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A Perch to Purge the Cold 2 of 2

As his mind slowly came back into focus, Dionysus did what he could to slowly release his beak's trap-like hold on Ceylon's nape. His saliva soaked her fur and he could taste a bit of blood on his tongue, but that didn't bother him and didn't seem to bother her, either. Where most hens would writhe beneath him - All but his old mate, of course - Ceylon pushed back, muscles tensing up to resist his bite force.

She truly was a partner to match him.

However, when his orgasm hit its peak, he could feel his cock throbbing and pressing out against her squeezing walls, the hot ejaculate spurting into her womb as her flesh twitched and quivered around him. His barbs splayed out wider and wider to snag on each ripple of her vaginal walls, anchoring him in tight against her orgasms. He could feel her clit winking and massaging the base of his member as her walls sucked on him, gently coaxing him in deeper and deeper, each motion lodging his barbs more firmly inside her.

"You've got quite a member there, don't ya?" Ceylon grunted under him, her hips shifting and wings splaying a bit to widen her stance against his weight. He was still perched on her back, and didn't seem to be going anywhere. His member was firmly lodged within her sex, his beak wrapped around her neck even though he wasn't clamping down. "And you're not moving, are you?"

He shook his head against her feathers before fully releasing and giving the back of neck a nuzzle and lick. "I cannot. We're stuck together for a while, until I properly finish and relax." He accented his words with a grunt as he bucked his hips, cock shifting inside and going just a bit deeper. Now, his sheath was pressed tight to her lips, balls resting against her meaty, bulbous clit.

Ceylon looked back at him and perked both her ears up with a playful trill. "Those barbs, very different from the knot I'm used to, but they seem to work quite well, no?" She flexed each rump muscle back and forth, massaging him and coaxing another gentle spurt of his seed into her womb. "Usually the barbs are there to tickle, pleasure, and coax open the cervix, not hook into my walls and not let go. Scary, but sexy!" She smiled as she caught his eye before turning back around and lowering her head, walls squeezing tight around his member and the barbs of his bulge that left him stuck within her.

Dionysus tried to respond, only to shudder in delight when her pussy gave him such a thorough massage. He could feel her taut flesh cradle his length, pulsing around his member and seeming to suck on it as she grinded back, hip bones squeezing the base for extra pleasure. It was a pleasantry unlike any other - even better than his old mate. "H-how are you doing that?" He asked, referring to the sucking sensation that accompanied the waves of contractions and massaging pulsations. Naturally, he just arched his back and grinded his hips into hers, his talons still digging in tight against her hips.

She purred and raised an eyebrow as she smiled. "What? This?" She grunted and flexed her pelvic muscles from vulva to womb in a powerful, tight wave. Every bit of her insides gripped him tight in a wave from his base right up to the barbed bulge and ending at the tip, the power of the suction formed literally sucking cum out of his balls.

He arched his back and lifted his head high, pushing against her shoulders to raise his upper body while angling his rump end deeper into hers. The mighty beast let out a roar before allowing himself to trail off into a meek whimper. His entire motion ended with him collapsing on her back, cock barbs still anchoring him in her pussy as his front legs flopped over her shoulders, hind claws wrapped around her hips. Despite being bigger than her, she was holding up quite well.

"That's what I thought, come on." She clenched again before shifting her weight back and forth, quickly assuming a trotting stance. With him still on her back, she started toeing her way around and through the trees of the woods. Her tail was high, curled around his hips to hold him in place just in case he decided to shift and yank his member from her depths. "There's a den nearby we can make camp in for the day until your excitement wanes. I'd say follow me, but I think I've got you in tow literally by your dick." She smiled and winked back at him before hopping forward.

He didn't respond. Not only did he have nothing of value to speak, but the constant pleasure of her walls massaging him combined with the twitching and alternating squeezes as each hip flexed with her step kept him in a bubbling state of drawn out climax. His tail twitched down like a pump, the underside hitting his balls and squeezing shot after shot of semen into her, the warmth filling her womb and flowing into her pussy to further lubricate the undulating walls around him. In fact, he barely paid any attention to her when she told him of her plan, and wasn't sure where they were going as she slowly stepped over and through the roots of the trees nearby.

