Princess of Beasts - Chapters 1-3 (Patreon)

*****

Chapter One 

Years earlier...

*****

Deep in the night, Imperial Princess Nira hurried through dimly lit corridors. The grand palace at the heart of the Empire of the Black Star was eerily quiet, almost abandoned. The hallways were empty, with no sign of the heavily-armed guards usually posted at intersections and doorways to sensitive areas. Most of the brass gas-lit lamps lining the wood-paneled walls were extinguished, their gentle hiss silenced for the first time in memory. In the oppressive quiet, the only sounds were the swishing of Nira’s dress, the whisper of her breath, and the loud echo of her footfalls against the white marble floor. 

The echoes in particular went on a little too long, two echoing steps for every one of hers. A shiver racked her when she realized those were not echoes. Nira paused near the only lamp still working. It’s flickering flame cast the entire hall in shades of ghostly orange, and seemed to draw the shadows in at the edges of its illumination. She listened, trying to determine how close her pursuer was. They continued for several heartbeats, but Nira could not parse if they were ahead of her, or behind her. 

Nira made a snap decision, and hurried forward. She just needed to make it to her quarters, and her personal guards, and- 

No sooner had she made up her mind than a large, hooded figure stepped out from an intersecting hallway, barring her path. Nira froze, setting her jaw. She could turn and run, but something told her she wouldn’t get far. Besides, Nira had never in her life run from a fight. Why start now, she thought. Instead, she balled up her fists, and strode towards her taller adversary, sizing them up. In the darkness, it was hard to make out the fine details, but their large size told her it was a sturdily built man, wrapped in a deep green cloak, with a voluminous hood concealing his features. 

Nira squared her shoulders as she neared him. “Are you trying to look menacing?” Nira forced strength into her voice, refusing to be intimidated. “Because you’re going to have to try harder than that.” 

The man reached up and yanked back his hood, revealing a very inhuman visage. He was not a man at all, but a gnoll, a monstrous humanoid beast resembling something akin to a mountain bear crossed with a furious hyena. Beige-brown fur covered his broad head, with a bristly, ebony ruff down the back of his neck. Pointed ears flattened back in threatening display. Sharp golden eyes fixed upon her. The beast snarled, revealing the many sharp, canine teeth lining his muzzle. 

Nira gulped, taking a step back. “That’s actually far more menacing.” 

The gnoll surged towards her, from standstill to sprint in a single, smooth motion. Nira scrambled back, but the creature was too fast. It snatched her around the middle, hoisting her off her feet. Nira kicked and fought, then reached for the things face, intent on gouging its eyes out if she had to. In response, the gnoll dropped her back to her feet, only to snatch her by the throat. He shoved her back up against the wall, tightening his grip around her throat. 

“Cut that out!” The gnoll lowered his head, his snarling, spittle-flecked muzzle inches from her face. His voice was coarse, but he spoke her language well. “Come along quietly, and you won’t get hurt.” He flashed his teeth, growling.

Nira glared into the monster’s eyes, baring her teeth right back. “Better idea! You let me go, and you won’t get hurt!” 

The gnoll only snorted at her. He squeezed her throat, the dull claw tips at the ends of his fingers digging in painfully. “You think you can hurt me, Girl?” 

Princess Nira scrabbled at his furred hand, trying to dislodge his fingers. “Let’s find out!” 

With that, Nira jammed her knee between the gnoll’s legs with all the strength she could muster. Her assailant might not have been a man in the literal sense, but Nira was certain he was still male. She just hoped gnolls kept their assorted bits and pieces in the same place as humans did. 

“AWWWWWH!” 

The gnoll’s startled, yowling cry told her they did. He released her throat and stumbled back, cross-eyed and doubled over. The beast’s maw gaped wide, his tongue hanging over his sharp teeth. His ears splayed out, and the creature slowly sagged to his knees, clutching himself in both hands. Then he hunched forward, eyes still crossed, and gave a low, anguished groan. 

At that point, Nira could no longer maintain her composure. She burst into raucous laughter, pointing at the stricken beast. “Oh Rog, you should see your face right now!” 

The gnoll, named Rog, glared at her through watering golden eyes. “You weren’t supposed to go full contact!” Rog rubbed himself, calling down the hall. “You really kneed me!” 

“And you weren’t supposed to slam me up against the wall.” Nira rubbed her aching throat, grimacing. “Suppose we both got a little carried away.” She glanced down the corridor, towards the hidden alcove where she knew Guard Captain Merriam was watching from. “How’d I do that time?” 

“Quite well, your highness!” An older woman in a trim blue and black captain’s uniform, and  a pistol on each hip popped open the hidden door, and emerged into the passage. “That’s the furthest you’ve managed to evade him, and the first time you’ve taken him down.” 

Rog groaned again, still clutching himself. “Only cause she kneed me in the fuckin’ balls.” 

“Yes, I saw.” Merriam slapped the gnoll over the back of his head. “And don’t say ‘fucking balls’ around the princess.” 

“Yes, Rog!” Nira folded her arms, grinning at him. “It’s quite improper to say ‘fucking balls’ around royalty. Who knows when I might pick up your bad habits?” 

The gnoll only grunted, taking a few deep breaths. “Hilarious. That’d be a lot funnier if you hadn’t just kneed my boys up around my ears.” 

That mental image left Nira laughing. “Oh, now that would be a sight to see.” 

“Wouldn’t it?” Merriam rested her hands on her pistols. “Though, Rog’s right. This isn’t supposed to be a full contact exercise.”

“Well, how else was I to find out if it works as well on gnolls as it does on human men?” 

Rog shifted, moving to sit up against the wall, resting his head on a wooden panel. “Trust me, Princess, that’s gonna work on anything with balls.”

“Good to know.” Trina smoothed out her indigo dress, and settled down alongside Rog. She patted his arm. “I’m sorry, though. I know you’re just trying to help me learn to protect myself. I’ll be more careful about holding back, next time.” 

Rog turned his head to offer her a pained hyena smile. “Thanks.” He released himself to give Nira’s hand a squeeze. “I’ll be alright. Didn’t really want pups, anyway.” 

Merriam rolled her eyes. “Oh, she didn’t knee you that hard, you big baby.”

“It’s for the best, anyway.” Nira gestured with her free hand. “Children are an immense responsibility, and you’ve got enough trouble on your hands just looking out for me. Besides.” Nira glanced down the hall, still darkened. The other lamps wouldn’t be turned back on till their evasion and defense exercises were complete. “Raising pups would just get in the way of your drinking time.” 

Rog barked laughter, though it quickly faded under Merriam’s withering glare. “Yeah, uh, I don’t know what you’re referencing, your highness.” 

“Oh please, you’re probably drunk right now.” Nira giggled, twisting around to jab Rog in the ribs. 

“Three ales is not drunk.” Rog folded his arms. “You keep that up and I won’t share with you, anymore.”

