While Reginald Elephant uses all his might to stop the pirates from escaping, Larry Monkey dives after an ancient artefact called a robot in the dark waters of the Gulf. The pirates still have the upper hand but there’s just a chance Flossy Fairweather can frustrate their plans long enough for help to arrive. The friends are divided but they’re not defeated, not by a long shot.While Reginald Elephant uses all his might to stop the pirates from escaping in Harry Possum’s stolen Baltimore Clipper, Larry Monkey dives after an ancient artefact called a robot in the dark waters of the Gulf. The pirates still have the upper hand but there’s just a chance Flossy can frustrate their plans long enough for help to arrive. And there’s a secret passage made by owls and hiding in plain sight that may hold the key. The friends are divided but they’re not defeated, not by a long shot.By the end of the next ice age, all that remains of the once great, world-spanning human civilisation are myths and ancient, inexplicable artefacts lying at the feet of melting glaciers. Thanks to the red-hot Heat Tree reefs that keep the ice at bay, the lands above the Gulf of Mexico are some of the few places still warm enough to support life. On the western shores of the Gulf is Port Isabel, a town conceived and built by owls who mysteriously vanished hundreds of years before without even bothering to say goodbye. The animals that live there are industrious, peaceful and vegetarian; except for those that aren't, which is where all the trouble starts.

Headstrong Flossy Fairweather knows nothing of Port Isabel when she's captured by pirates and carried off before she can even draw her sword. After years at sea exploring with her parents, imagine her surprise when she's rescued by talking animals who think humans have been extinct for a thousand years. And the pirates want her back. Or are they after something else altogether?Headstrong Flossy Fairweather knows nothing of Port Isabel when she's captured by pirates in the middle of the night and carried off before she can even draw her sword. After years at sea exploring with her parents, imagine her surprise when she's rescued by talking animals. But the seaside town they come from is panicked by her arrival. Humans, who have a reputation for cruelty and cannibalism, haven’t been seen for a thousand years. And the pirates want her back. Or are they after something else altogether?By the end of the next ice age, all that remains of the once great, world-spanning human civilisation are myths and ancient, inexplicable artefacts lying at the feet of melting glaciers. Thanks to the red-hot Heat Tree reefs that keep the ice at bay, the lands above the Gulf of Mexico are some of the few places still warm enough to support life. On the western shores of the Gulf is Port Isabel, a town conceived and built by owls who mysteriously vanished hundreds of years before. The animals that live there are industrious, peaceful and vegetarian; except for those that aren't, which is where all the trouble starts. Mark is an award winning writer living in Sydney, Australia. His novels, fables and short stories are adored by children and adults alike.

The fates of Harry Possum and a hundred others hang in the balance, it’s come down to Flossy’s next decision. Every scenario has been considered, every contingency planned out to the nth degree, but she knows no battle plan survives the first shot and can’t escape the queasy feeling she’s overlooked something obvious, something that could make all the difference. What will the pirates do next?The fates of Harry Possum and the hundred soldier-sailors making up Port Isabel’s fledgling navy hang in the balance, it’s down to Flossy’s next decision. Every scenario has been considered, every contingency planned out to the nth degree, but she knows no battle plan survives the first shot and can’t escape the queasy feeling she’s overlooked something obvious, something that could make all the difference. Months of captivity taught her just how nasty and tricky pirates can be, and that was before they had the perfect reason for revenge. What will they do next?By the end of the next ice age, all that remains of the once great, world-spanning human civilisation are myths and ancient, inexplicable artefacts lying at the feet of melting glaciers. Thanks to the red-hot Heat Tree reefs that keep the ice at bay, the lands above the Gulf of Mexico are some of the few places still warm enough to support life. On the western shores of the Gulf is Port Isabel, a town conceived and built by owls who mysteriously vanished hundreds of years before without even bothering to say goodbye. The animals that live there are industrious, peaceful and vegetarian; except for those that aren't, which is where all the trouble starts.

It’s raining in Port Isabel and everyone’s indoors except Larry Monkey, who wanders the old stone town to be alone. And it’s a good thing, because trouble’s brewing and he might be the only one able to stop it. Flossy's seen something too and goes to investigate, sword in hand. If the pirates are back they’ll want revenge. But Flossy’s not afraid because she’s amongst friends, mostly anyway.It’s raining in Port Isabel and everyone’s indoors except Larry Monkey, a brilliant young chimp deeply troubled by the past. He wanders the winding laneways of the old stone town to be alone. And it’s a good thing, because trouble’s brewing and he might be the only one able to stop it. Flossy Fairweather, a remarkable girl with courage beyond her years, has seen something lurking in the shadows too and goes to investigate, sword in hand. It could be a trap and if the pirates are back they’ll want revenge. But Flossy’s not afraid because she’s amongst friends, mostly anyway.By the end of the next ice age, all that remains of the once great, world-spanning human civilisation are myths and ancient, inexplicable artefacts lying at the feet of melting glaciers. Thanks to the red-hot Heat Tree reefs that keep the ice at bay, the lands above the Gulf of Mexico are some of the few places still warm enough to support life. On the western shores of the Gulf is Port Isabel, a town conceived and built by owls who mysteriously vanished hundreds of years before without even bothering to say goodbye. The animals that live there are industrious, peaceful and vegetarian; except for those that aren't, which is where all the trouble starts.Mark Douglas Stafford is an award winning writer living in Sydney, Australia. His novels, fables and short stories are adored by children and adults alike.