//------------------------------// // Winter's Spirit // Story: Where The Heart Lies // by Broman //------------------------------// The High Talon Mountains. A place of both beauty and danger. The towering mountains stood tall at over fourteen thousand feet and ranged for many miles. The highest peaks resembled that of Gryphon talons jetting out into the air. At least, they did to the Gryphons. The local Prench believed them to be created by strong deities who battled among the mountain range long ago. Even from a distance they were imposing, resembling and sometimes mistaken for grand rolling hills. Up close, the mighty stone and earth looked far more menacing, yet all the same filled with much grandeur. Despite its size and appearance, within the mountain range was a magnificent sight to behold. The mountain range was littered with many paths and tall trees that covered the base. Any weary traveler caught in it would be in a maze of treacherous paths and long forgotten roads. Those foreign to its soil who dared go through would be lucky enough to make it out of those creeping woods. However, despite the mystery and danger on the surface, the grandest of views is looking at it from above. The mountains had numerous canyons, gorges, and massive rivers that flowed through the rough terrain. During the spring and summer seasons, the lands are teeming with life. Lush greens and hues of blue run through the mountains and ravines, where much of the wildlife resided. The sparrows and great eagles would fly high in the mountains, and the wild boars and wolves roamed in the woods below. The sights of this would make any artist grasp just a fraction of the great beauty of these mountains. However, when winter came, the land would change to a much harsher realm. The mountains would be covered in every inch with snow, and the setting suns would only grasp the lands within a few hours of light before turning to darkness once again. The long winding rivers would freeze over, and the waterfalls would be frozen in time. Not yet ready to fall, yet at the same time ready to descend.  The birds would have all flown south to warmer climates, while the hardest animals would find shelter and hibernate through the brutal winters. Those that remained would find it difficult to find any meager meal and proper shelter from the constant storms and harsh winds around the hills. Tonight was no different. The land was covered in snow, and it grew by the feet from the recent storms. The edges of the mountains and the mountain floor below was covered in every inch of winter's embrace. Nothing was touched, nothing was scratched, and no prints disturbed the fresh powered and snow. Upon a nearby slope, however, a body laid upon the snow, creating a deep crater within the fresh powder. The body of an equine which began to stir upon the mountainside. A slow hum of the snow and wind blew across the land. It was all he could hear. Quicksilver opened his eyes, his body numb from the cold. The snow around him was strangely warm to him somehow, and his body seemed to embrace it. He blinked once, his eyes struggling to close and open. A single thought coursed through his mind. I’m alive? He blinked once more, staring at the darkened sky. His eyes widened. I’m ALIVE! His head burst out first from the snow, gasping out for air. He was instantly met with the harsh wind that struck his coat and wings, blowing his mane wildly. He groaned in agony as he pulled himself up from the crater. He hurt everywhere, sore from head to tail, and his body would not stop shaking. When he tried to bring his wings in, he felt they would peel off at any moment from the slicing wind. He collapsed for a moment on top the snow, taking steady breaths. He placed a hoof to his chest, feeling two objects that hung around his neck. Looking down, he saw the stone jewel and the two crystals that stayed on the ground. He heaved out air and lifted himself once more, his legs protesting from the numbing sensation. He shielded his eyes from the wind that slapped his face and threatened to make him fall once again. He lifted a hoof to his face, trying to look at his surroundings. Yet everywhere he looked was pitch black, and he could only discern anything within a few feet in front of him. How far did we fall? he thought, looking up to see the darkened sky above. His mind soon raced upon realization of his missing passenger. “Gretchen!” he called out. His voice was silent upon the raging storm, save a faint echo came back at him. “Gretchen!” he began searching the area around him, looking for any signs of life. “Gretchen! Answer me!” he yelled. Panic began to grow in his mind. Gretchen had helped him so much since his stay, and now her life was in jeopardy because he thought he could- He ignored the last thought. It