"Almost there." She announced, suddenly no longer distracted by the hooked cock barbs that were snagging her flesh. It wasn't clear if she was just used to this kind of aggressive mating or if she was trying very, very hard to not respond to his violent member, but it was intriguing to Dionysus. Even his own mate couldn't handle his barbs when moving. Usually she had to stay in place and wait the hour or two before his excitement waned and his barbs retreated into the side of his member, where they were at rest.

The warmth of her sex was an unpleasant reminder of Aenice, the smoky gray and yellow gryphon he'd left behind when he went on his quest for vengeance. The casual reminder of his loss made him hang his head in shame. It had been so long since he'd been with a hen that he hadn't paid for her sensuality, and it was a feeling he truly missed. It hurt him inside, and he just wanted to dislodge from Ceylon's lady bits and cry out for her, but he knew there was at least an hour before they could do that, so he simply snuggled up against Ceylon's back, riding her as she carried him to the den.

It wasn't a very large opening, at least not from the outside. It was a small, thin lip of an opening just under a root-brimmed ledge underneath a large Cellitoke tree - one of the blue-barked beasts of the west. From outside, it barely looked like it might have housed a family of foxes or beavers, but Ceylon seemed confident in her find.

She laid flat to her belly, scooting along with Dionysus still on her back. He also crouched down to flatten himself to her back as best he could and that was still barely enough to have them fit under the gnarled root that served as the bridge above them. Once inside, Dio was pleased to see that it was quite roomy inside. Tall enough for the both of them standing tall, wide enough even for Ceylon's impressive wingspan. In the middle, there was what looked like a pile of something, but his eyes were somewhat terrible in the dark and he couldn't quite see.

Ceylon's body started to rumble in a deep purr as she leaned back to nuzzle her beak up against his neck feathers. A moment later, she extended one of her front talons to ignite the pile in the middle of the room. It was a pre-made pile of fire wood, stacked in a pyramid as though this was premeditated. Planned. "Nice little place." She commented before kneeling on her front legs like a horse, then plopping her rump end down and rolling to her side, every motion dragging Dionysus along with her until he was laying on his side behind her, one leg up to straddle her hips and the other splayed out behind them both.

He grunted and bit down on her neck so he didn't fall far from her, but that didn't stop him from tugging violently at her depths. He could feel his barbs catch her flesh within for a moment before jerking outward an inch or two. It was clear that his member must have done some damage, so he quickly nuzzled in and licked the back of her neck, preening at the feathers between her ears. "S-sorry." He apologized, shocked to feel that her purring actually intensified.

She grunted and waved her rump at him, the motion swishing his cock from side to side still inside her pussy. "No need to be sorry, Dio. I love it rough, I wouldn't have taken the time to seek you out and offer myself to you if I couldn't handle you." She grinded her hips down against his again, clit winking to spurt tiny gobs of seed and her own creamy fluids all over his balls. "And it's nice to see you finally warming up to me. No need to be aggressive, right? Not an enemy."

Ashamed, Dionysus nuzzled deep into her shoulder, hiding his face. It was hard to forget the aggressive attitude he had towards her at first. It was clear she was no threat, yet he fought her time and time again. Perhaps he was suicidal - almost certainly - but he had pride to cater to as well so he couldn't fathom not responding with aggression. Perhaps her affection had softened him a bit, but all he could think of was Anecie, and how his life was incomplete without her. If he didn't have his lover, he had nothing. Ceylon reminded him of Anecie. The moment he saw her, he spun into a rage, not knowing what to do or think.

That violence was over. He was ready to be tamed again, broken like a wild stud. Ceylon had tempered him and weathered the storm of his anger and was not only able to handle his aggressive mating style but willing and eager for it. That was appealing to him. Even his lover of over a decade had to struggle to keep up with the combination of his barbs and bulge. She adored his company, but the actual mating was a little difficult, since she had more traditional gryphon parts - feline instead of equine. The more he felt Ceylon's walls constricting around him, the more clear it became that she was not a traditional gryphon.

"I'm glad you understand and see your error." Ceylon cooed at him. She rolled onto her side with one leg raised, exposing her black velvet lips to the glisten and reflection of the dancing flame, little trails of seed dribbling out to moisten her inner thigh and rump cheek. "And I'm happy to help you find your love again. It's time to get you back with a family. You fell from the skies of grace, and now I have to put you back up there, wings or not." She twisted her neck around so that she could rub beaks with him, clacking the hard surfaces before finally resting back on her talons, hind leg back down for added pressure on his member.

