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The Beastmaker's War

AIR

Sayn sighed as she felt Korlin's gentle hands run through her hair. She was lying with her head in her lover's lap, enjoying the feeling of closeness and intimacy, while taking in the afterglow of the several orgasms she'd just had. Korlin had been unusually rough this time - easily taking charge and bending Sayn's body to her will. It had, of course, been just what she needed to take her mind off her current situation, and now that she'd worked off some energy, she was finally able to think straight instead of running around in headless panic as she'd been doing before Korlin more or less physically dragged her into their shared tent, tied her to the bed, and mounted her in her beastial form. Which was, of course, the part that made the 'her' bit a tad strange, but like the gender-fluid Kirin had remarked during their first meeting, human language simply lacked the proper nouns to describe such a nature. Sayn had tried using 'Hir' as a middle-road between 'him' and 'her', but it sounded way too awkward to use generally. So there was really nothing to do but to think of Korlin as an incredibly beautiful woman who also happened to have a large, hard, delicious cock dangling between her legs. Well, when she needed one, anyway.

She reached an arm up to caress the delicate angles of her androgynous lover's face, somehow knowing exactly where it was without looking. Her body was satisfied, her panic was settled, and within Korlin's embrace she felt calmly confident. She was not alone. There was, at the very least, one person in the world that she could rely upon entirely, to whom she could entrust her life and her very soul. They would stand together no matter what happened, and they'd find a way out of this situation too.

"So, feeling ready to talk about what we're going to do next?" Korlin asked calmly, reading her mind as usual. She nodded slightly, enjoying the feeling of her hair moving against the soft skin of the kirin's bare thighs. "Yes. Talking certainly beats panicking. Whatever comes, we'll find a way out of it." She could feel the radiance of Korlin's smile even without looking. The kirin continued to play with her hair as she started to speak. "Very well, then. Let's sum up the situation, first of all. Lorrack the Black is our opponent, and he's commanding a large, well-armed, well-supplied coalition made up of... well, just about everyone on the continent who doesn't like us. Of course, their numbers aren't all that intimidating - we've still got your creatures, and you can easily make more."

Sayn sighed again as she countered the optimistic assessment. "Certainly, but this is Lorrack - that utter bastard - that we're dealing with. I'm sure you haven't forgotten what's happened the last couple of times we ran into him. He's SMART - terrifyingly so - and utterly ruthless. He's also a highly experienced, well-educated strategist. While everyone else was shaking in their booties because of my 'power', he analyzed it, found out all the weak points in it, and countered it. And this time, he's not commanding some small mercenary force fighting for limited tactical advantage - he's got a HUGE army, with enormous resources, obeying him unquestionably. He's the only general who's had any kind of success against me. As far as the lords and kings backing him are concerned, he can do no wrong."

She started glumly up at the tent's ceiling, feeling the bubbling of panic begin in her stomach again, carefully forcing it to quiet as she continued. "He's not going to pit numbers against numbers. He's going to sacrifice troops to draw me into traps, and counter my creatures with fire, acid, tar, and probably other stuff we HAVEN'T already seen him use. He'll outflank, outwit and ambush me. I'm not a strategist - I'm just a girl from a nomadic tribe! How am I..." her voice was silenced as Korlin bent over her and planted a deep kiss on her lips. It lingered for minutes, sending little shocks of renewed desire running down her spine.

When their lips parted again, it was Korlin who spoke first. "Don't sell yourself short, love. You taught yourself military tactics on the battlefield, by yourself, with neither mentor nor treatise at hand. You resisted numerous attempts to manipulate and corrupt you by several different factions long before I got here. Those are not the actions of a fool." Sayn smiled up at the beautiful kirin, feeling the truth of those words - for a kirin could speak no falsehood - sink into her. Korlin was right - there was no gain in ragging on herself. True, Lorrack the Black had been a famous strategist even before they met - a veteran of dozens of battles as he led his mercenary group, the Black Raiders, into trouble-spots across the continent (and the southern archipelago, of course, which was where he came from in the first place.) His success against HER had made him a legend, and caused everyone who still opposed her to rally behind him, no doubt offering the mercenary commander a sickening amount of gold for wiping her out once and for all.

But he wasn't perfect. Nobody was. No matter how clever and ruthless, he could only make plans to counter the things he KNEW of. The strategy - if one could call it that - she had used so far had been achingly simple: Make lots of beasts, using whatever material is at hand, and send them surging across the enemies. Metallic and stone-based creatures were used for tearing down gates and walls in siege situations, while fleet-footed wood-and-grass creatures ran down enemies on open ground. Her creatures were hard to kill, utterly tireless, felt no pain, and obeyed her every thought instantly. She could even see through their eyes and hear through their ears, granting her a level of battlefield awareness that any human strategist would've traded his right hand for. With such advantages, it hadn't been hard to overwhelm ordinary foes. But she still had... limits. Limitations.

For starters, she'd had little luck with creating FLYING creatures. She just didn't have access to any materials light and strong enough to make combat-effective fliers possible. From sailcloth and twigs, she'd managed to create small, nimble fliers that were handy as messengers and scouts, but they were entirely useless in combat. She had the same problem with aquatics. Her creatures had no need to breathe, so her heavier ones could easily walk on the seafloor - at which point they could glare impotently up at enemy ships. She'd expected her wooden creations to be able to easily swim around, but that, too, had failed to work. Her wooden creations tended to absorb a lot of water, making them swell up and lose mobility - not that they had much to begin with. Growing up in the grasslands, she had a great deal of in-depth knowledge of how quadrupeds moved - but little understanding of aquatic creatures, and it showed. Even her attempts at purpose-built swimmers had floundered - so to speak - resulting in slow, inelegant, and not terribly intimidating creatures.

Finally - and most problematically, when combined with the first two problems - she had no ranged units at her disposal. Attempts to build crossbows and ballistae into her creatures had failed entirely - a being capable of drawing the string on such a weapon was simply too complex for her to bring to life. Experiments with slings and catapult-like constructs had proven... inaccurate at best. And Lorrack knew all this. There was no doubt that he'd take advantage of this in countless ways. He had before - and this time, he had far greater resources at his disposal. So... maybe what SHE needed was more resources. A way to compensate for her shortfall, WITHOUT letting Lorrack's scouts and spies find out about it. Nothing was more lethal to a strategist than overconfidence.

She tipped her head to look up at Korlin's handsome, androgynous face, thinking. "Say... that 'cannot lie' thing that kirin have - is that part of your magical nature, or some sort of philosophical opposition to falsehood and deception?" A smile spread across the kirin's face as she sensed Sayn's mind working on a solution. "It's part of our nature. Of course, we generally prefer honesty as a philosophical stance and policy, too, but most of us - myself included - acknowledge that within human society, deception can sometimes be a necessity. Why do you ask?"

Sayn pushed herself upright on the bed, before turning around to kneel in front of her, reluctant to break their contact, but knowing that the situation was about to get much worse. "Well, I've concluded that to win this war, I'm going to need some allies. And I'll have to go off myself to rally them. But if Lorrack finds out that I've got new allies, he'll come up with plans to counter them... so we need to hide the fact that I'm away. My creatures... they'll obey you. They are, after all, an extension of me. So while I'm out there gathering allies, you have to stay here and maintain the illusion that I'm still in charge. Stay mobile, keep scouts away, avoid engagements, and try to lull the enemy into a false sense of security." Korlin, looking unusually serious, nodded. "I can do that. I take it you already have some destinations in mind?"

In fact, she was running through several options in her head, crossing off the impractical ones, and gradually narrowing it down. But she nodded, trying not to be distracted by the vision of naked flesh sitting before her. "Yeah. And I'm gonna have to leave almost immediately. I'll take Cybra and a fast-moving detachment of creatures with me. I've already ordered my scouts to spread out from the camp and remove - or chase off - any enemy scouts they find, so that I can leave unnoticed." She sighed, eyes panning over the smooth, lightly-tanned flesh of her love. "I'm going to miss you TERRIBLY, though."

Korlin smiled gently, reaching out a hand to cup her cheek. "I know you will. But don't worry. I'm sure you'll find some willing lovers to help ease the pain, wherever you go." Sayn blinked in surprise, and reached up to grab the hand. "Don't joke like that! I'd never betray you!" The beautiful kirin grinned, shaking her head. "I know you wouldn't. But I also know that you haven't quite been able to forget some of your more 'exotic' lovers from before you met me. Listen to me, Sayn... your heart and soul, your feelings, THAT'S what's important. As long as your love for me remains unwavering, you cannot betray me. Now, if your BODY feels like working off some tension on the side... that's perfectly fine. I lay no claim to that - unless it's within arm's reach of me and we're in private." The last bit was said with a twinkle in her eye, but the serious message sunk in anyway. Her lover had just given her a blanket permission to have sex with anyone (or anything) she wanted. Considering where she'd be going first, that might come in handy...

Then Korlin pulled her into a hug, lips seeking hers, and she lost herself in the sensation of closeness for a while. She wanted to soak up as much of her beloved as she could before she had to leave - the feeling of her smooth, unblemished skin, the way her hair smelled like sunlight, the sweet taste of her lips, the way her fingers always found her most sensitive spots without hesitation... but in the end, she had to pull away, lest she lose her courage to leave. Outside, the darkness was deepening. It made no difference to her creatures - or to Sayn, who could see through their eyes - but it would limit the sight of whatever scouts had managed to escape her hunters. It was time for her to rally a fast-moving force and get going.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Sayn breathed deeply, enjoying the cool freshness of the mountain air. Then she breathed deeply again, trying to keep up with her body's voracious appetite for oxygen. The air was delicious, filled with the taste of melted snow and the scent of flowers that only grew high in the mountains - but it was also thin. Even sitting astride her tireless riding-beast, she was panting as if she'd climbed the whole mountain herself. At least it felt like she was starting to adapt to the high-altitude conditions - the headache she'd suffered from yesterday had faded.

Well, it only made sense that she'd have some trouble - after all, she was nearing the peak of one of the tallest mountains on the continent, known to humans as Heavensreach Peak... and to the griffons who nested there as the Great Aviary. It was the closest thing they had to a capital - the meeting place of the Pinions, clan-chiefs of their kind. Nearly a year ago, when she'd been searching for a suitable consort, they had sent a representative to 'apply' for the position, and it had been a memorable encounter indeed. She'd wound up turning him down, despite his carnal agility, but as a consolation-prize, she'd proposed a treaty to the griffons anyway. The treaty had been somewhat vague, however, and remained unfinished. It was time to change that.

