Gryphon Guild: Journey Into Darkness
Wing Three

"Why do you think it's extreme, Crys?" the red lioness asked, shaking her brown mane.

"Because, hun, this is not some demonic creature we're going after."

Kaal sighed and pushed away the parchment. Her Soul Sister was right, though. Her demeanor brightened intensely as a new idea came to the fore, and smiling to herself, Kaal'tarn exited Crystal and Muse's dorm. Skipping down the hall, she found her Wing already awaiting her arrival.

"What did she say, Kaal?"

The fire lioness grinned and threw herself on the nearby couch where her mate Shongshar was lounging. "We can't go the adjacent plan."

Epyon snorted. "I told you she wouldn't let us do it, Kaal." The black dragon curled his tail about him and narrowed his blue eyes. "You need to tone down your brain. This isn't a game, you know."

Those around him frowned; Kaal only grinned back. "True," she replied, "very true."

"Has Crystal decided then," asked Eclipse, mate to Kaal's other Soul Sister Illucian.

Kaal pulled out a document and tossed it to nearby Rhan. The small gryphoness unrolled the map and with Aeris' help, secured it on the low table. "In your experience, Aeris," Kaal began, addressing the grey, green-pinioned gryph, "is it sometimes customary for two divisions to travel together?"

The army-trained male blinked, gazing at the map. "It's not unusual, if that's what you're after."

Kaal nodded. "Well, our plan is to travel all the way here --" She tapped her tail on the two desert oasi nearest the City of Masks. "From there, Tser has instructed us to split up and assault here, and here." Again, she tapped two large defense towers situated on the outskirts of the city.

From the other side of the table, Epyon held up a claw. "So, what you're trying to tell us is that we're the assault team? We're putting our butts on the line?"

"Yes."

The male dragon snarled, lashing his tail. Behind him, Tagia and Ki had to jump back as the whip came their way. Epyon nearly missed hitting Kaal's collection of carved amber figurines.

"That's enough!" Eclipse roared, fanning his white, black-tipped wings. "Between our two Wings, we have the strongest fighters available to the Guild. Our mission will be frontline fighting, but by the gods, we can do it! We have strength --" He pointed to Epyon and Aeris. "-- brains --" Ki, Rhan, himself and Tagia. " -- and magic --" Kaal and Diana. "Added to that, we have Shongshar's speed as a messenger. Does anyone here doubt the capabilities of my mate? Of my Shieldsister? Of anyone in Fourth?"

There was a spontaneous bark of laughter from Tagia, but no one paid it any attention. Tagia was known for her bursts and it was looked over as one would look over a cough or a sneeze.

"I believe you, Eclipse," Ki said softly, holding her sarcasm. "We were aware of the danger this mission presented when we signed up, Epyon. That we are in assault plays no difference. I don't know about you, but I want to kick a few tails around the valley."

A scratch at one of the windows heralded the arrival of Diana's companion Landder, the Kasic barn owl. The small red dragoness padded over and unlatched the glazed pane and Landder flew in on silent wings to alight on her shoulder. The two settled down to an immediate mental conversation.

"Me, too," agreed Rhan. "Being small though I am, I can get into places no one else can."

Eclipse nodded. "Like Rijiki did to find my mate." Rhan tilted her head in acknowledgment.

Epyon lowered his head in acquiescence. "I'm sorry, guys. I'm not used to throwing myself into danger."

Kaal gave a bark of laughter, all too similar to Tagia's. "But we are!" she exclaimed, pointing to everyone. "You're in good hands, Epyon," she told him, lowering her eyes and gaining a serious tone that those closely associated with her Soul Sisters knew she'd inherited it from.

"I don't doubt you," he replied.

Shongshar met up with the other Wing messengers -- Nightsinger and Jexxin for First, Calypte for Second and Orca for Fourth -- at the Mages Hall and Armory.

