Chapter Five: "BATTLE PLANS"

The volcano rose in the distance, the toxic fumes rising up in a smoke cloud. Ashes and bubbling lava shot out in small units, showing the Volcano would erupt this summer. Sand flew in his eyes as he glided towards it. He squinted. “Activate sand-goggles.” He took out a small pouch on his neck and opened it. Two small hard lenses emptied into his claws. He carefully attached them to his eyes.

He landed gracefully without a splash of sand onto the northwest side of the volcano, wincing in his mind as his foot settled on one of the painfully sharp obsidian stones. A drop of blood slid off his talon. He covered his foot prints, knowing no other Ghibli were here, meaning finding Ghibli foot prints would be a dead giveaway. He burrowed himself into the sand, and settled right over the doorway. The Ghibli pressed a button on his lenses, and a hardened sand-covered sheen went over it, disguising his black and green eyes. However, he could still see. He looked in.

A red and black Nytoltalus stood grinning in the secret cave. He had a very smug expression, making him appear very dumb. A large Crata Peretina entered, its blue eyes flickering around suspiciously.

“Pretty great Inferno, eh?” The Nytoltalus spoke in a slow, deep stupid-sounding voice. “Er, yes. Quite great, Vorm.”

The Ghibli noticed that she had a hint of disgust in her otherwise melodic voice as she said the Nytoltalus’s name. Apparently, he had not. The Nytoltalus grinned again and raised his eyebrows up and down.

The Ghibli saw her cringe. “So. What do ya think?” She tilted her head. “About what?” He looked confused. Wasn’t the answer obvious? “About me.” She briefly looked very disgusted, and quickly looked around the room.

“I uh…really like you! You are super du- er, smart and cool! You’re very fast and um…likeable?” He looked at her and smiled. “What about romantically?” Inferno stared at Vorm. “Ummm…you know let’s just get to the point already.” He nodded. “Right, yes. So…” She looked blankly at him. “Could you tell me why you’re going to win the war? Any battle plans or strategies? Or just take me to someone who knows.” Vorm winced. “Oh, oh I know all of it. I came up with it! But you better go ask someone else, they all can explain it better than me.”

“Yes, yep. Absolutely.” Inferno walked right out the cave, not fast enough to avoid another grin and eyebrow raising.

He sucked in his chest and closed his eyes as hard as he could, keeping his already yellow third eye open, watching as she walked by.

Once the Ghibli was sure she left, he looked back in. Vorm was flexing his wings in front of a shiny piece of obsidian. The Ghibli waited. He flew out and pounced onto the shocked Vorm, and got out his Momola string. Momola string was thick and strong. The Ghibli tied his wings with his middle pair of arms, and held down and covered the Nytoltalus’s mouth with his main. “If I let your mouth go, you must promise to not attack me.” Running out of air, Vorm nodded. “ACK- ehhhhhh. Now, who are you and what do you want?”

The Ghibli stared at him. “It matters not who I am, but what I want if a different matter entirely. Tell me, who knows the battle plans?” Vorm looked around, and sighed. “Go left. There you’ll see a river in the cave. Fly over, get to the island in the middle. Hop up, climb the tree, last hollow on the right branch. You can’t miss it.”

The Ghibli nodded and flew away.

Golden Spark went through his scrolls, searching for the ones on battle plans. He looked nervously at the young Ghibli. “Um, hear you go, dear.” Golden Spark handed a few scrolls. “That should do you good.”

The Ghibli skimmed through. “Thank you for your time.” The Ghibli kneeled and padded away. Golden spark smiled. “What a polite one. Bowing and saying thank you. He didn’t even barge in! Just knocked, and quietly opened the door. Of course, I still can’t give him the most important battle plans, right?” Golden Spark looked through the papers again.

“Wait a minute…oh no!” His glasses flew off as he leapt back, realizing he gave the wrong battle plans. “Oh no oh no oh no! I’ve got to tell the High Arsonos! I must pray to the Volcano gods and tell them what I’ve done! For good measure, I should sacrifice to the Volcano and maybe even through a pinch of salt behind me! Curse on thee whom finds out what thy battle plans mean!”

Next Chapter: Chapter Six: "THE PROPHECY AEREIS"

Previous Chapter: Chapter Four: "THE GOLDEN FUR OF NORSKOGG"