(Adventures in Myth) Gryphons war, book 1 gone missing, Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6 RIVER-FLOW

                Flow happily dragged herself down, deeper into the lake, letting the coldness wash over her soggy fur and feathers. She made twists and turns, up and down, left and right. She had a gift, as though she could breath under water, she could stay under it as long as she liked. But no one would understand this gift, not even her brother. Only one cub new about it, her sister Star-Fighter figured it out herself when she watched Flow play in the river when they where little. ‘Don’t let anyone know about this gift,’ she would say, ‘not even Rock-Slinger.’

                Flow got her name from how much she loved the water, not from her looks. She has a light grey pelt with pink diamond shapes on her hind legs, talon fluff, and pink stripes and circles on her tail. She also has a grayish green tail tip and a pink strip next to her eyes, a mane the same color as her pelt, and a fluffy tuft of fur on her head like bangs.

                Flow started to swim back to the surface when she heard a slash, she turned her head in alert and saw bubbles in the distance. She couldn’t let the gryphon see her, so she hid behind a rock. The cub had a honey yellow colored pelt, with golden colored stripes. The cub was completely still, aside from the water swishing around her honey colored feather’s. The cub looked like she was glowing... and then the thought struck her, the cub wasn’t swimming! She was sinking! Flow wove around the rock she was hiding behind and used her wings to boost herself to the cub. The cub’s eyes where closed and she had a bruise on the left side of her face, Flow grabbed the cub’s arm and pulled. Then she grabbed the cub by the wings and pulled her up, struggling to keep her hold. Flow boosted herself to the surface and swam over to the shore, she heard frightened yelling and arguing. “Oh my! What have I done!!” a jungle gryphon cub said flying toward Flow, “I’m a horrible, horrible gryphon!” they continued, “what was I thinking! Playing catch in the air with my sister!” they let out a little sob. Flow began to pat on the honey colored cub’s chest, the cub sputtered out water, coughing and gasping, and then her eyes fluttered open, her head turned to face Flow. “what-?!” then she coughed again and continued, “what happened?!” Flow tried to explain over the moping jungle cub. “Er, you fell into the water… and I brought you back to the shore… um,” the honey colored cub strained her eyes, “wait... what’s your name?” the cub asked. Flow padded back a little before half whispering “my name is... uh, River-Flow” the honey colored cub’s eyes opened wide “well, what a surprise! I get rescued by the cub I was looking for!” then she padded closer to Flow, “I’m Honey, your sister said you might be able to help me...” Flow looked over her shoulder, staring at the lake. What does this cub want that Star thinks SHE of all gryphons, can help? How did that cub get knocked into the water anyway? “how did I fall into the water anyway?!” Honey echoed flows thought. The Jungle cub began to fuss again, shoving her face in her talons, and letting out a big sob. “Oh, oh no! I didn’t mean to make you feel bad!” Honey squealed, the Jungle cub’s head turned toward Honey “but it’s all my fault!!” she said through choking sobs. “But I’m ok? See, every thing’s ok!” Honey explained, but the cub launched into the air, fussing about how she’d never be able to come back. Honey turned back to Flow, then sat down. Oh no, no, no, no... don’t say it! Flow thought nervously, “you never answered my question…” Honey said, Flow’s ears drooped, she was hoping she’d forget… “well... I can’t agree Intel you tell me what you need my help for…” “OH! My apologies!” Honey’s voice quieted before she said, “my friend has been missing for like... four days and... um, I was wondering if you could help me?”

                Flow agreed to Honey’s question, though she wasn’t sure what to do, but they settled on asking other gryphon cubs. Honey and Flow was silent the whole time, except when they asked cubs, but they hadn’t gotten any luck. Until they walked up to a cub with a ghostly white pelt, who was sloppily eating his lunch, getting blood all over his pelt and beak. “Hey there, Snow-Pelt, um... have you seen my friend Bark-Fur?” Honey asked taping her talons on the floor, he looked up “who is that again?” “ugh! The owl gryphon with a brown pelt with lots of streaks, the one who’s pelt looks like wood?!”- Snow-Pelt starred into the open for a little before saying “Oh! Her, um…. Oh! Yeah, last I saw she was running down the tunnel-” “which tunnel? And when?” Honey interrupted “uuuhhh… that one” he pointed at the left side of the den where a tunnel carved through. He ripped fur off his rabbit and took a large mouthful before saying “it was when the dragons attacked, you know... like three days ago-” “four” “ok, four days ago… oh! Yeah... and I think she was being chased... I mean by one of the dragonets... Er, I think she got cornered” He scratched his ear before adding “but what do I know, I mean everyone was panicking... so, yeah it was hard to tell what was going on. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I would like to finish eating?” he said giving them a shooing motion with his talon before ripping another chunk off his lunch.

                “oh…” Honey complained that same word over, and over, and over again. Flow grew impatient, “what is it?” and then regretted it when she saw Honey’s sorrowful expression, “its just that... if she was killed, then we would have found her body” she let out a sniffle “I was hoping it would never come to this thought but...” Flow cocked her head, “what?” Honey stopped walking “its hopeless!” she said letting her tears spill “we’ll never find her. And what if she IS dead!” Flow didn’t know what to say except “well... there’s still one more place we haven’t searched…” “WHERE?” Honey almost screamed. Flow tilted her head down the tunnel and said “that’s where she was last seen so...” “wait?! But that tunnel leads out to the forest…” Honey stated “well... let’s go?” Flow said padding toward the tunnel, and Honey fallowed.