He grunted hard, toes curling and talons digging into her shoulder as he gritted his beak closed. It was perfect. Affectionate. It was what he needed and what he wanted all at once. A brief moment passed over him, and he blurted out, "I already found it." In response to her offer to help him find love again. Immediately, he realized what he said and curled his wrist over the crest of his beak in shame.

Ceylon didn't respond. Her torso was still reverberating heavily against him in a steady, droning purr as she took in one long, deep breath after another. Her tail flicked idly before wrapping around his, holding him tight as her body seemed to rhythmically pulsate and squeeze around his member alongside every beat of her heart.

Dionysys realized that she was not off-put by his statement, and that offered him a sense of comfort. He nestled up next to her and laid his hand over her shoulder to keep her close, her warmth and rumbling purrs a steady massage against his chest. While there, snuggling in the den, he couldn't help but think of a thousand things all at once and against his better judgment.

He thought of the night they met, assigning meaning to each of her motions, twisting the memory so it was more clear she was baiting him, coaxing him into pursuing her. In retrospect, her intentions were pretty clear from the get-go, yet his aggression, anger, and nihilism made him miss all the obvious signs of affection and desire.

The gryphon drake's thoughts danced in a jumble before him, bleeding into each other until he felt a pang of love for the hen before him. Not for Ceylon, but for Anecie. To him, it felt like it was her before him, her smoky gray feathers blurring into reality against his diminishing lucidity, aided by the dancing light of the fire. Before him, Ceylon's black beak shifted and morphed into the golden color of Anecie's.

Inside the den, the scene started to melt and shift, like a cloud of smoke. His member softened as his affection went from purely physical to emotional, he was no longer concerned with the walls that clenched around him, all he wanted was a snuggle with his lover. He could feel the barbs retreating, folding backwards within the tight confines of Ceylon's pussy to jerk away from her walls and squeeze tight against his shaft, allowing his bulge to slide out of her with ease, a gooey mess of combined fluids trickling out against both of them, soaking her nether region.

To his blurred vision, he saw Anecie curl up and lift her leg, burying her beak under her tail and gently lapping at her nether lips, cleaning herself of the mess he made as she often did. Before long, her vulva was glistening in the dim light of the den, moist with the remnants of their arousal. Once she'd completely taken care of herself under the tail, she leaned back to give him a kiss, locking beaks together as her tongue explored his maw, yet he didn't actually feel the sensations. It made him wonder if he was dreaming, if any of this was real, and what it might have meant before the hen curled up before him, leaning back into his belly and using him for warmth.

For that brief moment before he relinquished himself and fell asleep, Anecie was there, snuggled up against him with a belly full of eggs. At least in his mind.

=====================================

The next morning, Dionysus woke with groggy eyes to feel the cold air of the den. The fire had been put out leaving only some glowing smolders and a gentle trail of smoke. Ceylon was nowhere to be seen, and apparently the snow had melted over the course of the night so he wouldn't be able to see her footprints. He could tell because there was water pooling near the opening of the den under the tree, and the whiteness had given way to brown and green.

Good. It was spring time, no reason for snow to be falling right now. Absolutely disgusting that an inch had formed the day before.

Of course, Ceylon's absence had him worried about his own state of mind. The night before had ended with him in a dream-like state of partial lucidity, and the visions in his mind had blurred the lines between reality and fantasy. Of course Anecie was not there, yet for a brisk moment, it felt as though he was snuggling up against him, purring and kissing him as she massaged his member, as she often did. Dreams could certainly be powerful, but his mind knew for a fact that was all it was.

His concern manifested when he wondered if any of the afternoon was real to him. Ceylon was a powerful mage of a gryphon, able to manipulate perception and alter the feelings of time itself - how else could he explain the vivid images of her shifting into Anecie's colors? He had no way of knowing if the whole fight, mating, and cuddling in the den was real or an illusion brought forth by her desire to pacify him.

The thought made him rage a bit and he was ready to storm out and destroy something, but then he paused and shook his head, chastising himself for his anger. If there was a lesson to be learned, and that Ceylon was just trying to help him out with his state of mind, it didn't matter how she went about doing it. Angry as he may have been, he wasn't stupid, and certainly not dense enough to completely miss the point or stubborn enough to ignore positive reinforcement.

Still, the image of green grass, brown bark, and blue skies around the den opening did make him question reality a bit. Seemed a little too convenient for him, but it wasn't hard to convince himself that a thaw could happen overnight with the right factors matching up with themselves. It was spring, after all, and it was only an inch or so of snow.