"Geez... this place makes me glad I don't need to breathe." The sarcastic voice came from near her left ear, and she quickly turned her head to see Cybra standing on a rocky outcropping smaller than a man's fist. Clearly, the 'goat' part of its inspiration was showing. "Well, if you don't breathe, how can you talk?" She asked her assistant, mostly just making conversation as she tried to take her mind off the shortness of breath. Cybra shrugged, jumping agilely to another outcropping no larger than the first, perching there with all of its four tiny hooves clustered close together. "Beats me. Why are YOU asking a question like that, anyway? You MADE me. If you don't know, how could I?"

She grinned in spite of herself. Cybra had been her ever-faithful confidant, majordomo and assistant for years, and until Korlin appeared, it had been the only person - if one could call it that - she trusted. Of course, seeing as Cybra was just an animated manifestation of her subconscious, it was arguable if it counted as a friend, really. More of a sarcastic, pessimistic, talking diary. Albeit a diary that occasionally displayed a remarkable amount of independence. "Well, you sometimes seem to know a lot of stuff I don't." It was a quip, to be sure, but half serious - though Cybra just shrugged it off, once again displaying impossible balance as it maintained its precarious stance.

"Speaking of which, I suppose I'd better brief you on the griffons a bit. I picked up a thing or two when I was visiting them last year." Sayn nodded, her riding-beast's powerful legs having dragged her up to the same level as Cybra while they talked, its thick granite claws digging into the mountainside for leverage. "First of all, you should be aware that the griffons are entirely patriarchal in nature. Griffon-clans are invariably ruled by an alpha-male, known as the Pinion, and the idea of taking orders from a female is quite alien to them. Fortunately, 'ground-walkers' are quite alien to them too, so they managed to swallow the idea of allying with a woman mainly on the basis of 'humans are just that different'. Nonetheless, expect to face some sexism, arrogance, and general hostility to the idea of treating you as an equal. Don't let it get to you."

Sayn rolled her eyes. "Arrogance and self-importance from a griffon? Gee, I'm glad I've got you here to enlighten me, or I would never have expected that." Cybra harrumphed and continued like she hadn't said anything. "Also, don't ask about anybody's name. Griffons DO have names, but they consider them far more intimate than humans do. They generally recognize each other by voice - a griffon can say words like 'him' or 'she', or an official title, with such a tone that anyone who hears it knows exactly who he's talking about. They only share their name with family-members, lovers, close friends and proven allies. That's why that griffon I brought to you last year never introduced himself - not that you noticed, so busy you were getting underneath him." She stuck her tongue out at Cybra, who replied with an irreverent grin before continuing.

"Speaking of that guy, you're probably gonna run into him again. He wasn't just some random joe I sold on the plan, after all. He is a Remex - the griffon equivalent of a prince, basically. As the eldest son of a Pinion, he is expected to succeed his father in due time, and until that time, he works in the Great Aviary as a sort of assistant to the High Pinion. Oh, and also, he'll almost certainly have told all the other griffons - particularly the Pinions and the High Pinion - about your liaison, probably in great detail." Sayn's hand slipped from the reins of the riding-beast, and she nearly fell off - which would've led to a nasty tumble down a very high mountain - before managing to get a grip, glaring at Cybra.

It just shrugged. "It's a cultural thing. Griffons are patriarchal, but an aspect of that is that males take great pride in their ability to pleasure females. They exchange tricks and discuss techniques, and share anecdotes about how many and how powerful orgasms they'd managed to extract from their conquests. All in the exact same snooty, self-important tone as a bunch of lords and merchants discussing their recent successes in trade-deals, diplomacy, or fencing. It's actually kind of hilarious."

She breathed deeply, trying to calm herself. The thin air made this technique rather less effective than it normally was, though, since she was ALREADY taking very deep breaths just to get the air she needed. Nonetheless, she managed to quiet her immediate knee-jerk reaction of outrage. "Right. Cultural differences. Probably never even occurred to him that I might've preferred it if he kept things private. And it's not like I specifically ASKED him to, either." Cybra nodded. "Nope. And hey, considering how into it you were, it was probably too good a story to keep quiet about anyway." The mismatched creature's sarcastic grin grew wider. "But the good news is, Korlin was probably right - you won't have any trouble finding someone who can warm your bed while you're there. You'll be beating amorous and adventurous young griffons off with a stick."

A few hours later, all thought of griffon indiscretion and the embarrassment related thereto disappeared from her mind, as she gazed in breathless wonder at the Great Aviary. It was a sight that - between the intimidating climb and the griffons' general hostility towards 'groundwalkers' - few humans had seen. Granted, she'd been fairly breathless even BEFORE it came into view too, but that didn't change the fact that it was truly magnificent to behold. It was less of a building, and more of a labyrinthine tangle of soaring arches, tall pillars, raised platforms and perches. Most flat surfaces were covered in frescoes and murals, albeit often crumbled beyond recognition. Those images that could be seen were of cloud-covered peaks and winged beings dancing amongst them. It was a building made for winged beings, with only the barest consideration for ground-walkers.

Scholars often had long, loud debates about how the Great Aviary came to be. Some insisted that the griffons had built it themselves, despite their obvious lack of hands and tools, by carving it out of the mountaintop's rock with their claws and beaks over the course of millenia. Others stated that it was the ancient remnant of a long-forgotten alliance between an early human civilization and the griffons. A few even maintained that the Aviary was proof of the existence of the mythical Dwarves, suggesting some kind of alliance between the two races. The pictures they painted of Dwarves wielding magical thunder-hammers from the backs of griffon steeds, however, came up rather short against the fact that no evidence had ever been found to support the existence of short, stocky tunneling humanoids.

But however it had been created, the Great Aviary remained an amazing sight - however crumbling... and a place not easily accessed by anyone who lacked wings. The high archways and perches were teeming with griffons - indicating that the message she'd sent ahead requesting an audience with the full council of Pinions had been received. Most likely, the griffons she was seeing weren't permanent residents of the Great Aviary, but representatives of the various clans, escorting their Pinion to the meeting. The meeting-place, however, would be at the center of the structure's roof, the fabled Highest Perch where gathered The Great Wing - the full assembly of the griffon leadership. And there was no way she could get there on her riding-beast - what ground-floor entrances the great structure had seemed to connect only to each other.

With a whooshing sound, a griffon landed agilely before her, inclining his head in a gesture that was the closest such proud creatures could come to bowing respectfully. "I greet you once more, fair Beastmaker. It is a true pleasure to see you again so soon." This, fortunately, clued her in on the fact that she was facing the same griffon she'd met during her search for a consort, and she smoothly adjusted. She strongly doubted that admitting that she could not tell one griffon from the next would endear her to her hosts. "It is good to see you again as well. I was hoping that my diplomatic visit here would give me a chance to do so. I trust that the High Pinion received my message and is prepared to offer me an audience?"

The griffon nodded, though his expression looked slightly strained. "Indeed - the Great Wing have already gathered on the Highest Perch. I am here to transport you there. We recognize the necessity of providing wings to an esteemed guest during their stay here, after all - and when the High Pinion called for a volunteer, I was happy to step up." He fluttered his wings, stretching them as he glanced at her home-made riding-beast. "Please, leave your... conveyance here, and climb on my back." As she dismounted, his gaze panned to Cybra. "Your... assistant, yes? Someone else will show h... ehm..." "It." "As you say. Someone else will show 'it' to the chambers we have prepared for you in one of the ground-floor rooms of the Aviary."

The Great Aviary looked even more majestic from the sky, even though her enjoyment of the eye-popping sight was somewhat diminished by the need to hold on for dear life. It was impressive enough for a griffon to consent to carrying a human upon his back - but there was no way such a proud being would ever agree to wearing a saddle, bridle, or stirrups. So instead of properly 'riding' him, she was really just crouched on his back, squeezing his hips with her knees while clinging to the feathers around his neck. Her weight did not seem to trouble him as he spiraled into the sky, but she suspected that the hundreds of gazes that were fixed on them, courtesy of the griffons perched around the periphery of the Aviary, had somewhat more of an impact.

As they reached the peak of the great structure, she finally set eyes on the Highest Perch. There, in the center of the maze of platforms, pillars and perches, a circle of slender columns stood, each topped by a broad platform, currently occupied by important-looking griffons. It was not a flat circle, however - but rather, lopsided, with one pillar being taller than the rest, and its opposite number being the lowest. The rest described a smooth incline between the two points. On the highest of them all sat an aging griffon, feathers worn and fur stained with gray. His eyes, however, burned with vigor - and perhaps something else as they caught sight of her and her ride.

The lowest of the platform - directly opposite him - was empty. Obviously, that was the 'supplicants perch'. It was towards this that her 'steed' carried her. He landed smoothly on the small platform, under the piercing eyes of the Pinions, and she quickly dismounted - glad to have some semblance of firm ground under her feet again. The High Pinion was still keeping his gaze fixed on her, and she quickly gave a short, respectful bow. He replied with a slight inclination of his head, and then shifted his gaze to the griffon by her side. "You have performed well in your duty, young Remex. You may leave us now. You will be called when our guest requires transportation back to her chambers." The young griffon bowed in response, reminding her that the most he'd shown her - even in the middle of her own camp - was the same sort of nod that the High Pinion had just given her.

As he jumped off the platform, spreading his wings to catch the thin air, she felt very naked and vulnerable. She was alone on the high platform, with no way down. There was nothing here she could use to craft new beasts, and the closest creatures under her command were a long way away - straight down, with no way to reach her. She was, effectively, helpless - and if the griffons decided to tear her apart, there was little she could do to prevent it. Fortunately, she still had a rather firm shield - that unbreakable, unsoilable Griffon Pride. She was a guest in their nest, and had been acknowledged as such. To betray their own hospitality by attacking her would be an unthinkable breach of protocol, and would leave a permanent, indelible mark on their collective pride.

However, she needed more than survival. She needed their cooperation. And from the looks she was getting, that wouldn't be easy. She took a deep breath - less to steady her nerves and more to ensure she had enough air to pronounce the stream of diplomatic platitudes she was now required to speak. "The Beastmaker greets the High Pinion and the Great Wing, and thanks you for extending me the hospitality of this visit. I hope that this meeting will be fruitful and result in a mutually-beneficial alliance between our factions, to endure for centuries to come..."

