08 The Missing Sack

CHAPTER 8 THE MISSING SACK The wolves guarded the cages, walking in circles around them. Tag lowered his head. The Ember Stone was lost, they were trapped in cages, the wolves had their weapons, and worst of all— Thorn would take Blaze away and use her for her magical powers.

"There's no way out," he said. Skyla shook her head. "Don't give up, Tag. There must be a way!" Tag sighed. "I have let everyone down," he said. "This is all my fault. I should have listened to you both. We should have stayed away from The Shadowlands." BA-WAAAA! BA-WAAAA! A loud horn sound filled the air. The wolves' ears pricked up. "Thorn is calling. We need to go," said the white wolf. "What about our prisoners?" said the gray wolf.

The white wolf looked at the caged friends. "Those three won't be going anywhere," he growled. "Just think how happy Thorn will be when we tell him we have captured the last firehawk!" The wolves laughed as they ran off in the same direction as the march of spies. "We need to get free and find my sack!" Tag said. He used his beak to break the web tying Skyla's paws together. "Where did the sack go? What happened to it?" Skyla asked, working on Tag's wings.

"I hid it behind my back to keep the wolves from seeing it, but then I dropped it," Tag said, pulling the web from his wings. "When I turned around, it was gone." Blaze stomped inside her cage, trying to tell Tag something. "Don't worry, Blaze," Tag called out to his friend. "We'll find a way out of this somehow." Skyla pulled at the thick vines that tied the wooden cages together. "We have to hurry," she said. "We can't let Thorn take Blaze."

Tag helped Skyla, using his beak, but it was no use. The vines were too strong. He sat on the ground with a sigh. If only I had my dagger, he thought. Suddenly, there was a rumble beneath him. The earth began to shake.