The Octonauts and the Overfishing Incident (complete)

Chapter Two

The ocean was silent as the Gup E with its two passengers travelled away from the Octopod into the unknown waters ahead. Dashi was looking around with a small frown on her face as she surveyed the empty reef in front of them.

"Reefs are normally swarming with life and creatures," she said to Shellington next to her. The marine biologist had a worried look on his face as well.

"You're right Dashi. There doesn't seem to be anything living here. But why?"

"Maybe a disease? Or there's not enough food? Or maybe there are sharks around and its not safe for the fish to live here," Dashi contemplated these options.

"Maybe but it's very unusual for there not even to be any tiny fish around. Sharks don't eat small fish normally." Shellington ran to the other windows, looking out of each in turn, finally coming back to the main window and leaning forward to look up into the water.

"Nothing!"

Dashi and Shellington shared a worried look.

"Maybe we should call the Captain. I could take some pictures to send to them. Professor Inkling might know what's going on?" Dashi suggested.

"Should we have a look around first? There might be some fish around, just hiding. Let's see if we can ask them what's going on." Shellington countered.

"Okay, good idea. Let's go, but be careful."

Both Octonauts activated their helmets and dropped out of the hatch at the bottom of the Gup. What they saw was even more worrying.

"It's not just empty, it's barren!" Dashi cried. Shellington swam over to a reef and checked in all the holes and gaps beneath the rock.

"No fish hiding here either."

Dashi pondered, her eyes soft and concerned. "What's going on?"

"I don't know, but it's not natural. Something's happened to this reef."

"Lets swim a bit deeper. There might be someone there we can ask," Dashi replied. Shellington nodded and together they swam down into the dark waters below them.

It got darker the deeper they swam, but still no sign of fish, or any life really. There were plants in their abundance but no living things around to eat them. Eventually the two Octonauts had to concur that they couldn't swim any deeper without deep sea suits on or they would get too cold.

"We have to find out what's going on here," Shellington told Dashi.

"Y yeah I agree. There must be some fish around somewhere, just not this deep." Dashi was trying hard to stop her teeth from chattering. She shivered with the cold, the chill in the water beginning to get to her bare legs and arms.

"S Shellington, I th think we should g go back. It's g getting cold down here..." Dashi said quietly. Shellington shivered and nodded, beginning to swim back up to where they left the Gup. Both Octonauts kept a keen eye out for any movement, but by the time they got back to the Gup they had seen nothing.

"Not even any tiny little plankton or krill!" Shellington exclaimed as they sat in the Gup, warming up. Dashi had her arms folded to keep herself warm.

"What could have happened to them all?"

Shellington looked grave. "I don't know."

As Dashi's eyes panned once again around the reef she noticed the casting of a shadow over the rocks. She looked up and thought she saw a large dark shape above the water before it vanished from sight. Dashi blinked and rubbed her eyes. Nothing there. Just my imagination I suppose.

Shellington however had spotted movement behind one of the large rocks in the reef. It was quick but any movement at all in this desolate place caught their eye.

"Quick, let's see who it is!"

Both Octonauts jumped out of the Gup and swam over to where Shellington had seen the movement. At first glance nothing was evident, then...

"Are you going to take us away?" The voice was quavering, fearful. Shellington and Dashi shared astonished looks then peered around the rock to see a tiny gap leading into a small cave in the reef. Three fish were squashed in there, their colours blue and pink. Dashi's photographer skills took over and she snapped a photo.

"No we're not going to take you away. What do you mean? Why are you hiding? Who from?" Shellington asked, worry and curiosity in his tone.

The fish had a nervous look on his face. "The net. It took my friends away up to the big shadow on the top of the sea."

"A net?" the two Octonauts enquired in unison, both voices raised in shock. "Jumping jellyfish!" Shellington added. The fish talking cowered away, his eyes wide with terror. Dashi felt immediately sorry for the fish and spoke softly.

"Don't worry, we're not going to hurt you. We're the Octonauts and we help sea creatures. We can help get your friends back."

"Really?" The fish squeezed out of the hole followed by the two other fish. Shellington looked in his book briefly.

"Ah so you're salmon. I thought we might find some in this area. Fascinating."

"So tell us, please. What is going on here? What is the net?" Dashi asked gently to the frightened fish. It was the other one who answered this time.

"We don't know. It's a big rope thing and it comes down and creatures get tangled in it - then disappear! My friends vanished last week and we've been hiding so it doesn't get us ever since." The fish shuddered, the blue and pink stripes on its back vibrating with the movement.

"Sounds like people are - kidnapping fish?" Shellington suggested. Dashi nodded.

"And we have to stop it. I'm sorry, what are your names?" she asked the salmon. The largest one answered first.

"I'm Perry."

"And I'm Saleena."

"My name's Shana." They had quiet, soft voices like the tinkling of little bells.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Dashi and this is Shellington, a scientist."

"Can you help us?" The fish had pleading looks on their small faces.

"Of course. We can call in the other Octonauts for help." Just as Dashi was about to press the button, she heard a booming sound, like hundreds of whales all hooting at once. The fish cowered and cried out.

"The net! It's coming for us again! It always makes that sound just before it captures us!"

Dashi and Shellington turned to look up at the surface of the water, where they could see a large shadow looming over the ocean.

"What is it?" Dashi cried as the sound carried on, ringing in her ears.

"I... I don't know! But it's not good!" Shellington replied at the top of his voice as they stared up at the large shape coming towards them, casting ominous shadows across the darkened reef.