"Everyone's on edge, basically, no da," the sea-loving Orca told him as they loaded their wagons from the stores.

"I can understand that," he told her, pulling a small velvet pouch from Kaal'tarn's vault. "This time we attack and not the other way around!"

"All too true," she murmured. "Oh, here's your harness. We're all being given colors so we can identify ourselves from the enemy." She handed Shongshar a plain green leather harness, complete with a myriad pouches, hooks and clasps. He held it at arm's length, appalled by the color.

"You'd best put that on," Orca warned, gesturing to her own white one. "This is no time for a change of tastes, no da."

Snorting, Shong allowed Nightsinger to help him into the complex straps and buckles. With the harness laying flat against his pelt and not restricting any movement, the male gryph went about his business. He looked at the list the Wing members had given him, along with a sheet of materials required to be with every Wing.

Closing Kaal's vault, he used Diana's key and opened her's, pulling out an amulet, pouch of nick-knacks and three sapphires. Placing them in the wagon, he notched off the red dragoness on his list and closed the door to the vault.

"Hey!" Jexxin called from the entrance. "Them wah-collahs are heyr!" The winged she-wolf backed out of view to show two large, fierce Phoenixes standing at the door. The messengers scrambled in their surprise; although accustomed to Crystal and her sister Kalaki, the sight of full male Phoenixes -- battle-trained and impassive -- too them aback. Each wore a complete war collar and the same statement -- blank.

"I need your identification before we hand these over," the hawk-faced leader told them bluntly.

One by one, Jexxin, Nightsinger, Caly, Orca and Shong flashed their Guild badges. The eagle-headed junior inspected each, looking at the badge then directly into the eyes of the messengers. Satisfied, the Phoenixes produced four crates, small in width, but tall.

Before they left, the junior approached Nightsinger and Orca. "I was told you are in the Wings that the Ambassadors Shekeira are in." From about his neck, the male produced two documents. "This is for Ambassador Kalaki Moroko Shekeira and this is for Ambassador Ythé Shekeira."

"Shekeira-Flurrith," Orca corrected.

The Eagle-Head frowned momentarily as if he found the concept of Phoenix-gryphon pairing an abomination. "Ambassador Ythé Shekeira-Flurrith, then," he amended, passing Orca the document. In a swirl of feathers, the two soldiers left; all in the room breathed a sigh of relief.

"At least we know all of them aren't like that," Shongshar said as he watched Orca tuck the document in her harness pouch.

"Too many ingrown feathers, no da," she snarled, pulling her ears back.

"Let's get these loaded and on our way, fellas!" Calypte called. The tigergryphoness was prying apart the crates apart with her bare talons and tossing the wood into a pile.

As a group, the five messengers opened the boxes that contained the valuable collars and placed them in the wagons.

A knock on their door caused Crystal to look up from her desk; Muse raised his head off his forepaws where he'd been reclining on their bed. The golden Phoenix in gryph form pushed back in her chair and went to answer it. She was surprised to see not only Kaal'tarn but Tser as well.

"I have the take-off assignments, Crystal," the Guild Leader said by way of opening. "You are leaving from the garden ramp." The velvetwyrm passed over a packet, which Muse took for his mate. "Have you met with your Wing, yet?"

Crystal shook her head. "Not yet. Kaal --" she gestured to the lioness "-- and I were discussing combining our Wings until we hit . . ." She looked behind her and threw out a talon. The map on the desk levitated and flew to her. "Here." The magess pointed to two oasi at the edge of the desert that more or less separated the Guild from the Masked City.

"And then you'll journey to the positions we agreed upon?"

"Yes." Kaal said, nodding so that her thick braid bounced in the remaining mass of her mane.

Tser looked at the map with both Kaal, Crystal and Muse's scrawls across it. "You two know your job," was all she said. Turning, she caught sight of the messengers. "Tell them," and Tser left.

