Pledged In Blood - Chapter Twenty Seven (Patreon)

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Chapter Twenty Seven

Departure

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A few mornings later, I stood outside in the cold snow and stark sunshine. For the first time since I met Nesh, I was finally free of the many stitches he put in me. While I was pleased to be healed, I was less pleased with all the sturdy leather straps and brass buckles now locked around me. Cargo pouches were buckled around all four limbs, and the base of my tail. Another, much larger one was slung against my chest plates, and it in turn contained more empty bags. I wanted to be able to carry as many medical supplies back for Nesh as I could. 

But storage packs were not the only thing I wore. Nesh busied himself securing the last clasps of an elaborate safety harness I’d dug out of Melakar’s hoard. Melakar used to enjoy taking his vassals flying, and commissioned elaborate devices to keep them safe. Since I had no more room left to carry Nesh against my chest, I decided to let him ride upon my back, instead. The harness I selected was strapped around both dragon and rider, and should the human slip from the dragon’s back, the safety straps would catch them before they fell out of reach.

“Wouldn’t a saddle have made more sense?” Nesh passed under my neck, tugging belts. He was dressed in his thick winter coat, with several other warm layers looted from Melakar’s hoard beneath it. A set of brass and leather flight googles made for another of Melakar’s former vassals perched atop his head, looking like the extra eyes of some odd insect. “He must have had this custom made, so I’m surprised he didn’t ask for a saddle.” 

“Saddle?” The very idea made me flatten back my ears. I glanced down at Nesh, snarling. “Saddles are for burden beasts, Nesh. Dragons do not debase themselves so. Besides.” I tossed my head with a snort. “You can fall out of a saddle, too. A harness keeps you safe. They are for friends, not mounts.” 

“A horse can be a friend.” Nesh chuckled, moving around my side to check the securing strap under my left foreleg. “A yak, too.” 

“Can they?” I tilted my head, perking my frills to give Nesh a dubious look. “Have a lot of deep, meaningful conversations with yaks, do you?” 

“Well…” Nesh scratched the back of his head, ruffling his scruffy head-fur. “Not meaningful, anyway. But when I was younger, there was this one yak…erm, actually, no, I’ll stop talking before I really make myself sound foolish.” 

“A bit late for that,” I said, rumbling amusement. 

The sound of paws crunching in snow drew my attention. I turned my head as Blue Jay walked up alongside me. An ebony cargo harness was strapped around his indigo and gray body, flattening down feathers and fur alike. In additional to all the pouches I remembered from before, much larger satchels sat across his chest and along each side of his body. I suspected that last time, they’d removed all the excess storage before coming to engage me in battle. Now, everything bulged with supplies and equipment for travel. 

“Speaking of burden beasts, here’s one now.” I flicked my tail against the crusty snow, spraying bits of white at the gryphon. 

Blue Jay clacked his beak at me, tossing a pawful of snow in my direction. “Speak for yourself! You look like you’re covered in warts.” 

I looked myself over, scrunching my muzzle. The safety harness wasn’t the only thing I wore. Cargo pouches were buckled around all four limbs, and the base of my tail. Another, much larger one was slung against my chest plates, and it in turn contained more empty bags. I wanted to be able to carry as many medical supplies back for Nesh as I could. All the bags and fastenings felt odd against my scales, a strange sort of light but ever-present pressure. I knew I’d get used to it eventually, so for the time being I did my best to simply ignore it. 

“Blue Jay,” I said, looking over at him again. “Did you know humans make friends with animals and talk to yaks?” 

“Humans talk to everything.” Blue Jay clicked his beak a few times, warbling. “Whether or not it can talk back. I’ve even heard them talking to plants!” The gryphon lifted his voice a few notches to imitate a human. “Oh, tomatoes! You’re looking beautiful today, look at all those flowers, you’re going to give me so much fruit.” 

I growled laughter, swinging my head around to regard Nesh as he finished his inspections. “Is that true, Nesh? Do your people talk to plants?” 

Nesh shrugged, glancing away. “Maybe on occasion. But it’s not as if I haven’t caught you murmuring to that golden Mantle.” 

I snorted and tossed my head. “That’s different. I was just thinking out loud.” 

“If you say so. The point is,” Nesh said, dusting off his hands. “That dragons sometimes talk to things that lack intelligence as well.” 

