Damien Lucas Revont
I woke up, the sun rays driving into my back, and the squawks of a macaw flying over the cave. I pushed my carefully tethered handmade vine blanket off me. Dust clung to my limbs, tiny pebbles falling off as I sat up, and miniature marks on my left side where I had slept. I yawned and proceeded to eat the berries I had for breakfast.
'Maybe this lifestyle isn't so bad.'
'At the same time, I did miss my mother's cooking.'
Then, I looked to my left, where I placed the eggs. My throat began to clench, remembering that I swallowed one and how horrible that experience was.
'I gotta learn how to start a fire for my stomach's sake.'
'I didn't want to go back.'
I pushed the thought aside once again and turned to watch the breathtaking view. This time was different, though I had woken up early, the sun penetrated through the leaves. There was also a slight mist.
'What to do, What to do?'
I pondered for a moment and concluded. I was good on eggs but low on berries. I also wanted to gather some wood to try to ignite a fire. I left the cave once more, entering the soft, damp grass. I went to the part of the forest near my cave where I had foraged the non-poisonous berries.
I noticed horned rabbits with small ram-like horns, varying from black to white, nibbling on the berries. I knew those berries were poisonous. They must have been tolerant of them. They scattered away as a loud thump shook the earth, and another, but not as big, would follow.
'I should stay aware just in case.'
I proceeded to forage for the berries and snapped a few sturdy branches.
'Now's a good time to head back.'
I headed back, creatures fleeing in the direction of my cave. As I drew closer, I noticed water monkeys swiftly skimming across the water, and one twined-tail squirrel.
I turned to the cave entrance and looked inside. My sticks dropped from my hands when I saw them, those creatures of the same species. The two creatures were the same species. The big one was massive; jet-black Feathers covered half of it and glistened under the beams of light. The other half was in thick, dark fur. It had a large, hawk-like beak at the front of its face, and four legs. The front two legs were similar to an owl's legs with sharp talons, while the other pair were paws like a cat's. The tail was furry, crowned with a ball of hair on it like a brush. Above its fierce, slightly curved beak rose two pointed ears, soft and rabbit-like. It had a neck and giant wings, being almost twice as long as I am.
'What in Spirtha's name?'
My heart rate rapidly increased
I squinted my eyes and noticed the creature, drenched in blood and open wounds. It made one last screech and died. The miniature child version of it, staring at me, and raising its wings as if he was displaying a defence mechanism.
I quickly grabbed the eggs, and I remembered I had placed them next to a rock. I rolled the egg towards him. It twisted and turned, bumping along the way toward the creature. It stopped raising its wings and nudged the egg with its beak, then cracked it with its small beak in one big thrash.
It turned to me, lay down, and kept watching me with its feathery, pointed ears. For a moment, I stepped out of the cave.
' What the hell was that?'
Gears shifting in my head, thinking of what that was and what just happened. Another flashback occurred where my mother told me a story about a creature with the exact features. It was a Gryphon. Gryphons lived up north, far away, on the twin peaks, at the tallest mountains. She also told me how they were near extinction due to being hunted by nobles.
'So what were they doing here?'
I looked back, and the Gryphon was sound asleep; it looked heartbroken. It reminded me of myself, how I also was alone and lost. I couldn't imagine what it's like to lose a father or mother.
'I'll be here helping you out. We do share a lot in common. I also didn't plan to relocate to a new cave.'
I first wanted to gain its trust. I waited for a while till it woke up again, and I looked at it. It turned its head while lying on all fours towards me with a curious stare. I leaned and rolled two more eggs and some berries I picked. The berries were instantly scooped and swallowed, and I rolled after smashing both eggs open and devouring them. He gazed at me and made a raspy shriek.
I couldn't tell if it was asking for more or if it had thanked me. A thought occurred to me: birds like fish, so maybe if I can obtain a fish, it might accept me as a friend. Before I did anything, I took the tethered vine blanket.
So I headed to the river. I brought my blanket for an idea I had, where sabertooth salmon were migrating.
''The water is fiercer than the last time I was here. It's kinda intimidating.'
