When they reached the training spot, they found a piece of white paper
pinned on the tree. "Do not train here. Proceed into the woods" was written
on it.
"I suppose we do so." Rocky said and they continued to walk, into the woods.
"Do you think we're still on the right path Rock?" Colt asked.
"I don't know." Rocky said a bit nervous. "Look! There's Grandpa!" he suddenly shouted when he saw Grandpa coming out of the bush and taking the same path as they were, but running away from them.
"Let's follow him!" Rocky said and the three boys started to run. They saw how Grandpa suddenly jumped high and flew several metres through the air.
"Tum Tum! Colt! Jump!!" Rocky yelled when he saw the dark patch of ground in front of them. It was too late too stop. The three boys ran all they could and jumped over the dark spot. They landed on the other side and carefully looked around. Grandpa was nowhere in sight.
"Look, it's a trap!" Colt said who touched the patch with his bow. It gave in and when Colt pushed harder he suddenly stuck his bow through the cover.
"Guys you know what?? The test is today!" Rocky whispered.
Colt and Tum Tum looked at him.
"Don't you see? They've told us over and over the test is tomorrow. But a ninja has to be prepared every time. Luckily we didn't start our training without our equipment."
Colt blushed when he thought back of the morning, where he was the one who was eager to start and almost had ran out of the house without even be properly dressed.
"Good thinking Rock." Colt said. "So what are we gonna do now?"
"I suppose we follow this path. It'll lead to something, won't it?"
The two others agreed and slowly they started to walk on, on their guard for other possible traps. After few hundred metres they found a white envelope on the path. Rocky opened it.
"Here you have to go right. Simply proceed to the woods until you have reached the red lantern. Those between you who reach the lantern will have passed the test. Good luck."
Rocky closed the letter. They didn't say anything.
"Hey guys let's make a deal. Or we all three get to the lantern, or we all three don't." Colt said.
"Alright!" Rocky immediately said.
"Yea!" Tum Tum concluded.
Colt put his hand in mid-air. Rocky and Tum Tum joined.
"Let's… go!" they shouted.
Slowly they went further into the woods. They walked for half an hour and they started to loose concentration. Suddenly Colt tripped over a dead branch and fell on the ground. He started to get up but he suddenly froze.
"Hold it guys." In front of his face he discovered a thin brown wire, about ten centimetres above the ground. Rocky and Tum Tum froze.
"What's it Colt?"
Colt got up and showed them the wire. The one end was attached to a tree and about a hundred metres further it was attached in a bush. They slowly followed the wire and saw the tiny bell in the bush.
"Guys, I've got an idea." Rocky's eyes blinked.
Only about three hundred metres ahead of them, Nick stood behind a tree. He waited. Suddenly he heard the bell. He grinned. A pity they fell for it. He came out of his hiding place and ran to the clearing in the woods. He saw Tum Tum who had obviously tripped over it, getting up. Suddenly Tum Tum saw him approach. He smiled. Nick realised there was something wrong but it was too late. He noticed the wire was gone, but at that moment Tum Tum yelled:
"Now!"
Rocky and Colt pulled at both ends of the wire and Nick tripped and fell to the ground. He smacked in the sand. When he got up the three boys were gone. He was really angry with himself. But at the same time he felt proud. He cleaned his clothes the best he could and then started to slowly walk back to the lantern.
Rocky, Colt and Tum Tum approached a dry riverbed. There was only a dead tree lying across the bed, and slowly Rocky started to cross. Colt and Tum Tum watched his back. Suddenly they heard the bushes move in front of Rocky and saw Grandpa coming out and attacking Rocky. Grandpa pointed his bow at Rocky who luckily still had his. The two bows hit each other. Rocky had a hard time blocking Grandpa's attacks. Suddenly he jumped and felt Grandpa's bow miss his feet. He came back to his feet and felt one foot slide of the tree. Grandpa, who thought Rocky was defeated rested his bow on the ground. But suddenly Rocky let his feet slide of the other side of the tree to regain his balance. With one single swing he kicked Grandpa's bow out of his hands and with another he hit Grandpa in his stomach. He fell of the tree.
