14 Into Danger

CHAPTER 14 INTO DANGER Tag flew to the mouth of the volcano. Skyla and Blaze chased after him. "You think it's in there?!" Skyla asked, peering over the ledge. Hot lava bubbles sizzled and popped inside. "I'm going to fly down into the volcano," Tag said, taking off his armor. Skyla's eyes went wide. "Tag! You can't go in there!"

"Peep!" Blaze cried. "Peep peep peep!" Tag patted Blaze's head. "It's our last chance," he said as he stepped up to the ledge. Tag flew down into the volcano, his tummy flip-flopping. He felt so hot he might melt. He looked along the walls for the purple stone. The Ember Stone must be here somewhere! Tag thought. He flapped to and fro, moving as close as he dared to the volcano's red-hot edges. I can't stay in here much longer.

Then he saw something at the very bottom of the volcano, on a small rocky ledge. "I think I see it!" he called up to his friends. His heart beat as fast as his wings. But as Tag flapped closer, a big lava bubble popped below. "Ow!" he cried, as hot lava splashed his wing. Tag flew up out of the volcano and landed beside his friends. "It's no good," he said. "I can't reach the ledge."

"I'm a great climber. Maybe I can climb down?" Skyla replied. Tag nodded. "Just be sure to move fast— those walls are hot!" Skyla scurried down into the volcano, gripping the rocky wall with her claws. She got near the bottom, but slipped. The tip of her tail dipped into the lava. "Ow!" Skyla cried, scrambling out of the volcano.

"Are you okay?" Tag asked, as Skyla landed safely on the ground. "I think so," Skyla said. As Tag examined Skyla's tail, Blaze hopped onto the ledge. She leaned to look inside, then glanced back. "Peep!" she called. Tag and Skyla turned just as Blaze leaned too far forward. The firehawk fell down, down, down into the volcano. "Blaze!" Tag flew after her. He looked and looked.

"I can't see her anywhere!" Tag said. "This is all my fault!" Skyla cried. Tag shook his head. "We both should have been watching her. We promised Grey we'd keep her safe." Suddenly there was a loud SCREEECH! Blaze flew out of the smoky volcano with flaming wings. She was holding something in her beak! "Blaze!" Tag cheered. "Blaze has the Ember Stone!"