Arleana looked over her magic map and continued guiding the group toward the Eagle Pass. The days had grown so cold all four of them were wrapped in their cloaks and wore leather gloves that reached up to their elbows. Marsha had warned them that the winters in Sourath were rougher than those of Eile, and frostbite was almost a guarantee, unless you were clothed accordingly.

Ahead of them, where the snow fog parted and the white hills could be seen, began the mountain. It was Eagle Pass and they knew somewhere there had to be Mountain City. They stumbled along in the snow, eager to be in a warm, safe city, when a shadow appeared. They all looked around at the shadow that easily stretched around them and looked up. Remee whimpered and clutched at Chases arm.

The dragon looked down at them. It was obviously heading to the Eilar Mountains, and probably was hungry by the way it looked at them. Smoke billowed from his nostrils as he beat two gigantic scaly wings that maintained him directly above them.

Arleana tried to think calmly. She looked ahead and saw the hill sloping downward below her and an underground cave at the end. She concentrated with her eyes and her hand forward.

"Jump," she commanded quietly to her companions so that the dragon could not hear her. They nodded and all of the sudden took of running. Before they could reach ice that formed down the slope, the dragon swooped down, its talons outstretched in front of it. With a shout that warned them to run, Chase was dragged up into the air. Arleana stopped running and turned around. Her mouth opened and she let out a cry that even the dragon, mighty as he was, felt fear flood into him. A blue streak was all that could be seen of the arrow that left her bow. And as the dragon tried to fly away, it was frozen and came crashing to the ground with chase in its talons still. As they fell back to earth, Chase quickly fumbled with his hands and conjured up a fire that flared between him and the frozen dragon, harmless to him. The ice melted and released him. As he continued to fall a sudden strong wind seemed to wrap itself around him up and slowed his fall. The dragon crashed to the ground before him as he drifted slowly to the ground. He landed on his feet and unsteadily walked to where Arleana stood. Remee and Christof had already slid down the strip of ice and stood at the mouth of the cave. Chase and Arleana joined them at the bottom and together they entered the cavern.

As the dark enveloped them, Arleana took out her crystal amulet. The violet glow relieved them all as they looked at their surroundings. The rough cave tunnel opened into three more.

"Which one should we chose?" Remee asked.

"We'll scout them all." Arleana suggested.

Remee and Arleana paired up and entered the first and very left tunnel, and Christof and Chase each went to the other two.

A scream made the two run out of their assigned tunnels.

"What's going on?" Chase said.

"It sounded like Remee," Christof said and they ran in after them.

Remee and Arleana were staring at the ground.

"It's a sheer drop," Arleana said and Remee moved away from the ledge.

"Why don't we stick together from here on?" Chase said and they all agreed to this.