Kathranis frowned from beneath his hood as the rain came down. It had started shortly after he left Secil to take care of the feathery creatures. The elf paused for a moment as he stared at the sky. What were the creatures? They were human enough, but there were key differences, and it left Kathranis at a loss. He hadn’t traveled much, but he had heard stories of creatures all over the realms, yet none that were nearly human, save for fur and wings. It was puzzling for certain.
Kathranis snorted and got himself back on track, namely the large set of footprints he had been following. The creatures Secil had mentioned must have been massive, as their paws easily dwarfed the panther’s. The wolves, upon finding the abandoned human corpses, quickly ate their fill and disappeared, leaving Kathranis alone with the mystery beasts. He had managed to identify that there were three of them before the rain began muddying the tracks, but Kathranis was fairly certain he could find and either tame, or drive away the creatures. As long as they didn’t move their scavenging route any closer to the cave, things would work out. Kathranis would leave the beasts to their business, then set to work getting information from the feathery creatures.
A branch snapped behind him, and Kathranis whirled on his heel, his bow drawn and nocked. When nothing appeared to challenge him, Kathranis crept forward, staying on his toes as he tried to avoid leaving footprints in the mud. Perhaps he had been a bit arrogant. This was clearly not the average Faêrun forest, he needed to ensure that he wasn’t currently the prey. Unfortunately for him, the rain and the darkness were an effective combo for numbing his senses. The thought to retreat to the trees popped into his mind, but Kathranis elected to ignore it. He wanted an open area, especially since any beasts that were residing in the forest would likely benefit from being among the trees. Kathranis had range on his side, and no matter the opponent, he didn’t intend to lose it.
He waited for a few precious moments, doing his best to ignore the patter of the rainfall all around him. His eyes scanned the dark, looking for any signs of movement. When he found nothing, he focused his eyes so that they would detect heat. That too netted nothing, so Kathranis let his eyes see color again. He was alone. Relaxing his bowstring, Kathranis put the arrow back in its quiver. Perhaps it was his recent teleportation that was putting him on edge. Whatever beasts Secil had noticed were likely gone now that the carrion was eaten.
Kathranis slid his bow over his shoulder and let out a long sigh, relaxing his mind and body with the exhale. He needed to be calm, focused. Paranoia helped no one, especially not in the middle of the night in a rainstorm. A flash of lightning split the sky, followed swiftly by a clap of thunder. Kathranis smiled and looked to the sky, sending a silent prayer of gratitude to Sylvanus. Surprisingly, she replied, and alarm seemed to ring in his ears as a large form loomed behind him.
Kathranis acted on pure instinct as he leapt forward, ducking into a roll. His hands found their way to his scimitars, and the blades flashed as the massive beast roared at him. Kathranis had no doubt in his mind what the creature was. Though a bit different than the beasts he had seen before, the massive manticore before him was distinct in the darkness. It roared again, and the power of its voice seemed to stop the rain for a moment.
Kathranis didn’t let it stop him as he moved with the lightning, lashing out with his scimitars silently. The first blade caught only air as the creature moved backward from his sudden attack, but the second bit deep into the manticore’s outstretched paw. The beast howled in his face, momentarily stopping the rain again with the force of its roar. Kathranis took it in stride, dipping under another swipe aimed at his head. The beast was quick for its size, but ultimately, the muddy ground was doing far more to slow the heavy creature than it was to trap Kathranis’ light steps.
He weaved his way backward, occasionally lashing out to attack the creature and keep it at arm’s length. His cuts didn’t do much to harm the creature, but the attacks clearly stung, and the beast let him know by bellowing every time a flashing blade scarred its fur covered flesh. Despite its quickness however, the beast was a hair slower and more than a bit duller than Kathranis was, and these advantages allowed him to constantly stay away from the manticore’s dangerous claws. Until the second manticore thudded to the muddy ground.
Kathranis’ hair clung to his face as he glanced back at the beast. It had no doubt tried to stay silent while its partner boxed him into a corner, but a fight attracted all beasts, and the manticore knew he would make an entertaining meal. Kathranis flashed a smile as he slipped under a swipe from the new manticore’s paws, managing to put them both on one side of him.
“Now boys,” he said with a nervous laugh, “I know some fine corpses just through those trees that will put up no fight if you’re truly hungry.”
The beasts both growled and began inching forward. They each picked a direction and moved around Kathranis’ sides, licking their lips as their glowing eyes sized him up. Kathranis sighed and twirled his scimitars.
