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 Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2018 3:57 pm
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Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2018 5:11 pm
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Judeau seemed content to sit on Ciro's head, nestled into the fluffy mane of his favorite perch. The lion's mane was fluffy and warm, the raven's eyes closed nearly lulled to sleep by the rhythm of the lion's steps. He may have grumped at the suggestion of another viking, Ciro always seemed to find trouble on every viking. But perhaps now he was not thinking it such a bad idea, at least they were not so likely to see that red headed lion out here. That one was trouble, Judeau knew it, but Ciro did not seem inclined to listen to him.
One eye opened a glance shot at the dark lion. Oh, great, Ciro was at it again. Sigh, he as not going to help you make baby birds for your children! They could find their own birds all on their own!
"What--"
Whatever retort Judeau may have had for Ciro was cut off, his gaze suddenly turned skyward as something, or someone seemed to be heading straight for him. Somehow that form seemed familiar...Nara? There was barely a moment of recognition before the eagle crashed into him, sending her and the raven sprawling from his perch to land on the ground at Ciro's paws.
"Nara! Watch where--"
He fell silent again, wait, she was flying? What had she said? Griffith? DAD!
"Griffith?! Show me!"
Judeau quickly scooped the small eagle to her feet, urgency in his voice. They had to find him, now!
---------------
A roar echoed angrily behind the retreating rogues. When one dared to stop, to think twice of another assault, the god charged after them with fury and grace, sending them fleeing again. Griffith stood, his fur bristled, talons unsheathed, his maw parted in a threatening snarl. You dare come back here, and you will not live long enough to regret it!
Even fighting five against one, the god of balance was a skilled combatant, his movements graceful and calculated. He had driven the rogues off with precision and vengeance, they were certainly think twice about who they attacked in the future, and they may have avoided gods as well.
But the battle had not been without cost, and as his adrenaline faded, Griffith began to feel the full effects, the surge of pain in his left thigh surging with every pound of his heartbeat, his chest heaving with every breath, the gauntlet on one forepaw showing clear dents from a hard bite that had pierced the bottom of his paw.
Damn....
A deep breath, Griffith steadied himself. There was no time to rest, he had to find his daughter, and he had to find her now! He would not leave her alone and unprotected.
"Nara!"
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Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2018 6:14 pm
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Judeau followed after the eagle as quickly as he dared. He wanted nothing more than to fly ahead at his highest speed, to find his father before it was too late. He could not leave without Nara, he did not know what the god was, nor was he certain of what he would be flying into. If his father was in trouble, he would need Ciro as well to help him.
"What happened?"
The raven had not yet processed that Nara was flying, something he would most certainly question later. When he had last seen the small eagle, she had refused to even think acknowledge that she was capable of flight, instead stomping around on the ground.
But now, his thoughts were on the god of balance.
The god of balance walked with slower steps, his tail flicking, his gait stilted by the limp in his paw and leg. Every step was a new jolt of pain, a new trickle of warmth through his fur. He shook his head, refusing to stop, refusing to rest.
He lifted his head, nose raised to the air, searching for the scent of the young goddess. His ears flicked, searching for sounds. That way, she had flown that way, he only hoped he found her before the scent faded, or before another found her.
Movement in the sky caught his attention. An avian, perhaps they could help him find his little one. Wait, that avian looked familiar.
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Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2018 6:22 pm
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Nara didn't know how much longer she could take flying. And Judeau expected her to explain while they flew? Ha.ha.ha. The raven was lucky she could even show him the way!
"Ambush?" She said with one word, her dark blue eyes scanning straightforward, seeing the familiar god on the ground. "There." She said quietly, stopping her flapping of her wings to point. It was probably a bad idea to do that, for she found herself crashing to the ground.
Ciro, just as he thought, had been there to catch the eagle chick before she hit the ground.
"I got her Judeau, I'll follow you," he said to his raven companion as he placed Nara on his back, he instructed her "Hold on little bird," before he raced off following Judeau in the sky. His golden gaze flickered to his back, noting the quickened breathing of the smaller avian.
"Don't think you will be flying for a while." He murmured, unable to take away the fact the mask on Nara looked particularly like Gwen's own, who had never returned to the den. A child of hers, maybe?
Nara sighed as her talons clung to the pelt of the other. Griffith was nearby...that was all that mattered. |
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Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2018 6:44 pm
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Judeau had barely had a moment to react as Nara fell before Ciro had caught her. A look back to his lion friend, a nod followed by a sudden surge of speed in his flight, rushing toward the familiar white and blue of the god of balance, the silver armor he knew so well.
"Griffith!"
Dad! The raven dove toward the god, only halting his descent when he reached the god, settling to land on Griffith's back. His eyes narrowed, his head turning each direction, searching for any sign of danger.
