The Turtle Bowl (Discontinued)

Chapter 3

Luna sat to the side while Cricket explained to the rapt Pyrrhians everything that had had happened with the flamesilks, the LeafWings, Queen Wasp's mind control, and the book of Clearsight. Leaning against the wall next to Blue's chrysalis, she ignored it every time that Luna looked to her to tell her part-which was annoyingly often. Apparently hanging out with my brother hasn't  improved her ability to appreciate boundaries, Luna thought. Shocker.

Still, by the time Cricket was telling them about breaking into the Library to get the Book of Clearsight, Luna was listening closely. There hadn't exactly been a lot of time to chat when Luna joined them, and even she hadn't heard all the details.

"Wait," Moon interrupted. "I know who Clearsight is, but what is a book?"

"It's-hm." Cricket seemed at a loss for words, and Luna knew how she felt-how do you describe a book? "It's paper, with a lot of writing on it-you guys write, right? And they can hold facts or tell stories, or you can write on a blank one."

"Oh," Moon said excitedly. "Like a scroll?" Qibli grinned as her eyes lit up.

"Um, yeah," Cricket confirmed, exchanging a confused look with Luna. "But no one has used them since a few years after Clearsight arrived. Then we started binding the pages."

Moon looked almost as happy as Kinkajou at this. "Can I see one?"

Cricket looked at Luna, who shrugged. So she handed the Book of Clearsight to the NightWing. Moon held it reverently, holding the book to her snout and inhaling deeply before carefully opening it. Luna watched, a little bemusedly, and hoped that Moon didn't get a paper cut in the nose.

"You guys really don't have books?" Cricket asked, seeming stuck on that fact. "Even those hairless monkeys had books..."

"Wait, did you say..." Kinkajou raised an eyebrow at Qibli, who tore his eyes off Moon and the Book (which he was trying to read over her shoulder) to grin back. "Hairless monkeys? About this tall? No tails, a little fur on their heads, wearing cloths?" he asked Cricket.

Cricket tilted her head at him. "Yes, that's it exactly. How did you know?"

"We have them in Pyrrhia, too. They're called scavengers." He turned to Moon and Kinkajou. "Oh Moons, Winter is going to flip."

Luna was glad he used that phrase, because she needed a reminder that they came from the same planet. "You're going to flip a season?"

"Winter is one of our friends. He's an IceWing," Qibli explained. When Luna continued to look blankly at him, Kinkajou turned herself a chilly blue, pointed the ruff near her ears so they looked like spikes, and huffed like she was offended. "SURELY you've heard of ME," she said in a deep voice. "I'm QUEEN Glacier's NEPHEW!"

Qibli and Moon laughed. "Yes, exactly like that."

Luna shrugged, taking their word for it.

"Mind, please don't tell him I said that," Kinkajou half-jokingly begged. "He'd probably kill me, or at the very least not let me visit his scavenger sanctuary, which sounds VERY cute."

But Luna was still stuck on the first word. Mind. Moon hadn't told Cricket about her powers yet. Why? Does she not trust Cricket for some reason? Or is there some other reason?

In fact, Moon did seem to be studying Cricket, looking puzzled. Watching her, Luna couldn't help wondering, Can we trust these strange dragons?

Luna tried to shake off her disturbed feelings. I'm probably just tired. After all, she told me about her powers, and they all seem to be nothing but friendly so far. Maybe she just...forgot?

Turning to look at Moon again, she realized that the black dragon was looking at her now, her green eyes a little hurt. Wow, that's really creepy. Moon visibly flinched, and Luna mentally slapped herself. What do you expect, she has mind reading and you were thinking about her. Luna gave her a sheepish smile and thought SORRY! at her. Moon shrugged, half-smiling and spreading her talons like it happens. Then she turned to face the others again.

Well, THAT'S one of the weirdest 'conversations' I've ever had.

Hey, Moon? Don't you THINK you have something to tell Cricket? , Luna thought in the NightWing's direction, wondering if the pun transferred with the message.

Moon smiled at her, then looked more seriously at Cricket, seeming to study her as if looking for something. "Cricket, could I please see your glasses for a moment?" she said finally.

"Huh?" Cricket said, surprised. "I guess, but why?"

Moon held the spectacles, looking at them closely, then handed them back to the HiveWing. Qibli's eyes widened. "Are they-"

"Yep," Moon confirmed. "Cricket, I think I know why you don't get mind controlled by Queen Wasp." (Author's Note: When I started this fanfiction, I assumed that Queen Wasp's mind control was just her special HiveWing power, and since it was related to the mind came from NightWing powers, and based my solution around this. Spoiler Alert: I was wrong. However, that is the basis of my whole story, so please pretend that that is it. Thank you. Also sorry that I have not updated in a really long time and that my updates are so short, I have trouble coming up with filler in between all the big moments that I want to hit.)

"Really?" Cricket said, excited but incredulous. Luna raised a brow, wondering how the NightWing had come up with an explanation so quickly. Did she have a vision?

"Your glasses are made of something we call Skyfire. You know, that comet from a bit ago?"

Cricket nodded. "That was so cool, like a fourth moon or something."

"Yeah. Well, it turns out that skyfire can block mind reading powers. Luna, here, you can have some right now." She pulled out the magic bowl, but Cricket stopped her. "Wait, wait, wait, WHAT? You can't just give me half an explanation like that!"

"If Moon is thinking what I think she's thinking, skyfire might have the ability to block any sort of NightWing-y mind intrusion," Qibli explained. "No offence to present NightWing."

"None taken," Moon said offhandedly. "Can I borrow your skyfire for a second? I need to make some more for Luna?"

"Of course, here."

Wow, Luna thought. He must really trust her, to just give her his protection. Then she saw how he looked at her, and the way his talons brushed hers as he gave her the skyfire. OK, maybe he more than trusts her.

I wonder if I'll ever trust these dragons that much.

If Moon heard that, she didn't react. She dropped it into the bowl and whispered "Twice as much, please." Luna's mouth fell open at this new piece of magic.

"OK, SOMEONE TELL ME HOW THAT HAPPENED!" Cricket exclaimed.