Blooding

Dead Zenith

The Red Griffon yelped. Lusik's scream shattered her dreamy fog and she scrambled about gasping. Trapped. A singular feeling. All other thoughts eluded her, lanterns hitched to poles loomed over them like halberds. Her head snapped around as Lusik scampered next to her, the musky darkness lightened as if in response to her view and their chasers were revealed – she cried out as their faces unshrouded. Fangs protruded from their muzzles. Like Lusik's. But these were bared in blood and a grave deadlight was in their centre of their pupils. Claws unsheathed. Before there were ten, now only there was seven. Two her hex had assailed, one laid beside her cowering. Their collective rage radiated like a blaring star and the companions' animal instincts twanged their senses and implored them to gallop away into the dark. Lusik was paralysed. The Red Griffon had no escape.

Their claws never dove forward to rend her. They stood. Stalwart specters unmoved by the cold and only stared. She felt naked and accursed. Their eyes tracing all over her, she could feel their disgusted gazes, the gauzes wrapped around her body, the scars, the distinctive lack of a tail. A message bounced between them. She dared no move, consigned to her fate a deep dread settled over her, an ethereal depression that one feels right before the guillotine blade is dropped onto their neck.

A deep voice came from a brother. Higher than Lusik's but leagues sterner. 'Release our brother.' He said. 'Or I die, to destroy you.'

She didn't reply, startled and terrified. He stepped forward. 'Wait now!' Said the Griffon, 'I-I. Don't understand.'

'Release. Him.' The drake commanded. As if telling a dog to drop the cat between its jaws.

'Please.' She begged. Again, humility left her. 'Please. Don't. Please.' Tears welled up.

Lusik saw her terrified face. Her tiny beak and widened eyes. Talons held up. The great, fissured wounds that were torn down a form so small. A small flicker of courage sparked in the dragon's stomach, it was miniscule and weak, like a waning candle but there was courageous light in his soul. The ghostly smell of burning pheasant broke his fearful stance. 'You won't hurt her, Brother. You won't have a single claw on her whilst I stand here.' He said. His voice growling.

The others jostled.

'Where is your place?' Asked the brother, a sneer on him. 'Under the guiles of the witch-bird? Break your chains or I'll die breaking them in your stead.'

'I have no chains. I saved her, I flew after of my own mind.' Said Lusik. 'And you will not touch her.'

'Suffer no animal bird to live.' Said the brother, 'It's darkness has seeped too long. I'll break your bonds. No brother are you, but a slave.' His bloody eyes turned to the Griffon.

'Do not.' Said Lusik. He arched forward. The brothers closed tighter.

'Your curse is clever.' He's claws opened like five knives. 'For now, we both die.'

Her stomach curled into a writhing ball and the skin beneath her fur tingled with veins of fear. He lunged. She shut her eyes and heard the howling.

Lusik dived. The brothers bounded forward and shunted him down. Two clambered on to his back. They gripped his neck and held his thrashing tail, his hindlegs burned as he reared up before the smaller brothers pulled his forelegs down and slipped him and slammed him onto his stomach, nearly chomping his own tongue as the air pushed out of his chest. Stars flickered in his sight. They took care not to claw his flesh.

The leader was leaping for the Griffon, his claws outstretched like granite knives. His teeth bared and his eyes bloody. Red for revenge.

Then he stopped.