[quote]"Peck," She said brightly. "Thank you. Do you know where I could get some food? I'm not sure I can go much further without it." [/quote] Peck glanced back at her, sniffed, looked up at the leaves overhead, eerily silhouetted in the combined light of the white and blue eggs. [b]"Yeh, sure."[/b] He dropped the lead on the sledge, and Anise came to a halt while he traipsed a few feet into the thick brush. The trees creaked and swayed -- one of them sounded like it was chewing on something both squishy and crunchy -- and the bushes rustled with a flock of small birds that thought they were hiding from the intruders. Peck reached up and plucked a few ripe blue fruits from low-hanging branches. A blood-rat happened to be waiting on a bough; it dropped on his shoulder with fangs bared. [b]"Not today, little shit!"[/b] Peck snapped, and a flare of electricity snapped from his gauntlet; the blood-rat went skittering away with a singed tail. He returned to Anise with a few fruits in his arm. [b]"These taste like cabbage, but they're filling. At least until we get to the outpost."[/b] He dropped the fruits into her lap, then leaned against the chewing tree with his arms crossed. [b]"You're really thinking of bringing back the Dragon, huh?"[/b] He'd had a lot of time to think while he'd been dragging her through the forest, and the effects of the blue egg had worn off completely. His skepticism was clear in his voice -- but he still believed Anise meant well. [hr] [quote]"Yeah? That'd be very kind of you."[/quote] [b]"Yeah it wouldn't wouldn't it?"[/b] Oseely grinned, pleased by the idea of being [i]kind[/i] for once. [b]"Well, don't expect me to make it a habit."[/b] He gave her a wink and hopped to his feet. [b]"C'mon then, let's see about summoning the dumbass."[/b] He ducked out of the cave and into the open air, where he took a deep, smiling breath. He scanned the bleak burned landscape, the brittle dead trees, and the clear starry sky. [b]"Summoning the Lord of the Breeze is the easiest thing because he can't understand anything more complicated,"[/b] he said confidentally to Artemis over his shoulder. [b]"Just a few whistles, and --"[/b] He pressed his tongue to his teeth and let out a piercing whistle -- a short and simple tune. [i]"Who's a dumbass?"[/i] The voice came from behind Artemis, where a man stood frowning deeply. He was skinny to an unhealthy degree, and he stood a full foot shorter than Artemis, though he was clearly a few years older than her; his hair was mousy brown with a few feathers tied in, and he wore simple loose clothes and bone-charm bracelets. Like Oseely, he was barefoot. [b]"You're the dumbass, Dumbass,"[/b] the Lord of the Flame piped immediately. [b]"This is Artemis. Show her how to steer a gryphon, won't ya? She nearly got killed on the way here. Artemis, this is the Lord of the Breeze."[/b] The Lord of the Breeze squinted up at Artemis. [i]"Reckley. Hello. Don't fall off. You'll be fine. Are you a Kith?"[/i] [b]"Sun-child, Dumbass."[/b] Reckley's mouth pressed to a thoughtful line as he studied Artemis. [i]"This gryphon won't obey you completely unless and until you give her a name. It's binding as long as you're together. If you're not using a saddle, take off your boots. You know, a sun-child got ahold of the white Lantern."[/i] This last was directed at Oseely, annoyed and pessimistic about what the future might now hold. [b]"Not this one, not our problem,"[/b] Oseely assured the Lord of the Breeze. Reckley eyed him skeptically, but eventually looked back to Artemis. [i]"Have you ridden a horse bareback? Same concept, only you steer with your feet and knees. Where do you plan on going with a stolen gryphon?"[/i] Oseely smirked and went back to his tree over the bonfire, a perfect vantage point. The gryphon, meanwhile, was hopping and prancing in excited circles around Artemis and Reckley, slobbering and huffing and flapping with swirling gusts at the very prospect of a proper flight. [hr] [quote]"Is that real...?" [/quote] [b]"Of course it's real!"[/b] Cod laughed. [b]"What d'ya think, it's stuffed?"[/b] Rhea ruffled his hair. [b]"Maybe there are no gryphons where Miss Aslynn comes from."[/b] Cod's jaw dropped, and he stared at Aslynn in complete inability to comprehend a world where there were no gryphons. [b]"But how d'you [i]fly?[/i] How d'you even get anywhere? You'd be [i]stuck![/i]"[/b] The boy absolutely could not bear to let Aslynn continue on without gryphons for a moment longer; he took Aslynn's hand and dragged her toward the great beast. [b]"This is Rex. He's old and he stands guard against the Kith. Go ahead, pet 'im!"[/b] Cod leaned over the gryphon's neck and rubbed his hands in its feathers. Rex tipped his head toward Cod, and his yellow eyes drifted lazily open. Rhea went to the community fire to grab a bowl of chicken stew for Aslynn; while she was gone, the other Pirates noticed that a stranger had been brought to the outpost, and soon Aslynn was surrounded with curious faces. [indent]"Hi! Where'd you come from?" "Aren't you from the east fortress?" "Did you see that bright light earlier?" "What's your name?" "Please have some of my flatbread!" "And some flipberry tart! I made it myself!" "Thank you for protecting Cod." "Are you going to be staying long?" "Let me get you some proper armor."[/indent] Rhea squeezed through the crowd with the bowl of stew, which she offered to Aslynn. [b]"Everybody, there'll be plenty of time once Miss Aslynn has had a chance to rest!"[/b] "She can stay at my house!" an old woman piped hopefully, waving her wrinkled hand in the air. Rhea laughed and shook her head. [b]"Please rest,"[/b] Rhea said to Aslynn, grinning.