Silvertongue

Chapter Two

I continue reading for a while.

It's a Saturday, so I don't have homework I need to rush to do. I can always cram that stuff in tomorrow night.

Books are the priority, not homework. As a result, I've gotten quite excellent at doing homework fast and efficiently, and I know how to gauge the minimum effort required to get a good grade.

Dustfinger intercepted Meggie and Mo trying to leave unnoticed...

Dustfinger explained who Capricorn was to Meggie...

Dustfinger took out Gwin for Meggie to look at... Gwin, the little horned marten.

Subconsciously, I start to whisper the words as I read them.

"'This is Gwin'..."

Before I even realize I've started reading out loud, I've finished the passage. I hear an angry chattering noise behind me.

My head snaps around to face whatever it was. And I stare.

Gwin.

It has to be Gwin. A small furry animal with a bushy bottle-brush tail.

Gwin is crouching on my bed, his fur bristling, and he's gnashing his teeth. I reach out to him, and he bites at me. Right...Gwin will bite even Dustfinger. Farid will be the only exception, but Gwin hasn't met him yet.

I wonder if he ever will.

This is the second book from which Gwin has been pulled.

I wonder how Dustfinger will react to this.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I can do it.

I can read things out of books.

I just read Gwin out of a book. But I have no idea what to do with him. If he won't at least let me handle him, I don't know what to do.

I can't exactly just set him free. If a person were to catch him, his horns would set him in an unpleasant situation - people would be fascinated and he'd be put on display or in a lab.

I can't let that happen. I want to get Gwin back to Dustfinger somehow, someway, sometime, preferably now.

I'll figure that out somehow. I can write something to send him back into Inkheart. I'm sure I can. On top of reading and rushing through homework, I also fit some idle writing into my incredibly packed lifestyle.

I only hope the story doesn't change like Fenoglio's Inkheart did when Dustfinger, Basta, and Capricorn left.

I hope it's still the same as before I read Gwin out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For reasons that should be obvious, I find myself unable to read - or do much at all - the rest of that day.

I can only stare at Gwin, perched on the edge of my bed. He hasn't moved from that spot, and I'm not quite sure why.

Every so often I reach a hand slowly, gently, towards Gwin, and every time he snaps at my hand.

Eventually I lay my hand on the bed and inch it forward slowly. I leave it in one place for a few minutes, then move it just a tiny bit in Gwin's direction.

This approach seems to work. Gwin pays no attention to my hand slowly inching toward him.

The moment I get close enough to touch him, Gwin shoots my hand a suspicious look, but he doesn't move away.

Did I read him here imperfectly? Is he not able to move? Is there some sort of problem with him?

No...he lets me stroke the silky fur covering him. He doesn't seem to mind.

At least, any more than I'd expect. He's still glaring at me.

After about a minute if enduring being petted, Gwin jumps down from my bed and starts padding around the room. He appears to be looking for something.

Probably Dustfinger.

I have to get him back.

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NOTE FROM AUTHOR
Well THAT was a wierd chapter to write. Is it wierd to read?

I repeat, IF YOU HAVE NOT READ INKHEART. YOU MUST DO SO.
This story will not make much sense if you haven't read it.