The Newest Initiate

3. Paperwork

"You have class in here?" Blithe's voice rang through the Whatever Works classroom, bouncing off the walls and echoing back at us. She looked at the place in awe, probably quite close to the reaction I had had when I first saw the place, only much more feminine and energetic.

"Yeah," I said, my voice souding strange next to her high-pitched, velvet shrill. It was a nice shrill, though. I had to admit that much. 

"Oh my Rowling, that is so cool!" She exclaimed excitedly.

"Oh my, what?" It had sounded like she had said 'rolling', but what was rolling?

"Rowling. As in J.K. Rowling. It's sort of like a joke between us Potterheads. Because she's sort of like our God." She smiled at me like that cleared it all up, but I was still a little bamboozled. "So, what's next?" She turned toward me and heightened herself on her tip-toes, smiling.

"The library, you're going to love-"  My sentence was interupted by huddles of initiates filing into the room, which used to be silent, but was suddenly filled with chatting and laughter. Dylan came into the room last, shutting the door behind him.

He had taken over teaching the class when Carter took his place as Pharoah; obviously, he had more important things to do, and coulcn't teach a class of trainees. Dylan had volunteered as soon as the spot became open, which was no surprise to anyone. He was sort of the book wormish type. The only down-side that Dylan could find when he took the job was that Carter said he had to keep the class exactly the same, which he probably disliked. He seemed like someone who would have a strict, bookwork class. Someone who wasn't afraid to break out the yard stick and smack everybody with it. He wasn't someone I liked to hang around, but he wasn't someone I wanted on my bad side, either.

"Come on," I told Blithe.

"Dylan!" I yelled over the noise as we walked toward him. He looked over at me, and started walking stiffly in my direction. When we finally reached each other, I said "We have a new initiate, Blithe Weathers. She needs a schedule and a room. 

He sighed as if we had just reached a compromise he didn't like. "Very well. Go speak to Bast. She will get her settled in." Then he turned to Blithe, "Have a nice stay here at the Brooklyn House." He then attempted to do what I assume was smile, but it only transformed his normal scowl into what looked more like a grimace. 

"Thank you," She smiled up at him. He grimaced once more then turned and walked away.

"Come on," I told her.

"He's had a rough life, people really should be less judging of him." She said depressedly.

"How do you-"

"I just know. It's a talent of mine." 

That left me wondering, what on earth did she know about me? I nearly asked, nearly. But then I realized I didn't really want to know. I decided if she knew my darkest secrets, I'd rather not know that she knew.

I wondered around the mansion for a while, finally making it to the roof, which was where Bast was, doing what cats normally do. Sleeping. 

"Bast.." I cooed, trying to persuade her out of sleep. "Bast.." I called again. "Hello, Bast? Wake up, please."

"Hold on," Blithe said. She looked around the roof, eyes finally settling on Freak's nest. She walked over to him, slowly, and put her hand up. "Hi, Freak. That's a good griffin. Yes." She inched toward him, hand still out. He sniffed her hand, looked at it confusedly, and I could've sworn he thought it was food.

"Umm..Don't-" I started to say, but then Freak nuzzled his forehead against her hand and I was pretty much speechless.

She took her other hand and stroked the feathers under his neck, which he seemed to like, and then squeezed her way between him and the wall. I couldn't see what she waas doing, but Freak didn't fight it. When she emerged, she had two handfuls of straw, which she threw on the ground near Bast. 

"Step on that." She told me.

"Wh-"

"Just do it." 

I glared at her and did what he told me. As soon as the first straw crunched under my foot, Bast eyelids flew open, and she pounced at me with such ferocity that my heartbeat doubled in a matter of seconds. Before I knew what had happened, she had me pinned on the ground.

When she saw it was me, her expression changed from blood-thirsty to a mixture of dissapointment and annoyance.

"Oh. It's you. Why did you find it necessary to wake me."

"We. Need. Paperwork." I said, pausing between words to take deep breaths, trying to lower my heartrate. 

Now her expression was definitely annoyed. She stood up, freeing me.

"Let's go." She said.