the tree, a whole hour had passed... Times like this were ones he'd wish his father hadn't cut off one of his wings... Somehow being a flightless pegasus was more difficult than just being an earth pony. Finally, he'd manage to knock down the mangoes and slowly climb back down the tree, picking them all up, using his remaining wing as a makeshift basket to carry them.

He'd return, by then the mare had, once again, disappeared... He really had to have a chat with her later, as this sudden, disappearing act of hers was already getting real annoying.

Umbra would sit down, and before he could eat any of the mangoes, he feels a little sting in his neck. A little confused, he'd reach over, feeling something hard at the side of his neck, he'd pull it out... A blow dart... He'd get up, drawing his blade, but his knees buckle, and the blade falls out of his maw. A group of zebras slowly approach, he'd try to cuss at them but, to no success, as his vision once again fades to black...

... Cotton groans as she stirs awake, having been captured by the very same tribals, her senses were still weak, but, slowly recovering. As she looks around, a powerful, disgusting smell would hit her, making her stomach churn. She'd look around as her eyes adjust more to wherever she was, noticing a pile of mutilated, half burnt, cooked, eaten rotting corpses around her. She'd want to scream, but her gagging was keeping her shut. Cotton was amongst this pile, with her front hooves tied to her back hooves, her grassy fur soaking in this putrid cocktail of rot, meat and blood. She couldn't stop herself, throwing up from the sheer disgust, the smell playing a large factor...

Meanwhile, Umbra would wake up somewhere else, tied to a carved out wooden pole, hanging up with corpses of both his former crew, and some of the pirates, he'd try to break free, but he was secured tight to the pole. His muzzle was also tied up, keeping him silent. Even tho his efforts we're useless, he keeps trying to wiggle himself free, trying to snap or loosen his bindings, as whatever he was being held here for, was definitely not great for his health, considering he was already amongst a few corpses.

The zebras would notice him awake, however, they would ignore him for the most part, setting up a nice, big fire, speaking in some language he couldn't even begin to understand. Though, seeing all the spices they were throwing together, the fire they were making... God... He was to be a meal! This only furthered his determination to break the hell out of the bindings, yet, still, this didn't accomplish anything...

Cotton, on the other hand, managed to break free, those zebras unaware of her control over nature, she'd manage to make a small vine, that, carefully loosened the ropes she'd been held by. As soon as she was able to, she'd climb out of the dark pit she'd been left in to die, gasping for fresh air, before throwing up again, holding her stomach. This... This was not the pirate life she signed up for... She'd manage to compose herself, and, luckily, stay undetected. Taking in her surroundings, Cotton would hastily begin to retreat out of the camp with her life... Somewhere along this path, she'd notice a big fire suddenly roar to life, scaring her, as she'd been not too far from it. She'd look over in the direction of the flame, and that's where she'd see him. Tied up to a pole amongst corpses... He was their food... Good, one less thing to worry about, not like she needed him...

Umbra continues to try and wiggle free, with the fire alight, this made him even more desperate, as time was running out, some zebras gather round one of the dead crew members, carrying the pole he was stuck to the flame, covering him in a mix of spices, and throwing him over the fire, sort of on a makeshift spit. Then, they make their way to Umbra. By then, he'd given up. That whole time he hadn't gotten any progress on his bindings, and as they carry him to be covered in spices, he'd slowly start to accept his fate... As cruel as it was...

That was, until one of their straw roofed homes suddenly bursts into flame, sending them to drop him and run off to investigate and try to put it out. He'd hear something approach him from behind, and hurriedly try to set him free... Cotton, she'd ended up coming to his aid after all... As much as she hated the fact. She pulls off the ropes around his muzzle as he gets up, and just then, an arrow, followed by a second right after, and a scream echo out

"Thank me later!" she grabs his hoof and sort of pushes him forward, getting him to start running for his life as she runs behind. The cannibalistic zebras fire off arrows and blow darts, sling rocks, most of which miss, some of which miss by as little as a hair's length. They sprint into the forest, at which point the ranked attacks would stop, but a group was quickly gaining in them, likely hunters.

The two run for their lives, but, it's simply not good enough, as Cotton gets grabbed, at which she lets a loud yelp out, managing to kick free, only to be grabbed again. Umbra turns around, for but a moment considering leaving her to her fate, but, seeing as she'd gotten him this far... By now, he was ready to die for her, even if she was some lowlife pirate. Sprinting forward, he'd manage to get a good, solid whack on one of the zebras holding her, as he jumps up and kicks himself off a tree, slamming the guy on his back. Cotton hurries onto her hooves but, it was far too late to run... Too weak to rely on her powers, and with no weapon to fight them with... It would seem like the end... She stands beside Umbra, ready to go out with a fight.

Just then, she'd notice an arrow that had hit Umbra... That was all they'd need to turn this fight in their favor. She suddenly reaches for it, and with a risky jump, right at one of the zebras, she'd manage to stab him right in his throat, and follow up by kicking his weapon right beside Umbra.

Umbra, immediately gets rushed by the remaining three, sidestepping two, and managing to throw one off balance, taking his chance, he'd grab the blade, and dig it right between the unguarded one's eyes, splitting his head open with a spray of blood. The others, angered by the loss of their brothers, rush at him again with even more ferocity, slashing and stabbing, all of which are either dodged, or deflected. He'd hold off from attacking back, waiting for them to get just a tad too reckless, give him any little moment to strike... And soon he gets just that, managing to strike his blade against one of there's and knock them back, leaving a completely open stab right to his chest, which Umbra takes, roaming the blade so hard it shoots out the back of the zebra.

However he doesn't just die, that'd be too easy, with his remaining strength, the zebra grabs him tight and holds him firmly against him, giving the last remaining ones clear shot at his unguarded back. He runs at him and wildly swings at him, ready to tear him to bloody pieces, before cotton springs up, stabi g the arrow she'd gotten right into his eye, in turn, getting stabbed right in the gut, and tossed off like she was weightless. Unphased, the zebra winds up and slashes right across Umbras back, making him tell out in pain. He raises his blade again and goes to slash again, before a vine comes out of nowhere and slams against the arrow in his eye, slaming it through his skull and into his brain. With a short, loud yell, he'd collapse before managing to hurt Umbra more. Umbra gets up, panting, in pain at his back wound, and looks over to cotton, desperately trying to pathc up her wound. He runs over and holds it down, stoping her honey-blood from seeping out

"I-I've got you! It's okay I've got you... Don't go dying on me now..." he'd say, pressing doen as hard as he could as her vines slowly surround d the injured area. He'd eventually have to move his hooves away, to let her patch herself fully. The vines were weak, so he helped make sure they wraped up tight around her.

" T-Thanks... Umbra..." she's say quietly, gently holding onto his hoof. She was weak... Cold... "I... Really don't think I'm in any shape to walk... Let alone run... I..." she sighs "L-Leave me... They'll do far worse to you than just... Kill you... Save yourself..." she'd whimper, clutching her patched up wound.

"Fuck that!" he'd state proudly, suddenly grabing her and tossing her on his injured back, continuing to run with her.

Cotton would lose consciousness soon after, the pain was too much, and she was just too weak after an injury like that...

Umbra would run as long as he could, even when his legs were threatening to give, he'd not stop untill they actually did... It wouldn't come to this, however... As he'd run off to a beach, a different one then they had awoken upon... How did he know...? This one had a crashed ship... And in relatively good condition. It wasn't something they could take right away, but... With some, relatively minor repairs... This would be their way off this island... If they didn't end up food for the cannibals till then...