Smiling Critters One-Shots

Pirates of Sunshine Valley

A request for @ThePurpleAura

"So, the location of Captain Storkclaw's treasure is supposed to be on Storm Island in the ocean of Smiling Valley," Kickin Chicken said, closing the book he'd been reading. "I don't know if it's real, but I'm going to consult Bubba Bubbaphant on this and see what he says." Indeed, Bubba had a history with the legend of Captain Storkclaw, the legendary pirate, since he had the map for it.

Well, it wasn't a map as such, but rather the first in a series of cryptic descriptions that were hidden around Storm Island. It read 'Whoever has found this, my treasure hoard is hidden on Storm Island, as you may know. But should you look for it, take heed, as many have fallen prey to the dangers of the island. Seek the place on the island where no sky can be seen. Then the next clue will be yours at last.'
Bubba, however, didn't think Kickin's mission to find the treasure was very safe.
"People have searched their whole lives and never found it!" Bubba informed him.
"That may be so, but that won't stop me from trying," Kickin replied.
"Being at sea isn't all it looks like. If you fall in, those barnacles will engulf you in seconds, and once they do, you're toast!" Bubba added. "And if they don't get you, the sharks will!"
"I'm not afraid of them! Besides, we'll be on a ship until we get to Storm Island!" Kickin continued.
Bubba had no answer for that. He simply nodded his head.
"Well, you're not going without me, as the truth is, I want to find it too," he admitted.
Of course, word spread and all of the other Critters joined the two. Boarding Bubba's 'galleon' which was actually a very large superyacht, with Picky Piggy bringing a shovel to dig up the treasure with, the Critters set off on their epic voyage.

But Bubba was right to worry. Three days into their journey, while Kickin was chasing Hoppy Hopscotch, a large thud into the bottom of the made them and the other Critters fall to the floor. They got up and ran outside, hearing and feeling a larger thud. Then a massive thud, that sent DogDay sliding off the ship and into the sea! A dark shadow appeared underneath him, rapidly growing bigger. DogDay could swim, but at the speed that it was growing, Crafty Corn said "We have to save him, now!"
"But how?" Hoppy replied. "We can't risk our own lives too!"
"I can't believe I'm saying this..." Bobby Bearhug said.

The Critters were on the ladder of the superyacht, in an attempt to fish DogDay out, and the dog's attempts to stay afloat were making it difficult. However, Picky Piggy's swings of her arms hoisted him up and into the boat, just as the jaws of a massive shark chomped down on nothing, which would have been DogDay if it had been even a second later.

"Well, you were right, Bubba..." Kickin grimaced. "Looks like treasure hunting isn't all fun and games."

Reaching Storm Island, the Critters dismounted the superyacht, stepping onto the fresh grass of the island, waves lapping up at their feet. Bubba read the clue out to them, and they started scouring the island, eventually settling on a cave following some deduction from Bearhug. The Critters headed in, and the second clue was indeed there. It read 'The next clue lies over a river. Be very careful when crossing, or drown, or be crushed against the rocks. If you can make it across, the third clue will sit on a rock shaped like a feather.'
"This guy sure knows how to discourage people," DogDay said, looking at his friends, before noticing the absence of a certain red-furred bear.

Bobby Bearhug was going to enter the cave, but after noticing a beehive dripping with honey on the inside, she was powerless to resist being sidetracked by it. Her stomach gurgled with delight as she walked towards it, her mouth watering.
"Bearhug, what are you doing! No!" Kickin exclaimed, snapping Bearhug out of her trance.
Unaware of aggressive buzzing stirring in the hive, however, it was already too late! The bees came flying out in a swarm of hundreds, heading for the Critters.
"We should run!" Bearhug said, her ears drooping in guilt for having caused this.