Submission (#6175) Approved

“Would you stop pacing around? You’re making me nervous.”

Cinders voice was soft and barely understandable due to the high winds and the rustling of the leaves. Greywinds ears twitched, as he heard his partner's voice and he let out a soft growl.

“What is taking them so long?” Annoyance and impatience were both more than present in his tone and he kept prowling around Cinder. His tail whipped through the air and Greywinds long hair floated around his ankles while his gaze pierced the wooden door in front of them.

“Why are you so stressed, love? We’re just here for some research. Please. … come here~” Cinder got up and blocked Greywind, before the older one could say anything, and he lovingly nudged his face against Greywinds fluffy cheeks. “It’s alright”, he whispered softly and closed his amber eyes, while forcing the other one to take a deep breath and calm down. “They are opening the library just for us today, I’m sure they are just making sure everything is in order, so we won’t need any help.”

Greywind just growled, while Cinder softly chuckled. He wasn’t sure why he was so on edge today. Maybe because it was the lack of sleep, maybe it was the region. They hadn’t been in Ealei for long, and they only arrived in Skyhaven two days ago. Something about being high up in a tree and not on solid ground just didn’t agree with Greywind. He loved the wind and the sea, but it was still a weird feeling to basically live in the giant branches of Yggdrasil. It made him miss Strynhalde even more, but sadly he wouldn’t get any information that he needed there.

No.

That’s why he and Cinder traveled all the way to Ealei and now tried to have a few hours of research for themselves - provided the Elnin responsible for the library would let them in.

Which Greywind started to seriously doubt.

But just as he was about to lose hope, he heard how the doors were unlocked and looked up.

“Sorry for the wait!” A beige and red elnin chirped as they opened up the doors. “We had to clear up some lost books and it took longer than we thought. But everything is good to go now and you’re welcome to spend the day here. If you have any questions, just let us know - we’re in the archives down below and if you holler, we will hear you. … probably.”

Greywinds eyebrow raised automatically as he heard these weirdly non-reassuring words, but Cinder didn’t seem to mind at all and headed inside,Greywind swiftly following on his heels.
As he stepped into the library nestled within the massive trunk of a towering ancient tree, a sense of deep respect washed over him; it felt so completely different than the rest of the village. The library turned out to be a hidden gem in the heart of the village, a place where resident Elnins and visitors alike sought out solace in the embrace of nature and knowledge.

The entrance, carved into the tree's bark, was adorned with intricate wooden carvings of owls, leaves, and books. A softly glowing lantern hung above the door, inviting the pair inside. The rich, earthy scent of aged paper and the gentle rustling of leaves filled the air as Greywind crossed the threshold. Inside, the cozy scene unfolded before their eyes and Greywind felt a little overwhelmed; it was so much to take in. The library was a warm, snug haven, with walls lined floor-to-ceiling with bookshelves made of dark, polished wood. The shelves curved and winded with the contours of the tree, creating intimate nooks and crannies filled with books of all sizes and colors. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled patterns on the rusty wooden floor below.

“Wow~” Cinder let out a sound of awe, as he wandered further into the library, while Greywind lingered a little longer near the entrance, taking it all in. His white eyes observed the room, looking for anything that might be dangerous, while at the same time searching for all the other entrances and doorways. The book-keeper nin was already on his way out again, Greywind just saw the tip of his red plush tail vanish behind a corner and down a spiral staircase. “Alright then…”, he mumbled to himself and carefully stepped forward.

In the center of the room, a large, plush rug woven from the finest tree mosses sprawled out, adorned with oversized floor cushions covered in soft, earth-toned fabrics. A small fireplace, carved from the tree's heartwood, crackled with a gentle fire, casting a soft, amber glow. The flames danced hypnotically, and Greywind couldn't help but feel the library's warmth seeping into his very soul. He suddenly felt more at home than all the days before, and he finally eased up. This place just invited him to spend hours upon hours researching everything he needed. He could already spot Cinder wandering through the bookshelves, with his Pomu on his back, grabbing books they needed.
Greywind decided to search in the other direction and look for anything that might be of help. He wasn’t exactly sure what he needed, but a lot of different things could be helpful. The libraries in the other regions weren’t that helpful, so coming to Ealei was their last option to do proper research. Greywind was wondering what it would be like to achieve cloud breath. More travels? More adventures? The concept of a breath mutation was quite foreign to him and just as hard to grasp as an actual wisp of air. Hopefully that wasn’t something he needed to do…

After a while he met up with Cinder near some cozy armchairs with knitted blankets. They both had amassed quite the collection, and grinned at each other, as they put down the books and started to sort them by topic. ‘Cloud Breath - a beginners guide’, next to ‘First person reports about breath mutations’ and ‘Cloud and Fire breath - Nothing but hot air?’

