Luna the Moon Wolf

  With special thanks to Brandon Robshaw

  For Elom Baka

  Contents

  Title Page

  Dedication

  Dear Reader

  Prologue

  Chapter One: A Long Way Down

  Chapter Two: A Dangerous Climb

  Chapter Three: Journey through the Forbidden Land

  Chapter Four: A Deadly Attack

  Chapter Five: Silver Is Snared

  Chapter Six: The Dark Wood

  Chapter Seven: A Nest of Wolves

  Chapter Eight: An Invisible Enemy

  Chapter Nine: The Final Light

  Chapter Ten: The Next Quest

  Chronicles of Avantia Preview

  Character Guide

  Also Available

  Copyright

  * * *

  All hail, fellow followers of the Quest.

  We have not met before but, like you, I have been watching Tom’s adventures with a close eye. Do you know who I am? Have you heard of Taladon, the Master of the Beasts? I have returned — just in time for my son, Tom, to save me from a fate worse than death. The evil wizard, Malvel, has stolen something precious from me, and until Tom is able to complete another Quest, I cannot be returned to full life. I must wait between worlds, neither human nor ghost. I am half the man I once was and only Tom can return me to my former glory.

  Will Tom have the strength of heart to help his father? Another Quest can test even the most determined hero. And there may be a heavy price for my son to pay if he defeats six more Beasts….

  All I can do is hope — that Tom is successful. Will you put your power behind Tom and wish him well? I know I can count on my son — can I count on you, too? Not a moment can be wasted. As this latest Quest unfolds, much rides on it. We must all be brave.

  Taladon

  * * *

  MARINA HEARD THE CRY OF AN OWL. SNOWY!

  She threw back her blankets and padded to the window. The sky was aflame with an orange sunset and she saw Snowy swooping over the fields, hunting for mice.

  Marina never felt like sleeping on these long summer evenings. I wish I was out there with Snowy, she thought.

  She creeped to the top of the stairs. From behind the kitchen door, she heard the murmur of her parents chatting. She had a good hour before they would come upstairs. Long enough for a run in the fields with Snowy!

  She tiptoed down the stairs and lifted the latch of the back door. The grass was damp beneath her bare feet and the evening breeze ruffled her hair. She ran over the fields toward her pet owl. Snowy saw her coming and swooped down, hooting a welcome.

  “Hello, my friend!” Marina cried out. She held up her hand for him to perch on. But Snowy seemed to be in a playful mood. He soared away from her and flew across the field.

  Marina laughed and ran after him. He was flying east, away from where the sun had already begun to dip below the horizon. The orange sky was darkening to a dusky pink.

  “Snowy!” she called. “Snowy, come back!”

  He was heading toward the ancient stone wall that marked the eastern edge of Avantia, where the Forbidden Land began. As she watched, he sailed over the wall. Then he disappeared.

  Marina slowed down. What should she do? Her parents had always warned her that she must never enter the Forbidden Land. If she waited, perhaps Snowy would fly back.

  Then she heard a squawk of distress. Snowy was in trouble!

  Marina ran to the wall and began to climb. It was made of layers of dry stone with plenty of handholds. She was a good climber, used to shimmying up the apple trees in her dad’s orchard.

  She let herself down the other side of the wall and dropped lightly to the ground.

  A huge forest stretched before her. In the rays of the dying sun, the trees looked red, as if coated with blood. She touched the trunk of the nearest tree. It was wet and sticky — her hand came away covered in a thick red liquid. She gave a scream of shock.

  “Snowy!” she called out, her voice trembling. “Snowy, let’s go!”

  Then a high-pitched howl drifted through the air and two burning red dots appeared between the trees.

  A huge wolf with shaggy white fur emerged from the forest. Her eyes gleamed like burning coals; her lips peeled back to reveal curved yellow fangs, glistening with drool. As her glowing eyes fixed on Marina, the wolf reared back on her hind legs and howled again. Marina saw that the Beast’s claws were black and fused together like knives.

  The sun dropped below the horizon. The sky was a velvety dark blue; a white full moon had risen above the forest.