Cautious, he slipped out from under the gnarled tangle of root to emerge above ground, relishing the colors of the forest around him. He stretch one front leg and one opposite back leg at the same time, then do the opposite pair. He tried to spread his wings - the instinct still deep within him despite being grounded for years - then shook his head when he realized that he lacked the appendages to do so. A little grumpy, he trotted his way back to town, eager to dig his claws into the dirt and grass with every step.

He had a lot of time to really think to himself what he wanted to do next. For years since the massacre at the grove, he'd been wandering from town to town, doing odd jobs and enjoying his solitude away from as many other souls as he could. Occasionally, he'd ask for pay, but then use it on whore hens and mares for his pleasure; he never could be with the same female twice, since they couldn't handle the stabbing of his cock barbs. He was never happy to resort to that, but he needed release from time to time and had pushed away the one who loved him.

Of course, he had a devious side as well. There was plenty he could do in town, make a friend, maybe return to Anecie to make amends. Ceylon had helped to uncover a passion within him that he'd long since forgotten and neglected and he needed to nourish it with affection in order for his heart to grow to its old size.

Problem was, he couldn't imagine being with anyone other than Anecie ever again. Years, they were together, and he threw that away. Most would have sought revenge, same as he, and in the stories the lovers always get back together, so he knew what he needed to do next. Apologize, be sincered, be affectionate, and win her back. Pursue her as though he was adolescent, bring her flowers or take her out to eat or something. Anything to win her back.

He wanted to pretend that the quest would be a daunting task, hunting her down, finding where she was, and returning to the north where they lived, but he knew where she was. His days in town were spent eyeing her from afar, keeping tabs on her, and skirting around the outer rim of town where urban sprawl gave way to rural farmland and eventually the forests that surrounded the area. He was never, ever far from her in the years since their separation, and he couldn't imagine it.

Deep down inside he never truly let his love go, even when he abandoned her to seek vengeance. He still loved her, and though she was right to reject him upon his departure, she would come back to him. He knew it.

In down, he walked his way down the dirt paths amidst the crowd of felines, canines, and avians. It wasn't a very diverse region of the land. It was still morning, so not as many people were awake, but the marketplace was busy with shoppers, most of them eager to get the best produce before the warm spring sun wilted the leaves or soured the meat. He was hungry, and could eat, but he starved for attention before needing meat.

"How did I know you'd come here." a voice called out from between two of the buildings next to Dionysus. He turned to see it was Ceylon, one eye raised as she shook her head. So she was real, or at least not a figment of his imagination.

He grunted a bit, stopping mid stride to sidestep out of the way of the foot traffic leading towards the central hub of the market. "Yeah, of course. I'm hungry and morning is the best time to eat, isn't it? Best time to purchase meat." He nodded, assuring himself of his conviction.

"You tell yourself that, yet you know it to be a lie, don't you? You're not here for food, you're hear for the meat. Meat being your ex-lover. Right?" She stepped out to straddle her shoulder next to him, guiding him back to the path with every step. It was clear she wanted him to keep moving.

Dionysus hung his head and shook it, shamed a bit. "No, of course not." He lied.

"Poor Dio, a terrible liar and a creepy stalker. Tell me, how long have you been flitting around town, casually dropping in to watch her while she went about her daily life? How long have you been struggling with your desire to approach her again?" She leaned in close, shoulder notably lower than the larger drake's. "And let's be realistic, you don't have any money on you; tell me, where is your satchel? A coin purse around your neck? Nothing, you have nothing. Just admit why you're here."

He wanted to lie again, to assure her that his intentions were pure and honorable and borne of hunger for a full belly, but he knew she would see right through it. He was often a great liar, unless Anecie was involved. He could stare, stone-faced and denounce the Gods and the skies and his enemies with ease, but when her name was spoken, he melted, heart aflutter and pupils dilated. "It's been a while. Probably close to a year. I've followed her through a few towns after our relationship fell apart. She's been here longest, so I have as well." He slowly regained his pace to keep up with the crowd.

Next to him, Ceylon kept up with him, occasionally looking up to chirp at him in response to his movements and behaviour. She flicked her ears at him and hopped with the grace of a cat up on boxes, crates, and barrels with enough finesse that they didn't tilt or move at all. "So what are you going to do when you see her?" She asked, ears perked and beak curled up in a smile.