“That’s just as well.” Nira made a show of turning her nose up. “Princesses don’t drink, anyway.” 

Merriam scuffed her boots against the marble floor. “Oh, how I wish that were true.” 

“Oh, please.” Nira pushed herself up to her feet, dusting off her dress. She turned and offered Rog her hand to help him up. “I wouldn’t be half as much fun if I was sober all the time.” 

“I’ll second that.” The gnoll took her hand, and slowly rose up. He grimaced, flattened his ears, and adjusted himself through his breeches. “Ugh, my poor balls.” 

Nira glanced down, giggling. “Charming, Rog. Charming.” 

Merriam slapped the gnoll over the back of the head again. “Manners, mutt!” 

“Yes, Rog!” Nira gave her furred bodyguard a sly smile. “Everyone knows it’s horribly impolite to play with your fucking balls in front of a princess.” 

Merriam pinched the bridge of her nose, sighing. “You’re worse than he is. At least he has an excuse, you’re just doing it to annoy me.” 

Nira turned to the older woman, and offered her sweetest, most innocent smile. “Why, doing what to annoy you, Guard Captain?” 

The Guard Captain twisted up the corners of her mouth. “You’re good at it, I’ll give you that.” 

“Thank you!” Nira made the most polite, formal curtsy she could manage. Then she straightened up, punching the gnoll on the arm. “So, you ready to go again, or do you need a few more minutes?” 

Rog stared at her, a smile gradually spreading across his toothy snout. “That’s what she said.” 

“Hah!” Nira clapped her hands once. “I can always count on you to get my jokes.”

The gnoll’s grin widened. “And trust me, Princess, gnolls are always ready to go again.” 

“Oh, are they?” Nira quirked a brow. 

“Alright, that’s enough.” Merriam snatched Rog’s ear, twisting it till he yelped. “If you keep encouraging her, I’m going to tell her to go full contact with you the rest of the day.” 

“Ooh, that sounds like fun.” Nira rubbed her hands together. 

Rog batted Merriam’s hand away, backing up. “Hey, so, about a different drill huh? Evasion and personal defense is good and all, but Princess here can’t knee a whole invading army in the balls, yanno?” 

“Rog!” The sudden sharpness in Merriam’s voice silenced the gnoll in an instant. “Enough!” 

Rog’s eyes widened, then he gazed down at his own boots. “S-sorry, I…”

“I’m not stupid, you know.” Nira lifted her head, fixing her gaze on Merriam. “You don’t have to dance around it. I know…” Cold fingers squeezed her heart, and for a moment, stole her voice. When she finally found it again, each word was its own struggle. “I know…I know we’re losing.” 

The Empire of the Black Star, once masters of half the known world, now clung only to a handful of territories outside their ancestral home. “I know they’re coming.” Nira leaned up against Rog, who gently put an arm around her. “It’s why everything’s so tense, why mother and father are always busy with the generals, why the home guard’s fully deployed for the first time in all my life.” She rested her head against Rog’s chest, chuckling, a bittersweet sound. “It’s why instead of getting to go drink in the taverns, I’m confined to the palace, being taught how to evade enemy soldiers and defend myself from assassins. They’re…closing in on us, aren’t they?” 

Her only answer was silence, but it was all the answer Nira needed. 

“That’s what I thought.” 

Nira straightened again, taking a deep breath. Her heart hammered her sternum, and her stomach sucked up against her spine. She’d known for a while now that their once-great empire was going to fall, that the palace she called home was going to be invaded, and that all their lives would be in danger. But would good would it do her to sit around, paralyzed with fear? It wouldn’t benefit her, and it sure as hell wouldn’t help save her family, her friends, or her people. Nira wasn’t about to start running from fights now. 

“Rog’s right.” Nira pivoted on her heel to address her guard captain. She pushed aside her usual bawdy mirth, squaring her shoulders. “Learning to fight off kidnappers and assassins isn’t going to be enough. So what say we skip to something that might really help save our lives, hmm?” 

A smile twisted at the corners of Merriam’s mouth. “So be it, your highness.” She reached to her hips, unbuckling her hostlers. The guard captain drew one of her pistols, and handed it over to the princess. “We’ll skip to the end. Safety’s engaged, but nonetheless, fingers away from the triggers, barrels away from us.”  

The princess reverently took the weapon, hefting it. It was heavier than it looked, but its weight was oddly satisfying. She’d fired such a thing a few times before, but never had any serious training. The Guard Captain’s pistols were custom-crafted, revolvers of the finest make. Both were decorated with ebony, ivory, and gold, an elaborate, ornamental design that belied their functionality, and the heavy use they’d seen. A dragon was inscribed upon one handle, a gryphon upon the other. They represented two of the great winged beasts upon the backs of which the empire had been forged. 

“They’re double-action, right?” Nira glanced up at Merriam. “May I see the other, too?”

“They are.” Merriam offered her the second pistol. “But you’re gonna learn to use one properly and safely before you even think about using both. So don’t go waving them both around.” 

Nira lifted both pistols, pointing them down the hall. 

Merriam huffed, shaking her head. “Never were one for taking instructions. Alright, then. Let’s go teach you how to shoot.” 

Princess Nira smiled. 

*****

Chapter Two

*****

Nira grimaced, wishing she could drown out the loud, repeating chime of the warning bell. Her head throbbed in painful echo of every sharp, brassy toll. She pressed her forehead to the cool pane of the brass-lined porthole. The coolness helped soothe her headache, if only a little. Nira focused on the hazy, shapeless clouds drifting beneath them. Thinner clouds spanned the azure sky above in bands of icy white. There was little view to be had, today, but at least the clouds gave her something to concentrate on till her stomach stopped somersaulting. 

Gods, she thought, she’d had way to much to drink last night. 

“Ya’okay, boss?” A familiar, female voice drew her attention. “If yer gonna puke, I can git yer puke bucket.” 

Nira chuckled, straightening. She turned around to find Kasis, her chief navigator, intelligence officer, and trusted advisor, standing in the doorway to her private quarters. “I don’t have a puke bucket, Kasis.” 

“Oh no?” Kasis scratched at her little horns with a few clawed fingers as she padded into the room. A smirk stretched across her blunt, finely scaled muzzle. “I figured someone who drinks that much would have a puke bucket.” 

“I don’t drink that much,” Nira said, taking a step towards Kasis. Immediately, she stubbed her toe on an empty wine bottle. “Ow!” Nira stumbled, wincing as the bottle rolled away across the floor. “That’s been there.” 

“Yeah, I noticed.” Kasis crossed her arms across her chest, leaning against the ebony doorframe. “Your booze hoard and your messy lair here’s real princessy.” 

Nira settled onto her bed to rub her aching toes. “Yeah, I know, I know. I gotta clean it one of these days. Don’t suppose you’d like to do that for me?”

Kasis nudged aside a discarded skirt and a pair of dirty breeches with her boot. “Pretty sure I’d get lost in here if I tried.” 

