A Starless Earth

Lions, and Tigers, and Kangela?

Claire stared nervously at Foscor.

"Are they as dangerous as they sound?"

Foscor deeply inhales, choosing his next words carefully.

"I am not sure. I was dormant for many years in a mountain up north, but what I can reveal is they are truly a force to be reckoned with."

Claire brought the journal back to her and flipped furiously through the pages.

"Young one, you cannot understand the text."

"I know, but there has to be something here. A picture, a drawing ... anything," Claire muttered.

It was though by magic, the next page Claire turned had a crudely drawn depiction of a creature with woman-like features. Just like previous entries had stated, the creature had flowing black hair with streaks of gray dancing throughout, shading her face. A dark silk cloak was strewn over her shoulders, providing a sense of anonymity that the rest of the features lacked.

"Here!" Claire yelled, thrusting the book in Foscor's nose.

"Ah, I see," Foscor said, looking away nervously.

"What's wrong?"

"Oh it's nothing, just growing hungry is all."

"So go eat," Claire said smugly, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I just might, but you need to promise you will not leave the tower."

"There's no door, dummy head, of course I won't leave."

With a final glare, Foscor pumped his massive wings and flew toward the horizon.

Claire's arms gripped at her stomach as it released a deep growl.

"Guess I'm hungry too," Claire muttered into the empty room.

Fatigued and starving, the young girl shuffles over to a chest pressed against the fractured paint of the wall. She throws the lid open, tossing thousands of dust particles into the air. It's empty except for a single bright yellow banana sitting in the center. Unlike everything else in the tower, the banana is ripe and free of the invasive cobwebs. 

Another growl tears through the lining of her stomach, urging her to stop questioning the food.

"Fine," she spits towards the chest, "I'll eat your weird gift."

She plops down on the mattress and begins to open her meal. She shakily bites into its tender flesh, relishing in the sweet aroma. Satisfied, her eyes softly close, allowing her to enjoy every single bite.

"Do you like it?" an anonymous voice questions.

Claire's eyes snap open, darting around the room to identify the source.

A young girl sitting upon the chest awkwardly waves her hand in the air.

"It was from me. I mean it's technically from us, but that's a lot to explain s—"

"W-Who are you? How did you even get in here?" Claire interjects.

"Oh yes, I should've started with that. I," She says, gesturing to her chest," am Midori, youngest member of a coven named Phoenix Star. As to how I got in here, I climbed in through the window. It wasn't exactly the hardest thing in the world, ya know."

Claire stares blankly at the stranger. Unlike the photos from earlier, her hair is stick straight, donning a burnt auburn color that played throughout the silky strands, glittering in the candle light.

"I know, I know, it's a lot to take in, but I could tell you why I'm here, if that would help ease the tension."

Claire's silver hair bounces about as she quickly nods her head.

"Well, after Sugroim never returned back to his station, word spread that a dragon attacked this village. It's kinda part of my training to investigate this stuff."

Midori swiftly stands on top of the chest, her hands coming down to rest on her narrow hips.

'I am the auxilium trainee!" She yells with gusto.

"And what does that mean?"

"Well I mean technically I don't have my powers yet. So I just get to investigate safe scenarios like this one. Like everyone knows dragons don't exist, so therefore—no threat," Midori recalls, her face falling into a frown.

A silence settles in the room and the young girl resumes her cross-legged position.

"So when do you get your powers?" Claire asks.

"I was supposed to get them when I was thirteen, had the ceremony and everything, but I'm somewhat of a late bloomer I guess."

"How old are you now?"

"Fifteen. But as I was saying, the coven sent me here on a routine check up. 'Just make sure the Kangela are safe'," Midori quotes, rolling her eyes.

"Kangela?"

"You're not from around here, are you?"

Claire shakes her head.

"Um, they're kind of hard to describe ... pink and fluffy I guess? We harvest them for their magical healing qualities. It's what the coven survives off of in times of need, hence why I was sent to make sure they're okay. Have you seen any around here?"

"Not that I know of"

"Me either ... Shit. High Priestess is going to have my ass if I tell her they're gone."

The two stare at each other for a while, thinking of ways to break the news.

"Well, I could always help you look for them," Claire finally suggests.

"Oh totally! You can just go out the door and I'll climb back down."

"One problem—the door is gone, but I could climb with you! I have tons of experience climbing tre—"

Midori sighs, her body slumping toward the ground.

"I was hoping you didn't come in through the door."

Claire's eyebrows furrow.

"It's well known that anyone who enters the tower, can only leave when they're ready," Midori says.

"Well I'm ready now, let's go!"

"But the tower doesn't think you are Claire ... I'm afraid you'll have to stay here."

"I'm tired of staying here! It's the same bland stone, the same dust, the same everything. I need to get out ... Please help me," Claire pleads.

"There's nothing I can do, kid."
Once again, a silence blankets the room.

"I'll tell ya what, you can give me a birds-eye view over this field. I'll climb down and you'll just let me know if you see any Kangela running around."

Midori eagerly sticks out her arm, waiting for Claire to accept her proposal.

"I think I'll just stay  ... I won't be much help from up here anyway," Claire glumly says.

Obviously hurt by the rejection, Midori walks over to the windowsill, preparing for the long climb down.

"If you say so."

Sticking one leg out into the open air, Midori  turns to look back at the sullen girl.

"If you ever need anything, just call my name out into the sky. The Julibee birds will carry it back to me and I'll be on my way."

"Okay," Claire sighs.

"See ya around kid."

"Yeah ... see ya around."