House of the Awokens

by grammar404

Prologue

It was a calm and starry night. The wind blew gently upon the tree tops. A light mist covered the based around the Hyperborean mountain, where the once great city of Griffonstone was build on top of. Little Squick was just a wee cub who would one day be a great Griffoness. She was perched on a tree branch, watching what the beautiful night has to offer. The moon casted quite a pleasant light, shimmering upon the great mountain. Her keen eyes, which has a mixture of yellow and orange colour, glowed slightly in the shadow of the tree. The soft wind brushed her white feathers, making her crest flow along. The chill that the air carries gave a slight shiver down her brown fur. Her tail wagged lazily from the branch. She let out a yawn, her eyes squinting in the process.

After her yawn, she spots a strange light coming from the high heavens. A bright light drove down from the night sky and fell nearby. She perked up, her tail twitched enthusiastically. She glided down from the tree and flew close to the ground as she made her way to the crash site. The sleepiness from before replaced with an eagerness of discovery. Up ahead she saw smoke coming out of the Abysmal Abyss. There was light coming from the chasm, the flames that was engulfing a weird looking gigantic thing. A few parts of it was scattered along the site, others fell dangerously close to the tree line. A thunder signified a coming storm not far from where she now stood. Hopefully the rain it carries would put out the fire but not slid the unknown contraption deeper into the chasm. With a news to tell, Little Squick hurried back to Griffonstone to tell her sister about what she had discovered.

---

The door bursted open, Little Squick went in, soaking wet; the storm had caught up on her. She took a few step inside, leaving a few puddled in her trail. She vigorously shook the water off of her.

Big sis will shout at me for this, not like she ever say anything calmly.

Little Squick continued her way inside, their little home in Griffonstone was gently lit by a lantern in the living room. Her Grumpa Gruff should be asleep right now, but she was unsure about her sister, Gilda. Oh, she would be so furious. Gilda was not really fond of her going on her little stargazing at night. So, Little Squick tiptoed her way to her room.

I should just go back tomorrow then tell her.

Her sneaking skills were extraordinary. Thanks to being a predator on both half: an eagle and a lioness. Although, most Griffons are a lion on the rump, they are quite different when it comes to their top side, it varies from all kinds of bird species. Her Grumpa Gruff was a vulture, she and her sister, Gilda, was the same; an eagle.

Little Squick was just about to leave the living room when a voice made her freeze on her tracks.

"Where have you been?" The voice was stern and familiar. The combination of both brought bristles upon Little Squick's back. She turn around and saw a very angry Gilda sitting on a couch.

"I was just gone for a stroll sis." Little Squick smiled sheepishly.

"You've gone and stargaze again, haven't you?" Said Gilda with narrowed eyes.

Little Squick knew she was caught and that there was no way to escape it. But could she persuade Gilda to come and search to crash site? Her gaze shifted towards the window. The storm was clearing, clouds were parting to make way for the moon's light to pierce the quiet land. Her eyes snap back to Gilda when she heard her stand up.

"Didn't I tell you to stop going on nightly trips?"

"But sis, I saw something tonight."

"And what is it now, huh?" Gilda spat.

"Uhhh... It's.. ummm.." Little Squick stammered, with her head down, rubbing her arm with her other talon.

"That's what I thought." Gilda took a deep breath and smacked a talon over her face. She sighed tiredly as she turned to the kitchen. "Have you eaten yet?"

Little Squick shook her head. Gilda sighed again, making her way into the kitchen. She paused and pointed at the dining table, before she rummaged through their cabinets. "Go sit and don't go anywhere."

A couple of minutes later, Gilda came with a plate with a bit of rabbit meat and some beans. "Here, eat up." Said she, reclining on the couch. She had an arm over her eyes and letted out a tired groan.

Little Squick took a few bites, pondering whether to tell Gilda or not. Finally after one last bite, she took a deep breath and asked.

"Gilda?"

"Hmmm?"

"Can you accompany me back to the Abysmal Abyss?" She said hesitantly.

"What?" Gilda cried, sitting up right and looking at her sister with disdain. "After I told you for the fifth time not to go stargazing so late at night, and sixth time not to got near Abysmal Abyss. You'd still ask me to go there with you? Late at night?"

Little squick gulped and nodded.

Gilda narrowed her eyes with a frown. "What have I ever done to you for you to disrespect me so?"

Little Squick's eyes was starting to water, she started to sniffling. "But there was something there! Y-you'd have to see it."

"I told you not to go there! And not to go out at night!" Gilda argued. "Why can't you listen to me for at least once! Am I not like Grampa Gruff? Can't I have your respect as he? Tell me, you Twerp! Mom and dad left us and I started to care for you ever since till we met Grampa Gruff, yet how can you disrespect me? Are the things I have done nothing to you?"

Gilda was cut from her tantrum by a loud thump. Little Squick ran out of the house, her tears that fell glistened from the night. Gilda gasped, her eyes widened.

"Oh, Goddess," said she, "what have I done?" She ran after her younger sister. Spreading her wings and thrusting herself up in the air. She could see her sister, flapping her wings for speed, headed for the Abysmal Abyss.

"Oh, no."

---

Little Squick stood by the edge of the rock that was preventing her from falling into the chasm. The Abysmal Abyss, they say that the Idol of Boreas is in there, many have tried to reclaim it. All ended up the same. But, now, there's this huge contraption, now wet and less smokey from the rain, was threatened to fall in at any moment.

