Izo had not completely healed away her depression, grief and sorrow still lingered, but in a lesser, more manageable existence for Kotone. She still missed the ability to speak, but with most of her tongue missing, that was not going to happen naturally ever again.
Nanashi had managed to create a set of gloves that were engineered with little wires and electricity to allow her a voice. When she signed with them, a voice spoke for her. An odd, feminine voice that sounded nothing like her old voice, but she was thankful for them nevertheless.
She felt so indebted to all of them, with seemingly no source of which to repay them. They had staff aplenty, so she could not take on a role as a cleaner or a cook or something as lowly as that.
Most of her days after Izo had healed her had been looking after Koji and even helping Izo's younger brother, Kaze. When not caring for them, Izo worked with her to help to teach her to read. It was hard to make sense of all the symbols and sounds without being able to speak them, but she made due.
Izo's sister, Hikari, and her mate, Takashi were still staying with them, but with plans to go back to the capital of the Demon World soon. It was surreal that he was prince of the Demon World, making Izo's sister the princess of the Demon World. She was in the presence of royalty and had not realized it until after the fact.
She liked Hikari, but was unsure about Takashi. He was loud and boisterous. She could understand quickly why there was tension between Hiei and him. She wanted to like him though. He a gruff, but honest way when he was around. He did not tip toe around her.
A few days before Takashi and Hikari had been set to leave, Kotone found herself wandering about the grounds. She wanted to explore the castle and was allowed to go where she pleased for the most part. She wandered down to the stables, finding Takashi there. She gasped, surprised to see the large, winged beasts inside the stalls. There were about a dozen of them. They had the faces of eagles, the wings of eagles, and the bodies that were a mix of lions and horses.
"What are they?" she signed to Takashi, who was in one of the stalls with the beast taller than him. She was still adjusting to the strange voice that came from the gloves.
Takashi jumped next to the beast. The beast shied, bringing its front legs off the ground almost a foot. "Great Mother, don't sneak up on me like that," he snapped at her. The beast was prancing in place. Takashi turned his attention back to the beast, shushing to it soothingly.
Kotone froze, unsure what to do. The other beasts were in the stalls, but only a few of them seemed to notice that she spooked one of their own.
"What do you want?" Takashi asked her when he had the beast calmed. He slipped a bridle over its neck and mouth. The beast shook its head from side to side, but Takashi did manage to get the bit between its beak mouth.
"What are they?" she signed-asked again.
Takashi led the beast out of the open stall door. It was taller than he was. Kotone back away from the two of them skittishly. She backed up into the door of the stall behind her. Another beast was in there. It came over to her, nuzzling its beak down on her shoulder. She froze, staring wide eyed at.
Takashi stopped in front of her. "They're hippogriffs. My clan has been breeding and taming them for centuries. My father gave four to Lord Hiei and Lady Nanashi years ago. They bred the original four to get the ten here now that they own. This one is mine, and the one in the stall next to his is Hikari's. They don't live too long, but they are swift as the wind when it comes to flying. Hikari and I will take ours back to the Hayato Territory in a few days. Or whenever she wants to leave." He shook his head slightly.
Kotone simply stared at him in amazement, not sure what to make of what he was telling her. She had never dreamed of such creatures existing in the Demon World before. She turned to the one that had been nuzzling her. She took off her glove and reached her hand up to stroke the feathers along its neck gingerly.
"They need exercised daily, flown about to ensure they stay healthy. One of my clansmen, Hotaka, runs these stables. Ten is a bit much for him to handle though, but he manages. Her ladyship tries to help him when she can," Takashi kept talking. "She doesn't like flying on them though. Who can blame her when she fly by her dragon's wings anyway. That's probably a way better way to fly. But not all of us can do it..."
Kotone let out a breathy sigh, that would have sounded like 'wow' if she still had her tongue.
"Do you want to ride her?" Takashi asked her.
She turned to look at him in shock. The idea seemed impossible, improbable. She wanted to, but she was unsure. She slipped her glove back on. "What if I fell?"
"We can fly low first," Takashi said. "Or not fly. Sometimes they just need a good run is all."
"I couldn't," she sign-talked, even though she really wanted to.
"Nonsense," he said. "Hiei favors you. You can do no wrong in Lord Hiei's eyes," he added in a grumbled tone. "You won't get in trouble, even if something goes awry. He'll blame me, but won't do anything significant. His daughter's his favorite child."
Kotone looked up at the hippogriff in front of her. "What's its name?"
"It says on the stable door. Bramble. She's a bit young, but should be docile enough for a new rider," Takashi told her. He turned back to his hippogriff. "This is Grifter." He tied the bridle up to a post by the stable door. "Give me a second and I'll tack her up for you."