"I don't actually know, if you want the truth. She runs a booth here, selling gems and trinkets for coin she uses to barter with other vendors. Simple life, but she's a gorgeous artist. Very good at using her claws to make jewelry. It's kind of a shame, to be honest, I preferred the self-contained life, defending territory and hunting for food. It was fulfilling. She deserves better than this." His chest expanded, plumage standing on end in a display of pride.

Ceylon kicked up off one of the barrels to land on his back, her form feeling light like a feather as her talons and claws pressed down against his spine, rump, and shoulders. She leaned forth to whisper in his ear, "I hope you don't mind me up here. You were on me a lot last night and I felt it fair to expect the favor returned."

He could feel the warmth of her breath on his nape and the sensitive tip of his ear, sending a chill up and down his spine.

"And besides, do you think you're the one to provide her with that? She was a skilled hunter. Have you ever thought that maybe she chooses this life? What if she prefers this to the life you seek to bring her back to? She left you, Dio, you have to earn her back, you can't just take her by the talon and fly away into a rainbow." Ceylon's words were true, and it made him stop dead in his tracks, head held high above the crowd to glance across the market.

Dionysus could see her. She was sitting alone in a cart, fiddling with some gold and silver rings, too focused on her craft to glance over at him. She didn't stir from her art unless someone came over to inquire about the gems and gold she was turning into jewelry. "Well, I hope I can restore her pride and glory to what it once was." When a prospective patron came up to her, she lifted her head to look, and Dionysus crouched down so that she didn't see her, even if Ceylon was still poking her head up above the crowd.

She giggled a bit and pressed the hook of her beak to the base of his neck. "It's cute how you are so shy around her after being with her as long as you were. Have you ever thought that maybe she's moved on from you and doesn't want you anymore?"

"Don't say that." Dionysus growled at Ceylon, head still lowered to the ground. "I know she still has love in her heart for me. She might not know it, but I can feel it. We were too close to part forever. This cold, dead period of my life is in the past, and I have faith she will see that."

"Well, if that's the case, then you better go get her before someone else scoops her up. If she's as wonderful a hen as you seem to think she is, then I have no doubt in my mind that another drake has come taken to her. If she's as caring and affectionate as you say, then she's probably flirting with that guy buying jewelry now." Ceylon warned, still whispering in his ear from perched on his back.

The thought of her flirting with a random feline made Dionysus poke his head back up over the crowd, staring directly at her. A glint caught the side of her eye and she glanced over to catch a brief glimpse of him. Immediately, she gulped and looked away, shocked to see Dio's vibrant and distinctive red on slate-black feather pattern.

He also lowered his head again, too shy to actually glance back up and meet her eyes.

Ceylon hissed at him, also crouching down on his back. "Why are you doing this? She saw you, Dio, now is the time to - as they say in gryphon culture - scream for the kill. You've got her in your sights, she's seen you, all you can do is dive bomb her." She was still whispering into his ear, quiet enough for anyone to hear.

"You're right. Yeah. I can't hold back forever. If she saw me, she knows I'm here. Not showing my face means she's free to be creeped out and worried. Transparency. Honesty. Staples of a loving and healthy relationship." He was mostly talking to himself at this point, psyching himself to go and see her.

Once he'd puffed out his chest, he stood with his head held high above the bustling crowd. Once she got another look at him, she couldn't help but pause every few chirps to the customer to glance over at him. He had to put on a sincere smile, but worried that he looked creepy, so he let his expression go blank. That was equally creepy, so he rolled his eyes and rumbled a self-depreciating moan before pushing his way through the crowd.

In the hustle, he tried to put together a sort of welcome speech for her, glancing up occasionally to ensure she hadn't run or left her wares behind. She didn't seem scared, nor did she seem put off by his presence, mostly just confused. As he rehearsed his lines, he craned his neck to look back at Ceylon only to find that she must have hopped off midway through the walk over. No big deal, she had pushed him towards his old lover, that's what he needed right now.

Eventually, he broke through the shifting crowd to end up right in front of her stand. He tried to speak, only to have the worrds catch in his beak. He gulped them down and did his best to maintain his posture, plumage on end in a stance of power, but his ears were flat to his skull in submission. The only hen he was happy to be submissive to.

"Dionysus." She said with a smile on her beak, nodding briskly.

"Anecie." He responded with an equal nod and smile. "It's been too long."