“Only cause-”

“No damn short jokes!” Kasis shook a single, clawed finger at her. “I get that enough from Rog.” 

Nira laughed and shook her head. Kasis was a kobold, a lizard-like race among the smallest of all the world’s sapient species. And Kasis herself was on the short side, even by kobold standards. Dusky bronze scales covered her slender body from her blunt muzzle to her tapered tail. Small horns crowned her head. Indigo stripes ran from her eyes, across her ear holes, and down the back of her neck. A bevy of sharp teeth lined her snout, though they were but dull instruments compared to the sharpness of her tongue. 

Kasis wore a dark gray and blue jumpsuit she’d tailored herself. It resembled a cross between an officer’s formal uniform, and the sturdier gear the maintenance and engineering crews wore. A Black Star emblem marked one shoulder, with a navigator’s compass and golden lines of rank emblazoned upon the other. Kasis was her  bevy of pockets bulging with charts and various tools were hand-sewn onto the clothing, along with carabiners and latches designed to help her scale rigging, or any other part of the great ship they called home. 

Nira set her foot back down, wishing she could ease the persistent ache in her head as easily. The once-plush maroon carpet beneath her bed was now obscured by evidence of far too much drinking, and not near enough laundry days. It had been a long time now since she had servants sweeping up her every crumb, and cleaning up her every minor mess. Lately, that minor mess had turned into a major one. 

The warning bells sounded again, this time with two high, brassy chimes in quick succession. Nira winced, rubbing her temples. “Dare I ask what that means?”

The kobold licked her nose, glancing up towards the sounding tubes. “First was general alert. That one, though, that’s potentially hostile incoming.” 

“Shit.” Nira shot too her feet, grinding her teeth. “Lemme find my boots.” 

Kasis held her little clawed hands up. “Easy now, boss. We know who it is. And you ain’t gonna be any use to anyone if you over do it and paint the hallways with whatever you got left in your stomach.”

Nira pressed a hand to her belly at the thought. The worst of her nausea had faded, but the reminder didn’t help. “Who is it then?” 

“That white gryphon, again.” Kasis rubbed her hands together, little tail twitching. “Amelia took the other birds out to try and intercept him. Two chimes probably means they’re bringing him back.” 

So much for sleeping off the hangover, Nira thought. The white-feathered gryphon had been tailing them on and off for weeks. Last time they saw him, they’d fired a few warning shots in his direction, and he vanished into the clouds. The fact he returned anyway did not portend well. It indicated he was more than just curious or hoping to steal some supplies. While Nira knew the gryphon might well just be tracking their location for local authorities, she also knew it could be far worse. He might be spying on them in preparation for some kind of attack. The sooner they knew, the safer they’d all be. 

“How far out are they?” 

“No idea, but I figured I’d make sure you were awake.” Kasis hooked a finger through a carabiner, idly tugging at it. “You want me to get Rog, too?” 

“Please.” Nira stretched her arms in front of herself. “I’ll find my boots, and meet you by his quarters, then we can head down to the bay together.” 

“One’s in the hall.” Kasis vanished through the open door, only to return hefting a black leather boot. She tossed it onto the floor. “The other’s probably in there, somewhere, unless you broke it off in someone’s ass last night.” She turned and left, tail flicking before it vanished into the hallway. 

Nira laughed, fetching her boot. She shoved her foot into it, hopping around a few paces. Once it was snug, she bent over and swiftly tugged the straps and brass buckles into place. Then she straightened, gazing around her quarters, wondering where the hell she might have left the other. An expansive desk was were built into the wooden walls of one side of the room. Shelves, and display alcoves lined another wall. Both her desk and her shelves were overstuffed with all manner of books and charts, trophies and mementos. A globe covered intricate detail rested near one of several portholes. Maroon curtains surrounded each window, with thin, golden ties holding them open. Doorways lead to a closet, and to her personal bathing chamber where pipes brought water for her latrine, her sink, and hammered copper tub. She had a far more formal set of quarters and offices elsewhere on the ship, but she preferred to sleep in her cozy little room. The temperature was cooler near the outside of the ship, and the ever-present rumbles, clanks, and clatters were quieter. More importantly, here she was nearer to Rog and her other dear friends, to say nothing of the galley and the tavern.

Nira moved aside rumpled clothes, empty bottles, and piles of books, till she finally discovered her missing footware. The boot she’d worn only yesterday somehow lay beneath a green and gold dress she hadn’t worn in weeks. How it ended up there, she’d never know. She flopped down onto the bed, putting on her boot. Nira brushed off her wrinkled, cream-colored blouse, and the black breeches she’d put on that morning after a quick bath. They were clean enough, and she didn’t really have time to go digging for anything. 

She rose up, and went to fetch her gear. She’d left her gun-belts and other weaponry atop her desk. As she approached it, she glanced over all the silver-hued portraits that occupied some of her shelves. They were held beneath protective glass, inside wooden frames. They were all old, from the days when she was princess of more than just an airship. Some of them were pictures of her alongside her mother, father, and sister. Another depicted her in a beautiful, flowing dress, standing alongside Rog, done up in elegant vests and coat and looking horribly displeased about it. The picture next to it was of the sprawling palace she once called home, all silvery windows and jagged towers. They were relics now, treasured memories of loved ones long lost, and a home lost with them. 

Her throat tightening, she reached out and brushed her fingers across the image of her parents. Years later, and their memory still plunged frozen steel into her chest. Technically, she was probably an empress now, if she could but ever allow herself to admit they were gone. Not that it mattered, in the end. 

Nowadays, the Empire of the Black Star consisted only of the grand flying city-ship Cataclysm.

It was an absolute behemoth of an airship, the largest the world had ever known, made with the pinnacle of her homeland’s technological and engineering prowess. It was at first intended to be a great war machine, able to reign enough destruction to devastate entire armies. Nira imagined that was where the name came from. Partway through its creation, however, that all changed. Instead it became a sort of flying fortress, intended to shelter the Imperial family and government in times of strife. 

She’d dubbed it the Cataclysm herself. Not for its firepower, but for a calamity of a different and far more personal sort. The night she boarded the ship, all she knew in life was torn apart, and her family was ripped away. 

When the palace fell, no one from the Imperial Court made it onto that ship but her. 

Nira snorted as she buckled her gun-belts on. Maybe it was a more fitting name than she cared to admit, she thought. She quickly checked each pistol, muttering to herself. “Safeties on, barrels pointed away.” An obvious mantra, but one drilled into her head years ago. She checked that each was loaded, and the cylinders cycled properly. Then she took a moment to simply admire one of the weapons. It was a gorgeous piece of work, ornamented with ebony, ivory, and gold. A stylized dragon was engraved upon the handle, while its twin bore a gryphon in the same location. Though they looked decorative, they were anything but. They were sturdy, reliable, accurate, and worth more to Nira than she could ever put to words. 

