Heather tugged on the chain attached to her ankle. It didn't break. Not today, Heather thought, her wings drooping. Maybe tomorrow?

Heather had been on a leash all her life, kept as a pet by her auntie and uncle. She'd been told by her auntie and uncle that her parents had died of an awful disease that had ripped through Hyswæ when she was only a hatchling, and they had taken her in only because they were her closest relatives - and the fact that they could show her off as a fancy pet. 

Sometimes, however, she wondered if it was true, or if she could really trust her mean and cruel auntie and uncle. The only other person she didn't despise was her cousin, Melanie, and she trusted Melanie completely. She was Heather's only friend after all. 

Melanie could teleport. Sometimes her parents would lock her in her room for speaking to Heather or playing with Heather, but as soon as that lock clicked she was back with Heather! She was funny, sometimes when her parents told her to go to her room she acted all sad and depressed like she was never going to see Heather again but then when she teleported back she acted all surprised like she'd never teleported before. It made Heather crack up, big time!

It was early morning, Heather was waiting for Melanie to come and teach her to read. Every morning, at around 5:30 am, Melanie would come to her with a dictionary and teach her the words in it. Then they would try to concur a book with those words in it. Sometimes the books were a breeze, but other times Heather found it quite a challenge!

She heard the quiet click-clack of Melanie's pitch-black boots coming down the hallway. Melanie would never wear any other colour than black or wear any skirts or dresses, almost like a goth.
Melanie came into Heather's room and put down two books on the bed, a dictionary and a strange, mysterious one that Heather couldn't identify. The book was quite thick, which probably meant Melanie had brought something harder than usual for her to read!

"Good morning," Melanie yawned. "Gosh! We really need to change the teaching time!" 

"Morning," Heather replied. Melanie yawned again. It made Heather yawn, which set of a chain reaction of yawns. They both started laughing. Melanie had this big, deep belly laugh and whenever she laughed Heather did too.

"We... should probably... start... the lesson," Melanie managed between guffaws. 

"Yeah," Heather agreed, taking a deep breath. "What are we reading today?"

"Today we are going to read a book that was brought to Hyswæ by an explorer from the planet Earth," Melanie began in her teacher's voice. "It's called 'The Wind in the Willows!'"

"Woah!" Heather gasped, flicking through the pages. "Is it seriously from another planet? Wait up... IT'S IN ANOTHER LANGUAGE?!" 

"Yup!" Melanie said excitedly. "Today we're going to learn the 'English language!'"

"Do you learn the 'English language' at your school?" Heather questioned.

"Sometimes," she replied. "Though rarely. I kinda taught myself."

Heather's mouth dropped open. Melanie ignored her.

"All right let's get to it!"
                                                                                           * * *
"Okay now say; erection. Er-ect-shon." 

"Ere-key-shon," Heather tried.

"Close. Try again; er-ect-shon," Melanie corrected. 

"Er-ect-ion," Heather sounded out the word slowly, then, "erection!"

"Yay! You got it!" Melanie clapped her hands. They had been practising difficult words for a while now and Heather was starting to get the hang of it.

"Do you want me to get you some breakfast?" Melanie asked. "I know I'm hungry! You must be even more hungry. I mean, you barely got any dinner!"

"Yeah, actually, breakfast would be nice," Heather's stomach growled and Melanie burst out laughing. Heather joined in, giggling hysterically. 

Suddenly, Melanie was gone, vanished, teleported. But a second later, she was back, carrying an enormous bowl of porridge, and what seemed to be a plate of eggs, sausages, Powk, and more! The smell that wafted past Heather's nose was wonderful and her mouth started watering. She didn't realise she was drooling until Melanie snorted and burst out laughing again. 

Heather batted Melanie with her wings, but couldn't help laughing too.

"Oi!" Melanie protested. "Stop right now or I won't give you your breakfast!"

Heather immediately stopped batting Melanie with her wings and sat quietly while Melanie plopped some roasted Powk onto her plate.

"Mmmmm!" Heather hummed and tucked into her meal of roast bird. The meat was juicy and delicious.

"Oh! Your chefs cook up a good roast Powk!" she said between mouthfuls.

"Heck yeah, they do!" Melanie agreed.

Heather flicked through the pages of 'The Wind in the Willows.'

"Hey, Mel, what does 'frolic' mean?" she asked.

"Oh, to frolic means to have fun in a lively way, to be happy, to play and bounce around without a care in the world!" Melanie answered, smiling. "You pronounced it well!"

"Thanks," Heather said gloomily. "I wish I could frolic..." 

"Ya know what? One day I'm gonna break that chain around your ankle and then together we'll run away!" Melanie fantasised.

"I wish,"  Heather grumbled under her breath. "I wish."