was not his immediate concern. After a few moments of searching and finding no other crater, he began to dig around himself, hoping by some off chance that her body was just covered in the snow. He dug deep with his hooves, the cold making the edge of his heels chilled and numb, but he ignored the discomfort and kept digging. He dug a few more feet when he felt something under his hooves. A surge of hope went through his body, and he dug deeper into the loose powder and snow, grabbing something that felt like fur. He put his hoof underneath, hoping that what he grabbed was Gretchen underneath. What he pulled up instead was a dead corpse of an elderly thestral. He screamed and fell back, dropping the corpse where it was. He placed a hoof to his chest; he felt his already pumping heart get shot with more adrenaline. He looked back down at the corpse, and saw the elderly face of the lithe thestral and its body laying haphazardly in the snow. Now I know what they did with their bodies, he thought, imagining how high they must have fell. He looked up, and a niggling thought came into his mind of how far they fell and how they managed to survive. Getting back to his hooves, he continued to scavenge the area until he heard something move underneath nearby. Looking at his right, he saw snow crumble to the ground. Even in the darkness, he saw something poke out of the snow. A single talon was sticking out in the air. Gretchen! He immediately went over and began to plow the snow off of her. Relief washed over him like a flame, and his body worked in over time in getting her out of the snow. After a minute of digging, he saw a tuft of feathers sticking out that looked like the back of her head. Being quick, yet delicate, he carefully lowered his teeth until he grasped the feathers in his mouth. Inch by careful inch, he pulled her body out of the blanket of snow. When he saw her face and beak breaking the surface, he used the last of his strength to pull her fully out. Letting go of her feathers, he quickly looked at her body. She was lying still and her eyes were closed shut. The bandage around her chest was loose and a mess. He saw her beak open and that she was breathing, yet it was painfully faint. He placed his head onto her chest, listening for a heartbeat. He heard a distinct th-thump sound, but even that was faint as well. Quicksilver lifted his head, searching around for anything around them. The blizzard was swirling and battering his body, making him shake profusely from the bone freezing wind. We gotta get out of here, he thought, looking around for anything that would resemble a path or some kind of route that would lead off the mountain. Looking around, he also spotted the sack of food, with a few of its contents scattered around. He quickly headed over and gathered what he could. He wrapped the sack around his neck, and he turned to head back to Gretchen’s side. He saw her feathers bristle from the wind, and he had to shield his eyes from the strong gust that came over them. He looked around once more and saw what looked like a path downward was near the wall of the mountain. He smiled weakly, but that soon disappeared when he focused his attention onto Gretchen. This is not going to get easy. He lowered himself until he was next to her side. Grabbing her by the neck and body, he lifted her onto his shoulders. Her body felt like ice when it touched his fur, and he shuddered from the sensation. He maneuvered her lower half until he could feel her midsection rest upon his back. Lifting up, he had Gretchen rest somewhat comfortably onto his back, though the downside was her limbs dragged in the knee high snow, and he was left struggling to move the weight of both her and the sack of supplies. He breathed heavily from the weight. “C’mon. You were through much worse than this. C'mon!” he yelled in self-motivation. His hooves carried him towards the mountain path. The first few yards were met with difficulty. The snow was thick and blocked his way, but he managed to get himself through and began hugging the wall of the mountain. He stayed as close as possible, the wind whipping wildly around him as he pushed forward. At a steady yet slow pace, he began walking along the mountain path, trying his best from not collapsing against the harsh winds and weather. He squinted his eyes and he could barely see what was in front of him. He carried Gretchen on his back, her claw and back legs still dragging behind him due to the higher snow. Strangely enough, he found after the first few minutes of him walking that his back was feeling rather warmer. He didn’t know if was the result of her feathers on his back or because of the heavy load. Either way, he was grateful for the most part in getting extra warmth. He continued to carry her, and, for a time, his