Project Wonderland

The Griffons

After two hours, we arrived at the wrought iron gate or Griffon Territory. It was arroind midday, and thanks to the newly arrived sun, everyone was sweating and tired.

“Well, what are you waiting for?” Tighlor asked. “Let’s go,”

With that, he pushed open the gate and stepped inside.

As soon as his feet hit the black pavement of the territory, we all heard a low rumbling noise, as if something was growling.

“What is that?” Dana asked, looking around.

I scanned the area, spotting something black on the horizon.

Running right towards us.

“Look out!” I screamed asthe thing cam barrelling closer. It looked like an oversized black wolf, but it’s growls were too deep to be a normal wolf.

“Werewolf,” Tighlor hissed, whipping around.

The wolf howled as it neared Tighlor, and then lunged for his throat. Tighter ducked and the wolf smashed into the gate.

“Take that you filthy beast!” Tighlor yelled, backing up as the wolf began to get up.

“Tighlor, don’t anger it more than it already is.” I said as the wolf bared it’s teeth at Tighlor.

Ignoring me, Tighlor picked up a tree branch and swung it.

“Come here and fight like a man!” Tighlor screamed and smashed the branch into the wolf’s stomach. It howled in pain and fell over, straining to get up.

What now you mangy mutt?!" Tighlor screamed, poised to strike again.

“Leave me alone,” The wolf grunted, closing its eyes.

“Who are you?” Tighlor asked, dropping the tree branch.

I looked over to where the wolf once lay, only to find a battered and bruised, dark skinned boy, the one Roger and I had helped when we first came to Wonderland.

“My name is Elijah,” the boy said. “And I require you to show me your Anchors,”

Tighlor looked at him, puzzled.

“Why on Wonderland for?” He asked.

“To prove that you are not Puppets, slaves or the Red Queen.”

Dana pointed to her earring, Harold held out his stopwatch, Roger raised his arm and pointed to his friendship bracelet I made for him, Alecia held up a photograph of her- I mean- our father, I fingered my locket, and Tighlor held up his leaf ring.

“Happy?” Tighlor asked.

“Thank you,” Elijah said, showing us his Anchor- a necklace with some sort of scale on it.

“Come with me. I need to introduce you to the Griffons.”

Elijah stood up, and headed back towards the direction that he came.

I followed, and gradually, everyone else did so as well.

In about fifteen minutes, we arrived at what looked like a large circular hut in the middle of a barren, grassy plain.

Elijah knowcked on the wooden slab of tree bark that was used as a door timidly.

“Enter,” A gravelly voice said from inside. Elijah pushed the bark door aside and beckoned us in. In the center of the hut was a large, circular stone table which seated 10 of the large black griffons that attacked when I first entered Wonderland. They glared at us, but made no move to fight.

“Take a seat,” The tallest one, a griffon with bright green eyes and a white splotch on his chest said, nodding his head towards some chairs that were pushed against the wall.

Sitting down, I looked around at my surroundings. The room was quite dark, and the only light that was inside came from a small hole in the straw roof. The hut had a dirt floor with multiple animal footprints on it, and there were ornate carvings on the top of the stone table.

“Why have you come here,” The head griffon said, staring at me.

“Um, well, you see, we are not from here,” I pointed to Roger and Dana. “We are from London, and have travelled here by using a machine called The Dream Machine.”

“Smythe,” I heard the head griffon growl. “That evil little beast,”

“We were offered a chance to come here, but I’m pretty sure it was a trap. We’ve been captured and attacked multiple times, and we’re on a quest-”

“The Prophecy of Blood,” The griffon interrupted.

“Yes. It said to come to the Valley of the Griffons and find the wolf boy who tells of Puppets,” I said, thinking back to the Prophecy.

“Yes,” The leader said.

I was about to speak again, but was cut off.

“You are the ones we attacked at the entrance of Wonderland.”

I stared at the griffon, thinking of all the havoc he had created.

“Why?” I asked.

“What?” The griffon stared at me intensely.

“Why did you attack us?”

“We thouight you were Puppets of the red Queen.”

“Well, I can assure you that we are not,” I said, holding up my locket.

“A truce,” The griffon murmured.

“Pardon me?”

“You are not a threat, Chosen One. Let’s make a truce, alliance,” The griffon’s gaze softened.

“How do I know that you are to be trusted?” I asked.

“You’ll just have to wait and find out.” He said, and left the hut.