The East Courtyard ramp was the place where Guilders who had green thumbs placed their prized plants in the summer months. There were many exotic plants, both flowering and non, as well as small shrubbery, trees and ferns. Some even heralded from the Guilder's home world -- such as Kalaki's talion and perindal trees, gleaned from Vagan Falcon-Head's precious grove. They lined both sides of the ramp, anchored from the swift breezes that sometimes hit this side of the mountain.

Diana opened the door first, throwing her striped head to the sun. Landder flew in lazy, silent circles above her, his eyes bright and intent. Silently, out padded Kaal and Shongshar, along with Eclipse and Tagia. The Lupodracan was uncharacteristically subdued, as she had not uttered one bark of laughter since Crystal's mental call to readiness. Eclipse flew down to the gardens, to have one last word with his mate before they left. While they would fly together, they would be in separate Wings and not cross over until camp. Even then, there would be two, although who slept where was not an issue.

As the wind shifted, Kaal an ear and heard a distinct call:

"Vahakayah! Vahakayah!"

"What's that shouting?" asked Ki, pulling a pouch tighter across her left flank.

Ears cocked in the warcry's direction as the wind blew it up to them.

"My Soul Sister has just proclaimed Phoenix War," Kaal replied smoothly, feeling her pulse quicken as the magic of the cry filled her.

"What's so special about that?" Rhan asked quietly; but the tiny peregrine gryphoness was feeling the effects, too. Already, her feathers were rising in a subconscious response.

"It's a war chant," said Eclipse as he coasted in, black-tipped white pinions flared in the breeze, "but not just any war chant. When toned correctly, it heightens the senses -- not only that, but it's personal." He grinned and winked at Kaal. She winked back and walked up to the end of the ramp.

"Listen up, Third Wing!" she boomed, her mane fanning out on either side of her red-furred face, golden lips pulled back to reveal sharp canines. "We're going into dangerous territory. We have enemies there and there will be fighting -- killing, too. If anyone has aversion to such, leave now, and I'll contact Tser for a replacement. Fear is not unnatural, but we can't afford to have second-guessing out there on the field."

A sea of impassive eyes met her querying gaze. They would all stay. Kaal nodded to Eclipse and the bibliophile passed over the Tsurieth he had been holding for her. A beeping issued forth from the elven-made object and Kaal pressed the "activation" button. Immediately, Tser's velvet face materialized above the central point on the sphere; Sparhawk's and Crystal's appeared on either side.

"Wing Leaders check in."

"Sparhawk here."

"Kaal'tarn here," she said proudly, noting the expressions on her fellow Guilders' faces.

"Crystal Shekeira here."

The Guild Leader gave her final instructions and cut the connection. Kaal passed the device back to Eclipse, who tucked it in among his recording tome, pens and various objects.

"Wing Three!" Kaal roared, standing so that she boxed a square with her paws.

"Aye!" they chorused back, slipping into formation.

"Wing Three!"

"Aye!"

As the leading edge of Tser's Wing came into view, Kaal thrust herself into the air. Invisible wings snapped open, catching and supporting her; without a glance backwards, the lioness shot off as from a crossbow. Crying war keens, the Third Wing launched themselves into the air, directly at the same time as Crystal's Wing.

It was mildly hot in Hellar Desert, considering the season. Hellar was a baby desert as time reckons such things; in a few millennia, its sands would spread more than a thousand feet in all directions. Nevertheless, the climate would remain the same, hardly disturbing the lush plains grass that encircled it. Historians were puzzled about the prospect of a desert in the midst of this temperate, landlocked area of the world. It was decided -- but not unanimously agreed upon -- that Hellar was mage-created.

Such evidence was present in the two oasi spaced exactly a mile apart, each containing the same type and number of wildlife. Three elen palm trees with their golden under leaves were arranged in a triangle about the twenty-foot long, 30-foot wide clear pool, which resided in the direct center of each oasis. Even the color of the water -- sky blue that mirrored the baleful desert sky -- was the same. Drusk bushes, hardy, tough, spiky plants, normally found in the Southern continent, dotted the perimeter of the pool and around the elen palms; a cluster guarded the entrance to the oasis as seen from the west.

