more salvatoresque crap — avert your eyes while you still can (part 5)

By the third day, i started wondering what gryphon meat tasted like.

Fortunately, that night Feren announced we should arrive at his commune — "our druid compound," he reproachfully corrected me — by mid-morning.  We'd crossed the forest without encountering any hostilities the last 60 or so hours, which i was inclined to believe was more likely due to the gryphon's presence than to Feren's wilderness skills.  Then again, the gryphon's presence would've done little good if it were still impeded by a bloody leg, so Feren used his healing skills to their limit to cut down on the oozing and allow the beast to put some weight on it.

The next day, right on time, we crested a hill and looked upon a shallow vale where scattered huts lay under oaks and conifers.  As i walked into the compound, i glanced at the gryphon with some apprehension.  The damned thing had been exceedingly well-behaved throughout our travels, leaving my side only when it went to hunt ("Hey, Feren, why won't you hunt us some meat?  The gryphon hunts." "Do you want to tell him he can't hunt?" "... I see your point.").  Frankly, i was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

The compound was a lot more active than i could see from the hilltop.  Animals bounded in and transformed into humans and elves.  Birds swooped down and dropped notes into buckets tied to trees.  People bustled with urgency from hut to hut.  I turned to Feren and said, "You guys are as busy as any business in the city.  I'm impressed."

Feren nodded with what was for him a grave expression as he led us through the activity.  "Except our work is of much greater importance."

I paused a beat.  "Yeah.  Of course."  There's no point in arguing with the young.

We reached a log cabin.  Feren said, "You'll have to have your gryphon stay out here, Mwaele.  The door's not big enough."

I turned to the gryphon.  "You heard the man."  It chirped and sat down.  Damn it, i was getting used to the blasted animal.  I shook my head and told Feren, "Lead on, youngster."

more salvatoresque crap — avert your eyes while you still can (part 5)

By the third day, i started wondering what gryphon meat tasted like.

Fortunately, that night Feren announced we should arrive at his commune — "our druid compound," he reproachfully corrected me — by mid-morning.  We'd crossed the forest without encountering any hostilities the last 60 or so hours, which i was inclined to believe was more likely due to the gryphon's presence than to Feren's wilderness skills.  Then again, the gryphon's presence would've done little good if it were still impeded by a bloody leg, so Feren used his healing skills to their limit to cut down on the oozing and allow the beast to put some weight on it.

The next day, right on time, we crested a hill and looked upon a shallow vale where scattered huts lay under oaks and conifers.  As i walked into the compound, i glanced at the gryphon with some apprehension.  The damned thing had been exceedingly well-behaved throughout our travels, leaving my side only when it went to hunt ("Hey, Feren, why won't you hunt us some meat?  The gryphon hunts." "Do you want to tell him he can't hunt?" "... I see your point.").  Frankly, i was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

The compound was a lot more active than i could see from the hilltop.  Animals bounded in and transformed into humans and elves.  Birds swooped down and dropped notes into buckets tied to trees.  People bustled with urgency from hut to hut.  I turned to Feren and said, "You guys are as busy as any business in the city.  I'm impressed."

Feren nodded with what was for him a grave expression as he led us through the activity.  "Except our work is of much greater importance."

I paused a beat.  "Yeah.  Of course."  There's no point in arguing with the young.

We reached a log cabin.  Feren said, "You'll have to have your gryphon stay out here, Mwaele.  The door's not big enough."

I turned to the gryphon.  "You heard the man."  It chirped and sat down.  Damn it, i was getting used to the blasted animal.  I shook my head and told Feren, "Lead on, youngster."