A/N: I was reading Year of the Griffin yet again, and I suddenly realized that I've been spelling Callette wrong… oops… Also, thank you everyone for such positive reviews!

"I said," Flury growled at Hesian, who was crouched between Flury's wings, "That it's going to be impossible to overcome the magic of that many people on our own."

"We're all magic users, though," Hesian said thoughtfully, "We can at least sneak in undetected."

"You're forgetting Bolero, Hesian," Flury sighed, "She'll be seen." They were currently soaring over the cultivated land of a human province. Flury knew that the fields should have been bustling with activity, but there was no one to be seen. Eating had become a messy business, as the wildlife of the land was nowhere to be seen. Flury felt squeamish killing animals that had no chance to get away in their fenced enclosures. However, as Bolero pointed out, the cows were probably going to be eaten anyway.

"She can stay behind, then," Hesian said, "Three griffins shouldn't draw too much attention."

"Two griffins," Flury corrected him, "You're a fox, remember?"

"Yes, yes," Hesian said crossly, "A mere technicality. I can still use magic, can't I?"

"That's not the point. You can't fly," said Flury. "Therefore you won't be much use in the air. You're good for stealth, though."

"He's no good for anything!" Elda screeched across the void between them. She swerved over to fly next to them. "All you ever do is complain," she said, "And if you're not complaining, you're being stupid and vain."

"I am rather good looking," Hesian said loudly.

"No you're not! You're horrid!" Elda obviously didn't get on with Hesian.

"I am and all! I'm big and strong and white. How many white griffins do you see?"

"You're not a griffin anymore," Flury interjected. Hesian was now standing, digging his claws into Flury's skin to steady himself. "Sit down, or I shall throw you off."

"You wouldn't dare!" Hesian said, with evident worry.

"I'm the stronger one currently, both magically and physically, so my word is the one we'll be going by. Besides, I really am bigger than you." Hesian lapsed into dangerous silence.

"Shut up." Bolero said, diving to join them. "Have you two done anything rather than quarreling?"

"Yes, we have," Hesian began, but was cut off but Flury.

"We were discussing how we could save Callette, to be honest, and we can't see any other way than to sneak in. They'll sense any magic, and we can't take it by force. We need reinforcements, I suppose, but I haven't thought lately to send any warn spells."

"I sent one when we got to the coast," said Bolero.

"Thank you," said Flury, "but I doubt anyone could get here within a week."

"It'll certainly be a while. Lydda's the only one who can fly over the ocean nonstop, but her and her Acker husband are in Ampersand right now, on vacation," said Elda. For once, Hesian was not saying anything.

Flury's deep yearning for Elda had by now been buried deep in his mind, but every time he heard someone talking about marriage or love or anything else to do with it, the feeling came out all the stronger. Hesian, who was linked to Flury as an old friend, felt it.

"Be strong," Hesian said quietly.

"I will," Flury replied. Even though Hesian was vain and oversensitive, he was a good friend, and surprisingly good at handling trouble.

"Querida knew this would happen," Bolero said in Flury's general direction. "I know she did. Her divination may not be among the best, but the rumors in the air have surely told her."

"You mean air elementals?" Hesian asked eagerly. "I studied them for a while. I know I can't talk to them or see them, though. My magic isn't nearly that strong yet."

"Yes, air elementals. They're all around you, you silly creature," Bolero said with irritation.

"I can see them most of the time," Elda remarked. "They tell me things, just like they've always told my friend Olga."

"You mean Olaf Gunnarson's daughter?" Flury asked.

"She's in your class, stupid. You really need to get better at remembering your student's names. You're almost as bad as Wermacht," Elda said. Flury desperately wanted to say that he had been too busy staring at Elda, but he knew this would not go over too well with her.

"Um, yes," he said, subdued. "Sorry."

"Don't act like that!" Elda said furiously. "It's enormously exasperating!" Hesian chuckled quietly at the unintentional alliteration. Elda turned towards the little fox with a vengeance. "Shut up, you." Flury saw that she was getting into her stride. If she continued for long, they would all find themselves strewn about on the ground in little pieces.

