Chapter 54 - Night Flight

Rhyker exited the tent, letting the heavy flap of the entrance fall back into place. A light pack was strapped over his shoulders and under his cloak in readiness for a potential two nights in the mountains. In a capped, long quiver, his unstrung bow and a selection of arrows were kept safe from the dry air of the days and the moist chill of the nights. A longsword was strapped across his back, out of the way and tied into its scabbard.

“You going somewhere, Boy?”

Rhyker turned quickly, catching sight of Rhuthain.

“That we are, the foothills. Silvast wants us to search and scout the location…”

“Aye, that pin in the wall.” said Rhuthain as he eyed Rhyker, “You sure you be wanting to go out an about with your sister looking more a wolf than an elf?”

Rhyker chuckled and shook his head, “Thain, you’ve been outside looking in from a distance. Otherwise you’d not bother asking that question.”

“Aye, but…”

“Thank you for your concern, Uncle.” Rhyker said, his eyes on the dwarf, “The quiet in the wilderness and reliance on only each other, it has saved us more than a few times.”

Rhuthain watched him, his sharp eyes softening, “You’d best be careful out there. If that’s where you’re going an all.”

Rhyker smiled, “Scouting, Thain. Set eyes on whatever it is, investigate if possible and return.”

“Aye, wasn’t meaning that.” said Rhuthain as he looked back out at the surrounds, “Just not liking how we are getting all split up, is all. Sitting tight and waiting for others ain’t one of me strong points.”

He glanced across to where he had seen Silvast sitting earlier to find her gone.

“Not one of me strong points.” he said to himself quietly, “What’s taking your sister?”

Rhyker looked at him, raising a brow, “Ask her yourself, Thain.” he said as the flap rustled behind him.

“Ask me what?”

Rhyker smirked, “What was taking you.”

Kitaraiya glanced at Rhuthain after seeing her brother’s knowing expression.

“It’s not like I can stuff my tail down my pants and sit on now, can I?” she remarked, her ears flicking in mild annoyance.

Rhuthain chuckled under his breath, “So, girl, you just cut a hole, or did you do it sort of proper-like?”

She dipped down as she walked past, bringing her face closer to him, “What do you think took me so long?” she said, drawing another small chuckle from the dwarf.

“Look who’s delaying us now. Every moment we waste is one less in the air and finding shelter before the rise of day.” she said, giving Rhyker a nod.

He shared a look with her, “Thain.”

“Aye, got it. Just be careful is all. Not that I can say much after seeing what you both did earlier with the wall. Never thought I would see a mortal take on dragon’s breath and walk away unscathed.”

Rhyker patted the dwarf’s shoulder gently and stepped away, “Two nights at the most, else Silvast will drag us back.” he said, giving Kitaraiya a puzzled glance, “And that we don’t want.”

Kit shrugged slightly as they walked together, the sound of Rhuthain grumbling to himself behind them, “What was that about?”

“He is more worried about your changes than we are, or anyone else for the matter, Kit.” he said, checking back over his shoulder, “Remember the last time he saw us.”

“He’s a cranky old dwarf with a heart of gold.” Kitaraiya said with a smile twisting her lupine features.

“I heard that!” came Rhuthain’s voice in the distance from behind them, making them both laugh.

They walked a few more steps in silence, Kitaraiya’s shoulder brushing Rhyker’s, Her tail swaying with every step. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye in concern.

“Rhy?”

“Hmm?”

“I can’t fly by myself.”

He nodded slightly, “Calasylara?”

“No, you don’t know what it is like.” she said, sniffing the air, “It might not be so bad over the desert.”

She looked at him, “It is disorienting, the scents. Euphoric even. I am not sure how flying will affect me, while I am as I am. It would be safer if I am with you than flying alone.”

Her lip pulled back slightly, “And Calasylara, I doubt she would allow me to mount her, at the moment.”

“You think too much, Kit.” he said, slowing as they entered a wide open area between the ruined buildings.