“I was afraid you would say that. I will try to make your deaths painless. That is the most mercy I can afford for now I’m afraid.”
The manticores stopped when they were on opposite sides of Kathranis, perfectly situated so that he had to look at one or the other. His peripherals simply didn’t see enough in the dark. Kathranis took a breath and sent a quick prayer to Sylvanus. His goddess sent back a flow of energy, and after a word of thanks, Kathranis braced himself.
The manticore to his left let out a spin chilling roar as the one to his right charged.
*****
Secil huffed as rain pattered down onto his head. The fire was a cheery blaze now, and it was far more inviting than the pouring rain and clapping thunder outside the safety of the cave, but he felt that he should wait for Kathranis outside. It had been hours, and the elf hadn’t returned, and he was out of distance for their psychic link, so Secil couldn’t readily check on him. It worried the cat that Kathranis would take so long. The ranger should have taken minutes to deter most creatures, whether through his normal feats of skill, or from aid from their shared goddess. Sylvanus had always smiled on her champion; it was why she had gifted Secil the ability to transform and talk to the elf after all. So why was tonight any different? Kathranis hadn’t likely even thought about the ramifications of their wild teleportation, but Secil’s mind was alight. The feathery creatures behind him were indicative that they were far away from their normal wandering grounds, but perhaps they were farther than they had initially thought. It was a strange thought, and he was certainly no expert on the realms of the arcane, but Secil couldn’t help but think that they were no longer in Faêrun at all, but were instead somewhere new. Though Kathranis would no doubt take the news about losing his remaining brethren with some difficulty, Secil knew they could get through it together. They always had.
The panther huffed again as he continued to await his master’s return. To distract himself from the creeping passage of time, he watched his puffs of breath filter into the air, one of the few things still visible in the cold, wet darkness. The rain was effective in muting even his senses, so Secil could do nothing but wait and see. He perked his ears forward as he listened to a crackle in the bushes. His head poked up, and he opened his mouth, searching for a glimpse of Kathranis’ scent. He couldn’t hide is disappointment when it turned out to be nothing more than a ground squirrel. With a sigh, he laid his head back down on his paws and continued staring into the forest.
He was so intent on keeping his senses tuned forward that he jumped in surprise when he felt a light tap on his shoulder. Secil spun on his heels and growled loudly, only to be faced by the female creature, Aquila. She regarded him with a largely neutral expression, but Secil could taste just a hint of nervousness in her scent. He mentally smiled as he let his guard fall a bit. Even if it would benefit Kathranis to act docile, he was glad he could still provoke a reaction of fear. He was a predator after all, and what was a predator to be but feared?
Secil stared down the feathery creature for a moment, waiting for her to speak. When Aquila remained still and silent, Secil huffed and turned his back on her, laying back down in the cold mud. As an after-thought, he flicked his tail toward the cave, snorting in a dismissive manner.
He remained still until, out of nowhere, the feathery creature decided to snuggle against him. Secil leaped to his feet again, and once more he growled at her. Aquila regarded him with a smile and sat up from where Secil had let her fall into the mud.
“It’s alright,” she said softly, “I just wanted to encourage you to come back to the cave. I don’t know who you watch for, but you will catch your death if you are left out here alone.”
Secil huffed again. Of course she would believe that, but what did she know? He was a mighty hunter, waiting only because his greatest friend was alone in the dark of a storm. If Kathranis fell ill and died, so would he. If he was able to detect even the slightest hint that something was amiss, Secil would wait in a thousand storms to do so.
The panther arched his back and hissed at the she-creature, and she recoiled, taking a step back. Secil used his increased size and continued to hiss and growl as he forced her back toward the cave. Once they were in sight of the two males, Secil stopped hissing. With a loud final growl, he nodded toward the cave entrance and then turned around, moving back to his watching position.
As he settled back into the mud, Secil’s ears perked up with the sound of someone sprinting at him. They moved far too quickly, and he had no time to react as the she-creature tackled him. Her wings flapped as they rolled around in the dirt, and Secil had to mentally tell himself to not attack the creature. His claws had to remain in their sheathes, and his teeth had to remain unused.
All of it meant that it was essentially a wrestling match, and in the time it took him to realize that, Aquila already had the upper paw. She pinned him to the ground with her strong arms and settled on top of him, smiling into his head fur. Secil’s tail lashed back and forth in the mud as he let out a deep growl. The she-creature snorted in reply, and her taloned fingers scratched under his chin.
“No need for that, we’re still friends. I’m just afraid that I refuse to take no for an answer, and I have enough muscle to back it up. You’re coming inside with me to get dry.”
