Chapter 14

Chapter 14 WHICH WITCH ORDERED THE MOOSHROOM? The witch cackled from the door of the hut, utterly gleeful at the sight of Michael G. The mob came down from the porch, skipping happily to a specially prepared cage. The cage had a floor of mycelium, and tiny mushrooms grew around its edges. For a moment, Jodi thought that perhaps Michael would be happy here. She hesitated, though, when the witch opened the gate to the cage. The witch reached impatiently for Michael's leash, and Jodi knew she didn't have a choice. "Sorry, buddy," she said to the cow. Then she handed the lead to the witch, who locked the mooshroom in his new cage.

"HIS NAME IS MICHAEL G," said Theo. "He likes wheat and gentle pats on the head. You'd better treat him right." "Treat, hrm," said the witch. "Trick, hah." And then the witch drew a gleaming netherite sword.

Jodi took a step back. "What is that for?" she asked. "A powerful spell, heh, will I cast," said the witch. "Many, hrm, ingredients, has it. Chicken feather. Wool of, hah, sheep. Horn of, hrm, goat." The witch grinned maliciously. "And leather…from a brown mooshroom…slain BY SWORD." "Slain?!" said Jodi. "The witch is going to destroy Michael G for his leather!" said Morgan. "No," said Theo. "THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN." And he readied his sword. The witch still smiled. "Weak, you are." "You're right," said Harper. "We're still weakened." "That's why we phoned a friend," said Po.

The kids stepped aside…and Ash leaped forward, swinging her sword. It was a direct hit. The witch fell back, screeching and flashing red. Ash—who hadn't been debuffed like the others—had clearly done a lot of damage with that attack. "Are you sure about this, everybody?" Ash asked. "If we defeat the witch…you might never be cured." "We're sure," said Jodi. "WE CAN'T LET THE WITCH HURT THAT MOOSHROOM," said Theo. "It just…it isn't right."

"In that case, everybody, start opening cages!" said Ash. She gripped her sword. "I'll keep the witch busy." "Hah!" said the witch, throwing a splash potion at the group. "Scatter!" said Morgan, and they all dove in different directions. Theo was too slow. The potion hit him square in the back. "YEOW!" he said. "LEAVE THEM ALONE!" cried Ash, and she took another swing. Jodi hurried to Theo's side. "Are you all right?" she asked him.

"I'm fine," Theo insisted. "Get Michael out of here!" Jodi waited for her moment to act. She watched as Ash swung her sword again, and the witch melted into the shadows. Then Jodi sprang into action, running to Michael's cage and throwing open the door. "GET OUT OF HERE, BUDDY!" she cried. As a parrot flew overhead and a fox rushed past her, Jodi realized her friends were hard at work all the way down the line of cages. She saw her brother hurrying toward the baby panda's cell. But then the witch slipped from the shadows just beside him. "Morgan!" Jodi cried in warning, but it was too late. The witch hurled a potion. By the time it had shattered against him, the mob was already gone again. "I can't keep up!" said Ash, running past Jodi and swinging her sword at every shadow. "How is that witch moving so quickly?" Strangely, the witch showed little interest in Ash. The mob stayed clear of Ash's sword. Instead of fighting back, the witch hurled potion after potion over Ash's head. Theo and Morgan had already been hit. Harper was next. And then Jodi was struck.