The wee cub was curios, she wanted to find out what lays inside the object that has fallen from the sky. Although, now that it's not burning, being wet and slippery made it as dangerous as before, by sliding into the Abysmal Abyss. Behind her she can hear the beatings of her sister's wings. Little Squick has no time for this right now, she wanted sometime alone. She jumped onto the metal thing, making a loud thump that echoed through the chasm. Little Squick cringed, the sound piercing her sensitive ears. There was an open hatch just a few feet from her. She walked to it and carefully step down the ladder, sparing a glance at her sister, who had caught up, before continuing down into the belly of the metal beast.

It was dark. If one looked close enough they would see two glowing orbs of orange-red floating about as the little Griffon cub explored the dark labyrinth. Little Squick had her eyes squinted, trying to make lighter of things as she walked by. She stepped on something leather over a squishy stuff. She cringed, letting her tongue out and saying "eck!"

She hopped over the weird leather thing and continued onwards. She doesn't really know where she was going, but she knew going on a straight line would eventually lead her somewhere. And she was right, it lead her to the bridge of the wrecked ketch. There she looked around curiously, tapping buttons and pulling different levers. Until, finally pressing a light switched. The light blinded her, making her hiss in pain. When the white vision subsided what she saw made her reel back. Dead bodies, dead bodies was scattered along the metal floor. They were bipedal creatures clad in alien armour. Their skin was pale and their fur only affected their head. The image made her think of that old minotaur who visited Griffonstone once.

Lost in her thoughts, Little Squick did not notice one of the creatures standing up. It had a soft-short blonde hair and a pair of glowing blue eyes. Those eyes that was staring at her. As she stared on with the creature, it filled her with something.. loyalty. It's making her trust the creature with its every decision. Making her want to make it safe. Caught off guard by the new sensation, Little squick staggered back, accidentally pressing buttons the she shouldn't have. Quickly, explosions rang through the whole ketch, making it rumble and shake. Little Squick saw the creature lost balance and fell, its head hitting one of the railings on one of the platform, making it unconscious. A few seconds later, the ship continued to shake violently, Gilda came from the door.

"Little Squick!" Gilda cried.

"Gilda!" The Griffon cub called.

"Little Squick, we need to get out of here now, come on!"

"But, sister wait! We need to help her!"

"What do you mean her?" The ketch lurched a bit forward.

"That weird minotaur at the platform over there!" She spread her wings and perched upon one of the railings. "Come on!"

"Goddess help me with this cub." Gilda muttered, flying towards the spot her little sister was pointing at. She had the creature on her back Little Squick holding it down. A boulder slid off from the cliffside and fell into the ketch, piercing the bridge and falling into the Abysmal abyss. From with in the hall from once the came, came clinking sound. The source of the sound soon slid onto the glass of the observation deck that was threatened to break any moment.

Gilda gasped. It was the Idol of Boreas! The Griffon was torn between immediately escaping or grabbing the Idol and endangering her sister's welfare. Little Squick noticed this and was also making a decision, but hers was quick. Her loyalty was greater than that of her pride over the Idol of ancient times. The loyalty that was taken by the creatures eyes. She tap on her sister's shoulder and said,

"Gilda, please, we need to get out of here!"

Gilda hovered the for a second, unsure of what to do. The ketch shook again, it was about to fall. Gilda shook her head then nodded at her sister. She flew out of the whole that the boulder made, just in time as the whole ketch fell into the Abysmal Abyss.

Gilda stood by the edge near the chasm, panting heavily due to the sudden adrenaline. Her sister was no better. They both shared a look that translated as 'we should go home and rest.' In which both nodded in agreement. Although, Gilda was not sure what to make of the creature they had saved from the crash. Hopefully, she's right in saving her bum and get some answers as to what and who the paw is she.

Author's Note:

This chapter has not been professionally edited. Typos and grammatical error are loose! Please, helpful criticism is welcomed. Feedbacks are appreciated, because you are a lovely bunch.

If you have something that you may want to be cleared up or understand, please email me or leave a comment.

Do leave a reason on why you dislike the story as I want to improve its quality.

See you next chapter!

Comments

[FrostTheWolf]

Now THIS I like. You seriously did this one quite well. Looking forward to more of Mara Sov!

5 pinkies out of five

[Atlas55]

Great Chapter! Looking forward to seeing more!

[Cosmic Abyss]

One thing that really bugs me is the fact the there was not a lot of detail so somehow an awoken ship fell from the sky and it was completely silent? No big boom or crash to anounce that something just crashed into the planet? Really big hole in that logic.

[grammar404]

6874318 You're right, how come there are no explosions or tremors? Maybe magic or dimensional displacement? The ship may have been going on a rather slow speed, it was displaced from another universe where it was just floating in space. The ketch was burning as it fell from the sky, some may confuse it as a star. In it's speed and velocity, we may assume that it crashed into the chasm of the Abysmal Abyss and broke a few boulders at best. The ketch was unstable and may fall even if Little Squick hadn't press those buttons, but for it to fall needs at least a dozen Griffons perhaps?

I'm trying my best with details, I'm not really the best at it. I'll try to improve with each chapter, I publish in each story. Hopefully, things get better as we go on.

[Cosmic Abyss]

It's fine don't mind me. I just really like details. All I'm saying is at the moment it feels like just telling and not showing. The best advice I can give you to improve would be details. Try thinking of your scenes and characters and picture it in your mind describe how YOU would see them even the small things are interesting. Help us readers picture what you see. In your mind you see a ketch falling. But that's it? Try to add little things like effects.
It was damaged you said, so it was not only on fire from atmospheric reentry but it could also be spewing fire that left a smoke trail that could have made it easier for our "Protagonist".
Also don't just describe looks but also remember to go into detail about characters and their personality, history, and thoughts. Go the extra mile for depth.

In NO way am I saying I don't like this. The more you keep at it the better, good job though.

[Timeless Lord Slayer]

6874447Aye, tis good, my friend, all y' need do is work towards y' goal.