The Scholar and the Fool

It was cold. Snow blanketed the destroyed city, coating what was left of civilization in a pale sheen. It was almost picturesque, postcard worthy, at least from a distance. There was a strange lump in the middle of one of the streets. The snow almost seemed to glow with fire from the inside, despite it not melting away. Snow began to fall lightly again and the lump remained where it was, seemingly unbothered. However as it shifted from snow to hail it began to twitch and move about. The snow fell away from the brown and glowing red scales of Gourd. She bellowed, snapping her teeth together with a snap (and an annoyed grumble), as she pulled herself to her feet. It hadn't been the best hiding spot to begin with, not a single critter had come close enough to hunt. (She'd blame it on the weather, it couldn't possible be her glowing!) She flinched each time a piece of hail hit her and her tail thrashed, shoving snow to either side of the street. Gourd narrowed her eyes as she peered through the blizzard at the buildings on each side of the snow covered street. 

 

Anything was better than being exposed, she thought as she headed for the closest building. The door was long gone but she still had to duck beneath the frame to enter. Despite her annoyance at not being full grown most days, Gourd was pleased to be able to fit easily enough. A sound, not unlike a purr, rumbled through her throat. 

 

The floorboards creaked beneath her clawed feet which each step she took deeper into the building. It had been the gift shop of a museum once, cabinets and cases now sat empty like long abandoned bones. Gourd stopped to poke around, pushing an old cash register to the ground with a thud. The floor, long rotted, broke from the impact. That would have been fascinating to our brown and red lizard, had she not heard a sound from the next room. She swung herself toward the sound, grumbling, her tail swiping out behind her and knocking over the remnants of a display. It fell to the ground, shattering, and the sounds from somewhere deeper continued.

 

She wasn't alone.

 

She passed behind what was once a check out counter, shoving her way through another destroyed doorway. She followed the muttering and creaking floorboards, remaining as silent as she feasibly could. Which truthfully wasn't much when the floor made the same sounds beneath her own steps. The sounds grew quieter, dulled almost, and as Gourd came to the final room she realized why. The floor was carpeted, mostly, and the other dinosaur was ducked down inspecting something on the ground. 

 

Gourd squeezed into the room and was about to leap into action when the other dinosaur turned to her suddenly. "Check this out," the pale feathered lizard said and Gourd's annoyance (and hunger) dissipated immediately. She cocked her head, lumbering closer to the smaller dinosaur. "What do you think it is?" Wicke asked, picking it up in one of her clawed hands. Gourd snorted, the warm air from her nostril turning to steam immediately upon hitting the cold air.

 

"It's a BONE," Gourd replied incredulously with a roll of her fiery eyes. Wicke squinted up at her, "Obviously," she said before throwing the tiny bone over her shoulder and diving back into things she had found. "Why are they arranged like this? I assume you don't do this to your...meals," Wicke said, gesturing toward the displays of standing bones. Her last few words trailed off, as if she was suddenly aware that there was someone with far more teeth than her in the room. 

 

"I'm not going to eat you," Gourd said flatly, dropping her haunches as she sat on the floor, curling her long tail around her as much as she could. Wicke seemed relieved but did not say anything in response, instead she turned back to the bones. "And no, I don't," Gourd added, looking up at the arrangements that had somehow lasted against she test of time. Well, some of them at least. Others had fallen apart, laying in piles in their displays. Gourd, having had plenty of experience with bones and finding it terribly boring, stood back up and headed into the adjoined room. Now this was more interesting!

 

"What's this?" Gourd asked and Wicke scurried over, practically running. She was far different than Gourd was. Gourd was more brawn than brain. Wicke was more brain. She was intelligent, and curious. And though Gourd was also questioning things, she was far more interested in the suit of armor that glowed red when she got close. Like jingling keys for a baby, she was attracted by the colors. If the suit of armor had been sparkling and clean like the day it was forged and she'd have been able to see her reflection it would have frozen her in place and rooted her to the spot for hours.

 

Wicke took a spot next to her very unlikely friend and peeked past her to look at the armor. It was old and weathered by time, parts of it had fallen away in a pile at the base. "I...don't know." Wicke admitted which was surprisingly hard for her to admit. Wicke didn't really know what much of anything was in the musuem, but she didn't like not knowing. If it had been any other circumstance Wicke might have made up a story to explain what it was but Gourd's trusting (and somewhat foolish) nature had the Pachycephalosaurus wanting to be honest. Gourd's gaze flicked to her and Wicke gulped, even if Gourd had said she wasn't going to eat her the focus of Gourd's beady eyes on her was still uncomfortable. Wicke straightened up, looking at the suit again and trying to ignore the looming closeness of Gourd's teeth. 

 

"What do you think is in the next room?" Gourd asked, filling the awkward silence. Wicke smiled, eyes darting to the doorway behind them, "should we find out?" 

 

"Yes," Gourd replied and the pair delved deeper into the museum to explore, hoping to find wonders and sate their curiosities.