05 Thorn's Army

CHAPTER 5 THORN'S ARMY "We need to warn Grey that Thorn's spies are headed to Valor Wood!" Skyla said. "We need to get out of here!" Tag shook his head. There was nowhere for them to go—not as long as the march of spies was right outside the tree. "We need to wait," Blaze agreed. Tag watched the prickle ants and crag beetles march past.

"What are prickle ants and crag beetles doing in The Shadowlands anyway?" Skyla asked. "I don't know," Tag replied. The last time they had seen the biting red prickle ants was in Valor Wood. And they had run into the crag beetles near the Whispering Oak. "It looks like Thorn has called all his spies to The Shadowlands—or to Valor Wood," Tag guessed. What is Thorn planning? he wondered. After a while, Tag peeked out of the tree hole again. "The army is gone," he told Skyla and Blaze.

"But the tiger bats and locusts could still be in the sky searching for us," Skyla warned. "And I'm sure The Shadow is still overhead." "We cannot wait any longer," Blaze said. "It's time." "Follow me," Tag agreed, climbing down inside the tree trunk. "Stay close to the bushes and trees so we won't be seen." The friends hurried away from the tree. Tag glanced up at the sky. Sure enough, the tiger bats were still circling above. Tag held his sack tight. All of a sudden, he bumped into something furry and very, very big!