“Miss you, Merriam.” Nira sniffed, swallowing back a lump in her throat as she slipped the weapons into their holsters. She buckled them into place, and turned for the door. 

On her way out, Nira considered also fetching her saber, or at least a knife or two. She also thought about grabbing some spare cartridges, but decided against it. Kasis and Rog would already be waiting for her, and she didn’t know how long they had until their ‘guest’ arrived. Besides, she thought, if she needed more than a dozen shots to put something hostile down, a sword probably wouldn’t do her much good anyway. 

Nira slipped out of her room and closed the door behind her. She hurried down the adjoining corridor. Lamps in glass and copper fixtures illuminated the dark wood-paneled hallway. Brass rails ran along either wall, something to grasp in case of turbulence. Increasingly threadbare carpets lined the floors, their formerly vibrant colors hidden under layers of dirt and years of trampling boots. A faint scent of smoke tinted the air, though Nira hardly noticed it. There were some things she’d simply gotten used to. There was the smells of smoke and oil, and of too many people living together. Then there was the noise, the constant rumbling, the rattles and clanks, and all the shuddering vibrations they caused. At first they’d nearly driven her mad. Now they were just another part of home. 

Rog’s quarters were a short walk from her own. She found Kasis standing just outside the gnoll’s door. A bronze nameplate next to it read, Guard Captain Rog. In truth, ranks and positions were as much honorary as anything else. Everyone knew the basic hierarchy, everyone had a job to do, and everyone did their job. Their mutual survival and continued freedoms depended on it. But even Nira admitted there was something comforting in ranks and titles, something to strive for, or fear having taken away. 

More importantly, it meant something to them. When she bestowed Merriam’s old title on Rog, it brought the gnoll to tears. She’d known Rog all her life, grown up with him, and it was one of the few times she’d ever seen him cry. Merriam had meant something dear to him, too. Honorary or not, that title had a great legacy behind it, and Nira knew Merriam would have been happy to see Rog take over in her stead. 

“He’s still asleep.” Kasis spoke up as Nira reached her. She thumped the door for emphasis. It was ajar, and creaked and slightly open at the impact. “I yelled for him, but…” A low, ominous rumble, nearly loud enough to rattle the windows and drown out the ship’s engines reverberated from inside Rog’s room. Nira laughed, more than familiar with the gnoll’s infamous drunken snores. “Not sure he could hear me over the sounds of his whole head caving in.” 

Nira laughed, coming to a stop. “So why didn’t you go in and wake him?”

“Cause he hates being woken up, and I’m half his size!” Kasis folded her arms, grunting. “He’d probably throw me across the damn room.”

Nira tilted her head, looking the Kobold over. “You’re a third his size, at best.” 

Kasis hissed through her sharp teeth and grabbed her crotch. “Why don’t ya lick me, Princess?” 

“And make your Vekk jealous?” Nira shrugged. “I’d never heard the end of it.” She turned towards the door. “Fine, then. I’ll go wake him.”

“There’s one other thing.” Kasis gently grasped the hem of Nira’s shirt to keep her from going in. “He’s also completely naked.” 

Nira smirked down at the smaller female. “What are you, shy all of a sudden? I’d have half-expected you to sneak a peek.” 

“Oh, I tried!” Kasis released her shirt, her little tail swishing. “I ain’t that I’m worried about seein’ his goods. But I don’t want him getting’ pissed at me, for it. Besides.” She stretched an arm out, admiring her own small claws. “He’s laying on his belly, anyway, with his tail down. Couldn’t see a damn thing.” 

The warning bell chimed two more times, reminding Nira that she didn’t have all day to stand around bantering with her friend, as much as she wanted too. “Rog?” She called out, pushing the door open a little further. “Rog! Wake up, Rog!”

The door’s opening revealed a sleeping chamber that was, to Nira’s dismay, not as messy as her own. Most of the gnoll’s dirty clothes occupied a single pile in one corner, and all of his empty bottles another corner, surrounding an overflowing bin, waiting to be refilled. The rest of his room was surprisingly tidy. The room was larger than hers, as it was originally intended to house someone of greater importance then the cozier room she picked for herself. 

It held a large, round table with padded chairs sturdy enough for a gnoll, an graceful walnut sofa with garish crimson cushions, bookshelves lined with tomes, a desk with reading lights and another layered in bits and pieces of broken weaponry. One of the walls had been retrofitted to display a variety of firearms, and close combat weapons. An open cabinet held a variety of liquor bottles. Recessed shelving displayed some of Rog’s favorite battle trophies, including an elegant silver helmet she recognized all too well. At the far end of the room was a large bed surrounding by a lopsided pile of sheets and blankets. And as promised, sprawled belly down on the bed was a very naked gnoll. 

“Rog?” Nira called out again, lifting her voice. “Rog!” When the only response she got was another ship-shaking snore, she pushed false urgency into he voice. “Rog, Rog! Wake up! The ship’s on fire! The princess is trapped, you have to save her!” 

Rog snored louder.

Nira scowled. “Well, that’s nice to know.” 

Kasis moved into the doorway, folding her arms. “Enjoy burning to death.” 

“Alright, time for plan B.” Nira strode into the room, glancing around for something useful. 

“You’re gonna roll him over and let me smack him in the powder bag?” Kasis chittered laughter, thumping her tail against the doorframe. 

“Now that would get you tossed across the room.” Nira found a wooden mug, full nearly to the top with clear liquid. She sniffed, and certain it was only water, approached the slumbering gnoll. 

“Yeah, you’re right. You better smack him, instead.” Kasis waved her hand towards the bed. “You sure he’s not gonna be pissed about us seeing him naked and all?” 

Nira glanced at the kobold over her shoulder before. “Oh, I’ve seen Rog naked before. Besides, he’s going to be a lot more pissed about this.” 

Before she could think better of it, Nira poured the entire mug of water onto Rog’s head in one sudden cascade. The gnoll bolted upright, yowling and flailing his arms. Nira burst out laughing, and Kasis joined her. The princess stumbled back out of range to make sure Rog wouldn’t inadvertently smack her. His sopping ears swiveled towards the sound of her laughter. He rose onto his knees, glaring at her and wiping water from his muzzle. 

“The fuck, Princess?” 

Nira set the cup down on his table, still giggling. “You slept through the warning chimes, and us yelling at you. Had to wake you up somehow.” 

“Warning chimes?” Rog flattened his ears, wiping his eyes with the back of a furry hand. He blinked a few times, and then his golden eyes settled on Nira’s pistols. “What’s happening?” 

“Not totally sure.” Nira pulled out a chair, and dropped into it. “Think the birds are bringing in that white gryphon. You wanna put some clothes on and meet us down at the bay?”

“Wait, clothes?” Rog looked down at himself, ears flattened again. “Oh, sorry.” He snatched a pillow off the bed, and used it to cover himself. 

“Nothing to apologize for.” Nira waved at the room around them. “It’s your quarters, after all.”