He caught her side glance and shook his head, his power starting to shimmer in his eyes, “Hendosphyre.” he spoke quietly into the night and asking of the amulet, subconsciously feeling the weight of it hanging from the fine chain at his neck.

Feeling the gentle press of Kitaraiya’s shoulder on his, they watched as silvered blue mist suddenly stole through and between the ruins of the out-buildings. Reflecting the glimmer of the stars, the mist glowed from within as it skirted the ground. Within moments the mist had spread a glowing haze around the immediate buildings and a ghostly outline of the great gryphon started to form around the constellation of stars that had started to gently spark to life at its centre. The start-lit shadow moved, ghostly, glowing bright eyes chasing an unseen trail. Finally those large glowing orbs came to rest on Rhyker, before glancing at Kitaraiya.

The quickly solidifying gryphon approached, his body, wings and feathers glowing with inner light as though the full moon were shining though him. He walked right to Kitaraiya and stopped before her, looking down at her and waiting until the glow slowly faded, being replaced by tangible fur and feathers that robed tightly packed muscles. As he waited he glanced about at their surroundings before taking note of Rhyker’s nod. As the glowing mists receded the twin’s great protector dipped his head and swept his wing around, hooking Kitaraiya and smothering her in feathers.

“Hendos…” Kitariaya exclaimed, struggling in the gryphon’s grasp.

Rhyker laughed and patted Hendospyre’s thick feathered neck, watching as his sister extracted herself. She narrowed her eyes at the gryphon, licking at the edge of her lip and whiskers.

“What’s he saying?”

Rhyker chuckled to himself, “He thinks this new look is very becoming.” he said, watching the gryphon move to the side and look at Kitaraiya from a different angle, clicking his beak and making a few sounds from his throat.

She glanced at Hendosphyre again, “And now?”

“Nice tail.”

Kitaraiya growled at the gryphon and immediately earned a bunt of the head to her chest and a click. She gently rubbed through the feathers under his beak, his bright eye close.

“I am still me, Sphyre. I am just a little different.” she said quietly nearby his ear, rubbing at his neck, as he made a faint click.

“Can you carry the both of us tonight? I do not know if I can fly as I am.” she whispered, looking in his eye.

The great beast hooked his sharp beak over her shoulder and pulled her in close.

“Thank you, Sphyre.” she said into his feathers, feeling his body shift as he sat.

Rhyker watched their exchange and Hendosphyre’s acceptance of Kitaraiya. While Hendosphyre was always more accepting of change, his mate, Calasylara was not. On a previous occasion attacking Kitaraiya on sight when she had stood as the monster. True to their purpose, Hendosphyre, the shield was accepting and would protect any that Rhyker decided. Calasylara, the sword would attack any that appeared to be a threat to the twins, friend or foe. It had taken weeks for the gryphon to allow Kitaraiya approach her with the conflicting sides that vied for control within her.

Rhyker tapped her shoulder, guiding her around as Hendosphyre dropped himself lower, letting her get onto his back.

“Hendosphyre, we are heading for the mountains.” he said, gesturing with his head in the direction they intended to leave.

The gryphon immediately turned to look, clicking his beak.

“Firstly, we need to find shelter. Then if there is time before sunrise we will start searching for something that does not belong.”

He shrugged as the gryphon clicked his beak, “Maybe a building, a ruin, we are not exactly sure what. But we know generally where to find what it is.”

Hendosphyre shook his head, letting out a low screech and more clicks of the beak as Rhyker settled himself behind Kitaraiya, letting her lean back against his chest.

“Yes, I am different too.” Rhyker said; looking at the gryphon’s eye as the great one clicked his beak, “Thank you. And yes, we are ready.”

