109
THE BLUE FEATHER
“Why, father?” were the only tearful words Kuó could utter,
before the volcano began shaking violently.
As the shaking continued, the evil Ki Mab called forth his
hidden allies, the warriors of the Atoo tribe. He ordered them to
secure the stolen gold, and to start carrying it back down the
mountain slope. They disappeared in a stinking cloud of sulfurfilled smoke, as the now erupting volcano belched forth its
burning death.
The danger of a lava eruption was at a critical level, so escape
was immediately necessary. Viviana yelled to Jonathan as she
floated towards Kuó, “Jonathan, leave them to their own fate!
We can now float down this mountain rapidly and safely above
the ground, and we can bring Kuó with us in the same manner.
His life is of the most importance right now.”
“Absolutely! We need to go quickly,” Jonathan said, just as
his walkie-talkie came to life.
“Where are you Jonathan?” came the voice of Bardala from
the ICOM communications device.
While floating rapidly down the mountain to safety, Jonathan
responded. “Bardala is Tital with you? Are you alright? We have
been looking for you for a long time.”
“Jonathan we are both at the camp. We never came that way
at all. Where are you exactly right now?” Bardala’s voice asked
anxiously.
“We are floating away from Mah Col, which is erupting again.
We have Kuó with us, Ki Mab’s son. He and both of us are safe.
We will be there shortly, and we have a not-so-good story to tell
you,” Jonathan related to her.
At this point, all Jonathan could think of was their narrow
escape from the wicked liar, Ki Mab. He knew his big sister was