The Acaras gathered in the fish cave to enjoy their dinner. Pikon and Pogi Fish fought over a crab claw while Papa and Mama Fish snacked on the torso. Meanwhile, Pasaway ate a cuttlefish he caught on his own.
Pogi and Pikon were still much too little to fish on their own. Papa Fish always brought food home for them. In fact, most other fish saw the tiny Acara as dinner. For that reason alone, Pikon was never allowed out of the cave alone and Pogi was only allowed as far as the boat wreck.
“Mother, after I finish my dinner, may I go out to play?”
“You know how much I don’t like you going out alone. Take Pikon, just in case.”
“Oh mom,”
“Also, I want you to come home before dark.”
“I know that, mother,” groaned Pogi.
As soon as he finished his dinner, Pogi went to the boat wreck, while Pikon tagged along. Pogi went right for the boat wreck, where most fish liked to gather. Pikon loved hanging with his big brothers, especially Pogi, who treated him like an equal.
“Pogi?”
“Yea, Pikon?”
“I just wanted to say thanks.”
“For what?”
“For taking me to the boat wreck.”
“No problem.”
As they swam towards the boat wreck, they ran into a large catfish with black and white zebra stripes. The catfish swam toward little Pikon.
“What are you doing on my turf, pipsqueak?”
“I didn’t know it was your lair,” replied Pikon.
Pogi swam up and hovered between the catfish and his brother. The catfish snarled at Pogi.
“Leave him alone,” said Pogi.
“What’s it to you?” said the catfish.
“He’s my brother.”
“Tell him to get off my turf or I’ll make him into sushi.”
Pogi steered Pikon away from the mean catfish. They headed to the boatwreck where fish of all shapes and sizes swam. There were sharks and dolphins. There were jellyfish and cuttlefish and starfish, too. There were even Acaras, just like Pogi and Pikon.
As they played, Pogi looked for Ganda Fish, but she was nowhere to be found. Instead, they played with a few of the other Acara. They took turns hiding seashells and playing ‘hotter-and-colder.’
The usually calm waters of the deep blue sea began to churn as a storm raged above the waves. The currents pushed the tiny Acara this way and that.
“I think it’s time to go home,” worried Pikon.
“We’re fine,” said Pogi.
But they weren’t fine, because the storm overhead was actually a hurricane. In no time at all, there was a terrible danger lurking overhead. The waters churned and the tides washed as deep as the sea bottom, stirring everything around like a witch stirred her cauldron. A sandstorm rose from the sea floor and obscured everyone’s vision.
“I told you,” said Pikon.
“Nevermind that, we need to get out of the way of this storm.”
Pogi led Pikon into the boat wreck. Water surged through every cabin except one. That was the captain’s cabin, that Mack the Knife called home. With no other option, Pogi headed for the safety of Mack’s lair.
A long flat head and two beady eyes barely poked out of the darkness.
“You again?” said Mack.
Before either of the Acara could answer, the spiny zebra catfish barged through the cabin door.
“Hey! Didn’t I say this was my lair?” he snarled.
“Your lair?” said Mack.
“Well…I mean…”
And more little fishy faces came through the cabin door. There were the jellyfish and cuttlefish and starfish. A handful of plecostimous, betas, and acaras joined Pogi and Pikon in Mack’s cabin. It was almost too much for the big hammerhead to handle.
“What are you all doing in my room?” bellowed Mack.
“There’s a nasty storm outside,” squeaked little Pikon.
Mack looked out the porthole near his nest. Whirlwinds of sand and sea rubbish cluttered his view. Also, the boat wreck swayed gently back and forth under the force of the storm waves.
“I suppose it won’t do too much harm to have a few extra guests.”
Just then, a giant squid slithered into Mack’s cabin.
“You, too?” growled Mack.
“I…I…I…am afraid of storms. They make me seasick,” stammered the squid. As he cowered in the corner, he stretched his ten tentacles across the walls of Mack’s cabin. Suckers grabbed onto the walls. He also grabbed anything which he could wrap his tentacles.
The worst of enemies gathered in Mack’s cabin. The storm outside was much too fierce to worry about who hated who. Pogi and Pikon huddled with the Acara, right beside the giant Hammerhead shark. As soon as the storm passed, everyone went their separate ways.
“Whew!” said little Pikon, “I was really scared.”
“Me too, little brother.”
Quickly, they swam back to the safety of the Acara cave.
“Where have you been?” asked Mama Fish.
“We were hiding from the storm inside the boat wreck,” Replied Pogi.
“I was very worried aboutr you!” she said.
“All the fish were there,” said Pikon, “We even saw a Hammerhead !”
“My heavens! That’s why I don’t like you going to the boat wreck. It’s very dangerous.”
“That old Shark grumbles a lot, but overall, he’s a nice guy,” said Pogi.
“Still…”
“Oh, mother,” interrupted Papa Fish, “I know old Mack the Knife. He’s not going to hurt any of my boys. He’s only happy when he’s complaining.”With that, it was settled. Pikon and Pogi were still allowed to venture as far as the boat wreck. They also knew that the Hammerhead had more important things to worry about than two tiny fish when the waves were rough.
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MORAL: Any Port in the Storm.
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