Secil tried to wiggle free, but she had a very good hold on him, and he couldn’t get an inch of room. He hissed in Aquila’s face, and to his surprise, she responded in kind, letting out a deep growl that frankly reminded him of his first encounter with Kathranis.
The elf, a mere boy then, had wandered too far into the forests, and more importantly, he had wandered into Secil’s hunting grounds. Alone. The panther had followed the small elven child for an hour, taking the time to ensure that there wasn’t a nearby search party looking for him. When he found nobody, Secil did what nature bid him, and he had hunted. The boy made it easy. He was loud, clumsy, and almost completely defenseless. The only thing that had made Secil hesitate was the leaf hanging around the boy’s neck, but even followers of Sylvanus weren’t safe from the hunt, so he had ignored his trepidation in favor of the easy meal.
Until the boy met his pounce head on, wrestling for control. Secil was easily able to win their brawl, but the boy had continued to hiss and fight even when pinned down. It was then that they had truly connected, and a moment of divine intervention had made them master and familiar. It had been an interesting day, but luckily, Kathranis had matured into a fine hunting partner, and they had become great friends.
The memory brought him to now, where the gryphon was trying to impart the same lesson again, and Secil desperately hoped that a different forest goddess wouldn’t take the opportunity to make him another master. It simply wouldn’t look good to owe his life to two different civilized creatures. He’d become some kind of lazy house cat. Then the world would truly end.
Fate was in his favor, and Secil felt a familiar connection just before Kathranis spoke.
“You’re quite lucky,” the elf said as he slipped into the edge of the campfire’s light. “Secil isn’t usually this restrained with new people. He could take your head off if he wanted to.”
Aquila was off the panther in a second, and he joined her in standing, trying to not look ashamed at being pinned. A wayward glance in the she-creature’s direction found her blushing despite the cold and rain. Her look of embarrassment made Secil huff in shame, and he stared at his muddy paws, trying to avoid the smile that no doubt decorated his master’s face. His ears flattened as he heard a low chuckle.
“No need for being embarrassed you two, it is good that you have found some common ground while I was dealing with our collective enemies.”
Secil looked up to watch the elf limp forward, dragging his left foot in the mud. Kathranis hissed in pain, clutching at something on his stomach. Secil sniffed the air, quickly tasting blood. He popped to his feet and moved forward, sniffing hard at Kathranis’ hand. The rain washed it away quickly, but there was red seeping through the elf’s fingers, and Secil could see a deep pain in Kathranis’ eyes.
“No need for worry,” Kathranis said, putting on a pained smile. Secil noticed blood on his teeth as he continued to speak. “It only hurts a little. Come, let’s go warm ourselves by the fire.”
The elf took a step forward, then with a pained groan, he collapsed into the mud. Secil let out a yowl of alarm, sniffing hard against Kathranis’ face. He felt a bit feverish, and even the dark could not disguise the fact that he was paler than usual. Secil bit his collar, and began to drag the elf toward the cave, but a hand stroked his head, bringing him to a stop. Aquila gave him a small smile.
“Allow me.”
Secil froze for a moment, then released his grip. Aquila grunted as she lifted the elf like a sack of potatoes, but she was able to carry him far easier than Secil was, and she kept him out of the mud. They both moved quickly back into the cave, with Secil’s eyes locked onto Kathranis’ comatose form. The two male-creatures looked up with alarm as they entered, but the elder one relaxed, while Valan barked out a laugh.
“Look what the cat dragged in! Literally!”
Secil’s nostrils flared with anger and he hissed at the winged creature, approaching him menacingly. Zefuris’ hand drifted to his sword, but before he could draw it, Aquila snapped at them.
“Enough! I will not have either of you antagonizing these kind souls. They have done nothing but come to our aid, and you throw it back into their faces with every breath.”
She pointed to the cave entrance with a taloned finger.
“Either shut up, help me, or get out. You can go make friends with the manticores if it suits your fancy.”
A flash of lightning was followed immediately by a loud crack of thunder, making everyone wince back from the cave entrance. Both of the male creatures exchanged a glance, then fell silent, closing in on themselves. Valan tried to throw a glare at Secil, but the panther puffed up further and growled, daring him to say anything. The creature withered under his threatening presence, and with a mutter, he fell quiet.
