(Adventures in Myth) Gryphons war, book 1 gone missing, Chapter 4

  CHAPTER 4 ROCK-SLINGER                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           “Ugh! I have a neck cramp!” Rock complained to his sister. “Well there’s nothing I can do!” Star-Fighter snapped, “you’re the one who forgot to clean out your bedding,” she continued as they flew down to the prey den, this time the hunting party had come back at the right time. Rock scanned the pile for a deer, nothing, so he snatched a rabbit instead. Star-Fighter picked out a wild horse that was buried in moss and launched into the air. “Wait! Where did you get that?!” Rock yelled at her, he hadn’t seen a horse in forever! But his sister didn’t answer him, instead she said, “you’ll know when your old enough” and flew to the cubs den. “Well that’s not fare!” he said to himself, Star-Fighter was four years older then him and flow, he was almost old enough to hunt with the young adults! His other sister, River-Flow, padded up to him. “do you wanna swim with me?” she asked, “why do you always want to swim! Why don’t you play on land sometime?” Rock said. His sister looked at him, “you wouldn’t understand,” then she dived into the water. Rock sighed, watching as a gryphon patrol launched into the air flying to the forest. The cubs where forbid to go on hunting parties, ever since a hunting party got attacked by a dragonet, and two fighter’s and a cub disappeared. Rock was bored, he didn’t get how Feather could keep himself busy by sleeping, and by that he meant Feather was never bored. Rock let out a grown, he normally kept himself busy by hunting or play fighting with Star… then he remembered something that he didn’t know how he forgot! SHE’S coming!! He launched himself into the air, heart racing as he plummeted into the cub’s den. He padded over to Feather and gave him a nudge, “wake up Feather!” Rock squealed. Feather murmured something and turned his head away. “Wake up Feather! Daffodil’s coming today!!” Feather turned his head toward Rock, “why are you always so excited when she comes? It’s only in the morning…” then he mumbled, “oh, that’s right.. she comes in the morning…” then he stretched and curled up in his bed of moss, “wake me when the jungle tribe comes…” he mumbled.

                Daffodil is the tribe leader’s daughter, the jungle tribe obviously lives in the jungle, they normally have bright reds, yellows, blues and green. But Daffodil has pink, yellow, and blue, she’s the most prettiest of them ALL! and she’s coming today!!                                                                    “I see them!!!” Rock yipped in excitement as he pointed to a flock of bright colored gryphons. Flint, Feather, and his two sisters where with him as he waited for Daffodil’s arrival. “You know your not the best at keeping your feelings secret?” Star pointed out, Rock stared at her. “Yeah, well, bright colors are always the prettiest!” Rock told her. “Well, I’m offended” Flint said. “Oh, sorry Flint” Rock apologized giving her a weak smile. “That definitely gives it away, you have a crush on Daffodil!!” Star said. “Ooooh! I’m going to tell EVERYONE about it!” Flint added. Rock stared both of them in the eyes, “guys! Don’t embarrass me!” he whispered as several cubs turned their heads in his direction. Feather looked at Rock, “besides, the jungle gryphon’s aren’t the only visitors” he said. “The snow gryphons are coming too?” Rock asked, Flint turned to face him and said, “Yes! Don’t you remember?! The two other tribes come here and have a private meeting with Storm-Breaker every ten weeks!” “Oh.. I forgot.” Rock saw Flint roll her eyes in the background.                                                             The Jungle tribe finally touched the ground, and Rock searched the area for Daffodil. “Hey rock! I’m glad to see a familiar face!” someone said from above, Daffodil flipped her feathered side bangs out of her eyes as she landed on the floor.