heavy breathing and the blasting frost were his only companions. Minutes ticked by as he moved, the wind slapping him on his side and forcing his eyes to close. He barely opened them a crack to see what was in front of him. He kept pushing, still moving forward from winter's wrath. After nearly thirty minutes to a full hour of trudging on, his body was beginning to waver and lose strength. He stopped near a small mound of snow that stood near the wall of the mountain. A large tree was next to him, which allowed him to rest underneath its cover. He planted his hooves on the ground, and he emptied his lungs with every breath. Are we even going to make it? he thought. Around him, all he could see was darkness. The snow was coming in droves, and his body was heavily weighed down by his passenger and the cold. He sighed deeply. I can’t give up now. He pressed on, hoping that by some miracle they can get out of this alive. What he didn’t call for was his hoof getting tripped over a buried root and face-planting in the mound of snow. Are you kidding me!? He was not only buried in snow, but Gretchen was lying on top of him, pinning him down. He struggled for a moment, wiggling his head so that it could poke out from the snowy layer. He gasped for breath when he breached the surface and felt Gretchen’s body slide forward on his back. Her head nestled right next to his left cheek, her feathers brushing up against his fur. He grunted in annoyance in trying to lift his body up, but his legs were too weak to stand. After a moment’s struggle, he gave up and rested himself between the snow and the heavy gryphon (though he wouldn’t outright tell her that). He looked at her from his position, seeing her face right next to his. She was still breathing and her eyes were shut. He didn’t know how long she would remain out, but he knew they couldn’t stay out here for much longer. He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth as he tried to pull himself up and off the snow. He managed to lift his head up, but only momentarily. He sighed in defeat when his head fell back down and faced the wall of the mountain. There was a hole in front of him. Quicksilver blinked once, his eyes flicking out any frost away. He didn’t know if what he was staring at was there before or if he was just hallucinating from the cold. Raising his right hoof, he brushed at the hole in front of him, hoping that he was still sane. When he brushed the hole, the snow around it fell and it grew bigger. His eyes widened, and he felt a tug of relief rip on his heart. “A Cave!” he thought and said in unison. He dug deeper with his hoof, pushing away more of the snow that was in his way. When a good amount was cleared, he dragged himself out from under Gretchen and was able to get back on his hooves. His back legs felt sore from the cold, and the warmth that Gretchen provided had evaporated the moment he stood. However, it was the least bit of concern as he began to clear the mound of snow and dig his way into the cave. After a few good minutes of digging and his hooves kicking off large mounds off the mountain side, the cave entrance was open for them. Grabbing Gretchen by the nape with his teeth, he dragged her into the cave entrance. Darkness enveloped him when he entered. The cave was chilled to the bone, and he barely could see his breath in the air. He heard the rustle of dead leaves and branches underneath his hooves, cracking and crumbling with each step. After moving about ten feet or so away from the entrance, he dropped Gretchen to the side and dropped the sack of supplies. He groaned when his body was finally relieved of the heavy burden. Though there was still work to be done. Grabbing his sack, he pulled out a blanket that luckily enough was not wet. He unfurled it and placed it over Gretchen’s body, making sure it kept her warm. Once finished, he looked about the interior of the cave. It was small in scale from what the light outside showed, and he didn’t want to delve into it any deeper. A far more important task was needed. A fire pit to keep both of them warm. Searching the ground in the dark enclosures, he gathered many of the leaves around him and tried to find any dead branches and roots that stuck out from the nearby tree. With every breath, he shuddered profusely from the cold. He didn’t know how long he was out there, but he needed to get warmth as soon as possible. Once he gathered a significant amount, he moved to what he believed was the center of the small cave. He began forming a small leaf pile in the center of the room and dug a small pit in the ground around it. He had to make do with what little light he had from outside. Once he ensured the leaves would hold in the center, he fumbled around for any large rock that would be used. He searched the area that