All night, Tox wondered about the curious place they’d found themselves in. It was like nowhere she had ever seen before. Like nowhere she’d even read about before! Nothing seemed quite right, no matter how friendly and hospitable the locals had been so far…

Alone, she pondered many questions. How come I’ve not seen any other females here? Why are they so keen for us to stay? Who was that statue of and why does it look so much like me? Around and around it went in her head.

Thunder crashed and lightning split the sky in two. Tox pulled the blanket up tight under her chin, shivering slightly. Moro slumped in his hammock, softly snoring, unaware of the explosive weather outside.

Tox rolled her eyes. Exasperated at her brother’s ability to sleep.

How can thunder and lightning not wake him?

At that moment, there was a hammering at the door, Tox slid from her bunk to open it. Her hands trembling…

Silently, Tohiba slipped in through the opening door. He bowed low to Tox, putting his finger to his lips and making a quiet, “Ssshhh,” sound, just as thunder crashed again & the sky was illuminated with electricity that forked and zigzagged across the Heavens.

A dark shadow covered the porthole at the back of the deck. Something shimmered as the lightning struck again.

Tox gasped, Tohiba put a protective hand on her shoulder & steered her behind him as they edged closer to Moro’s hammock to wake him. Tohiba gently shook his shoulder to no avail, Tox leaned in and pinched his nose, waking poor, unsuspecting Moro instantly. He slipped down from the hammock, ready to face anything.

What is it? Could it be the Golden Dragon?