FSE

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The dirt trail had darkened to mud; the great, intermittent stones similarly soaked by the abrupt rainfall. He'd checked the weather twice before coming out for this hike. He always did. A chance of precipitation hadn't shown up.

And to think he hadn't packed anything but some water and a few boxes of raisins. Nevermind that he was dressed in summer-wear, nothing passing his knees or elbows. Even with a jacket, the wind would've cut right through it. It was some kind of spontaneous torrent, blowing in harsh, wince-inducing gusts, and it was all he could do not to rattle his teeth.

Already his short hair matted to his head and his clothes clung uncomfortably tight to his body. And where his skin was bare to the elements, the rain pelted, painting it cold.

The only reason he hadn't tramped his happy ass back down the trail was that he was already several tens of miles into the wilderness. God, to be at the beginning of the trail again: just thinking about being in his nice, insulated car…

I need to find someplace, he thought, arms crossed and tucked against his chest.

Behind the trees lining either side of the path ahead, rocky cliff-faces formed a micro valley, essentially funneling the landscape linearly. What might shelter be? A cave? Even a shallow outcropping?

His criteria for 'shelter' lowered with each passing moment as he continued to hoof it; anything would do. There was no telling how long this storm would last, and if it stretched on for even half a day, his body would not be able to create enough heat to stay alive. It had been nearing sunset before the clouds rolled in, and the nighttime drop in temperature combined with his soaking wet clothes would become a fatal, hypothermic combination. He could picture it, his back against a hard tree, huddled on the wet ground, staring blankly out into the wilderness until he slowly became an unmoving, breathless body.

He shivered. There had to be something. How had he not seen one other soul on this trail? His eyes scanned with gradually building fervor and franticness.

The dark-gray sky became alight with a thin, cutting flash, and seconds later, thunder boomed in a deep, rolling thrum.

Craning his neck, he observed the sky for that second of light, and then did a double-take. Amongst that shock of bright white: a shape had been revealed, silhouetted against the background. The light had gone, and so did the shape. He stopped, searching for it, but the dark gray of the sky proved indiscernible. Nothing stood out.

Something felt off. Seeing the trees all around him, a strange apprehension began to take. He hated this feeling, the one that came from jumping to conclusions, from allowing an irrational suspension of disbelief. When you felt it, it didn't shake off, no matter how little sense it made.

He hadn't seen any animals, especially one large enough to hurt him.

So… why did it feel like something had started watching him, solely fixated on him alone?

His mind began to wander as he resumed walking. What was out there anyway? Just because he hadn't seen anything didn't mean he could rule out bears… or even wolves…

It was important that he didn't think like that, none of it would help him. But distracting himself from that stream of thoughts proved challenging, as the idea slipped in and out of focus.

He lurched up, his entire body wrenched from the ground, and pain flared in his shoulders where something rough and strong gripped him. He shouted as shock and a developing vertigo flooded his mind. The ground became more distant, and before he knew it, he could see the tops of the pine trees. He looked up to see what had taken him, and his mouth parted in awe.

Without light to give it definition, the creature's colors were hard to make out, but it was a creature all right. No smaller than a horse, feathers lined the front half of its body, the only half he could see. He could see its beak, its wings, and its scaly, taloned claws around him. It was a giant bird!

What was happening? What was this? A dream? Some horribly vivid nightmare?

What was it going to do with him? Looking back down, he was well into the air; he couldn't bring himself to consider how many hundreds of meters it must have been. His heart raced, and his breathing became panicked.

The woosh of the bird's great wings were louder than anything else, be it the rain or the continuous thunder. He was going to die. It was going to drop him, letting him fall to his death so it could eat his corpse. Or, it was going to eat him outright. God, this wasn't how he'd envisioned it. He wanted to do so many more things. He should've spent more time with his family. Should've…

He closed his eyes, awaiting whatever thing this creature would do to him.

For a tormenting, extended moment, he felt the air rush past him as the bird flew.

He didn't know how long it had been before the rhythm of its wing flaps changed. It had felt like a lifetime of worry and fear had passed through him. He felt sick to his stomach.

Opening his eyes, he was met with the side of a mountain. A black, sheer face that contrasted with the background sky of gray. They seemed to slow as they flew closer. He thought he could make out something amongst the surface, an opening of sorts, jaggedly circular in shape. It was darker than the surrounding rock.

It was a cave. Oh god, it was a cave. This was where it lived. Had to be. And if this is where it lived…

His hands shot to the creature's claws, fingers prying between himself and scaled skin. He kicked his legs, swinging his body, twisting it this way and that.