"Dad, are you alright? What happened?"
It was then that Judeau caught sight of red on his father's flank, hopping along the line of the god's back to examine the wound.
Griffith strained to discern the figures approaching, two avians and a dark lion he did not recognize. His heart nearly stopped as the smaller avian fell from the sky. Nara! He was sure it was her, he had to reach her! The god hastened his steps, ignoring the new surge of pain.
It was a familiar raven that reached him first, his ear twitching as it landed on his back.
"Judeau? How did you---Nara!"
"She's okay, Ciro caught her, he won't hurt her."
A sigh of relief, his little one was safe, and his son...his son had found him.
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Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2018 6:04 am
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It didn't take long for Ciro to make it to the small clearing Judeau had landed in. He reached a paw for his back, wanting the small avian to jump on it so he could let it down.
Nara, seeing the opportunity to not use her wings, quickly took the dark lion up on his offer, hopping on his paw as she was lowered to the ground. She ran (stomped?) as fast as her little avian legs would take her. She was learning to not materialize in her goddess form in front of mortals. It definitely had taken some practice, but she thought she had it down pact!
The small eagle flew herself at the larger god's leg. "You're okay!!!" She cooed, wrapping her tired wings around one of the gauntlets. "Where did they go?" Her dark eyes looked around, a small bit of fear behind the blue orbs.
Ciro remained back. He didn't know who this god was, and did not want to chance any wrath he may had.
"Go all these years without seeing a god, and now they seem to be popping out of the ground like daisies." He muttered, golden eyes watching Judeau on the other's back. His eyes flickered to the balance god's hind flank.
It didn't look like a serious wound, but one that probably needed to be taken care of. Do gods need wound treatment or do they just heal? Ciro had so much to learn about them. |
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Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2018 10:21 am
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Judeau was examining the wound on his father's flank when Ciro and Nara arrived, shooting a glance at the older god when he hissed at the touch. The slash wound was deep, certainly painful, but not life threatening so long as it was cleaned and not allowed to become infected.
"Don't be such a big baby, it's not that bad."
The raven rolled his eyes, but did hop from Griffith's back to examine his paw instead. An injury to the paw pad, his gauntlet absorbing the brunt of the strike, it seemed it looked worse than it was and would heal quickly.
"I guess you took care of whoever did this? I thought it would be worse with the way Nara was carrying on."
Nara? Wait, she had....flown?
"Is she okay?"
Griffith had barely gotten out the question before the little goddess answered the question herself by latching to his his leg. His head lowered, nuzzling against his little one, she was safe, and they were together again.
"I'm okay, they are gone, they won't bother us again."
Pain forgotten for the moment, Griffith scooped up both birds in his arms, giving them both the biggest hug ever. Ah, his little girl had flown, all by herself she had finally flown! He could not have been more proud of her! And his poor Judeau, it felt good to hold him in his paws again.
"You flew! I'm so proud of you!"
Judeau was looking oh so very ruffled, shooting his father the grumpiest of grumpy looks. OMG DAD! I am too old for this!
Griffith's gaze turned toward Ciro with a grateful smile.
"I thank you for your help, my friend."
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Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2018 10:43 am
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"I was so worried!" Nara chirped, refusing to let go of the male until she was scooped up, and now being coddled against the lion and the other raven.
"I did, didn't I!" The goddess said happily. "I am so tired though! I didn't think I could do it, but I did!" She would not be flying the rest of the day probably, but that didn't mean she wouldn't do so the next day.
"I brought Judeau and...that guy," she pointed towards Ciro who's ears perked forward curiously, "to help fight off the bad guys but they are gone already."
Ciro stayed a bit away from the group, chuckling as the big god decided to bear hug the smaller chick and Judeau. He didn't know what kind of relationship the god had with the birds, but it was obviously a personal one.
He bobbed his head toward Griffith. "Ah, don't mention it." He said with a small smile. "Always willing to help a friend of Judeau's." The Captain stated. "Ciro'Mekaitso, of the Stormborn," He introduced. The greeting caused Nara to perk up.
Stormborn?
"That's where I was from!" She said quietly to the god of balance. |
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Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2018 11:35 am
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It seemed Griffith had no intention of releasing either Nara or Judeau from his grasp, holding both his children in his embrace with a happy purr, much to Judeau's chagrin. Tough luck, Judeau, you're stuck, and dad isn't letting go, that's what you get for not visiting him!
"I'm so glad you're safe, little one."
Griffith took a good look at his daughter. It seemed she had grown since they had first 'met', she was not so little anymore, she would be grown before he knew it. Hopefully she would not grow up to be so grumpy as her brother. His gaze shifted to Judeau (who still looked quite ruffled and was giving him that look), then back to Nara, and back again.
