UNDER SIEGE |COMPLETED|

⚔️Chapter Eight⚔️

Chpt. 8.)
WAKING WATERFALL

Panic was a feeling that Kyah was beginning to feel accustom to. It seemed as no matter what he did, fear followed behind him close, too close.

And now? He was practically bathing in it. Looking off the wooden pier made his stomach turn and his bones ache, he felt completely and utterly hopeless.

Outcast wasn't doing much to settle his nerves, in fact, the griffin seemed far more interested in picking a fight with Onyx. In the background, the prince could hear his brother, Ari's desperate pleas to bargain a deal with Orra and Omknee. He was just as attached to Kyah as Kyah was to him.

Orra's griffin stood behind Kyah, while Orra stayed back to keep her brother in check. "Go on then, jump," she urged as if he was simply stepping down a stair instead of leaping to his death.

As much as he wanted to plead, to run, to exchange a deal, to beg for his life, he couldn't. He was a prince now, and if he survived the certainly fatal fall, he would not be viewed upon as a coward. Not because he would be embarrassed of his acts but because cowards don't make allies.

With one breathy exhale and a final glance towards Ari, Kyah stepped off the edge and fell.

He was falling face first, the wind rapidly hitting his face, and his heart pumping a thousand miles a minute. He could at least join Astoria, but he didn't want to die. He wasn't ready. His friends would surely die after him; his fall was Ari's demise.

The prince twisted around, looking up at the mount of the cliff as he plummeted further. "Outcast!" His voice was firm, composed, and echoed against the surrounding mountain peaks.

It was loud. But loud enough.

Outcast flew at a rapid pace over the cliff, diving faster than the prince had ever seen him fly before. He reached the boy in seconds, in fact, he passed him, having built up too much speed in the process.

Kyah continued to free fall as Outcast steadied himself, his mind unable to figure out how to save him.

In one impulsive move, Outcast spun onto his back, stretching his wings as wide as possible. Kyah slammed into the animal's belly, only for the griffin's wings to wrap around him tightly. They were both falling now.

Kyah could only wait in anticipation as they descended like a shooting star. He knew whatever came next was going to hurt.

Outcast collided with the ground, uprooting grass and flinging dirt everywhere. He groaned in pain, waiting for the aches to subside. It wasn't a graceful fall, in fact, both were very bruised and sore, but they were alive.

Outcast unwrapped his wings quickly, checking over Kyah before shoving the boy away from him. Kyah huffed, shakily standing up amiss his gravely injured shoulder.

"You know, I'm grateful for the rescue, but there were other ways that involved not being thrown into the ground." Outcast rolled his eyes, glancing up at two griffins descending with riders on their backs.

"Are you okay?" Outcast hummed, wiggling his wings before shrugging. Kyah sighed in relief, moving his attention to Orra and Omknee now landing.

Outcast stood up, growling at Kyah before moving to sit beside him. Orra frowned, "you passed." Omknee scrunched up his face, "a griffin has never caught their rider like that... they either fall or they fly."

Orra seemed to be in deep thought, her gaze flickering between the boy and the beast. Slowly, she asked, "what happened to your shoulder?"

"Mingold knights were closing in, so Outcast grabbed me... a little too snugly."