With a final, landing flap of its wings, and the bird's grip loosened, allowing him to fall onto the cold, rigid floor of the cave. He was on his side, and the arm he'd fallen on was scraped to hell. Everything was dark, except for the entrance, against which stood a large, confusing silhouette. He heard the clack of its talons on the stone, stepping behind him.

Scrambling to his butt, he kept low, waiting for its next move. At once he felt petrified, yet ready to get up and sprint at the slightest indication.

He saw the familiar beak and feathery outline, but as it stood with its side profile quite apparent, the back of half of the creature astounded him. The feathers stopped halfway down its body, and like that of a common mammal, it had digitigrade hind legs with paws, padding silently. To boot, there was a smooth, thin tail that hovered longwise above the rock floor, a puff of fur sprouting from the end.

If he had no other choice but to guess, his mind would have screamed: 'gryphon.' It was right out of medieval fantasy, so severely unmistakable.

Chirps sounded out, echoing off the cave walls, and what sounded like the wingbeats of bats accompanying them. They were right behind him. He spun around to find more darkness and more skin-prickling noise before him.

Clacks of talons came, and shortly after, a force pushed his back, sending him tumbling forward. He felt something akin to straw on his skin as he attempted to reorient himself and get back up.

Another chirp. It couldn't have been further than ten centimeters from his face. He froze.

His heart beat too fast. He could barely stifle the sound of his breath. It was all he could do not to make himself known. It felt like the pressure of the ocean was bearing down on him, trying to squeeze the air from his lungs. Something touched his leg.

He shouted and slid back to the tune of something shuffling amongst the straw-like material. But he realized there was still an entire gryphon behind him. There was nothing he could-

Light blossomed from above, warm like the sun as it bathed everything below in clarity. The picture before him was revealed, bringing tangibility to what he had feared.

Five chicks, they looked to be, like those of an eagle; feathered in brown with beaks of yellow. However, their lower halves were those of a lion.

They were in a nest. He was in a nest. Every eye was on him, heads tilted curiously.

It was the fate he had so vehemently dreaded come to life, the deadly premonition of the creature's intent, the inevitable fact that he was taken here to be eaten, to be consumed by unthinking animals. Hearing a deep, strange call from the beast at his back, he knew there was no escape, that his death loomed close. The clarity was at once surreal and gut-wrenching. He didn't want to die.

Closing his eyes, he balled up, flinching against the continuous chirps, squawks, and clacks of talons. He knew what was happening, and yet it felt like he was being crushed with fear, completely overwhelmed by it.

So be it, he tried to tell himself. But he couldn't believe those words, he knew how empty they were, how they weren't only meant to distract him.

“You don't have to do whatever it is you're doing," he heard. That's what it was, wasn't it? Words? But where in the hell had they come from?

His eyes opened, and his head swiveled about, searching. It had come from…

He saw the gryphon. Fully now. In the light, it was a different sight to behold entirely. Its feathers too were brown, just as the chicks. Its head, eyes, beak, and claws reminded him of a golden eagle in particular. In the strange light, he could see its back half, where the feathers inexplicably halted right down the middle of its frame, and there began the latter end of a lion. He hadn't just been seeing things. It had huge wings and all. It truly was a gryphon.

Now, where was the light coming from anyway?

At the cave ceiling, something akin to a suspended orb radiated down upon them. It seemed to waver up and down some, but was too bright to stare at for long, and so he had to look away. The thing's impossibility was almost enough to distract him.

“So strange…" he heard it again! That voice- it was a woman's.

He turned to the gryphon, whose gaze immediately made him stiff of spine.

“What are you called? In all truth, I haven't taken the time to name your kind. I was only ever curious to watch."

It spoke. It was speaking.

This is… This has to be-

“I-" he started, but could not hope to finish. Thoughts whirled in a violent torrent, unaddressable in their scale and number.

She, the gryphon, stepped toward him, looking down on him. About the size of a horse, as he'd guessed earlier, she practically towered over him as he sat. “You're freezing," she stated, concern overtaking her avian expression.

Although he hadn't realized it before, when she said it, the prickling, icy pain on his skin became apparent. Just like earlier, when he'd been alone on the trail, it seeped into his body.

“Come here, I would be remiss not to share with someone in need."

Closing the little remaining space between them, the gryphon sidled up to him, and he watched as the length of her body surrounded him. She curled up with him in the center of both feather and fur. Laying down, he gasped at the sudden introduction of warmth, which made his hairs stand on end.

His exhales were stuttered, and his body shook in response to the drastic contrast of temperature. Although his stomach leapt when she had approached, relief washed all of it away; a physical relief, something that overrode mental inhibitions.

“How?" he asked when he found that he could not bring himself to say or do anything else. What he truly wanted was to escape, but no doubt she could kill him if he tried.