“I dunno,” Kasis said, still leaning against the doorway. “You could apologize for using that pillow that way. I was kinda enjoying the view.” 

“Suit yourself.” Rog tossed the pillow back and stood up, stretching his arms over his head. “Lemme get some clean clothes.” 

From the way Kasis’ eyes widened, she hadn’t expected him to take her sarcasm literally. Then again, she didn’t look away, either. Nira watched him for a few moments while he wandered around. As she told Kasis, it was hardly the first time she’d seen Rog nude. Gnolls weren’t exactly known for their shame, while Nira was about as far away from bashful as could be. And she’d known him nearly her whole life. She’d certainly look away if he wished it, but if he didn’t care, neither did Nira. 

Without clothes, it was easier to see the intricacies of gnoll coloration and anatomy. Though his fur was roughly beige-brown, it was darkest along his back, and paler across his face, chest and belly. Black spots and blotches mottled his back from his shoulders down to his rump, and bushy, brown-furred tail. Muscles rolled beneath his hide. Rog’s legs and feet were digitigrade, a fancy word she picked up from an anatomy tome she’d once read during a period of boredom. It that simply meant they were designed more like those of a canine than a human man. Which, she noticed, also described what rested between his legs. 

Rog soon pulled on a black tunic, with a few silver buttons at the top. He fetched a matching pair of breeches, tugging those on next. He buttoned them, then dug boots out from under his bed. Most of Rog’s attire and equipment was made to fit gnolls. His clothing lacked the latches and extra pockets that Kasis’ had, but Rog wasn’t about to go clambering up any rigging or crawling into maintenance shafts, either. He went to his wall of weaponry, looking it over, and finally reached out to remove a massive, double-headed axe from its display rack. 

“You’re bringing that thing?” Nira stood up behind him. 

“Figure you got the guns covered.” Rog turned around, hefting his battleax. It was simple, but very well made, with a sturdy, ebony handle and very well honed blades. Rog had fancier weapons, and plenty of firearms, too. But he had an affinity for the weapons of old, from the days when his people were raiders. Back then, gnolls were best known for pillaging the so-called civilized lands, long before Nira’s empire brought them powder, and and all the terrible weaponry it birthed. “I’ll bring one if you want.” 

“It’s one gryphon,” Kasis said, licking her bronze-scaled nose. “Boss’s got her guns, plus our birds will be there, and so will Amelia. I think we’re good.” 

“Right.” Rog rested his axe over his shoulder. “Ready, then.” He walked up alongside Nira, smiling, then gave a playful wag of his tail. “Just like old times, huh Princess?” 

“Something like that, Rog.” 

*****

Chapter Three

*****

Nira lead her friends through the familiar labyrinth of corridors and brass rails, lit by flickering lamps in brass fixtures. As they passed by the deck’s kitchens, the scents of sizzling meat and baking bread wafted through the hallway, temporarily replacing the more astringent smells so common to the airship’s halls. The scent made her stomach rumble. All her earlier nausea had already transitioned into hunger, as if by miraculous transmutation. Nira tried to ignore the hunger best she could, hoping the pendulum that was her indecisive stomach didn’t swing back in the other direction just as quickly. She couldn’t make a very imposing impression if the first thing their prisoner saw was the princess vomiting all over the floor. 

The quickest way to their destination involved a taking a lift. Nira knew that wouldn’t sit well with Kasis, and so kept a close eye on her. The closer they drew to the lift bank, the more agitated Kasis’ tail twitches became. Nira also knew if it was up to Kasis, she’d sooner climb into the shaft itself and clamber down the assemble of gears, cables and pulleys. Hell, she’d seen Kasis do just that before, only to get yelled at by the mechanics later. Since then, the small kobold had taken to scrambling up and down the stairs as swiftly as she could, no matter how many flights she had to take. But Nira wasn’t about to descend half a city-ship worth of stairs. 

“Hey, uh…” Kasis came to a stop once the chipped red and gold paint of the lift doors came into view. “I’ll meet you two down in the bay, right?” 

“That’ll take you ages, or you’ll stumble and break something cause you’re trying to keep up with us.” Nira glanced at the dials above the doors that indicated which deck the lift was on. The arrow’s slow downward tick indicated the platform was already descending towards their deck from an upper level. She decided against ringing the service bell, and instead held her hand out towards the kobold. “Come here. I’ll hold your hand.” There was no trace of sarcasm or derision in her voice. She wasn’t teasing her friend, just offering a genuine comfort. 

“Yeah, Kas.” Rog hefted his axe over his shoulder, then extended his own larger hand. “I’ll hold the other one. You can stand between us.” 

Kasis held her hands up, her little pinkish palm pads exposed. “That’s sweet and all, but holdin’ onto me ain’t gonna do me any good when those cables break.” 

“Oh, we’ll be fine, I promise.” Nira waggled her fingers in invitation. “The chances of another mishap are awfully small, especially after the repairs. And no one was seriously hurt last time, either.” 

“You promisin’ is only jinxin’ it.” Kasis folded her arms, her tail tip flicking back and forth in time with her heart. “I’ll take the stairs.” 

Before Kasis could actually head for the nearby stairwell, a rumbling clatter in the walls announced the impending arrival of a lift platform. Unseen cables squeaked, and a silver bell chimed sharply as the lift shuddered to a stop. The battered, red and gold doors slowly parted, revealing a small, familiar, grease coated figure. The new arrival was taller than Kasis, but not by much. 

“Oh! Perfect!” The little figure scurried out, wiping his hands off on his grimy jumpsuit. “Just the boozed up Princess I was looking for.” 

Nira laughed and shook her head. “Hello, Vekk. You caught us just as we were headed to the Bay.” 

Vekk was an urd’thin, another of the many thinking peoples who crewed Nira’s ship. Along with the kobolds, urd’thin were among the smallest folk in the known world. They were furred, like the gnolls, though if Rog’s people were akin to hyena-bears, urd’thin were closer to fox-rats, with a few unique details of their own. The average urd’thin had pointed ears that looked too large for their heads. They also had short horns just above their eyes, big, dark eyes, and thick, silken fur. 

To Nira’s mind, Vekk’s coloration always reminded her of a gray fox. Most of his face and muzzle were gray, palest around his eyes, and fading to a cream color along his throat. Black streaks marked the sides of his nose and tipped his otherwise rusty-red ears. The same rust-like hue covered the back of Vekk’s head and neck. The bushy gray fur of his tail made it look as if it weighed nearly as much as the rest of him, with a black stripe down the back of it. 

Vekk wore a mechanic’s jumpsuit laden with pockets, loops, carabiners, latches, and more. Tools both visible and hidden rattled whenever he moved. Whatever the color the garment once was had long since been lost beneath countless layers of grease, dirt, grime, and probably blood. Vekk was technically her chief engineer, though he’d only accepted the title on the grounds he was able to continue his day to day work as a ship’s mechanic. Considering he was her best mechanic, Nira was more than willing to make that concession. 