“I suppose you’re right, Nesh.” I stretched a wing out to drape it across the indigo gryphon’s back. “I do talk to Blue Jay, after all.” 

“Hilarious, dragon.” Blue Jay wriggled out from under my wing with a hiss. “Besides, I’m far more intelligent than you.” The gryphon took a few slow, exaggerated steps, mantling his wings and swishing his feathered tail about in self-indulgent strut “Sexier, too.” 

“I’ve yet to see any proof of either claim.” I tilted my head, watching him swagger about as though he believed himself the most attractive creature in all the world. “And the more you try to convince me, the less believable it seems.” 

“Well then.” The gryphon pivoted back towards me, striding up to put his beak near my muzzle, and purr ever so gently. “Perhaps you’ll have to give me a chance to prove myself.” 

“Oh, yes, because that always works.” Nesh waved his hand, turning away from us with a laugh. “Nothing a woman likes more than a man offering to ‘prove’ his prowess in bed.” 

“Tried and failed, did you?” Blue Jay cooed at Nesh. “I could give you some pointers, if you like. Or a demonstration.” 

Nesh pivoted on his heel to glare at the gryphon. “Is there anyone you won’t offer to have…relations with? Or wouldn’t accept such an offer from?”

Blue Jay shrugged his wings, his harness packs shifting. “If they’ve reached adulthood, and they’re consenting, why not? Life is too short and fragile not to indulge ourselves with anyone who wishes to do the same. Just because your gods won’t let you enjoy your body with anyone you want doesn’t mean I can’t.” 

I lifted a foreleg and eased Nesh a few steps away from Blue Jay. “That’s enough, now.” I did not think Blue Jay was intentionally antagonizing Nesh with his teasing any longer, but Nesh sometimes took it that way. “No sense in starting our journey with bruised feelings.” I shot Blue Jay a smile that was both threatening, and playful. “Or bruised testicles.” 

Blue Jay grunted and settled onto his haunches to make a show of covering himself with his forepaws. “Very well, I shall not pick on your concubine.” He tilted his head, warbling and perking his ears. “Am I safe to remove my paws, now?” 

“If I planned to strike them, I’d have already done it. I just thought it prudent to stop you before I had to defend Nesh’s honor again. We’d be delayed all morning, waiting for you to pick yourself up off the ground.” I pulled Nesh closer, gently hugging him against my scales. “For what it’s worth, though, I actually agree with you.” 

The gryphon moved his paws away from their protective location and set them before himself. He opened his beak, but then gaped a moment in silence before wisely biting back whatever initial reply he had. Blue Jay shook himself, ruffling his feathers. “About what, may I ask?” 

“About life’s pleasures, and who we share them with.”

“Ah!” Blue Jay gave a pleased chirrup. “It’s a common enough attitude, among gryphons. Most gryphons, really.” He tilted his head, looking me over. “Have you ever…?” 

“With a gryphon?”

Blue Jay waved a paw. “Or a female dragon. Or humans, or…just curious how broad your horizons are, so to speak.” 

“I’m…just going to see how Sparrow’s coming along.” Nesh wiggled free of my grasp and hurried back to the entrance to the lair. 

“I’m sorry,” Blue Jay said, rustling his wings. “I didn’t mean to scare him off, or offend him.” One of his forepaws drifted back to cover his testicles again. 

“You needn’t cover up, bird, I’m not going to hit you, I know you weren’t trying to antagonize him that time. He’s just…” 

“A prude?” 

I chuckled, licking my nose. “Something like that, yes. And to answer your earlier questions…yes, to female dragons, yes, to female humans, no to male humans, and no to gryphons at all.” I lifted my frills, peering intently at him. “So far. You?” 

“Mostly gryphons.” Blue Jay swallowed, seemingly to shrink just a little under the intensity of my gaze. “Male and female.” 

“Yes, I thought I saw something between you and Cardinal.” 

The gryphon nodded once. “Beyond my own kind, it’s mostly been humans. A gnoll, once. Watched an urd’thin, if that counts. But…” He clicked his beak twice. “Never a dragon.” 

“Your interest is flattering, I shall admit.” I arched my neck, flaring out my frills. I did not mind being desired by him, gryphon or not.

“And, is that interest in any way requited?” He held up his forepaws, his pads towards me in show of gryphon acquiescence. “I’m only curious, and if you truly tire of my teasing I shall endeavor to curtail it.” 

