Shark Wars by Ernie Altbacker Read Free Book Online Page A

flustered.”
    â€œAww, did you have to go there?” Barkley said, flipping his fins in embarrassment. “I thought that giant tiger was going to kill us! A flipper named Thrash.”
    There was an immediate chill in the water. Their new acquaintances moved back a couple of tail strokes from Barkley and Gray. “You know Thrash? Are you friends with Thrash?” Striiker asked evenly.
    Gray answered, “Like Barkley said, he attacked us. So, no, we’re not friends.” He proceeded to tell the entire story of their meeting with Thrash.
    Barkley added a lot of description to the fight. Gray wasn’t sure it was all true, but it sure sounded good. He ended with, “…and then that muck-sucker asked us to be a part of his gang, and I was like, ‘no way, lagoon scum, we’re a rogue pair and way too cool for your dumb shiver!’ And we let him see our tails when we left.” Barkley waved his tail in a derisive manner. It was kind of embarrassing. Almost no one believed that’s what happened. Almost.
    â€œYou may be the coolest sharks, ever,” Snork whispered in wonder.
    Striiker shook his head. “And on that note…” He rolled a slow turn, beckoning Mari and the other three sharks away from Gray and Barkley. Mari didn’t move, sizing them up, instead.
    â€œThey did fight Thrash, and they’re still here,” Mari told Striiker, who turned around. He didn’t seem happy.
    The bull shark agreed. “And they’re not with Goblin.”
    Striiker glared at Snork before he could add anything, then frowned at both Mari and Shell. “We just met them today! How do we know they can be trusted?”
    â€œHow do we know you can be trusted?” Barkley huffed. “By the way, what are we talking about?”
    Gray had a pretty good idea and nodded to Mari to continue.
    â€œThe reason they’re still swimming the Big Blue is because there were two of them against Thrash. The reason we’re still around is because we four look out for each other. I think six would be better than four,” Mari explained.
    Shell nodded in agreement. Barkley wasn’t so sure. Striiker seemed annoyed but not totally against the idea. And Snork? Well, Snork was being friendly again. “Come on! With six sharks we could be a real shiver! A leader with Five in the Line!” he said.
    The great white shook his head. “If we wanted that we could have all stayed in our shivers. Mostly.” Striiker gave a guilty glance to Shell, who for some reason looked away. He continued, “The one reason we like each other is because we aren’t in shivers, which we know from experience is bad!”
    â€œHey, not all shivers are bad,” Barkley protested.
    â€œYeah, we came from a great shiver,” Gray told the four.
    â€œThe six of us could be a good shiver! A great shiver, even!” Snork almost bounced in the water as he got more and more excited, flexing his flippers back and forth. “And I have the perfect name! Rogue Shiver!”
    And so, on the swim to their new homewaters, Rogue Shiver was born.

CHAPTER 9
    THE PALE MOON’S GLOW LIT THE WATERS WITH a soft and eerie light. Gray sped toward the drove of snapper, slowing just enough to let them see him streaking their way. The group of fish angled away from his open maw—right between the walls of a cramped canyon where Rogue Shiver was waiting! The plan worked to perfection once again, and Gray was able to munch his share of snapper as they fled in the return direction after the rest caught theirs.
    â€œWe are getting so good at this!” Barkley remarked, finishing off a plump and juicy fish.
    Gray nodded. Who would have thought that what had started out with the worst day of his life would turn into the best time of his life? It had been two weeks since Gray and Barkley formed Rogue Shiver with their new friends. After some initial wariness, mostly from Striiker,