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 Posted: Wed Nov 08, 2006 6:12 pm
Isilde walked down a dusty path that cut through the rolling hills outside the village and beyond the manor in which she lived with her father and their various servants. The lady was a little on the small side, five foot, three inches with long golden hair and bright, intelligent blue eyes. Despite her fathers wishes, the young woman had dressed in a white, full sleeved shirt and green tunic with darker green leggings and knee high brown leather boots. Her father hated when she didn't wear one of her many pretty dresses, but when going out to visit a gryphon, it simply wasn't wise to wear a dress!
Isilde had only a knife with her for protection, as she could not handle weapons, that not being a 'lady like' thing for the daughter of a rich lord to know.
As it so happened, Isilde was in position of her own gryphon. He was her pride and joy, but sadly he had outgrown living with her in her home, large though it was, it was simply not big enough for a growing gryphon! And so she had let him loose to roam the country side and fend for himself. She had trained him extensively with her fathers Hawk and dog trainers, and between them they had taught the gryphon to answer her call and many other useful tricks.
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Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2006 9:11 am
"Come back here, Irysin!" The girl called, holding a hat on her head and scurrying through the countryside. It was an unusual sight to see, really - a peasant girl, her clothes tattered from lack of funds and hard labor. She was plain to look at, with disheveled brown hair that was a bit on the curly side and fell only to the nap of her neck. Shorter hair was easier to work with. A round face and a bit of a rounder body, Liu was about as average and homely as a girl could get.
But it didn't matter. She wasn't some princess, she wasn't particularly shingingly beautiful, but she didn't have to be. She was special enough to have found a gryphon cub and was even more special to have been given the oppurtunity to care for it.
It was a secret, for now, one only her family new about. So long as she got her work done, though, and so long as the little black female didn't cause too much of a problem then there was no reason Liu couldn't raise her.
The only problem, of course, was that Irysin was still wild. Training her was difficult, though it seemed the little gryphon looked to Liu as her "mother". But the grhypon was hyperactive, and still very new to the world. She'd been born and bred outside, somewhere else, but Liu never understood how she'd wandered into town.
Gryphon's didn't abandon their young, did they? No animal did! So where were her parents? The girl doubted she'd ever find them, so she was the one who got to play "Mom".
Not that she minded. But what she did mind was always chasing after the chick!
"Irysin wait up!"
The little black ball of feather and fur was running full speed through the countryside. Her wings flapped, occassionally, and she appeared nothing more than a bullet. She was fast, no doubt, and absolutely loved to run! Her wings were too small for her to be able to fly, but that didn't mean she couldn't pretend.
Far ahead of her companion, the purple eyed chick gave a loud, obnoxious screech. It was pitiful, compared to full grown gryphons, but she loved to announce her presence to the world.
Liu would just have to learn to run faster if she wanted to catch up to her.
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Posted: Sat Nov 11, 2006 12:58 pm
Isilde paused in the middle of the path and looked around her. The area she had reached was an open flat place between the rolling hills of the country side. She nodded to herself, deciding that this was as good a place as any for today. She looked up at the sky and put her fingers to her lips, letting out a high, piercing whistle that rose and fell in a unique pattern.
She dropped her hand then and waited. A moment later there was an answering call that sounded distant at first, but moved inexorably closer. This caused Isilde to smile happily, and so she waited.
It wasn't long before a tremendous golden form winged it's way across the sky, letting out a fear inducing scream of joy that would frighten most people out of their wits. The golden male gryphon went into a steep dive, right at the woman on the ground amost as though to snatch her up in his claws. Instead, he back winged at the last second and landed right in front of her, chest rumbling happily with what was apparently a pur. he butted his large head lightly against hers affectionately, making her laugh and reach up to pet him behind his large, brown tufted ears.
The golden gryph fairly dwarfed the already small woman. He was as big as a horse in body, and made even larger by his tremendous wing span.
"There's my boy!" Isilde fairly cooed at the gryph. "How are you Alder? Managing alright out here without me?" she asked, knowing that he wouldn't answer, but not really minding. She was distracted by a voice calling to someone. She looked around, one hand still on Alder's head, and saw a tattered village girl bolting past, chasing after a gryphon kit. Well, she sure wasn't going to catch it that way! That was one of the first lessons Isilde had learned with Alder. Chasing only encouraged them to run even more.
