Chapter 3

Sarah

I watched with a mix of joy and fear as my own little hippogriff cut the man's leather jerkin open, a nice amount of blood now staining the claws of my pet and his shirt. I knew I had to help him, but it was so satisfying to see a creature, so close to a seagull, almost take down a man. But it didn't have to be right now. Or should I even help? Maybe he had indeed deserved this? I guess no one knows, and now no one will ever know, I smiled to myself wickedly.

To my great disappointment, I heard noises coming from the inn, and as I turned around I saw some of the unenlightened fools run towards the me and the fight, where my little pet was tearing that man apart. A sad smile crossed my face as I thought of how simple their lives were. It would be different when the seagulls would return, which they would at some point. Maybe just not right now. I felt a strong arm push me aside as Vinyl came bursting into the stables and stood between the huge man and my hippogriff.

Just as I noticed the people, my hippogriff began spreading out its wings, and just before it took off, I managed to get over to it, and grab around its neck, calming my creature down. ``Easy now, everyone! We can sort this out. Just tell me what's going on´´. Vinyl yelled. He quickly noticed the open wound on the man's chest, and looked up at the him ``am I allowed?´´ he asked while bringing his hands closer to his wound. The barbarian looked at him with suspiciousness and slowly nodded while staring at him with intensity in his eyes. Vinyl brought his hands to the wound and mumbled a prayer quickly, his hands glowing faintly. ``there you go´´ he said and looked at him. The wounds slowly dissipated, leaving new skin where the wound had been.

``Now, why did you attack our hippogriff´´ Vinyl asked. My hippogriff he must mean. The barbarian looked a little less hostile now, and answered ``It was attacking my damned horse. And who got the idea of putting this creature in the stables, with the horses´´. Vinyl sighed and looked at me. I shrugged my shoulders and sent him an innocent stare and a smug smile. ``The sign didn't say only horses. That means its not my fault. And did it say anywhere that it was for horses? I don't think so´´. I looked at him with defiance. Why is it always me who iswrong. I don't understand. They either get creeped out by my spirits, Ikill a guy or I'm not polite enough. Its not fair.

I walk over to my little one and grabs some of the meat, I keep in a pouch on my hip. The hippogriff instantly snatches it and swallows it, as if stressed out by the events. ``easy, my little one´´ I whisper to him and crawl up on his back ``No one will hurt you now´´. I noticed that quite the amount of people had amassed around us. Suddenly I heard a scream of pain and as I turned around I saw Max's face, twist in agony, all the while a short cloaked person quickly turned around and ran out of the crowd. Then, in an instance everything lighted up and small but shiny orbs of lights were floating in the air. I saw Arya look around in surprise, but her face turned serious as she mumbled some words, probably some arcane spell, and some of the lights disappear. She looked terrified, but i didn't know why. I heard a voice yell ``It was her, I saw it. She must have cursed the sheriff. It's a witch, get her!´´. I realized that it was me he was yelling at! I'm the bad guy again. I sighed. I quickly hit me knees against my hippogriff, telling it to fly up. I look down at the mass of people, yelling at me. Naive people, I thought as I flew away, drawing closer to the woods we came from. I would contact my friends later, at a less risky time.

My hippogriff slowly descended in between the woods. As my feet touched the ground I sighed. Nothing could beat the sensation of flying, either on a giant seagull or a hippogriff. I embraced my hippogriff into a hug, and it put its beak over my shoulder as if it wanted to protect me. I smiled. If anything had to be protected it was my little one.

I sat besides the small fire I had created with the help from one of my loyal spirits. People might call me and other shamans crazy, but it does indeed have some benefits. My eyes were closed, all the while my head was rolling in circles. Or that was what I thought I was doing since you cant really remember what happened, after having been in a trance. I had just been told that I occasionally do that while I'm in a trance. I was trying to send my seagull spirit over to the city to contact Arya and Juniper. They would be the most understanding people, I decided.

At the point where I began seeing through my spirits eyes, I again felt the feeling of begin able to fly. I was in heaven, but then it all stopped. I had already arrived at the inn they were staying at. Considering to take the trip again, I slipped in through the window to their room, and I saw Arya sleeping in a bed of hay. She had probably asked for hay instead of goose feathers. My spirit, Eric, materialized itself in the room, human body and seagull head, carrying a greatsword on his back. ``Arya, wake up´´. It was my voice coming from the spirit, and she awoke with nothing but the slightest hint of annoyance, appearing on her face. ``Did you have to come at night Sarah? You could at least just have wrote a letter. I even left such a paper and a pen over there on the drawer´´.

I ignored her whining as I began talking. ``So what are we going to do now? I can't enter the town, and Max have been poisoned by someone in the crowd yesterday. And you looked terrified after you dispelled some of the lights´´. We spoke for another 2 hours and we decided to head out for a halfling town about 5 days of travelling away. Rumours spoke of death-patrols in the area. We would meet up just outside of the city when the road from the forest crossed the road into the mountains, where we had to go.

I had left quickly after the decision was made. I was overjoyed when I came back, mostly because of the flying. That changed quickly though as sleep overcame me, and I drifted into sleep, dreaming about giant water spirits, dragon spirits and other great things.