“Well, if we don’t find anything in here, I’m literally out of ideas. This is so much, surely something in there will help. We’re at the right place this time.” Greywind looked over to Cinder, who nodded.

"Definitely”, the smaller one agreed, before he let out a small giggle, which caused Greywind to furrow his eyebrows.

“What.”

“Nothing!”

“It’s never ‘nothing’ with you. Spill it.”

“I was just… thinking.”

“Uh-huh…”

Greywinds eyes narrowed and Cinder laughed again. “Well… about the cloud breath! What do YOU think of how you can get it?” Cinder sat down and sorted the books into little towers. Meanwhile, Greywind could feel frustration sneak up on him.
“You know I don’t like theorizing when I can just look it up and find the right answer. That’s… that’s why we’re collecting all these books. To do proper research. And not chase after wild dreams and outrageous ideas.”

“I know… I know. But… let’s just do it anyway. For the fun of it? We’re gonna spend all afternoon here anyway. Might as well.. entertain some insane pipe dreams? Like… What if you have to chase a cloud? Or catch a cloud!” Cinders’ expression changed and his eyes sparkled, and Greywind knew he wouldn’t hear the end of it now.

“And then what? Eat it?” Greywinds tone was deadpan, but Cinder grinned at him.

“Maybe? A cotton candy cloud!”

“You’re being silly.”

“I know. And you’re being too serious and stubborn. Cheer up!”

“I don’t think tha- UFF!”

A sudden, well placed pillow shut Greywind right up and landed in his face. With a soft ‘thump’ it fell right to the floor, next to Greywinds front paws, as he stared bewildered at his partner, who was already running away, laughing.
“Oh you did not just do that-” The white nin growled with a low voice and sprinted right after the other one, eyes glowing and ears flat, while his tail whipped through the air behind him. The chase was fast and short; Cinder was a bit smaller and nimble and he navigated confidently through the narrow lanes of bookshelves - but he was no match for Greywinds natural hunting instincts. Out of nowhere the white Elnin tackled Cinder; the younger one tumbled and almost fell, but stayed on his paws. “Pah! You wish-” He laughed. “Try har-” The rest of the sentence was left unsaid. Greywind pounced from a bookshelf right onto Cinder and they both rolled over the plush carpet, before Greywind pinned Cinder to the floor.
The smaller one gasped for breath; his head spun and his lungs suddenly felt rather empty.

“Maybe…”, Greywinds voice was dark and soft, “Maybe I’ll get my cloud breath by stealing other elnins breath~” He let out a low sound, somewhere between a growl and a purr, before he softly placed a kiss on Cinders nose; and shifted his whole body weight onto the smaller one, which caused Cinder to let out a strained laugh and bite some of Greywinds’ long hair strands.
“Bold to assume I’d let you do that.”, Cinder croaked with his mouth full of hair, and Greywinds grin turned sharp.
“Is that so? Well.. then.. let me think. Maybe~ … maybe… I have to hold my breath until my Beloved stops bullying me for being too grim. Or I’ll have to spend a whole year in the highest treetops of Ealei, all by myself… no one else… just me and the sound of silence. No Cinders allowed.”
“Who said you’d have to be alone up there?” Cinder leaned into Greywinds little mindgame, which threw the bigger one for a loop.
“What?”
“I said… who decided you have to spend that time alone?” Cinders voice changed, and he suddenly sounded sincere. “Don’t make a fool of yourself, Greywind. Whatever you have to do, I’ll be right there with you, by your side. I am not letting you do this alone. And if that means we’re spending one year in solitude high above the clouds, so be it. You can’t get rid of me that easily, got it?”

Suddenly it was Greywind who felt like the air was getting thinner, while his stomach was in knots. A warm feeling rushed through his whole body, and his gaze softened.

“Got it.”