It took her a while to finish the speech she had carefully prepared in advance - with significant help from Cybra - but the Pinions never interrupted her, and merely perched on their platforms, watching her. When she was finally done, the High Pinion cleared his throat. "The High Pinion and the Great Wing greet you, Beastmaker of the Great Plains. We are overjoyed to finally meet you in person, for we have heard many accounts of your accomplishments to date. We, too, hope that the tentative treaty proposed upon the previous year will, upon this meeting, blossom into a full alliance, and have no doubt that the Great Wing share in this desire..." Sayn groaned inwardly as he prattled on. Somehow, speeches like that became even more tiresome when the Royal We got involved. But she was hardly in a position to complain about long-windedness, and focused on maintaining the appearance of polite interest while waiting for the High Pinion to finish.

"...and so, without further ado, we ask that you present us with the proposed wording of our treaty." In the silence following the end of his speech, she rapidly pulled her tired mind back into fighting shape, and cleared her throat. "Very will, High Pinion. My proposal is this: I will assist you in enforcing the sovereign territory of your kind, and will do war on any who refuse to evacuate it as requested. In return, your warriors will support my forces should the military situation require such intervention." As far as international treaties went, that was several thousand words short and lacked the normal quota of loopholes and unnecessary details. She was not, however, dealing with humans this time.

The High Pinion nodded thoughtfully. "We hear your proposal, and it seems sensible. However, we must ask - what is to stop you from declaring our intervention a military necessity on a regular basis, drawing our young warriors into frequent, bloody battles?" The question was expected, and she had a reply ready. "The same thing that will prevent you from declaring every mountain and peak your territory right down to its roots - decency, respect, and pride. My forces are significant, and to call upon our alliance is to admit that they have fallen short. That is not something I intend to make a habit of."

He nodded again, seemingly satisfied, and then looked around. "You have all heard The Beastmaker's proposal. I will now hear your voices, and make my decision. All in favor of this alliance, sound out." The silence that followed was deafening. Not a single one of the dozen Pinions assembled on the Highest Perch moved or made a sound. After several minutes of this, the High Pinion nodded firmly, his eyes fierce. "The Great Wing has made its voice heard. In accordance, I refuse the treaty as it stands." Despite the fact that his beak was entirely solid - and thus unable to display such a thing - she could've sworn that he was smiling condescendingly as he turned his gaze back on her. "I am afraid the treaty will have to be modified somewhat before the Great Wing can agree to it, Beastmaker. We will adjourn for now, and reassemble in three days to hear your new proposal. I will send a messenger to your chambers later with some suggestions you might want to take into consideration..."

Sayn managed to politely bow in acknowledgment of this, and to keep a pokerface of carved stone long enough for her conveyance, the young Remex, to arrive and pick her up. Once she was in the air, and floating down towards ground-level again, her mask began to slip somewhat. "Dammit... what was the point of all that, acting like they loved the idea and then turning it all down flat..." she was just grousing to herself, but her ride evidently had better hearing than his lack of ears would suggest, and he peered over his shoulder looking somewhat apologetic. "Don't take it the wrong way, please. It's just politics. The High Pinion has a duty to maintaining the pride of our race, and... well, he also needs to remind everyone of his personal and political strength."

She blinked slightly, her brow wrinkling thoughtfully as he turned his head back to focus on gliding effortlessly through the arches and colonnades of the Great Aviary. Cybra HAD told her that Remiges like him basically served as adjutants and assistants to the High Pinion, for the express purpose of giving them a practical education in the politics of the Great Aviary prior to their ascension to Pinion. So of course, he'd have a thorough understanding of how the Great Wing worked. He could be useful for far more than just conveyance around here...

Her 'chambers' turned out to be a corner of the building, surrounded by several pillars that now had tent-cloth strung between them. Where the griffons had acquired the tent-cloth - and, for that matter, the somewhat shabby but nonetheless high-class furniture inside, was a mystery she decided she'd rather not have answered. Either way, considering that the Great Aviary lacked anything that could really be described as a 'room', it was the closest thing to privacy she was going to get. Her ride dropped her off in front of it, then did another one of those little half-bows that were, apparently, the most respectful gesture a griffon was allowed to make towards a non-griffon. As he prepared to turn around and leave, however, her hand touched his shoulder, stopping him.

"Are you in a hurry? I was hoping we could... catch up on a few things. Talk things over, you know?" He hesitated, which gave her enough time to get her other hand onto his beak, gently rubbing the smooth surface as she smiled coquettishly at him. Whatever hesitation he might have had seemed to melt away at that point. "Well... I suppose I don't really have any other duties lined up at the moment. I'm actually supposed to attend to your needs while you're here, more or less." Her smile grew wider. "Well, then, come inside my 'chambers'... I have some needs that need attending to."

Once she'd drawn him inside, and closed the curtain that served as her door, she didn't waste much time. She had to figure out how to deal with the griffon council, but to do so she needed to be able to think clearly. She could still feel the anger and frustration boiling in her gut, and she had to work that out first. Korlin would've known just how to help her do that... but her lover was many miles away right now, so she had no choice but to take advantage of the 'permission' she'd received. At least this griffon was a known quantity - she rather doubted he'd lost any of his old skills, and he certainly didn't seem inclined to refuse a second session.

He certainly seemed appreciative as she slid off her travel-stained clothes and dove underneath his flanks without further preamble. He was already emerging from his sheath, she noticed. Clearly, the implications of her invitation hadn't been lost on him. Her tongue soon coaxed it the rest of the way out, carefully covering the large tool in a layer of lubricating saliva. He groaned slightly, shifting his legs as he grew harder under her gentle, oral ministrations. Something was subtly different in his behavior, compared to their first meeting. A certain edge of arrogance was missing. Maybe it was just because she was taking charge this time, or maybe it was because he was surrounded by his superiors here, instead of being the only griffon for miles.

Either way, she didn't mind. She generally enjoyed getting dominated in bed, but in this case, she was trying to fuck out the frustrations of dealing with arrogant griffons, so his original attitude might have been a touch counterproductive anyway. She glanced towards the chamber's bed. From the looks of things, it was big, and in fairly decent condition... but not too sturdy. Ah well. The rug that covered the room's floor was thick and soft, despite being somewhat shabby. It would serve just as well. Not wanting to waste any more time, she slipped the rest of her body under his bulk and shifted around, lifting her ass while resting her head on the carpet to give him the right angle.

He wasn't late in responding as she pushed her groin back against his hard rod, and in a single jump, he was inside her - filling her pussy almost painfully with his girth, stretching her labia with his knot. It was a pleasantly familiar feeling. It took her back to that first night, and all the 'firsts' it had been for her. The Beastkin had been her first inhuman lovers, to be sure, but they had still been humanoid - two legs and two arms, tails optional. It was a long step from there to a four-legged, two-winged creature, however intelligent. Considering that her current lover also sported four legs - sometimes - it had been an important introduction.

Her pussy wasn't as tight as it had been back then, but when his knot swelled inside her, it was still big enough to make her take a sharp breath - and big enough to lock them together for the duration. The resulting short, fast strokes made the bristles surrounding his cockhead even more stimulating that they normally would be, massaging the deepest parts of her pussy as he began to fuck her vigorously. It was nothing she hadn't experienced before, but right now, it was exactly what she needed - as the pleasure blanketed her mind, it swept away the anger and disappointment the day had brought with it.

By the time he came, filling her with the same womb-stretching flood of cum she remembered from their first time together, she'd climaxed three times... or maybe more, things got kind of foggy towards the end. She moaned appreciatively at the sensation as she settled down to bask in the afterglow and wait for his knot to deflate. "Well, that was... interesting." The griffon commented from above, apparently taking advantage of the post-climax period to gather his thoughts. She giggled up at him. "What, not used to a woman taking charge and dragging you into her room?" His voice indicated that he hadn't picked up on her joking tone as he answered, entirely seriously. "Well, no. No griffon lady would do such a thing. It is the man's duty to pursue and convince her, before he can claim her. And...well, I seem to recall that you already rejected me."

Sensing that he had shrunk enough to do so, she pulled herself forwards, wincing slightly as the still partially-inflated knot slipped out from between her labia. "Well, I rejected you from the position of First Consort. Doesn't mean we can't have some fun now and then. Actually, come to think of it, I suppose the title of First Consort more or less implies that there could be OTHER consorts too. Maybe you'd like to apply for the position of SECOND Consort too?" She was mainly joking, but the idea took hold. Korlin HAD pretty much said straight-out that she didn't care one whit about any purely sexual encounters she had on the side, and keeping a griffon emissary around in her camp permanently would be advantageous from a purely strategical perspective too...

"I'll... have to think about it." His answer suggested that he had, once again, missed her attempt at humor entirely. Apparently, griffons weren't big on joking around. Pulling herself up to sitting position, she decided to help his thinking along a bit by licking his cock clean. It was something she habitually did for Korlin, and she'd grown to enjoy the odd taste of mixed cum and pussy-juice. The sensitive cockhead twitched as her tongue caressed it, but she heard no groans or moans from above - the result of a deliberate effort, she suspected.

Once she had cleaned it to her satisfaction - and hopefully his - she swiftly rolled out from under him and jumped to her feet, feeling refreshed, if a little sore. Her belly bulged slightly from the swollen conditions of her womb, and she'd have to find out what the local toilet-conditions were like soon... but for now, she was rather enjoying the sensation, and besides, she wanted to start questioning her potential Second Consort while he was still hard and thus prone to poor judgment.

Not bothering to get dressed, she sat on her bed, smiling at the griffon. Like the High Pinion, there was no way his beak could allow him to reciprocate, but she nonetheless got the impression of a somewhat nervous smile from him. Something about the set of his eyes. "So, now that I've worked off some steam... do you mind if I ask you a few questions about the local political process? You seem to know your way around it, and I could use your insights..." He nodded almost instantly, and her smile broadened as she began to ask him about the specifics of the Great Wing and the High Pinion.

It was an interesting and delicately balanced system, as it turned out. The Great Wing met to discuss matters pertaining to all griffonkind, and to elect the next High Pinion from their numbers when the old one shuffled off. However, once a High Pinion was elected, he generally ruled for life, and he had the ultimate say on any matter - with the Great Wing generally serving as an advisory body. There was, however, one exception to both of those statements - a united Wing could trump the High Pinion. If his decision was nay'd by all of the other Pinions, they would carry the motion - at which point any of their numbers could call a Vote of No Confidence against him, which could be carried by a simple majority. This was an EXTREMELY rare event, but considering the blemish it would leave on the former High Pinion's honor - and indeed, that of his entire family - it was something every High Pinion took great pains to prevent. Thus, while he could generally rule by decree, any sense that the political winds were turning against him would usually prompt a change of heart. On the other hand, the High Pinion DID wield enormous authority under most circumstances, so the other Pinions were usually reluctant to speak out against his decision unless they were sure of a certain amount of support from their peers.

