Chapter 5: A Trip to the Library

“So, where are you girls off to?” Peacemaker and Cliff trotted alongside Cactus and Butterfly as they followed their maps down the winding halls of Jade Mountain. They hit a triple headed fork in the passageway.

“The library,” Cactus replied over her shoulder, turning left. “I’ve been meaning to go since I got here, but it slipped my mind.”

“Oh, no, Cactus,” Butterfly called after her, “I think we turn right here, see?”

The SandWing came back and looked over her friend’s shoulder. “That’s not what’s on my map,” she objected.

“That’s it,” Peacemaker said dramatically, “we’re lost.”

“Oh stop, you pretentious dragon,” Cliff rolled his eyes. “We aren’t lost. I know precisely where we are.”

“Oh, really? Where?”

“In Jade Mountain Academy.”

Butterfly and Cactus tried to figure out where they were while the boys entertained themselves.

“All these tunnels look the same,” Cactus noted.

“Yeah, I don’t have a clue where we are,” Butterfly scratched her head.

“Oh you poor, poor confounded NightWing,” Cliff sighed, clearly having a conversation with Peacemaker. “Let me explain—” he paused to take a breath.

“No no no no no,” Peacemaker interrupted. “I’ve had it with you and absurdly long words.”

“Nonsense,” Cliff protested. After a pause he added, “And my words really aren’t that long.”

“I am done! I will leave you lovely ladies and go to the… Well, I’ll go to the somewhere, I suppose. See you later!” Peacemaker saluted with his wings and then turned down a random hall behind them.

“Five gold coins says he gets lost,” Cactus betted after a minute.

Butterfly scoffed. “Ten gold coins says he never admits it.”

“And fifteen gold coins,” Cliff added, “says I’ll find him. Farewell, girls!” he shouted before disappearing down the hallway

“Hm. Well it was fairly easy to get rid of them,” Cactus took the map from Butterfly and grinned.

“I know! Who would’ve thought that all we had to do was pretend to be lost?” Butterfly laughed.

The SandWing grinned and the two evil beings continued going straight, the direct way to the Library of Jade Mountain.

~*~

“Hi, Starflight. Uh, where can my friend and I find fictional adventure books?” Butterfly read the NightWing’s name from his tiny gold name plate. They had just arrived at the library and had dutifully followed the request that’d been posted outside the room.

Dear Students,

We ask that you tell Starflight of your presence

as soon as you enter the room so he may assist you as best as he can despite his lack of vision. Thank you for your cooperation!

The library was inside the mountain, but it didn’t have a rock interior. The walls and floors were lined with wood planks; the wood was soft and smooth and the most agreeable and welcoming shade of brown.

“I’m Butterfly.” She stuck out her talon but he didn’t shake it. Then she remembered; He’s blind, Butterfly! Did you really forget already??? She put her talon back on the ground and blushed.

“Oh! You’re from the Quartz winglet, aren’t you?”

“Yeah! How’d you know?”

“Well, Sunny insists that all the teachers and staff know each name and winglet member by heart, and I’m no exception.” He laughed and then rubbed his eyes. “So. You’re looking for some fun books, huh?” He felt his way around his desk and lifted his nose to the air.

“That’s right!” Cactus agreed.

Starflight paused. “And who are you?”

“I’m Cactus.”

“Ah. Also from the Quartz winglet, then. Right this way girls.” He inhaled deeply and walked with surprising speed for his lack of sight and weaved through a few different shelves before stopping and sniffing one carefully. “This is it!”

Butterfly and Cactus exchanged a glance. “How did you find your way over here?” Butterfly wondered.

“Yeah, and why did you smell the bookshelf?” Cactus was more than a little weirded out.

“Oh, yeah, that,” the librarian blushed a little. “Both questions have the same answer, actually. All the bookshelves are built with a different type of tree. For example; adventure stories are stored in cedar bookcases, while history scrolls are all stored in birch shelves.”

“Oh,” the girls chorused, Butterfly fascinated and Cactus still put off by the NightWing’s behavior.

“Go ahead—smell it,” Starflight patted the bookshelf with a proud look on his face.

