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Lincoln didn't feel like trying to find out why they had apparently given up on training him to be a warrior. He knew. He was terrible at fighting. His appearance said other wise. He had the same body build as Brooklyn if not shorter. Instead of the deep red that colored his father's skin he had a snow-white hide with gray rosettes. The outsides of his wings were a shocking pitch black as was his short spiky hair. But the strangest things about him were that his tail was covered in gray fur and retractable cat claws on his feet and talons. And like his mother he could fly. But what gave him his most frightening and primitive feature were the three-inch saber-like teeth that hung below his jaw.

But even with these features he didn't have the heart to fight. He much rather preferred to read or observe the going ons around him.

The clan didn't ignore him. No. It was only Brooklyn that did. The others didn't approve of the cold shoulder that Brooklyn gave him but they stayed out of it. Broadway and Lexington treated him like their little 'rookery' brother. Goliath and Hudson did their best to treat Lincoln as one of the other gargoyles but even they were dumbfounded at Lincoln's inability to grasp onto the art of fighting. It was Elisa that was his close friend. It was she that had named him.

And it was Elisa's that he was headed to now. The others were frozen in their stone sleep and he didn't want to go to the Labyrinth to see Maggie's pity, to deal with Alice and Talon's aloofness and fight with Amy's clinging and Michael's taunts.

It was still early and the fog hung low in the sky as the sun had not yet burned the fog away. Lincoln was able to fly straight to Eliza's without trouble. He tumbled out of the air and clattered down on the rooftop. After untangling himself he tapped on the window.

Elisa must have been expecting him for she opened the window soon after.

"Hello Lincoln." She smiled at him.

"Morning Elisa. Hope you don't mind me dropping in." Lincoln said as he dropped into a crouch that was a lot like Brooklyn's.

"Not at all." Elisa turned away to hang up her red jacket. "Lincoln, Talon told me you were in a fight with Michael last night. They all ready told me their version, but I'd like to hear yours."

Lincoln shook his head. He already seemed weak enough in his clan's eyes. He didn't want to be like a child and run to his 'aunt' crying abut a bully.

Elisa read his look. "Lincoln, I know that it's flustering. Thinking that you don't belong, but you don't have to take it out on everyone else."

Lincoln sighed, the end of his tail twitching. "It's just…"

"What? You can talk to me." Elisa sat down and motioned for him to do the same.

"Elisa, what did I do wrong? Or what didn't I do? All I know is that Brooklyn fell into the funk soon after my mother died." Lincoln winced at how pathetic his words sounded.

"It wasn't anything you did. Stop trying to be tough. You are still a kid. A kid that is caught between several worlds and species and beliefs. Of course you have questions. What I want you to understand is Brooklyn's depression is not your fault. True fourteen years is a long time for anyone, but Brooklyn believed that he would never find anyone, believed that they were the only gargoyles left. Your mother then came along. True she wasn't a true gargoyle but she looked close enough. They were perfect for one another. Both sarcastic and witty. Jacqueline was five years older in human years then Brooklyn and she kept him in check. After the several incidents with Sevarius that ended with Jacqueline's death, well, Brooklyn was never the same. Gargoyles mate for life and Brooklyn just closed his heart to everything and allowed you to be raised communaily though I admit I had to step in. Must be the human in me." Elisa smiled. "He'll come around. And you'll grow into those wings."

Lincoln glanced at his wings that seemed much too large for his body. He smiled as well and looked out the window. The fog was breaking up and if he headed to the Labyrinth he could be spotted. He turned back to Elisa. "Mind if I spend the day here?"

"No. Go right ahead. I'm going to crash for awhile." Elisa sai d while she stood and yawned and headed to her bedroom.

Lincoln watched her go and did the same. He curled almost catlike up on the oversized couch. Chagney, Elisa's dark gray cat sleeping on the back. He was asleep almost right away.

xxx

Again a little short, but like I said I think I'll keep them that way. A little dull now, but work with me.