Slith's yellow eyes squinted from the heat and steam that was rising from the fire he cooked at. His light gray scales changed colors in the flickering firelight. It was very early in the morning as he sat and cooked breakfast for himself and Brand in the forest. The half-elf was sitting up in an ancient tree writing in a small book he carried around at all times. He gazed into the dim morning sky and pocketed the book and quill.

"I'm starved." Brand stretched his arms over his head.

"Jussst wait, pointy earsss." Slith hissed with laughter.

Taking a large leaf, Slith placed the fried wolf meat, which was seasoned, on it and handed it to his friend. Brand smiled and rubbed his hands together before taking a large bite. Slith took his own meat and tore it to shreds in his mouth of razor sharp teeth.

"So, what's happened while I've been gone?" Brand placed down his food, cleaned the slippery grease from his hands and face, and took out his flute he carried to polish it.

"Nothing. I've been waiting for sssomeone to return and ssstart an adventure, ssso I could go with them." Slith laughed again and threw his leaf he held into the fire. "When are you leaving again?" Slith added.

"What makes you think that I'm going to leave?" Brand chuckled heartily.

"Jussst admit it, you hate it here." The young lizardman stomped out the small fire and shoved his meager supplies in his faded pack.

A soft breeze rustled the multicolored leaves of the forest's trees that pulsed with life and energy. Everything in the forests of Faydwer lived with this kind of magic; that was the beauty of it. Brand sighed heavily and ran his hand against one of the legendary trunks. "I don't hate it here, it's just I don't like lingering in one place for too long." He tightened his belt.

Slith opened his mouth to say something, but quickly closed it and stood hastily. He turned his head to the right and gradually stepped forward. He stopped and returned to Brand's side. "We have company." The iksar held his clawed hands up and bent his knees.

From behind numerous trees that circled where the two friends ate, came a band of rouge-looking humans. It looked and smelt like these humans hadn't bathed or changed their clothes for months. Brand crinkled his nose in disgust and grimaced at the filthy men. Slith hissed and swung his tail to try to frighten them.

"Get 'em boys." One human smiled, showing off half rotten teeth.

Brand stepped back and stood with his mouth open in alarm. He couldn't believe someone would let his or her teeth get that bad. Slith punched his in the arm to make him snap back to reality since the group of dirty men closed in. Right away, Brand started to look around for anything to help protect himself and Slith.

Two men lunged and tackled the half-elf to the forest floor. Brand quickly tried to wriggle out from under their bulky bodies, but was pinned against a tree. The fists that slammed into his face and the shoed feet that kicked into his stomach were all a blur to him. He tired to turn his head to see how Slith was, but could only see a circle of men around the iksar.

Slith whipped his tail around and hit it against one man's legs, causing the human to collapse to the ground. The man jumped back up and he and the three other men stepped closer. Bad choice for them though, Slith leapt into the air and did a spinning kick that sent all four men sprawling to the ground. Slith then sprang over to Brand's aid and threw the two men off the elf.

From behind the two, the six men grabbed their arms and circled them. "You shouldn't had put up a fight." The rotten tooth man sneered as he pulled out a stained blade. "Should have never left your city, boys."

Out of nowhere a trail of flame shot between the bandits. Dazed, the two men that held Slith and Brand let go of their arms. A loud screech high up in the sky made everyone look up. A griffin with brown and golden feathers dove towards the group with his talons exposed and ready to strike.

"It'sss Kelvren." Slith let out a cheer and turned to kick a man into a tree.

Kelvren the griffin swooped low and took two men to the ground. He tore at them with his claws and deadly beak. The large griffin finished with those two and trotted over to another helpless man, Brand pushed the bandit to the ground for Kel before running to a flaming branch and breaking it off. Brand chased after a lone bandit with the flaming stick while Kel moved on to his next victim. Soon after, the six bandits were no more.

"Arrren't you lucky that I decided to come back to Kelethin today?" the griffin ruffled his feathers.

Brand laughed and shook his head as he bent to pick up his flute. He had missed Kel and his amazing power of speech while he was gone traveling. Kel was bonded to Caleb as his guardian many years ago when Caleb was about eight years of age. After Caleb's death, Kel flew off without telling anyone and was never seen until this day.

"Where have you been, Kel?" Slith crossed to the griffin.

"None of yourrr busssinessssss." Kel slurred.

"It isss ssso my busssinessssss." The lizardman shook his head.

"Stop it! I can't stand all the s's, it sounds like a nest of angry snakes." Brand chuckled and tossed Slith his pack.

Kel walked in between Slith and Brand as they headed back to the safe city of Kelethin. Behind his back, Brand heard his two companions snickering remarks back and froth. He sighed and sped up so he didn't have to listen to their comments.

Kel spread out his wings and hit Slith in the head. "Go crrrawl in a hole, cold blood." He teased.

"Go lay an egg." Slith stuck out his forked tongue.

"Oh yesss, that wasss a sssmarrrt rrremarrrk, yourrr kind alssso laysss eggsss." Kel rolled his large amber colored eyes.

"Well, at leassst I had a come-back!" Slith threw up his hands.

"Go munch on rrrocks." The griffin bumped his rear into Slith's leg, making him stumbling.

Brands stopped and glared at the two. His lips twitched in an ominous sort of way. The two quit their bickering and continued on their way in silence. Reaching the lift, the wood elven guard paused them for a brief moment to collect their names and business before permitting them to step onto the mechanical lift.

Vendors, merchants, children, weary travelers, and citizens of Kelethin scattered the platforms above as the three walked off the lift and towards the Liltreehuggr house. Small children gasped in shock and surprise to see a tame griffin walking next to an iksar and half-elf. Kel shook his shiny feathers and sighed.

"What's wrong?" Brand asked.

"Little childrrren make me nerrrvousss." He avoided eye contact with the surrounding crowd of elven kids.

"Why?" Slith laughed.

"They tend to pull out all my featherrrsss and poke me. I don't like it and I can't sssmack them orrr elssse I would injurrre them." The griffin sighed again and quickened the pace to get away from the small elves.

The front door of the Liltreehuggr house was open letting the fresh air fill the rooms. Brand walked in with the other two following behind. Joshua was polishing his treasured sword that he used in the Orc Battles over twenty years ago when the trio came in. Joshua smiled and called for his family to come see who had come back. Saria, his youngest daughter, skidded into the room and ran to hug the griffin's leg.

"Thisss isss the only child I like." Kel nudged Saria's dark little head.

"For the moment you do." Slith eyed the little girl while grabbing his tail.

"What are you talking about?" Kel looked down into the elven girl's face.

"You'll find out sssoon enough." He disappeared out the door and headed to his family's home while laughing aloud.