01 To Lullaby Lake!

CHAPTER 1 TO LULLABY LAKE! Tag and his friends Skyla and Blaze stood at the bottom of the Mossy Hills. The area around them was dry. The trees and bushes were brown from where Thorn and The Shadow had destroyed them. "We must journey to Lullaby Lake for the next piece of the Ember Stone," Tag said, looking at the bright spot on the magical map Grey had given them.

Skyla pointed to a dark brown area on the map. It was in between the Mossy Hills and the lake. "What's that?" she asked. Tag read the map. "The Bubbling Bog." Blaze leaned over Tag's shoulder. Tag couldn't believe how tall his friend had grown. She towered over him and Skyla, and she had learned lots of new words. She also had amazing powers—firepower, super-strong wings, and a loud cry that would scare away any enemy. Tag smiled. He was glad he had a firehawk on his side. Blaze tapped her beak on the map. "Thorn!" she cried.

"Blaze is right," Skyla said. "The lake is close to The Shadowlands. That's where Thorn lives." "We will stay as far north as we can," Tag said. He looked at the sky, searching for The Shadow. But the sky was clear. For now. "We need to leave right away," Tag said. "Thorn and his spies are getting closer. And we move faster in the air, so we should fly." Skyla nodded, climbing onto Blaze's back.

Tag rolled up the map. He put it into his sack of supplies and checked their piece of the Ember Stone. There was a sharp, jagged edge on one side of the stone. This was where another piece—or more—could fit. Each time they found a new piece, it magically joined with the others, making a larger stone. How many more pieces are there? Tag wondered. Blaze took to the sky. Tag was right on her heels, heading east toward Lullaby Lake. The friends flew as fast as they could. They were quiet, all wondering what they might find at the Bubbling Bog and beyond.