The walk to 'Griffinstone' was not nearly as long as Ivan expected. Apparently, Gilda was the only one to hear the noise of that portal. Pop-Smack, she described it as. The entrance to Griffinstone was a large gate which had been broken many years ago with no guards or defenses of any kind. To Ivan this was incredibly foolish as any evil doer could just wander in. Then again, he doubted anyone would try to attack a city of natural predators located at the top of a mountain.
"So you've got no idea how you got up here? What, did you get blind drunk or something?" Asked Gilda, with a very confused voice and a raised eye feather. She walked into the town and headed for one of the weird tree huts on the other side of town.
"For a moment, I thought so. Now? Not as much. Any idea where the rest of my group might be?"
Ivan was looking around and noticed that the locals were staring at him. Ivan didn't like that. They were also whispering. Ivan didn't like that, either. Before Gilda could respond to his question he stopped, turned around and shouted.
"WHAT ARE YOU ALL STARING AT!? WHAT'S SO INTERESTING!? IF YOU'VE GOT A PROBLEM THEN YOU'D BETTER SPEAK UP RIGHT FUCKING NOW!"
The locals all stared at him. Each looked shocked. Some movement from the crowd caught Ivan's eye as a blue griffin, shorter than the rest, pushed to the front and spoke up.
"Dude, no-griffs got a problem. We're just wondering where you got that wicked scar from!"
Ivan was stunned. Every where he'd ever been his scar had done nothing but disgust and frighten people. This Griffin, who couldn't have been older then 15 or 16 from his size and physical stance wanted to know how he got it? Not only that but all the others did as well? That was a new reaction and not one he was expecting.
"You want to know.......how I got my eye ripped out?"
"It was ripped out!?" The little Griffin excitedly yelled while bringing his claws to his beak and using his wings to hover a bit above the ground. Ivan looked the kid up and down before responding.
"What's your name?"
"Gallus!"
"Do you want to hear the story, Gallus?"
"Heck yeah!"
Ivan looked back at Gilda with the unspoken question lingering between them. She nodded before continuing on her way. Ivan motioned for Gallus to follow them. The rest of the Griffins went about their day in that usual Griffin manner.
"Ya know, I kinda want to hear that story as well. So when are you gunna tell us?"
"When we're somewhere private. I don't like talking about it."
Gilda looked back at Gallus who was following around four or five steps behind them. She looked back at Ivan and told him about how Gallus was a bit of a trouble maker and it probably wouldn't be any good if Ivan had the young Griffin following him around. Ivan explained that in his experience, some scary stories and a little respect was the best way to fix a delinquent's attitude. Gilda seemed skeptical but accepted the reasoning.
The three of them entered Gilda's house. Ivan and Gallus sat in the front room. Well, Ivan attempted to sit down but it was made difficult because of the fact that the chair was made for a quadruped and not a Human. Gilda had gone to retrieve a sandwich for Ivan. When she came back Ivan began the story of how he had lost his eye.
"Well, I should probably give you some information on my life before I get to this," he said before gesturing at his eye "I was born in the city of Cold-Forge. It was a dark, wet, polluted city but it was home. It was there that I learned to hunt and kill the creatures of the night. You will likely know them as werewolves and vampires. I despise them. More than anything else. I lost my eye to an alpha werewolf named Lycan. That was some years later. Before that I and my close friend Aninalda founded a guild of hunters. We called ourselves the Golden Blade,"
He was interrupted by Gallus letting out an awed whoa before apologizing and laughing awkwardly.
"I and a hand full of my fellows had tracked the beast that took my eye to the Bahal forest. We spent two whole weeks in that forest and in that time Lycan slaughtered my soldiers. We went in as a group of 38 and only I left. It had saved me for last and was determined to feast on me. He'd caught me off guard and disarmed me. If I hadn't had my trusty dagger then when it lunged to tear my head off then I would have lost much more. It took my eye and then I took its life. I kicked it in the head and went for my guns. I let it bleed out in that clearing, calling for a pack which would not come,"
Ivan had adopted a thousand yard stare through his telling of the event. Then a smile graced his lips. He leaned back and opened his long coat, revealing a thick layer of white fur on its inside.
"And the bastard has been keeping me warm ever since."
Gallus looked completly mesmurised. He was quiet for a while before exclaiming 'cool!' and rushing to feel the fur in Ivan's coat. Gilda seemed just as focused before shaking her head and chuckling.
"Maybe your not all that much of a dweeb after all. You've not got anywhere to crash tonight, do you? Want to stay here? I've got a spare bed."
Ivan nodded his head and thanked Gilda for her hospitality. Gallus demanded another story from the Human. Ivan laughed before delving into another tale of heroics.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
That night, Ivan slept. As with most nights he kept one eye open, watching for his most hated enemies. He knew that they likely only existed within books hear if the reactions of his audience's reactions were any indication. Old habits died hard though and it was for his own piece of mind. This had saved his life on more than one occasion. He did not know it but it would save his life that night as well.....