"I really am sorry," he said desperately, trying to remove the subordinate, simpering tone from his voice. He really had thought that was proper courting behavior before. Now he saw that that sort of behavior would only make her despise him. He had become much more like his old self within the past months, but Elda had a way of bringing it out in him.

"Elda," Bolero said as softly as possible. "We really should have a short rest now. We've covered at least twenty five miles." The two griffins dove quickly, landing in the middle of a large field. Hesian hopped off Flury's back, then proceeded to sit down and stare at the approaching Bolero. She landed in a gust of wind, making huge furrows in the soil with her great claws. For the first time in while, Flury noticed how dirty they all were. He preened quietly, and Elda followed his example.

After their rest, they were back in the air again. Hesian was sleeping peacefully now, so Flury hadn't much conversation.

As they flew, Flury noticed a river beginning to sharpen into view in the distance. "This is the border between Nisila and the human province," he shouted at Bolero. Hesian awoke with a satisfying amount of commotion.

"Finally," Elda muttered.

"It's only about thirty miles to the city," Flury continued, ignoring Elda. "We should be quite close soon. The city is built on that low mountain up ahead. We'll have to land in the next valley!" They all sped up, and finally came to a halt in the valley.

"You're planning to take a tunnel?" Hesian asked him matter-of-factly. "Good idea."

"Yes I was," Flury replied, searching around for the tunnel marker. "I suppose you'll say you're glad you thought of it?"

"I'm not that bad," Hesian said, his brown eyes glinting.

"Yes you are," said Elda, coming up beside them. She had in her eyes a look that Derk would have called grown up. Flury would have said it was more of a look of mischief. Hesian simply trotted off, and gave them a final comment.

"I'll find the tunnel marker, Flury. I'm obviously not wanted here," Flury was not sure if Hesian meant that Elda was angry with him, or he wanted to leave them alone. There was something Flury was certainly not ready for. The very thought of telling his wishes to Elda was very, very far off to him.

"You know, I really don't like him," Elda said, looking at Flury with one orange eye.

"Why- why not?" Flury asked. She was making him terribly squeamish.

"He's so fake!" she hissed, failing to notice Flury's stuttering. "I don't know how you put up with him. I guess you've had to put with a lot."

"You-you mean my cousins?" he asked, vaguely alarmed. He wanted to run away and hide, but he knew that this was the first step to friendship, then hopefully to love.

"Yes," Elda replied. She had noticed now that she was scaring him. "I say, what's wrong? You're not afraid of me, are you?"

"Yes- I mean, no- I mean- Oh, I'd better just shut up," he said, backing away. She was now looking utterly perplexed.

"I hadn't thought I was something to be afraid of." Flury was shrinking, a thing he hadn't done for a while. "Oh no! Please, you don't have to get small! I'm not trying to offend you."

"You're not offending me," Flury said. He was making an utter fool of himself, and he knew it.

"I hope not. You are my teacher in almost everything," she looked at him through her other eyes. He squeezed his eyes together, hoping feverishly that this was a nightmare.

"I like to teach," he replied.

"Oh come on!" Elda was now exasperated, as well as irritated. "You're twice as big as me! It's not as if I could hurt you anyway. You're a famous wizard."

"Your magic is just as strong, but you don't have enough experience. I mean, I've been through a griffin war and six years of teaching with a tyrannical tutor. He wasn't as narrow-minded as that Corkoran you had for a tutor, but he had his own ideas. Always encouraged us to think for ourselves, have new ideas." He said this all very quickly, and he knew he was being frightfully stupid. "I'm babbling, aren't I?" he asked her.

"A bit," she admitted. "Not as badly as I do." Flury's nightmarish fear was dwindling into a sort of numbness. He had already made a mess of this conversation, therefore it didn't matter anymore what he said.

"I've found it!" shouted Hesian, leaping happily towards them. He stopped as he saw Flury, and sighed deeply. Flury returned to normal size when he saw he was saved. As the two trotted ahead of a confused Elda (Bolero had agreed to stay behind), Hesian tried to calm Flury.