There were multiple squads of mechanics on board the ship, and Vekk was in charge of all of them. They were mostly made up of urd’thin like him. His people were naturally mechanically inclined, and made for maintenance crew, boiler operators, and general engineers as well. Most mechanic squads also had at least one gnoll or other larger species amongst their ranks to help with the heavier lifting and harder labor.  For the urd’thin, though, their jobs usually entailed climbing into places both hazardous and filthy. Some of them were too small for the larger mechanics fit into, while others were too high, or simply too dangerous for the less brave amongst them. 

“That’s why I was coming to find you! Make sure you direct the birds to return to the same bay they left. That’s bay three.” Vekk shook a single, grease-stained finger at Nira. “Do not, I repeat, do not under any circumstances, attempt to open the doors of bay four.” He dropped his hand back down, shrugging and glancing away. “Or the door’ll fall off.” 

Nira blinked, staring down at him. “Excuse me?”

“The door’ll fall off!” Vekk spoke louder, as if he believed that Nira simply hadn’t heard him. 

The princess took a deep breath, then let it back out in a disbelieving sigh. “What? Why?” 

“He just told you.” Rog nudged her, flashing her a mischievous grin. “If you try and open it, the door will fall off.” 

Nira jabbed his arm with her elbow. “Yes, thank you, Fuzz Nuts, I heard that.” 

“I think she means,” Kasis said, striding swiftly towards the urd’thin. “Why the hell is the damn door going to fall off?” 

“You know, cracked this, shattered that.” Vekk pivoted to the kobold, a big smile on his muzzle. “And hey there, Sunset! Didn’t see you back there.”

“She was hiding from the elevators.” Rog rested his axe handle against the floor. “I keep telling her, they don’t eat kobolds.” 

“I was not hiding from them!” Kasis shot the gnoll a searing glare, only to snap her focus back to Vekk as the urd’thin walked towards her. She hissed at him. “Don’t you even think about it!”

Ignoring her protest completely, Vekk strode right up and kissed the side of her muzzle, leaving a tiny smear of dark grass against her bronze scales. 

Kasis shoved his muzzle away, laughter replacing her hiss. “Ew! I keep telling you, not when you’re all greasy from work.” 

Vekk wiped his muzzle off with his dirty sleeve, grinning. “Better?” 

Kasis’s eyes narrowed inside their indigo stripes as she stared at his filthy sleeve. “Worse, I think.” 

“Love you too, Sunset.” Vekk backed up a few paces towards the lift. “Come on. I’ll keep you safe. Promise.” 

Kasis and Vekk had been lovers for at least a year now, and Nira still didn’t know where the pet name Sunset came from. It might well have been a reference to her dusky bronze scales, or an inside joke, or even the first time they kissed, or mated. Not that she’d ever asked. Though Vekk used the term in public, the term of endearment seemed to have more private meaning, and she wasn’t about to pry or intrude. 

After a few moments spent warily eying both Vekk, and the lift, Kasis finally sighed. “Oh, alright.” Vekk entered the lift chamber, and Kasis followed him inside. He wrapped his arms around her middle, and pulled her up against his chest. This time, Kasis didn’t seem to mind just how much of the day’s grease and grime he was sharing with her. She rested her hands across his head, leaning her little horned head back against him. “Thank you.” 

“Of course!” Vekk rested his muzzle between her horns. 

“You two are adorable.” Nira followed them in, waiting for Rog before closing the doors. The lift was a square cubicle, with more brass handholds and dirty, mirrored walls. Once the doors were secured, Nira rang the bells indicating their destination, waited a moment, and rang them twice more. “Ready, Kasis?” 

“No, but-URK!” Kasis gave a little yelping noise when the lift lurched downwards. Cables creaked, and gears whined somewhere around them. The whole thing shuddered. “You did that on purpose!” 

“Yup.” Nira laughed to herself. 

“You want support too, Princess?” Rog reached towards her, waiting. “You don’t wanna fall over again when it stops.” 

“That only happened once,” Nira said, rolling her eyes. “And I was very drunk. Now I’m just hung over. She glanced back at the gnoll, moving a little closer. “That said, doesn’t hurt to be safe.” Rog circled his arm around her waist. He pulled her up against his own powerful body, gently holding her in place. Nira set one of her hands across his own, idly tracing his fingers with hers. “Thanks.”

Rog smiled at her in the grimy mirror. “Any time, Princess.” 

As the lift continued down, Kasis appraised herself in the dim reflection, tilting her head back and forth. Grease marks now marred her navigator’s uniform in a number of places. “You know, Vekk, you might be keepin’ me safe and all, but you’re also getting’ me awfully messy.” 

The gnoll burst out laughing. “Yeah, that’s what she-”

“Shove it up your dog-hole!” Kasis snapped her teeth at him. 

Rog kept talking, undeterred. “I bet he was planning to make you messy later anyway, right Vekk?” 

Vekk tilted his head up, staring at the larger male. “As a perfect gentlemen, I’ve no idea what you might be referring to, good sir.” 

“Smart answer,” said Nira, patting Rog’s hand. 

Kasis growled at the gnoll anyway. “You know, you might be twice my size, but that just means I’m at the perfect height to slug you right in the cargo satchel!”

Rog only grinned at her. “You gonna stand on Vekk’s shoulders to reach?” 

“Nah, he’s gonna help! I’ll go left, he’ll go right!” 

The gnoll snorted. “Gonna kneecap me, huh?”

Kasis waved a clawed hand at him. “Keep up the short jokes, and I’m gonna use ‘em like a damn rope swing!” 

That one had Rog wincing and laughing at the same time. He bowed his head, ears back in playful gnoll submission. “Alright, alright, you win. And hey! Look! We’re here.” 

Nira glanced at the dial just in time to see it’s indicator hand stop at the deck where bay three was located. The platform lurched to a stop, and when the creaking and rattling of cables and gears ended, Rog released her waist. She moved to the door and opened it, then let Rog, Kasis, and Vekk exit before she followed them. 

On the way out, Kasis glanced up at Rog with a sheepish looking smile. “Thanks for the distraction, though.” 

“You’re welcome, little lizard.” Rog hefted his axe, waiting on Nira. 

“Seriously though, the short jokes are gonna get you punched in the pears one of these days.” 

Nira took the lead again, letting her friends banter as they followed her. Dirty lamps illuminated signs in faded orange light. Nira glanced at the signs. Golden lettering indicated the deck’s various bays and holds, with arrows pointing the way to each. Nira hadn’t needed any of the ship’s signage in nearly a decade now, but she habitually took stock of them nonetheless. She followed the arrow pointing towards bay three.

The area commonly referred to as The Bay occupied several decks in the ship’s lower reaches. It was actually a series of separate but enormous docking bays and cargo holds. Much smaller craft once filled the docking bays, but most of them had been long since scavenged for spare parts and supplies or otherwise repurposed. Only one of the bays still had working ships. Those were maintained well enough for supply runs and crew transport when they were in safe lands, but without a facility large enough to dock the cataclysm. Several of the other bays now served as living space for their largest crew members. They were numbered, and three and four were often used as staging and departure points before supply runs, or other off-ship missions. Though from the sounds of things, they were down to a single working set of bay doors. 