"I see you two have already met."
"Of course we have met."
Judeau grumbled, his feathers so very ruffled, omg stop embarrassing me! You're going to give away my secret! A huff, the raven at last freed himself from his father's grasp, fluttering away toward Ciro to settle on the dark lion's back. OMG Ciro, save me!
Oh come on Judeau, you grumpy butt, admit you were worried and you're glad to see your father, even if he embarasses you. Okay fine, but he wasn't going to admit it!
Griffith chuckled as his son retreated, which of course meant more hugs for Nara. His ears perked as she spoke, Ciro was from the stormborn? So that was where Judeau have moved to?
"Yeah? Do you know him?"
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Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2018 4:48 pm
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Judeau hmphed, burrowing into Ciro's mane. Here he had thought his father was in trouble, only to find out he'd already solved it all on his own. Argg, he was too old for hugs!
"I've just, known him a long time."
Nope, not saying more than that. No way was he telling Ciro that Griffith was his father. He didn't want any mortals, not even Ciro, to know who or what he truly was. He was not a god so far as any mortal knew, he was just a raven, he intended for it to stay that way. Surely his father would respect that.
When he thought no one was watching, Judeau turned toward his father, giving him a small smile. Okay, he had missed his father, and the hug had been nice, just not when everyone is looking!
Griffith shot a look at his son, a look that said you are my son and I will hug you if I want to! But he only shook his head and smiled, more than content to hold his little girl in his arms, at least she wasn't too old for him.
"I see, well, maybe he has a reason for being grumpy."
The god of balance had almost forgotten his injuries for a moment, his attention having been focused on his children. It was then that he felt the tinge of pain again, noting that oddly his paw, the least serious of his injuries, seemed to hurt more than the deep gash in his flank.
"I believe a good cleaning and a safe place to rest and I will be good as new."
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Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2018 5:06 pm
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"Hmm." Ciro shook his head, not quite believing the raven, but decided not to push it.
Nara shrugged, scampering up to stay on Griffith's back. "Can we go now?" She asked, peeking towards the other two. "Those strangers might come back. I don't want to be here if they do." She said quietly, fluffing up her feathers. She also wanted to be in her true form, and she couldn't change with Ciro present.
Ciro nodded towards the god. "It looks like you guys have it from here. If you are okay with it Judeau, we will make our leave?" The stormborn figured there would be more of a fight he would have to deal with. Seeing as the god had already done so, he could get back to his viking mission.
He bobbed his head towards the god, turning to leave, with the raven burrowed in his mane. |
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Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2018 5:40 pm
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Judeau was silent for a moment, yes, he was ready to leave. His father was fine, and the longer he stayed her, the greater the risk that Griffith would inadvertently reveal who he really was. But...
A sigh, the raven flew from Ciro's back, landing on his father's shoulder for a moment. Wings spread, he wrapped them around the god in an embrace, whispering something in his ear, then flew off, returning to his perch on Ciro's back.
Any looks from Ciro would be ignored as he again burrowed into the dark lion's mane.
"Let's go."
Griffith glanced back at Nara on his back, a soft smile and a nod.
"Yes, we can go, I know a safe place we can rest."
His attention turned back to Ciro and Judeau, his words falling silent as he blinked in surprise at the raven's approach. A smile, he leaned into the hug, a tug of pride as he watched his son fly back to his friend. It seemed his son had grown, even if he did not see it himself.
Love you too, son.
"Thank you both. Take care of yourself Judeau."
A parting nod and a smile, Griffith turned with his daughter to continue their own journey.
"Are you okay if we fly?"
It would be easier and quicker to fly, especially with his injuries. But he would not do so unless Nara agreed. He had made a promise, and he intended to keep it.
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Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2018 5:47 pm
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When Judeau suddenly left his back, Ciro paused, blinking as he watched the raven fling himself at the god, giving him an embrace before returning back to him.
"Okay...." Ciro said quietly. "You can't just do that and not tell me what that was about." The Captain started. "Tell me?" The male whined, but nonetheless continued forward. This would be a long trip for Judeau if Ciro didn't get the answers he wanted.
Nara gripped the mane of Griffith as he advised if they could fly. She nodded slowly, burrowing herself closer to the male's skin. "I don't like heights still...but if you wanna that's fine." She would just close her eyes if they got to high, or if she started to get scared. Plus, flying was a lot faster, and the sooner they got to where Griffith wanted, the sooner she could materialize in her true form.
"Let's go." She said a little more confidently, a wing waving towards the retreating mortal and god in disguise they two parted their separate ways. |
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