Content with the cowed appearance of the young creature, Secil turned his attention to his unconscious master. Kathranis slumped limply against the cave wall as Aquila laid him down. The panther recognized a familiar motion as she made to tear at her tunic, but with a hiss and a swipe at her hand, she stopped and gave him a confused glance. Secil nodded toward the back and grunted, padding over. The cover of the pack provided him no issue, but his paws were not suited to sorting through the bag for the bandages Fordred kept inside. Since he was their only magic user, the young elf had fancied himself a healer, and while his spells usually fell short, his knowledge on the alchemical had not. Secil only needed to find the elfsdraught soaked bandages and everything would be fine…
With a frustrated huff, Secil seized the bottom of the bag in his teeth and upended it, vigorously shaking his head to empty it. All of the books fell into the dirt first, followed by blank scrolls and eagle feathers. An ink well dropped onto the cover of one, splattering open. Secil slapped it away from the books, then promptly ignored it as the bandages fell out in a roll. He dropped the bag in the spreading pool of ink and hopped onto the roll of bandages, quickly securing them in his teeth. He proudly trotted over to Aquila and laid the bandages in her hands. The she-creature giggled and pet his head, something Secil rewarded with a purr. He didn’t let her hand overstay its welcome however, she had a job to do.
Secil moved from beneath her wonderful scratching fingers and nodded toward Kathranis. Aquila winked at him.
“Alright Mr. Bossy, no need for panicking, your friend will be fine.”
She turned and lifted one of Kathranis’ arms, pointing at a lightly bleeding hole in his armor.
“You see how dark that wound is? It’s a manticore sting, and manticore venom typically paralyzes its victims. In some cases, however, it can cause the victim to fall asleep. It’s nothing that can’t be fixed by removing the stinger and binding the wound.”
Secil watched with rapt attention as she began pealing back sections of Kathranis’ clothing. The creature only took off what was absolutely necessary to bind Kathranis’ wounds. Most were simple, and she wrapped them with bandages, but the one she claimed was a stinger looked particularly nasty. Aquila pulled out a small dagger from a sheathe on her waist. She made a big show of letting Secil see it, and she explained in depth what she was going to do with it. Secil sniffed over the knife for any traces of poison, and upon finding nothing, he gave her a huff of permission.
Kathranis let out a pained groan when Aquila carefully plunged the knife into the stinger wound. After a moment of contemplation, Secil decided his best role would be to comfort the elf, so he shrank to his house cat size and settled on Kathranis’ legs. He swiped out with a paw and managed to snag one of the elf’s hands, and he guided it to rest on his head. Kathranis’ fingers began moving, scratching away lightly as Aquila grimaced and wiggled the knife blade around, slowly pushing out the stinger. Secil watched it all carefully, and though Kathranis groaned again, Aquila managed to get the stinger out, quickly dropping it and the knife to the cave floor. The wound oozed green and red, and Aquila continuously wiped the filth away as she readied the bandages.
The she-creature shook her head in disgust and looked over her shoulder.
“Zefuris, I need you to hold him up while I wrap the wound. It’s going to get dirty if I do it alone.”
“Why are we helping this thing at all?” Valan said. “Its beast kidnapped you! If you want my opinion, we should kill both and leave them in the rain with the other animals.”
Before Secil could turn on the young-creature, Zefuris towered over him, casting him in shadow.
“Lord, I will only say this one more time; do not question your sister. She is your elder, and is far more intelligent and wise than you. You will remain quiet for the rest of this trip, or I swear to you that when we get home, I will tell your father about all of the little harlots you’ve left in your wake. Let’s see if your father is still willing to follow ascension tradition, hm?”
Valan stared at the larger creature with his mouth agape.
“Y-you can’t threaten me like this,” he protested weakly. “I am first in line to be king.”
“I can do as I wish,” Zefuris replied. “I have been a guard for your father all my life, and even now I would smile if he told me to put my head on a chopping block. He knows my loyalty to him is absolute, and he knows that my council is wise. If I tell him that his unmarried daughter will make a better ruler, he will listen. Just because it hasn’t happened in centuries, doesn’t mean there can’t be an unmarried gryphon queen.” He sneered and crouched, still casting a shadow over Valan’s face. “So please, do complain to your father. You can speak in one ear, I will speak in the other, let’s truly test who he listens to more.”
Valan’s mouth snapped shut, and he glared at the floor. Zefuris stared him down for a moment more, then straightened and looked to Aquila. He gave her a slight bow.
“Apologies Princess, let me help.”
Secil felt Kathranis shift, and he glanced up to find one eye cracked open. A faint smile spread on the elf’s face and he glanced toward Aquila.
“A princess huh?”