Pristine white sand, intermingled with windswept brown desert sand, covered the circle. It was a welcoming relief from the burning of the rest of the desert, as it conducted no heat. Yet another testament to the mage-born theory. All in all, the oasi were a cool paradise for caravans taking the short route to their destination. Third Wing pitched camp by the pool, under the shade provided by a truly monestrous elen leaf. In groups of two or three, they meticulously washed the dirt and dank of the high-velocity travel, scrubbing feathers, scales and hide to be rid of the stinging Hellar sands.

Diana, Rhan and Ki bathed together, using the dragoness' absurdly big bath brush to get clean.

"I find it kinda ironic that we're assault team, though," Ki remarked, putting her talons behind her head.

Rhan paused in mid-preen on the pool edge. Aeris, Epyon and Eclipse had wither moved to the other side of the oasis or over to Wing Four's. "Males," Kaal had snorted good-naturedly as they expressed their discomfort around the other sex while bathing. "Like they haven't seen anything before!"

"How so?" asked the copper gryphoness.

"Well, look at us," Ki replied. "We're not the most, hm, competent at this thing."

"No, but we all have the instinct," Diana told her pointedly. "As Crys once said, you don't need training to defend with what the gods gifted you."

"She can say that because her people breed soldiers!"

"Hahahahohoohaahahar! That's what you think!" Tagia's black form lunged over a bush and plopped beside the pool.

Ki's head whipped around. "What?"

"You heard me. Them firebirds hardly ever breed! Hoohar!"

Diana bit back an ingenious retort and just pointed a knowing talon at the pale-colored, tiger- hind gryphoness. Ki raised a sardonic eye ridge and shrugged the conversation off.

Retreating into the coolness of the tents, the ladies relinquished the pool to Aeris and Epyon. True to form, it was a quick in and out job for the male.

As day began to slowly progress towards late afternoon, Kaal set up Rhan and Eclipse as first watch. The small gryphoness perched on the bibliophile's head while he dutifully recorded the hours' events in his tome. The initial hour passed without any action -- not that either wished it so. Yet, as the second hour crept into fifteen minutes past, Rhan caught a figure on the farthest reached of her vision.

Without a word, she alighted the tallest palm tree, straining to see better. Eclipse set up a low thrum that alerted the camp. As the figure approached, Rhan could make out the distinctive red harness and sun-reflective warcollar.

"Wing One messenger fast approaching," she cried down below. "All speed!"

Nightsinger zoomed in, panting heavily. Someone fetched a cool drink and bade him to lie in the shade. When he was deemed able to speak without heaving for breath, he relayed his message.

"We were setting up camp when Tser spotted a supply train heading towards the Masked City. She made the decision to attack and sent me here to warn you of her actions. You are to notify the others of said actions."

"And what will you do?" Kaal asked.

"Return as soon as possible."

Kaal's ears slumped. "My range hasn't reached full potential yet. I can't reach Sparhawk without collapsing. Take these," she said suddenly, thrusting a paw into her harness pouch and drawing forth two rubies. "Give these to Kalaki. She'll know what to do."

Nightsinger pocketed the rubies. "I must leave now," he said, rising. Kaal pushed him down.

"Rest, then you will leave. I will not endanger your life."

Slumping, Nightsinger adhered to the red lioness' wishes; but as soon as he was deemed ready, off into the desert he flew.

"It begins," Aeris murmured, flexing his talons.

"It's only started," Kaal corrected."

© 2001 Crystal Shekeira. All Guilders are copyright themselves; the Gryphon's Guild is trademarked to Tserisa Supalla. All other names, places and events are copyright to MH. Do not copy, alter or distribute