Free The Island of Destiny by Cameron Stelzer

Whisker stuck to the Hermit like a piece of gum clinging to the sole of a shoe. There was no way he was losing sight of him a second time.
    The three rats reached a rocky lookout on the outskirts of the forest. The wind, for once, was surprisingly calm. Whisker stood and admired the striking panorama around him. The Rock of Hope lay to the south-east, the waves gently lapping its smooth base – the tide was fully in. Beyond the sandy shore, the curving cliffs of the island surrounded the peaceful lagoon. It was a stark contrast to the Treacherous Sea Whisker had experienced two days ago. The black shapes of the rocks dotted the still, turquoise water like chess pieces on a glassy board.
    Whisker caught a glimpse of something silver disappear behind a distant island.
    â€˜Down! Now!’ the Hermit hissed, pulling Whisker to the ground.
    Whisker hit the earth with a hard THUD and the Captain dropped beside him. Even with his nose squashed into the dirt, Whisker could see enough to know what was out there. A slender ship appeared in the middle of the lagoon, its silver hull shimmering in the sunshine. Its three square sails flapped gently in the breeze, each emblazoned with a fish skeleton. The ship was too distant for Whisker to identify its crew, but he’d seen that dreaded vessel often enough to know that six of his least favourite felines were onboard.
    â€˜Not the rescue party we were hoping for,’ the Captain muttered.
    Whisker didn’t respond. He simply watched in growing dread as the armour-plated vessel of the Cat Fish, the Silver Sardine, sailed through the tight passage into the centre of the lagoon.

On the Prowl
    The Owl and the Pussy Cat was Whisker’s least favourite nursery rhyme. After narrowly escaping from owls, he was not looking forward to adding pussy cats to the mix.
    The Captain was equally unimpressed.
    â€˜Infuriating Cat Fish,’ he growled. ‘Why do they get the easy run? Fine weather, high tide and not an eel in sight.’
    â€˜Cat Fish?’ the Hermit gasped. ‘Hermit not fond of Cat Fish.’
    â€˜No one’s fond of Cat Fish,’ the Captain muttered. He hesitated and looked directly at the Hermit. ‘I should have mentioned this earlier, Father, but we have a particularly nasty crew of cats on our tails and they’re as eager as we are to get their paws on the treasure.’
    The Hermit twitched his ears nervously. Whisker’s tail followed suit.
    The Captain continued gravely, ‘It was my hope that General Thunderclaw sent Captain Sabre and his feline followers to a watery grave, following an impromptu fireworks show a few nights ago, but the evidence clearly suggests otherwise …’

    â€˜H-hermit puts key-diving expedition on hold,’ the Hermit stammered.
    â€˜Obviously,’ the Captain grunted. ‘Sabre won’t be leaving in a hurry. Not without the treasure.’
    Whisker felt a wave of panic sweep across his body. The Cat Fish clearly knew what path to take across the lagoon.
    What else do they know? he wondered. Has Sabre solved the mystery of the riddle?
    â€˜W-what’s our next move?’ he asked in a trembling voice.
    â€˜We watch from a distance,’ the Captain replied. ‘It shouldn’t be hard to discover what the Cat Fish are up to.’
    â€˜But they’ll know we’re here,’ Whisker shot back. ‘They’ll see the broken boards on the beach and find the fresh holes at the treasure site.’
    â€˜That could work in our favour,’ the Captain said thoughtfully. ‘If we stay out of sight, the Cat Fish may be fooled into believing we’ve already dug up the treasure and departed the island. With no treasure to plunder, they’ll be gone before the next high tide. This place is hardly a holiday destination.’
    â€˜No, no,’ the Hermit said in a worried tone. ‘If Cat Fish leave, rats will be stranded on windy, windy island