Stealth the Ghost Panther Read Free Page B

surging through him, he landed with a thud, staggered, and regained his balance.
    â€œCome on!” he urged, glancing back at Elenna. “The whole village must have heard that.”
    Elenna grabbed Tom’s shield and thrust it into his hands as she darted out to join him. At the same moment, Tom heard an angry shout from farther down the street. A crowd of men surged out of the inn.

    Raymond was in the lead. He spotted Tom and Elenna. “They’re escaping!” he shouted.
    The whole crowd pounded down the street toward the store hut. Determination surged through Tom. He wouldn’t let these evil villagers put him and his friend in prison again.
    â€œLet’s go!” he yelled.

“W HAT ABOUT THE CANDLES?” E LENNA GASPED as they began running as fast as they could down the street.
    â€œIn my pockets,” Tom replied. “Come on!”
    The villagers were hard on their heels. Tom cast a rapid glance over his shoulder. Raymond was at the head of the crowd, waving his fists. His flapping shirtsleeves showed the marks of Stealth’s claws on his arms.
    â€œFaster!” Tom panted. “They’re gaining!”
    As he and Elenna turned off the village street and pelted down the path that led to the tunnels, Tom heard the beat of a horse’s hooves andthe drawn-out howl of a wolf. Storm came cantering out of the trees, with Silver bounding along beside him.
    â€œI knew they wouldn’t leave us!” Tom cried out in relief.
    As Storm galloped up, Tom grabbed his mane and leaped into the saddle without breaking his stride. Elenna still ran alongside them. Tom reached down to pull her up behind him. They outpaced the villagers as they headed for the tunnels, Silver barking excitedly in the rear.
    Outside the largest tunnel entrance, Tom tugged on the reins and brought Storm to a halt. He and Elenna slid to the ground.
    â€œWell done, boy.” Tom gave the black stallion a pat on the nose. “You came just in time!”
    The sun was going down. The trees cast long shadows and the mouth of the tunnel looked darker than ever. Tom strode up to it. “I hope we’re right, and this leads us to the Beast,” he said.
    â€œWe really need those candles now,” Elenna said, peering into the blackness.
    Tom pulled a couple of candles out of his pocket. Elenna unfastened the base of her quiver and took out a flint. She struck a flame from it with an arrowhead. The candle flames burned steadily, casting a circle of yellow light as Tom and Elenna stepped into the tunnel.
    Tom heard the sound of pounding footsteps outside, and glanced back to see Raymond and the other villagers appearing around a bend in the path.
    â€œLet’s go — fast!” he urged Elenna.
    With a candle in one hand and Storm’s bridle in the other, Tom led the way into the gloomy passage. Elenna followed him, with Silver at her heels. The wolf kept glancing back and letting out threatening howls at the sounds of the pursuing villagers. The noise filled the tunnel with echoes.
    The candle flames dipped and wavered as Tom and the others hurried along. They cast movingshadows on the tunnel walls. Storm picked his way among the loose rocks on the tunnel floor, the clatter of his hooves sounding loud in the narrow passage.
    Tom paused for a moment to listen. “I can’t hear the villagers anymore.”
    â€œGood.” Elenna patted her wolf friend on the head. “I think Silver must have frightened them off.”
    Even though they were now safe from the evil villagers, Tom set a brisk pace as they carried on. There was no time to waste as long as Stealth prowled the streets of his beloved kingdom’s capital city.
    â€œWhich is the right way?” Elenna asked as they came to a place where the passage forked into two.
    Tom hesitated, then chose the right-hand tunnel. “I think I remember this from last time,” he said.
    He led the way up and down rocky