I made my way through the forest, dodging low hanging branches and clustered bushes as best I could and trying to not trip over fallen logs or hidden rocks. I had no idea where I was and couldn't ask anyone for directions. I doubted that the tall tree I had almost run right into would have any answers as to where I was.
Where was I?! The last thing I remembered was taking a short nap under the cherry tree in my backyard. Next thing I know, I wake up, for no apparent reason, and find myself in the middle of a forest. Still underneath a cherry tree, but not anywhere in my backyard.
I'd pinched myself a few times to make sure I just wasn't having a weird dream and when I had a good number of welts, I'd begun to panic. I had no idea where I was, and more importantly, no idea how to get back to where I knew I was. So, I did what any sensible, level headed seventeen year old would do. I jumped to my feet and took off in a random direction. Probably not my best move, but I figured that I'd find somewhere that was familiar to me eventually.
That was two hours ago.
And yet, here I was, still in, what appeared to be, the same forest; going around in circles for all I knew. All the trees looked the same after awhile! And two hours was quite awhile. I was pooped. I needed somewhere to rest; somewhere preferably safe. I looked up as thunder crashed in the angry gray sky. Someplace dry too. Large, fat raindrops began to descend...quickly. I gave a content grin and lifted my head to the sky, my hazel eyes slipping closed, as the rain washed away all of the dirt and sweat from the past few hours. My shoulder length brunette hair swiftly became soaked and clung to my head and neck. I loved the rain. It cleansed and washed away all the impurities and smudges that muddied up a person's appearance, both in and out. The rain gave a fresh start.
I suddenly stiffened. I was no longer alone. Keeping my eyes closed to try and keep the appearence of bliss ignorance, I concentrated hard, trying to see if I could tell where the unseen watcher was. I was unsuccessful. The hidden eyes seemed to be coming from everywhere at once; a bad thing for a lone teenager in a strange place. A bush rustled to my right, but I didn't know if it was from the stalker or the wind that pushed the clouds to collisions over my head. A bush rustled off to my left and then I heard the sound of something walking towards me. Probably couldn't pass this one off as the storm...
Its' gait was slow, yet had a purpose and over the noise of the storm I thought I heard a difference between the front and back legs. Slowly, I cracked open an eye. When the hazel orb landed on the being in front of me, both eyes snapped open and I screamed.
Well, it was more of a squeal than a scream; a very high pitched, loud squeal. There in front of me stood a massive creature, the top part of it's golden back probably came to my shoulder, and I was 5'11"! It had the body of a lion; up until the forearms which looked like giant eagle legs and talons. Giant eagle wings protruded from it's back; large, beautiful golden wings. The head of the creature was also shaped like an eagle's, all except the ears. They were longer than a lion's, almost horse-like and were covered in golden feathers.
"Oh my gosh! A gryphon!" I squealed, forgetting my previous fear and rushing up to the creature. Taking the poor guy by surprise was the only answer I could think of as to why the mystical being would allow a stranger close to it. Must've shocked the guy frozen to suddenly have a squealing girl in his personal space and looking him over -closely- up and down. Gosh, I was acting like an obsessed fangirl. I gave a small grin at my inward thoughts. But it's a gryphon! How could you not be obsessed?!
A deep voice snapped me back into the present. The gryphon! It was talking to me!
"Daughter of Eve, may I ask what you are doing?" the mystical creature said smoothly. I just about squealed again, but thankfully held it in. I normally wasn't like this. I was normally a cool, level headed young woman. A sarcastic one, perhaps, but cool and level headed all the same. ...Except for a few hours ago when I bolted in a random direction because I had no idea where I was...then ended up getting myself more lost...but that was in the past. Albeit, the recent past, but the past nonetheless. And didn't we all grow up learning not to dwell on the past? So, all things considered, I was a cool, level headed young woman still!
"Daughter of Eve?" the gryphon asked. Snap, I kept spacing off. I'd have to quit doing that if I wanted to keep a level head. Because I was a cool, level headed person.
