Before Whisker could relay his grave fears, Mr Tribble strode into the room, clutching an empty bottle of lantern oil.
‘Has anyone seen …?’ He cut himself short when he saw the sea of worried faces.
‘Oh my,’ he gasped. ‘Is something wrong?’
‘Yes,’ Ruby said bluntly. ‘We have a situation.’
‘W-what kind of situation?’ Mr Tribble murmured.
‘A spy situation,’ Ruby replied.
‘But who?’ he whispered, turning pale.
Ruby looked at Whisker for a tactful answer.
Whisker took a deep breath. No more false accusations, he told himself. You have to be certain.
‘Mr Tribble,’ he said with an air of urgency, ‘tell us everything you know about Eaton’s lantern.’
‘Eaton’s lantern?’ Mr Tribble gasped. ‘You’re not suggesting … surely not? Eaton’s just a boy.’
Emmie rushed forward and buried her head in his chest, tears filling her small eyes. Mr Tribble put a comforting arm around her.
‘I’m not suggesting anything,’ Whisker said calmly. ‘I’m just looking for facts.’
Mr Tribble stared at him for a long time and then hesitantly nodded. ‘Alright, I’ll tell you what I know. As I’m sure you’re already aware, Whisker, the lantern was purchased from Salamander’s Splendid Supplies on Sea Shanty Island on the night you escaped from the Cat Fish. Earlier that evening, the Captain gave Fred enough money to buy the children each a small gift – following our unfortunate boat disaster. At the time of entering the supply store, Emmie wanted a box of candy canes and Eaton had his heart set on a survival knot handbook. By the time the rest of the Pie Rats arrived looking for Sabre, Eaton had changed his mind to a lantern. He’s always been afraid of the dark, so I thought nothing of it.’
‘We found Eaton in the lantern aisle when we entered the shop,’ Horace added. ‘He was by himself and acting extremely jittery.’
‘There’s no denying that Sabre and Master Meow entered and exited the shop while Fred and the mice were in there,’ Whisker said. ‘I saw that from my hiding spot in the drain. The question is: what happened in between?’
‘I saw and heard nothing,’ Mr Tribble said firmly. ‘None of us did. Emmie was upstairs with Fred and I presume Eaton was in the lantern aisle the entire time.’
‘What part of the store is the lantern aisle?’ Whisker asked.
‘Ground floor, near the back door,’ Ruby said. ‘The same door Sabre exited through.’
Mr Tribble put his head in his paws. The evidence was mounting.
Whisker continued his questioning. ‘Does Eaton know any signal codes – messages using short and long flashes of light?’
Mr Tribble lifted his head and nodded. ‘He’s the best in his class.’
‘I’m guessing a mirrored lantern would be the obvious choice for long range signalling,’ Whisker said. ‘The narrow beam would make it visible from miles away – like a lighthouse.’
‘Quite so,’ Mr Tribble said, downcast. ‘Eaton’s lantern would be perfect.’
‘Putrid pastries,’ Horace muttered. ‘I feel sick in the gizzards. Eaton had oodles of opportunities to signal the Cat Fish. First Sea Shanty Island, then Prison Island … Shipwreck Sandbar … even the jungle citadel … It’s no wonder they knew our every move.’
‘H-hold on a minute,’ Mr Tribble quivered. ‘We don’t know for certain it was Eaton. He could simply be watching the stars innocently from –’
‘– the deck?’ Pete broke in.
Whisker turned to see the agitated quartermaster clomping into the room, followed by the rest of the crew. Pete held several strands of maroon thread between his fingers.
‘Recognise these, anyone?’
Emmie buried her nose further into Mr Tribble’s chest.
‘Where did you get those?’ Mr Tribble gasped.
‘At the end of the rope,’ Pete said coldly. ‘The Hermit was hauling supplies onto the cliff top when he discovered a couple of stray fibres. We were naturally worried the Cat Fish had snuck aboard and took the liberty of searching the entire ship. Unless Eaton’s hiding in the pantry, he’s already on the island.’
Pete held the maroon strands against Emmie’s school blazer.
‘A perfect colour match,’ he remarked. ‘It seems our traitor was a snivelling mouse after all.’
‘How dare you!’ Mr Tribble squeaked in anger.
