05 Skyla's Idea

CHAPTER 5 SKYLA'S IDEA Tag and Skyla held out their weapons. They continued on their way, looking around nervously. But no new dangers appeared. "We should stop to eat," Tag suggested after a while. "We'll need our energy to get the rest of the way through this swamp."

Skyla nodded. "Good idea. I'm hungry." They sat on a fallen log, then ate some berries and drank some water. "I wish we could move faster," Skyla said. "Blaze needs us, and this swampy water is really slowing us down." "But how can we move faster?" Tag asked. "You can't fly without Blaze." "I've got an idea!" Skyla grinned. She pulled at some vines hanging overhead. "Help me with these vines." Tag helped pull down the vines. Then he watched as Skyla twisted them together. Tag smiled. "You're making a raft!" he said. "Just like at Lullaby Lake."

Skyla nodded. "We will move quicker on top of the water. And we won't get wet!" Tag found two large sticks. "We can use these to steer the raft," he said. When the raft was finished, he and Skyla climbed on. "It's a bit wobbly," Skyla said, "but it will do. Which way?" Tag pulled out the map, being careful not to get it wet. The small pictures of him and Skyla were right in the middle of Silver Swamp. "That way," he said. "We should reach the tall trees soon."

Together, they steered the raft across the water. Tag could hear the toads croaking far behind them. His stomach flipped over, wondering what the toads had been so afraid of. Hopefully we are leaving the danger far behind, he thought. "Look!" Skyla said. Up ahead was the shadowy outline of tall trees and an island. As they got closer, Tag saw that the trees had long, twisty black branches. The trees stretched so high that Tag couldn't see their tops.

"We've almost made it!" Tag cried. "Blaze must be somewhere on that island." "Tag," Skyla whispered, pointing at the water. Small ripples moved across the surface. "There's something down there." Tag froze. He watched the silvery water as the ripples moved closer and closer. Then— BANG! Something hard hit the side of the raft. Tag wobbled, then lost his balance. He fell off the raft and sank into the deep, cold water!