Captain Sable and the crew of the pirate ship Able Mouser might be the scourge of the seas, but Sable has a soft spot when it comes to underdogs--of any species. When a birdfolk stowaway is discovered on her ship, Sable contemplates making him walk the plank; that is, until she hears his tale of the Canid Empire's plan to take over his people's island home and enslave them. But with the Empire dogs ensconced on the island and in the waters around it, how can one pirate ship hope to drive them off? Captain Sable will have to be at her canniest--and cattiest--to pull it off...and hope she has at least one of her nine lives left.