  Marina backed away, too scared to turn and run. Was the wolf about to pounce?

  But as the moon continued to rise, the wolf grew pale. Now Marina could see the trees through its body. She realized her enemy was becoming transparent.

  “Like a ghost,” she whispered.

  Then the wolf faded away completely. Nothing was left but the two burning red eyes, bobbing in the night air.

  Marina felt an icy wind sweep toward her. Rustling noises came from the forest.

  Snowy gave another squawk. Marina looked up to see him appear through the trees, flying high. He was alive! But as she watched, Snowy lost height. She could see his wings whip back against his body as he dove through the air. He wasn’t flying — he was falling!

  He landed at Marina’s feet. His feathers were torn and bloodied.

  “Snowy!” she cried, falling to her knees beside her friend.

  Gently, she cradled Snowy’s injured body in her hands. As she climbed to her feet, a fox thrust its nose out of the trees. Then a badger. Another fox. A wild dog. Two hawks appeared in the sky, then a tawny owl, much larger than Snowy.

  Animals were gathering at the edge of the woods. They were slowly advancing across the clearing.

  “What do I do?” Marina whispered to herself. She heard the ghost-wolf howl for a third time. As one, the wild animals swarmed toward her.

  Instinctively, she broke into a run. A wild dog tried to leap at her, but she scrambled up the wall at the edge of the Forbidden Land and dropped down onto the damp grass on the other side. Cradling the owl’s body in her arms, she ran back toward her home, while the screeching and hissing of furious animals filled the air behind her.

  Before darting back into the house, she looked over her shoulder and saw the twin red eyes of the ghost-wolf, as it leaped into the air beyond the wall. She shuddered as she locked the wooden door and ran upstairs, back to her bed.

  She should never have climbed the wall into the Forbidden Land. Now her best friend was dead….

  A COLD WIND MOANED AS TOM LED THE WAY down the steep, winding mountain path. Silver padded along at his heels, tongue lolling. Behind them, Elenna led Storm over the stony track, taking care to keep away from the edge.

  On either side of the path a sheer cliff of rock fell away. Tom glanced down.

  “Be careful,” he said. “Take it slowly.”

  Silver whined and licked Tom’s hand.

  “Don’t worry!” said Elenna. “We don’t want to break our necks, do we, Storm?” She patted the horse’s side. “How will we recognize Luna? Your father didn’t have time to tell us what sort of Beast she is.”

  Taladon had visited them after their victory over Rashouk the Cave Troll, to advise them about their next Quest. Tom was always filled with pride when he saw his father. There was just one problem — the Dark Wizard, Malvel, had used his evil magic to turn Taladon into a ghost. If Tom and Elenna were successful in their Quest to recover the pieces of the Amulet of Avantia and break Malvel’s evil spell, they would return Taladon to the land of the living. And while there’s blood in my veins, Tom thought to himself, I won’t give up. No matter how dangerous it gets.
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br />   “He warned us we should try to meet Luna only in daylight, didn’t he?” Tom said. “Maybe that’s a clue.”

  They rounded a bend in the path and a view of the Forbidden Land opened before them. It was gray, bare, and featureless. Tom shuddered. There was nothing but dusty rocks, dry fields, and dead trees as far as he could see.

  Silver whimpered.

  “Nice, isn’t it?” said Tom. “No wonder King Hugo forbids his subjects to come here!”

  Elenna laughed. “He needn’t bother! No one would come here unless they really had to.”

  “Let’s stop a minute and see if we can get our bearings,” said Tom. They had been walking all morning and needed to rest anyway. He took his flask from Storm’s saddlebag and gave it to Elenna. She took a swig; then Tom took a long drink. He poured some of the water into a hollowed-out rock for Silver and Storm, who lapped it up gratefully.

  Tom held out both his hands. “Map!” he called in a loud, commanding voice.

  A shimmering silver square appeared in the air in front of Tom. As he watched, lines began to form on its glimmering surface. Tom saw the Dead Peaks, the mountain path they were climbing down, and the great plain of the Forbidden Land beneath. At the foot of the plain was a dense forest named the Dark Wood.