The problem for Sayn, thus, was that while several of the Pinions favored a further alliance with her, the High Pinion DIDN'T. Her new 'advisor' looked somewhat shamefaced as he admitted that his mission to court her hadn't been authorized by the High Pinion himself, but rather had been independently sponsored by his own father and a handful of other Pinions who agreed on that course, at least in theory. While he would never show it in public, the High Pinion was incensed by this move, and while he was not generally given to acts of petty revenge, those who had quietly supported the treaty back then were now afraid to speak up and thus identify themselves as co-conspirators.

"Well, maybe I can convince the High Pinion to change his mind... it's not like he'll have any problem getting support from the Wing if he does, is it? If I could just talk things over with him in private, I'm sure I could... persuade him to see things differently." She was already starting to make plans on how she'd go about that when her guest shook his head. "Perhaps you could, but I doubt you would get the chance. The High Pinion is a very private individual, and there are many who would lay claim to his time. It is entirely up to him who he grants a private audience to, and his personal guard - the Talons - will enforce that right vigorously. You can apply for an audience, of course, but I sincerely doubt he'd grant it."

Of course, it would never be that easy, she groused, biting her lower lip as she pondered her options. "What about the other Pinions, then? Could I talk to them in private if I wanted to?" He immediately nodded. "Of course. Most of them are probably expecting you to call on them soon. That is how the political process works around here. If you convince enough of the Pinions to support your case - usually by offering them individual concessions - the High Pinion will usually go along with it. Of course, in this particular case, you'd need a significant number of Pinions on your side - a functional majority at the very least. My father and his usual supporters wouldn't be enough by themselves, which is why they held their voices during today's meeting. And you'll probably have to modify the treaty in our favor regardless, just to prevent the High Pinion from losing face."

She sighed, leaning back on her bed, stretching her back. "I see. So the three-day break is basically supposed to give me time to draft a more acceptable treaty, and trawl for allies amongst the Pinions. And even if I manage to get a number of supporters to vote my way, the High Pinion could still veto the whole thing if he feels like the treaty doesn't favor the griffons enough. At which point I assume there'd be another three-day break as we do the whole thing over again." Looking slightly uncomfortable, her visitor nodded. She sighed again. "Well, I don't have time for that. I barely have three days to spend. I'll need to make absolutely sure the next version goes through. And the High Pinion's well aware of the fact that I'm in a hurry, I have no doubt... which means he's banking on that forcing me to give concessions left and right and accept a ludicrously lopsided treaty just so I can move on."

Her face hardened, and she sat up again. "Well, we'll just have to see about that. Where can I find the Pinions?" The griffon looked somewhat nervous at her stone-faced determination as he replied. "Well, they've all got private nests in the mountainside below, or on other nearby peaks. Such places are important for... private meetings." Her face split into a smirk at the pause in the last sentence. "Right... and for taking their 'conquests', no? Well, whatever. I'll start with your father and work my way out from there. I trust you're willing to transport me around to them all?" He nodded without much in the way of hesitation, but then seemed to gather his courage to say something. "I have to warn you... if you're planning to use your... ahem... 'charms' on them, you will not find a receptive audience."

Sayn lifted an eyebrow at this. "Oh? YOU seemed receptive enough..." He squirmed under her gaze. "Well, yes, but I'm... different. I've appreciated the human form since my early adolescence. It is a... shameful thing. My father caught me admiring a human woman as she bathed in a spring beneath our mountain home, which is why he knew about it - and sent me to court you. Making the best of a bad situation. He is a wise man." Chewing on that for a bit, Sayn remembered what Cybra - who was currently guarding her 'front door' along with her riding-beast - had said on the way. "If it's such a shameful thing to like humans... does that mean you haven't told everyone here about our liaison?"

He froze at that question, then breathed deeply. "Well, of course I have. It is expected, however humiliating it might be. Although... I'll admit, it wasn't as bad as I had feared, even when I reported to the Pinions. I was afraid they would mock me, but at worst, they just scoffed and said that there was no real accomplishment in anything I'd done - that any griffon could have done as well or better. The pleasure I had given you was simply a result of my race - the strength and virility of a griffon." Sayn's smirk deepened, and she nodded. "I see, I see... so basically, only a pervert would enjoy the company of a human woman, is that right?" His replying nod was rather curt, but she laughed it off and ran a slender hand over his beak as she walked over to him. "Very well, then... I'll take your warning into consideration. Now, let us go and talk to your father - we have a full day ahead of us, and we probably will tomorrow, too."

As she walked towards her bags to pick out her NICE dress - it wouldn't do to engage in political intrigue while wearing her dusty travel-clothes, after all - she paused in midstride to touch her swollen belly. "Actually... before that, I needed to ask how... uhm... 'toilet'-type functions are around here?" The griffon blinked at the sudden change of subject, then pointed towards her bed with one talon. "Well, we procured a chamberpot for your use..." She followed the talon to spot the relevant piece of furniture, half-hidden underneath the bed. It had clearly been cleaned recently, but like the rest of the room, it bore clear signs of extensive use. She grimaced. "I... see. So, where do you GRIFFONS do your business?" He shrugged in reply. "We have a communal waste-pit. That perplexing taboo about bodily excretions that humans seem to hold is not found in our kind." She winced, and changed direction to grab her sweaty travel-clothes again. "Right. Communal toilet-facilities. Lead the way, by all means. First, bodily needs. THEN political maneuvering."

"Sir, The Beastmaker is here with her escort. She requests a meeting with you." Looking up from the tablet he had been studying, he glanced over at his secretary, and then up at the sky. It was past noon... and a full day since the meeting of the Great Wing. He had expected to see her well before now. Apparently, he was not as high on her list as he had assumed. Or perhaps his peers had just given her a harder time than she had counted on. "Well, it's about time..." he said out loud, shifting in his nest. His secretary looked around uncomfortably for a few seconds, before he raised his voice again in annoyance. "Well, what are you waiting for? Show her in!" The young female jumped slightly, bowed her head in acknowledgment, and quickly ran out of the secluded glade he had converted into his private nest. Her tail swayed invitingly as she left, reminding him once again why he hadn't replaced her despite her complete absence of initiative, creativity, or indeed any ability to do anything she hadn't been specifically ordered to do.

He looked around his nest as he waited for her to return with the guest, ascertaining that nothing was out of place or looked anything less than stunning. He was proud to claim that he had the finest and most beautiful private nest in the entire Great Aviary region - and no female he'd invited there had ever said otherwise. It was a small plateau near the top of a peak neighboring the Great Aviary itself, inaccessible to any ground-walker. Here, a natural spring had created a small, sparkling pool, enabling a carpet of lush, yet sturdy mountain-grass to grow - as well as a glade of equally-sturdy mountain pine. His servants had cleared away a number of them to create an artificial clearing with a stunning view of the small lake, while the remaining trees provided privacy (and did a fine job muffling sound, too.)

Only a single path had been cut through the dense evergreens, enabling access to his nest - and this was sealed by a living door of woven-together tree-branches when not in use. This door opened now to allow entry for his secretary, as well as the slightly-built ground-walker he had previously seen at the Highest Perch yesterday. The simple clothes she had worn then had been replaced by a fragile-looking dress of multicolored silks - a vain attempt to imitate the brilliant plumage of griffonkind, no doubt. He nodded curtly at his secretary, dismissing her with a quick gesture of his beak, and then waved The Beastmaker closer.

She approached him with surprisingly graceful movements, for a human, and he couldn't help but notice the way her dress moved with her - or how much of her bare skin was exposed by it. Well, of course he'd notice something so strange as bare skin. A truly odd kind of creature, these humans, walking around with so little natural protection. She bowed before him - deeper, he noticed, than she had during her first meeting with the Great Wing - and smiled brilliantly as he returned it with a nod. It seemed like her respect for griffonkind was already growing. "Thank you for agreeing to meet with me, Pinion. I have been wanting to talk to you ever since our first meeting at the Highest Perch, but I fear it took me a while to work up the courage to approach you. Your reputation precedes you, and for one still uninitiated in the griffon ways, it is intimidating."

He felt his chest swell at her words, despite the obvious flattery in them. It didn't hurt that she pronounced his title with something approaching the right tone - it was still far from perfect, but just the fact that a human was trying to master the griffon's way of referring to each other by tone was somewhat impressive. It certainly showed a surprising level of dedication to this alliance she was proposing. And besides, it's not like she was wrong - he WAS one of the most respected of the Pinions, and a likely contender for the High Pinion's perch once the old fellow finally gave up the ghost. Although, of course, he seemed to be maneuvering for that perch as well, what with starting this entire 'alliance' debacle.

Keeping his thoughts to himself, however, he simply nodded pleasantly. "I am happy to receive you any time, Beastmaker - you are an honored guest of our people, after all, and your visit here carries long-ranging implications for our entire race. Indeed, I have been looking forwards to debating the merits of your proposed treaty with you in private. While I share some of the High Pinion's concerns about a lack of restrictions in the treaty as it stands, I am confident that we can find some common ground if we simply try. We are all reasonable creatures, after all."

Her smile was beatific, and she withdrew a folded document from some hiding-place in her dress - though he honestly could not figure out how a dress that tight could conceal ANYTHING. "I am glad to hear you say so, noble Pinion - and I aim to prove you right. I agree that my original treaty-proposal was, perhaps, overly optimistic - considering some of the unfair treatment and territorial incursions your proud race have suffered from short-sighted humans over the years." He nodded in reply, feeling his mood suddenly plummet at the reference. The mountain that was home to his clan's nest was apparently also host to a large quantity of some mineral or other that was valuable to ground-walkers - and as a result, the foothills had been besieged by mining-operations. His warriors had fought valiantly to defend their territory, and had at least managed to inflict enough casualties on the invaders to dissuade them from advancing further up the mountain in search of additional veins. But many warriors had also lost their lives, and the day when he had finally conceded the foothills to the ground-walkers had been one of the most humiliating in his life.

He tore his mind away from the past as she unrolled the document she was carrying and showed it to him. It was written in the common trade-tongue of humankind, which any decently-educated griffon knew as well. Whether you liked them or not, after all, humans were too common to ignore, and being able to understand their communications was important - whether for diplomacy or tactical espionage. The document detailed a revised treaty, and he felt his eyes widen at the contents.