"Daughter of Eve!" the deep voice said firmly, impatience coloring it's tone, and this time, the statement was accompanied by a nudge to my shoulder by the massive beats' beak. Dangit! I spaced out again!
"I'm sorry," I apologized before my brain could space out for the fourth time, "...what did you say?" Sharp, golden eyes found mine and I inhaled sharply at their intensity. Amusement, irritation, confusion, curiosity...they all battled for dominance in the liquid golden orbs that bored into my hazel ones. I'd died and gone to heaven.
"Are you alright, Daughter of Eve?" the gryphon asked, taking a step closer and looking closely over my drenched form. Good thing none of my clothes were white... Nope, they were all black; black jeans, a black tank top with the Batsymbol in yellow and black, black Converse Allstar shoes, even black undergarments. I looked like I was ready for a spy mission. I shivered violently as the wind grew a bit colder as the afternoon turned into night. I also looked like a drowned rat. But a very stylish drowned rat...
Another nudge to my shoulder snapped me away from my thoughts. I sighed inwardly. I reallyneeded to stop spacing out. I turned to the gryphon who had nudged for my attention.
"Are you alright?" the gryphon repeated. Concern added itself to the myriad of emotions swirling in the gryphon's golden pools. I nodded. I was fine. Freezing my butt off, but fine. The gryphon looked into my eyes and seemed to be searching for something.
After a moment he softly accused, "You're cold." I looked down at my shivering body and then met the golden orbs that were waiting for a response. I grinned, my teeth visibly chattering.
"I'm almost numb. I really can't feel the cold all that much anymore." Golden eyes widened then narrowed and I involuntarily took a small step back. The golden griffon looked off to his left.
"Thanos!" he called into the brush and presently I saw a dark shadow detach itself from the surrounding blackness. A slightly larger black gryphon walked over to us and I gaped.
"Death," I whispered in awe and both gryphons looked at me in obvious surprise. The black one pinned my down with a searching emerald gaze.
"You know what my name means," he stated, more than asked. I nodded.
"I used to get bored at home a lot so I'd search a bunch of names and memorize their meanings. I know quite a few in Greek." I turned to the golden gryphon.
"What's your name?" I asked, curious. The gryphon looked a little embarrased and I inwardly grinned. He was so cute!
"Calix," he murmured. I amazingly heard it over the noise of the storm. I laughed, my eyes sparkling in amusement and mischief.
"Very Handsome, huh? Well, certainly sums you up." If gryphons could blush... Thanos shook his head, though I swore a flash of amusement flashed across his jade eyes.
"We need to get the Daughter of Eve to a dry place," Thanos said to Calix. The golden gryphon looked at me and nodded, embarrassment forgotten.
"Climb onto my back, Daughter of Eve," Calix said, taking a few steps forward so I was now by his side. My eyes widened and my mouth dropped.
"You want me to...to get on your back?!" I asked in astonishment. This was too cool to be true... Calix looked over his shoulder at me.
"Is there a problem, Daughter of Eve?" I shook my head and grinned.
"No, no problem at all. I'm just...surprised is all. And please, call me Jessica," I added when Calix opened his beak again. All this 'Daughter of Eve' stuff was starting to wear me down. I attempted to climb onto the strong golden back in front of me, but didn't quite make it; any of the three times I tried. I thought the 'Three Time's the Charm' thing would help me out a bit. Guess not.
"Would you like some help, Daughter of Eve?" Thanos asked from behind me. I turned to face the black gryphon behind me and rolled my eyes good naturedly.
"Uh, yeah. That would've been helpful like...five minutes ago, bud," I grinned. Thanos again shook his head and took a step forward to apparently help me up. I backed up a step, bumping into Calix a bit. Both gryphons looked at me in confusion, though looking closely, I thought I saw hurt flash through Thanos' green eyes. That's all his emotions were; flashes. And half the time I was not completely sure I'd seen them in the first place.
"Daughter of Eve," Thanos began but I cut him off.
"Dude, it's Jessica. Call me Jessica. I'm had enough of the whole 'Daughter of Eve' thing. I have a name, you know," I huffed, though I was not truly irritated. Thanos cocked his head slightly and I couldn't help a soft 'Aww!' from escaping my throat. Calix chuckled and I blushed slightly. Totally didn't mean for that to come out...
