Additions

by Caitlin Beals

"We should go back and find our families? Or at least try to call them up." I argued with Ping.

"How?" Retorted the small golden skin female.

"I don't know, but at least let's get some help."

"Where? Who? If we went up to a human, he most likely run away or shoot us. I mean take a good look at us." Ping grabbed my armed and pulled me into the bathroom. "Take a good look at yourself and tell me how someone would react."

I looked into the mirror at my gargoyle form: my pointy elfin ears, my curvy horns that curved over my head then curved up, my pearly fangs, my light brown skin, my dark brown wings which matched my hair and eyes. I turned to Ping and stared at her gargoyle self: her black wings that also matched her shiny black hair and eyes, her webbed ears. She does not have the horns like me, but she does have a few brow ridges where eyebrows would usual be.

"Well?"

I decided not to answer.

In the other room, I heard chorus of barks and howls.

"Oh no. Now, what?" I shouted.

We managed to get into the room in time to watch our four gargoyle dogs run out the door.

"Where are you guys think your going?" I shouted after them.

"Coco, grabbed some dog biscuits and help me before the police come or worst the quarrymen." Ping then ran out the door.

I followed Ping's instructions and then followed her. I finally caught up with Ping just outside of Central Park.

"So, where did they go?" I asked.

"They went into the park."

"Oh great. Come on."

I pulled my wings closer to me as I felt the chill in the autumn air. I was not use to cool autumn, yet. We had been out for almost an hour my thoughts started to drift back to our talk.

She is probably right. How could we explain any of this to either of our families. I looked down at myself. If I called up mom or dad and tell them they would not believe me, and if they did, how would they take it.

Just then I heard barking. I turned quickly to see our strange dogs.

"Good doggies." I cried after I saw our beasts run towards us. "Here's a dog biscuit for you and you and you and you and you." I said as I gave an extra treat, one to a large greenish gargoyle dog which I have never seen.

"Another gargoyle dog." Ping shouted. "Hey. Hey. Here boy. Come. Good boy. Good dog." He came right to Ping barking his head off. "Shhh. Quite that barking. We don't want to attract any attention. Shh. Stop." He finally stopped when Ping started to pet him, then he started to growl happily and then licked her hand. "Good boy. Where do you think he came from? I don't remember him from the lab."

"Me neither. Do you think he belongs to someone?"

"Bronx." I heard someone shouted.

"Oh no. Someone is coming." I whispered. I dived for the bushes. The Ping and the dogs followed.

If it is only a few humans, we could take them. No problem. I though to myself. But if there was more than that then there could be a problem and by the sound of it there are at least three people.

Then I saw who was shouting. It was another gargoyle like me. He looked fairly old mainly due to his white hair and beard. He was covered with leather and had a sword hanging off his belt.

"Bronx. Where are ya?" He sounded Irish.

Suddenly the dog beside me jumped out of the bush and started to bark again.

"Bronx, ya horrible beast, where ya go?"

"Did you find him?" Another voice asked.

"Aye, lads. We're over here."

"There you are." I now saw the maker of the second voice. He was a small green gargoyle with wings attached to his sides instead of coming out of his back.

Finally, a three form came into view. I could not help to notice his unique set of features: his red skin, his horns, his beak, and his long white hair. He walked over and joined the group.

He's stunning. Wait where did that come from.

"What is wrong with Bronx?" Asked the red skinned one.

Bronx clearly decided to show them because he came over and started barking. Ping backed up and I mimicked her.

"What ya have something to show us?" Asked the older one.

"What is it? A rabbit. A cat. A . . ."

The next thing I knew was that our four dogs jumped out of bush to greet the other gargoyles.

"Whoa. Bronx found friends!" Shouted the small green one.

"Och. Where did all of ya come from?"

They seem to be friendly and they are gargoyles.

"Ping." I whispered. "I think we should go and talk to them."

"What are you crazy?"

"No, no they just . . ."

"Who's there?" asked the red one's voice.

Suddenly there was a red beak a few inches from my face. He quickly pulled his head out of the bush while we began to get up.

"Hello." I said. "My name is Coco." I elbowed Ping.

"And I'm Ping." She said nervously.

"I'm Hudson." He nudged the two others.

"My name is Brooklyn."

"Lexington."

"Nice to meet you. Excuse me. I need to get out of this bush."

"Here." Brooklyn offered his hand.

"Thank you."

He then offered his hand to Ping who also took it. "Thank you."

"No problem. Um. Why were you hiding?"

"Well, I heard you guys coming and I was not sure if you friendly and I felt it was hide then to get in a fight, but I was expecting three humans, not gargoyles. I really glad though."

"Really?"

"Yes. I was particular worried about facing the Quarrymen again. We already had . . ."

"We." Hudson cut me off. "There be more of ya here?"

"Only Ping and me."

"Don't forget the dogs." Ping finally chimed in.

"Oh right."

Ping walked over to the dogs and started to speak. "Him with the three different shades of blue is Nanok. This girl who is all gray is Shadow. The yellow color one, her name is Bebe. And this all white one is named Whitie. I guess that one is your?"

"Aye. Bronx is."

"So why are you here instead of home with your clans?" Lexington asked.

"Clan? You mean our families? Well . . ." I replied.

"Don't ask." Ping said coldly.

Lexington and Brooklyn exchanged a look. Hudson just raise his left brow ridge.

"That is kind of a touchy subject. How about we talk about yours?"

"O.K. Well, there is Goliath, he is our leader, and Angela, and Broadway. Hey, how about you come with us and meet them."

Ping and I exchanged a look.

"I just that would be O.K."

"What about the dogs?" Ping asked quickly.

"Och. Tis nothing. We will carry them. There enough of us here to do that."

"Hmm. I guess there are. I will carry Nanok. He probably won't let a stranger carry him."

"Aw. He seems friendly. I am sure I can take him." Brooklyn boasted. Somehow I got the feel he was trying to showoff. Which was a mistake because when he picked up Nanok, because Nanok growled at him before for Brooklyn got to close. "Whoa. Nice Nanok. Nice."

"Didn't I just say, he probably would not let a stranger carry him?"

"Well, I thought . . ."

"Nanok won't let anyone pick him up but Coco." Ping informed him. "He probably won't let you near him till he gets use to you." Ping went over and petted Nanok to calm him down. "If you carry any of the other three or your own dog, but not Nanok."

"Maybe you lads best carry Bronx home." Hudson chimed in. "I think I can handle these two." He picked up Bebe and Shadow.

"Good. I guess I get Whitie." Ping replied.

"Well, that is take care of that lets go." I must take sound over eager, but I was so excited.

****************

At the castle, Ping and I was greeted by the other members of the Manhattan clan as well as the Xanatos, Owen Burnett, and Elisa Maza. Out of everyone, I believe Angela was the most eager to have us there. I guess she doesn't enjoy being the only female in the clan.

"It is almost sunrise." Announced Goliath. "Take your places."

"Umm. We don't places." I pointed out.

"It does not matter where you stand." Brooklyn stated. "There is a spot right here you can take." He pointed to a spot next to him.

"O.K."

I look to see Ping had taken a place between Hudson and Angela. Hudson looked back at me with this express that made me feel like he knew something I didn't. I didn't have time to think for I turned to stone.