Pete narrowed his pink albino eyes. ‘Eaton had the means …’
‘But his motive remains a mystery,’ the Captain cut in. ‘Now is not the time for passing judgement, Pete. Is that understood?’
‘Aye, Captain,’ Pete said reluctantly.
‘Our focus is to stop Eaton before he reaches the Cat Fish,’ the Captain went on. ‘Failing that, our priority will be to rescue him and bring him back alive. Regardless of Eaton’s intentions, he is still an honorary member of our crew and under my direct protection.’
He scanned the eyes of his crew. ‘We’ll split into three groups and search the island. Each group will be led by a rat familiar with the landscape. I’ll lead the first group of Pete, Fred, Horace and Smudge to the camp on the beach. It’s the most likely place Eaton will be headed, but also the most dangerous.’
He ran his finger over the Forgotten Map from east to west.
‘Whisker will lead Ruby and the mice to the treasure site on Mt Mobziw.’ He looked directly at Ruby. ‘If you spot the Cat Fish, you are to wait for backup. Is that understood?’
Ruby gave a reluctant sigh. ‘And if the place is deserted?’
‘You have permission to enter the mountain,’ the Captain replied. ‘If the treasure is as powerful as the legend claims, it may help us to defeat the Cat Fish, or at least secure Eaton’s release.’
The Captain pointed further up the island.
‘The Hermit and Madam Pearl will head into owl territory and work their way down the mountain. The Hermit knows the terrain better than anyone and owls are less likely to attack with a weasel present.’
Mr Tribble shuddered. ‘You don’t think the owls have taken Eaton, do you?’
‘Nothing’s certain,’ the Captain replied. ‘But time is against us. Travel light. Bring only the weapons you need. We leave immediately.’ He turned to go.
‘Excuse me, Capt’n,’ Rat Bait croaked. ‘Ye be forgettin’ ‘bout me.’
‘I haven’t forgotten anything,’ the Captain hissed over his shoulder. ‘You’re not part of the plan, Rat Bait. I need rats I can rely on.’
‘B-but,’ Rat Bait protested. ‘I can hold me own in a fight an’ …’
The Captain disappeared out the door before Rat Bait could finish.
The old rogue gave Whisker a pleading look. ‘Surely ye trust me, Whisker?’
Whisker knew Rat Bait was a valuable asset in any confrontation. The disgraced Pie Rat had nothing to lose but everything to prove. He was sly, strong, and, most importantly, he wasn’t a spy.
‘What do you think, Ruby?’ Whisker muttered.
‘We need a bodyguard for the mice,’ Ruby whispered back. ‘Give the scoundrel the job if you think he’s up to it.’
Whisker gestured to Rat Bait. ‘You’re on mouse duty, Rat Bait. Keep your eye out for scorpions, your nose open for Cat Fish …’
‘And your mouth shut,’ Ruby snapped.
‘Aye,’ Rat Bait said, putting his strong paws on Emmie’s shoulders. ‘I won’t let ye down.’
‘You’d better not,’ Ruby hissed. ‘You’ve already had your second chance. I doubt the Captain will give you a third.’
East to West
One by one, the Pie Rats scrambled up the crude rope to the top of the cliff. Pale stars flickered overhead in the moonless sky. A brisk wind blew from the East, slicing through the tense air. The crew gathered in a silent huddle for their final instructions.
‘Crew first, treasure second,’ the Captain said with resolve. ‘If you run into trouble, hoot like an owl. If you run into an owl
, hiss like a cat!’
With whispers of ‘Aye, aye, Captain,’ the parties separated.
Horace gave Whisker a farewell salute with his hook and scurried after the Captain with sauce bottles bulging from his belt.
Whisker hoped he’d see his friend again. It had been a whirlwind few hours since his rescue on the ledge, and the last thing he wanted was to lose the crew all over again.
As the danger of the mission sank in, Whisker was glad he had Ruby by his side. He knew she’d prefer to be fighting with her fellow crew-rats than trailing after an apprentice, but her lack of protest was a comfort. Whatever they faced, they faced together.
Whisker’s team set off to the north-west, travelling with Madam Pearl and the Hermit. The plan was to journey as far as the Hermit’s cave, at which point they would split up and go in different directions. Whisker had the stars and the Hermit’s compass to guide him – neither of which he needed while the Hermit was present.
