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Massie Burnson, The Wreck and Rise of Whitson Mariner, p. 32
WARNING: SPOILERS FOR PRINCE LANDER & THE DRAGON WAR ARE AHEAD; CAUTION IS ADVISED.
| “ | But it's better to live as you will want to have lived, rather than to spend your time worrying about the end. You are right here in your story. Don't skip ahead. | ” |
— Massie Burnson to Lander, The Wreck and Rise of Whitson Mariner
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Captain Massie Burnson was a Kingsbuck of King Whitson Mariner and a captain on the ship Vanguard.
Biography
The Black Star of Kingston
Massie is among the bucks chosen by Fleck Blackstar to form Black Star Company, and trains in both mining and combat. Along with his friend Gavin, he is one of the company's designated archers. He and his comrades assist in the construction of Vanguard, and later sail with it on its maiden voyage across Ayman Lake. Once there, they begin excavation at a likely coal mine sight, and soon locate a seam of coal.
Massie and Gavin on guard.
Their digging efforts are interrupted by a strange cry, and the Black Star bucks form a defensive circle with Captain Vance's escort of soldiers. Gavin accidentally shoots Fleck when King Whitson appears, and Massie prevents him from running off. However, after the group carries Fleck back to Vanguard, Gavin leaves, and Whitson and Galt prevent Massie and Burnley from going after him. Massie cries for his lost friend on the return journey, but later takes part in the construction of Lillie and Natalia during Fleck's recovery.
When Fleck returns to duty, Massie objects to his inclusion of himself as one who failed Gavin, claiming that it was the rest of the company who didn't act to help him. Massie later accompanies Fleck on a search for Gavin when they travel back across the lake, but their efforts are unsuccessful. Massie resumes work at the mine site, but later joins the rest of Black Star Company in investigating a strange noise. The source proves to be a maddened Gavin, whom the group restrain and carry back to the mine.
When the Lords of Prey make their first appearance, Massie and the others make an orderly retreat back to Lillie, and Massie cares for Gavin during the desperate voyage back to Seddleton. As the birds closed in on the ships, Massie prepared to fight with three arrows drawn on his bow. He soon found himself defending a near helpless Gavin from their attackers, and was wounded after drawing his sword. The swift intervention of Fleck saved him and Gavin, and Fleck ordered him to take his friend belowdecks.
Massie later shot a burning arrow and struck a bird that was carrying Fleck away, and seems to have likewise saved Galt. He survives the Battle of Ayman Lake and, now promoted to the rank of lieutenant, is assigned to travel with King Whitson. Upon the safe settling of the king's community, he is to return to now Lord Blackstar's community at Kingston.
The Wreck and Rise of Whitson Mariner
On the decks of Steadfast, Massie Burnson wakes Jimmi Docker, who orders the others back to their posts. As Lander arrives and all the captains return to their ships, King Whitson Mariner expresses his concern over provoking the Grimbles to Massie.
Steadfast remains an extra day at Halfway Harbor, but the other two ships continue on. As the river grows steadily more perilous, Burnley is sent before Vanguard. Fog surrounds both ships, and Massie becomes nervous. He sends Hayes to wake Whitson, and attempts to hail Burnley, but, too late, Vanguard collides with some unseen rocks. As procedures to abandon ship begin, Whitson orders that Queen Lillie be fetched, but she has been kidnapped by the Grimbles.
Massie reaches the shore with Lander, seething at the Grimbles' betrayal. Suddenly, Lander is nowhere to be found. Massie plunges into the nearby woods, where, upon following the young buck's tracks, he soon finds the prince. Lander urges Massie to keep his voice down and points out some unfamiliar tracks, which he thinks could be those of monsters. The two bucks enter deeper into the thicket.
Without warning, Lander suddenly dives into the edge of a clearing, having spotted movement. Massie follows, only for both bucks to be whipped off their feet and suspended upside down in a net-like trap. They are approached by a masked rabbit carrying a sword, who reveals himself to be Galt, an old friend of Fleck Blackstar who abandoned his own during the Battle of Ayman Lake. Galt frees Massie and Lander and offers them his help in finding Lillie in exchange for a pardon for his crime, to which Lander agrees. Galt then proceeds to tell the bucks of his backstory. After he had abandoned Fleck, he trekked along the river until he reached the island, where he made himself a home. One night, he awoke to eerie music, which he had traced to a group of hooded dragons sacrificing a rabbit. Galt tells Massie and Lander that he believes it is these dragons who have captured Lillie, with the help of Captain Grimble.
Later, Massie and Lander continue to hack their way through the brush, hoping to find the camp of the dragons. Eventually, they emerge onto the edge of a cliff, from the top of which they can see the camp, including a shack in which they suppose Lillie is being kept.
In the camp of the dragons, Lillie awakes, confused. Peeking out of her window, she spots Lander attempting to infiltrate the camp by lying prostrate on a raft, drifting towards shore. Just as a dragon is about to seize Lander, the young buck kills it with his sword. Taking advantage of the commotion, Lillie crashes through the door of the shack. Just as a group of rabbits is closing in on her, Massie appears. He, Lander, and a newly-arrived Galt temporarily take down their attackers. Massie and Lillie interrogate Tarn, one of Grimble's thugs, who reveals that the Grimbles are on their way to the island.
Massie and company hide, watching the dragons mourn their fallen comrade with an eerie rite. Just then, one of the dragons spots the group and orders chase, prompting the rabbits to flee back into the forest. They emerge onto a precipice of land above a churning river just as two of the swiftest dragons catch up with them; they try to escape by sliding down a steep mountainside.
Meanwhile, Whitson has taken Steadfast on a reconnoitering trip. As they approach a cliff, Whitson spots Lillie, Massie, and Lander running along its top, chased by dragons. The king orders the crew to drop anchor, and catches his wife as she and the others jump down onto Steadfast's deck. As Steadfast continues downriver, the king promotes Massie to captain for his service.
As evening approaches, Massie spots movement on the edge of the island. Whitson orders Brindle to take them closer to shore. Massie recognizes the creatures as the supposed dead of Vanguard's wreck. Whitson quickly holds a hurried conference with his captains, during which he explains his plan. Just then, Desolation emerges out of the river beyond.
The crew of Steadfast feign continuous mistakes, allowing Desolation to quickly gain on them. Whitson orders Brindle to pull hard to port, then back to starboard so that the ship is now aimed squarely at Desolation; the bow of Steadfast crashes right into the bigger ship's side. Though momentarily stunned, Grimble soon regains control and sends his bucks onto the decks of Steadfast. A fierce battle ensues, with Whitson and his followers winning in the end.
Back on shore, Massie and Lord Grant set to work leading provisioning.
Physical appearance
Massie had dark-marked fur and dark eyes. He wore a uniform with Blackstar's patch on the shoulder, and he carried a bow and arrows.
Gallery
 Take a look at our gallery for Massie Burnson. |