Barking up the wrong tree. Lumity Fanfiction AU.

[18]

Gus hesitantly brought his claw close to Matholomule's arm, the lindworm sighing and holding it out. "Yes-" Gus cheered quietly, feeling Matholomule's arm. "How often do you shed?"

"Five or six times a year." He uttered. "Sometimes it depends on the age. If I was still seven, I'd have shed twelve times so far."

Gus nodded, lifting Matholomule's arm up, examining it, "Do your scales change designs?"

"They do-- How much do you know about this???"

"In illusions, we've been reading this book about a messenger Phoenix..She returned home to find out her husband, two daughters, and their tortoise were killed. Honestly, she admitted she was more upset about the tortoise. He had been with her since her mother found his egg washed up on shore--"

Matholomule turned slightly as Gus continued to examine the patterned scale, "So it was a little younger than her? How'd she know it was a tortoise? Aren't those non-magical beasts?"

Gus nodded, "They are, but moving on- She searched the house for clues after burrying her loved ones, and only found the fur of a werewolf. So she went around several towns. She stayed in one for awhile, made a friend, then kept moving. Eventually she ended up in a town full of snakes. She hid in trees to make sure she looked like them, teaching herself illusions."

Matholomule perked up, "Did she ever find out who killed her family?"

Gus looked up at him, and shrugged, "I haven't finished the book yet."

"What-- You tell me this story and it has no ending."

Gus smirked, "It has an ending. I just don't know it yet."

"I know what we're doing today." Matholomule took Gus's hand, dragging him along.

"The library?"

"The library." Matholomule nodded. "You will find the book for me."

Gus lightly shrugged, "Sure. But I can't guarantee we'll finish it today!"

^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^

Ivette traveled for two days without stopping, bear in mind, her caterpillar was robbed as well as her herd of sheep. Ivette made it her mission to avenge her tortoise Piker, and her kids, aged five and two.

The walk was terrible, snow, rain, hail, even a tornado had gone by. But Ivette kept walking. She never stopped, she never took a second for water, she just kept walking. It took another four days for her to find a town, but passed out the second she spotted someone.

A gliding viper. Little did she know back then, but she, was her savior. Ivette woke three days later, the nurses spending their time making sure Ivette was replenished and not dead. Cause apparently they didn't know phoenixs can die and revive.

Ivette woke up during one of her checkups, albeit startled and on fire, the boar checking in on her assured her safety. "What am I doing here? Did I pass out? How long has it been--"

"Woah there hon," The boar huffed. "Slow down. You did pass out, you're in our hospital. It's been three days since you've been here."

Ivette chirped quietly, glancing around, her fire receding to the tip of her tail. "Have you seen a werewolf-- Ah-- Brown fur, probably wounded around here?"

The boar placed their hoof on their chin, snorting, "Hm..Ask Keri, she has been on duty for the past week! She might have seen something."

Ivette hopped out of bed, "Where can I find her?"

Turn the page, chapter is over.

Ivette climbed up the tower, and although she could've flown up, the boar suggested her not to as it was too hot. So she climbed and climbed til she reached the top. Once she saw Keri, the climb might have been pointless if Keri didn't have fast reflexes.

Keri, was a gliding viper. "Woah there doll, put in the effort and won't stay?" Keri sat Ivette on the platform, moving her feathers back.

Ivette tensed, setting herself ablaze, but Keri didn't move. "Muh-"

"I fly alot, came crashing down a few times on fire, can't really feel the heat much." Keri slithered upright. "Come on, let's get you a water and we can talk. That's what you came up for right?"

Ivette hesitantly cooled her flame, not wanting the tower to burn down, and allowed Keri to pull her up. And- Matholomule-- Gasp-- Squeezing a little too tight-- Can't breathe--

"Agusuts continue the story!"

"Going to die wrapped in a tail-" Gus tugged on Matholomule's tail. "Pull back a bit please-"

"Oh-" He pulled back. "Sorry--"

Gus gasped for air, rubbing his neck, "What can you kill with that tail??"

"Uh- Almost anything--" Matholomule unwrapped himself from Gus.

"Wait no--" Gus grabbed his hand. "You're a great pillow man. I'll keep reading if you're still my pillow."

"I could read this without you."

Gus paused, "I'll read it for you."

Matholomule sighed, balling up, glancing up at Gus. "What. Are you going to lean against me and keep going or not??"

"Not like that I won't." Gus took his hand, pulling him over so he wasn't a bundle. "Like a bed."

Matholomule paused, lying down, curling up slightly. "..Like this?"

Gus tapped his chin, "It'll do." He sat next to Matholomule, pulling his head in to his lap and holding the book a little ways from him. "Alright! Where were we-"

To be continued.