By comparison with the first night, the following days were quiet. The sailors and Broneslav made their way to the green dragon's cave and carried away all the remaining treasure. The sailors marvelled at the stinking corpse of the dragon and then at the huge pile of silver that they would be carrying back. They kept a wary eye out for more giant lizards, but the trek back to the ship went quietly and the worst they had to suffer was biting insects and a few jump scares caused by smaller lizards scuttling through the undergrowth.
Once back at the ship, Broneslav distributed most of the treasure among his crew according to Captain Decentius' ideas of what share each sailor should have. It was the captain's prerogative to determine share in accordance with the ship's articles.
With everything tied down, the crew set to hauling up the sails, or rather letting them down from the yardarms, and the ship began the journey back to Specularum. It was a fine, warm day as the Stout Meg cut through the waves and Broneslav was just beginning to relax when a dragon-like head emerged from the waves. Five more similar heads followed and a bow wave built up as they all surged forwards towards the ship.
"Hydra!" called the man in the crow's nest.
The captain cursed.
Broneslav grabbed his bow and nocked two arrows.
Two of the hydra's heads slumped with arrows in the eye. By now the sailors were racing to grab their own weapons.
The youthful warrior chuckled to himself.
"That was lucky," he muttered and nocked another arrow.
Another head slumped into the water. Three remained and it attacked with all of them. The sailors ducked and dodged, but one was unlucky. He screamed an unearthly scream as it bit him in half.
Drawing his sword, Broneslav leapt into the fray. In the blink of an eye, his sword flashed out and three hydra heads fell on the deck. The rest of the creature's body sank, a spreading pool of blood on the water being the only sign that it had been there.
After a short remembrance of the fallen sailor, the Stout Meg sailed on her way.
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