Cactus raised her eyebrow and Butterfly shrugged. The girls leaned forward and inhaled—and wow. The bookshelf smelled so good. Butterfly had never experienced something quite like it; the wood smelled rich and deep, and it made her feel at home. “That smells wonderful.”

“Yeah,” Cactus agreed. “The next time I come to the library and someone asks what books I’m getting, I’ll just say, ‘What? No—I’m going to smell the bookshelves’.”

Starflight chuckled. “I mean, I do that all the time, so…”

“Is anyone here?” A male voice inquired from the entrance.

“Ah. Better get going. Happy reading, girls!” The NightWing waved in the general direction of their voices before leaving to help the dragonet that’d just arrived.

Cactus and Butterfly began to browse the shelves. She didn’t know about the SandWing, but Butterfly was looking for something that checked off adventure, mystery, romance—and most importantly—comedy.

She pulled out a book and read the title.

The Trials and Errors of Queen Glacier: A Memoir

Butterfly blinked at it disapprovingly before reshelving the book.

Ah! This should be a good one, she thought, pulling out a black book. The spine read The Secret of Moonflower Valley. She read the back. Basically, the book was about humanimals—which was a weird hybrid of scav—humans and animals—who lived happily in the kingdom of Moonflower Valley. Then the main character, Clementine, meets a fox and then a year later the kingdom where the fox lives is in danger so they go on a quest to save the kingdom! And that was all the information that the blurb provided. But Butterfly read from the middle and whoa. All she’s gonna say is that very interesting things happened.

She also found a book titled Crown of Chaos Book 1: Ruin. That one was crazy. Crazy good. She added that to her pile.

Butterfly pulled out a yellow covered book and her heart stopped for a moment. She saw a pair of eyes staring at her from the other side of the bookshelf and jumped.

“Did I scare you?” A female voice inquired. The pair of eyes blinked at her.

“Um, would you believe me if I lied?”

“I’d believe you if you hadn’t just asked me that.”

“Fair enough. And, yeah. You did.” Butterfly paused. “A lot.”

The eyes twinkled as if they were smiling. “I still got it. Hang on—I’m coming around.” There was a soft pattering of talons before a beautiful silvery purple NightWing emerged from the corner and grinned at Butterfly. She stuck out her talon in greeting. “My name is Starshine. Yours?”

“Butterfly.”

“Hm. Wait—Butterfly as in Caterpillar Butterfly?” The girl’s eyes twinkled.

“Yup. The one and only!”

“Ha! Firestorm told me all about that letter. It sounded pretty funny. I mean, it was a bit of a jerk move on that HiveWing’s part, but.” She muffled a giggle.

Butterfly raised a single eyebrow distastefully. “Glad to know that you thought my public embarrassment was funny.”

“Are you kidding? It was hilarious. I wish I’d been there… But anyway—what books are you looking for?”

Butterfly shrugged. “Not really looking for any one thing in particular. Just browsing.”

“Well, have I got the book for you!” Starshine’s eyes were alight with mischief. “I’ll be right back.” She turned and walked away, her merry footsteps quiet on the wooden floors.

Butterfly looked at the books she’d gathered—she had three so far—and though she didn’t have very many, they were thick and she could always revisit the library for more. Besides, the sun set in an hour and she did not want to miss it. “Cactus?” She spoke as loud as she felt appropriate in a library. “Let’s go.”

“Got it. Meet you at the front desk?” the SandWing replied from somewhere in… that general direction.

“Sure.”

“Um, excuse me? Traitor!” Starshine complained, bustling back with a book cradled in her arms. “I left to get you a book, Butterfly. Here,” she handed it to her and she read the cover. Wings of Fire, Book One, The Dragonets of Destiny.

It was a history book. “Oh, uh, thanks.”

“It’s a series. A really good series. I know what you’re thinking, yes, because I read your mind. ‘History? Ew, I only like fiction.’”

Butterfly frowned at her. “Isn’t it considered rude to fish through someone’s thoughts?”

“Butterfly—you fling your thoughts around like there’s no tomorrow. I couldn’t help but overhear some things.” She grinned smugly. “Anyway, bye. See you later!” The NightWing scurried away and launched out an open window.

Butterfly rubbed her head. Fling her thoughts? Did she really?