Isilde put her fingers to her lips once more and let out a piercing whistle to attract the kit's, and the girl's, attention.
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Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 8:31 am
If Liu hadn't been so intent on keeping up with Irysin, she might have noticed the gryphon shriek overhead. The wind kept it muffled, of course, as did her pulsing heart and ragged breath. Irysin heard the call, and it only caused the gryphon chick to flap her wings wildly, screeching a call back.
She wasn't alone! But baby innocence kept the black female's head up in the sky, searching for a flying gryphon. NOT, of course, over to the side. It never occurred to her that a gryphon would land. If the call came from the sky, then shouldn't the gryphon be in the sky?
Made sense to her!
But things changed when Isilde whistled. The practice sound worked - it caught both Liu and Irysin off guard. The little gryphon slammed on the breaks, head whipping around to stare at the source of the call. Of course, her forward momentum caused the little black chick to lose her balance and go tumbling head over tail. Squawking with indignation and surprise, her wings flapped wildly as she landed in a heap on the ground.
Oops. That shouldn't have happened. A tangled wreck, Irysin tried her best to untangle herself and shake off surprise.
Liu had more sense. Slowing her run, still hanging on to her hat with one hand, the girl's first priority was Irysin. The little black chick was panting, chest heaving in and out from the run. Liu could only hope her approach wouldn't startle Irysin again.
"Come here, you," she commanded gently, feeling just as warn out as her companion. Reaching down, she scooped up the black ball of fuzz and fur, brushing off excess dirt and grit from her black hide. "You're going to need a bath if you keep this up!"
Irysin gave in to her fate, for now. Wings folded against her back, Liu made sure to keep clear of Irysin's claws. She was still little enough to carry, and her claws were still small enough not to cause harm. A little churr, and Irysin settled contently in Liu's arms.
Of course, her eyes were only on the strange gryphon and stranger not far off the path. Ears perked forward, Irysin's tail tip switched back and forth in curiousity. Who were they? Oh, she wanted to know!
Liu finally had enough sense to catch her breath and look over at her savior. The first thing she noticed was a much larger gryphon than Irysin. A golden brown colour, the creature was amazing to look at. Didn't look completely full grown, but then again, Liu was only now starting to really research the animals. What did she know?
Tame? Again, it sure looked like it. A wild gryphon wouldn't allow a human so near. Cautiously approaching - she didn't want to get too near in case the older gryphon became upset by the presence of a strange chick - Liu smiled. "Thanks for capturing her attention! I think she thinks its a game."
Glad to have Irysin within her grasp, Liu's mind started to flit upon other things. Like her appearance. Compared to Isilde, she must look a wreck! Oh well, there wasn't anything she could do about it. Liu had long since known that there were many, many more people in the world who were blessed with more. There was no shame in being poor.
Oh well.
Life went on.
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Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 12:59 pm
"It was nothing." Isilde said with a little chuckle at the girls thanks. "I had the same problem when Alder was little." she said, patting the golden gryphon on the back of the head and smiling at him fondly.
"The key is not to chase them. If you just ignore it, they'll drop it and come running back." she explained with a smile.
Now that the kit was closer and still at last, Isilde had a chance to get a closer look at it. It was a very pretty kit, all black with bright purple eyes, adorable when it wasn't fleeing across the countryside at breakneck speed.
"Have you been running long?" she asked the village girl curiously. She did look rather ruffled.
When Isilde turned her attention from him, Alder cocked his head to the side and examined the kit with one bright blue eye, before turning it the other way to look at her with the other.
He let out a gentle, curious chirp at the little one, wondering what it was doing there.
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Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2006 1:05 pm
"Let's just say," she explained with a grin, "It was a longer run then I would have liked."
Breath finally caught, Liu could better focus at the task at hand. Here was a girl (who dressed much more fancy than Liu could afford) and she was companion to a gryphon! What luck and fortune! "It's just so hard to keep her still! I don't want to lose her, the poor dear has a tendancy to roam." Yes, Irysin was a gryphon, but she was still only a very small chick. There were all sorts of creatures and people who could cause the little one harm! Even certain hawks, if they were large enough, could prey upon the chick. "I'll have to put more trust in her, I guess, and hope she will drop the act."
Liu reached up and gave the little gryphon's downy head a ruffle. The chick looked up, giving an affection churr, before curiously peering at Isilde, then Alder!