was close to the entrance, occasionally bumping next to Gretchen’s body. He soon found a rather large stone that fit the size of his hoof, and with that began to search around for another. It’s got to be here. It has to be, he thought, still scavenging for another stone of the same size. When his search turned fruitless, he sat on his haunches in front of the empty fire pit, his teeth chattering slightly from the cold. He then felt the small stone bounce against his chest. He looked down at the thestral’s gift, and remembered that it had a sharp edge when he fiddled with it before. Better late than never, he thought, seizing the stone necklace off his neck and position it so that he would strike the other stone together. Once he positioned them just right, he brought them down hard upon one another. Both stones clacked from impact, yet no sparks were struck. He frowned in disappointment and he struck again upon the stone. Still no spark was made. “Please not now,” he said through chattering teeth. He repeatedly struck the stones together, trying in a desperate attempt to create fire. He worked tirelessly for several minutes, beating the stones at the appropriate angles, yet no matter how many times he cracked the stones, no spark would sputter out. “C’mon. I don’t want to freeze to death! Just work!” He struck the stones together at a rapid pace, so fast he thought it might pulverize the stones by his strength. Then, in the moment of his desperate labor, a spark flew out from the stone and landed in the leaves. He drew a sharp intake of breath as the spark of flame caught on the leaves. He huddled low, his hooves surrounding the small ember, trying to ensure it got enough air but not to much. He blew gently against it, pleading dozens of times for it not to go out. The leaves soon caught on, and the flame was slowly growing into a tiny flame. He gently added more leaves next to them, feeding the tiny flames more fuel for life. When it was big enough, he added a few small sticks and began making a cone shaped fort around the flames, while continuing to add more leaves into the center. Smoke rose up and blinded him for a brief moment, and he backed away as the flames consumed the small leaves and twigs. He made his fire. “YES! I made Fire!” he proclaimed, feeling the need to jump around from his great deed. Yet, despite his achievement, nothing shouted back at him. Only silence. He looked about the room as the light of the fire illuminated the room. The cave was much smaller then he had hoped. It was about six to ten feet in height, yet there was enough room to house at least a dozen ponies or more. He wondered if this was just a natural cave, or if it was made by other creatures. He didn’t delve on it before he decided to gather as much wood as possible. Minutes ticked by as he scavenged for wood and leaves to fuel the fire. During this transaction, the blood in his body was warming him up from all the movement, and the fire nearby heated and dried out his wet coat. When he had the strength, he dragged Gretchen away from the entrance and towards the back of the cave. He kept the blanket on her and made sure that she stayed warm before going to collect more dead branches and leaves around him. He managed to break some stubborn roots that crawled their way inside, and drag them into a neat pile that was close enough to the fire. After he was finished, he had a neat pile of extra wood and leaves, and the fire was big enough for him to mange. Once done, he rested himself down and observed his work. He breathed heavily, but also steadily as he watched the fire burn nicely before him. The smoke crawled on the ceiling before being whisked away from the storm outside. His weary bones felt heated as he stayed near the fire, and he’d occasionally toss a few broken branches in to keep it going. The room was picked clean of any dead branches, and there was enough to last them through the night if need be. Looking down to the thestral stone, he saw it remained where he left it. Picking it up, he observed it and saw there was no damage done to it. The other stone he used was scratched up with multiple slash points, yet the stone he held remained undamaged. He pressed his lips to it and gave it a kiss. Thank you, Nightshade, he thought, soon placing it back over his neck and letting it rest comfortably on his fur. Knowing they were safe and sheltered, he decided to check on Gretchen. He walked over to her, her back legs facing the fire while her body remained still under the blanket. Her breathing was steady, yet slow. Troubled by this, he placed a hoof onto her forehead, checking to see if she had a fever. She felt warm to the touch, and yet he was unsure if it was just her body returning to its proper temperature after being in the cold for so long. He lifted