"Turn around, Dau--Jessica," Thanos said finally and I obediently spun back around. I jumped slightly as his giant feathered head pressed into my lower back, both pushing and lifting me onto Calix's back at the same time. Once I'd gotten on to the same levelas Calix's back, I clambered on to straddle his massive back.
"Sit farther up," Thanos instructed me, giving me slight pushes until I began to move on my own. Thanos kept me moving until I was seated directly behind Calix's head.
"Calix's head will block the wind," Thanos said, an almost indiscernible gleam of amusement shining in his eyes. The gryphon underneath me shifted.
"Ooh...did the emotionless gryphon just crack a joke?" he asked in mock astonishment. Thanos just gave an eagle-eyed glare and suddenly took a running jump into the sky. Calix chuckled at his comrade's actions.
"Hang on, Jessica," the golden gryphon said right before he too, took a running jump into the sky. I squealed and flung my arms as far as I could around his neck. I could feel his neck vibrate as Calix gave a small laugh.
"Better hang on, tigher," he said in amusement, "We gotta catch up." With that said, Calix put on an extra burst of speed and soon, we were flying side by side with the black gryphon. The cold wind and rain in my face stung this high up and so I buried my head into the golden feathers of Calix's neck. I was so cold...
"Calix," Thanos suddenly said after looking me over, "I think that the Daughter of Eve needs to be someplace warm. Now." I felt Calix turn his head, though I don't think he could see me as I was burrowed into his warm neck feathers.
"Thanos," I muttered and amazingly the giant black gryphon turned his head towards me. Man, he had to have great hearing...I'd have to be careful in the future. "Remember what I said on the ground?" Thanos shook his head and gave what I assumed was his equivalent of a snort.
"Apologies. Claix," he began again, "I think that Jessica needs to be on the ground and warm, now." I nodded along with the Gryphon of Death.
"That'd be nice," I murmured, invisioning a nice, hot bath and a warm, toasty bed. Man, did that sound good. Suddenly, without warning (the little creeps!) we were diving swiftly back down to the ground. I gave a small, unconscious moan as my stomach dropped and my skin was prickled with what felt like a thousand needles as the rain and wind beat down on us without mercy.
"You alright?" I heard Calix asked worriedly. I just nodded, not feeling like I could speak. I really just wanted to sleep.
Calix and Thanos both reached the ground and the great black gryphon walked over to me, letting me lean against his head while he helped me down. As soon as I reached the ground on my own two feet, I tried to lay down and curl into a ball. Thanos nudged me with his head.
"Come, Jessica, over there under the tall pine. It'll be drier for you," he said quietly. I nodded, too tired to really argue and went over to the tree he gestured to. Again, I tried to lay down, but this time, Calix interrupted my downward descent.
"Hang on there, Jessica," he said, forcefully shoving Thanos closer to me, "We'll lay down with you." I looked through half closed eyes at Calix in surprise while Thanos looked over at Calix in well disguised shock.
"You will?" I asked dubiously.
"We will?" Thanos echoed my question. Calix nodded to me and glared at Thanos.
"We will," the golden gryphon said decisively. Thanos looked from me, to Calix and then back to me before suddenly shaking vigorously off all the rain from his body and walking quickly, yet at the same time hesitantly, over to my side underneath the pine. With a soft grunt, the black beast laid down behind me. I immediately scooted back into his warmth, my shivering body pressed up against his warm one. Calix just looked at us for a moment before shaking himself out too and coming to lie down in front of me. He shifted until I was gently sandwiched in between the two large gryphons; perfectly content and now warm.
With a content sigh, I snuggled into their warmth, hoping to keep my eyes open for just a little while longer. I didn't want to loose any minute of this. How often could this ever happen?
"Sleep, young one," Thanos said quietly as he rested his massive head down on the ground out in front of him. Calix also lowered his head, but tucked it in to his side, right next to me. I gave a small smile and slipped into the welcoming darkness.
I loved the rain.
