The Anvil (12 page)

He
watched
as
Zack
and
the
blacksmith
made
some
horseshoes
.
Once
they
cooled
the
metal
and
the
blacksmith
went
to
get
more
Zack
walked
over
to
Tom
and
said
“
I
help
the
blacksmith
for
money
sometimes
.
It
pays
well
but
I
don
'
t
think
I
want
to
work
here
much
longer
.”
Tom
laughed
and
said
“
I
don
'
t
think
you
know
this
but
my
father
is
a
blacksmith
.
I
have
worked
with
metal
since
I
could
lift
a
hammer
.”
Zack
looked
at
Tom
and
told
him
“
That
is
believable
,
come
on
let
'
s
see
if
Bob
will
let
you
help
.”
The
two
boys
walked
to
the
forge
and
Bob
,
the
blacksmith
,
asked
Zack
“
Who
'
s
this
?
You
know
I
don
'
t
like
having
people
back
here
who
don
'
t
work
here
.”

Zack
told
the
blacksmith
“
This
is
Tom
,
he
is
the
Dragon
Guardian
apprentice
and
he
is
the
son
of
the
blacksmith
in
Pine
Grove
.
We
were
wondering
if
he
could
help
.”
The
blacksmith
looked
at
Tom
and
said
“
OK
but
you
better
work
well
.
We
need
to
make
a
cage
.”
They
set
to
work
making
bars
then
putting
them
together
.

Then
the
blacksmith
told
Zack
“
OK
your
shift
is
over
.
Go
.”
The
two
boys
walked
out
of
the
shop
and
went
to
Zack
'
s
house
.
They
walked
in
and
Zack
yelled
“
I
'
m
home
.”
His
brother
walked
out
of
the
kitchen
and
said
“
Hi
Zack
and
Tom
.
How
'
s
training
going
to
be
a
Guardian
?”
Tom
replied
“
Good
,
but
tiring
.”
Zack
'
s
mother
came
in
and
said
“
Hello
boys
dinner
won
’
t
be
ready
for
a
while
so
go
do
whatever
you
want
.”
Tom
turned
to
Zack
and
asked
“
Have
you
ever
been
canoeing
?”
Zack
shook
his
head
. “
Well
I
have
a
canoe
let
'
s
go
.”
Tom
finished
and
Zack
said
“
OK
sounds
like
fun
.”
Tom
led
the
way
to
the
docks
were
his
canoe
was
and
told
Zack
to
get
in
.

Zack
got
in
and
Tom
pushed
off
and
jumped
in
the
canoe
.
They
paddled
around
the
lake
for
a
while
until
Zack
said
“
Dinner
is
probably
ready
.
Let
'
s
go
.”
Tom
shook
his
head
and
told
him
“
I
will
drop
you
off
but
I
need
to
get
back
to
the
cabin
.
I
have
to
make
dinner
for
me
,
John
and
Alex
.”
Tom
dropped
Zack
off
on
the
docks
and
paddled
over
to
the
island
.
He
went
in
,
washed
then
made
dinner
.

He
cleaned
up
the
dishes
then
went
to
sleep
.
The
days
after
that
took
on
the
same
schedule
.
Training
and
most
days
doing
something
with
Zack
.
A
week
after
Alex
told
Tom
“
Come
on
we
need
to
do
a
small
mission
.
Just
a
highway
robber
.”
They
flew
out
the
same
day
.
The
highway
robber
was
easily
taken
care
of
.
He
had
surrendered
and
went
to
prison
.
They
got
back
three
days
after
leaving
.

Then
the
schedule
continued
until
one
day
Zack
came
over
to
the
cabin
for
dinner
.
Zack
and
Tom
walked
in
the
cabin
and
Tom
made
dinner
for
the
four
of
them
.
It
was
a
simple
but
delicious
stew
.
They
all
cleaned
up
the
dishes
then
sat
around
the
fire
.
Zack
said
after
a
while
“
I
should
go
.
Thanks
for
dinner
.”
Tom
got
up
with
him
and
to
take
him
back
to
town
.

Suddenly
Zack
started
running
towards
the
grove
of
trees
.
Tom
ran
after
him
calling
his
name
,
he
saw
John
and
Alex
running
with
him
.
Zack
got
to
the
trees
and
went
into
them
.
When
Tom
and
them
finally
caught
up
to
Zack
he
was
kneeling
in
the
trees
holding
a
large
stone
.
John
muttered
so
softly
Tom
could
barely
hear
him
“
He
found
the
egg
.”
Suddenly
the
stone
shook
and
cracked
.
Then
a
small
black
head
broke
through
the
surface
and
John
said
to
Zack
“
Help
it
get
out
.”
Zack
started
breaking
the
egg
until
in
his
hands
he
held
a
small
wyvern
,
it
looked
like
a
dragon
with
small
bull
horns
.
Then
John
said
to
Zack
“
You
have
the
choice
now
to
get
rid
of
it
or
become
my
apprentice
and
train
to
become
a
Wyvern
Rider
.”