“How what?" she replied, but after seeing his face, she broke into the closest thing to a smile that an avian creature could make. “I'm kidding. I know how confused you must be. It isn't every day that our sorts meet."

“Why…" is this happening, was the rest of that, but he thought better of it. "How can you talk?"

One of her wings unfolded, stretching out above his head. Its shadow completely enveloped him as it came down and physically covered him. It seemed what she had meant by 'sharing' was in reference to heat. With her wing over him, snuggled against him like a blanket, he was quickly warming up.

“There are many things I could explain to you. But the vastness of those ideas would be too much, you would forget them as soon as you heard them. You would need to be borne of magic to even begin to understand. It's all very complicated and dreadfully boring, my dear. I'm sure you wouldn't care for it."

Magic? Things too vast to comprehend? This had to be some kind of twisted fantasy, either a vivid hallucination, or he had stumbled into a Tolkein novel.

The present came crashing back into the forefront of his attention. He still didn't know what his near future entailed.

“What are you gonna do?" he asked.

She tilted her head. “As in," she paused, looking him over (her body was curled around him so that her head was just off to his left). “Something that I would do to you?" Her voice conveyed a surprising degree of concern. The genuineness of it struck him.

As her eyes vaguely regarded the cave floor, she blinked, her beak parted.

“I'm sorry, little one. I didn't realize it was I that had you so shaken." She stirred, beginning to get up. “I'll take you out of the storm, somewhere far. You might have to endure me for a bit longer, but you'll be away."

When she got on all fours, the absence of her closeness reintroduced the storm air to his damp skin. It bit like teeming insects.

“Woah," he reflexively started. Had he misunderstood so terribly? Had he guessed the exact opposite of her true intent? He winced, realizing he had. “No," he said. What? Why did I say that? What am I doing?

She stopped, regarding him with reserved hesitation. They were both silent. It was on him, the weight of the moment. She was waiting to hear him.

“You don't have to," he continued. He was starting to piece it together, or so he thought. Perhaps the worst-case scenario wasn't the reality of his situation, however odd it still was. Had she saved him? Was that it? Was there no ulterior motive? He hadn't been eaten yet, and judging from her size, she could've if she wanted to.

He shivered, and his arms clasped each other, holding against his chest. It was so damned cold, and her moving away had taken away from the heat.

“Fuck," he hissed to himself, pulling his legs up toward himself.

“Little one," she said. He met her gaze, the gaze of two avian, brown eyes. “I understand if you're afraid. But being cold is another matter entirely, and I can't, in good conscience, let you freeze. Just tell me if you need to leave, but as for now…" she didn't finish, and instead settled back down, surrounding him once more in warmth and feathery comfort.

Comfort. He almost couldn't believe it. How moments ago he'd feared for his life, but here he was, being comforted. By a gryphon. Something that wasn't even real thirty minutes ago.

His back resting on her body, her wing once more tucked under his chin, he began to dry as her heat bled into his own. He looked down, seeing the hazel plumage that blanketed him. It was soft, every part of her was, and he could feel the rise of and fall of her side. He couldn't imagine what he would have done out there in the cold, beaten down by the rain, wandering aimlessly for a haven that probably didn't exist.

She had rescued him.

“What's got you, little one? Tell me what's on your mind. Something is clearly troubling you," she said.

Thunder boomed in the distance, but the rain was quiet, echoing gently into the cave.

“You," he said. “This." He glanced at their surroundings. “I never thought it was possible. Gryphons are supposed to be fairy tales… fantasies… and the fact that you just saved my life… I mean, it's hard to put the right words together, you know?"

She cooed, a sound reminiscent of an acknowledging hum.

“I see," she said. She shifted, and he felt himself being pulled tighter, more snug against her. When he heard her say that, he believed her. He didn't know how aware she was of the oddity of their encounter, but she did know more than him about this other side to the world. One he'd never knew existed. She sympathized with him to that extent, she felt sorry to see him suffering, and was glad to help him, her expression conveyed that much.

“I think with a little intimate familiarization, you'll get used to it," she said. “Why don't you snuggle up closer, little one? Get as comfortable as you like. This storm is going to last a while."

Well… he thought. If it really was going to take some time before he could go, it made sense to get accustomed. He turned in place, leaning his side against her body rather than his back. His head rested on the plush feathers of her eagle half. On his cheek they were delightfully smooth, a treat to his skin. But then it occurred to him, there was another half to her. Reaching out, he sought fur, and found it. It was short, fine, and just as soft as her feathers. He couldn't help but run his fingers through it.

“That's it. Enjoying yourself?" she asked.

Self awareness made his stomach flutter. Perhaps he'd gotten carried away.

