Chapter 3: The Griffon

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I am alone, and I realize that I miss my parents.  It's simple.  I will always wish they were here, and they are, I know, somewhere better, but I'm sure they would still wish to be with me.  

Despite the fact that Eileena is with me I'm still lonely.  She can fill only part of the hole in my heart.  It saddens me to think that the little blue Camuffling is my only friend in the world.

                                                                                                  Eileena

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                                                                                                  Eileena

                                                                                                  Eileena

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                                                                                             Midnight

I have just come back to my cart after caring for the Horsings.  My favorite, Midnight, was being quite feisty with the guards who tried to care for him.  Good thing I came when I did.  I fear otherwise he might have hurt someone.  I calmed him down and fed and cared for all of the others.  The guardsmen's dogs were nipping at my heels, bothering the Horsings and startling Eileena.  

I returned to the cart and am writing this.  There is a commotion and shouting outside.  What is going on?

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I went outside to see what was causing the disturbance.  I had thought that maybe Midnight was acting up again.  It was more than that, though.

A griffon had come into the area where we had made camp.  The last time I had seen one was when my dad came across an orphaned baby one in the Wood behind our house.  He had taken it in, nursed it back to health, and released it.  This one was full grown and ferocious.  They are quite intelligent and it must have had a reason for coming to a camp full of guards.  

I ran over to where it was terrorizing some guard dogs, and began to sing.  I'm not really sure why, but I have a tendency to do so when I'm nervous.  The griffon stopped and looked at me.  It cocked its head like a dog and listened.  I approached it slowly, hoping it wouldn't snap my hand off, and reached out.  It allowed me to put my hand on its beak and talk to it.  I spoke of the men's families and how if the griffon ate the men, their wives and children would be very sad and angry.  It made a grunting noise, turned and flew away.  

I was not aware that everyone had been watching me until I spun around and heard the applause.  I nodded and ran back to my cart.  Who knew I could calm a griffon?


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