11 An Old Enemy

CHAPTER 11 AN OLD ENEMY Tag's wings shook as he stared up at Thorn. He held out his dagger. Tag, Blaze, and Skyla had helped stop the evil vulture's plan to destroy the enchanted land of Perodia. Now, it seemed, he had come after them for revenge!

"I knew someone was following us!" Tag cried. "I should have known it was you, Thorn!" Tag thought of all the times he had seen the dark smudge on the map and the dark figure in the trees. He gripped his sack tighter, knowing the Ember Stone was still safely inside. He must have followed us into the Cloud Kingdom, Tag thought. I'm not letting him get his claws on the stone! Blaze stepped forward, her wings glowing. She looked angry.

"Wait!" the vulture said, holding out his wings. "It's not what you think." "So you haven't been following us?" asked Tag. The vulture looked at the ground. "Well, I have been following you. But not to hurt you. And I am not Thorn. I'm his twin brother, Claw." "Ho!" Tag laughed. "How can we believe you?" The vulture limped over to stand right before the friends. Blaze frowned as she eyed Claw. "Thorn didn't have a bad leg, she said slowly.

Claw smiled at Blaze. "When Thorn attacked the firehawks on Fire Island, I tried to help them. I am not like my brother," he explained. "I have no powers. Thorn wanted me to become one of his spies. But I did not want to see Perodia destroyed. When firehawks opened the portal to the Cloud Kingdom, I followed them. But when we arrived, the firehawks disappeared. I was trapped here! There is no way out of the Cloud Kingdom without magic! When I saw Blaze—a firehawk—l thought you might be able to help me. I just want to go home." Blaze nodded. "I know how it feels to be trapped," she said.

Tag looked at Skyla and Blaze. Claw didn't know that they had their own magic to get back to Perodia—the Ember Stone and the golden feathers. "Can I travel with you?" Claw asked. "If I stay with you, we might find a portal together. Please, I just want to find a way back home." Tag remembered what Claw had said about following the firehawks into the Cloud Kingdom. Maybe Claw could lead us to the firehawks, he thought. A plan began to form in his head. But can we trust Claw? he wondered, looking into the vulture's eyes.