his hoof away, his eyes tracing down her body to see if there was anything else worth noting. He eyes stopped when he saw a noticeable blood stain on the blanket that was slowly spreading. “No.” He lifted the blanket up, hoping by some miracle that what he was seeing was not happening. With the blanket fully off her and tossed to the side of the cave, he stared in horror of his worst fear. Her bandages were red and unwrapped. Her wound has reopened. “No, no, no, no, no!” he panicked. He immediately went to the sack, searching for anything that he could use. He rummaged through the sack, finding only the food inside. He cursed and tossed the sack to the side and looked upon the wound. The bandages were still leaking, and her breath was becoming all the more slower. He grabbed the bandages and removed them, wanting to see the full extent of the damage. His eyes set upon the three claw marks that spread across her stomach. They were bleeding more now from when it was held by the cloth, and it was slowly oozing out. He thought how this could have happened, why the wound had reopened? He turned to the fire and realization hit him. With the freezing cold from outside, the wound would have remained still. Since the fall and her being near the fire, the wound had reopened. Taking action, he placed both of his hooves onto the wound, pressing down so that it would slow the bleeding. Gretchen groaned in discomfort, her face contorting slightly from the pressure. His thoughts turned to the blanket. He could possibly cut out strips to make a makeshift bandage, but it would remove one of the few sources of warmth from the harsh cold. When she groaned again and her breathing became more ragged, he decided to focus on the task at hoof. It would have taken too much time to cut the cloth before she would bleed out. He pressed further, the blood soaking his hooves. Gretchen’s breathing began to slow again, but the blood still flowed out. He cursed under his breath multiple times, unsure of what he could do, looking at the supplies and Gretchen. In the midst of his frantic movement, he felt the other item that was wrapped around his neck. Looking down, he saw the two crystals that Felix gave him. His eyes widened at how his mind blanked of not thinking of it sooner. With little choice, he removed his hooves, yanked one of the crystals and crushed it in his hooves. He said to crush and spread, he thought, remembering Felix's words. He performed the action, rubbing the crystallized particles in his hooves. Once done, he placed his hooves back onto her wound. Gretchen squirmed from his touch, yet he held firm. What did he say next? Pray to Saint Gregor? He looked down at Gretchen. Her breathing was slower than before. Taking a quick breath, his groggy throat spoke out into the air. “Saint Gregor. Please help me in my hour of need. Heal this gryphon who has risked everything to keep me alive,” he said. Nothing happened and no blue aura came out of his hooves. Snorting in frustration, he closed his eyes and prayed again. “Saint Gregor. By your great light and vast wisdom. Lend me your graces to aid your fellow Gryphon. Please heal her spirit,” he finished a little frantically and looked down at this hooves. Nothing happened, and Gretchen was slipping away from him as her breathing slowed dramatically, and a ever faint exhale drew out of her. His heart felt plucked out of his chest, and he raised his left hoof onto her chest. Her heartbeat was far slower than before. Quicksilver scowled and he screamed in frustration. “Damn it! What do you want me to do!?” he pressed both of his hooves further onto the wound, trying to stop the blood from flowing any further. ”I’ve done everything that is possible! I’ve went through bucking Tartarus to escape and now she is slipping away!” he continued to rant in frustration, unable to hold back his emotions from pouring out. “I’ve done everything I can to keep her safe, and now she is dying in my hooves! She helped me, Saint Gregor! She saved me during my long imprisonment and torture!” As he continued on, he didn’t realized that tears were flowing freely down his face. “She gave me solace, she kept me warmth, she broke bread with me. She even was punished for her kindness and generosity!” His tears flowed further, splatting against her feathers and fur as he stared at the wound. “She was the only Gryphon that treated me and soothed my weary heart,” he looked up to the top of the cave and shouted to the very heavens themselves of his sheer pain and agony. “How can I repay all of what’s she has done if I can’t even save her!” he cried out. His words echoed from within the cave. His breath became ragged and everything seemed to darken around him as he closed his vision. He lowered his head, soft sobs emanating from him as he whimpered