The Adventures of Cadgy & Cruqs

Steelhead

The two ferrets breathed heavily as they slid down their rope along the stone wall of the King’s castle. Cruqs dusted his vest off as they jogged down to the marketplace. “Another day’s work, almost done.” 

“I thought the King would have had better treasures worth stealing,” said Cadgy as she flicked her mid-shoulder length hair back, exposing an upper side pocket bulging with precious metal. 

“Ah, he’s got his nicest jewels hidden,” said Cruqs as he shoved a paw into his pocket, tapping its contents. “They’re the best to give back to our land, but I might keep a couple for a side project.” He looked up and winked at her as they entered the edge of the street market. “The main thing is that we’re essentially helping the King deep-clean his vault. He’s not gonna miss a few gems or golden goblets.”

Cruqs’ quick paw snagged a sunlit cherry from the vendor’s basket and tossed it in his small, expectant mouth. “Guess these fancy vendors don’t want to sell much with their overpriced product and added tax.” 

The cobblestones clicked together underneath the weight of Cadgy’s large boots. “They’re corrupt, like the kingdom they support. Stealing from our farmlands for their own profit,” she said, pausing with paws on her hips in front of a vendor stall. “They let the low-level squabblers stick to the dirty streets with their outrageous prices so the villagers have to fight for something they can afford to buy. All this food goes to waste.” She grabbed a large fish hanging from a hook and took an oversized bite. 

The vendor tossed his hand-woven scarf behind him, raising his fist at Cadgy. “Hey, you need to pay for that.” 

Cadgy smiled at her youngest brother. “See no appreciation for helping him get rid of his product.” She walked away without looking back, taking another bite. 

“Get back here.” The vendor’s sandals flopped as he scuttled into the market streets. “Guards! Guards!” 

“Ya should’ve been more subtle, sis,” said Cruqs, wiping cherry juice from the edge of his mouth.  

“Eh, I’m not worried. I’ll use this fish head as a weapon if I need.” 

Cruqs laughed. His frazzled hairs danced in the sunlight. “You’re not going to use the fish as a weapon.” Although my treasured wooden fish head knocked out a couple of lizard guards before, he thought while scratching his chin.

“Get the jewels so we can get out of here,” said Cadgy, slapping his back. 

The sound of screams parted the way as clanking metal steps approached from behind. Cruqs glanced over his shoulder. I got rope burn on my paws only for sis to get caught fishing around, he thought as he returned his gaze to Cadgy raising an eyebrow. “Ya gotta be more subtle like me.” He held out a paw full of sparkling jewels. 

“When’d you grab those beauties?” 

The clanking continued from the top of the hill. “Stop thief.” A sword waved in the air. The burly build of a bulldog dressed in the kingdom’s armor came into view.

Cadgy tightened her grip on the fish, saying, “Doesn’t matter, it’s time to send him back to the King with a message.” The fish whirled in the air as she twisted her paw around with ease. 

The guard ran full force downhill and thrust his sword toward her broad frame. The fish head struck the edge of the sword. Her arm followed through from the blow as she blocked the sword. A small squeak came from her side as the fish head smacked Cruqs’ head. The jewels fumbled from his paws onto the street. 

The guard gasped. “The King’s jewels.” He drew his sword around to Cruqs who lay on the ground sweeping the jewels into his pockets. A fish head swung around and swiped the attacking juggernaut in the head. The fish, solid as steel, knocked him to the ground. 

“See, fish can make great weapons.” Cadgy turned around, whirling the firm fish head, now serving as an oversized, steel staff with bladed fins. 

A second guard appeared from the hill. He threw his paw into the air and withdrew his sword from its sheath, charging toward Cadgy. She chuckled as he approached, readying her stance. 

“Put down your weapon,” said the guard. Stepping back, his sword reflected the sunlight as it wavered in front of him. In a swift movement, the fish head collided with his sword. The vibrating sound reverberated off the nearby vendor stalls.  

Cruqs stood up as he stuffed the last jewel in his pocket. “Stop playing around.” He gripped a loose flag banner from the edge of a vendor’s canopy. His body swung to the side with a running leap, landing on top of a canopy above the guard.

The banner wrapped around the guard’s chest. His sword flailed as he pulled at the banner, which slid underneath his armor and tightened with Cruqs persistent tug. Perfect position. Come on sis, he thought while grunting and leaning his body to counter the weight of the guard.

The fish head smacked the side of the guard’s face, knocking him out cold and causing his body to crumple to the street. 