I gave a rumbling, murmuring noise, and then tilted my head down, making a show of letting my eyes wander across his body, and eventually down his underbelly, between his hind legs. “I’m a little curious, yes.” I lifted my head again. “But for now, that’s all you’re getting. It’s hardly the time or the place to considering indulging such curiosities.”

“Unfortunately I must agree, but it’s nice to know the feeling is mutual.”

“I wouldn’t go that far, Bird.” I turned around, smiling to myself. “Besides, Nesh has first call.” That didn’t stop me from flicking my tail up and shaking my haunches at the gryphon. If he could tease, I could do the same. “Now, let’s fetch him and Sparrow so we can be underway.” 

I lead the way back inside to find Sparrow talking with Cardinal and Pigeon. Nesh stood near here, while the rest of the humans lounged about or worked on simple tasks. Nesh and I had made it clear that the humans were not to enter the private areas where Melakar’s notes and things were, let alone where the Mantle was kept. I’d blocked off the adjoining archway with as many heavy crates and other obstructions as I could, and then had Nesh inspect it for any human sized openings. When we were satisfied it was secure, Sparrow charged Cardinal and Pigeon with insuring the humans did not infiltrate that area. I trusted her, for now, and she in turn trusted them. 

“All done discussing your various…” Nesh waggled his fingers at me when he saw me approaching. “Sexual conquests?”

“Is that what you were discussing outside?” Cardinal flared up his crimson crown feathers, then gave a disappointed coo. “I’m sorry I missed that!”

Pidgeon nudged him with her beak, warbling softly. “If she was discussing it with Kraas, I’m sure his side of the conversation was a very short list.”

“Not as short as yours!” Blue Jay snapped his beak, glaring at her. 

“Nor as short as something else that belongs to you, I’d wager.” Pigeon chirped at him, then smiled at me and made a sign with her paws indicating something quite small. 

“That’s unfortunate,” I said, laughing. 

“It’s also a blatant lie.” Blue Jay ruffled himself up, fluffing out indigo and gray feathers. “Avalek, are you ready to go? I’m not sure how much more of this unfair abuse I can take.” 

“Yes, poor Kraas, always sooo abused.” Cardinal gave low, sympathetic cooing noise. “And definitely never brought on by all his own bragging and bravado.” 

“Yes, I think I’m ready,” Sparrow said, after snapping her beak to cut the others off. She glanced at the two gryphons staying behind. “You two know where all the food and firewood is. Do you need anything else?” 

“I think we’re prepared.” Cardinal turned his eyes up to me. “Any last minute instructions from the Queen of the Valley?” 

I snorted at his playful use of my title, but shook my head, my tail swishing. “Nothing that I haven’t already told you. Aside from the private areas, you’re welcome to the run of the place. Clean up after yourselves and make sure the humans do the same. You may peruse the books and things, but treat them with the utmost care.” I glanced between him and Pidgeon a few times, a smirk curling across my muzzle. “If you get amorous with one another, do so where it will make the humans uncomfortable.”

“I hardly think that’s going to happen.” Pigeon glared at me, flaring her crown feathers. 

“That’s not the impression I’ve gotten from gryphons, thus far.” I turned my attention back to Sparrow and Blue Jay. The former lovers had moved close to one another, and now whispered to each other in the gryphon language, too softly and too swiftly for me to parse it. Given Blue Jay’s smile, and Sparrow’s wide eyes and perked ears, I had the sneaking suspicion he was relaying the contents of our private conversation to her. I snapped my teeth. “I am ready to go if you are, Sparrow?” 

“I believe so.” Sparrow inspected her various pouches and bags, murmuring to herself. “Rations, medicine, coins, maps, documentation, survival gear…” She glanced at Blue Jay. “You’ve the snow blankets and tarp anchors, yes?” 

“For the third time, yes.” Blue Jay clacked his beak. “I have everything you told me to bring.” 

“Good. Then yes, I believe we’re ready.” Sparrow bowed her head to her companions. “Until we return then. Be well!”

The other two gryphons returned the gesture, and wished us all a safe journey. After they’d said their goodbyes, Sparrow turned towards the exit. “I shall lead the way, for now.” She glanced at Blue Jay, whispered something in gryphon that made him smile and nod, and then strode forward.