It was generous, certainly, and addressed every point of concern that he and his allies had raised when the proposed alliance was first brought up. It detailed limitations on how often and to what degree The Beastmaker could call on them for aid, including a clause about it being conditional on favorable internal circumstances, ensuring that the High Pinion could withhold his soldiers if they were needed to defend griffon lands. It stated specific requirements for rapid and effective intervention by The Beastmaster in the event of ground-walker incursions in their lands, as well as mentioning punitive damages should she fail to respond in a timely manner. It even granted them the right to veto military actions within their zone of interest, and to claim additional territory - with her support - if it proved strategically necessary.

It was literally the best alliance he - or all griffonkind - could have hoped for, and he had to focus carefully on not seeming too eager. If anything, this just proved that the whispers he'd heard - about The Beastmaker being in a major hurry to gather allies for an upcoming battle - were true. And if it was, he could probably get even more concessions out of her. "Well, this certainly seems good..." he finally said, carefully loading a trace of reluctance into his voice. "But I fear that some of our more human-hostile Pinions might still be reluctant to approve of it - the High Pinion amongst them, though I would appreciate it if you did not quote me on that."

She nodded, seemingly not suspecting anything. "I am aware of that... which is why I've come to you. Your voice carries great weight, and your support would go a long way towards convincing those who are still undecided. If you would stand with me on this, it would mean a great deal to me..." Her smile took on a slight twist as she pointed towards one of the last clauses of the treaty-proposal. "Let me put it this way... I'm sure you've noticed that the treaty includes the option of strategically-necessary expansions of griffon territory, yes? Well, I've heard about the troubles your clan have had with mining-operations in the past. If you'll support me on this, I would be happy to declare the lands you lost at that time 'strategically necessary'. The invaders will be driven out by my forces, and the mountain will be yours again. Think of how happy your clan will be to see that happen - and how much easier the spirits of your lost warriors will rest!"

He narrowed his eyes, feeling the surge of eagerness inside of him threatening to escape. Yes... to see them driven out of his clan's ancestral lands would be glorious indeed... and it would be a nice little detail to help reinforce his bid for High Pinion in the future. Considering the number of enemies she had amongst her own kind, there was no way she could redirect enough forces to perform such services for any of his peers as well, so he'd stand out as a canny negotiator. Of course, that was assuming that she would actually honor such a claim. "You are sure you can afford to release so many of your forces for such duties?" It wasn't exactly the question he WANTED to ask, but it would serve. She merely nodded, confidently. "Of course - I would not suggest it otherwise. I swear on my title and my honor that it will be done - contingent, of course, on this version of the treaty being passed."

He nodded somewhat absentmindedly as he read through the document again, making sure he hadn't missed any small print. Passing THIS treaty wouldn't be a problem. Even the High Pinion wouldn't have anything to complain about. "Very well then. You have my support, and my vote. I feel confident that, with my voice added to those supporters I know you already have - him and his allies - the opposition will melt away." He looked up and blinked in surprise. He hadn't noticed that she'd approached him further while he was focused on the document - by now, she was kneeling in the grass within arm's reach of his head. And her smile had taken on a different sort of twist.

"I'm glad to hear that..." she said, a playful tone in her voice. "Guess that's all the official business taken care of then." He lifted an eyebrow at her tone. "Ahem. Yes. Why, was there some OTHER business you had with me?" She nodded, tilting her head coquettishly to the side. "Well, yes, to be honest... you see, there's another reason why I found it difficult to work up the courage to approach you. At the Highest Perch, when I first arrived... you kind of caught my eye." Her slender arm reached out with such languid grace that it did not occur to him to move his head, and her hand began to caress his beak. "Such a strong, fierce contour to your beak... and such brilliant luster to your plumage." Her other hand was suddenly on his neck, moving down and around it, creating a whispering sound as it moved through the feathers.

He swallowed, suddenly noticing how deep and large her eyes were - gentle and brown, like a doe's, lacking the sharpness of a griffon's eagle-eyes. The hand on his beak was moving lower, to his chest where his flight-muscles bulged. "Not to mention that chiseled musculature of yours - such a strong, vigorous body, combined with the wisdom of your years. It... excites me." He cleared his throat, struggling to work up the willpower to pull his head and body away from her caress, and failing. Well, this was HIS nest, anyway, right? Why should he retreat? "That's... very nice of you to say. And I certainly can't blame you for being blinded by my physique. But I fear I cannot return your interest - I'm a griffon, and you are a human. I'm sure you understand."

She pulled away from him - of course she did - and he felt suddenly bad. Perhaps he could've let her down a little easier. She was a valuable ally, after all. But she was still smiling, even as she got to her feet. "Oh, I understand... but is it such a bad thing to be human?" Her hands were caressing her own body now, pulling on the delicate dress which suddenly seemed to be coming apart, turning into a light cloud of fabric that drifted down around her now-naked form to settle around her feet. Her hands did not stop their caress.

"We have such useful things at our disposal, after all... like hands. Hands that can tickle and caress and pull and grip your feathers in the throes of ecstasy. And smooth, smooth skin, which would feel like nothing you'd ever felt before as it grinds against the fur of your loins." One of her hands rose to her head, where the fingers traced the contours of her lips, before plunging inside. She sucked passionately on two of her fingers for a moment before starting to talk again. "And smooth, smooth lips, leading into a tight, wet mouth... so different from your majestic beak, isn't it? It has many uses beyond just talking. Many ways that it can be used to pleasure a man. Licking and sucking on the nipples you're hiding in your chest-fur. Planting kisses on that magnificent beak of yours. Gently stimulating your testicles as they produce a womb-filling load of delicious sperm."

Her other hand was caressing the spot between her legs now. It looked noticeably wet. She was bending over him, giving him a first-class view of her dangling, plump breasts - so different from the teats of a female griffon, which were only swollen when she had newly-hatched chicks. Her voice continued, in hushed, whispering tones now. "I talked to the Remex assigned to see to my needs - the one who first showed my body the magnificence of the griffon race - and he told me about how you scoffed when he reported back about his accomplishments. You said that pleasuring one such as I was no deed worth mentioning, that any griffon could have done the same or better. But words are cheap, are they not? Can your pride really allow them to stand unsupported? Here is your chance to prove it - that you are superior to that young upstart. Show me what kind of picture one with your skill and virility can paint on the same canvas."

Those words lit a sudden flare in his mind. He had been trying to find the right words to turn her down for the past several minutes, but finding none in his suddenly-blank brain. But what she was saying now... well, it made sense, didn't it? He had, perhaps, been overly quick to speak during that meeting. He was confident in his own sexual skills, to be sure, but humans WERE quite different creatures, after all. Having never tried one, he couldn't really know how easy - or hard - it might be to pleasure a human woman. Indeed, his pride demanded that he prove to himself that he had not been spouting empty words! However... distasteful it might be, it was his duty as a griffon and a Pinion to back them up with action. And besides, this woman was clearly smitten with him - and she was a valuable ally to his entire race. Leaving a positive impression on her could only be beneficial.

Finally finding his voice, he spoke up, surprised at how hoarse he sounded. "Perhaps you have a point - certainly, I would not wish to leave you thinking that a Pinion lacks the skills to back up his word. Very well. I'll show you the difference in skill between a Pinion and a mere Remex. You may consider this an opportunity to also showcase these human advantages that you keep talking about." He pushed himself up from the seated position he'd been in since she entered, and suddenly noticed that he was already quite hard, his tool halfway out of the sheath. Well, his body had never failed to rise to the call of duty, so really, why should it start now?

She wasted little time, he'd grant her that. As soon as he was up, her lithe body dove sinuously below him, her hands tracing the contours of his chest as it passed from feathers to fur. He couldn't resist twitching a bit as he felt her hot breath on his sensitive cockhead, and a small, half-strangled sound escaped his beak when her lips closed around it, enfolding it in a warm, wet container. Her tongue was dancing around his bristles, teasing at them, while her hands roamed down his shaft to caress his sheath, brushing through the delicate fur that covered it. One hand continued further back to cup and gently massage his testes, forcing him to concede - quietly - that there might be something to this whole 'mouth and hands' thing after all. Certainly, the idea of oral sex with a female griffon was as hilarious as it was terrifying.

Under that treatment, it didn't take his erection long to finish emerging, hardening fully while his knot primed itself for inflation. He could feel her hands running over the four bulges that made up his knot, tracing their contours and testing their subtle texture with light squeezes. The delightful suction she'd been applying to his cockhead disappeared, and she started speaking in a somewhat breathless tone. "Well, it's certainly BIGGER than a Remex's, I'll give you that... no way I can fit all that in my pussy. You won't be able to get the knot in." He snorted, trying to hide how pleased he was to hear that. Any halfway decent lover knew that there was a lot more to mating than just size, but it WAS still a factor - and the reminder that he was quite well equipped in that department never hurt. He was tempted to say something about the limitations of the human body, but doing so would've been both petty and dishonest - many griffon maidens had found the size of his tool difficult to deal with as well, which was why he had developed his knotless technique far more completely than most of his peers.

"Allow me to preemptively make it up to you..." Her voice was silenced as her mouth reapplied itself to more important matters. Her tongue roamed up and down the length of his shaft, her breath tickling the wetted skin as she lavished her attention on it. Her hands started moving even faster than before, stroking the spit-slickened surface as she made her way back up to the sensitive head. By the time it disappeared into the hot, tight confines of her mouth again, his loins were vibrating with the suppressed urge to thrust - the entire experience was unfamiliar and exotic to him, the feeling of rising pleasure without even moving. It wasn't such a bad thing, though - letting her do all the work for a bit. Sure, it didn't show off his skills, but that would come later. For now, it was a suitable way for her to demonstrate her appreciation and dedication.

His knot was swelling, now, in response to the oral stimulation. One of her hands rested on it as it did, feeling its growing size and hardness with what he assumed was a sense of awe. Apparently, it motivated her to redouble her efforts - soon, both hands were moving together, firmly stroking his shaft, while her head started rotating and moving back and forth. The delightful suction and the seemingly tireless tongue never let up either, and he soon found it difficult to maintain his stance. His haunches flexed in instinctive little half-thrusts, pushing deeper into her mouth, touching the back of her throat... but she didn't seem to mind, and merely continued her eager ministrations.

Finally, with a barely-suppressed groan, he came, feeling his seed flood into her mouth. The suction around his suddenly extra-sensitive head redoubled as she swallowed repeatedly, hands still working to milk every drop from his shaft. Apparently, though, she had her limits - and before he was done, he heard her coughing as the moist pressure of her mouth disappeared from his cockhead. When finally his orgasm ended, he watched her emerge from beneath his flanks with half his load splattered across her face, chest and hair, smiling naughtily through the goo as she wiped it off with two fingers, scooping dollops of it into her mouth.