Hendosphyre gave a quick toss of his head and loosed his wings, letting them hang before stretching them out as he gave the surrounds a cursory glance. A faint cold breeze came from his left, tickling his feathers. Both of his charges were settled on his back, their combined weight shifted forward and low in readiness. He started to walk forward, the wide central passage running across the top of the Sanctum clear, allowing him a more leisurely ascent. Picking his pace up into a run, the wind passed under his semi-extended wings. Easing into a faster run, he felt the squeeze of both Rhyker and Kitaraiya’s legs in the moment before he extended his wings. Dragging at the sky forcefully, he launched off the ground, pulling up and gaining altitude with every strong thrust of his powerful wings.

The monstrous glass walls of the battlements that now surrounded Escorath rapidly grew smaller beneath them as Hendosphyre wasted no time taking to a higher altitude. The wash of heat off the immediate surrounds creating a minor but welcome up-draft. Feeling Rhyker’s projected intent, he banked, his sharp eyes picking out the shadowy foothills. A pat at his back and a gentle squeeze was all he needed to know, the air ahead warmer and rising, his Master’s doing. Fully spreading his wings with an occasional flap, he settled into a glide. The welcome wash of warmth akin to the heat off the forested mountains in summer, making the chilled turn of midnight over the desert a pleasant experience for gryphon and rider alike. He quickly glanced back to see his Master holding Kitaraiya, her dazed expression the opposite of Rhyker’s concentrated fiery stare.

Rhyker nodded to Hendosphyre’s glance, the question in his mind from the gryphon he assuaged with a comforting thought. He had noticed it too, Kitaraiya’s dazed look and distracted twitches, the fast wash of wind hitting her snout and the scents off the night-time desert overwhelming her. Her hood had blown back and her ears were slicked back, her nose pointing directly into the rush of air. He pulled her closer with one arm, pinning her as Hendosphyre’s muscles worked beneath them.

“Kit?” he yelled out over the surge of wind.

He frowned as he felt her vague response against his chest instead of hearing it. Reaching up, he gently pulled her close, directing her head away from the wind and bringing her deep hood around, sheltering her face. Feeling her shift, he watched as she pulled her leg up and twisted, buried her head into his chest. Gripping her belt he guided her to hook her legs around him with her face over his shoulder, hugging him, protected from the wind.

Rhyker shook his head, feeling her body relax into his grasp, “Kit?”

“...A minute. Please.” she spoke into his ear.

The embers in his eyes glowered gently in the night, the continual draw on his thread creating and sustaining the warmth they were flying into. He looked ahead, the foothills already appearing closer than before, their dark silhouette backed with stars reflecting off the waters of the distant coast. Under them, Hendosphyre had settled into a steady glide and beat, riding the thermal updrafts that he was granting, hastening their journey and assisting the gryphon’s passage. Against his chest he could feel the staccato rhythm of Kitaraiya’s heart and her erratic breath slowing.

“If only the enemies you have vanquished would see you now. The fragility.” he said with a chuckle into her exposed ear.

“Close your mouth, Rhy. Or I might shut it for you.” she growled.

He frowned, feeling her shift, her grip on him increasing as she burrowed her head into his cloak. With his free hand he adjusted her hood, making sure she was covered.

“Damn this body, its overwhelming. I would need some type of mask to fly alone.” she said into his neck, her face tucked into his cloak.

“Is it that bad?”

“Yes! And this is just the desert! Over a forest in spring it would be beyond euphoric.” she went quiet for a moment as she thought, “The worst bit, I want more. That is dangerous.”

“So, you are going to hide in my cloak all the way there?”

“If I can’t work out something, then yes and back.”

Rhyker shook his head and looked out at the foothills, shifting slightly as Kitaraiya made herself comfortable, tucking her arms into the straps of his pack and keeping her face covered before she settled.

Occasionally he would watch the undulating sea of dunes, lit by the ghostly glimmer of stars as the long shadow of night stretched below them. The glide and flap of wings blended into time until the minutes transformed into hours. The foothills no longer in the distance, but on approach. The ocean of sand giving way to a bleak landscape of arid rocky slopes and sparse vegetation. Beyond the miles of foothills and small mountains, the faintest shift in the night sky on the distant ocean horizon could be noticed, the slightest tell of false dawn.

