03 On Patrol

CHAPTER 3 ON PATROL Tag, Skyla, and Bod began their mission as the sun set behind the trees. Tag and Bod flew through the purple- orange sky. Skyla jumped from branch to branch below.

They were headed for a part of Valor Wood that Tag had never been to. The ground was covered with soft green moss and small piles of soil. It looked like burrows or holes had been dug there. Skyla jumped to the ground and peered inside one of the big holes. "It goes a long way down," she said, her voice echoing. She dropped an acorn into the hole. But there was no sound of it hitting the bottom.

Tag and Bod landed beside her. "Hmm," Tag said. "I wonder who made these holes?" Bod gave a big yawn. "Probably just moles or mice or something," he said. "This is so boring!" "Then why don't you go home and leave the patrolling to us," Skyla snapped. Bod rolled his eyes. They walked on through the woods, looking for anything strange or unusual. Bod wandered off into the trees. But then he froze. "Did you see that?" he whispered. Tag peered in Bod's direction. "I don't see anything," he said. The leaves rustled. Then suddenly

WHOOSH! Something small, gray, and very fast raced past them, almost knocking Tag over. Bod screamed and flew in the opposite direction. "Bod!" Tag called. "We have to stay together." But Bod was gone. Tag pulled out his dagger and Skyla reached for her slingshot. They chased after the small gray creature.

"It's so fast!" Skyla called from the trees. "It is too fast for a normal animal!" Tag puffed. Skyla flipped out of the tree and landed on the creature's back. It fell into the dirt facedown. "Gotcha!" she shouted. Tag landed beside her, holding his dagger tight. Then he frowned. Skyla had just trapped a mole! It was smaller than Tag, with light gray fur and a small, twitchy tail.

"We are Owls of Valor," Skyla said. "Did something scare you? Do you need our help?" The mole turned slowly to face them. Tag and Skyla gasped and jumped back. It was no ordinary mole. It had orange eyes!