"Stiles, what's going on?" Scott asked as he followed Karyna and Marci into the room. "Who is this?"
Stiles smiled, "This is Doctor Tommy Oliver, the new science teacher. He's also the father of twins, Lexi and Leigh. They're freshmen at the high school." He pointed at the screen, "This morning between six and eight, Lexi and Leigh vanished on their way to school. At nine am, they showed up here at Lost Mine Lake. Also, present at 9 am was our friend the gryphon."
"You've got to be kidding me," Isaac said, "a gryphon who kidnaps children?"
"To be fair, he is brainwashed," Marci said as she pressed her shoulder against Stiles.
"What's the plan?" Scott asked.
"Karyna?" Stiles asked, glancing over at his friend.
Karyna frowned as she studied the screen for a long moment. "How much time do you guys need to get out there, Scott?"
"Derek, Isaac, Danny, Malia, and I can make it in about two, two and a half hours," Scott said.
"Stiles, any news on breaking the control?" Karyna asked.
"Deaton and our friend the Knight are still looking, but we're stumped," Stiles admitted. "We don't know how he's being controlled, and there's no universal spell. I could probably overpower and break it that way, but I'm not back to full yet and while I probably wouldn't suffer any permanent damage, I'd prefer to keep that as our option of last resort."
Karyna nodded and closed her eyes for a moment. "Okay, Scott, here's what I'm thinking. You weres are better equipped for distracting the gryphon. You can keep it back from the kids better than Stiles, Marci, and I. We'd do better getting Lexi and Leigh."
"Besides, I've met them," Marci said, "they'll be slightly more likely to cooperate with me."
"Exactly," Karyna nodded. "That's what I'm thinking plan A is, distract the gryphon, get the twins, and get back. Plan B is the opposite. We three take the gryphon while you grab the twins and run. Plan C is Stiles breaks the mind control. Plan D is to kill the gryphon. How does that sound to everyone?"
"What about the gryphon?" Scott asked.
"We leave it," Karyna said, "we take a bit longer to try to dig up more on breaking the mind control, or Stiles gets back to a hundred percent. We just warn the Sheriff and keep our ears open for missing kids. We don't need to kill it today, not unless it's the only way to keep Lexi and Leigh safe."
"The twins can help with that," Doctor Oliver offered hesitantly, "You ninjas know that. If you need them to, just ask."
Karyna nodded. "Any questions, complaints, or comments?" She eyed Marci and Stiles for a minute, "Relating to the mission of course."
Marci and Stiles snapped their fingers in unison, muttering, "Darn."
"I'll stay here with Doctor Oliver," Kira offered, "I can't move as fast as the others."
Marci bounced on her toes with a grin, "You can help coordinate, we'll give the Pack communicators and we can pass messages back and forth if we need to."
"Right," Karyna said, "let's do this."
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
Stiles and his friend arrived at the Lake moments before Scott launched himself at the gryphon with a roar. He crouched beside the tree Karyna was perched in, waiting for orders. "The twins are on a ledge over the lake," Karyna said, "it looks like the gryphon's building a nest there."
"Good spot," Stiles said, "most people don't come this far in." He pushed a frond of Mare's Tail out of his face and watched the fight.
"Well, this isn't getting things done," Karyna said, "oh, ouch!"
"What?" Stiles asked.
"Danny just got slammed into a tree. He's getting up though." Karyna said.
"So, what's the plan?" Stiles asked.
"Marci, you get over to the twins and let them know we're here. Stiles and I will follow. We'll have to carry them back. I don't think they could make the run, even if they are invisible. Once we're back on this side, we signal the pack and head back in." Karyna dropped lightly out of the tree, almost hovering before she settled down.
"That's me gone then," Marci said, vanishing in a teal blur.
Stiles shrugged his shoulders and shook out his arms, then bounced on his toes. His leather uniform moved with him like a second skin and Stiles smiled a little.
"All right, let's go," Karyna ordered as she leaped forward.
Stiles followed instantly.
The Pack and the gryphon were fighting at the tree line when Stiles stopped on the ledge. Marci was examining one of the twins' scratched arm while the other hugged Karyna. "Everything okay?" Stiles asked.
"Gryphon got Lexi with his claws," Karyna said. "We wanted to make sure ze was bandaged before we ran." She looked at Leigh, "Are you ready to go?"
Leigh pulled back and sniffed a little, "Yeah, I am."
"On my back then," Karyna said, "it'll be easiest."
Stiles helped Leigh settle on Karyna's back, "Keep your eyes closed," he advised the teen, "You'll get sick otherwise."
Leigh nodded nervously and squeezed his eyes shut as Karyna left.
"There," Marci said, "that's bandaged. Stiles! Look out!"
Stiles spun and stared at the sight of Derek and the gryphon soaring towards him. He barely gestured, just threw himself into the ground to get out of the way. He could feel the thud of the earth as werewolf and gryphon hit the ledge and he carefully eased himself to the top of the soil just into to hear the gryphon roll over, and then Marci and someone else screamed.
Stiles leaped from the ground like a shot, hand springing over the gryphon like a pommel horse and landing on the edge, looking down into Lost Mine Lake.