Normally, he had to fight through the post-orgasmic sense of ennui, working himself up to round two. But this time, he felt his cock twitch with renewed hardness almost immediately, as he watched her bend over in front of him without a word, wriggling her naked buttocks in the air as an invitation. Eagerly, he pounced, covering her lithe, naked body with his muscular bulk, thrusting his hips as he sought and found her wet and waiting pussy. The labia parted easily before his tapered head, and the abundant lubrication within guided him swiftly into her deepest depths. In a single, smooth stroke, he bottomed out - his still-inflated knot bouncing up against her mound.

Already, he was noticing some differences compared to the griffon maidens he was used to. The angle, for one, was slanted decidedly downwards, putting some pressure on the top of his cock. It made sense - she was resting with her head on her arms, body angled towards the ground to give him an easier mark in her pussy. Her body was simply too small for him to mount her as he would a griffon - and she could never have supported his weight even if that wasn't the case. He would need to adjust his thrusting-techniques to adapt to that.

And that, of course, was on top of busting out his best knot-free moves. Long, calm, carefully-measured thrusts, he reminded himself. Don't let your instincts set the pace - if you do, you'll slip out. He could feel her small, furless body writhe beneath him as he began to move, and shivered himself at the sensation of the tiny bristles surrounding his cockhead brushing over her insides. Slow out, fast in. There was no need to hold back when thrusting forwards. His full bulk was behind the movement, drawing a moan from his partner as the knot once again mashed against her groin, stimulating her clit in the process.

As he fell into the familiar pace - which had delighted many a griffon-maiden before - he found that the differences were as delightful as the similarities. The hot, tight wetness around his cock was the same that he was used to, and the feeling of a feminine body moving beneath him was the same as well. The sounds she was making - little mewls and moans - were quite a bit different, softer and less sharp than what he was used to hearing from his conquests... but pleasantly so. And the way her body felt beneath him - so small and vulnerable - wasn't so bad either. It made him feel bigger, stronger, more masculine. In a sense, he realized, a human woman could be far more feminine than a griffon - their soft skin and weak bodies putting them far apart from the strength and fierceness of a female griffon.

Feeling the way her body writhed beneath him - so receptive and vulnerable - he was soon climbing towards another climax. She, of course, was way ahead of him on that count. He'd been paying attention to the way her pussy clamped down on his cock, noticing the successions of rapid-fire contractions that signaled an orgasm. By his count, she'd already cum at least five times, and the space between the climaxes was getting shorter as he became increasingly confident in applying his skills to the smaller, more fragile human body. Her moans rose noticeably in pitch as he began to apply his favorite trick - one that could only be used during knot-free sex, involving a slight twist to his loins that maximized the stimulation his bristles inflicted within her. He had also gauged the exact length of her pussy, increasing the speed of his out-thrust with the confidence that he'd be able to stop before he slipped out.

The rhythm of their breathing rose in unison as he approached his orgasm, and hers grew more densely clustered. The wet smacks of his knot hitting her pussy-lips resounded in the clearing, and her hands gripped his forelegs, squeezing tightly. He could feel his balls begin to buzz as they prepared another load, and quickened his pace as much as he dared, eager to unleash it into the waiting snatch. Finally, his voice emerged as a deep, resounding groan, and he pushed as far forwards as he could, forcing the subtle labia restraining his knot to cave in around it. Powerful spurts of hot cum emerged from the tip of his tool, rapidly filling her womb.

As the orgasmic paroxysms subsided, he relaxed for a bit, leaving his shaft still half-buried inside her as he caught his breath. He could feel the cum pushing back alongside it, taking advantage of the absence of a sealing knot to begin leaking out around the edges of her (by now probably somewhat bruised) pussy-lips. Below him, he could hear her moaning as the steady string of orgasms she'd experienced for the past several minutes began to fade into afterglow. She was moving slightly, even as he stood still, languidly pumping her rump back and forth against his continued erection.

"Mhmm... that was great..." she said from beneath him, a slightly breathless catch in her voice. "Oooo... it feels so good inside me. I need to feel it ALL. Please... take my ass. Go all the way deep. Push your knot through my sphincter and tie us together... fill me with your cum again..." A shiver ran through his feathers as her honey-smooth voice caressed his ears. Well, it wouldn't do to leave a lady wanting, would it? And he had at least one more good shot left in him. Anal sex, though... that was a serious challenge, one sought by only the truly confident males. Convincing a female to try it in the first place took some doing, and once you actually got there, it took careful self-control and a great deal of skill to make it a pleasurable experience for both parties. A bit of over-eagerness, a bit too much force, and you could very easily lose your conquest, and turn a young griffon off of anal sex forever.

But this girl was downright eager. And he remembered well the young Remex's story - he'd barely fit in her pussy, but her ass had enough space for him to move properly. Which meant that she probably COULD accommodate him there... barely. Willing his knot to deflate, he pulled his still-hard rod out of her pussy, and immediately felt her shift beneath him. She was raising her upper body, changing the angle of her groin to present him with a different target. Pushing forwards experimentally, he felt a tight ring part reluctantly around his tapered, cum-covered cockhead, and carefully, gradually, he continued the push. With surprising ease, his bristle-covered head slipped inside, the tight ring closing around the slightly narrower spot behind it.

Restraining himself from being too over-eager, he continued to inch forwards, finding a hot, tight, receptive orifice waiting for him as he went. The entire length of his shaft slid neatly inside, lubricated by the layer of their mingled juices that clung to it. Finally, he felt his knot - kept uninflated by an exertion of will - push up against her sphincter. It was a slightly gooey feeling - the tight ring was clearly coated in surplus lubrication, scraped off as his shaft went inside. He could feel her grip on his forelegs tighten as she braced against them, and bunched his muscles. This part, there was no way to do gently. All he could do was to make it fast, and hope that the entrance itself carried enough lubrication by now to cover his unwetted knot.

He jabbed forwards powerfully, the claws on his hind legs digging into the grass, and heard her sharp intake of breath. Her ass was stretching around his knot, clamping down painfully hard on the spongy tissue, and he quickly pushed onward. The two of them groaned in unison when his knot popped fully inside, her asshole rapidly contracting around the slimmer base of his cock. He was fully inside of her now, the dark tightness of her ass squeezing down on his full length. He could feel his cockhead curving slightly to the left, pushing up against the corner in her intestine - there was precious little space to spare - but she HAD managed to take him fully inside, and already she was beginning to twitch and moan, pushing back against his unmoving loins.

He gritted his beak at the sheer tightness of her ass - it was like a vise clamping down on him. He'd never felt anything like it before. While he'd coaxed female griffons into anal sex before - and taught a fair few to enjoy it - they'd all been older, more mature and experienced ladies. But even if he'd managed to convince a firm-bodied young thing to open her ass for him like this, there was no way a griffon could've been this tight. The difference in body-size was responsible here. Already, he'd lost control over his knot, and it was rapidly swelling to full size, making her moan further below. Hardly a wonder - fully expanded, if would be the size of both of her fists.

He struggled with his self-control as he started to move - inasmuch as he COULD move at all. Her asshole was already bulging out around the base of his swollen knot, and as he pulled back, he could feel it open further, made elastic by the workout it had been recently put through to allow the entrance of his unswollen knot. Well, there was certainly no danger of him slipping out at this time - but this stretchiness bought him a precious inch of movement-space. When he pushed forwards again, allowing the sphincter to once again close on the base of his tool, he felt the head curving further forwards. It was an odd sensation, but not altogether unpleasant, and it gave him a bit more space as he pushed partially around the bend in her intestine, deeper than any male could ever have gone before.

Having thus measured out how much space he had to work with, he began to move in earnest, using every bit of it to maximum effect. The stance was his biggest problem - his instincts cried out for him to firmly grip the wing-base of his mate, to anchor himself as he took full advantage of the powerful muscles of his hindquarters - but there was no way he could do that here. Determined not to get tripped up at this late hour, he dug his talons into the ground, feeling their tips scrape across the solid rock of the mountainside below, and braced himself against it.

Bit by bit, he accelerated his thrusts, gradually becoming accustomed to the unusual stance he had been forced to assume. As his comfort grew, so did his speed, and soon his loins were a blur. He could feel her body shaking underneath him, both with the repeated impact of his muscular, furry hindquarters on her bare-skinned ass, and with the frequent orgasms that his furious pace inflicted. He could feel them in the rapid contractions of her ass, making it somehow even tighter than normal. The muscular grip of her rectum, however, was becoming noticeably less forceful - apparently, the muscles were getting tired, worn out by repeated, unsuccessful attempts to squeeze out the invading shaft.

The loosening of her ass eased his thrusts, allowing him to maintain the furious pace despite his mounting exhaustion. It was at times like these that he was forced to face the fact that he wasn't as young as he'd once been. But he'd last long enough to unload one more blast of cum into her - already, it was beginning to build, in his wildly-swinging ball-sack and within him. The tingling sensation that warned of an impending climax. Clamping his beak tightly shut, he redoubled the force of his thrusts, deliberately pushing his loins into her rear as he sought to force her forwards and down.

He could feel her destabilizing underneath him, her knees and legs slipping on the smooth grass. With a final, keening shout, he pushed forwards with his entire body-weight, and felt her legs collapse underneath her. He shifted his rear paws, stretching his legs forwards to follow her down, covering her body completely with his own. His cockhead was bent almost painfully sideways as it nestled in the depths of her ass, and there it began to spray the payload of his aching balls into her. She was shaking, caught between the ground and his heavy body as the sperm flooded deep inside - still cumming even now. He kept his forelegs carefully stretched, making sure he wasn't putting undue weight on her torso - wouldn't do to suffocate her, after all.

As his orgasm began to fade out, and his overstretched muscles started to protest the unnatural pose he was in, he carefully pulled his legs underneath his body and sank down into a more normal pose. He was half-lying, half-sitting now, with his lower body covering most of hers, leaving her legs sticking out behind his tail, and her head and shoulders remaining uncovered as he kept his forelegs stretched and his upper body angled upwards. It was as relaxed a pose as he could manage without crushing her, and it allowed him to clearly feel the contours of her body against his fur. The plump softness of her buttocks pushing against his loins, her shapely thighs beneath. The narrow, muscular back resting against his belly, her arms stretched back along her body, gripping the long fur there. He wasn't sure exactly when she'd relinquished her vise-like grip on his forelegs, but he really didn't mind the sensation of her fingers tangling in his fur.

