The Phoenix Stone: Chapter 5

For the next few months, Isabel was carefully watched. She wasn’t allowed outside without a trusted adult. Isabel didn’t mind, though. She trained Maverick to do tricks, and she walked -er flew Elsa around the castle. Isabel got into baking and she made flavorful treats. Even Maverick would sneak into the kitchen to grab a few crumbs. Elsa was once caught stealing a whole cake! Often Isabel had to hide her desserts and treats she made. After a few months had passed, King Elis trusted Isabel enough to go out in the forest alone. She always had to be home by dinner, or else. Isabel went out every day for walks in the woods. Maverick started coming on these daily adventures. He had never seen such vivid colors. The trees were wonderful shades of green, yellow and brown, Maverick wished he could paint. But what Maverick liked best about being in the woods was the different animals. Birds flew in the air, squirrels ran through the trees, beavers splashed in the pond. Maverick went home to his nightstand every night amazed at what he saw. Elsa, on the other hand, wanted to sleep all day. She wanted no adventures, no cute little animals, and no pretty colors. But, Elsa was always dragged out of bed. On one of these walks, she came up with a brilliant way to never have to go on walks again. “If I get us lost, the king will never let us out of the house again! Then, I will never have to go on these stupid walks.” Elsa thought to herself. And that’s what she did when Isabe let her lead. Isabel thought that if she had the necklace, she would never get lost. For, you see, after some experimentation, Isabel found that the necklace was enchanted and gave her whatever she asked for. Isabe let Elsa lead the way for a few hours. The first hour or so was fine. But as the day went on, they got further and further away from home. Finally, Isabel noticed the sun was setting. “Elsa, time to go home.” Elsa didn’t turn around. “Elsa! We are going home. If you don’t want to come, so be it. You can live in the woods the rest of your life.” The thought of being in the woods forever was a terrifying thought to Elsa. Elsa turned around and followed Isabel and Maverick. Maverick was hidden in Isabel’s pocket this whole time. He had heard Isabel yell and was afraid they were lost. The travelers trekked on for an hour when the woods began to change. Instead of lush, green trees, like before, these trees were gray and dying. The old, gray branches were spread out over the path. Isabel had to army crawl under the branches, Elsa’s wings got caught. Maverick was running across the frost covered ground. Isabel once broke part of a branch and it seemed that the rest of the branches moved out to grab her. Now, you might be wondering why Isabel continued to go this way. She knew it wasn’t the way home. Some say she thought it was a short-cut, while others think she wanted the adventure of getting lost. To this day, no one knows why she did it. We just know she did. A few minutes in this dead forest, snow coated the ground. Maverick was dodging the branches quite well, but he had trouble with the snow. Since he was so small, Maverick sank in the deep snow. He sank so much, Isabel had to put him in her pocket to keep him from getting lost in the snow. Elsa walked okay in the snow, but her wings were all bruised and torn from getting snagged on branches. The friends soon came to a clearing and sat down. Isabel looked down at her necklace. “I’m s-so cold, I c-can see my breath. Can I have a c-coat?” Instantly, a coat appeared on the ground. “C-can I have a m-map too?” But this time, the necklace didn’t provide. Isabel put on the coat and Maverick slid into the pocket. Elsa snuggled up close to keep warm. Deep growls echoed throughout the dead trees. Isabel wrapped her head up in the coat and said to her necklace, “I’m ready for that map.” But, again, the map did not come. Isabel couldn’t decide if she was mad, or angry. The growls came again and Isabel and Elsa huddled closer together. Maverick shivered in the coat pocket. “Mabey matches for a fire will do?” Matches fell in Isabel’s hand. She found a few dry sticks and made a fire. The growling grew louder, and shadows circled Isabel. This continued for a while, when, suddenly, the shadows came into view. The shadows turned out to be a pack of wolves, and the wolves had Isabel, Elsa, and Maverick surrounded. Isabel gasped, and fainted.