Exploring the world we live in through the lenses of the Bible, Psychology and general curiosity
Sneak Peek: Secrets of the Forber Forest, Part 2
Chapter two
I, Shadowfall, wake to the sunlight streaming in from the trees overhead. It is severe weather season, so the warmth is almost unbearable, after the chilly weather yesterday. I rise and stretched, I have to hunt, and in this weather that will not be difficult. I drop into a hunting crouch. The soft grass beneath my claws is a temptation to lure me back to sleep. Then I hear the rustling of prey in the bushes and my senses are focused. I catch several rabbits and a willow warp: a prehistoric like bird. As I sit down to eat my cache, I see a griffon staring hungrily at my catch. “ Come and share with me!” I call, “ I caught to much anyways.”
“Are you sure?” the griffon asks, slinking out of the bushes, “ I hurt my paw, and it’s a bit difficult to hunt.”
“I’m sure.” I confirm, even though the griffon’s limp is an obvious fake, “I would be glad to share.”
“ Thank you.” The griffon says. As I settle down to eat once again, I lift my wings high to show that I am host of this meal. I get half way through my third rabbit when I hear a rustling in the bushes. I swivel my head in that direction. I almost choke on my rabbit. Sitting there, in the bushes, is a female, middle sized, human. She does not have the bulkiness of the Hiltons or the barbaric look of such. Her eyes find mine and she lets out a gasp of terror. The griffon hears, and he turns his head and growls when he sees the producer of the noise. I immediately jump up and rush over to the girl. Apparently she is frozen with fright, for she does not run. I make it to her and lightly place a paw on her chest. I then lift my head to the griffon.
“ This is my meal griffon, I’ve shared with you enough.” The griffon rears, up as if to attack, only to drop back onto all fours when he realizes my size and strength. The griffon slinks into the bushes, glaring at the girl and me the whole time. As soon as I thought the griffon cannot hear me I said, “Do not fear, I will not harm you.”
“But you said you’d eat me.” the girl trembles as she speaks.
“That was a lie to get the griffon away.” I assure her. “The griffon sees you as a rare meal, I on the other hand, do not.”
“Than you won’t eat me?” the girl asks.
“No, of course not.” I say, amused, “ I care more about what you have to say, than what my taste buds do.”
“Oh,” She says, still sounding suspicious. “My name is Hannah.”
“ My name is Shadowfall.” I say, hoping she will trust me now. I see that she is considering something- I hope it is trust- so I soar up into a tree overhead, and grab a cluster of berries witch I know are edible. I drop back down and see Hannah gazing at me with a curious look on her face. “ I didn’t think that you ate rabbits.” I say bluntly not knowing what else to say. She examines the berries, takes a bite, and ends up eating the whole cluster. She then lies down beside me, and falls asleep.
I lie there thinking over the events of today, where did this girl come from anyway? The island had long since been declared impossible to leave. Therefore it should be impossible to come to. I also regret making the griffon unhappy, the griffons and I had been overall friendly with each other since my childhood. It now seemed as if we were mortal enemies. Not good at all. The griffons, for some, unknown reason, are higher ranking than the dragons. Which means that they could easily arrange for me to go and live in the polar wasteland. Prey is near to impossible to find there. I do not want to end up in the polar wastelands. Not ever. Its like freeze weather, permanent.
I should probably apologize to the griffon and let him eat the girl after all. But, I’m afraid that I have already told her that she can trust me. Plus, my better judgment tells me that I’m not the kind of person to hand over an innocent soul to anybody to be eaten. Let alone to be eaten by a griffon! The way they tear their meals apart is completely barbaric! No, I would face the griffon and tell him he could not eat her- or die defending the girl. I hope it would not come to that.
I can’t wait to read the whole thing!
your writing is great!