He coughed, and the stinger wound’s flow increased, taking on a darker red color. If Kathranis noticed, he didn’t voice his concern as he leaned back against the cave wall.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been patched up by a princess before.”
Aquila looked hesitant for a moment, then seemed to mentally shake herself.
“Yes,” she said lightly. “I am a princess, and as a princess, I have the right to order you to lean forward so that I can finish binding your wounds.”
She stuck her nose in the air, and Kathranis couldn’t suppress a chuckle as she glanced down at him, as if she was checking that her words were going to work. Kathranis began to give her a small bow, but it applied pressure on his wounds, and his face twisted as he let out a small gasp of pain.
“Ah,” he said, taking a long breath to recover his composure. “I apologize, but I don’t think bowing is a good idea right now Princess.”
Aquila rolled her eyes and smiled.
“I will let it slide this once since your pet led us to this shelter of yours, but I expect a proper bow and introduction once I have finished treating your injuries. Zefuris, please help our new friend stand.”
Kathranis glanced up to find a very tall… His thoughts began to confuddle themselves as he was pulled to his feet. He looked to Aquila as she rose into a crouch and got in close, wrapping her arms around his chest so that she could properly wrap the bandages over his abdomen wound. Kathranis couldn’t help but stare at her face as she frowned in concentration.
Despite being very birdlike, Aquila’s face had an almost elvish nature to it. She had sharp cheekbones that framed a smiling yellow beak, as well as proper human-esque eye sockets that added shadow to her beautiful eyes. Said eyes were a brilliant green, and they seemed alive with intelligence and kindness. Light, golden feathers filled out her face, and acted as her hair, with some longer feathers hanging down over her eyes. They led down her neck, ending at the neckline of the muddy tunic she was wearing. Kathranis’ eyes followed a burst of motion in his peripheral, and it brought his attention to the significant pair of wings on her back. Though they were folded, the pair of golden wings were simply massive. The tips of her alula rested evenly with the tops of her scalp, and the tips of her wings draped nearly to the ground, ending only centimeters away from the heel of the boots she wore.
Kathranis felt a hand on his cheek, and his eyes drifted back up to find Aquila grinning at him playfully.
“See something you like?” she teased.
He couldn’t tell if it was a blush, or the oncoming signs of a fever, but Kathranis’ face flushed red and he chuckled lightly.
“My apologies Princess, I did not mean to stare. I’ve just never seen a creature like you before, and I must say, you are quite beautiful.”
His mind immediately realized its mistake, and he sputtered as he tried to find words to mend his speech, but Aquila laughed aloud. She pulled his bandages tight, then began to make another wrap.
“I see we have found quite the flatterer.” She shook her head with amusement and met his eyes again. “With such kind words, I’m sure you have a name?”
“Kathranis Shadowsong,” he answered. “And I didn’t mean my words in that way…”
Aquila tilted her head and raised an eyebrow, the smirk never leaving her face. Kathranis quickly realized his second mistake, and tried to correct it.
“That’s not to say you aren’t beautiful in that way!” he added. “I was merely saying that you are beautiful, like… like…”
Secil snorted and rubbed against his feet as Kathranis tried to figure how to tell the birdlike creature that she looked like a beautiful bird without offending her.
‘Quit making a fool of yourself and just close your mouth. The more you speak, the deeper the hole you are digging.’
Kathranis listened to his familiar, and shut his mouth, flushing redder as he looked away from Aquila’s amused expression.
“Apologies,” he mumbled. “I believe the manticore venom is getting the better of my tongue.”
Aquila giggled and tied off his bandage, then began poking the wound lightly, checking for seepage.
“It is no problem Shadowsong. I accept your compliment for what it is, and I thank you for your kind words.”
She clicked her tongue, then stood up from her crouch.
“Zefuris, please seat him again. I believe my work is done for now. Rest will be the best medicine we can offer until we reach Stonetalon Peak.”
“Stonetalon Peak?” Kathranis echoed as Zefuris laid him down against the cave wall.
The large creature gave him a look he couldn’t quite decipher through the haze of his injuries, but he didn’t trouble himself overmuch with it. As Secil shifted back into his panther form and settled in Kathranis’ lap, the elf asked;
“Is that the nearest town? I have recently arrived in these lands, and was hoping to begin to search for information on my family.”
Valan snorted and crossed his arms, but he remained silent as Zefuris fixed him with another glare. Aquila tapped the guard on his shoulder guard and motioned toward his previous sitting spot. She smiled at Kathranis as she stuck her hands into the rain, rinsing them off.
“It’s a bit larger than a town, but it is the nearest city, yes. Did your family move toward the north?”