"Grandpa?? You're okay?" Rocky asked worried.
"Rock! Just go on! It's for real, remember?" Colt said while he pushed his brother forward. The tree boys ran across the riverbed and ran into the woods ahead of them.
Nick sat under a tree. Above his head a red lantern swayed softly in the wind. Suddenly he heard something in the bushes next to him. He got up and saw Grandpa coming out.
"So how did they do?" Nick asked.
"Very good." Grandpa said and rubbed his stomach. "And how did the wire trap do?"
"Wonderful." Nick said ironically and felt a his ankle.
"I suggest we wait here for the boys." Grandpa said when he sat down on a soft spot under a tree. Nick nodded and sat down too.
Colt climbed down the tree.
"I see something red ahead of us, but i don't know for sure if it's the lantern or not."
"I suppose so. Anyway, we don't have a choice." Rocky said.
Almost half an hour had passed, and they hadn't seen a single trap. It was like they were alone in the woods. They walked on.
"I you ask me, we should be very near now." Rocky said but the moment he said it he heard Colt and Tum Tum yell behind him. Grandpa and Nick ran out of the bushes, didn't waste a moment and attacked them.
Colt easily blocked Nick's kicks with his bow but suddenly Nick disarmed him. Their arms hit several times. Colt blocked and Nick attacked and then roles reversed, Nick attacked and Colt blocked. Suddenly they both had the other in a hold. Colt put his feet on Nicks chest and pushed. They both fell on their back and immediately jumped back to their feet. They faced each other. Colt wore a brutal grin.
Meanwhile Grandpa had fought Tum Tum, pushed him to the ground and put him in a hold. Tum Tum felt the pain in his arm but didn't give in. He suddenly arched his back and threw Grandpa on the ground. "Yaa!" he shouted and attacked him.
Now Nick had to defend himself against two ferocious fighters. He had to block both boys' attacks. Suddenly he made a backflip, pulled a sirtaken out of his belt and threw it to Rocky. Rocky, who still had his bow swung it through the air and hit the sirtaken. Nick looked very confused. But he didn't had time to think. With very fast kicks Colt drove Nick with his back to a tree. Colted turned around and kicked towards his head. But Nick lowered himself and suddenly put Colt in a hold. Colt shut his eyes and felt the pain in his arm going to his shoulder. He didn't dare to move.
Rocky and Tum Tum both attacked Grandpa. Tum Tum kicked Grandpa in his stomach, Rocky turned around and aimed his high kick at Grandpa's head, but he had made a sideways roll. From the corner of his eye Rocky saw Colt's critical situation. He didn't waste a moment, drew a sirtaken, aimed and threw it towards Nick. The sirtaken flew, missed Colt and pinned Nicks cap to the tree. Nick was frightened to death and let go of him. Colt turned around, aimed at Nicks stomach and kicked him five times. Nick didn't have time to block and fell to the ground.
"Sorry." Colt said and ran to his brothers.
Meanwhile Rocky and Tum Tum had defeated Grandpa. Tum Tum had put his bow on Grandpa's throat.
"Don't dare to move." He threatened. Grandpa smiled.
"Colt, you're okay??" Rocky asked.
"Yea I am! Come on, let's go!"
The two others suddenly realised. The red lantern! Tum Tum threw his bow on the ground.
"Hey guys, wait up for me!" He yelled and followed his two brothers.
Only a hundred metres further, they saw the red lantern hanging in the tree. About six metres high.
"Throw!" Rocky yelled.
While running they each drew a sirtaken, aimed and threw. The three shiny stars flew through the sky and pinned high into the tree. The wire broke and the lantern fell. Rocky reached the tree and caught the lantern in both hands.