Both gryphons walked around me in closer proximity than usual. Sparrow brushed past me, and her plumage tickled my scales in a way that made me shudder, just a little. I did not think she was doing it on purpose until she curled her feathered tail around the back of my hind leg. The longest of her tail feathers teased not only finer scales of my thighs, but also what lay between them. My breath caught even as Blue Jay did the same thing. He rubbed up against me, his tail feathers sliding across the same places from the other side. Between the two of them, they left me shuddering, and wishing for more. 

“You little shits did that on purpose!” 

Gryphon laughter echoed through the cavern as they both walked down the tunnel, to the exit. 

Nesh peered up at me, confusion etched across his features. “They did what on purpose?” 

I sighed, and simply waved him forward. “Nothing, Nesh. Let’s just go.” 

On the way out, I contemplated the gryphons. I was not surprised by Blue Jay’s teasing, but Sparrow’s had caught me a little off guard. I had grown to trust her as much as the situation and circumstances allowed, and I believed she felt the same of me. But it was for her to drop the veneer of professionalism, to relax and act more like a playful, mischievous gryphons. To my admittedly limited knowledge of her people, gryphons outside the restrictive confines of the human societies were akin in spirit and behavior to dragons. 

However, where we could sometimes be aloof and solitary, they were mischievous, and heavily social. Like dragons, they made ferocious warriors when their furies were roused. Unlike dragons, I believed them to be quicker to forgive, and also quicker to grow flirtatious with anyone they perceived as the least bit receptive to their advances. It was the ego, I thought. While dragons too sometimes had egos larger than we deserved, gryphons were far beyond us. Each gryphon often seemed to think themselves the most attractive, beautiful creature in all the world. 

Or so it seemed. Perhaps Blue Jay’s personality had simply tinted my impressions of his entire species. 

As if to prove my point, Blue Jay glanced back at me, and shook his haunches, his indigo and black feathered tail swishing. “Enjoying the view dragon?” 

I snapped at his tail. “Yes, but only because I’m thinking about whacking you in the balls for that little stunt a moment ago.” 

“What stunt?” Nesh put a hand on my side as we walked out into the sunshine. “What did I miss?” 

I spared Nesh a quick glance. “Nothing that won’t initiate your camouflage response.” 

“My what?” Confusion twisted up Nesh’s face. “I don’t have a…wait, are you talking about blushing?” 

“It was her idea!” Blue Jay pointed a wing tip at Sparrow. “Don’t be mad at her me!” 

“Yes, but I haven’t got any balls for her to whack.” Sparrow chirruped musical laughter, nipping at Blue Jay’s wing. “Besides, she likes me better than you.”

“That wouldn’t take much,” I said, rumbling laughter. “Besides, I’m more inclined to blame you, Blue Jay, because you’ve been teasing Nesh and I since the beginning.” I picked up a pawful of snow and tossed it at Sparrow, who ducked her head under it. “She’s only just started, so I am forced to assume it was your bad influence corrupting her.” 

“Oh, no, no.” Blue Jay shook out his wings, gazing up at the sky. “I don’t think I could do a damn thing to change her, nor would I try. That was all her. She’s got more wicked ideas rattling around her brain than you might think, she just hides them beneath her baffling desire for professionalism.” 

Sparrow took a few steps away from us, then paused to preen her left wing. “Some of us have a career to consider.” She spat a loose feather on the snowy ground. 

Blue Jay clicked his beak. “You sound like such a human right now.” 

“Had a career to consider, anyway.” She sighed, gazing down at the lost feather. “I’ll be probably be demoted thanks to this whole debacle.” Sparrow ruffled up her feathers, digging her claws into the frozen earth. “Hell, I’ll be lucky to avoid a court martial for assisting the enemy now, after I show up in town with a dragon and a traitor.” 

“I’m not a traitor!” Nesh took a few steps towards her, then faltered, scratching at the back of his head fur. “Well, I suppose, by the technical definition, I am. But I’m not betraying anyone, I’m just…helping a creature in need.” He glanced between the gryphons a few times. “I certainly don’t feel like a traitor!”

Blue Jay warbled laughter. “A fact I’m sure they’ll take into consideration at your court martial.” The gryphon shot Nesh a dangerous look, his ears flattened. “Before they hang you, for being a traitor.” 

Nesh folded his arms, shrugging. “I think I’d request firing squad, actually. Hanging doesn’t always…well, you don’t want to know the details.” 

