06 Under Attack!

CHAPTER 6 UNDER ATTACK! Tag struggled to swim up to the surface. His feet squelched in the mud beneath him and his wings caught on twisty tree roots under water. There was darkness everywhere.

Something tugged on his feathers. Tag swam as fast as he could, kicking his feet and flapping his wings. Finally, he saw a circle of light above him: the moon! He flew toward it and burst out of the water.

SWOOSH! Something leaped out of the water behind him. It brushed against his tail feathers. He flew higher, afraid to look back and see what was in the water. Whatever it was, it felt big! "Tag!" Skyla cried below him. Tag swooped over the swamp. He watched the water, looking for whatever had knocked him off the raft. Skyla was clinging to the top of the raft as it rocked back and forth. "Tag!" she cried again. "I'm coming!" Tag said. "Hold on."

Tag tried to fly to her, but the mud and water on his wings were making them heavy. He dropped onto a nearby branch with a THUD! "Over here!" he called to her. "Row over to me." Skyla spun the raft around with her stick, and pushed toward Tag. Behind her, the water rippled again. Tag could see a long, dark shape swimming in the swamp. It followed Skyla on the raft, getting closer and closer to her. Tag pulled out his dagger, but Skyla was too far away, and he still couldn't fly yet.

"Look out behind you!" Tag shouted. RARGH! A large head rose from beneath the silver water! It looked like a crocodile, but it was much, much bigger than any Tag had seen before. Its scales were red and purple. Its huge jaws opened wide, ready to bite the raft. Tag gasped at the sight of rows of razor-sharp teeth.

"Tag!" Skyla screamed as she pushed the raft even faster. Tag reached out and grabbed Skyla's paw. CHOMP! The creature's jaws came down on the raft, almost catching Skyla's tail. Tag pulled Skyla's paw, and they landed in a jumble on a branch. The creature gave another CHOMP! The raft broke into pieces. Tag threw a nearby stick at the creature's head. ARGH! The creature howled, then disappeared beneath the silvery water.