It's chaos, as it always is in the morning.

Brightsting is perched in the rafters of our high-ceiling classroom, talking to her rattlesnake Itamar, who I really wish would bite her.

Comedy is laying on his back with his wings spread, snoring loudly. For someone who flaunts his royal status, he's not very good at showing it.

Falcon and Panther are standing on their desks, planning a race or something for O.E.

Hippo and Polar are both sitting quietly, shooting covert glances at Prof. Toad as if to say, "Hey, look at me, I'm doing the right thing".

And as for me? I'm up in the rafters, too. I grin slyly, reaching up to tap the silver ball embedded above my eye. Tap, tap, and I'm gone.

I'm not really gone, of course. I'm still there... But invisible. Useful spell, ay?

Finally P.T. straightens and yells, "Enough!" Everyone startles. Brightsting falls off the rafters and into her chair. She lands on Itamar, who somehow still does not bite her. Growl.

Comedy jumps up, glances around wildly, and yells, "NO, I wasn't asleep!" Idiot.

Falcon and Panther stiffen and slide into their seats.

Hippo and Polar shrink but shoot smug glances at everyone else.

And I stay in the rafters, smiling to myself.

Prof. notices. Fanning out his humongous dark brown wings, he says in a voice that just manages to stay calm, "Where is Beech?" The class glances around, their eyes sliding right over me. Ha!

"Knowing Beech, she's probably halfway to Pantala by now," Comedy joked- badly. You did read my little guide, right? His jokes are terrible. The name is ironic. I groaned inwardly at the prospect of him launching into some kind of joke tirade. 

Panther did his disappearing trick. Since his scales are always a bit dark, though, I could still see what appeared to be a shadow along the walls. I suppose he thinks he'll startle me out of my hiding place.

Falcon frowned, slowly looking around. "Are spells locked?" he asked logically. In the mornings, the campus is always protected from new spells. No one can cast any. But, of course, I enchanted my ball this morning, before arriving. Hippo blinked slowly, his lanky wings spreading. Slowly, he flew up to the rafters and turned, his eyes settling on me... or rather the spot where he had seen me last. I bit back a growl. Of course, not caught up in the chaos of everything, he would have noticed me suddenly disappear.