in defeat. “Please…I need Gretchen. (sob) I need her. (sob) Please.” Silence was all that answered him. He opened his eyes and looked at the wound. It still remained, yet the blood had ceased flowing. He looked to Gretchen who remained still. He closed his eyes and fresh tears fell down his face, his heart was broken. … … ... Do you call upon my name? A strange deep voice entered in his mind. He opened his eyes in alarm, his breath caught in his throat. He was still staring at Gretchen’s wound, yet the room around them had a low hue of blue. A claw came in his vision in front of him, and a talon gently lifted his chin. His head was raised high until he stared at a Gryphon. A blue Ethereal Gryphon. The Gryphon was large, bigger than Ebon or any other Gryphon he had seen. His clothing was similar in appearance to what Felix would wear, but it was more simple and refined. Potions and flasks hung off his belt, and each had writing that was not even recognizable in Gryphon or Equestrian. When his eyes traced to the Gryphon’s, a soft glow came out of the Gryphon’s eyes. He gave a warm smile, the kind that would melt any sadness and grief that would befell any pony or gryphon. The mysterious gryphon lowered a talon from his chin and Quicksilver could only sputter out a single name. “Gre… Gregor?” He asked in uncertainty and astonishment. The blue Gryphon nodded his head. I am. Quicksilver heard his voice in his mind, yet the Gryphon never moved his beak to speak. He didn’t know what to make of this. The Gryphon before him was Saint Gregor. The same Gryphon that Felix and many of his kind worshiped. He didn’t know if he had gone mad and crawled into a corner, or if he was having delusions of some grand being. Yet as he stared at him, feeling the talon still on his chin, he thought that what he was staring at was a ghost or spirit that had returned from the grave. “Am I going mad?” he asked. The Gryphon narrowed his eyes slightly and a deep chuckle came out of him. You are not, Young Quicksilver. His claw lowered until it brushed the top of Gretchen's head. His talons pressed onto her feathers, brushing them aside and stoking her gently. He hummed softly, which seemed to vibrate in the air around him. Gretchen Jaeger. Such a young life. Full of hardship and heartache. Such pain she has endured. Much like you, she has also suffered. Quicksilver blinked at him and followed his gaze down to Gretchen’s. She was breathing softly in a dream-like state, never stirring by Gregor’s touch. He wondered to what pain she had gone through, yet he was unsure if he wished to hear of it. The ethereal Gryphon turned his head to face him. You wish of me to heal her. For what reason do you wish of this? Quicksilver lifted his head, and felt he was punched in the stomach. “What do you mean!? I’m asking you to heal her! Heal the scar that is threatening her very life,” he replied. He gave a pleading look as he continued to hold down on the wound. Gregor looked at the grievous wound, seeing the effort he was putting in keeping her stable. You are not a Gryphon, therefore you’re a foreigner to me of asking in such a task. He paused. Closing his eyes as Quicksilver waited in anxiety and fear. However, your prayer came from the heart. Something truly pure and special that could have called me to you now. He opened his eyes, his face relaxing and gave another warm smile. Let me rephrase my query onto you. What is Gretchen worth to you? Quicksilver fell silent. All the flurry in his mind had ceased and he tried to process the question. What Gretchen was worth? What she did for him? The times she had spent at her side and tending to his wounds? As his mind tried to wrap around the question, he started to feel small. He felt many eyes were upon him, ready to suffocate him at any given moment. Gretchen was his caretaker, there was no doubt, and she risked everything to protect him. When he looked back at the ethereal ghost, he didn’t know what to say if anything to the grand gryphon. “Gretchen… I still need her..” he started, his words fumbling out as he spoke. “Currently, I only wish to keep her alive and well so that I can escape these mountains. She knows them better than I, and if we are to survive this together, I would need her to get us out of here.” He looked to Gregor and saw he had a neutral expression. However, his right eyebrow curled in a questioning gaze, and he knew full well that he had avoided the question. He swallowed the lump in his throat and nervously spoke his mind. “Gretchen is important!” he began, but immediately was beginning to shake. He felt he was confessing to a sin, yet he needed to get it out. It was burning sensation that burned in his heart and he had to unleash it, channeling his feelings to the ethereal gryphon. “She did so much for me, risked