It was time to test my idea that included my blanket. I noticed the water was getting intense, and the fish would uncontrollably flop out and back into the water.
I got on my knees and held the blanket horizontally. Two fish immediately flopped into it, surprised, and I lost my balance. I threw the blanket behind me as the upper half of my body fell into the river.
I gurgled and gasped for air. I swished my arms searching for something to hold while I was being pulled and pushed against the current like a light rock. Fish kept ramming me, almost knocking me out.
Instinctively, during this stress, my arms stiffened, the water sizzled, and both my palms released two bright red orbs of energy. Leaving a path of bubbles, blasting me out of the water with the immense recoil.
I landed on a bush, leaves would quiver, and I was next to the fish I had caught. My hands and arms felt like they were about to explode.
"AAAHHHHR!"
I yelled in pain.
My arms finally loosened. It still hurt, but not as sharply. What the hell did I do? I tried to gather up both fish, but my arms were barely able to hold one. The one I picked up, my arms trembled, and I attempted to clench it up to my mouth. I snatched the back of the fish's fin with my teeth.
'I think I lost more than I got.'
I started to walk with my arms falling and my back leaning. I also noted on the way that all the creatures seemed not to be here, as if they knew what was to come.
It was just me and the forest. Every step I took left a print on the soft grass, and I also noticed the sky was turning dimmer and grey.
I finally got back. The Gryphon was awake, still lying on the stone-cold floor. I slowly walked towards it. As I got nearer, its ears folded and stiffened backwards. I stopped and threw the fish with my mouth.
"Here you go, maybe now you'll like-"
I dozed off as my body hit the stone-cold floor, making a thud that would echo through the cave.
I woke up to screaming. The Gryphon was sleeping next to me comfortably, but I had to get up.
'What the hell, who's screaming? I'm trying to sleep here.'
I kept running to the familiar yell, and a roar followed. I saw where the macaw was flying away from, and I saw Noelle. The bear was about to get her. I wasn't sure if my arms could handle it, but I had to try. My arms stiffened, and one red energy orb came out, this time smaller; it connected on the bear's chest, and it scrambled away.
'Haha, I win.'
I bit my tongue, forcing myself not to yell from the agonizing pain.
I darted over to Noelle, who had been fine. My arm slowly stopped hurting. But I couldn't even lift it. Noelle hugged me tight.
"Ow, not there, Noelle-my arms are strained,"
I groaned.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to," she responded innocently.
"Follow me. A storm is about to arrive, and we need to take refuge."
She proceeded to put my arm around her shoulder.
"Thanks, Noelle. "
I replied with a smile.
We started to walk, and I'd tell her where to go. During this, I thought to myself,
'I used Ki not once, but twice. How did I?'
Noelle cut my train of thought.
"Are you gonna be ok, Damien?"
"Don't worry about me, Noelle. Anyways, why in Spirtha's name are you here? It's dangerous."
She stared up at me with her eyes clouded of their usual sparkle.
"I couldn't leave you out here by yourself. I couldn't bear the thought of you passing away while no one tried to look for you."
She said softly, almost whispering.
I smiled at her.
"At least you did."
She smiled back.
I began to think,
'No one tried to look for me? Of course, they left me here. I always knew I was nothing to them. They are probably all hoping I died and won't come back.'
My eyes narrowed, and Noelle noticed.
We had gotten to the cave to see that the body of the big Gryphon was gone.
'Was it still alive? Why did it leave?'
The child remained there, whimpering and screeching. It met our gaze and stopped it from spreading its jet black wings. This scared Noelle. We entered the start of the cave.
'Noelle, stay here for a sec.'
She replied, "Y ye yes."
trembling in her words.
I hoped the Gryphon would see me as a friend, and I held out my index and middle finger, clutching the other three. I looked away so I wouldn't show my fear. I held my hand even closer and stopped. A soft nuzzle rubbed against my fingers.
he accepted me.
"Noelle, come here."
He sniffed her and sat down. We all lay down as the night grew colder. Outside, the rain poured harder, drumming against the ground. I passed out.