Shattered boulders rained down.
Shi Hou snatched the Black Pot off his back and held it over his head. Broken rocks struck its underside in a clattering barrage and bounced away. Shi Hao huddled in its shadow with Furball in his arms, while Little White and Kang dug their hooves into the ground and crouched beside Shi Hou's feet.
The entire mountaintop had been torn away.
Sunlight flooded in, illuminating the dust churning inside the cavern.
The Five-Colored Peacock hovered in midair, its spread wings blotting out half the sky. Five-colored runes flowed through its feathers, and every wingbeat stirred a blast powerful enough to uproot century-old trees.
Its eyes were fixed on the ground below, towering fury burning in its slit pupils.
The egg thieves were down there. The lingering scent of vital essence drifted out of this cavern-the essence from its egg.
Shi Hou hung the Black Pot back on his ear and gave Shi Hao a quick nod.
Shi Hao set Furball down and stepped onto the largest piece of bluestone.
His tiny figure stood at the center of the ruins. Tilting his head back, he cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted up at the sky.
"Hey, you mangy bird up there!"
His clear voice pierced the dust and fierce winds, carrying straight to the clouds.
"Your egg was delicious!"
The Five-Colored Peacock abruptly faltered in flight.
Behind Shi Hao, Furball played along seamlessly.
Holding half a colorful eggshell in both paws, Furball raised it overhead and strutted a sultry circle in the sunlight, swiveling those hips to make absolutely sure the one overhead saw everything.
Then Furball tossed it onto the ground.
Clack.
The eggshell shattered.
Furball lifted the right foot and stomped it to mush with a squelch, fragments squeezing out between those