She withdrew her hands, and as she flicked the water off, Kathranis noticed that they were not nearly as elf-like as her face was. Her fingers, while still thin and light compared to her two companions, were a bit more gnarled, and looked tougher. They were a light-yellow color, and each finger ended with a sharp tip, much like a bird’s talon. Kathranis was faintly curious if the claws extended further, but his thoughts were drawn away as Aquila finished drying her hands on her tunic and took a seat next to Valan. Without looking, the younger male leaned forward, allowing Aquila to drape a wing around his back. She hugged him, and since she was the taller of the two, she laid her head atop his, still smiling at Kathranis.
The elf cleared his throat, and after a moment of thought, he answered her question.
“In truth, I do not know,” he replied. “My family and I got separated during the battle, and when that spell went off…”
He frowned. His eyes drifted across each of the mystery creatures, then toward the dark storm outside. It didn’t rain in Thay, ever. It was just more evidence that the spell had taken them somewhere far away, somewhere that hadn’t been explored, not even by the ancient elves. That was cause for a bit of concern. His eyes drifted back to meet Aquila’s, and Kathranis couldn’t help but feel glad he had Secil watching his back. His hand drifted to the cat’s head, and scratched softly between his furry ears. The panther grunted in satisfaction, then shifted up so that he was laying across Kathranis’ entire body. The panther mentally gave him a goodnight, then closed his eyes and rested his head against Kathranis’ shoulder. The elf smiled and scratched his familiar’s back.
“If I am being entirely truthful,” he said, looking back to Aquila. “I don’t know where I am, precisely. I have no idea if my family made the trip with me, or if they are still battling the undead. Tell me, what land are in?”
Aquila blinked at him.
“Gryphonia,” she said simply, “But what is an undead?”
Kathranis frowned at her in reply.
“You don’t know what the undead are? The great scourge of the world? Zombies, wraiths, bog lanterns, banshees?”
He paused when he saw no sort of recognition in her eyes. He glanced toward the males to find that they held no recognition of his words either. Kathranis snorted in disbelief and looked back to Aquila.
“You truly have no knowledge about the necromantic arts?”
That caused them all to recoil. Zefuris got to his feet, and before Kathranis could blink, he had a sword at his throat.
“Silence,” the gryphon spat. “Necromancy, and any mention of it is prohibited by law.”
Kathranis raised his available hand in the air and smiled, trying to keep the air light.
“Hold friend, I oppose the necromantic arts as much as any ranger, but to defeat something you must have knowledge of it. I cannot burn a zombie if I don’t know about its weakness to fire.”
“I said be quiet,” Zefuris growled, pressing the blade tip harder against Kathranis’ throat.
Kathranis let his smile drop, and his fingers curled, slipping into the small sheathe under his wrist.
“Friend, I suggest you relax,” Kathranis said slowly. “There is no reason to be hostile with me. I have been nothing but your ally.”
“We know nothing about you human,” the creature spat in reply. “And if you have any knowledge of the evil arts, then you must be silenced.”
Secil’s eyes flicked open, and his tail subtly shifted so that he would be able to easily spin and attack the armored creature. Before Kathranis could shift his hand down to his sword hilt however, Aquila spoke.
“Zefuris, enough. Shadowsong means no harm with his words, and I think there is more at play than dark magic. Please, sit, relax.”
Zefuris cast an eye back.
“Princess, I must respectfully-“
“Don’t force me to give you an order,” she added with a sigh. “I appreciate your concern, and your actions to act to our defense, but Shadowsong has done nothing to show that he practices the dark magics. He is not polluted with shadow; his eyes shine like any gryphon’s. Now sit down and sheathe your sword. Please.”
Zefuris’ eyes flicked back to Kathranis, who stared back, his fingers still resting against the sheathe of his hidden knife. The creature growled, then withdrew his sword.
“Do not speak about the dark magics again.”
Kathranis nodded and relaxed his hand. Zefuris moved back around the fire, then sat down, sheathing his sword as he leaned against the cave wall. With a final glare at Kathranis, he closed his eyes. Kathranis replaced his hand on Secil’s back. The panther purred in his ear, closing his eyes once more as he feigned sleep. Kathranis could tell from the frequent flicks of his ears, however, that the cat was awake and alert, more than prepared to fight if the creatures decided to become hostile once more.
The thought brought Kathranis to a question that had been bothering him for most of the night, so he looked to Aquila with a cautious smile.
“I apologize, and will refrain from speaking about the “dark magics” for now, but it is important context, and I think your culture may be thinking of something different than my use of the word.”