“I’m glad you’re taking this in stride, Nesh.” I curled a foreleg around him, sharping my voice. “Because I am not. Anyone who tries to harm my vassal will find themselves facing a particularly protective dragon long before they ever reach him.” 

“Thank you, Ella.” Nesh hugged my forepaw, then turned towards me to pat my chest plates. “Don’t worry, I’ve very little intention of returning just to face a court martial. When and if the time comes, I’ll make sure I have a chance to tell my story to a receptive audience.” He glanced at the gryphons over his shoulder. “Preferably with witnesses there corroborate it.” 

“Oh, I don’t think they’d really execute you.” Sparrow waved her paw. “They’ll just toss you in jail, probably with Kraas and me. At least we can keep each other company while we rot in a cell.” 

“And on that note,” I said, nudging Nesh with my muzzle. “It’s time to go. Concubine, you may mount me now.”

“Ella!” Nesh laughed, his face flushing. He shoved my snout away. “Don’t say it like that!” 

I waggled my haunches in the air. “Don’t keep me waiting, concubine!” 

Sparrow and Blue Jay shared a glance, and the male gryphon warbled. “And she says I tease him.” 

“Ella’s allowed.” Nesh swiftly buckled the safety straps around his body. “You’re not. After all, I agreed to be her concubine, not yours.” He pause, blinking. “Wait, that didn’t come out as intended.” 

“Is probably what she says, when you remove your trousers for her!” Blue Jay cackled squawking gryphon laughed, nudging Sparrow with his wing. She batted it away, but also visibly fought back her own laughter. 

I rumbled laughter as well, nosing at Nesh’s back. “You walked into that one, Concubine, so I’ll allow it. Now, finish putting on your safety device, so I can take you for a ride.” 

Blue Jay glared at me. “You’re making this way too easy.” 

When Nesh was prepared, I lowered myself down to my belly. The snow was cold, but I was quite used to winter’s chill against my hide. I flattened my wings back against my body, shifting my wing-joints as far back as I could to give Nesh room to clamber up. Given that I’d never let a human ride upon my back before, I was not sure of the best approach for him to take. Melakar used to take Ayrah flying, and I vaguely remembered watching her sprint towards him to take a flying leap at his back. Somehow, I doubted Nesh could manage such athletic feats without planting his own face in the snow. 

I eased my foreleg out towards him, hoping it might serve as a step. “Put your boot on my leg, first, then try and grab at the back of my neck.” 

“Yes, alright, let’s start there.” Nesh placed a foot upon the silver-striped scutes of my front limb, then hesitated to put his weight upon me. “I’m not going to hurt you, am I?” 

“Not unless you stomp on my paw.” I snorted, curling my neck to watch him. “Just give it a try.” 

Nesh stepped up onto my leg, glancing at me to make sure he wasn’t hurting me. The pressure was not comfortable, but it was not painful, either. When I did not complain, he grasped at the back of my neck, trying to find purchase against my scales. Then he hopped up, tossing himself against my body. Nesh managed to get his belly draped across the back of my neck, but then hung there with boots scrabbling at my scales and fingers struggling for purchase.

“Umm…a little help, someone?” Nesh wriggled against my neck. He tried to throw his leg up and over me, but only succeeded in making himself wobble back and forth like a hatchling’s toy. “Anyone? I seem to be stuck.” 

Blue Jay padded up behind Nesh, plopping himself onto his haunches. He grasped Nesh around the middle in both forepaws, hoisting him up into the air. Then he turned him slightly, and set him down upon my back, just above where my neck met my shoulders. “There. Problem solved. We ready to go?”

Nesh wriggled himself into a more comfortable position, one leg hanging down on either side of me. “Thank you, Kraas.” 

“He’s going to have to learn to do that on his own, you know.” Sparrow clicked her beak, and ruffled her feathers. 

“And he can do so on his own time, when we’re not trying to leave.” Blue Jay rose back to all fours and trotted a few paces away from me. “Speaking of which, let’s go!” 

Without waiting for anyone else, Blue Jay leapt into the air. He beat his indigo and black wings, ascending swiftly in a tight spiral. Snow swirled all around us as the gusts from his wings buffeted the frozen ground. Sparrow squawked and turned her head, squeezing her eyes shut for a moment. I flicked my flight membranes closed, but otherwise ignored the whirling powder. I took a few steps back and forth, then slowly pumped my wings, testing them to ensure that Nesh’s position would not interfere with my flight. His weight and the feeling of his legs against my scales were not uncomfortable sensations, simply an odd sort of pressure. The straps and ropes wrapped around me in various places were actually more irritating, rubbing and scratching at my scales. Hopefully I’d grow accustom to them all, eventually. 