Her soft eyes fluttered a bit. "Not that long, Dio. You've been stalking me for months." She nodded and flicked her ears, a sly grin pulling at the corner of her beak.

He gulped heavily, eyes going wide as his feathers flattened to his form. That was the death knell of an attempted rekindling of flame if ever he saw or felt one.

"Don't worry, Dio. I've known for months; my hen-friends told me they saw you hanging around. If it bothered me, I would have left town and went south to Farragouth or something." She grabbed a gem with one talon and some gold chains with the other. "So, tell me Dionysys, what in your life has changed to make you actually say hi? Months of staring like a creep from afar, and you chose today to come see me?" She winked and leaned in close. "I bet it's because spring has sprung and you - ya horny drake - thought you'd get a piece of me?"

Dionysus aggressively shook his head, heart fluttering in his throat. "N-no, nothing like that at all, Cie. I just...I met someone recently, and-"

He was cut off by her enthusiastic chirp. "Oh? Congratulations! I knew you'd find someone! Eventually. Maybe. If you could let go of the past." Suddenly her tone shifted as the memory of their last proper conversation, and both of them looked away in shame.

He paused a moment with his eyes closed to try and suppress the sadness that was welling up within him. "Actually, not like that. I was with another gryphon yesterday, and she helped me to remember what love felt like, and I couldn't help but think of you. These past few years, I've been absent in heart, and my ability to feel has been compromised. Yesterday, I was bluntly exposed for my dour, hateful, spiteful life for what it was. I'm doing what I can to go back to the way I was. I want to feel again, Anecie. I can't imagine being with anyone other than you." He stared at her, eyes piercing her gaze as he gulped, anxiously waiting for her response.

Anecie turned and looked away, closing her eyes and lowering her ears. She, too, was trying to suppress the memories of Dio's violent side. He couldn't read her mind, but he knew her well enough to remember her tells. Eventually, she looked back at him. "I'm really, really not sure it's a good idea to dwell too much on the past, but I don't know if I can trust you after what you did. Dio, I went to the grove afterwards, it scared me. Memories of the massacre haunt me to this day. Knowing you did that, could you trust yourself to not revert to that primal state of rage?"

Dio hung his head low, shaking it gently. "No, you're not wrong, I couldn't trust me, but I've changed. I've changed a lot. I had a pretty sincere and dire change of heart, a revelation just last night. I don't know what it is, but yesterday I couldn't be trusted. When someone reached out to me, I tried to kill them for their disrespect. Yesterday, I couldn't trust myself to stretch my paw out to you. Today, I'm different, I can be trusted, I promise you." He lowered himself into a bow, once again submitting himself to the only hen he was willing to do that for.

She leaned in and sniffed the air. "Really? So you get laid and now you want a piece of me again? I can still smell her on you, Dionysus, don't try to trick me into loving you again; it won't work. It didn't work when I was still in love with you and it won't work now." She clamped her beak shut and glared at him, chest heaving in agitation.

Behind her on the opposite side of the stall, Ceylon's beak could be seen poking out from the crowd. She was holding up a single piece of paper containing a beautiful image of a den in the cliffs. A painting, but still pretty.

Dionysus took a moment to realize what Ceylon was trying to tell him, but once he pieced it together he shook his head clear of confusion and returned his gaze to Anecie's. "Cie, I'm sorry for what I did in the past. You know how affected I was by what happened - Anyone would be torn by it. But I am a warrior, a hunter. It's what I do, it's the only thing I knew how to do that would right the wrongs for me. That was a different me. That version of me is in the past, I see now after many years the error of my ways, and I beg for you to give me another chance. If nothing else, could we retire to your den to talk about this without dozens of others overhearing us air our grievances?"

She stood her ground firm as she slammed the piece to the table between her talons. It was a black metal frame with a red heart inside it. "No, I have a life here now, I don't want to risk leaving my livelihood. Maybe tonight when the market closes we can speak again, but I'm not dropping everything so you can beg me for our old life back. You killed that when you left me." She looked away from him and kept her eyes closed, tearing up a bit.

He was about to respond, to counter her points, but he knew she was right. He was ready to give up and turn around when an orange, yellow, and red dragon-avian cross tossed a bag of coins onto the table, a single jade piece trickling out the side.