Lexi was falling and screaming while Marci had turned her fall into a graceful dive. Stiles started lunge forward when something large and feathery shot past him and over the edge. The gryphon dove, grabbing Lexi and then powering his way back into the sky, turning back towards the ledge. Stiles stood, watching and calling up his magic, as the gryphon neatly dropped Lexi, on zir feet no less, on the ledge before settling beside her. "Are you all right?" The gryphon asked.
Stiles blinked.
"I- I think so," Lexi said.
"Are you back with us, Master Gryphon?" Stiles asked as he approached carefully.
The gryphon stared at Stiles for a long moment, "I suppose I am."
"Do you know what happened to you?" Stiles continued as he extended his senses to the gryphon.
"Something controlled me," the gryphon said, "I- I did things. Will you please stop that, I am in my right mind, I quite assure you."
"Sorry," Stiles said, "I just… you can never be sure."
"Like you would know, human," the gryphon said.
Stiles crossed his arms, "I know, gryphon, probably better than you. I am Master Stiles Stilinski of Beacon Hills, Earth Ninja. This is Lexi Oliver of Earth, Child of Tommy Oliver."
"I am Skye Windfire," the gryphon said. "I was looking for a new rookery to start a family when I was possessed."
"That lake is cold!" Marci announced, appearing beside Stiles and dripping wet. "What's going on?"
"Skye Windfire, this is Master Marci Rhee, Water Ninja," Stiles said, "Marci, this is Skye Windfire. I think he broke the control on his own when Lexi was in danger."
"Awesome," Marci said.
Stiles glanced past the gryphon as the confused Pack, and the quickly approaching Karyna and Leigh. "Master Windfire, may I present the Beacon Hills Pack. Alpha Scott McCall and Betas Derek Hale, Danny Mahealani, and Isaac Lahey, and Werecoyote Malia Tate. Also, Master Karyna Walsh, Air Ninja and Leigh Oliver of Earth, son of Tommy Oliver."
"Alpha," Windfire said, "I apologize if my actions caused harm to anyone while I was not myself. I need to rest and heal a bit, but I will move on soon after."
"You said you were looking for a rookery," Scott said, "and it looked like you were building here."
"This, this is a good place," Windfire said.
"We're not monsters, Master Windfire," Scott said after a moment. "We protect our town, we love each other, and we keep the territory clean. If you could find it in you to help with that, I think an arrangement could be made. You're an impressive combatant, and Beacon Hills can always use a little extra protection."
"I would be willing to talk terms," Windfire said after a moment.
"I have some things to settle back home, and Lexi and Leigh need to return to their father," Scott said, "I will return in a few days to discuss those terms."
"I could bring them back," Windfire offered. "I remember how far the town is from here."
"Maybe to the edge of the preserve," Scott said.
"Do you two mind?" Stiles asked the twins softly.
"Depends on how," Lexi said after a moment, "I'm not that keen to be dangled from the air like a package."
"On my back, actually," Windfire said. "If Master Stiles would oblige magical ropes, I can fly you both on my back."
"Then yes please," Leigh said.
It took twenty minutes to get the twins settled on Windfire's back, and then the gryphon was in the air.
"We'll meet them there," Karyna told Scott, "and we'll make sure Lexi and Leigh are settled. That's more our side of things anyways. Why don't we meet you back at the pub? There'll be beer and we'll pick up something to eat as well."
"All right," Scott said.
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Danny was heading into the pub with the Pack when his phone rang. He glanced at it and slowed, "Hey, I'll catch up," he told the others. "I just need to take this."
"Sure," Scott said.
Danny brought the phone to his ear, "Hey babe, what's up?"
"Danny, something's wrong," Ethan said, he sounded like he was panting. "My alpha's gone crazy or something. He accused me of cheating with his mate."
"But isn't she…" Danny asked.
"She is!" Ethan replied, "I don't understand. I'm not into women and she's a friend at best. You know I would never."
"I know," Danny said, "I know. Where are you?"
"I'm on the road on my way out of Blue Bay Harbor. He kicked me out of the Pack." Ethan whined softly under his breath.
"Hold on, Ethan," Danny said. He pushed open the doors and hurried to where Scott and Stiles were standing, looking tense. "Scott, I need a favor."
"What's up?" Scott asked.
"Remember Ethan? Like in Ethan and Aidan?" Danny said, "He's in a pack down south. We've been hanging out when I go down for business and something's wrong. His Alpha claimed that his mate was cheating on him with Ethan and kicked him out of the Pack. He's got nowhere to go."
"Tell him to come here," Scott said instantly. "We may not have always trusted the twins, but Aidan and Ethan came through in a big way in the end. He's always had a place in the Pack if he needed it."
"Ethan, you heard that?" Danny asked.
"Yeah," Ethan said. "I'm on my way. I should be there by dark. Tell Scott I said thank you. I love you Danny. See you soon."
"See you soon, Ethan," Danny replied before hanging up. "He'll be here by dark."
"Looks like we'll be sharing that cup of coffee after all," Stiles mused. "I'm going to get some more beer."