"We did it guys!" They all cheered.
"I suppose we do so." Rocky said and they continued to walk, into the woods.
"Do you think we're still on the right path Rock?" Colt asked.
"I don't know." Rocky said a bit nervous. "Look! There's Grandpa!" he suddenly shouted when he saw Grandpa coming out of the bush and taking the same path as they were, but running away from them.
"Let's follow him!" Rocky said and the three boys started to run. They saw how Grandpa suddenly jumped high and flew several metres through the air.
"Tum Tum! Colt! Jump!!" Rocky yelled when he saw the dark patch of ground in front of them. It was too late too stop. The three boys ran all they could and jumped over the dark spot. They landed on the other side and carefully looked around. Grandpa was nowhere in sight.
"Look, it's a trap!" Colt said who touched the patch with his bow. It gave in and when Colt pushed harder he suddenly stuck his bow through the cover.
"Guys you know what?? The test is today!" Rocky whispered.
Colt and Tum Tum looked at him.
"Don't you see? They've told us over and over the test is tomorrow. But a ninja has to be prepared every time. Luckily we didn't start our training without our equipment."
Colt blushed when he thought back of the morning, where he was the one who was eager to start and almost had ran out of the house without even be properly dressed.
"Good thinking Rock." Colt said. "So what are we gonna do now?"
"I suppose we follow this path. It'll lead to something, won't it?"
The two others agreed and slowly they started to walk on, on their guard for other possible traps. After few hundred metres they found a white envelope on the path. Rocky opened it.
"Here you have to go right. Simply proceed to the woods until you have reached the red lantern. Those between you who reach the lantern will have passed the test. Good luck."
Rocky closed the letter. They didn't say anything.
"Hey guys let's make a deal. Or we all three get to the lantern, or we all three don't." Colt said.
"Alright!" Rocky immediately said.
"Yea!" Tum Tum concluded.
Colt put his hand in mid-air. Rocky and Tum Tum joined.
"Let's… go!" they shouted.
Slowly they went further into the woods. They walked for half an hour and they started to loose concentration. Suddenly Colt tripped over a dead branch and fell on the ground. He started to get up but he suddenly froze.
"Hold it guys." In front of his face he discovered a thin brown wire, about ten centimetres above the ground. Rocky and Tum Tum froze.
"What's it Colt?"
Colt got up and showed them the wire. The one end was attached to a tree and about a hundred metres further it was attached in a bush. They slowly followed the wire and saw the tiny bell in the bush.
"Guys, I've got an idea." Rocky's eyes blinked.
Only about three hundred metres ahead of them, Nick stood behind a tree. He waited. Suddenly he heard the bell. He grinned. A pity they fell for it. He came out of his hiding place and ran to the clearing in the woods. He saw Tum Tum who had obviously tripped over it, getting up. Suddenly Tum Tum saw him approach. He smiled. Nick realised there was something wrong but it was too late. He noticed the wire was gone, but at that moment Tum Tum yelled:
"Now!"
Rocky and Colt pulled at both ends of the wire and Nick tripped and fell to the ground. He smacked in the sand. When he got up the three boys were gone. He was really angry with himself. But at the same time he felt proud. He cleaned his clothes the best he could and then started to slowly walk back to the lantern.
Rocky, Colt and Tum Tum approached a dry riverbed. There was only a dead tree lying across the bed, and slowly Rocky started to cross. Colt and Tum Tum watched his back. Suddenly they heard the bushes move in front of Rocky and saw Grandpa coming out and attacking Rocky. Grandpa pointed his bow at Rocky who luckily still had his. The two bows hit each other. Rocky had a hard time blocking Grandpa's attacks. Suddenly he jumped and felt Grandpa's bow miss his feet. He came back to his feet and felt one foot slide of the tree. Grandpa, who thought Rocky was defeated rested his bow on the ground. But suddenly Rocky let his feet slide of the other side of the tree to regain his balance. With one single swing he kicked Grandpa's bow out of his hands and with another he hit Grandpa in his stomach. He fell of the tree.