Aquila nodded and smiled in agreement.
“Perhaps, but let’s talk about that kind of subject in warmer places. Learning about dark magic in our classes gave me the shivers.”
Kathranis spread his hands.
“Then in the interest of changing the subject, you mentioned that this is Gryphonia, does that make you all gryphons?”
Valan snorted dismissively.
“What else would we be? We hardly look like ponies.”
Aquila punched him in the gut without breaking eye contact with Kathranis.
“That it does,” she answered Kathranis as her brother coughed and sputtered. “And what would you be? Most humans I’ve seen aren’t so eloquent and well-dressed.”
“Or so well armed,” Zefuris added, cracking open one of his eyes.
“Then you have not met the right humans,” Kathranis said. “Have you ever visited Waterdeep? It is quite the mix of characters, from the lowest gutter rats, to the classiest nobles and their ornate swords.”
Aquila leaned forward slightly.
“So you are a human then? From this Waterdeep?”
Kathranis laughed aloud as Secil chuckled in his mind.
“No no no,” he said. “I am a moon elf from…” His smile faded slightly. “Well, the where isn’t so important anymore, but I am an elf, not a human.”
He motioned to his ears.
“Most can tell by the long tips of my ears, though if you had studied elvish magic, you could recognize that some of my tattoos are in the elvish tongue. The dialect of my homeland specifically.”
He turned his head so that his neck was completely visible in the fire light. Pulling his collar down, Kathranis saw Aquila’s eyes light up with interest as the series of runes carved into his skin lit up slightly. Their blue light quickly passed over his body, covering him with mild protection from the heat of a sun that wasn’t there. Kathranis let his hand fall back onto Secil’s back, and the glow ceased.
“What was that?” Aquila asked in awe.
Kathranis smiled.
“A gift from some time ago, but I’m afraid the story is too long, and the night is too short. We should all rest.”
Aquila pouted, but Zefuris grunted in agreement.
“Indeed. We have many miles to travel tomorrow. My prince, my princess, you should rest. I shall take the first watch.”
Kathranis scoffed and waved a hand.
“There is no need. As long as Secil remains as a panther, no creature will dare approach, and his senses will pick up anything brave enough to try. I promise you; we are all quite safe.”
The gryphon scowled at him and rose anyway.
“I will take first watch.”
He strode to the cave entrance, sitting just inside with his sword drawn on his lap. Kathranis watched him calmly for a moment, then shrugged and smiled at Aquila again.
“So be it I suppose. I wish you all good dreams and a restful slumber. I am sure we will have much to discuss in the morning.”
Kathranis closed his eyes and leaned back against the cave wall, letting the unfamiliar sensation of actual sleep take him. As his consciousness washed away, Kathranis heard a light series of whispers, and he vaguely wondered what his new “friends” were talking about.
*****
Secil’s ears flicked as he listened to Kathranis fall asleep. The elf was far more battered than he had let on, and Secil knew that he would likely sleep through the night. The “gryphons” however…
Aquila actually began to close her eyes, but her brother shifted, slipping out from under her wing. The she-gryphon frowned, and shot a glare at Valan.
“What are you doing? Shadowsong is right, we need to sleep.”
Valan scoffed.
“I’ve stayed up for an entire night before. We just have a good opportunity to finally understand what the cat was guarding.”
Secil followed his hand as it motioned to the pile of books he had left in the dirt. His eyes then flicked back to the gryphon, who hadn’t seemed to notice his alertness. Valan began to move around the fire, but Aquila grabbed hold of his wrist and dragged him back.
“Absolutely not,” she hissed. “If it weren’t for these two, we would have been either killed by the humans, or dragging Zefuris home in a storm. They have proven to be fast friends, and I know for a fact that we are taught not to disrespect our friends by prying into their private business!”
Valan yanked his hand away from her and scowled.
“Then you’re naïve. Why do you think Dad has spies Aquila, for decoration?”
“For spying on our enemies,” she replied. “For finding threats to our kingdom and our people. They are most certainly not for tearing through the belongings of the people who aid us.”
Secil remained still as Zefuris cleared his throat, drawing Aquila’s ire.
“Respectfully Princess, I think we should at least look. This “elf” creature was talking of the dark magics.”
“He said he fought necromancy!” Aquila protested.
“As anyone who had forbidden knowledge would lie to save their skin,” Zefuris said evenly. “He knows more than he has so far let on, and those books may be poison, sitting idle, but ready to destroy Stonetalon Peak from the inside. We should at least check to see if-“
“I can’t believe what I’m hearing,” Aquila squawked, rising to her feet.
