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"Let's go," Annie said.

"Be nature. Be a rock."

Jack tried to be as still as the rock. As solid as the rock. As quiet as the rock.

Jack took a deep breath. He felt great -- he was getting more and more like a ninja every minute. Maybe even like a ninja master.

Jack and Annie crouched together. Samurai were on both sides of them now. They were trapped!

"What?" Jack whispered back.

"East!" he said.

The warrior stepped closer and closer. He looked to the right. He looked to the left.

"Be nature," whispered Annie.

Squeak.

Soon he started feeling as strong as the rock. As safe as the rock. He wanted to be the rock forever.

Jack opened his eyes. The samurai warrior was gone. Jack stood up and looked over the rock. The torches were gone, too.

And they went east. Down the mountain, between the rocks. Until they came to the wide, icy stream.

Oh brother, thought Jack. This was nuts. But he squeezed his eyes shut. Then he tried to be part of the rock.

Jack pressed against the rock.

Jack held his breath.

"He's gone," said Annie. "They're all gone."

The water seemed even wilder than before.

Jack wiped his glasses. Luckily, they hadn't fallen off in the water.

Squeak. The mouse peeked out from its pouch.

"I don't see it either," said Jack. "We have to cross the water first. Then we'll try and find it."

Jack grabbed some weeds. He held on tight as water swirled around him.

"That was close!" said Annie.

He took a deep breath and stepped into the stream. The icy water swirled up to his knees. The current knocked him over.

"I don't see the tree house," said Annie.

"Let's go," Jack said.

"Don't be afraid," said Annie. She patted the mouse's little head. "Be like us. Be like a ninja, too."

Jack looked across the stream to the dark grove of trees. Moonlight shone on their pale flowers. But where was the tree house?

He was freezing to death!

"Jack!" Annie grabbed Jack's arms. She helped him back onto the bank.

"Are you okay?" said Annie.

The water was crashing and rushing over the rocks.

"Peanut's going over a bridge!" said Annie. She started to follow.

"Why?" asked Annie.

Squeak.

The mouse scampered away.

"Or fr-freeze to death," said Jack.

Annie pulled off her hood, too. She sighed. "What can we do?" she said.

A moonlit branch had fallen across a narrow part of the stream. It touched both shores.

"No," said Jack. "We have to follow Peanut."

"We'll never get across," said Annie. "We'll drown if we try."

He pulled off the hood of his sweatshirt. He didn't feel much like a ninja anymore.

"Oh. Right!" said Annie. "Follow Peanut! But where is Peanut?"

Annie hurried after Jack. Jack hurried after Peanut. They ran beside the rushing waters.

"There!" he cried. "Come on!"

"N-not really," said Jack, his teeth chattering. He was chilled to the bone.

"Peanut, come back!" Annie called.

"We have to do what the master said!" said Jack. "Follow nature!"

In the moonlight Jack saw the little mouse. It was running through the grass along the stream.

Peanut climbed out of Annie's sweatshirt pouch and leaped onto the ground.

The mouse was running over the branch.

"Wait!" cried Jack. "We can't go on that branch. It's too small! It'll break!"