[by then he was almost to the Backwater Brig, but paused when he heard a familiar voice coming out of the journal. He stopped running and sat back in hai furry haunches, trying to carefully pull out the journal and open it. Easier said than done without opposable thumbs]

Captain Grell? I must be missing something here... [did she not recognize his voice?....oh. Duh. His voice was different]

This is Thash. I dunno how or why but I've turned into a furry animal and been transported to Isla Empieza. I know I sound weird...I guess my voice got changed along with my body. As far as I know, I was on the ship and my regular self last night.... [he suddenly worried maybe some time had passed. When Grell woke up after being gone for a month, she'd had no idea how much time had passed...]

...at least I think it was last night. Frick, this is weird. I don't even know if time passed. If there's fresh fish in the ship's galley from my dive yesterday that means I was on the ship yesterday.

[and if she cared to check there would indeed be fish there]