I curled my neck to gaze at my passenger. “If you’re ready, I’m going to take off now. I’ll do a running start so you can get used to the motion, then I’ll try and ascend smoothly.” When Nesh nodded, I glanced at Sparrow. “You want to take off before me, or after me?”

“After you.” The female gryphon backed away to give me extra room. “That way, if he falls and the rope breaks, hopefully I can catch him.” 

“Good idea.” I pivoted on the snow to give myself the most room to run. “Ready, Nesh?” 

“I suppose that depends on your definition!” Nesh scooted up against the back of my neck to wrap his arms around me for stability. “Is this alright?” 

“Feels a bit funny, but it’s fine. Brace yourself.” 

I gave him a moment to do just that before I started forward. I began at a swift walk, then moved into a trot, and soon, into a galloping run. Cords and bindings scraped and rubbed against my scales in ways that made me glad I was not going to be running the whole way there. I hoped the motions of flight would not prove so problematic. I did not want to end up with scales chaffed so badly I developed sores by the end of the trip. Nesh did his best to cling to me, bouncing only a time or two. 

When I thought he’d had enough time to ready himself, I leapt into the air, and beat my vast wings. The ascent pushed him down against my back and helped hold him in place as I rose towards the cerulean sky. I kept my climb gentle, and when I banked, I did so smoothly so as not to unseat him. A few moments later, and I heard feathered wings beating against the sky behind me. Sparrow followed me closely at first, though thankfully she had no need to try and rescue Nesh. 

By the time we reached the altitude where Blue Jay circled in waiting, Nesh relaxed and relinquished his hold upon my neck. “That wasn’t so bad! Didn’t feel quite as secure as being carried, but there’s certainly something special about riding a dragon!” Nesh patted my neck, his excited smile shining through in his voice. “Can’t imagine many people have ever had such an experience.” 

“Can’t be half as exciting as riding a gryphon!” Blue Jay shifted course to fly alongside as we banked southwest. “We’re much faster and more maneuverable, you know!” 

“I’m not sure that makes it better, actually.” Nesh shifted a little. “Besides, I’ve seen gryphons in the skies over the capital plenty of times. Dragons are far more exotic!” 

Blue Jay clacked his beak sharply. “If you say so. Enjoy your bumpy, ungainly flight.” 

Nesh patted my neck. “It’s not that bumpy.” 

“Not helping, Nesh.” I snorted, trying to beat my wings in even strokes.

“I’m sure your flight is just fine, for a dragon.” Sparrow took up position on the other side of me, matching my speed and altitude. “Just try not to jar him so badly he squishes anything of importance, hmm?”

Nesh gave an awkward sounding laugh as he adjusted his trousers. “I’m working to avoid that myself, actually.” 

“He’s a human!” Blue Jay warbled laughter. “How important could they be?” 

“More important than yours, Bird!” Nesh glared at the gryphon, holding onto the safety straps around his chest. 

“Well played, Nesh!” I laughed, and then focused my attention upon the horizon. “We’re going to head mostly southwest, towards the lake. I can guide us to shelter along the way, but once we’re at the edges of the valley, one of you will have to take over navigational duties. I don’t know the layout of the lands beyond my valley, much less the way to any human cities.” 

“That’s fine.” Sparrow drifted further away from me, then eased closer again, lazily weaving back and forth as she flew. “Kraas and I should be able to guide us the rest of the way to Tivos, but we’ve brought maps as well in case they’re needed. You said there were caves, and fortresses along the way?” 

“Correct.” I scanned the horizon, but the bluffs I sought were still a long ways from coming into view, even at altitude. “Though given our late start, we may or may not reach the caves by tonight. The fortresses are on islands in the great lake, and we should be able to make them with another day’s flight beyond the caves.”

“We may have to sleep a night in the open, but Kraas and I brought our snow blankets. They’ll keep even a human plenty warm, provided he’s got something else larger and warmer to sleep with.” Sparrow shot a glare at the rest of us, though I couldn’t tell if it was more aimed at me, or Blue Jay. “I’ll thank you not to make a joke of that.” 