As the male gryphon investigated her, Irysin spread her little wings excitedly. Clacking her beak in interest, she stretched out her neck to poke at the large one's beak. He was so big! But, the little chick figured she could take him. He wasn't that big, and she was fast! Maybe he'd want to play??
Liu glanced from her chick, to Alder. The gryphon was ten times the size of Irysin. "I see you have quite the handsome fellow on your hands," part of Liu couldn't believe her little Irysin would grow to be as large as Alder. "How long have you had him?" He wasn't full grown, was he?
Oh bother - Liu couldn't tell. They made the changes so obvious in the books. But to see one face to face was something completely different. She'd never seen an adult gryphon in the wild before. Occassionally when traveling faire's and shows came through and stopped in the city, but even then, Liu had never had the oppurtunity to see one so close.
The books really didn't do the creatures justice.
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Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2006 1:19 pm
Isilde gave a good natured laugh and said "Perhaps there is someone in your village who can help?" she asked. "If there is someone who trains dogs, or even falcons, they might be of some help to you." Isilde suggested with a nod of her head. "That is the course I took with Alder." she said, affectionately stroking his head once more. She listened to the girl speak further and answered "I've had him quite some time now, though he is not yet full grown. He still has a ways to go." she remarked and lightly pushed at her golden companion's large head.
Alder gave a snort, as though he had understood what his mistress said and didn't approve. He butted her hand lightly wit his head and then turned his curious blue gaze back to the little one in the girls arms. He stretched his neck out and lightly nibbled on the little ones tail, tugging lightly. Apparently he was curious about such a little creature. He hardly remembered a time when he was so small himself.
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Posted: Wed Nov 15, 2006 12:32 pm
Liu gave a nod, taking a mental note of Isilde's advice. There were some local falconers that frequented her workplace. Perhaps she could chat with them, see what they had to say? And dogs . . well . . .dogs were easy to train compared to a gryphon chick!
But Alder seemed well behaved and adjusted, even if he wasn't full grown. Perhaps there was hope for Irysin yet.
"I'll have to look in to that, for sure! This little girl needs some more dicipline," Irysin, who was still focused more on Alder than any one else, did look up innocently at Liu. What was she going on and on about?? Oh well - it didn't matter!
Liu gave a little laugh, "But she's just so adorable sometimes, even on her worst behaviour!"
While the girls chatted, the black chick's feathers ruffled as Alder tugged curiously upon her tail. Offering a nasaly squeal, the little one reached a clawed hand out to take a playful swipe at his beak.
Squirming, trying to get free of Liu's grasp, Alder made the mistake of actually investigating the girl. Irysin took that as a sign of play, and that was exactly what she intended to do!
Clacking her little beak, her little wings flapping awkwardly, the chick stared imploringly up at Alder. He would play with her, wouldn't he?? Liu just had to let her go!
The brunette glanced first at Alder, then at Isilde. "We weren't interrupting anything, were we? Now . . . stop it silly girl, stop harassing the others. . . " Liu gave Isilde an apologetic look, "How does he do with . . . little ones? She's never had a chance to . . come on now, sit still . . . to really meet another. Guess she's just . . .oof . . curious."
Liu wouldn't be offended in the slightest of Isilde dismissed her. She didn't want Irysin to become a pest if allowed to be put down, but at the same time she really didn't want to keep fighting her. It was up to Alder and Isilde, really.
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Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2006 12:12 am
"To be truthful, I know not." Isilde said, looking from Alder to Irysin as though weighing the exchange, trying to decide if it would be safe or not.
"I suppose it's better late than never for him to come into contact with a little one. I fear should he never learn of them he will be at quite a loss when he grows! That should prove most poor for his disposition I should think, heavens know what an adult male could do to a helpless chick! But come, let us try it. He seems not offended by her." Isilde said with a slight smile, gesturing for the girl to put the kit down. She remained on her guard though, just in case Alder's disposition should take a turn for the worse.
Alder pulled his head back slightly and tilted his head to the side as he looked the two women over with first one, then the other, wondering what they were up to. He looked back at the little one, confused by her noisy clambering. What was she up to?
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Posted: Sun Nov 19, 2006 8:36 am
((Might I have Syam and Circe join this RP? Please feel free to say no if you don't want them heart ))
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Posted: Sun Nov 19, 2006 2:22 pm
((It's fine with me ^_^))
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