         She wore a flower crown with bright pink and yellow flowers. She has an azure blue pelt, with lemon colored feathers lining her neck and spine all the way down to her tail tip. Daffodil also has some sort of feathered tail tip that is neon pink, and the ends of her feathered azure blue bangs are tinted with neon pink at the ends. She has pastel yellow talons and beak with a neon pink stripe on the tip of her beak. “Why aren’t you wearing your crown, you know, besides your flower crown?” Rock asked, Daffodil took her flower crown off and stared at it, “well… I guess I just don’t want everyone to see me as just a leader’s daughter who’s trying to show off her position in the world. Ya’know?” she put her flower crown back on and sighed. “I just wanna fit in with the other jungle gryphons more.” She said looking at her fellow tribe mates, Rock brushed his tail with hers and said, “your not just a leader’s daughter.. your much more then that! You can choose who you wanna be.” Daffodil sighed, “if only it was that easy, I was born the leaders daughter, and there’s nothing I could do about it. It’s my destiny to become the next leader! I can’t just change…” a green and yellow jungle gryphon flew down to Rock and Daffodil, then said, “my lady, your mother is expecting you,” then flew away. Daffodil looked at Rock and said, “I’m sorry I have to leave so soon, the snow tribe must have come, which means the meeting’s about to begin. I got to go.” Then she launched herself into the air. “WAIT!!” Rock called after her, “can you meet me at the cubs den after?!” She looked back at him, “we’ll see!” she said, then she joined the green and yellow jungle gryphon and flew to the leader’s den.                  

          Rock became tired of waiting, he felt like busting into the meeting and taking Daffodil away where they could have fun together. But no, he had to wait, plus if he busted into the meeting he would be in big trouble. He probably wouldn’t even be able to talk to Daffodil! Rock shivered at the thought, he only gets to see her once every ten weeks! And he only got a day and a half to spend time with her Intel he had to wait another ten weeks. Rock paced in his bed of moss, then he looked at Feather, who was asleep.. did he have ANY friends from the other tribes that he wanted to see? But again he wasn’t really the most social gryphon. Feather mumbled, got up, stretched, and sleepily padded out of the den, what is he up to? Rock thought as Feather dived down the peek. Rock fallowed Feather to the lake and crouched in some ferns, watching as Feather sat down on the dry riverbank. Is he waiting for someone? Rock thought as Feather scraped up some dirt and started piling it, then Rock heard wing beats from above him and dove deeper into the fern. “I’m glad you came on time” Flint said to Feather, “and by the way, Rock. Don’t even try to spy. I was going to tell you, but I figured you where to busy waiting for your mate.” Flint said. Rock padded out of the fern, “she’s not my mate! We’re not even young adults yet!” he countered. Flint giggled, “might as well be!” she said, “well bright colors are always the prettiest!!” Flint mimicked. Rock’s back feathers ruffled with fury, “I don’t sound like that!! And we’re just friends! Good friends! You’re just jealous,” he snapped at her. “Whatever! You’re just going to deny it anyways” she turned away to face Feather who was still messing with the pill of dirt. “back to why I told you to come here… I have news-“ “News about what?! What did you not tell me!” Rock interrupted, Flint glared at him, “and this is why I was going to tell you last!-“ she turned back to face Feather, “Ice-Breaker told me what they mostly talked about in the meeting, apparently one of the Snow tribes cubs went missing, three of the Jungle tribes cubs went missing, and at least six of our tribes cubs have gone missing.” Feather stopped playing with his pile of dirt and looked up at Flint, “so our tribe has lost the most cubs?!” Flint nodded. “Does anyone care to tell me what your talking about?!” Rock said, impatient of being treated like he wasn’t there. Flint turned around and sighed, “might as well… me and Feather think dragons are kidnapping cubs. There, you happy?” Rock wasn’t happy, he was speechless, why would the dragons kidnap cubs? For a bargaining chip? Just for prisoners? Maybe the dragons thought, why not? And worst of all, himself or any of his friends could be next…          

        Rock waited for Daffodil in the cubs den for the rest of the time, where was she? Rock thought, then he heard, “squse-me! Pardon me!” fallowed by whispers, then an azure blue cub sat next to Rock. “So, what do you want to do for the rest of my free time?” Daffodil asked. Play fight? No. Hunting? No. Just talking? No. No. No! Rock couldn’t think of anything, he wasn’t sure Daffodil was the type to play fight, not so much hunting either. So what where they going to do? “are you fine with flying in the forest?” Daffodil asked “It’s not the jungle, but its close enough” she gave him a wink. “Ok! Fine by me,” Rock answered, and they flew into the forest.