(Adventures in Myth) Gryphons war, book 1 gone missing, Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7 FEATHER

               

                “why are you so fidgety?” Feather asked Rock, as they ate their lunch. “oh, I don’t know!” “Maybe its because he went on a date with his mate” Flint said, joining them with with a rabbit in her mouth. “she’s not my mate!” Rock spat, but his expression said otherwise “and it wasn’t a date either! We where just playing with each other” then he padded to his sister, Star, and left his meat at his talons before sitting. “OK. Mr. grumpy feathers! But if you ask me, I think they would make a great couple” Flint said, then ripped off a chunk of her rabbit, spilling blood on her talons. “so. We haven’t talked since ya’know when” Flint added after swallowing her beak full of meat, Feather was hoping she wouldn’t mention her ‘the dragons are kidnapping cubs’ theory. He was hoping that wasn’t the case… But he couldn’t help but think she might be right. “isn’t there anything else to talk about...” Feather asked, hoping that it would change the subject “hmmm, how about what a cute couple Daffodil and Rock would make” Flint said grinning, Feather ears drooped “anything BUT that-“ “nope” “nothing…” “yup, I mean what else is there to talk about? How awfully cute the newly hatched newborns are? WHY IN THE WORLD OF MYTH THEY PUT KATANA IN WITH THE YOUNG WARRIORS HUNTING PARTY?!?” Feather cocked his head “they put her in the young warriors hunting party?” “yup, AND they made her lead. JUST BECAUSE SHE’S STORM-BREAKER’S NIECE DOESN’T MEAN SHE HAS TO BE PUT IN CHARGE OF EVERYTHING!” Flints feather’s where bristling now, she dug her claw into the rabbit and ripped its fur down the spine. “Ok calm down, I’m sure they have a reason-” Flints reply was a scowl and then muttering something under her breath.

                After lunch they where called for battle training, Feather got an ‘F’ for his lack of strength, a ‘C’ for defense, and an ‘A’ for agility. The last training session was one on one combat… Feather’s least favorite, when him and another cub had to fight each other, and their mentors would grade them. “Hey Feather! Ready to fight?” a reddish-brown cub asked “umm-” “Oh! That’s right you don’t have a choice” Ash whipped his tail on the ground before launching himself at Feather. Feather shrieked, like he always did while one on one combat training, he quickly dove into a roll and helplessly scraped Ash’s under belly with his not-so-sharp talons.    But while he was at it, Ash got hold of his talons and pinned him down, Feather stared helpless at his mentor, Moon-Fur. Moon-Fur sighed as Ash leapt off Feather and flew over to his mentor, saying that Feather was to easy and he should be assigned to someone else. “I have to agree with my apprentice, Feather’s just not that good at fighting-“ “he just needs more practice” Moon-Fur told Fern-Tail, who was shaking his head in disagreement “hasn’t he had enough training, he should be just as good as the other cubs his age!” Fern-Tail said. “Every gryphon has a different battle technique, he just hasn’t found his yet” if I ever do… Feather thought, perched on a rock while listening to the arguing mentors. Ash padded in front of him “you should listen to the mentors sometime. I heard their going to resign you, I mean, seriously! You should see yourself! Your like-” He rolled on the ground and clawed in the air, trying to imitate Feather’s move but making it a lot more sloppy, then he jumped up and let out a snort before saying “you’d be lucky to even get in the beginning fighter’s class!” Ash said, padding over to his mentor and asking what his grade was. What if I don’t want to be a fighter, Feather though laying down on the rock he was on, letting his ears and tail droop.

                When Feather flew down onto the soft grass of the gryphon’s home, he couldn’t help but fly strait to the cub’s den and mope in his now dry and itchy moss bed. While other cubs laughed with their friends, or cleaned out their bedding, or got called for their battle training. But Feather just moped about how horrible he was at fighting, or even just defense! If he couldn’t even defend himself, like four days ago when he got chased by a dragonet, all he was able to do was run for his life! Then he remembered about Honey… HONEY he totally forgot! He said he’d meet her at the pond yesterday at twilight, and he missed it… WHY DO YOU HAVE TO CARE MORE ABOUT SLEEPING THEN WHAT REALY MATTERS?! He thought, scolding himself. Was that why she hadn’t talked to him at all since she asked? Oh! Why does he have to be such a horrible gryphon! Those thoughts just made him so much more, mopey then he already was, he shoved his beak in his bedding, not caring that it was very itchy. He tried to fall asleep, but his bed was just to dry and itchy. So, Feather let out one long moan before standing up and grabbing as much bedding as he could, then flying out of the cub’s den to get fresh moss.

                When he entered the ill-smelling healing den, he couldn’t help but crinkle the top of his beak. There were gryphons with all sorts of injuries, some still wasn’t healed completely and some not at all. Some gryphons where burnt and some not so much, Feather tried not to stare, but couldn’t help but notice that Palm-Tail was still unconscious with his mother crying at his side. He padded over to the little cave pond, were the soaking moss was, he plopped his in and grabbed some that was already on a rock nice and soft. “Hey, Feather while your at it, can you toss me a beak full of moss?” one of the healers asked from a little while away, Feather did what she asked and was rewarded with a muffled “thanks” before he padded out of the den.