“Sorry, it's just really soft and I uh…" he trailed off. He scoffed, “Bad habit of zoning out, I guess."

She cooed again, a soothing, avian warble. “You may continue. I have nothing to hide about my body, and I admit, I am curious about yours as well."

What? As in…

“To feel me?" he asked.

She nodded. “But you go first. And take your time, we have plenty of it."

“Yeah…" he breathed, suddenly unable to meet her gaze. There was a small thrill he got out of this. The permission to do something that almost seemed dangerous. Such a powerful creature, and he got to share her company.

Both of his hands roved this time, and he focused on the texture. It was not for long however, and given how cold and tired he was, he progressively settled, slowing in his motions, scooting to get just the right position as he lied against her. Everything about her was soothing. He figured it was more comfortable than his own bed.

A natural silence befell them, and the cave, except for the droning rain and the occasional thunder. He tuned it all out eventually. Even the chicks had ceased chirping, and when he peered over, he saw them resting their heads upon each other, every one fast asleep. It made him notice just how close to sleep he was.

“I hope it isn't insulting to say this, little one, but I think you're adorable," he heard. When he looked back at her, she laid her head upon the ground, staring up at him.

His cheeks felt hot then, out of embarrassment and something else. And it was this something else that surprised him. It was akin to a homely endearment, the kind that only occurs with close ones, familiars.

“Um… thank you," he said, and smiled.

By now, his clothes were dry. In time they'd gotten cozy, he'd shed his socks and shoes, which were too thoroughly soaked.

He yawned. It had snuck up on him. “I'm sorry. I'm just… I'm really tired and… I've gotten so comfortable that I forgot to think about the rest of the night and… is it okay if I sleep here?" he asked. He didn't have much of a choice, and he knew she wouldn't kick him out just because it had gotten late, but it felt right to ask nonetheless.

“Of course," she said.

A part of him feared that she would have him sleep elsewhere in the cave, away from them, but the hopeful part of him thought highly of the prospect of spending the night under her wing. She didn't say anything more, but closed her eyes.

“Good night, then," he said, letting the heaviness of his eyelids give way.

“Mhmm," she hummed affirmatively, pulling tight with her wing.

And there, nestled in the warmth of a gryphon, he dozed off. A moment later, the floating light dissipated.

---

He woke up before she did. With a deep breath, he'd winced at the sunlight permeating the cave, seeing the blue sky and its white clouds from his vantage.

She was still aslumber, looking so peaceful in the daylight. It struck him that she was kind of… beautiful. And when it occurred to him that he should find that strange, he didn't. It felt right. Natural. She was certainly a nice thing to look upon.

The light painted the edges of her feathers white, the rest of them a rich hazel. Her beak was yellow, and her feline rear-half was the same khaki-tan as any lion found in the Sahara.

Fluffy chicks snoozed beside them in the nest. He felt better today. He'd fell asleep in a somewhat awkward position, and the cave floor was rather hard, but it was more than made up for by the soft gryphon he'd cuddled against.

“Good morning, snuggly one," she mused. He turned and smiled, not realizing she'd woken.

“Hey," he said.

She tilted her head toward the cave entrance, staring out into the wilderness below.

“I suppose the storm is gone," she said.

A small bit of regret trickled within him. “Yeah, I suppose so," he said.

She set her eyes on him then, searching, almost asking something that she could not bring herself to. “I assume you have places to be. A life back out there?"

He nodded. “Yes." Was his simple, curt answer.

A chirp came from his side, and he saw one of the babies staring wide-eyed at him, obviously curious. It flapped its wings, jumping from the nest and right in front of him. Finding its footing, it raised itself onto its two hindpaws before setting its forepaws on its mother's wing. Face to face with a tiny gryphon, he couldn't help but laugh.

Reaching out over her wing, he brushed the chick's neck, much to its chirping bemusement.

“Well, aren't you outgoing?" he mused, scritching under its beak.

“That's Alik'r. He, and the rest of them have never seen your kind before," she said.

“Really?" he asked, continuing to humor the playful chick, who now seemed intent on licking his hand.

“Little one," he heard. The tone was serious, imploring. He pulled his attention away, sensing urgency.

“What is it?" he asked.

“Are you going to come to this trail again? At least once more?"

The real question was: will I ever see you again. Her face told the whole story, the pleading nature of it.

“Yes," he nodded vehemently. “I… I will find time. Tomorrow even might work."

By the time he'd actually gotten up (regretfully) from the warmth of her body, and put his shoes back on, made sure he still had his phone, wallet, and keys, he found that very little of him wanted to leave.

But he had a job, a career and a retirement he was depending upon. With one last goodbye to her and her chicks, he set to make his way down the mountain.

.