Chapter 4

Chapter 4 AXOLOTLS: SUPER CUTE! TERRIBLE JUDGES OF CHARACTER! Morgan could tell by the look on Po's face that something was terribly wrong. Po seemed to be warning him about something. Still floating in the underground lake, he opened and closed his mouth, looking like a fish, making no sound. Morgan had been playing Minecraft a long time, so experience quickly translated Po's expression: Behind you!

It was a cave spider. But it was far larger than any cave spider Morgan had ever seen. Its eight legs were as thick as tree trunks. Its ten ruby-red eyes shone with eerie intelligence. Its fangs dripped with green venom. And on its abdomen…was the frightening image of a skull. Morgan didn't hesitate. He quickly swapped his torch for a weapon. He chose a diamond sword that had been enchanted with sharpness. He had never fought a mob quite like this one. But no mob could survive for long against such a powerful sword. Morgan leaped forward and slashed. He was fast—but the spider was faster. It jumped back, much farther and higher than he expected. In an

instant, it was up on the edge of a looming cliff, too far away to hit with a sword. "Careful," said Theo. He was gripping his own sword as he came to stand beside Morgan. "Cave spiders are venomous." Morgan didn't like it when Theo acted like he knew more about Minecraft than anybody else. "I know cave spiders are venomous," he said, a little less politely than he meant to. "But it can't poison me from way up there." "Uh," said Theo, "are you sure? Look—" Morgan looked. And he saw the spider doing something strange…. The hostile mob reared back, lifting its front legs and spreading its jaws wide. It made a hissing noise… and green mist poured from its mouth. Morgan and Theo were covered in the mist within seconds. Judging by the mist's sickly green color, Morgan thought it must be a poisonous fog of some kind. But he didn't feel any effects from it. He looked at Theo, who also seemed uninjured. Po, however, shrieked in pain and surprise.

Morgan whirled around to see Po splashing around in the lake. "Get them off!" Po cried. "Get them off me!" It was hard to see much through the fog. But as the water all around Po swirled and splashed, Morgan realized what was wrong. It was the axolotls. They'd become hostile, and they were attacking Po. "PO, GET OUT OF THERE!" cried Harper. Jodi didn't wait. She dove into the water in order to drag Po to solid ground. Morgan and Theo ran around the edge of the lake to join the group just as Jodi and Po hopped out of the water.

"What's happening?" asked Harper. "Where did that green fog come from?" "There's a spider over there," said Morgan. "A BIG ONE. DO YOU HAVE A BOW AND ARROWS?" "Forget about the spider," said Po. "The axle-whatalls are out to get me!" The axolotls hopped out of the water. Their small eyes glowed red in the dark. Morgan had almost forgotten—unlike fish, amphibians can survive on land for a time. As the pink one lunged for them, Morgan yelled, "Follow me!" He led them into the nearest tunnel. He didn't know where it would take them. He only hoped it would put some distance between them and the spider…and the strangely hostile axolotls.

The tunnel twisted and turned. Morgan placed torches down as he ran, but he had to use them sparingly. The darkness was always looming just ahead. He only hoped he wouldn't lead his friends right over a cliff. Or what if the tunnel circled back to the cavern, and they ran right into the clutches of that eerie spider? When Morgan ran out of torches, he stopped, and the others stopped right behind him. The tunnel was narrow, but he could see past his friends. The axolotls were no longer following them. "I THINK WE'RE SAFE," said Morgan. "But let's not take any chances." He placed cobblestone blocks on either side of them, turning the tunnel into a small stone room.