Kotone watched him get the hippogriff dubbed Bramble ready for her. She watched him in fascination as he ramble on about what he was doing and why. It seemed like so much work and care.
When he was finished, he brought Bramble out of her stall and handed Kotone the reins. "Lead her after me. Keep a bit of distance though in case Grifter feels like kicking."
Kotone removed her gloves, tucking them carefully into her pants pockets. Nanashi had warned her to be careful with them and try not to damage them as they were hard to engineer. Kotone had no desire to be rendered muted again.
She led Bramble out with her, surprised that the hippogriff followed the gentlest tug on the reins to get her to follow.
When they got out into the open yard, Takashi started to explain how to ride properly, but most of it went over Kotone's head. Takashi instructed her to pull down Bramble's reins to get her to kneel down so Kotone could mount her. Kotone obeyed and Bramble obeyed. Takashi then explained and demonstrated how to mount the hippogriffs. Kotone swung herself clumsily behind Bramble's neck and in front of the wings, as Takashi had. She felt like her skinny legs were being spread indecently wide on the saddle over the back of the beast. Her feet slid into the stirrups like an afterthought.
Without warning, Bramble stood up suddenly. Kotone pulled on her reins, which made Bramble rear her front legs up. She dropped the reins in panic. Bramble brought her crawled front legs back to the ground. Kotone had yet to pick up the reins anew. Bramble started to walk forward towards a high tuft of green grass. She bent her beak down to it, pecking at it and munching on it.
"Pick up her reins," Takashi called over to her. "You're in charge, not her."
Kotone grabbed the reins and held them up. Bramble huffed and raised her head up. She looked over to Takashi, mirroring his grip on his reins.
"Guide her to walk, just like I told you," he instructed.
Kotone felt like she had no clue what to do, even though she knew he explained it. Without really thinking, she flicked the reins. Bramble huffed again, but began to walk briskly around the yard. It felt too fast for Kotone, making her stomach lurch, but she dared not pull back on the reins.
Takashi guided his Grifter next to her. "Follow me," he said. "You're still a novice, so a trot will be all you should attempt today."
Takashi reared his Grifter towards the woods at what looked like a run. Bramble followed after him at a pace that made Kotone want to panic. She gripped the reins so tightly that her hands hurt, but she dare not pull on them in any direction.
Bramble was likely just jogging, or trotting as Takashi called it, but it felt impossibly fast to Kotone as she bounced up and down ungainly on her back. She watched Takashi in front of her. He went up and down in the saddle in time with how Grifter trotted. She attempted to bounce in time wtih Bramble's trot the way Takashi did with Grifter's. It was hard, but she was too scared to fail and fall. She followed Takashi through the woods, syncing into a steady rhythm with Bramble. It was a freeing feeling.
When they turned back towards the castle, Bramble surprised her. A fallen log was in their path. Takashi simple\y had Grifter jump it. Yet when Bramble went to jump it, she not only jumped it, she unfurled her wings and flew up over the tree tops.
Kotone panicked, but dared not try to pull on the reins in case Bramble reared and she fell. Bramble brayed and flew faster than she had trotted on the ground. Kotone felt a rush of adrenaline thrill through her body. She took the reins in hand and pulled the left one. Bramble went left. She enjoyed the newfound control. She pulled right, making Bramble go right. Kotone guided her back towards the castle, even with no idea as to how to get Bramble to land.
She heard Takashi behind her. She turned her head and saw him flying behind her. "Head to the castle and land her." He seemed slightly annoyed with her by his tone.
Kotone continued to guide her back to the castle, but had no idea how to land her. Bramble knew what to do though. Bramble circled the yard until she came she to the ground in a gentle landing. Kotone did nearly fall off from that though towards the right. Grifter with Takashi landed next to them.
Kotone felt the adrenaline rush wash over her. The aftermath of it made her feel strong, brave, and alive.
"Kotone!" she heard a voice call from behind them.
Kotone looked at the direction of the voice, seeing Izo, her ice knight jogging towards them. She smiled at him. Clumsily, she slipped off Bramble on the side opposite of the side Takashi was on. Her foot caught on the stirrup, making her stumble and tumble to the ground.
Izo rushed over to her on the ground, helping her up. "Are you alright?" he rushed out, brushing off the dirt on her arms.
She smiled and laughed breathily. She could not begin to explain how that ride and flight had made her feel. She threw her arms around his neck, hugging him. He brought his arms around her as well. She nuzzled his neck, feeling the desire to bite him then and there.
Takashi cleared his throat, making Kotone jump and pull away from Izo. "We need to groom and brushed the hippogriffs when you to are done."
"I'll help you," Izo volunteered.
Oh course he would.