I laughed, and Blue Jay did the same, but neither of us commented. “You’ve mentioned those snow blankets before. Are they what Blue Jay, Pidgeon and Cardinal were all camouflaged under, when I flew out to destroy your cannons?”

“That’s correct.” Sparrow pumped her wings a few times to match my pace. “They’re dual purpose. They make excellent camouflage in the snow, but more importantly, they’re very warm, especially for more than one occupant.” 

“They’re a bit of gryphon survival kit, first made by tundra clans,” Blue Jay said, ascending a few wing beats, ahead before gliding back alongside me. “Made from the thick, luxurious hides of certain arctic mammals. They hold in heat like nothing else. If we get caught out in the open, in a blizzard, the four of us should be fine as long as we’re all huddled together under a snow blanket.” 

I snorted, flattening back my ears. “Trust gryphons to create survival gear that relies upon snuggling.” 

“We’re social creatures, what can I say!” Blue Jay chirruped, flashing me an open-beaked smile. 

“You say that as if huddling for warmth isn’t something any creature would do to survive,” said Sparrow. 

I clicked my teeth, glancing between the two gryphons. “So long as Blue Jay’s paws don’t decide to get social, too. If they start wandering where they’re not wanted, my paws shall do the same! And mine shall be decidedly less friendly.” 

Blue Jay tossed his head. “I hope you’re going to give Avalek the same warning!” 

I offered the female gryphon a playful grin. “Sparrow’s paws may go wherever they please.” 

Sparrow flicked her feathered tail against me as we flew, but otherwise did not reply. 

Near silence settled over us as we began our journey, a dearth of sound and conversation that was calming, rather than awkward. While I had the chance, I studied the landscape. It had been a long time since I’d been this far south. In one direction, the tallest of the jagged peaks ran in a broken line, ever-struggling to gouge the sky itself. They gradually gave way to smaller slopes, smoothed into gentle lines and curves by the same blanket of white snow that covered everything this time of year. Small, ice-choked rivers cut through the land in several places. The swiftest flowing of them remained relatively free of ice in most places. Its rushing waters sparkled in the winter sunlight, cascading and pouring over submerged boulders and around narrow bends. 

The, wide flat valley which gave the land its name lay before us. There, the rivers grew wider and wider on their trek towards the grand lake we’d reach in a day or two. Each river took a different course, though in the spring, when the heaviest of the snowmelt swelled both tributary and major waterway alike, great floods often washed across the valley, joining the rivers temporarily. It was floods like that which kept portions of the central valley scrubbed clean and flat, with more earth, gravel, and water-worn boulders dotting the land than trees or bushes. This time of year, though, the land before us was little more than a very wide, very flat snowfield, cut with ribbons of icy water. 

For now, I followed the valley, though eventually our course would take us away from it. I could just make out the gray and red smudges of stony bluffs on the far horizon. That would be our destination for the day. From there, we’d make for the southern ends of the great lake, where the islands were. We should easily be able to make an island fortress by the end of the second day of flight, and after that, it would be in the gryphon’s hands. 

I turned my attention towards the west, where the humans and their great army lay camped. Though we were too far away to see their camp, a noticeable haziness marred the distance. All their fires and forges looked to have left smoky gray cloud above their vast encampment. I briefly wondered if they had any other units that had penetrated this far into our lands. What if there was someone else out there who might seek to shoot me down? It seemed unlikely, but not impossible. After all, I hadn’t known about the last set of cannons until they were firing on me. I comforted myself with the thought that if there were others looking to shoot down dragons, they would likely hold fire so long as I flew between gryphons.

I could only imagine the sort of thoughts that must be running through their heads. They were sent out here to kill me, and now, here they were, leading me towards one of their own cities. A thousand thoughts must have been spiraling through their minds, from the fearful and doubtful, to the exciting and hopeful. The turns our lives took where rarely predictable, and all we could do was ride out the uncertain winds to the best of our ability. 

Suddenly, I wondered who was taking the bigger risk. The dragon who forced herself to trust the very people sent to kill her? Or the gryphons who would likely be seen as betraying their army by helping me? In our own way, we had both put our lives on the line with these grand experiment. But if they could trust me, then I could trust them. And if this worked…

Then maybe one day, we’d all know peace. 

Maybe one day, the idea of dragons, gryphons, and humans all trusting one another would not seem so strange. 

An impossible ideal, maybe, but one I was increasingly willing to risk my life for.