They rested for a time like that, tied together by his still-swollen knot as he waited for it to deflate. Sure, he COULD have used his willpower to force it to do so, but he was feeling rather tired after such a vigorous ride, and somehow just couldn't summon up the energy. Besides, he didn't have any other engagements that day, so what was the hurry, really? SHE wasn't complaining, anyway. In fact, based on the way her ass was still rhythmically clamping down on his gradually-flagging erection, she was enjoying it fully.

When at last, in due time, his knot shrank back down, he lifted his body with a sigh, pulling up and back. Her asshole resisted only briefly before releasing the deflated knot with a sucking sound, and he stepped quickly back to admire his handiwork. Her ass gaped wide-open in his absence, briefly giving him a glance at the dark-red insides - then it scrunched itself back together, disappearing between the fleshy globules of her buttocks. His sharp eyes followed the shapely hump as she pulled her legs under her and got to her feet, looking none the worse for wear. Except, perhaps, for the partially-dried cum caked all across her face and chest, liberally mixed with sweat.

He gestured towards the sparkling mountain lake next to them, trying to marshal his words again after spending the last hour or so making only bestial groans and cries. "Feel free to avail yourself to the facilities if you need to... freshen up." She just smiled at him and took two quick steps to the lakeshore, plunging into what he knew to be ice-cold water. He caught himself holding his breath as she disappeared under the glittering surface for a long minute, only to emerge like a fever-vision - droplets of water decorating her skin like jewels, long hair darkened by the moisture as it clung to her form.

She strode onto the shore, wringing the water from her hair, goosebumps rising on her naked flesh as she shivered slightly. "Well, that was refreshing!" she commented. "Now, if only I had something warm and fuzzy to cuddle up to while I dry out..." Her smile was sweet and suggestive, and he swallowed reflexively as he gestured towards his moss-lined nest with one wing. "By all means - I would never leave a lady high and... well, wet." Her laughter was like a tinkling of tiny bells as she walked towards the nest, and he quickly curled up there so that he'd be ready to receive her. Humor was always a hit with the ladies, he thought with a satisfied smirk in his otherwise-sharp eyes.

She squatted next to his head, caressing his neck as she leaned in and planted a kiss on the hard surface of his beak - then quickly following up with several more before she rolled up against his belly, shivering slightly. He felt lightly dazed - it was an oddly human gesture of intimacy and affection, but he had no trouble interpreting it. It wasn't that far from the griffon custom of rubbing your beaks together, after all. The smell of her wet hair and body wafted into his nostrils as she massaged his chest with her shoulders, seemingly trying to push herself all the way into his belly-fur.

A slender hand reached up from where she was nestled to touch his beak, caressing it slowly. Already tired after three orgasms and a lot of vigorous exercise, he let the sense of lethargy and relaxation wash over him as he absentmindedly pushed his head against her hand. "Well, you're definitely on another level than a Remex..." she said lazily, and he felt a rush of pleasure at her words. "Well, of course - an honorable Pinion would never say more than he could back up. And... well, I suppose your points about human advantages are well-taken, too." He added the last bit a bit lamely, loath to make the admittance, but the delighted giggle it drew from her somehow made it entirely worth it.

"Hmm... you know, I hate to pull the subject back to business, but you've been such a gracious and generous host, I feel like I can get away with asking a favor of you..." Her voice was still playful, but he perked up his head at the word 'business'. Well... it couldn't hurt to just hear her out. She HAD given him a memorable experience and some new insights into humanity, after all. Maybe a small favor wouldn't be a problem - just to improve relations for future encounters. "What did you have in mind?" he asked, struggling to pull his tired mind back into something resembling 'business-mode'.

"Well... just a symbolic gesture of support, really. I'm still worried about the High Pinion nixing the revised treaty if there's anything less than an overwhelming majority for it. And I know that some of the other Pinions who might be inclined to vote for it are reluctant to do so, for fear of retaliation. But if someone widely-respected - someone who isn't afraid of the High Pinion - made a show of support, they'd rally around him, don't you think?" He tried to look thoughtful as she talked. Obviously, she was worrying about nothing - even the High Pinion would leap at the revised treaty. But apparently, getting shut down by the entire Great Wing during their first meeting had made her a tad paranoid. Well, if he could make her feel better with an entirely unnecessary show of support, that was fine too. With the treaty she was bringing to the Highest Perch next time, no-one would blame him for supporting her.

"Well, I'm not afraid of him. He might be a bit of a hidebound old stick-in-the-mud, but he's also an honorable griffon, and he'd never be so petty as to let political disagreements spill over into personal attacks. But I suppose not all of my peers know him as well as I do. Perhaps a gesture of support from me could calm their worries." She nodded - he couldn't see it, pressed against his chest and belly as she was, but he could feel her head move against his fur. "That would be wonderful... and I know just the way to do it. You see, before I present the new treaty, I'll be presenting the old one again. I've talked to a couple of the other Pinions - those who supported the alliance to begin with - and they've agreed to voice support for it this time around. It'll erode the High Pinion's confidence, and make him less inclined to try and shut down the revised version. Well, of course, there's no chance of the original treaty passing - even if it somehow got a majority, he WOULD shoot that one down. But if you voiced support for the original as well... I'm sure you can see what kind of impact that would have."

He chewed on the idea a bit. Well, it certainly WOULD have a forceful impact on both the High Pinion and those of his peers who were still uncertain about the necessity of an alliance. Of course, it also seemed a tad risky - some might mistake him for genuinely favoring the original treaty, rather than just maneuvering politically. On the other hand, the look on the High Pinion's face would almost be worth the risk all by itself, and he could always explain himself later if any doubts were raised. And it certainly WOULD guarantee with absolute certainty that the revised treaty would be passed - the suggestion that The Beastmaker was successfully rallying support for her original proposal, with the implication that she might gather even more if she had another 3 days for it, would effectively force the High Pinion to accept the new treaty whether he wanted to or not.

"Well..." he finally said "I suppose I COULD do that... just to shake things up a bit. The High Pinion HAS been getting a bit too confident in his control of the Great Wing lately." She squealed in delight and jumped up, wrapping her arms around his neck as she planted several more kisses on and around his beak. Reeling slightly from the assault, he couldn't help but laugh at her childlike enthusiasm and the stream of thank-yous she was emitting in between kisses.

They cuddled for a while longer as she finished drying off, and then she extricated herself from his embrace and went to pick up that elegant dress of hers from the pile it had dropped into. As she pulled on the delicate garment, she looked shyly over her shoulder at him. "Say... I'm aware of the griffon custom of sharing the details of your conquests with your friends, but... if you start talking about, y'know, US at this time, some might get the wrong idea - don't you think?" He nodded, attention somewhat distracted by the way she was moving as she pulled the tauntingly concealing dress on. "So I'm just thinking, maybe you should hold off a bit on sharing it, right? Just 'till after the treaty passes."

He shook his head slightly to clear it. Well, she had a point, certainly - one that hadn't occurred to him. Mixing pleasure and politics had rarely been an issue before, obviously. If he shared his accomplishments as he normally would, some might get the impression that he was supporting the new treaty just because they'd shared a nest for a short while, and not because of the political advantage he would glean from it. Not to mention that some might fail to understand that his HONOR had been at stake - it wasn't as if he was some pervert who'd simply fallen prey to an unnatural attraction to those lithe, bare-skinned humans, after all. Well, once the new treaty was in place, and its advantageousness had permeated fully, there'd be nothing to worry about. Perhaps the increased interaction with humankind would even bring with it a certain... reassessment of the relationship between griffon and human.

Pulling himself out of those thoughts before he got lost in them, he nodded at her. "A wise course of action, perhaps. I trust that you will be discreet as well?" Her eyes glittered as she smiled at him. "Oh, no worries - I won't tell a soul. This will be our little secret, m'kay?" Then she winked at him and - with her dress now fully in place - left his nesting-grounds. He couldn't entirely tear his eyes away from the swaying of her backside until she passed through the tree-branch gate and disappeared from sight. A strange excitement was bubbling inside of him. He'd never had a SECRET liaison before - the whole thing seemed somehow dirtier and more obscene with the realization that he'd keep it from his peers at least for a while.

Once the treaty passed, though... she'd be leaving, wouldn't she? Well, she WAS obviously in a hurry, so that seemed a given. The thought made him sad, somehow. She was, after all, stimulating company. Well, with such a treaty in place, there was bound to be more interaction between them in the future. She might visit the Great Aviary again in the future, or perhaps a Pinion would be required to visit her on official business. It would only be gracious of him to volunteer for such a duty, should it come up. Yes, they'd meet again, of that he felt certain. He also felt something poking at his belly, and glanced down in annoyance. Despite all that vigorous exercise, he was getting hard again! Well, perhaps a human couldn't be expected to fully satisfy a griffon male, much less a Pinion. With a high-pitched whistle, he summoned his secretary. There were, after all, good reasons why he kept her around despite her lack of initiative, and the ability to work off any incidental excess energy he might find himself accumulating was the main one.

Sayn jumped on the Remex's back with a practiced motion, pulling her dress far enough up to prevent it from getting in the way. He yawned sleepily, having been awakened from his nap by her return, and stretched his wings. "How did it go?" he asked, craning his head. She grinned down at him. "Quite well, I'd say. Still, no rest for the wicked! Onward to the next name on the list - you can continue your nap when we get there." He nodded and began beating his wings, taking off into the clear blue sky. She was right, after all - they still had several Pinions to visit before the end of the day.

One by one, the griffons drifted down to the raised platforms that constituted the Highest Perch. The High Pinion had, of course, been the first to arrive, and now watched from the highest of the platforms as his council settled down around him. Satisfaction gleamed in his eyes - whispers had reached him of The Beastmaker selling the Pinions on a far more beneficial treaty than she might have originally planned to, proving that his earlier conclusions about how much of a hurry she was in had been true. If the wording he'd heard had been accurate, he'd be able to reap the benefits of the alliance while sending only a token force to support her.

The Beastmaker herself was last to arrive, mounted on the back of the young Remex who had volunteered for that particular duty. As before, he dropped her off on the lowest of the platform before leaving - perhaps some day, he would sit on the Highest Perch himself, but not today. The Beastmaker seemed confident, and glanced around at the assembled Pinions with a radiant smile, before looking up at the High Pinion himself with a polite nod. "I stand before you again, Great Wing, to propose an alliance between our two factions. As I am sure most of you have heard, I bring a revised treaty before you this time. However, in the past three days, I have discussed the merits of this alliance with many of you on a more direct and personal basis, and I hope that I have changed a few hearts along the way."

