The Brooding caverns were over flowing from the large amount of grubs that had been hatched that sweep. Large and small, the lusii scurried and flew in and out of the tunnels. The air was filled with screeches and squeals of lusii and grubs alike.
Above the mass of it all a lone custodian hovered. Its powerful feathered wings keeping it above the others. Never in over 1000 years had one of its kind been seen away from the mountains. She snorted as she watched the smaller lusii fight over the rust-bloods. Finally fed up with the sight she tucked in her wings and angled her body down.
The ground grew silent as she landed, her claws clacked against the hard rock as she stalked between the piles of silent grubs and custodians. The Griffin lusus kept her neck straight as she moved farther back into the caves. The warm colors slowly turning cooler until she reached a medium shade of teal.
When she stopped suddenly and turned to a newly hatched dragon that was sniffing a small grub she growled. The dragon snapped its head up and bared its own teeth. Other custodians aloud a wide berth for the 2 legendary beasts to fight. The dragon flared its wings, red eyes narrowing slightly. The griffin stood up on her fur covered back legs and spread her own feathered wings, slashing her feather covered claws menacingly. Nearby any smaller lusii whimpered in fright.
The dragon growled lowly in defeat before backing up slowly. Bucking her head in triumph the griffin leaned forward to examine the 2 grubs. Both looked up at her regardingly, as if the question who she was. Ones horns curled forwards, her eyes blank. She turned her head to the other, It looked at her with an intelligent gaze. For the first time the griffin noticed the slightly feathered wings that curled off of her back. She blinked in recognition of the similar shape to her own wings.
Bucking her head, she took half a step back and bowed her head low to the grub. She accepted it. Squeaking, it crawled up to her slowly before grasping onto the feathers lining her neck and dragging herself up.
Once she was sure her new charge was comfortable, She squeaked and turned, bounding out of the caverns she passed surprised and disheveled jade bloods before flinging her self off the ground and into the sky. She turned in the direction of the high peaked mountains on the north half of the planet.
:~:
Caela stumbled out of her hive in surprise. She was awoken by the sound of her lusus's screeches. The 3 sweeps old troll gripped her long sword in tension. Outside Pecudes was fighting off 2 other flying lusii, one a dragon and the other a coiling serpent. On each lusii's back was a troll, both about 4 and a half sweeps old. They cried out warlike chants before diving over their steeds backs and running towards her.
Eyes widening she backed up and raised her weapon. Caela was a more reserved girl, she tended to spend her time reading and drawing. When she fought it was usually just against Pecudes, not more than one opponent.
"Lookey here, the legendary griffin has a grub for troll, poor thing." The other laughed. Both boys towered over her by over a foot, their loose armor shining in her eyes.
Remember, remember, what am I supposed to be doing! As if response, Pecudes flared her wings and raised into the sky, taking the other custodians with her. She smirked and rolled her shoulders. Behind her two long teal colored wings unfolded with a snap, creating an almost replica of her lusus's wing shape. The other 2 stumbled back, eyes wide.
"Just because I'm younger, doesn't mean I'm weaker." She leaped forwards, her wings pushing her forwards enough to drag Telur down onto the troll on the left, It's flaming blade, buried deep into his chest. She pulled it out and spun to block an attack from the other. He growled before switching his staff for a long gun. Before he could shoot though she had launched into the air and slammed down onto the gun, then kicking him in the face with the opposite foot. He fell onto his back, hands up in the air and the wind knocked out of him.
She leveled the blade at his neck before whispering menacingly, "Do not underestimate me." and buried the flames of her celestial sword into his jugular.
:~:
Ever since the attack 4 sweeps ago, Caela had come to be seen as a sort of ghostly figure. No one was sure of what she looked like or who she really was. Anyone who came within a mile radius of the northern mountains would find themselves surrounded by mist and 20 foot snow, the only way out would be to fly. Your only options are either to freeze or to be killed by a griffin and a flaming sword. At least, thats what usually happens.
Ursea Epsilion was an immediate acception. The tall jade blood came whistling throughout the snow. Delicitatly walking over the glass thin surface with his full weight and an 8 foot tall bear lusus.
"What are you doing." the voice made him stop in his tracks and smile.
"Am I by any chance talking to Caela Vultur?" His excitement was practically visible as he pushed down a smile and bounced up and down, his lusus sat down silently and scratched behind its enormous head.
Scoffing the 7 sweeps old troll girl landed down in front of him in a swirl of feathers and snow. Ursea stumbled back eyes wide, before him, the griffin bucked its head and held it above the girl in a protective position. She proped herself up on her elbow and coughed into her arm, staining the snow blue-green.
"What do you want." His eyes widened and he tried to move towards her before Pecudes clicked her tongue and snapped her beak. Swallowing he raised his hands and tried again.
"Well, I was coming to see if you really existed cause everybody said you didn't exist, but then I met these people who stole all my stuff, well most of it really, but then I found you and I was going to ask for help, but ah… I looks like you could use more help than me." Caela stared at him before pulling out her sword and stuck it in the ground, grunting she pulled herself up with loud complaints from both Pecudes and Ursea.
Finally having enough, he rushed forwards and caught her when she started to fall. Going rigid, she sucked in a breath, Pecudes growled but didn't attack lest she hurt Caela. "Aren't you supposed to have wings?" Her eyes widened and she shoved him off falling back into the white substance on the ground. She yelped and tears came to her eyes. Again he moved forwards, this time careful to stretch his hand out to show his kindness.
She flinched and watched his hand warily before taking it slowly. He pulled her up and smiled lightly.
Looking down she hunched over from the pain in her back, she didn't feel comfortable with the jade-blood that was 3 heads taller than her, Every other troll she met had tried to kill her. He clapped a hand on her shoulder, making her flinch slightly.
"Well! You are hurt and I am a healer so, lead the way unto your hive! We need to get you all wrapped up." she wrenched her hand away from him and fell over to Pecudes who clicked at the Ursa child.
"No, I will go alone, thank you but… go away." she finished in a whisper before dragging her way up onto her lusus's back. "Dont follow me, leave and don't come back."
He shook his head and moved towards her, "I cant do that, your hurt and I can help you, its against my code. I promise you, I wont try to do anything that will hurt or harm you in any way." She ignored him and patted her griffin on its neck.
"Wait! I can… I can get you new wings." This made her stop and turn around. He bit his lip and looked down, his face turned a light shade of green. Oh gods why would I say that, oh no she is never going to trust me now, no, no, no, no!
Sighing she turned around fully to face him and slid off Pecudes back. "Well, your going to have to find your lusus some shelter, He wont be able to make it up the mountain on foot." He snapped his head up and smiled brightly, Within minutes of finding a small cave in the rocks, both teens hoped onto the griffin and flew to the top.