"I love your work, darling! I want to buy every single piece you have here!" The dragon-avian declared, slamming her talon down on the display case next to the coin bag. She flashed a smile over to Dio before using a single claw to open the bag, showing a combination of jade and gold. They glanced over directly at Dionysys before nodding gently and returning to Anecie's wares.

Anecie's beak hung open as her eyes went wide. "T-thank you miss!" She cooed at the buyer. "Just give me some time to bag them up! For you!" She was absolutely flabbergasted at the immense order she just made, and was fumbling her talons over the coins to count it while using her other hand to grab a series of jewel bags. She started gently putting each of the few dozen pieces into individual bags before the patron grabbed a handful and put them all in the same bag. Careful, but eager to make off with the loot.

Dionysus leaned in and chirped at her. "So I guess this means you've got a free afternoon now, doesn't it?" He glanced back over to the buyer, who was still greedily stuffing gems into bags before turning away, leaving her alone with empty display cases and an eager Dionysus.

"S-sure, whatever you say!" She cooed at him before stumbling to the side and shaking herself free of the shock of making so much coin so quickly. Few jade coins in there and some gold, probably overpaid for the gems - good as they were, that's still a lot of money. "Just let me cool down, I might need a drink, if you don't mind." She started using her wing to fan herself off as Ceylon sidled up next to Dionysus.

"See? That worked out quite well." She said, winking at him. "That was Satsierra. A friend of mine. Use this convenience to the best of your ability, because this is the last time you will get an opportunity with her." She nodded slowly, blinking at the same time.

"Of course, of course. Yeah, thanks for this, Ceylon. I couldn't have done this without you." He thanked her with a smile, leaning into the smaller female with his powerful shoulder.

"Who are you talking to, Dio?" Anecie asked.

He glanced up to her with a gape grin. "This is Ceylon, the wonderful gryph who helped me realize what I lost in you. I'm sure you two would get along." When he looked back down, Ceylon was completely gone. No trail of her, no hint of a moving tail disappearing into the crowd, just nothing. He clicked his beak in confusion but quickly shook it off and re-focused his concentration on Anecie. "Never mind, she must have left or something. Her time here is complete, now that I've got the intestinal fortitude to speak to you again. If I could blush, I would be." He lowered his beak to hide from her behind the counter, but she cooed at him and got him to look her in her red eyes.

Dionysus wasn't sure if this was some sort of divine intervention or luck, but at this precise moment Anecie seemed open for just about anything. He could invite himself under her tail right now and she'd likely trill in approval to him before the high of such a fortunate day dissipated and she remembered where she was. Regardless, he was happy to see she was happy, and that made him smile wide.

"You're fine, Dio. Come on, let's cart this back to my den, we can talk, okay? That's all, though. We talk." She nodded to get her point across as she cradled his lower beak.

He nodded as well, agreeing. "We talk." He repeated.

Both of them worked together to get her little vendor cart ready to leave the market. Once she went to strap herself into the harness to drag it, He offered to do the heavy pulling since he was bigger and stronger than she was. They joked about the great money she'd made, and every sincere laugh was a further encouragement that she wasn't just faking it for him or because she was riding a high off success. She was warming to him again, and hopefully that was enough.

The rest was up to him to prove his own sincerity. He could do it, thanks to Ceylon - wherever she may have been.

=====================================

Her den was simple, on the opposite edge of town from the barn he had been staying at when he met Ceylon. She lived in the cliffs with a few dozen other gryphons, most of them in simply earthy colors of brown, cream, yellow, black, and white. Dionysus' bright red really stood out amongst the others, plus he was larger than any of the other ones in the little den-valley.

"This is where I live now, Dio." She cooed to him, leaning over towards his frame without ever actually touching him. "With my friends here. Mostly hens, couple of drakes. It's nice. It's quiet. We look out for each other." She explained.

Dionysus noticed that she wasn't actually touching him, and was staying a pace or two away from him. Safe. Smart. "How do you like it? I mean, compared to being with our flock? You know I'm a bit more set in my ways and prefer the feral life, but I can't imagine this being very fulfilling compared to...you know, how we used to be?"

She chirped and rolled her eyes at him, plumage puffing up a bit. "Oh you, trying to sneakily work that in there. Yeah, it's different, so no, it's not the same. I certainly do miss how it used to be, but I like this, too. It's comfortable. It's safe, and no roving gangs of dragons are going to attack it, not this close to the city." She spread her wings a bit and looked to the sky, eyes tearing up. "At least I hope not."