"Grandpa?? You're okay?" Rocky asked worried.
"Rock! Just go on! It's for real, remember?" Colt said while he pushed his brother forward. The tree boys ran across the riverbed and ran into the woods ahead of them.
Nick sat under a tree. Above his head a red lantern swayed softly in the wind. Suddenly he heard something in the bushes next to him. He got up and saw Grandpa coming out.
"So how did they do?" Nick asked.
"Very good." Grandpa said and rubbed his stomach. "And how did the wire trap do?"
"Wonderful." Nick said ironically and felt a his ankle.
"I suggest we wait here for the boys." Grandpa said when he sat down on a soft spot under a tree. Nick nodded and sat down too.
Colt climbed down the tree.
"I see something red ahead of us, but i don't know for sure if it's the lantern or not."
"I suppose so. Anyway, we don't have a choice." Rocky said.
Almost half an hour had passed, and they hadn't seen a single trap. It was like they were alone in the woods. They walked on.
"I you ask me, we should be very near now." Rocky said but the moment he said it he heard Colt and Tum Tum yell behind him. Grandpa and Nick ran out of the bushes, didn't waste a moment and attacked them.
Colt easily blocked Nick's kicks with his bow but suddenly Nick disarmed him. Their arms hit several times. Colt blocked and Nick attacked and then roles reversed, Nick attacked and Colt blocked. Suddenly they both had the other in a hold. Colt put his feet on Nicks chest and pushed. They both fell on their back and immediately jumped back to their feet. They faced each other. Colt wore a brutal grin.
Meanwhile Grandpa had fought Tum Tum, pushed him to the ground and put him in a hold. Tum Tum felt the pain in his arm but didn't give in. He suddenly arched his back and threw Grandpa on the ground. "Yaa!" he shouted and attacked him.
Now Nick had to defend himself against two ferocious fighters. He had to block both boys' attacks. Suddenly he made a backflip, pulled a sirtaken out of his belt and threw it to Rocky. Rocky, who still had his bow swung it through the air and hit the sirtaken. Nick looked very confused. But he didn't had time to think. With very fast kicks Colt drove Nick with his back to a tree. Colted turned around and kicked towards his head. But Nick lowered himself and suddenly put Colt in a hold. Colt shut his eyes and felt the pain in his arm going to his shoulder. He didn't dare to move.
Rocky and Tum Tum both attacked Grandpa. Tum Tum kicked Grandpa in his stomach, Rocky turned around and aimed his high kick at Grandpa's head, but he had made a sideways roll. From the corner of his eye Rocky saw Colt's critical situation. He didn't waste a moment, drew a sirtaken, aimed and threw it towards Nick. The sirtaken flew, missed Colt and pinned Nicks cap to the tree. Nick was frightened to death and let go of him. Colt turned around, aimed at Nicks stomach and kicked him five times. Nick didn't have time to block and fell to the ground.
"Sorry." Colt said and ran to his brothers.
Meanwhile Rocky and Tum Tum had defeated Grandpa. Tum Tum had put his bow on Grandpa's throat.
"Don't dare to move." He threatened. Grandpa smiled.
"Colt, you're okay??" Rocky asked.
"Yea I am! Come on, let's go!"
The two others suddenly realised. The red lantern! Tum Tum threw his bow on the ground.
"Hey guys, wait up for me!" He yelled and followed his two brothers.
Only a hundred metres further, they saw the red lantern hanging in the tree. About six metres high.
"Throw!" Rocky yelled.
While running they each drew a sirtaken, aimed and threw. The three shiny stars flew through the sky and pinned high into the tree. The wire broke and the lantern fell. Rocky reached the tree and caught the lantern in both hands.
"We did it guys!" They all cheered.