Family reunions are always difficult. -Alyx

He didn't say anything to my silent inquiry, instead his frown deepening as he started walking toward one of the paths. Excellent, we were back to mysteries and secrets. For most definitely neither the first nor last time, I wondered why I had decided to help the griffin instead of staying safe and secure at Camp Half Blood. Except I knew why, and our little conversation with the weird dwarf men- the knockers- had only proved my suspicions correct. There was another army of monsters gathering, and I had more than one single griffin's word to confirm it. I took a deep breath, closing my eyes momentarily, before I started off after him.

The path he had taken was labelled by a faded sign, a straight arrow pointing down it declaring that this was the continuation of the 'Wild walk', with smaller text beneath it in a language I didn't recognise. I caught a glimpse of his yellow shirt as he disappeared around the first bend in the path. I stepped onto the path, immediately feeling the weight of the humidity descend upon me once more.

Cinder had made a considerable lead on me as I wound between the trees, passing through the tunnel-like structures the overgrown greenery had formed in its neglect. The twists and turns to the path seemed wholly unnecessary given just how big this greenhouse seemed to be. There were times where I'd round a corner only to find the path twisting almost entirely back on itself, zig-zagging between thick trunks and undergrowth, the path I had just travelled through in one direction completely hidden from the other. The griffin had managed to get out of sight quickly, and I found myself moving into a quick walk and eventually a jog to try and catch up to him.

I was about to call out for him to slow down when I saw the light of the next clearing ahead, picking up the pace a little more as I rounded the final corner and found myself once more leaving the densely packed trees and breaking into comparatively fresh air. There was another enclosure, this time the glass panels reaching up and connecting to the ceiling, the walls on either side changing from brick to a fine mesh metal fence that also stretched to fill all gaps. Cinder stood in front of the glass, turned away from me, looking inside.

I took a second to take in my surroundings, no longer worried about getting split up, allowing myself a second to recollect my thoughts. What was so important about this animal that he had to go so far ahead? Had he realised something? Scowling, I walked the short distance between us and looked down into the exhibit, about to berate him for leaving me behind.

Within the confines of the enclosure below, decorated very similarly to the bear's before, was a group of what I could only describe as very scrappy looking griffins. They were maybe half the size of Cinder and Eris, their plumage dull browns and sandy yellows, feathers sticking out at odd angles, tufts of shed fur stuck to their hind legs. These griffins looked more like your typical eagle-lion hybrid, although there was definitely some hint of hyena in there. Their eyes were wild and harsh, claws sharp and ready to rend flesh. They sat in a group, a few fighting with one another with the ferocity of creatures fighting for their lives, scrabbling at one another and holding nothing back while others lounged lazily on bare dirt, unevenly tufted tails flicking nonchalantly. The fighting griffins screeched and snarled at each other, a sound I hadn't noticed until I came closer to the enclosure. Scattered around on the dying grass within were glints of pale white and cream, the remnants of old meals left buried and forgotten, none with even a scrap of flesh remaining.

A little shocked, I glanced toward Cinder. These creatures seemed so far removed from him, closer to feral beasts than anything resembling human. He looked down upon them with a mixture of pity and what looked like disdain, his own yellow eyes following a fresh conflict that had just broken out- two smaller creatures launching themselves at a larger griffin, talons extended, wings flapping. Feathers floated down to the ground around them, and one was thrown back by the bigger creature as it snapped and swiped.

"… Relatives?" I asked tentatively.

"No." He snapped, and then winced. "Yes, but… distant. Not distant enough," he corrected, a little gentler.

At the sound of our voices, the griffins beneath stopped their fighting. Ten pairs of hungry yellow and green eyes turned to focus on us, petty grievances forgotten. I frowned. I don't think I'd ever been to a zoo where I had been stared at as much as now.

Before I could say any more, the first griffin launched itself toward us, tattered wings carrying it up to the glass where it made contact and scrabbled for purchase, wings flapping manically as it snapped and scratched at the enclosures walls, all the while snarling and squawking in turn. I took a step back instinctively, hand already at the hilt of my sword. The glass would hold, wouldn't it?

Cinder seemed unfazed, returning the glares with a cold stare. A second griffin joined the first, this one struggling a little more to stay high enough to look at us, sliding further down and out of sight again as a third hit the glass, hissing. "There's a… divide in our culture," he said after a moment, "unfortunately it has led to some groups being more prone to mobbing you and tearing you to shreds than others. They prefer to speak with their actions instead of their words, which they don't have many of."

One of them had found purchase on the metal grate, talons hooking around the wire as it tried to bite its way through. I really hoped it wouldn't be able to get through. "They look like they've been neglected," I ventured, taking a few steps farther back.

He shook his head. "No, that they did to themselves. This is what most griffins you'd encounter look like. Nothing short of feral," he said with disgust. "Unlike some of us, I'm not sure they even preen themselves." He looked at them for a while longer in silence, slumping a little. "I don't think this greenhouse is helping, though. I'm too warm even in this shape," he held out his arms to emphasise, "I can't imagine wearing feathers and fur in this." I nodded- my own shirt was sticking to my back in a most uncomfortable fashion.

Cinder turned away, evidently having had enough of watching them try to claw their way towards us, walking toward the next path in the trees. "Let's carry on," he said as he went, not looking back toward me or the griffins.

"Are they saying anything?" I asked as I turned to follow, taking one last glance at the now seven griffins snarling and snapping at us through the glass. There looked to be a few new scratches on the previously smooth surface that I hoped were just a trick of a light.

Cinder hesitated for a moment, "Nothing very comprehensible. Mostly insults and challenges. They really, really, want to know what you taste like."

"I would like them to remain in the dark on that one," I muttered as we passed back into jungle. "The walls will hold them, right?" I asked as the sounds of their struggles were damped by the thick layer of trees that began to separate us. The shrill screeching remained in earshot for longer, piercing through the din of the wildlife around us.

The griffin shrugged. "Hopefully, although I can't say I'd like to stick around and find out."

"You have a point."

A few twists and turns later and the frenzy behind us melded back into the ambience of the room. It was disconcerting how much our surroundings damped sounds and obscured them. Such a huge space could hold all sorts of surprises, both pleasant and unpleasant, and the noise and cover masked everything not in our immediate vicinity. I couldn't even tell which direction we had come from at this point, the winding path had disorientated me so completely that without the set paths I do not think I could have navigated back to the door we had come in through.
I managed to stay closer to Cinder this time, although he wasn't moving as fast toward our next destination this time. I walked a little faster to come up beside him, and then settled into his stride. Damn tall people, making those of us with shorter legs work that much harder. It felt like I was taking two steps for every one he took, moving at a pace somewhere between walk and jog that fit comfortably into neither category.

"How big do you think this place is?" I asked after a few minutes of walking, looking at the trees to either side of us with some suspicion.

Cinder glanced at me, frown creasing his brow. "I'm not sure. It definitely didn't look this big from above. It didn't even look half this size."

Of course. "I guess they don't call it the magical menagerie for nothing?"