  And gleaming amid the Dark Wood was a tiny piece of silver amulet! Finding it would bring Tom one step closer to completing the amulet — and one step closer to restoring his father to full life and power. But he knew there would be a price to pay. He would lose one of the powers given to him by the golden armor. So be it, thought Tom. That’s a price I’ll gladly pay.

  “Look!” he said excitedly, pointing at the Dark Wood on the map. “There’s the next piece of amulet! See?”

  Elenna peered over his shoulder. Storm sensed the excitement and whinnied. Silver gave a short, sharp bark.

  Tom gazed out over the landscape, shading his eyes with his hand. In the distance he could just make out a dark mass of trees. He pointed.

  “That looks like the Dark Wood!” he said. “Let’s check.”

  From his pocket he pulled out the magic compass his uncle had given him. It showed two possible destinations — Destiny or Danger. He held the compass in front of them. At once the needle swung around and pointed.

  Destiny.

  “No doubt about it,” said Tom. “That’s where we must go.”

  “It’s a long way,” said Elenna. “We won’t get there before tomorrow. It’ll take us the rest of the day to get down this mountain.”

  Tom put the compass back in his pocket.

  “We don’t have that long,” he said. “My father’s life depends on us. We’ve got to find a faster way to get down the mountain!”

  “And break our necks?” Elenna asked. She was right. Tom would be safe if he fell, protected by the tear in his shield given to him by Cypher the Mountain Giant, many Quests ago. But the others would be in grave danger.

  Tom peered down the sheer slope of the mountain, thinking hard. Suddenly, he snapped his fingers as an idea flashed into his mind.

  “I know just what we need to do,” he said, turning to his friend.

  “WHAT’S THE SHORTEST DISTANCE BETWEEN two points?” asked Tom.

  “A straight line,” said Elenna.

  “Right,” said Tom. “So the quickest way off this mountain is …”

  “Straight down!” said Elenna, a smile brightening her face. “But how?”

  “You’ve got a rope, haven’t you?” Tom asked.

  Elenna delved into her quiver and brought out a coil of rope, thin but strong. Tom glanced at a boulder lying on the path. “Perfect! We can tie one end of the rope around that rock.”

  Elenna passed the rope around the boulder and double-knotted it. She tugged to make sure the rope held firm, then nodded at Tom. He went to the edge of the path and looked down. The cliff face was a sheer drop. Far below, he could see where the path, a tiny wiggly line, emerged onto the lower slopes.

  “What about the animals?” said Elenna, glancing over at Storm and Silver, who were waiting patiently.

  “Without us they can go much faster,” said Tom. “They can follow the path and meet us at the bottom.”

  “Are you sure the rope’s long enough?” asked Elenna.

  “There’s only one way to find out,” Tom told her. He flung the rope over the edge of the cliff. They heard the whoosh of it snaking through the air. Tom and Elenna peered down and saw the end swinging far below.

  “If we get to the end of the rope and it’s too far to jump down to the ground,” said Elenna, “we’ll be stuck. We won’t have the strength to climb all the way back up again.”

  Tom knew Elenna was right, but he wasn’t about to give up now. “I’ll go first,” he told his friend.

  He grasped the rope, turned around, and lowered himself over the side. Silver peered down at him inquisitively, as if he were trying to figure out what Tom was doing.

  “The moment of truth,” said Tom, grinning up at Elenna. He hoped he looked braver than he felt.

  He swung out from the cliff face, dangling in empty air. The effort of clinging to the rope turned his hands white, but he managed to get the rope gripped between his knees. That felt more secure! Slowly, he made his way down, hand over hand.

  Tom looked up and saw Elenna, Storm, and Silver all peering over the top of the cliff, watching him.

  “Don’t get too close to the edge!” he called up. Then he stared straight ahead at the cliff face.

