“Just a few more minutes… There we go,” I ran my scarred fingers over the griffon’s plume of chest feathers, soothing her into kneeling. We both watched and listened with silent breaths, three nestlings cooed and slumbered in the nest that lay just a few hundred feet below us in the dense foliage. Curling my fingers I dug down to the majestic creature’s skin to scratch at the base of its feathers, the hulking body edged closer to me.

Very few had the privilege to feel the heartbeat of one of these creatures, as my left arm sat against its torso I remarked at how pure this moment truly was. Light thumping slowed as my hand retreated back to the cold stony perch. Sweat began to pool on my collar as the radiating heat from my stakeout partner permeated through my linens. Clicking tore me away from the moment, irritation expressed through the chattering of the beast’s beak.

“What is it girl?” I asked in a hushed tone.

Bowing her head, she indicated towards the clearing beyond the nest. As soon as she had leaned forward, figures began emerging from the tree line.

First to breach from the forest was a scrawny man with deep wrinkles decorating his forehead and underlining his sunken eyes. “This must be it, look at the deep claw imprints in the mud.” The explorer announced to no-one in particular, tipping his hat to block the sun from his eyes. Two brawny warriors clad in scarlet brigandine knelt beside the discovery, one traced an excessively armoured hand through the track whilst the other prostrated himself further to smell the surrounding earth.

In a husky chipper accent, the first voice rattled from the helmet on the left. “Good work. Young, not able to take flight just yet.” Reaching into his back pocket he produced a drawstring pouch, as he dropped it into the bony hands of his guide the man buckled forward to maintain his balance, yelping in surprise. Straightening himself up he brushed the twigs and debris from the tail of his cloak and stored the pouch within the concealed wrapping of his shawl before turning back towards the forest.

“Not staying for the hunt?” Echoing from the second helmet came a younger voice, my recent experience in the West was limited but it reminded me of a boy I met from North of the Ugnis Straight. If this was right, the second tank was quite far from home.

“I need the coin, but I can’t abide by what you are about to do. I must respectfully ask that you delay your slaughter until I am out of earshot.”

Both men nodded in agreement, before each whistled out a grossly over-complicated birdsong from their cupped hands. Bodies piled out of the undergrowth, a quick estimation had their count at sixteen to our two. This time it was the griffon’s turn to console me. She released the grasp of a single talon, its gigantic claws resting delicately on my knee. For a creature that eclipsed me five times over, she was also capable of such grace and delicacy.

“Their nest is up in the fork of those two oaks, the mother should be at least five leagues away in the mountains at this time of day but don’t get complacent. Doyle, Crike, first and foremost your duty is to watch the skies. Got that?” Two battered and bruised companions nodded in response. “Good. Alice, Petyr, Ash, Nikol, you’re with me. The rest of you are setting the perimeter fire with Warren.” The second warrior raised his hand as a group flocked to him for more detailed instructions.

Patiently we sat, how my own partner remained calm at the sight of a mob of hunters surrounding her nest I may never understand. But she did. Gently I clambered into position, with an arm around the beast’s neck and the other tightly grasping onto my hooks. As the sun reached its peak over the scene, the fire was lit. Erupting around the twin oaks it encircled the nest to the cries of the three inhabitants.

With a sudden rush we dove, our combined shadow put the mob in a sudden state of shock. Before they had any chance to react the ground shuddered as we crashed down to the earth. A single beat of the griffon’s wings turned the roaring flames to flickering embers with a great plume of smoke spreading out to disorientate our enemies, the offensive charcoal smell clung to my nostrils with a vengeance.

I leapt from her back, brandishing my hooks towards a helplessly confused Doyle. With an over-arm swing the first hook caught around a rough scaled pauldren, dragging him forwards off his feet and back towards the griffon’s waiting talons. The second hook I rose in defence of an oncoming axe, in power alone it had no chance, however pivoting around the point of contact I was able to lock its wielder’s hand in place.

“Got you!” I roared, applying pressure to the exposed wrist his grip loosened with a scream. Planting my right foot I prepared to close the distance between us before a blur of barbs entered the space I hoped to be. Whipping back the griffon’s tail becoming clearer, her head dipped slightly in apology for the near-miss.

My role diminished as a threatened mother tore through the warriors like a fox might terrorise a rabbit’s hovel. I would distract any attackers at the griffon’s flank, disarming them if possible and throwing them to the ground for her to easily dispatch of. It didn’t take long for the outnumbering force to dwindle to a handful of seasoned soldiers.

“Lay down your arms!” I demanded, “Lay down your arms and you may leave this place with your lives.”

Lifting the visor on their plumed helm, the crimson warrior referred to as Warren stepped forward from the cornered pack. “I have seen what you do to hunters, we would not retain the dignity you are promising!” His accent became more clear. He was not simply from North of the Ugnis Straight, but to the far North of the Ugnis Plains. He was highborn.

“I never promised dignity. However, you will live I can guarantee you that.” I responded.

“We will take our chances,” He pulled his visor back down, the metallic echo punctuated his final words. “I’d rather take my chances against two beasts than surrender!”