The Other Clans

Dominance

Lilias and Faulkner walked back into the hall where the others were still grouped together. She restrained a smile when she saw Ivar standing in between Gillian and Donnan.

"You two need to get along. We're going to be traveling together, and if we're going to find these other gargoyles we need to work together," Ivar said sternly.

"He is right you two. Despite the fact that we just met, we must at least tolerate each other. It was fighting like this that almost caused our kinds' extinction in the first place," Lilias commented, folding her arms over her chest. Gillian still looked angry, but he backed down. Donnan was another matter.

"Like I'm going to listen to you," he snarled at her. "You're no older than I am. What makes you qualified to lead?"

"Donnan, calm down." Lilias pulled her wings down as much as she could to not seem threatening. "Let's talk about this like the reasonable individuals we are."

"And what if I don't want to flower?" he asked, both angrily and flirtatiously. Gillian lunged at him. He was intercepted by Ivar who struggled to hold him back.

"Calm down Gillian," she said. His eyes widened as he met her restrained gaze. She the turned away from her friend and faced Donnan. "Do you want to repeat that?" She struggled to keep her wings pinned to her back as her anger started to rise.

"Which part flower?" he growled, his eyes glowing faintly.

"You are being neither reasonable nor smart right now." Lilias felt her wings start to spread out and her eyes burn. "I suggest you back down now." Her voice was low and deadly.

"Don't tell me what to do!" Donnan pointed a talon at her as his eyes glowed brighter with his temper.

"I wouldn't have to if you weren't being so immature." She barely noticed the others in the group backing away from them.

"Me? Immature?" Donnan barked out a laugh. "You're one to talk. You look like you just hatched!" That was his final mistake. Neither of them paid attention to the small gasp that escaped Elspeth or the look of horror splayed across Gillian's face. Lilias may be small, but she possessed a strength that even the elders couldn't quite explain. The white female flared her wings and roared at Donnan.

"How's that for immature?" she growled. He hesitated in replying though. With her wings completely unfurled, she looked big. The gold glinted in the light and made her wings look like they were edged with fire. Her glowing red eyes didn't help her look any less intimidating.

"I wouldn't suggest continuing this," Faulkner commented from the side. Lilias and Donnan looked over at the human in surprise. "At least in this confined space."

"W-what?" Donnan tried to quell the fear that had come over him because of this small female.

"He is right," Lilias stated as she stood upright again and tucked her wings back. "If you wish to discuss this further, let us go outside to protect the castle. As one of our ancestors said, 'a gargoyle can no more stop protecting the castle than breath the air.' I think the quote still rings true today." Lilias shook her head with a slight smile on her face. "That's neither here nor there. Anyway, are we going?" She gestured to the door. Donnan just shook his head.

"You are... more... qualified for the position." He hung his head and his wings drooped. Ivar clapped him on the shoulder.

"Don't look quite so down. I was intimidated and her anger was not even directed at me."

Faulkner burst into laughter. "That wasn't Lilias when she's angry," he gasped.

"What?!" the five new gargoyles exclaimed, looking between Lilias and Faulkner skeptically.

"I've only seen her truly angry once." Faulkner tilted his head to the side as he remembered the experience fondly. "She left the castle for a month to cool down after beating the offending gargoyle to a pulp."

"What happened?" Shona whispered.

"A gargoyle her age insulted Elspeth then started a fight with Gillian when he defended her. I came over about the same time Lilias did to see what the problem was." Faulkner shook his head in amusement. "Remember what he said when you came over Lilias?"

"I'd rather forget it, but," She turned to the five intent listeners, "in short, he called me a freak and that anyone who called me a friend was just as useless."

"Yeah," Gillian trailed off as he scratched his neck uneasily, "he still regrets saying that."

"I thought the scar was a vast improvement," Faulkner said innocently.