Song of Wind

Chapter 3

      Standing deep within the firland forest, Ember could not believe what she was seeing before her. A huge corral So high up with a chain link top encompassing the whole thing. Around her twenty four rebels not including herself or her sister surrounded them. Beside her she could feel the palpable excitement of energy that came from Falon. It was almost as impossible to believe the creatures of myth that were inside the arena. She knew not how her sister had gotten hold of them, but yet here they were in the flesh, a myth made real. Between the metal bars she caught glimpses of wings, feathers, sharp beaks, and hooves. A sound so guttural made her insides curdle, the sound was like a deep wailing, cut off with a clicking sound that was the unmistakable sound of beaks.

     Hippogryphs, that's what her sister had smuggled somehow from the far reaches of the Garap forest to the west. These were wild beasts, as untamed as the forest they were from. She heard stories of them, they would kill a man on sight. But they were the best for aerial mounts, you don't choose your mounts. The Hippogryphs choose you.

     Her wounds didn't hurt too bad, thanks to the salve alfred had applied to them, but there was no medicine to erase the scars that would be with her forever.

"Let's start, shall we?" Falon said, heading towards the arena. The rest of us followed our leader towards the arena, and possibly our deaths.

     As soon as they stepped inside it was complete chaos, Hippogryphs of all colors and sizes ran toward them flying, flapping, tearing of flesh from beaks. Everyone scattered running for exits that Ember knew was hopeless. Of course her sister had already been bonded with a black and white, who stood protectively next to her, attacking anyone who came close to her. The floor was unsteady a mess of dirt, straw, and dung. Across the arena, through the chaos she saw a soldier she didn't know the name of. She watched as a white mare swooped down, tearing his arm completely from his body. He fell to the ground writhing in the filth, blood spraying everywhere.

      She stumbled back as a brown Hippogryph landed before her, a plume of dust disturbed by it's wings spiraled up, choking her. She backed away, hurriedly. Running into a wall, she cringed, as the creature neared her its sharp beak open. Wings fully extended it looked like a demon, It's eyes bore into hers calculating. It flittered it's head this way and that. She squeezed her eyes shut waiting for the worst. There was no escaping this, weaponless, and with no one to help her. Ember felt its hot breath so close to her face she didn't dare open her eyes. Her wounds sent pain through her as they rubbed up against the rough wall.

      A piercing cry rang out, her eyes snapped open just as the brown Hippogryph was thrown away form her. Black as death, and equally muscled was a mighty stallion of a Hippogryph. He had rammed into the brown one, sending it flying away from her. The stallion was glorious it's wing span was nearly twice the size of her sisters mare. The eagle shaped head wasn't something that frightened her, it made her breathless. This beast had just saved her life, this wonderful eagle, and horse mix, a creature of myths.

       Folding it's wings back against its body, it slowly approached Ember with a caution. She stood silent, not moving an inch. The stallion crept forward on hooves, and claws, as if it were afraid to startle Ember. The rest of the arena became white noise to her as if she were in an entirely different world. She reached out a hand in offering towards the stallion, who in turn pressed it's soft feathered head against her palm. Something deep within herself latched into place, her feelings, her whole being was perfectly aligned to the stallions. She became aware of his strong heart pumping out the blood towards the rest of his body, the strong muscles beneath it's feathered, and furred body.

     This was her aerial mount, this was what it felt like to be bonded with a hippogryph. She now knew the hype of wanting these creatures. If a person bonded with one, it was for life. The hippogryph would protect you until his very last breath. In turn you were expected to do the same as the bond demanded. Ember knew she would have no trouble doing just that. He nudged her palm with his smooth beak as if in suggestion.