Broken doors would have to be added to the nearly endless list of repairs, restorations, and refurbishments the great vessel constantly required. When she’d first boarded, forced to flee her fallen homeland, the interior of the ship was gorgeous. It was, after all, designed to house the Imperial family, after all, along with their ministers and their own families, plus servants and crew. But a decade of use with few opportunities for drydocking, refurbishments, or extensive retrofitting meant the ship had definitely attained a lived-in sort of look. It wasn’t exactly a floating slum, but nor was it a flying palace anymore. Still, the important thing was that it still flew, it still kept them safe, and it still gave them all a home. 

It was strange to think that the only remnants left of the once mighty Empire of the Black Star were a solitary princess, and a small army’s worth of creatures most of the world once saw as monsters. Hell, for all Nira knew, most of the world still saw gnolls and kobolds as marauders, thieves, and murderous beasts. Perhaps it was once a reputation well-earned. Maybe in some parts of the world, it still was. But Nira had always known them as so much more. Where the rest of the continent saw monsters, The Black Star saw an army. And long, long ago, that army helped conquer half the world. For their service to the empire, the ‘monsters’ had earned citizenship, and a nation that saw them as they truly were. People, like any other. Or at least, they had been for century, or so. Now, all that was undone. 

Nira sighed, and tried to push the thoughts aside. She didn’t like to think about what had happened to her home. To Rog’s home. She could only hope that things had at least settled down, and for the average citzen, they’d returned to something akin to normalcy. Still, if grievous wrongs were so easily forgiven, they never would have been invaded in the first place. 

A murmuring din rolling down the wood-paneled corridor drew her attention. A sizable crowd had gathered up ahead, near the entryway to bay three. It looked like the alarm chimes had half the ship turning out to see if the birds were returning with a prisoner. There were urd’thin and gnoll mechanics, all in grease-stained jumpsuits. Some of the gnolls had immense wrenches, hammers, and other tools hanging from their clothes. Nira wondered if they’d been working on the broken door Vekk warned them about. A couple tall, scaly va’chaak cargo workers stood around, as well. A few kobolds in various uniforms had climbed up stacks of crates shrouded in cargo netting. Nira was pleased to see that none of the ship’s gunnery officers or cannoneers were there. The chimes should have sent them all to their stations, just in case. 

“Move aside!” Rog called out, his deep, snarling voice reverberating down the hall. “Princess coming through!” 

The crowds ahead quickly parted, many offering greetings as Nira and friends passed. She did her best to return as many greetings as she could, though she gave up on that when three loud, sharp chimes rang out above the noise of the crowd. Nira picked up her pace, boot heels thumping against the floorboards in quick staccato rhythm.

“That’s the close-in warning bells.” Kasis hurried along at Nirra’s side, needing two swift steps for every one the princess took. 

“I know.” Nira set her jaw, and tensed, listening intent. When no cannons or other gunfire rang out, she relaxed again, but only slightly. That just confirmed their suspicions that it was likely Amelia returning, and escorting in a prisoner. “Let’s just hope whoever she’s bringing back behaves themselves.”

Ahead of them, a female gnoll in old studded armor and with a rifle slung over her shoulder pulled open one of the large sliding doors to bay three. Nira thanked her, and asked her to secure the doors again behind them, until they knew who, and what, they were dealing with. As soon as the four of them passed through the door, the gnoll did as asked. The door slid shut behind them, and the locking bars clicked into place. 

Cold wind swirled inside the rectangular bay, rustling her clothes and buffeting her hair. Nira pushed dark strands out of her eyes, looking around. Wooden crates and iron-banded barrels lined the room. They were stacked in neat, orderly rows, lashed together with heavy ropes and further secured with layers of cargo netting. A handful of armored gnolls and va’chaak stood guard, hefting heavy rifles. They gave Nira casual salutes, but quickly refocused their attention on the ramp leading to the outside world. 

Thick, woven landing pads lined the long ramp leading to the exterior doors, already open. Low-lying clouds drifted by beneath them. The Cataclysm wasn’t flying all that high, but this part of the world often saw low, thick cloud cover. It helped keep them hidden, but it also meant that somedays they had to rely on Kasis and her topographic charts to ensure they weren’t about to fly into a mountain. Nira took a step towards the ramp, peering down at the clouds. Even after years aboard the ship, seeing them from above still-

All at once, a great, gray-feathered beast erupted from the clouds, leaving them swirling in its wake. Massive wings beat the air, and the creature shot straight up into the opening, snatching at the ramp. Sharp black talons dug into the woven mats, catching hold. Nira scrambled back at the beast swiftly scaled the ramp. 

“Back! Get back!” The creature snapped a sharp black beak, pushing Rog back with an outstretched wing, sweeping Nira aside with a feathered tail. “Here they come!” 

Nira knew the beast, of course. Her name was Lissir, and she was one of several female gryphons aboard the ship. Pale gray feathers covered her vaguely hawk-like head, and neck, while her vast wings were a far darker gray, peppered with black. Her colors grew paler still across her chest and underbelly, where the feathers gradually gave way to silken fur. The same soft gray fur coated all four limbs, with her hind legs darker than her front, and her tail feathers nearly black. 

Lissir’s pointed ears swiveled towards the ramp, and she turned towards it, hunkering down into a defensive crouch. “Be ready!”

“For what?” Nira swiftly unbuckled one of her pistols and drew it, just in case. For now, she kept the safety engaged, and the barrel pointed at the floor. 

Before Lissir could answer, a second gryphon emerged from the wall of clouds, thumping soundly onto the landing ramp. This one was a little larger and bulkier than Lissir, which indicated it was probably male. Both his feathers and his fur were stark white almost everywhere, from his avian head all the way to his tail. Ebony tips lined the feathers of his tail, and his wings, as if they’d been delicately dipped in ink. As soon as he had his claws in the landing pad, he froze, then hissed up at Lissir, yellowy beak part. 

Lissir hissed right back at him. “Get up here, down on your belly! Now!” 

“Perhaps you should make me!” Instead of moving up the ramp, the white gryphon held his ground. “I bet you won’t be so tough without your friend pointing her rifle at me!” 

Nira lifted her pistol in a single, smooth motion, flicking off the safety. She aimed it at the gryphon, and following her lead, all the gathered guards did the same with their own guns. “Does as she says, Bird.” 

The male gryphon snapped his attention to Nira, bright blue eyes focusing on her pistol. He glanced at the other guards, then gave a low, frustrated snarl. “Oh, very well.” 

