First Impressions

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Library

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Library

Hazel fell into a routine at Kamar-Taj. She rose with the sun and attended breakfast at eight with the rest of the students. From there, she had a couple classes throughout the day and two more meals provided to her. In her free time, she wandered, mostly, talking to plants and orienting herself around the place. Spellcasting and spell theory classes were part of her daily schedule. After that, it was to the library with her; she needed more information on these Guests of hers. She gave the shelves a cursory look before approaching the librarian.

"Can you tell me where I could find bestiaries, please?"

The man looked up and gave her a curt smile. She hoped she wasn't bothering him.

"You're Hazel," he greeted. "The Ancient One has told me about you."

"Yeah... and, you are?"

"Wong," he introduced himself. He led her to a table with a small stack of books already on it. "I assume you're here to identify your... Guests." He glanced at her. "So I collected a few bestiaries covering things native to American territories. I wasn't sure what exactly we're looking for."

"Would it help if I had pictures?" Hazel asked. Wong looked surprised.

"It would," he nodded, and Hazel began fishing in her bag. "You've been able to take pictures of these Guests? All of them?"

"Well, I drew them," Hazel replied a bit sheepishly, setting a worn sketchbook on the table and flipping it open. "I know it's not as good as a photograph, but it'll give us an idea."

Wong thumbed through a few loose pages that she'd folded between the pages of her own collection. She wasn't the most talented artist he'd seen, but her sketches and paintings were adequately detailed for identifying the subjects.

"No, this is perfect," he nodded to her and began searching for matching entries in one of the library's bestiaries. Hazel moved to do the same. After a few minutes of carrying on like this, Wong found a beast in Hazel's book that he recognized.

"These must be a Poyavlyashka, or 'Appearling,'" Wong said as he looked over one of Hazel's drawings. The subject looked like a pile of leaves with pale, thin legs sticking out beneath. "Bormot recorded sightings of similar beasts. We should have it."

"Where can I find it?" Hazel was the first to push away from the table.

"Last row, to the left," Wong directed, appeased to see that she was so eager to help. However, before he sent her out to retrieve a book on her own, he gave her a stern glare. "If any harm comes to these books, even the Ancient One couldn't protect you."

Hazel bobbed her head. "Don't worry. I'd hang me if I damaged a book."

He nodded in approval as she turned on her heel to search the area. She wandered quietly, peering at the tall shelves in wonder. She found a collection of bestiaries from different countries and eras, but she couldn't bear to settle for the ones on the lower shelves; Bormot's Bestiary found itself on a high shelf just out of her reach. Hazel stretched and jumped until another voice startled her.

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