He was snapped out of his partial daze by Hendosphyre’s shriek. It was time to sharpen their eyes in the low light and search for a possible difference in the terrain below them that would either grant them shelter or the marked location itself.

“Kit?”

He shook his head, feeling the slightest of twitches and further snuggling as Kitaraiya reacted to his voice but did not wake. Reaching down, he patted Hendosphyre’s neck and looked before them as best as he could with Kitaraiya clinging around his torso. The gryphon let out another soft call, his head pulling to the side slightly so that one eye could glance back.

“Shelter first.”

Rhyker could feel the hint of Hendosphyre’s agreement, their bond growing stronger with each moment, allowing them to communicate on a rudimentary level until thoughts became words, the longer the gryphon remained at his side and in this realm, the stronger it became. Unlike years before, it only took a matter of half a day for their bond to gain full potency.

“As long as it looks like it will provide shade from the sun. An overhang, or cutting will do.”

Under him he felt the gryphon start to lose altitude, descending as they passed over the lowest of the foothills.

“It should be close by. Shelter is more important. If we have time before sunrise we can search.” he said, smiling as he saw Hendosphyre’s toss of the head.

They steadily dropped further, skirting the tips of the hills and following the valleys at speed. The flow of air rushing along the walls of the low mountains allowing Hendosphyre greater speed and flow under his wings. As the blush of false dawn started to spread across the horizon he tore along another deep valley with feathers rippling; banking, he followed its arched cleft and narrowing canyon before rapidly ascending and letting out a shriek.

“I saw it. Take us back and we will check.”

Immediately Hendosphyre dusted the tops of the patchy trees at a low dive before driving for greater speed and ascending, banking at a lazy arc around the mountain’s peak before heading once again for the valley. Dropping low, he followed its path, descending below its tightening walls and shedding speed until he dropped into a slow glide. Picking a broad ledge, he gave a final flap and pulled his wings in as his claws and paws landed, finding purchase and softening his forward momentum until he came to a gentle walk.

Rhyker looked about, his eyes taking in the rough walls and overhangs. Nodding to himself he roused Kitaraiya, stroking her back and saying her name until she stirred. Finally extracting herself, she peered out from the folds of his cloak and looked about.

“Where are we?” she said, glancing from one side of the narrow canyon to the other.

“Shelter, Kit.” Rhyker said, pointing to the wall ahead, “There, that shallow cave at the end.”

She nodded and shrugged, glancing up at the light steadily growing in the heavens above; as Hendosphyre came to a halt she slid off his back.

“Stay there. Give me one moment.” she said and walked a number of steps away, testing the air with her nose.

She came to a stop and crouched, eyes closed and breathing deeply. Only drawing the scents of a number of rodents and the smell of dry desert air. Looking up, she stared at the pale hues setting across the darkened sky.

“Rhy, your pack; I will stay here and set up.” she said, running a hand over Hendosphyre’s beak as he came close, “You still have some time before dawn. Make the most of it.” she gave him a look, watching him quickly unstrapping his pack.

She reached up and took the offered bag, “I am not much use in the air. Go, see if you can find…” she stopped and looked at him, an uncertain look on her furred face, “something?” she said with a laugh, “Go.”

He looked down, patting Hendosphyre’s neck, his eyes calm as he looked into hers, “Just after sunrise.”

Giving him a quick nod, she watched as the great gryphon twisted about and launched into a quick sprint before launching them off the ledge and into the drop. Those expansive wings dragging at the air aggressively, making quick work of cutting their way to the edge of the canyon and breasting the top.

Kitaraiya watched the spot they passed over, wincing slightly as she felt her skin prickle. Looking down, she unbuttoned her blouse and parted the grey and sable fur on her chest, carefully searching for what she knew was not there. Sighing slightly, she rubbed the spot while absently looking to where Rhyker and Hendosphyre had crested the canyon wall. She stood calmly, watching the lightening sky of pre-dawn being painted with rosy hues and lilac shades with her startling sky-blue eyes.