much of her own standing to care for me.” He was trembling now, his mind trying to speak the proper words that Gregor would approve, but his heart kept speaking for him. “She has done so much in caring for me and helping me, and right now I feel obligated in helping her! I want her to live! Whatever has happened in her past, I want to help. I don’t want her to be trampled like some forgotten flower. I refuse to let her be forgotten and what she did for me! There are those who would fight and harm her, their hateful words like knives that plays with her life by a thread!” He felt his heart racing as he spoke, all the while Gregor remained silent to his cries. “There are some who will try to control her, to own her! I don’t want her freedom to be stolen just like mine was!” He practically sobbed the last of the words out, raising his head to the sky once more. “Deep in my soul, there is no doubt that I owe her more then my life! No hesitation, I will repay her kindness that she had given onto me! If Sharp Beak or anypony else decided to come after her, then I will protect her with my life!” He was sobbing once again his tears flowing freely down his cheeks. “There I said it! I don’t know what else you want of me! I only want for her to have a better life! I feel… no… I believe her more than a friend! I-” He was cut off by a gentle touch to the shoulder. He froze in place and looked to ancient Gryphon. Gregor’s smile grew, and a deep chuckle emanated deep within him. A strange feeling coursed through Quicksilver, and he winced slightly from the pain that went in his body. He closed his eyes as Gregor’s voice lingered in his mind. So that is where your heart lies. That is good, young Quicksilver. That is good. Even when his eyes closed, a flash of light appeared to have blinded him. A moment passed, and the strange feeling remained. Daring to open his eyes, he saw that the room had lost its bluish hue, and the flames from the fire were spread on the wall. His eyes traced down, and he gasped in surprise. Around his hooves, he could see the blue aura had wrapped around his forelegs. They moved the same way when Felix had performed magic. His eyes looked past his hooves, and he saw the wound that Gretchen bore. In instinct, he pressed his hooves down onto the wound, the blue magic dancing and spinning now more than ever. Closing his eyes, he poured his whole concentration into the wound. He felt the magic around his hooves dance and fling about as they spread onto the claw marks. The blood stopped flowing, and Gretchen’s body was stirring under his hooves. He concentrated, focusing all of his thoughts to heal her wound. Whatever the magic he was using, it warped and flowed through him and into Gretchen. He dared open an eye, and he saw the wound sewing itself back together, the fur and feathers crawling its way back to its original shape. A little more, just a little more! His body began to shake again, and yet he focused all his attention, gritting his teeth as he felt the last of the Gryphon magic flow off his hooves and heal the wound. He groaned in discomfort, feeling his fur was going to peel off his body from the magic leaving him. After what felt like an excruciating hour, he saw the final cuts on her belly clear away, leaving nothing but a flawless surface. Like a splinter being removed, Quicksilver gasped in relief and looked to Gretchen, her body made whole by the magic, and yet she was still. Uncertain that the magic had fully healed her, he moved his head closer to inspect her. What he didn’t expect next was for Gretchen to lunge her body upward and gasp for fresh air, nearly scaring him half to death. Quicksilver backed away for a brief moment, watching her eyes shoot up in shock. She breathed heavily, her chest lifting up and down from the trauma. For a brief moment, she kept doing this, her gaze looking about the room in a panic before settling back down where she was. Her eyes lowered and her golden eyes briefly met his own. Confusion remained in them for a mere second before she slipped to unconsciousness and her breathing returning to a normal state. Quicksilver sighed heavily, still keeping his eyes on her. She was alive, thanks to Gregor, and he had nothing more than his utmost thanks. Be sure to keep on that promise, Quicksilver. I have high hopes for you. Gregor’s voice lingered in his mind, yet he barely registered it. He chuckled to himself as his body began to sway. He had been tasked greatly from the fighting, laboring and caring, and he felt drained of any energy to do anything else. He looked to the wall in front of him and took a deep breath and sighed once again, knowing in full confidence that he had did what was impossible. Then, with his body feeling heavy, he collapsed next to Gretchen’s side, sleep overtaking him.