Ruby and Rat Bait carried small ship’s lanterns. They were considerably dimmer than Eaton’s mirrored lantern, but ideal for creeping unseen across the island.
Emmie was understandably distraught following Eaton’s suspected betrayal and hadn’t stopped sobbing since they left. Although Emmie and Eaton were like cheese and chalk, Eaton was still Emmie’s twin, and the news of his treachery had hit her hard. Whisker wondered how she would cope if they got to him too late.
The sombre party reached the outskirts of boulder country and made their way into the rocky foothills. Grey stones surrounded them like expressionless faces, bleak and unwelcoming. Emmie’s tiny legs quickly grew tired from leaping over crevices and scaling boulders and Rat Bait resorted to carrying her on his back.
The companions neared the Hermit’s cave with no sightings of scorpions, owls, Cat Fish or wandering mice. From the tops of high boulders, they looked down at the lagoon. Not a single light radiated from the beach camp and there were no signs of activity on the Silver Sardine. From a dark distance, it was impossible to tell how far the ship’s hull was submerged under the jet black water.
‘Them crafty cats could be anywhere,’ Rat Bait croaked.
‘We’ve got to keep moving,’ Ruby said forcefully. ‘There’s no time to waste on idle speculation.’
The Hermit agreed. ‘Must hurry, yes, yes. Dawn approaches. Hermit and Pearl depart for owl country now.’
‘We’ll see you shortly,’ Madam Pearl said in a rich, confident tone. ‘Have faith, Emmie. This is the Island of Destiny …’
Emmie stopped sobbing and watched the white weasel and the wily Hermit disappear into the darkness. Whisker hoped the two companions would find nothing but an empty nest.
Whisker led Ruby, Rat Bait and the mice westwards along the ridge of boulders. He knew their path was the most exposed, but resisted the temptation to move into sheltered territory – scorpions would undoubtedly be patrolling the higher terrain.
The gurgling sounds of the mountain stream soon filled their ears, telling Whisker they had reached the very centre of the island.
The sky lightened as dawn approached. The Pie Rats extinguished their lanterns and pressed on. Spindly pine trees and stunted bushes appeared further up the mountain. Whisker directed his companions towards the wind-ravaged plants. He felt the crunch of broken rocks under his feet and knew it was only a short hike to the treasure site.
Confident of his navigation skills, he returned the compass to his bag and checked it was tied securely to his belt. He took the liberty of glancing down at the map canister and then reached his paw into his right pocket. His fingers touched the cold shaft of the King’s Key.
Still there, he thought. He knew Emmie’s sheet of symbols would lead them to the location of the treasure, but he couldn’t stop wondering what would happen then. Will the key open a secret door? Will it unlock a golden chest?
Whisker withdrew his paw from his pocket and began clawing his way through the bushes.
THUD. THUD. SCRAPE.
The sounds came from somewhere close. Whisker halted and raised his finger to his lips. The rodents behind him froze.
THUD. THUD. CLANG!
‘More infuriating rocks,’ complained a gruff voice.
Whisker peered through the gaps in the leaves to see Master Meow and Furious Fur crouched waist deep in a hole, clutching small shovels in their paws. Two boulders towered over the hole. A third boulder stood a short way off. Whisker shifted his eyes to his left and caught sight of Eaton, bound and gagged on a stump between Sally and Cleopatra.
Master Meow hurled a shovelful of rocks over his shoulder.
‘Ow!’ Siamese Sally hissed. ‘Watch where you’re throwing that stuff, shovel-head. We’ve got a fragile prisoner over here.’
‘He’s not as fragile as you, princess,’ Meow sniggered.
Cleopatra let out an evil laugh. ‘But he’s far more valuable.’
Sally slashed her claws at Cleopatra. Cleopatra leapt back as Sally’s arm spun through the air, narrowly missing Eaton’s head.
Eaton sat petrified on the stump, unable to move or speak, as the two cats hissed and spat at each other.
‘ENOUGH!’ Sabre roared furiously, stepping into Whisker’s view. ‘If either one of you good-for-nothing creatures lays a finger on our precious hostage, I’ll turn your hide into a handbag and make a necklace from your bones. Is that understood?’
