Chapter Text
It was cold on the seas.
Anyone sailing them would know, especially at this time of year, a time where your breath appears in front of your face like smoke, when leaving the comfort of your bed takes longer knowing the cold air you will face as soon as the blanket moves from your body.
And right now, Chip didn't want to leave his bed for those exact reasons.
It was morning, and he had stuff that he apparently had to do, but his bed was just too comfortable for him to leave. Waves lapping at the sides of the ship, occasional footsteps creaking from above. Muffled laughter and speaking, the whistle of wind creeping in through cracks in the door. It was comfortable, he was comfortable.
Jay was up on deck, accompanied by Earl and Oliver, The older two talking about rations and their next stop to grab supplies, with Oliver quietly giving his input on occasion.
The ship was still attached to the Crescent Moon, which would explain the sudden appearance of a new set of boots on the floor above.
What put Chip into a state of unease was the speed of the footsteps, or rather, how frantically they ran on the deck.
And the hushed voice of Captain Lizzie murmuring something. And a gasp from Jay. And the clatter of both footsteps heading over to the Crescent moon.
He wanted to stay in bed, but curiosity was eating him alive in that moment. Chip allowed himself to argue with, well, himself for a moment, before dragging himself from the bed and lazily making himself look remotely presentable, slowly making his way out of his room and to the deck, bumping into Ollie as soon as he made it out of the lower deck. Chip took a second to collect his already dazed mind, before looking up to have his eyes meet a concerned expression on the half elves face.
"Oh, hey Ollie, didn't see ya there" Chip doesn't know how he missed Ollies new tall build, maybe it was the fact that he hadn't opened his eyes properly till a moment ago, or maybe he just wasn't as observant as he previously had assumed. Oliver seemed to have been spaced out before he had been interrupted by Chip bumping into him. "Chip, I- I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be in the way or anything, I-" Chip silenced him with a simple pat on the arm. "Don't worry 'bout it kid, I bumped into you, not the other way round."
Ollie stood for a second, trying to search for a response that wasn't an apology, but settled for a nod after failing to do so. Chip glanced around for a second, trying to find out where everyone else had gone. "Where'd Jay and Earl go?" Ollie took a moment to respond. "Uhm, Earl is in the kitchen, Jay went to the, uh, the other ship." He made sure to gesture to the Crescent Moon, just in case Chip thought he was referring to another ship that had magically dissipated. "Oh, alright. Wait, why'd Jay go over there?" Ollies brows furrowed a bit, as if trying to remember something, before opening his mouth to answer the question. "I..I wasn't meant to listen in on the conversation, but I, uh, I think Ms Lizzie said something about Mr Caspian being sick, and the Doctor person couldn't help him, he does- he doesn't know what to do..." Oh. That was more than he expected.
Chip nodded a few times, taking in the information, as Ollie awkwardly twiddled with his thumbs. "Thanks Ollie, I'm gonna go to the other ship to see whats up."Oliver responded with a nod. Chip grinned up at him, patted his arm again, and walked past him and hopped over to the Crescent moon. He walked into the lower deck, and was met with a concerned Elizabeth, standing next to the Captains cabins door. The door was open, and inside was Jay and Rudith, leaning over someones blanketed body. Chip could only assume it was Caspian. Lizzie finally took notice of Chip. "Chip-, Hi." She was startled by him standing behind her unannounced. "Hi."
They stood in silence for a moment, Lizzies eyes darting back towards the door every now and then. "Is everything....ok?" Chip knows things are up, but its easier to pretend to know nothing than to admit hes been asking around already.
"No, Chip, everything is not ok-" she put a hand on his shoulder, gripping it tightly. "Caspian is sick, but, no one has any idea of whats going on. Rudith has tried remedies for things he thought might have been the cause, but nothings working!" Her grip had tightened on the shorter mans shoulder, who was wincing from both the pain, and the rise in tone that took him off guard. Lizzie sighed, removing her hand and muttering a small "sorry, I'm just frustrated" as she turned to look in the doorway again. Chip followed her gaze, and was met with Jay and Rudith speaking quietly amongst each other, Caspians sleeping figure on the bed behind them. He caught a glimpse of the tritons resting face, and his moist skin, or what was usually wet, but was lacking in that quality at that moment. He didnt seem to be soundly resting either, his brows furrowed in discomfort.
Chip found himself worrying for the man too, he found himself standing and waiting silently with Elizabeth, he found himself watching Jay and Rudiths every move. He had no idea how long he had been standing there, but before he knew it, Rudith was shutting the door, ushering Jay out, while Chip and Lizzie took a step back to make it seem like they weren't just staring at the two working. Jay seemed to radiate the same level of concern as Lizzie did, and she quietly mumbled to herself as she left the cabin.
"Jay- Is he ok?" Elizabeth was quick to ask questions, evidently concerned for her crewmate (in the distance chip hears someone say "amogus", but doesn't know why). Jay merely shrugs. "I don't know, but I couldn't heal him at all..." Her mind didn't seem to be on the conversation. She quietly made her way past the two, lost in thought. Chip thought nothing of it, and stayed with Lizzie, who was keeping an eye on the other people who came from Rudiths place back on Joaldo Island.
Jay returned to the Albatross, pacing the floors wildly, trying to think of the many things that could be wrong. She was cold, so she paced the floor. Many possibilities, she thought, there are so many things that could be wrong. Maybe it was a triton illness? Maybe, but i doubt Rudith would have skipped over those things when getting into medicine and the sort. Wait...Triton thing? That reminds her, she hasn't seen Gil all day. Oh. The second she realised that Gillion wasn't around, she ran down to check on him. Usually, he is up before the both of them, training, admiring the sky, or merely up because it is in his nature to be up. But today he wasn't. And that peaked the redheads concern. She stumbled her way down to the cabins, bumping into Earl on the way, causing the shorter man to grumble in an Earl fashioned "Herm-", and knocked on the door of Gillions cabin. There was no response, no movement from the room, just the waves at the sides of the ship, and the distant complaints from Earl. Jay knocked again. Still nothing. She knocked one more time, and finally, a quiet grumble came from inside the room.
Jay took it as an invitation into the room, so she gently opened the door...
Gillion laid on the floor, in an uncomfortable looking position, but did not appear to be making any efforts to get up, it more looked like he had fallen trying to get out of the room. Jay knelt down beside Gil, and inspected him for injury, but instead found his skin ice cold to the touch, and extremely dry. His breathing was strained and hoarse, and his whole body was shaking. Pretzels bottle was laying not too far from them, and her frogtopus face was contorted in a confused way. The bottle itself looked like it had taken a bit of a tumble, further assuring Jays suspicions of Gillion falling.
She turned Gil over from his stomach, and put a hand to his forehead. His forehead was a complete 180 from his other skin, burning so much it almost hurt Jays hand to keep it there for longer than a few seconds. Gils eyes opened for a brief moment, meeting Jays gaze that was clouded with worry. His voice was hoarse and quiet. "J-Jay?" His voice cracked a little, and Jay nodded, looking worried. Gils voice became slightly more strained "I...I do not feel so great...", before his eyes rolled back, and he went limp. Jay made sure he was still breathing. He was alive, thankfully. Just ill. With the same symptoms Caspian has.....
The realisation hit her.
Oh fuck.