Misty to the Rescue (4 page)

Misty poured out the whole story to the kind old cuttlefish. As she spoke, she swam restlessly backward and forward, to help her think better.

"Well, there's only one thing to do," said Felix, as he slowly unfurled his tentacles to push himself through the water. "We must pay a visit to Cato."

The young mermaids followed him eagerly, weaving in and out through the Forest and rippling their glistening tails. Felix puffed clumsily ahead of them. The comical cuttlefish seemed to know all the shortcuts in the mysterious seaweed groves, and the mermaids started to feel a bit more hopeful. Soon, Felix nudged aside some thick strands of purple kelp. There, resting in the water, was the king crab who had pinched Misty's tail.

"Wake up, Cato, old friend," said Felix. He gently tapped the sleeping crab with his tentacles. The crab opened one eye.

"Oh, dear Mr. Cato," said Misty breathlessly, "I really am so sorry that I woke you up by sitting on your shell. Please forgive me."

Cato peered at Felix and then at Misty. He seemed very confused and drowsy.

"Protect the sea creatures, eh?" Cato muttered, stretching himself and waking up from his nap. "That sounds like a better idea than landing on someone's shell."

"What's that?" said Cato. "An ink couch?" He really was a bit deaf.

"No," shouted the mermaids. "A PINK POUCH!"

"No need to shout," he huffed. "Can hear perfectly well, don't you know. As a matter of fact, I did see one. Silly sort of thing, I thought. Couldn't eat it, so I gave it to some giddy little sea horses. Have a nice day!"

Felix waved the mermaids away from the tired old crab. The purple kelp closed around Cato, and he fell back into a deep sleep.

"Now all we've got to do," exclaimed Misty, "is find those sea horses."

Felix led the way toward the edge of the Forest. The kelp began to thin out. Gleaming blue and yellow fish looked up from nibbling the seaweed, wondering what six young mermaids were doing there. The sunlight shone down from the Overwater world. And at last, Misty and her friends saw the sea horses. They had curly tails and arching necks and the sweetest faces.

"Aren't they beautiful?" breathed Lucy.

"And look," said Misty excitedly, pointing at a father sea horse and his young family. "They're playing with my pouch!"

The bigger sea horses were holding the ends of Misty's belt and pulling the baby along. He was sitting in the pouch as if it were a carriage, and squealing with excitement.

"He's so adorable," said Ellie.

"Oh dear," said Misty, in a worried voice. "I wonder if the sea horses will be upset about giving it back? And I do hope that the crystal hasn't fallen out to the bottom of the sea. That would be awful."

There was only one way to find out . . .

Felix told the mermaids to wait quietly while he talked to the father sea horse. Then he beckoned Misty and her friends over to be introduced.

"This is Dash the sea horse," said Felix, "and this is his family. I have explained why this pouch is so important to you, and to all of us sea creatures. Of course they will give it back to you."

"Thank you so much," she said to Dash. "How can I ever repay you?"

"It is an honor," he replied, "to help the mermaids who protect our seas."

But Misty noticed that the baby sea horse looked very sad. He didn't understand why he couldn't play with the pouch anymore.

"The poor little thing," Misty whispered to the others. "We must do something for him."

The mermaids went into a little huddle. Then they all smiled at the baby sea horse and said, "Please accept these small gifts in return for Misty's pouch and crystal." They had all taken a trinket from their S.O.S. Kits. There was a rattle made of bright red shells and a piece of polished mother-of-pearl. Best of all, Misty gave him a twisty shell that blew a sweet note like a mermaid's song.

The baby, whose name was Squeak, tossed his little head and rushed around in a circle.

"Tank 'oo!" he squeaked happily.

The mermaids laughed. But just then, they heard an ugly, throbbing noise coming from the surface of the sea.

"The Cutter Boat!" cried the sea horses. "Everyone, hide!"

They all dived down in a panic and hid under the rocks on the seabed.

"Follow me, mermaids," shouted Felix. "Quickly!"

Soon Felix and the mermaids were hiding as well. The noise grew louder.

"What's happening?" asked Misty.

"Well, mermaids," sighed Felix, "we have some problems of our own here in the Forest. My friend Cato is too old and sleepy to notice, but things are changing around here. You see, the humans have started to cut down the Kelp Forest."

"Cut it down!" cried Misty. "That's so terrible."

"But what about all you creatures who live here?" asked Ellie. "What will happen to you if the Forest is destroyed?"

"We will have nowhere to live," replied Felix sadly. "Oh, I don't mind the humans taking some of the kelp. They use it for food and all sorts of things. And there's plenty for everyone, if we're all sensible. But Mantora always stirs up trouble."

"Mantora?" chorused the mermaids. "What has she got to do with this?"

"Mantora uses her mermaid magic in bad ways," explained Felix. "She wants to make everything as ugly as her own dark heart, because it makes her feel more powerful. She likes to play tricks on the humans so that they don't really think about what they do. They don't mean to be bad, but they become careless and thoughtless. So they come and chop down great chunks of the Forest, but don't give it a chance to grow back before they come back for more. And that leaves us with a problem—we're in danger of losing our homes!"

"But you said that there was a solution for every problem," said Misty.

"Not when Mantora and humans are involved," said Felix. He shook his head in despair.

"But isn't there anything we can do to rescue the Forest?" worried Misty. "You and your sea horse friends have helped me so much, Felix. I wish we could do something for you."

The noise of the boat's engines throbbed above their heads. The cutting of the kelp would soon begin. The little sea horses trembled with fear.

"Think, everyone, think," urged Sophie. The mermaids frowned with concentration. Then Misty looked up.

"I've got an idea," she exclaimed.

"Follow me as quickly as you can." She flicked her bright tail and sped swiftly toward the surface.

"But it will be dangerous near the boat," protested Scarlett, darting after her. "What are you going to do?"

"What are mermaids famous for?" called Misty over her shoulder. "Singing!" All the mermaids loved to sing, but Misty loved it most of all. One day she hoped to sing for Queen Neptuna at the great Sea Festival, which was held every year in Coral Kingdom. But now she was going to sing with all her strength to help her new friends.

"Of course!" said Holly. "Mermaid singing can persuade humans to do anything. What a brilliant idea."

"Come on," said Sophie, surging forward with a powerful flick of her orange tail. "Everyone follow Misty!"

The mermaids quickly reached the surface. They could see the menacing boat, coming to cut down part of the Forest.