Beast Quest #1: Ferno the Fire Dragon Read Online Free Page A

excitement. Soon he would be on his own. “Faster, Storm!” he urged.
    Storm galloped out through the gates. As they headed toward the grassy plains, Tom gave a wild whoop. This was it! His adventure had begun!
    Charging along on horseback, Tom felt any doubts he had slip away. Not only was Storm the fastest horse Tom had ever ridden, but he seemed to understand exactly what Tom wanted him to do. He slowed down at the slightest pull on the reins and sped up the second Tom touched him with his heels. He and Storm would be fine, so long as they stuck together.
    By late afternoon they had reached the edge of the grassy plains. A vast forest stretched out before them. It looked dark and mysterious, but the mapshowed that the quickest way to the dragon’s cave was to cut straight through the woods.
    “Come on, Storm,” Tom said, carefully guiding the stallion through the trees. “We’ll go this way.”
    The trail twisted and turned through the silent forest. The trees seemed to press in closer and closer. Branches clawed at Tom’s hair and scratched his cheeks.
    Pulling his sword from its sheath, he dismounted and started hacking at the undergrowth to clear a path.
    Tom suddenly heard a rustling noise and stopped still.
    “Who’s there?” Tom called. No answer.
    Pressing on, Tom sliced through a thick tangle of brambles. Did the trail get any clearer up ahead? Taking hold of Storm’s reins, he pushed his way through the thicket.
    A set of gleaming yellow fangs suddenly snapped in his face.
    Tom leaped back with a shout of alarm. A wolf! Its gray fur was matted, its amber eyes wild. Strings of drool hung from its jaws. Its huge paws were like clubs and ended in lethal claws.
    Tom staggered back against Storm.
    Gray fur bristling, the wolf bared its teeth and crouched down, ready to spring!

C HAPTER S EVEN

    T HE F OREST OF F EAR
    S TORM PULLED AWAY FROM TOM AND REARED up, kicking out with his front hooves. Tom threw himself into the bushes by the side of the trail. But the wolf didn’t attack Tom. It growled at something that was crashing through the undergrowth.
    Suddenly, three soldiers smashed their way into the clearing, their eyes glinting fiercely through the slit in their helmets. The wolf advanced toward them and its growl grew angrier.
    “We’ll teach that girl and her vermin to steal from our master!” snarled the first soldier, aiming his crossbow at the wolf’s head.
    “No!” Tom scrambled up from his hiding place just as the soldier shot an arrow. Thinking quickly, Tom threw his sword. It spun through the air and sliced the short, heavy arrow in half before plunging into a tree trunk.
    “Another poacher! Get him!” One of the soldiers charged at Tom, sword raised. But the wolf threw itself at the man’s legs, knocking them out from under him. Outraged, the other two soldiers charged toward Tom.
    Tom grabbed Storm’s reins and swung himself onto the horse’s back. Lying low in the saddle, he rushed at the men with the wolf at his side, sending them running. Steering sharply, he pulled Storm back around and wrenched his sword from the tree trunk. He rode toward the soldiers once again, scattering them into the woods. The wolf pulled ahead, and Tom and Storm galloped after it.
    The wolf moved like the wind, only slowing once it had led Tom and Storm a safe distancefrom the soldiers. Tom eased Storm back down to a trot.
    And then they saw the girl.
    She was tall and skinny, dressed in breeches and a dirty blouse. Her black hair was short and messy, and her face was red with scratches. In her hand, she clutched a bow. A quiver of arrows was slung over one shoulder. As she crouched to welcome back her wolf, her green eyes narrowed at Tom.
    “It’s all right. I’m not going to hurt you,” he promised, pulling back on the reins until Storm stopped. “My name is Tom,” he said, dismounting. “You can trust me.”
    The wolf trotted over to him and pushed its nose into Tom’s hand.
    The girl