Cruqs danced from one canopy to the next. He stopped at the edge of a towering canopy, teetering his balance with the sight of an oncoming guard. 

The guard’s heavy boots slammed the ground as he raced toward them. Cadgy reached up to steady her brother. “Looks like a bit more fun to be had before we reach our ride,” she said. 

The villagers parted way as five guards clamored through the street market. Cruqs dug into one of his pants pockets. “I was hoping to use this later, but now seems like a good time.” He lit a fuse and tossed a small bundle of balls and cylindrical tubes at the ground of the approaching guards. He jumped on his sister’s back. “Let’s go.” 

Circling the guards, she intertwined through the bystanders, running through loosely hung scarves along the vendor shacks. Cruqs grabbed a couple of scarves, tying knots. He covered his and Cadgy’s faces, leaving an opened slit for their eyes. 

The fused bundle exploded as the guards turned on their heels to follow, halting them in their tracks. Smoke and sparks filled the air. Cadgy slid by one guard who safely dodged the distraction. She nailed him with her fish head, laughing as he tumbled back into the other dazed guards. 

Cruqs grinned. “Bessie is around the corner.” He hopped down, scampering through the streets. He turned around, running backwards as he watched the guards cover their eyes and noses, choking on the toxic smoke that seeped underneath their helmets. The big burly guard with pointed doberman ears shoved his bulldog comrades to the side. He charged after the two ferrets. Cruqs lit another fuse and tossed it toward him. He watched the bundle lob overhead as he thought, Saved the best for last. The guard merely swatted it away mid-air. Cruqs yanked the scarf off his face as the bundle landed behind a vendor stall. “Next plan, sis.” 

Cadgy glanced over her shoulder and stopped her momentum, swinging the fish head around to strike the guard. He blocked it with his armored forearm. The fish head slid from Cadgy’s grip and knocked down one of the vendor poles, causing a canopy to whip in the air.

The guard pulled out a ball-and-chain flail and swung the spiked steel sphere around toward Cadgy. She leapt backward as Cruqs dove between the guard’s knobby legs mid-swing. He pulled a low-hanging strap, loosening the guard’s leg armor. Cadgy rolled toward the broken vendor’s table, grabbing the fish head. 

Cruqs climbed the downed pole and onto the canopy that tossed with the wind. The guard jumped into the air, reaching for Cruqs, but his armor clanked to the ground. Cadgy swung the fish head, connecting it to the guard’s unprotected shins. His chain mace plunged forward into the canopy, barely missing Cruqs’ tail, as his body was thrust forward from the unexpected blow. 

The guard grunted with pain. His paws fumbled in the air as his body fell to the ground. Cruqs threw a loose banner over the top of the chain mace, resting below the spiked sphere. The guard’s paws slipped down from the staff of the flail, leaving it wrapped in the free-flowing canopy. Cruqs tugged on the banner, grunting as he pulled the chain mace upright. He tossed the weapon toward Cadgy as the guard caught his fall, contorting his face when landing on his free paws. 

Cadgy leaped, catching the base of the flail as the spiked ball and chain flung toward her. She whipped the chain mace around as the guard pushed his body up from the cobblestones. He ducked, laughing from his belly, saying, “Can’t use my own weapon against me.” He reached up his paw and grasped hold of the mace’s chain after it passed him by. Cadgy released it, smiling as she watched the chain mace fling his arm across his body. 

“No, but I can use mine,” she said. She swung the steel fish head in the opposite direction, connecting her weapon with his helmet. His head knocked over as the helmet crushed inward with a piercing sound. His body flew to the side, landing in a limp state on a vendor's table. 

Cruqs peered over. “He’ll be out for a bit. Best we get on our way before some other brute shows up.” 

Cadgy lowered the fish head by her side. “You still got the jewels?” 

His smile sparkled a little extra as he spit one out of his mouth. “We are good to go.” He slid down the pole on his boots. 

They ran up the rest of the cobblestone hill and turned the corner. Panting, Cruqs asked, “Shall we make a pit stop at the Prince’s castle to see what goods he’s got?” He opened the hatch atop the wood-covered, metal craft named Bessie and swung himself inside to the command console. 

Cadgy climbed down the ladder, saying, “I could go another round before dropping the loot off in our lands.” 

Cruqs nodded and said, “The guards are gonna be on high alert.” A gleam in Cadgy’s eye told him she was distracted. 

She held the fish head in her paws. “I’m going to add this to my collection of weapons,” she said. 

“What are ya gonna call this one?” he asked.

“Steelhead.”