Reel123

The morning was comfortable. Her den was toasty warm, thick with familiar scent, everything within a wings reach and yet not too close. With the dire winter piled outside, it was easy to understand the allure of hibernation that other predators enjoyed. The griffin rumbled softly, curling closer to the small human trapped beneath her wing. “You’re faking it,” Ollie murmured, one finger scratching at the thick feathery ruff of her neck, “Come on, lazy bones- it’s like noon! Noone needs that much sleep.” “Busy work. Tired wings.” She retorted in a quiet growl, shifting so his hand scratched her wing’s shoulders. They felt dull, but better than the burning ache she’d gotten last night flying home from the stables. That had been simply exhausting, especially after a full day of labouring under Leah to haul hay and help house the herbivores. Saturdays were shaping up to be pain. But today was her day. “Kiddo, you decent?” Three small knocks came from Pa at her door, “Breakfast is

The school office was too full. The cage-like window and oppressive grey walls felt constricted enough when alone with a teacher, but an additional two cops and a forest ranger was absolutely cloying. Karen shoved her chair back restlessly, only to earn a wary look. Of course, they were scared. As they should be, she decided, straightening her winter skirt. They’d interrupted a griffin’s lunch for this farce. Perhaps she ought to switch her eyes, just to glare all the more fiercely? But no, she’d worked hard this week to shift fully human each morning, and they weren’t worth breaking her streak. “Not long now, Karen,” Officer Danton gave one of those half smiles, half sighs, as if bored of the paperwork he subjected her to. “Just running down the summary here- you’d been visiting your Grandma, ate at the Bark-An’-Cue on the N57, then got to fly back from there to Ranelk. You stopped on Mount Kettle, encountered Charles and Shona, they mentioned this figure, and then you resumed