03 The Crystal Caverns

CHAPTER 3 THE CRYSTAL CAVERNS Tag soared down the mountain. Blaze followed—with Skyla clinging to her back. They soon landed on the cool, glassy ice below. Five huge ice caverns loomed ahead of them in a semi-circle. Small, dirty mounds of snow surrounded the caverns.

Glittering snowflakes fell from the sky. Skyla stuck out her tongue to catch one. "These snowflakes are as soft as feathers!" she giggled. Blaze squawked, snapping at snowflakes with her beak. Tag looked at the caverns, hoping that the next piece of the Ember Stone would be easy to find. Suddenly, Skyla cried out, "Eek!" "Skyla?" Tag called. Skyla had disappeared. Blaze peeped at a hole in the snow where Skyla had been standing a moment before.

Tag flew to Blaze's side and peered down inside. "I'm stuck!" Skyla yelled from the deep hole. She tried to climb out, but the snow crumbled in her paws. Tag reached down. "Grab my wing." He took Skyla's paw and groaned as he pulled as hard as he could. Blaze held onto Tag's tail feathers and helped him pull. Skyla finally broke free and the friends landed in a jumble of feathers and fur.

"Thanks, guys!" Skyla said. She brushed snow from her tail, then hugged Tag and Blaze. Tag felt a prickle down his neck, as though someone was watching. "I think we are being followed," he whispered. "Let's keep moving." Skyla searched the sky for Thorn's spies. "I'll keep an eye out for tiger bats," she said. "Don't forget prickle ants," Tag added, looking at the ground. "Peep!" Blaze agreed, stamping her feet. Thorn's spies, Tag thought with a shiver. Tiger bats, prickle ants. What other dark creatures could be out here?

Skyla pointed to the five caverns. "So which cavern holds the Ember Stone?" she asked. "I don't know, but the magical map should show us the way," Tag said. He unrolled the map and took out the piece of stone. Tag frowned. "That's strange... the stone feels cold." "Why isn't its magic working?" Skyla asked. Tag sat on one of the small, dirty mounds of snow to think.

"I'm not sure," Tag replied. "But Blaze should be able to lead us to the next piece of the stone. Blaze, can you help?" Blaze nodded. Tag watched as Blaze hopped over to the caverns. She peered inside each one in turn. Then she stood in front of the largest cavern in the middle. "Peep!" she cried. "I think Blaze wants to try that one," Skyla said. Tag looked at the biggest cavern. Before he could say anything, the mound beneath him suddenly moved!