• Published 28th Feb 2013
  • 1,190 Views, 31 Comments

Staying Awake - Elusive Phoenix



Cynogryphon. A near extinct race of two-sided creatures. Hunted by the Gryphons their entire lives, these half-Eagle, half-Wolf creatures have fled their homeland. Will they find refuge at the end of their quest?

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Hike

>Tiberius<

I stumbled over the random tree root, my foot caught in its oddly-shaped hole as it grew out in a circular shape. My mind was on other things, and not where I was stepping. Ruffdown was the only one to glance my way. Everyone knew I was thinking.

When I think, I stare at the ground, my ears telling me when to turn as my friends moved around. I stood in the back with Niyla on my right.

To my amazement, I wasn't thinking about her. I was just... thinking. There was no general worry on my mind, no hate for the Gryphons. Just my thoughts. I don't know what I'm thinking of, but I know that I'm thinking.

Maybe that's what I'm thinking of. Thinking. Or maybe I think of how weird the word sounds now because I've thought it so many times.

I saw Niyla glance at me in the corner of my eye. She only looked for a second, before turning her head to look at the trees we passed. The grass I saw below me was a lighter orange now that the sun had raised. The trees were even lighter, having more sun on them.

The grass became quite mesmerizing. The shadows glazed through each blade, and some blades were even blocked out completely by the one in front of it.

With each step, I crushed a chunk of grass, and my shadow took its place. My shadow was also on Niyla. Her legs were shaded by me.

I looked at her. She continued to look through the trees.

Even the back of her head was beautiful. Her fur blew in the wind, flattening it sideways. I looked down to her legs.

Then there was only one thought that crossed my mind.

Hot-hot-hot-hot-hot-hot-hot-hot...

"What's on your mind?" I almost panicked. Almost. Apparently Ruffdown had slid back to Niyla and me, walking to my left.

Without thinking, I whispered, "Hot-hot-hot..." My eyes widened when I realized I said that. At least I whispered it. I glanced to Niyla.

Her head remained the opposite direction.

THANK GOD.

I looked back to Ruffdown, who grinned at me slyly. "Again?" I wasn't sure if that was it or if there was more on my mind. There probably was, but I was unaware of it. I shrugged, then tripped on small mound of dirt, falling face-first. But I quickly recovered.

Ruffdown chuckled, "Did you have a nice fall?"

I grinned back. "Two seasons too late, I'm afraid." I spit some dirt out as I said it, rubbing my face with a paw while continuing to walk.

"Or one too early." He replied. We had a joke battle sometimes. It usually started with my clumsiness and ended with Ruffdown's hilarity.

I looked forward from Ruffdown. Kismae stood directly in front of Ruff, and Niyla walked in front of me.

I'm pretty sure we both thought the same thing at that exact moment.

Hot-hot-hot-hot-hot-hot-hot-hot...

They took a step, and their whole backsides moved.

Hot.

It moved again.

Hot

Again.

Hot.

Kismae turned her head to look at me. I know she caught me looking at Niyla's... uh... rear end. Her face was suspicious as I obviously looked everywhere but forward.

Ruffdown had been lucky enough not to be caught, and he simply stared at me to lose attention.

Oh yeah, thanks.That helps.

Kismae looked back to whatever she decided could have her gaze, and Ruffdown immediately went back to staring at her. I almost laughed out loud at how fast he had gone back to it. I slowly turned my gaze to Niyla. Her wings were suddenly spread.

Hhhhooooooooooooooooooooooooooooot.

She flapped them slowly. That or time slowed just for me to observe it.

She lifted off the ground, going above the trees, my gaze following her, showing me her underside.

Hot scale: HHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT

Ruffdown realized that this situation could get very awkward, so her used his right wing to push my head down to look forward.

"Ahem. Excuse me." I whispered to him. He smiled. He knew that I really meant, "Thanks, I needed that."

He nodded.

Niyla came back down, landing softly in front of me, back in our formation. I glanced at Zarrus in front to prevent me from looking at Niyla. Today was one of those days. One of those awkward, awkward days.

Zarrus turned his head to Niyla. "Anything?" She shook her head. "Good."

___________________

I held my breath as the deer passed by. This was the first buck we had seen in weeks. So far we'd been surviving on anything; berries, voles, even a raccoon.

Ruffdown and Zarrus were the only two who carried the food. Niyla had water (maybe a bit too much, but you never know), and I carried anything else.

In other words: the entertainment.

Whatever possessions we could grab before we left The Den, we put in those bags. Memories, mostly. Childhood trinkets, pictures, anything that reminded us of our past.

Each of us carried our favorite mementos, but I carried the rest. Luckily it wasn't that heavy, which is saying something for a Cyno like me: slim and weak. I guess I was lucky to hold that Gryphon on me at bay for that long.

But any time we were stopped, I'd find a tree or a wall of some sort and throw my ball at it. It was a strange thing, that ball. It was said to have come from Equestria. I had left it with the rest of the bags when the team continued onward while Kismae and I hunted.

I used one wing to pull out my dagger. I lifted it, just ready to strike...

An arrow impaled the deer in the head. I stopped, and so did the deer. We both stood there for a few seconds before the buck collapsed.

I glared at Kismae, who currently hovered above the trees. "What?" I continued to stare. "You were taking too long!"

Then I grinned. "Remember the rule?"

Kismae slid her bow onto her back and crossed her legs. "What rule?"

My grin widened. "The killer of the creature kills the skin." She almost froze.

"You are not making me skin that thing!"

I walked back into the trees. "Good luck!" I called behind me, using my wing to throw my dagger into the ground next to the deer.

Less work for me! It's always good to get revenge.

______________________

"Give me my ball!"

"Make me!"

*Headbutts*

_______________________

Yep. Sweet revenge! Even if revenge was already given, I bet she'd done something of jerk-like quality lately.

I slid back into camp. The sun was setting behind the mountains. We're almost there.

It was said that crossing those mountains led to Equestrian territory. The forest, however, was perilous. They had to cross a blizzard-ridden mountain into a forest of extreme danger.

But, in the end, it will hopefully be worth it.

Hopefully.

Our "beds" were spread out evenly in a circle around the fire in the center, well-guarded by its stone pit. All beds except mine, which was close to a tree. I knew it was mine.

At night I use my ball and think, bouncing it off the tree and catching it with my wing. My ball wasn't just a thinking device. It also improved accuracy with throwing, and I throw stuff quite a lot.

I stared around the camp. Ruffdown was talking with Zarrus about the plan for tomorrow. (which was amazing because usually Ruff just goes along with whatever it is we're doing!)

Niyla (hot) was reading one of her books. She had brought many with her (that I had no problem carrying for her), and almost any time we were resting or something she would pull one out.

If I could work up the courage, I would tell her how I feel.

But, naturally, I'm too shy to do it myself. So I'm waiting for her to make the first move. But part of me knew that I'd need to be the one someday. She was more shy than I was.

I laid on my bed after grabbing the blue rubber ball from the sack. With my wing I tossed the ball at the tree, angling it to bounce from one wing to the other. Then I did the same in reverse.

I repeated the pattern, thinking.

We're almost there. The ball almost missed my wing, but my blue primary grabbed it and brought it back to me.

We've almost reached Equestria.

Author's Note:

Guys, you know that's what we do!