Journal Logs

Journal Log, Ester 

I saw a new Paralogos today. It was just for a moment, a glimpse of an escaping tail, a thud of claws on the dry soil and a feel of a magic trail behind them. The Paralogos around here are always shy at first, but I’m sure I will see them again one day. And when they decide to visit us once again, there will be a book waiting for them and an empty shelf for a new Paralogos collection.

I have come to admire these creatures over the past few years. When I was still young and travelled around the world of Lingua, I have occasionally spotted Paralogos from afar, but have never taken too much interest in them. Not until I've settled in this old building and met Vlčí Mak. 

I remember it like it was yesterday. I was just wandering around trying to breathe some fresh air, which is always impossible in a polluted area. That’s one of the reasons I tried to settle further away from humans, near the mountains and a little patch of what was left of nature. I was lost in thought when I saw them. I didn't recognise the Paralogos shape at first, they were just a bundle of shivering shapes and colours. I wondered what had made this creature so distressed and so I recklessly approached them. 

I didn't understand what I saw at first, just some withered plants under the Paralogos' claws. It's not very uncommon to see only withered and dying life around here, this plant was no exception. But then I noticed. The flower's withered petals had the faded colour that was the exact same as the flower on the Paralogos' crest and tail, the greyish green surely the green of this Paralogos' glowlights. This dying plant must have been their word focus. And of course, there was an encyclopedia of plants next to the Paralogos’ tail, opened on a page about poppies. The exact same poppies that lay withered in front of this creature. However, the page was written in a strange language, one that I have not encountered before, some letters completely unknown to me.

I didn't know what to do. I have never approached a Paralogos before, let alone one in so much pain. And so I did what I knew best. I hugged them and comforted them, petting their back and trying to quietly shhh them. To my surprise, their skin wasn't smooth as I'd expected. It was soft, almost fluffy, like a furry animal. But how could that be? This Paralogos was based on a poppy, wasn't it?

I was very clueless back then. But this was the moment that changed everything. Vlčí Mak changed everything. 

I took them back to my place, my old building that had no purpose. Vlčí Mak gave it purpose. We built a library, full of books in various languages, each one sorted neatly into its shelf. We've created a community, many Paralogos visit our library, sometimes even humans, mostly researchers. I now have an apprentice, Nakuset, with their own Paralogos friends and their own part of the library. I have learned a lot about this strange language since then. Vlčí Mak has taught me. I have come to understand that their word is just one type of poppy, one that's called Wolf Poppy in their encyclopedia. That’s the reason for their subtle fur and little wolf-like fangs and claws.

I have met so many more Paralogos with their word focus in this language, surely because I've started collecting books in it and tried to study it myself. Some of them stayed, some of them left. Just like Plamienka, a frequent visitor of our library. I find her a bit possessive of this language, she likes to collect books in it and hide them in her secret stash. I know she sometimes borrows mine and keeps them for herself, never to return back to me. I don't mind, of course, she might take some, but she'll never take those close to our hearts. She's not cruel after all, she’s just taken interest in a language almost no one understands. How could I take that from her when it makes her so happy?

I still do not fully understand this language, not like the Paralogos do, but I'm learning. I enjoy this new chapter of my life, just a life of quiet and peace, coexisting with these fascinating creatures and learning. I have Vlčí Mak to thank for that. They help me run the library, they help me in our garden, they give me energy to move forward. They might not know, but they have changed my life in so many good ways and I'll be forever thankful for that. 

Thank you, Vlčí Mak. For everything.

End of Journal Log