Her smile was lopsided as she raised an open hand towards the High Pinion in a gesture of supplication. "And so, before we proceed, I will once again propose the treaty I came here with in the first place: Support me when I have need of your strength, and I will safeguard your borders and intercede on your behalf in any conflict with humanity." The High Pinion nodded thoughtfully, carefully restraining the impulse to roll his eyes. This, too, he had been forewarned of. A couple of his detractors would be voting in favor this time, and they were probably hoping to see him shocked at it. Hah. "Certainly, honored guest. I have already stated my own opinion on the loose formulation of this proposal, but I have no objection to giving the Great Wing a chance to reassess it." He panned his sharp eyes across the assembled Pinions, and noticed a few fidgeting slightly. Were they the ones who were planning to support that ludicrous treaty just to put a talon in his eye, or the ones who kind of wanted to but lacked the guts? Well, one way to find out.

"You have heard the proposal. All in favor, sound out." The noise was near-deafening as over a dozen griffons keened in unison. The High Pinion nearly fell from his perch, legs weakening under him as he heard the cacophonous symphony, instinctively sorted and identified the voices, and realized that the entire Great Wing had just voted against him. His eyes darted around as the noise ended just as suddenly as it had begun, and he saw the Pinions looking around at each other with surprise and disbelief written across their faces. Then he looked down at the lowest of the platform, to see The Beastmaker waiting to catch his eyes with her own. They burned with triumph, and her previously brilliant smile had turned into a confident, self-satisfied smirk.

Her voice was like steel as it sounded out again. "Well, that settles it, then. Nice to see everyone acting so sensible, though I DO wish we could've arrived here without wasting three days of my time. Allow me to remind everyone that I 'negotiated' with that the concessions I promised you were contingent on the SECOND draft of the treaty passing, which clearly won't happen at this point. Oh, and also... from what I've heard of the rules of this council, I believe this is the point where you all carefully consider how much_confidence_ you really have in the High Pinion."

Understanding was starting to dawn on the faces of several of the Pinions as they apparently began to figure out how they'd been played. A rasping laugh rose from the left side of the Highest Perch, and the High Pinion's head snapped around to fix his eyes on the Pinion who had originally started this debacle by sending his son off to court The Beastmaker. "I still have confidence in the High Pinion... though I see now that I should have had greater confidence in our esteemed guest." His eyes were sparkling with laughter, and his feathers were fluffed with pride - perhaps he figured that his son had a talon in this affair. "I am certain that no griffon will underestimate The Beastmaker again - least of all our honored High Pinion - so I see no particular need for a change of leadership at this time. Besides, it would cause confusion and dissension in the ranks at a time when I perceive we are about to go to war..."

Gritting his beak, the High Pinion pulled himself upright again, forcing his legs to straighten. He was right, of course. He'd underestimated his human visitor BADLY, and had very nearly lost his title - and the honor of his entire line - from it. He'd been voted down by a united Great Wing - a nearly unheard-of event - but after_his_ little speech, there would be no calls for a Vote of No Confidence, of that he was certain. He felt anger and appreciation struggle within him. If she'd set all this up, she could just as easily have set up a follow-through to ensure his permanent dishonor. But she hadn't - whether out of mercy, or for the same strategic reasons that he had mentioned at the end. Either way, the message was clear - she had the power to turn his own council against him, and if he persisted in getting in her way, she'd probably do it again.

With a deep breath, he let his voice ring out clearly, careful to keep it even. "The Great Wing has spoken. The treaty has been passed, and regardless of the details of how, it is now law - and as High Pinion, I intend to honor that law. Beastmaker - if you have need of our strength, you need but call." She bowed before him, though the gesture seemed more mocking than respectful. "Very well, then, o High Pinion... I have need of your strength, and I call on you now. A war is brewing, and my opponent is both powerful and insidious. Ready your troops for swift response, and station them in the mountains northwest of the great plains. Make sure your movements aren't spotted by human scouts. I will send a messenger to you with tactical details when I need you to strike."

Sayn threw herself on the bed with a huff, feeling her heartbeat begin to slow now that she was away from the Highest Perch again. She hadn't dared to let it show, but that had been one majorly nerve-wracking experience. If even ONE of the carefully-massaged Pinions had decided - in the last second - to withhold his 'purely symbolic' vote, she'd have been forced to either agree to a treaty that would ruin her in the long term, or give up on the griffons altogether. Maybe try to see if she couldn't talk a few dragons into helping her, though that would've been a tall order by itself... and she'd have wasted 3 days and a lot of soreness regardless.

But it had worked. She had her treaty now, and the griffons' pride wouldn't allow them to weasel out of it, no matter how she'd coaxed them into accepting it. She had air-power now. But she wasn't done - not by a long shot - and she'd already lost too much time. She needed to pick herself up and get back in the saddle, so to speak - moving onward to her next destination. A rustling noise from the entrance of her improvised chambers, however, interrupted her attempt to gather the energy to get started.

"May I come in, Beastmaker?" She recognized the voice - the Remex, whose insights, advice, and strong back had carried her through this harrowing experience. "Of course!" she called, and as he shouldered aside the hanging curtains that constituted her door, she reflected on the fact that when she'd first reached the Great Aviary, one griffon looked pretty much the same as the next to her - but by now, she'd become familiar enough with this young specimen to pick him out of a crowd if necessary. His plumage was his most distinctive feature - it was darker than most she'd seen, thundercloud-gray and mottled near the edges. The elongated feathers on the side of the head that was the closest thing to an ear that griffons had were, in his case, shorter and tuftier than in most cases. And the fur on his rear half was darker in shade and more orange - though she'd gotten the impression that this was mostly just indicative of his young age.

She propped herself up on her elbows and looked down the canyon between her breasts to grin at him. "Well, that went well, don't you think? Couldn't have done it without you. Oh, and stop calling me 'Beastmaker'. We humans aren't as worried about names as griffons are, so just call me Sayn... all my friends do, though that IS an admittedly short list." He hesitated for a moment, seemingly trying to bridge the cultural gulf between them, but then finally nodded. "Very well... Sayn. And yes, I suppose that DID go well for you. One might argue that it went less well for griffonkind in general, and I fear that mostly everyone will suspect me of having played a far larger part in your coup than I did."

Feeling a sudden sting of guilt, she pushed herself up to a sitting position. She hadn't thought of that. "You... won't be in danger, will you?" He shrugged. "Unlikely. I am a Remex, after all, and my father has gained only accolades from today. His influence will protect me. And there are others who, like him, will be more impressed with the way you handled yourself than resentful over the results. As such, the assumptions about my involvement will be, as you humans put it, a 'double-edged sword'." He looked away in a strangely shy manner. "That is, of course, assuming that I stay here. I have given some thought to the offer you made me on the day you arrived. I have also discussed it with my father."

She had been half-joking when she proposed that he could join her as 'Second Consort', what with Korlin giving permission - but he had proven to be both a trustworthy friend during her stay here, and a skillful lover. Even though he seemed to have lost some of the arrogance and eminent self-confidence that had attracted her to him during their first meeting, that just made him more suitable for a different position. As an adviser, messenger, bodyguard, and perhaps transportation, he would be exceedingly valuable. And as a lover, he'd be a great way to blow off steam. She'd gotten her fill of knotted griffon-cocks over the past three days - and then some - but there really was no forgetting that knot-and-bristles combo. It probably wouldn't be long before she'd be hungering for some more of it... just for variety's sake.

"And?" she asked when he hesitated to continue. "What did you arrive at?" His eyes panned back to her, uncertainty clearly visible in them. "My father said that it was entirely my own choice. I have several younger brothers who will be happy to step into my place and become his Remex. However..." He seemed to have a hard time spitting it out, but finally he managed. "Is it true that a DRAGON applied for the position of First Consort too, and that you turned him down? And that the consort you finally settled on is a KIRIN?" She nodded, casually, as if it was no big deal. It was, of course - and it also wasn't entirely accurate. She hadn't turned the dragon down - he'd taken himself out of the competition when he sensed the approach of Korlin. The dragon's overwhelming power of will had completely dominated her, and she would never have been able to work up the strength to tell him to leave.

The young griffon's eyes were large with wonder, and he returned her nod. "I see... well, from that perspective, there is truly no shame in having lost the position of First Consort. Indeed, being called second to a Kirin is an honor in itself. Though I'm sure many of my peers won't see it that way..." Blinking in surprise at the bitterness that snuck into his voice at the last bit, she felt the little wheels inside her head begin to turn, as she started looking at his recalcitrance through the lens of her recently-earned understanding of griffons. Pride. Honor. They were central concepts. The idea of being 'second' to ANYONE rankled at their very spirit.

With a laugh, she jumped up from the bed. "Well, if the TITLE is all you're worried about, why don't we just change it? Never mind being the 'Second Consort' - I am officially offering you the position of 'Griffon Consort to The Beastmaker'! You will be ambassador, emissary and tactical adviser rolled into one, representing your people in my court!" She smiled at the way his face lit up as she sauntered towards him. "And of course, you will also have the very important duty of helping me work out any incidental... frustrations I might have. I can't make important decisions affecting the future of the entire continent while I'm horny, after all - that's the whole reason I needed a consort in the first place."

The young griffon drew in a deep breath, and then nodded. "I graciously accept your offer. I shall inform my father that he may pass the title of Remex down to my younger brother." Then, putting one foreleg in front of the other, he bowed as deeply as he had bowed to his own leaders. "I am K'teshi of the Griffon, and I give you my respect, and my loyalty. You have earned both." She paused, wondering if this was the first time a griffon had freely given his name to a human, then put a hand on his lowered neck. "Rise, K'teshi. Rise, my Consort. I will prove myself worthy of your respect, your loyalty, AND your trust." She had played the rule of 'demigod empress' for long enough that such overly-dramatic phrases came easily to her... but for once, she felt that they were fitting. It was no small thing that K'teshi had just done.

As he rose, she returned to her bed, shed her fancy dress, and began to pull on her tough travel-clothes. "Your first duty will be to oversee the mobilization of the griffon forces. Just as you will represent your people in my court, I expect you to represent me in yours. Make sure that as many warriors as possible are gathered at the designated staging-point - the more you bring, the fewer you will lose. I have a couple more places to visit before the battle will be joined, but I travel quickly - you've got a few weeks at most before I send the signal for you to enter the fray. When that happens, you will have to pounce with whatever forces you have..."

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Continued in LAND