12 Poisoned!

CHAPTER 12 POISONED! We have to talk," Tag told Skyla and Blaze. He pulled them away from Claw. "Claw doesn't know about the golden feathers or the Ember Stone," Tag said. He watched the vulture out of the corner of his eye. "But he does know where the firehawks were in the Cloud Kingdom."

Blaze grinned. "And if he takes us there, maybe we will find another portal that will lead us to them!" she said excitedly. "Exactly!" Tag said. "What do you think, Skyla?" Skyla tried to answer, but she could only cough. "ACK! ACK!" "Are you okay?" Tag asked. Skyla nodded. "We should get out of here," she said quietly. "Before the giant birds notice that Blaze is gone."

"Don't tell Claw about the golden feathers," Blaze whispered to her friends. "Or the Ember Stone." They all nodded in agreement. "ACK ACK!" Skyla coughed again. Blaze looked worried. "Are you sick?" she asked. "No, don't worry about me," Skyla replied. "It's just a small cough. Maybe I'm allergic to something in the Cloud Kingdom." The friends walked back toward Claw. "Claw," Tag said. "We don't trust you. But you can come with us." Claw gave Tag a small smile. "Thank you," he said.

Then the four of them took to the sky and soared over the Silver Swamp. The swamp's silvery water sparkled in the moonlight. This time it didn't take them long to reach land on the other side. As they landed, it was like a light had been switched on. "It's so bright!" Blaze said.

Tag looked up. In a flash, the dark sky had gone. Now there was only bright sunshine. Tag was glad to leave the dark swamp far behind. "We should check the map," Tag said. "It might show us which way to go next." Claw gave Tag a strange look. "You have a magic map?" he asked. Tag shook his head quickly. "Just an ordinary map," he lied. But when he peered at the map, it was blank!

That's strange, Tag thought. He put the map away quickly so that Claw couldn't see what was... or wasn't... on it. "What do you know about the portals?" Blaze asked Claw. "They are created from magical objects, like the golden tail feathers that all firehawks have," Claw told Blaze. Blaze frowned. "I don't have them," she said. "Not yet. But you are still a young firehawk. Your tail feathers will grow," Claw said. "Maybe we could find another magical object. Like a stone perhaps?"