"Well," the fox began after Flury had recounted the conversation as best he could, "That definitely should have given her a hint. Any idiot could tell you that."

"Blade said she was young for her age, but I'm beginning to see that she's not as immature as he thinks," Flury muttered miserably. He felt magic suddenly. "Shut up Hesian!" he hissed. "Can't you feel it?" It was Elda's magic, and he had used that particular spell often enough to tell what it was.

"Ah," said Hesian as Flury used a muffling spell, "Eager to test out her powers, isn't she? I'm glad you were paying attention, because I certainly wasn't."

"Well, at least she's eager to hear," Flury said. He was baffled. He had expected Elda to shun him, because he had displayed the kind of behavior she hated most. Her magic stopped pressing, but Flury could tell Elda was trying to lull him into a false sense of security. He had felt her using a muffling spell to hide her expenditure of magic. He slowed his pace and allowed her to catch up. She was looking rather pleased with herself, but he was so exasperated by her lackluster attempt that he proceeded to lecture her on it. If he had a sore spot, it had to be magic done wrong. Besides, he had Hesian for backup now.

"What kind of muffling spell was that? I know I didn't teach you that way. You used far too much magic on the muffling spell itself, therefore cancelling the goal of it, which was to hide your use of magic," he began. She was looking slightly crestfallen, but still not very sorry. "I hope that Wermacht fellow hasn't rubbed off on you that much." He turned to look at her with both eyes. "Besides, it's rude to eavesdrop."

"Well, then don't walk ahead of me and have private conversations. I can't be blamed for trying to listen in." Flury saw her point, but was reluctant to explain his reasons of having private conversation. "I have to admit, though, that your tendency to cringe at my every word has abated. You obviously can't make up your mind."

"Think about it!" Hesian all but shrieked. "You honestly can't tell me that you don't get it!" Elda didn't reply, but was evidently thinking deeply.

"WHY!" Flury screeched out of the blue. This had to be the stupidest thing Hesian had ever done, to Flury's mind. No one commented on his outburst. How he wished Elda had been brought up by griffins! They were so much more public than humans about their feelings. Flury was trying not to be griffinish, but it was proving very, very difficult. He kept lapsing into the courtship behavior he had been taught. He had no idea, though, that he was really making progress on his behavior. Elda thankfully dropped the subject as they found the opening of the tunnel. A small, old sign proclaimed "To the city of Nisila, capitol of the griffins. Humans prohibited."

"This sign must be very old. We had humans living in the city when I was last here," Flury said quietly. He felt anti-human spells on the entrance, and nasty ones at that.

"That magic feels rather malignant," said Hesian, flitting about excitedly.

"Of course it does! It wasn't set up by griffins! This is dragon magic!" Flury could feel the strange feeling in these spells that Bolero's spells had. He felt further into the spell. The anti-human spell was simply a superficial veneer, covering the extremely powerful trap spell within. There was a key spell, but Flury couldn't fathom it.

He saw Elda and Hesian making for the entrance.

"NO!" he shouted. "There are traps in there! You'll be killed in a second!"

"Are you sure?" Hesian asked. "I can't feel anything."

"Hesian," Flury replied, "We both know that you are not as strong a wizard as I am. You don't believe me?"

"Hesian, Flury's right. I don't know what it is, but I feel something. How he knows what it is, I don't know, but he's right," Elda reprimanded Hesian. He looked extremely indignant, as Elda was much younger than him.

"Are you suggesting that you, not much more than a fledgling, that you're stronger than me as well? That's a serious accusation," Hesian growled. Flury could feel a tantrum full of magefire coming on. He slapped a stasis spell on Hesian, and felt Elda do something similar.

"Thanks," he said, picking up Hesian and depositing him in his bag, which had hung unused on his neck for quite a while.

"Am I really stronger than him?" she asked, glaring at the bag.

"I hate to make those kind of assumptions," Flury said carefully, forgetting his nervousness. "Hesian is not one to be trifled with."