She grabbed Valan’s arm again, then shoved the smaller gryphon toward Zefuris. The larger gryphon caught the smaller one, then both cringed as Aquila puffed out her wings and towered over them.
“You both listen to me, and listen well. We will not spit in the face of the man who rescued us, and from now going forward, you will treat both of our saviors with the utmost respect. No more muttering under your breath, no more calling them beasts,” She growled and got in Valan’s face. “And no more talk of going behind their backs. I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but it stops now. You are the crown prince, act like it.”
Secil restrained a snort of amusement as the smaller gryphon nodded, clearly terrified. Aquila’s eyes flicked to Zefuris, who looked more composed. Secil wasn’t fooled however, he could smell the gryphon’s fear, and apparently, so could Aquila.
“Give me that,” she said, snatching the sword from his hands. “Both of you sit here for a moment, and don’t do anything.”
She moved around the fire, and Secil tensed as she picked up a book. Instead of flipping the cover open, however, she instead set down the sword and also picked up the discarded bag. Aquila moved fast, replacing all of the books, even going so far as to try and brush off the remaining wet ink. Once she was finished, she closed the top of the bag, then moved toward Kathranis. Secil tensed up again, but Aquila crouched so that their eyes met, and she smiled sweetly at him.
“Thank you for not attacking those two idiots,” she whispered. “And don’t worry, you and Shadowsong have nothing to worry about while traveling with us. Could you tell him that we’ll escort you to Stonetalon Peak and then assist in his search for his family?”
Secil nodded slowly, then pointedly looked to the bag in her grasp. Aquila followed his eyes and chuckled.
“I suppose that’s fair.”
She motioned for him to rise, and Secil did so. Kathranis grunted, and his face twisted into a frown as his hand absently swiped about in search of the warmth Secil was providing him. Aquila giggled and placed the bag in the elf’s lap. She then plopped down beside Kathranis and gently prodded the elf to lean forward. Once his back was off the wall, she slid her wing behind him, much like she had with Valan, then let him lean back once more. She laid the sword at her side, but before she directed Secil to lay back down, the panther rose and settled so that his rump was pressed against Kathranis’ chest, while his head rested in her lap. He sniffed at one of her talons, then met her eyes, silently asking her for something that would make his night.
Aquila giggled and began scratching his head, and Secil let out a loud purr, settling down quickly. He kept one eye open as Aquila looked to her two gryphon companions.
“As for you two, you may move into the cave, because I’ll be taking first watch. If I hear a peep out of either of you, my father will hear of it.”
Secil heard a snort of disgust from the she-gryphon.
“I mean really Zefuris, Valan I can almost expect this behavior from, but you? It hurts to think that this is how you act when I’m not watching. It is unbecoming of a royal guard.”
Secil’s eye flicked to the larger gryphon, who seemed to wither at the scolding. His head lowered in shame as he spoke.
“I apologize fully Princess, and I lay myself at your mercy. I was only trying to ensure that you, and your father’s kingdom were safe.”
“I understand that,” she replied softly. “But we are gryphons. We do not violate our principles just because of suspicion. Doing so sacrifices our honor, and you of all gryphons should know that. I would rather watch my kingdom burn with its honor intact then to see it safe and corrupted with weakness and cowardice. I will accept your apology only if you act like my guard should, and like you used to. I don’t know when Zefuris, but lately you’ve been acting in a strange manner. I don’t like it, and I won’t stand for it.”
Her hand momentarily stopped its scratches as she waved toward the cave corner he had originally been resting at.
“Go to sleep. Think hard about what I’ve said. You need to be a rock of morals for my brother, and I won’t let you teach him wrong.”
Her eye flicked to her brother.
“As for you Valan, say nothing at all for the rest of the night. You’re in big trouble, and father will hear of this. Sleep alone or cuddle up with Zefuris, I don’t care, but you will learn to be better, no matter how much it hurts.”
Zefuris mumbled something else, but Secil didn’t care what it was. His ears were being scratched, his master was in safe enough company, and he was warm and dry. He looked lazily to the pair of male gryphons, who, while looking awkward about the situation, did unfurl their wings to huddle together in the corner. The sight was more than enough to justify taking a long, happy, catnap. Aquila was clearly a friend, and she had the other two under her control. Secil rolled onto his side, and nuzzled into Aquila’s wing. As he drifted to sleep, Secil sent a silent prayer to his goddess, thanking her for the blessing of good luck.