It was quite shocking to Dionysus how easily she had turned from being scared of him to just kind of accepting his presence, but his acknowledgment also bred a sense of dread and heightened awareness. She wasn't afraid of him, but it was also clear she didn't trust him. The entire trip from the market to her den-valley, she had went with a caravan, and now that she was home she wasn't going near him. He wanted to be offended by it since he knew that he would never hurt her - at least not physically and not on purpose - but he understood.

"Maybe I could stick around a bit? Be a form of protection to you and your friends? I know you can't trust me enough to love me, not yet, but maybe I could prove to you that I've changed? I mean, this last day or two has really been an eye opener for me, and I want the opportunity to find myself again, to belong in a group, do be something special to someone else. I'd like that someone to be you, but you're right. It's only been a day, how can I know? Give me a chance to find out, please?"

She turned to face him, her back end to the cliff that her den was carved into. "It's going to take a lot more than a plead to make me forget what you did, Dio."

"I understand that, I really do. But please, see this from my perspective. You were there when it happened, you felt the same thing I did." He tried to explain, only to have her cut him off.

"Yes, Dio, I was there. I felt all the same things you did, and for a few months I wanted it just as badly as you did. I wanted to go back there and wreak havoc on those who would threaten my family and friends. Had you recovered within that time, I would have went with you and there would be as much blood on my beak as there is on yours. But you didn't. I didn't. There isn't. I had time to cool down, and I realized - evidently before you - that killing others will not bring our clutch back, and will not give you your wings. Yet, despite me insisting you not let this consume you, you ignored me. For years it felt like you didn't care about me, Dio. It felt like all that you felt in your heart was rage and anger and hatred; all you wanted was blood." She sniffled a bit before turning away and closing her eyes. "Do you have any idea how that feels, to watch the one you love descend into such a pit of despair and anger?"

Dionysus wasn't sure what urged him to do it, but he bowed in utter submission to her, beak to the ground. "You are right. I was wrong, and I made a poor decision. I should have focused on what I had instead of fighting for what I lost. I see that now, but I needed more time than you did. I have regret, Cie, but now I have desires. I want to pick up where we left off. I want to forget all that happened before now but after that fateful day. I'm ready to move on, and I can't do that without you."

Anecie leaned in and placed a palm between his shoulders, where his wings would meed. "I want to believe you, Dio. I really do, but I saw the hate in your eyes. It will take a long time to be able to return to where we were."

He opened his eyes and stood back up, gulping down a welling sensation that he wanted to let loose a few tears. "So you're willing to try then? To invite me back into your life if I can prove my love to you?"

She slowly shook her head. "No. It will never, ever be the same as it once was. I'm sorry Dio, our lives cannot be dialed back to a time before all this. What's done is done. You wronged me, you killed in my name against my will, and you let anger take over your soul. Neither of us can undo that."

Dionysus allowed his eye to twitch as he took in a deep breath, doing the best he could to not roar or cry out in anger. Then, from behind Anecie on the ledge above her den, Ceylon chirped out at him.

"Well, it's worth a shot, isn't it? I mean, she didn't say she didn't want you in her life, and who's to say you can't star over?" She winked at Dio as her tail swayed wide back and forth over the steep rock of the cliff side.

He nodded slowly, gulping down his anger and turning it into a smile. "You're right, Ceylon." He turned from her to look at his old mate again. Her ash-gray speckled feathers were an absolute beauty in the early spring air, the thick white of her winter down filling her out to keep her warm. She had a confused look on her face, but he carried on. "You're right, Anecie. We can never go back to the way it was before, we will never be a family like we were, but we can start over, can't we? Allow me to take you out some time."

A smile started to form across her beak as she gaped open in happiness before she lowered one ear and glanced back to where Ceylon was resting. "Who are you talking to, right now?" She asked as she looked back at Dionysus.

"Oh, that's just Ceylon, remember? She's the one I tried to introduce you to in the market before she disappeared on me. I thought she just left because her job with me was done, but I guess she wanted to see it to some sort of conclusion. Come say hi!" He explained as he motioned for Ceylon to hop down.

She squinted a single eye at him. "Dio, there's nobody there."

Ceylon appeared to give a devious wink before blowing a kiss to Dionysus and disappearing like a wisp of smoke into the skies. He grinned back and slowly shook his head, knowing that he would have to explain what had happened in a way that Anecie would understand.