As he dragged himself up the ramp, Nira moved to the side, making room. Lissir pivoted to continue facing him, her own reddish eyes narrowed and fixed upon the male. At least, Nira assumed he was male. A quick glance back between his hind legs confirmed her suspicions. She took a few steps back, waving for her guards to do the same. She wanted to keep plenty of room between them just in case the white gryphon decided to try his luck, or worse, go down fighting. 

Lissir took a breath, then gave a sharp, keening cry. In the closed confines of the docking bay, the sound was painfully loud, smothering the rushing wind as it reverberated off the walls. From outside the ship came an answering cry. A moment later, and Lissir’s sister Sivik finally hurtled up out of the clouds. Where Lissir and the white male thumped down onto the ramp, Sivik alighted delicately, claws curling into the traction mates. 

Sivik was a little smaller and thinner than her sibling, and with colors in opposing pattern. Where Lissir was dark, Sivik was pale, and vice versa. Sivik’s head and forepaws were like dark storm clouds, her wings and tail like pale ash. Dark barring marked the underside of her wings. She shared her sister’s striking reddish eyes, but where Lissir preferred to fly unencumbered, Sivik often carried a rider. 

Today was no exception, as Sivik carried the ship’s finest long distance sharpshooter, a human woman named Amelia. Amelia currently sat buckled into a custom flight saddle, strapped around the gryphon with a patchwork harness of black leather and brass buckles. She wore a long, fur-lined leather flight jacket, with supply pouches and belts of spare rounds tucked away inside. Flight goggles clung to her face as she kept her long-barreled rifle snug against her shoulder. Amelia sighted down her rifle at the male gryphon as Sivik crested the ramp. 

“Down, spy!” Amelia snarled, her rifle following the male gryphon’s every move. “On your belly! Now! I warned you twice already, you want me to blow your fuckin’ gryphon nuts off?” 

The male gryphon spun away from her, backing up till his hind end bumped against a stack of netting-clad crates. “Let me guess, they only keep you around for your descriptive threats?” 

Nira drew her second pistol, flicked the safety off, and fired a single shot down the vacated ramp, out the opening. The report was deafening, its echo nearly as loud. The white gryphon cried out, clapping a paw over one of his sensitive ears. The others winced, but the shot had the desired effect, drawing everyone’s attention back to her, and for a moment, shutting them up. 

“You.” Nira waved one of her pistols at the male gryphon, her voice as white-hot as her pistol’s smoking barrel. “Amelia ain’t joking. The next bullet fired is going in you. So do as she says, and get your feathery ass down on your belly.” She softened her tone, just a little. “No one needs to get hurt. Not us, not you.” 

The snowy gryphon glared at her, but slowly did as she asked, easing himself down onto his belly. He stretched his forelegs out before, then turned his forepaws over, his pinkish pads exposed, and claws retracted. “Very well. I am yours.” 

“Damn right you are.” Amelia kept her rifle leveled at his head, even as she spoke to Nira. “This is him, alright. The one that’s been spying on us. He tried to speed off when we intercepted him, so I fired a warning shot right over his head. Made sure he knew he couldn’t outfly a bullet. Made him follow Lissir back so we could find out who he is, and why the fuck he’s been following us.” 

“Good work, you three.” Nira tucked one pistol away, glancing around. “Everybody good?” 

She got quick confirmation from everyone but poor Vekk. The urd’thin was busy rubbing both his oversized ears, wincing. When he spotted her looking at him he paused, head tilted. “What’d you say?” 

Nira signaled for a few of the guards to start closing the door. “I said, are you good? Your ears alright?” 

“What?” Vekk raised his voice. “Speak up!” 

Kasis put her hand on Vekk’s shoulder. “He needs a minute! He’ll be alright.” 

Nira turned her attention back on the gryphon, advancing towards him. Rog followed at her side, his axe hefted in both hands. “Alright then, you heard Amelia. Who are you, and why the fuck are you following us?” 

The white gryphon only tilted his head. “I’m an aeronautical enthusiast.” 

“Uh huh.” The princess idly spun her pistol around her fingers. “No name, huh? You got a rank or anything you wanna give us, instead? Cause I’m guessing you’re not exactly some wandering hunter from a local clan.” 

The gryphon only shrugged his black-edged wings. 

“Fine then.” When Nira’s pistol was a little cooler, she flicked the safety back on and tucked it away. “I’m gonna call you Snowballs.”

Snowballs hissed at her. “Don’t you dare you!” 

“It fits.” Savik flicked a wing towards him, gesturing with it. “He’s a snow gryphon, and he’s male. And he’s a city bird, so he’s probably an easily offended prude.” 

Nira shot the female a grin. “I didn’t think gryphons could be offended, let alone prudish.” 

“I am not prudish!” Snowballs thumped a paw against the ground. “Nor am I-”

“He’s probably a virgin, too.” Lissir settled onto her haunches, her beak parted and ears splayed in smug gryphon smile. “I don’t think he’s very old. Educated. Probably brainwashed.” 

Snowballs turned his head to Lissir, growling at her. “I am not brainwashed.” 

Lissir tilted her head. “So you are a virgin.” 

At nearly the same time, Sivik asked, “Have you mounted and fucked anyone yet?” 

“No!” Snowballs slapped his paw against the floor again, only to realize what he’d said. He snapped his beak at Sivik, flattening his ears at her laughter. “I was answering the other question!” 

Sivik turned her head to make a show of preening one of her pale gray wings. “It’s just the same. I hear snow gryphon males are finished as soon as they started, anyway.” 

“So, city bird?” Nira glanced at the two females. “Is that in the literal sense?”

Lissir nodded, following her sister’s lead and preening. “Yeah. Raised among humans, basically. A lot of snow gryphons are. Golden Union used to breed them as mounts and pets.” 

“Watch your mouth!” Snowballs shook himself, snarling. “We’re-”

“Golden Union?” A shiver ran through Nira’s core, and anger blossomed in its wake. “You’re fucking Golden Union?” She stormed towards the gryphon, a hand already on her pistol again. “They sent you after us?” 

“Easy, Princess,” Rog said, curling an arm around her waist to hold her back. “He can’t tell us nothin’ if you blow his brains out.” 

Amelia smiled from behind her rifle. “Why do you think I was aimin’ for his nuts?” 

Nira took a deep breath, trying to tamp down on her anger. The Golden Union was responsible her homeland’s ruin, for her life’s greatest cataclysm. But up until now, they’d had a truce, of sorts. They hadn’t come after her, and she hadn’t turned the Cataclysm against them, or made any attempt to return home and take her throne. So why the hell would they start sending spies after her now? 

When she’d collected herself, Nira patted Rog’s hand. She was thankful for his comfort. Strange that a gnoll, a creature once known for violence and fury, could be so calming to her. When Rog released her, she advanced on the gryphon again.

“Alright, Bird. Either you start talking?” She jerked her thumb at Rog. “Or my gnoll friend here starts lopping things off with his axe.”

Rog flashed the gryphon a toothy grin, hefting his battleaxe. “See, Princess? Told you this would come in handy.”