“Your forest friends!” he says softly.

Of course! Why didn’t I think of that? Once I open my mouth, the mice will know we’ve got something up our sleeve, but maybe Heath can hold them off. It would be helpful to have something big on our side. Like a dragon!

Nah. That’s too risky, and Logan could have a reaction (since he’s allergic and all). Who else could I call for? A Pegasus? Hmm…we’re probably too far from the village to call one. We need something with wings though. Something that will frighten a mouse. Even a giant one. Something like…a hawk.

I suck on my lips and inhale sharply, then let out the birdcall I’ve been working on. I’m pretty sure it works for hawks too. “Caw! Caw-Caw-ka-caw! Caw-ka-wa!”

Translated it means: “Help, Wings of Fury! Save us! My friends and I are being held captive! Save us!” Although my last wa might have meant coconuts. But it will have to do.

Corden frowns. “What’s she doing?”

“Caw! Caw! Caw!” I call again, eyeing the treetops for a sign of help. “Save us! Help, Wings of Fury!”

The blue mouse stares at me with interest. “You’re an animal whisperer! How is that possible?” It whirls around to face Corden. “Grab them! They’re trying to get a—Waah!” Heath, now free from his bindings, dives at the blue mouse’s furry feet and sends it to the ground. Its cane goes skidding across the dirt.

Logan, also free now, comes running up behind it, grabbing the mouse’s cane. “I got it! I got it! Back, you rodents!”

The remaining two mice squeak and start running.

Logan beams at me. “I had no idea I could be so menacing.” He waves the cane in the air. “I should carry a cane more often. Maybe it would keep the dragons away.”

Raina screams. “Logan, watch out!”

A massive bird bursts through the canopy of leaves overhead. Its feathers are so bright red they look like they’re glowing. It’s double the size of a Pegasus with a wingspan as large as an entire treetop. I stare at the tuft of yellow feathers on its otherwise red head in awe. Then I notice its gigantic green claws. They look like they could slice us in half with one swipe.

“Devin, what did you do?” Sasha cries.

Drooping dragons, I didn’t call a hawk. I called a creature I’ve only ever read about in animal guides. I’ve called a firebird! The bird sees me and starts to screech. I try to understand what it’s saying, but I don’t understand the dialect. The next thing I know, it’s whooshing down to our clearing.

“It’s a firebird! Run!” Heath shouts. Raina and Sasha head for the tree line, but the rest of us are still out in the open. Heath lets go of the mouse he has captive, and we all start to run.

“You called a…a…firebird?” Logan is huffing and puffing.

“I didn’t mean to,” I admit. “I thought I was calling for a hawk, but I think something got lost in translation.”