6 The Red Wolves of Droon

CHAPTER Six The Red Wolves of Drone "It's like a tomb in here," Eric said as they entered the cave. "And darker than I remember it." "Thanks for scaring me again," said Neal. Keeah pulled a flaming torch from the wall outside and handed it to Max. She took another for herself. "It gets even darker down below." Carefully, the five friends tiptoed into the darkness. Soon, the rocky cave floor gave way to rough, carved steps. Sssss! The torches sizzled as the thick ice on the ceiling melted down onto the flames.

Eric felt bad about letting Sparr in. There was nothing he could do now, except help make it right. He hoped they‐could reverse the curse. "How did the wolves get here?" he asked. Keeah stepped carefully down the frosted steps. "Long ago, a terrible creature named Zor fought the wolves who lived in the hills here." "Who is Zor?" asked Julie. Keeah took a deep breath. "He was a giant." "A terrible giant! If the stories are to be believed," Max said with a shiver. "My mother took the giant's power away," Keeah said. "He vanished. Finally, he died." Max nodded. "To thank Relna, the wolves promised to guard forever the amulet that gave Zor his power." "What's an amulet?" Neal asked. "A kind of crest," Keeah said. "A big piece of jewelry with a crystal in the center. It's hidden below our city, in the cavern of the wolves." "So that's what Sparr is after!" Eric said. Julie frowned. "But if Zor is dead, what exactly will Sparr do with the giant's old jewelry?" "I don't know," Keeah whispered. "But something tells me we'll find out soon enough."

They stepped off the final step onto a smooth floor. Before them was an opening into a stone room. Beyond that was an even smaller room. "Oh, no!" Julie gasped. "The poor wolves!" There, in the flickering torchlight, were three large wolves. One lay motionless near the entrance to the inner room. Another was standing on all fours, its long ears pointed up, its eyes as still as glass. A third crouched by the stairs, its fangs bared, as if ready to pounce. The bright red fur of each wolf was now silvery-white with ice. All three were frozen solid. "Just like my master," Max chirped softly. "According to the old stories, there was only one thing that could stop them," Keeah said. "Let me guess. Being frozen," Eric said. "And that's why Sparr used a curse of ice to attack the city. He knew he could get Zor's amulet." "He already did," Julie said. She pointed to the inner room. It was empty. Neal joined her and gazed up. "There's a hole in the ceiling here. The Ninns must have busted their way in with those nasty hammers." Max shot sticky silk at the ceiling and swung up to the hole. "I'll see what I can find out."

Keeah took a deep breath and opened her velvet bag. She sprinkled powder on the wolves. Zzzz! The air sizzled over the frozen beasts.

"It's working!" Eric said. "The magic is working!"

The creatures' eyes softened instantly. One wolf yawned and stretched. The others shook themselves from head to tail, spraying a thousand icy needles across the stones. "Yes!" Julie cried. "They're alive!" Keeah knelt and whispered to the red wolves. "Sama teku mey?" The animals seemed to answer her with purring sounds and soft growling. She has the power, Eric thought. He glanced at his friends. Their eyes were wide with wonder. Keeah turned back to the kids. "I must help Galen. Even if it means facing Sparr. I must trust the magic. That's what my mother's words mean." "Her words mean something to us, too," Eric agreed. Max swung back into the room. "Those nasty Ninns are taking Zor's amulet to the throne room. Sparr is waiting for it there." Keeah's eyes flashed. "The king's room? Only my father should sit there!" The wolves growled, sensing Keeah's anger. "We'll bring your father back," said Eric. "We'll make things right again. We have to." Julie nodded. "We'll do it." "We make a great team," Neal added. Keeah smiled. "Then come. We have work to do!"