8 The Vines

CHAPTER 8 THE VINES Kepri moved her head from side to side, shining sunlight around the second room. This time, the Dragon Masters and their dragons could clearly see the way out. A big round rock blocked an opening in the wall.

"Vulcan could try to push it," Rori said. "First, we need to know more about what we're dealing with," said Petra. Drake heard drip, drip, drip. "Quiet, everyone!" he said. "Where's that sound coming from?" Kepri shone light on a big stone pot set a few feet away from the big rock. The Dragon Masters crept closer to the pot. Vines were carved into the sides of the pot. Inside, the pot was filled with dirt.

Then Drake looked up. A pipe stuck out from the ceiling. It was dripping water into the dirt. "This pipe must be connected to the last room!" said Drake. Ana smiled. "Plants need water to grow. But they need sunlight, too," she said. "Of course!" said Petra. Ana turned to Kepri. "Please shine your light inside the pot," she said. Golden light poured from the Sun Dragon's mouth. It hit the dirt in the pot. The dirt began to stir. A small green shoot sprang up.

"It's working!" Rori cheered. The green shoot grew into a thick vine. The vine grew out of the pot. More vines grew. They snaked away from Kepri, across the floor toward the big round rock. As they grew, they pushed the rock. They opened the doorway! "That's good, Kepri," Ana said. The dragon stopped shining her light on the vines. But they kept growing and they started to fill the opening of the door!

"We must hurry!" said Heru. Drake, Rori, Petra, and Heru ran through the door with their dragons. The vines were growing bigger and bigger, and the Dragon Masters had to squeeze past them. Drake looked back at Ana. He could see her and Kepri through the tangle of vines. Wati let out a sad cry. Ana waved. "Keep going! We'll be okay!" she called out. Then the vines closed off the doorway completely. Without Kepri's sunlight, the third room was very dark.

"Vulcan, fire," Rori said. Two flames danced out of Vulcan's nostrils. They cast a glow around the room. The vines had chased them into this new room. They were growing fast! They spread out along the walls. "I see a door! Get there before the vines block it!" Drake yelled, pointing to the far wall. They raced across the room. But the vines reached the far wall before the Dragon Masters did. The big, thick vines blocked the door. "We're trapped!" Petra cried.