  His arms ached and his muscles trembled. Come on, I can do this, he told himself. An icy wind blew and the rope swayed dangerously. Tom felt himself being blown into the rock face. No! He couldn’t put out his hands to stop himself and he smashed his head into a jutting bit of rock. A warm trickle of blood ran down his cheek. He breathed slowly, allowing the strength of heart given to him by the golden chain mail to return.

  After a few breaths, Tom felt ready to carry on. He found a rhythm: Grip with the right hand, slide the left hand down; grip with the left hand, slide the right hand down; grip with both hands, slide the knees down; grip with the right hand …

  His hands were numb.

  “It’s not far now, Tom!” Elenna called. “You can do it!”

  He risked a glance down. The slope wasn’t too far below now — about the length of a medium-size tree away. But the rope didn’t reach. Not even close.

  What could he do?

  Jump?

  Then Tom noticed an outcrop of rock just below him. If he could land on it, he would be able to scramble down the rest of the way.

  There was no other choice.

  Tom took a deep breath and let go of the rope. He felt himself falling through the air, weightless. Then his feet hit the rock, jarring his ankles. He staggered — and just managed to right himself in time. He pressed his back against the cliff.

  That was close! he thought. He dropped to his hands and knees and scrambled over the side of the rock, feet first. Then he took a deep breath and launched himself into the air, hitting the packed earth hard. His knees buckled, sending him rolling through the dirt.

  Made it! he thought jubilantly.

  “Tom! Are you all right?” called Elenna. Her face was a tiny white oval from this distance.

  Tom climbed stiffly to his feet.

  “I’m fine!” he shouted back. “Your turn!”

  Elenna began the climb. Tom watched with his heart in his mouth. When she got to the end of the swaying rope, Tom called out to help.

  “There’s a rock that sticks out right underneath you. It’s big enough to stand on. Can you see it?”

  “Yes,” said Elenna.

  She hit the rock and reeled. Tom gasped as he saw her stagger, off balance, over the edge of the rock. He threw himself forward and caught her in both arms. Elenna’s weight knocked him to the ground. They both rolled over, then sat up, covered in dust but smiling.

  “Thanks!” said Elenna, straightening her quiver.

  “N
o problem,” said Tom.

  Elenna whistled up to Silver. The sound carried clearly in the thin air. Alert as always, Silver understood what to do. Tom saw him pad to where the rope was tied. A few moments later the rope came snaking down to Tom and Elenna.

  “I trained him to gnaw through knots one time,” Elenna explained. “I never thought I’d need to use that trick again.” She re-coiled the rope and placed it in the bottom of her quiver.

  High above, Storm and Silver set off down the twisting path at full speed. Soon Tom and Elenna saw the two animals appear around the corner, running quickly.

  “Well done!” said Tom, patting Storm’s neck. Elenna ruffled the fur on Silver’s head.

  “We don’t have time to rest,” said Elenna. “We must keep moving.”

  They were on the edge of the plain now. The Dark Wood could clearly be seen, no more than half a day’s walk away. As Tom gazed at the distant treetops, a shiver passed over him.

  “We’re getting close, Elenna,” he said. “And Luna is waiting for us.”

  THEY MADE THEIR WAY OVER THE DRY AND dusty plain. For a long time, the Dark Wood appeared to get no closer. Tom felt overcome with tiredness. His legs ached. He glanced at Elenna; she looked every bit as tired as he felt. Her skin was covered with a fine film of dust and her face looked pinched and sharp. Storm and Silver trotted on gamely, but even they were panting hard. Daylight was fading fast.

  “We have no choice. We need to stop and rest,” said Tom. “And we need to drink something.”

  Elenna took out her flask and shook it. The faint sloshing noise demonstrated how little was left. Tom knew his own flask didn’t hold much more.

  “We need to find water!” said Tom.

  “Look!” said Elenna. “What’s that?” She was pointing to a clump of greenery a little way off. Tom saw a cluster of stunted bushes and grasses growing around a spring that bubbled up through the rocks. It was the first sign of life they had come across in the Forbidden Land. They ran to the spring. The water was clear as crystal, bubbling to the surface.