"You trifle with him," she said irritably.

"That's because he knows he can't as much as put a little stasis spell on me," he said. He was remembering his last conversation, and he tried very, very hard to stay his normal size. This left him towering over her. He suddenly remembered something he had said to Blade, when Wizard Policant had returned to the University. Elda really was so beautiful that it made him ache. Blade had thought Flury had a chance with Elda, but Flury was hard pressed to find such optimism when faced with her. She rattled her wings, overwhelming Flury's confidence. He shrunk very slightly.

"Er, we're going to have to fly to the city," he said, bracing to take off. He made a grave mistake then and there: he forgot about telling Bolero.

"I suppose so," Elda said with a shrug. She took of in a whoop of golden wings, and Flury followed, catching up easily. They flew low to the ground, and kept very quiet as they approached the mountain. Several very shiny, very straight lines of buildings faced them. At the gates two gigantic dragons were stationed.

"Oh, Callette," Elda said sadly. Flury had almost forgotten about Callette. He could feel waves of surveillance magic hitting them every so often. However, the two seemed not to be doing anything that set off the alarms, so he relaxed. He had muffled Elda, Hesian, and himself strongly before they got too close to the city.

"Have any ideas of how we can infiltrate the city?" he asked Elda hopefully, undoing the stasis spells on Hesian and putting spells of quiet on the little fox. As Flury had predicted, Hesian had leapt out furiously and was trying to scream at them.

"Hesian, shut up," Flury said, clamping his talons round Hesian's snout. "We need to get into the city. Any ideas?" Hesian stopped trying to scream, and Flury undid the spell of quiet.

"You'll have to pretend to be one of them. They sense magic quick as you can say 'Let's not get caught,'" he said, ignoring his previous, undignified state. "They're not too careful with the griffins, so if you bring myself and Elda, say, as tribute or some other barbaric thing, they should let you pass."

"Are you sure?" Flury asked. He didn't want to put his friends in too much danger.

"Quite sure," said Hesian. "Just tell those two dragons you've found Wizard Derk's other daughter and a dangerous wizard," (Elda made a scoffing noise) "And we should be able to get in. If it doesn't work, then they'll simply imprison us."

"Hesian, you're forgetting that you're going to look like my breakfast," Flury said with a sigh. "My dearest ambition is NOT to be turned into a fox, or something equally as repulsive."

"We know that, though," Hesian said. "The dragon that did this to me wasn't a rebel. He didn't have the Mark."

"The Mark?" asked Elda, forgetting that she wasn't speaking to Hesian.

"The Mark, the symbol of their new world order, or whatever. It's some sort of golden collar," Hesian replied.

"Could it be mind control?" Flury asked.

"We looked into that," Hesian said ruefully. "They do indeed wear it of their own free will. I was doing some work for the Griffin Coalition to do with the Mark when the dragon attacked me."

"No better time than the present," Elda suggested. "We'd better get going."

"You'll have to take us in unconscious," said Hesian. He and Elda both braced themselves as Flury made them unconscious.

Flury picked up the warm, fluffy mass of Elda and tried a weight reducing spell. She was as immune to magic as any other griffin. He decided he'd have to walk instead of flying, as she was far too heavy for him to fly with. He draped her over his hackles, and laid Hesian there with her. He walked heavily from the cover of the forest, and the dragons waited for him to arrive. He cast a little-known shield spell over his mind, one Bolero had assured him dragons could not penetrate, and hoped they had not noticed. They hadn't.

"I come bearing Wizard Derk's griffin daughter, as well as the wizard Hesian," he said with as much conviction as he could muster.

He felt the pressing of their divinatory magic, but they evidently found him acceptable.

"You may pass," said one, "But be warned," said the other, "We will not tolerate misbehavior."

Flury marched through the gates of the great griffin capitol, his head held high and his neck arched proudly. He removed the unconsciousness as he left the dragons' magical field, and allowed the two off his back. The streets were deserted, and he felt no surveillance within the city itself, so he assumed it would be safe to let them walk with him. How wrong he was.