Chapter 5

Nutty Zaltana sat on a vine-covered branch far above the forest dwellings and stared down at her cousin on the jungle floor. Yelena seemed happier than usual, and had been in an excellent mood these past few days. Even now, while Walnut was talking to her, she managed to keep a smile on her face.

Nutty didn't know why Yelena was suddenly so much more cheerful. Nothing had happened in the clan, as far as she knew, and Yelena wasn't going to be doing anything special anytime soon. Then, as if some higher being wanted Nutty's curiousity to be satisfied, the mail cart arrived.

People walked towards it nonchalantly and Nutty coudln't help but notice that Yelena was one of the first people that reached it. Her cousin received her envelope and her face lit up happily with a smile as she hurried to the privacy of her room to read her letter. Nutty nodded her head sagely. That was why. Something suspicious was going on.

Who was she writing to? Nutty wondered for the first time as she strolled towards the cart and retrieved her own letter. Her correspondent was an Ixian soldier named Janco, who happened to like inventing rhymes while he fought to establish an inner rhythm. Nutty shook her head as she thought about him. Ixians were so strange.

Opening her letter, Nutty read about Janco's latest fight against some novice soldiers and laughed as she read his rhyme about novices with clumsy feet and bad balance (don't ask me how he managed to rhyme that!). Nutty frowned as she read his last paragraph.

Lately, I've noticed that one of the best fighters in our complex has been acting very strangely. He usually has a very strong personality that scares people whereever he goes. Definitely scares me (but not enough for me to stop bothering my friend, Ari). But these past few weeks he's been acting...different. He spends a lot of time reading a piece of paper that I've never gotten a good look at and he's been more...cheerful? Perhaps that's the wrong word. I would say that he's less intimidating. Now, why would that happen?

-Janco

P.S. Can you help me think of a rhyme for 'thick-headed idiot'?

Nutty pondered this as she walked to her room. Whipping out her quill, she quickly composed a reply.

Dear Janco,

Thank you for the poem...even if I had trouble understanding it. It must have been really hard finding rhymes for those words.

It must be a really strange coincidence because my cousin is also acting like your intimidating...whatever he is. I'm inclined to believe that they're both besotted with someone. Preferably someone we don't know. It's the only explanation! Let's make a deal: ask this fighter about what's going on and I'll ask my cousin. We'll compare stories in our next letter.

Today, I finally beat my cousin (the really mean-spirited one that hates women that can fight that I told you about) with the bow. I thought you'd like to hear about that. I used that trick you told me about and I was finally able to stop his sexist, not to mention mean, comments! It felt so good to prove him wrong after all his years of teasing me.

Back to your fighter...I've just remembered that you described him as intimidating. You're probably going to balk at my deal, aren't you? Luckily, I know you well enough to know you would never turn down a challenge. So... I challenge you to ask him, even if he's the Commander. And I know you won't lie, because it's something you would never do...would you?

Can't wait until I get down to the bottom of this mess!

-Nutty

P.S. May I ask who the thick headed idiot is first?

Quickly stuffing the letter in the envelope and hurrying toward the mail cart before it left, Nutty saw Yelena doing the exact same thing. Interesting.

"So, who's your correspondent?" Nutty asked casually as they walked back to the main dwelling.

"Hmmm...?" Yelena looked up absentmindedly and shook her head as if she had been thinking about something important.

"Who're you writing to?"

"Oh...an Ixian..."

Nutty stopped and gave her cousin an exasperated stare. "Obviously."

"Well, I know that the first letter of his name is V...and he can fight."

"Wait...so you don't actually know his name?" Nutty frowned at this tidbit. How strange.

"I didn't want to tell him mine and he didn't volunteer his, so we both don't know the other's name."

Nutty's face fell. If she didn't even know his name..."Well, how do you feel about him?"

"What do you mean?" Yelena frowned at her. "He's a correspondent that I have to write to. What is there to feel about him?" Without looking back, she turned and walked away. In times of stress, she would always return to her favourite tree, a large, century old giant that had many roots to sit comfortably on and high branches to look out over the land. Yelena climbed up to the highest point and sighed.

She wished what she had told Nutty was true. In fact, it probably was true, and she was just worrying too much as always. Yelena shook that thought away and returned to thinking about V.

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