Sally and Cleopatra drew back, still glaring at each other. Master Meow resumed digging. Furious Fur stroked his shaggy, white fur and muttered, ‘I’d make a lovely soft handbag.’
Sabre ignored him and turned to Eaton. ‘It’s a dreadful shame you couldn’t fulfil your end of the bargain, little spy.’ He held up two sheets of paper. ‘A tracing of the map and a page of symbols are all well and good, but without the key they’re merely previews of the main event. You’d better hope your pesky friends come looking for you and are stupid enough to bring the key with them. I suspect we’ll see them shortly, now the sun has risen.’
Whisker felt a sudden twinge of panic race through his tail. We’re walking into a trap.
He pulled away from the bushes, hoping the Cat Fish hadn’t caught his scent, and silently gestured for his friends to retreat.
Rat Bait and the mice moved instantly but Ruby gave him a look that said, we can take them, and held her ground.
Whisker shook his head and mouthed, Captain’s orders, and followed the others through the bushes. Ruby finally backed down and trailed after him.
Quieter than a school of frozen fish in an iceberg, the escaping group made their way up the mountainside where the cover was dense, only stopping when they reached a thicket of pine trees. Several large boulders sheltered the trees from the wind.
‘What do we do now?’ Mr Tribble whispered to Whisker.
Whisker suddenly wished he wasn’t the leader. He knew which mountain paths to take and he knew how to stay out of sight, but he had little experience in formulating battle plans.
‘I-I don’t know,’ he said with a shrug. ‘Eaton’s safe as long as we have the key and the treasure remains hidden.’
‘It won’t stay hidden for long,’ Ruby said candidly. ‘I doubt they have much further to dig.’
Emmie gasped.
‘Maybe they be diggin’ in the wrong location?’ Rat Bait said. ‘One o’ the boulders wasn’t touchin’ the others.’
‘I doubt we’ll find three boulders closer than that,’ Ruby shot back. ‘I tell you, we need to get –’ She stopped.
There was a rustling noise from the closest tree. The three rats drew their swords.
Prowler, Whisker thought, his tail beginning to shiver. He wasn’t with the others.
The rats crept closer to investigate, forming a tight semicircle around the trunk. Mr Tribble covered Emmie’s eyes as the rats raised their swords, preparing to strike.
The rustling suddenly stopped. Whisker prodded the branches with his blade. Nothing stirred.
‘It just be the wind,’ Rat Ba
it whispered.
‘Or a large, green blowfly,’ Ruby said, relieved.
She pointed into the air with her sword. Hovering a few feet from the tree and quietly beating his wings was Smudge.
The rats breathed a collective sigh of relief and lowered their weapons. Smudge landed on a rock next to them.
‘The Cat Fish are at the treasure site with Eaton,’ Whisker relayed. ‘Is the Captain on his way?’
Smudge nodded.
‘Tell him to approach from the western flank,’ Ruby said, taking charge of the situation. ‘We’ll attack from the east.’
Smudge looked around to get his bearings.
‘Don’t worry, I’ll show you the precise location,’ Whisker said. He scrambled up the side of a boulder for a better vantage point and Ruby and Smudge joined him at the top.
Whisker handed the map to Ruby and took out the compass. He turned it in his paw until the needle pointed north and peered over the edge of the boulder.
‘The Cat Fish are south-west of here,’ he whispered, ‘just beyond those bushes. I suggest the Captain comes up through the lower pine forest on the western side of the mountain and then heads inland.’
He raised his head and scanned the distant western shoreline, spotting a blurry rock island off the coast. He checked its direction on the compass.
‘Your eyes are better than mine, Smudge, so you won’t have any trouble using that island as your marker. It has similar latitude to the treasure site. You’ll need to progress through the forest until you draw level with the island. If you reach the owl cliffs, you’ve gone too far. From there it’s a simple east-north-east march to the treasure site to ensure you have the high ground advantage.’
Whisker thought he’d explained his directions clearly, but Smudge raised four arms as if to say huh?
‘Show him on the map,’ Ruby said impatiently.
‘Alright,’ Whisker sighed. He pointed to the map in Ruby’s paws. ‘Here’s the beach. Here’s the forest. The treasure site is located at the bottom tooth of the key and the small island is …’ He paused and looked at the map, perplexed. ‘… the island is on the opposite side of the map.’
The Island of Destiny Page 12