The Land of Green and Gold Part II: Silence

Chapter 35: Escalating Problems

Griffin and Ash rejoined with the rest of their group at the gate. Amber glared at him, but Griffin didn't care.

"Don't ever do that again!" he spat at Jolt. Griffin caught sight of Solar, eyes narrowing at the ugly wound down her right leg. "This is exactly why we don't enter battles that aren't ours to fight. Solar wouldn't be injured if it weren't for you."

Jolt stared back silently, jaw clenched.

"You will not be eating tonight." Griffin began stalking through the sands toward the camp and growled at everyone else, "I'm tired. Let's go."

***

Griffin could hear the arguing well before his group rounded the last dune.

Great. What now?

Sir and Katana were facing off, magic accumulating in their hands. Celadon stood between them, hands raised in an attempt to keep the two apart with dryad barriers.

What...?

Night Shade, Starlight, and Pounce flanked Sir, snarls curling their lips and cold eyes glaring at the new spriggans who stood protectively next to Katana. Standing anxiously off to the side was Fern, Mac, Jubilee, and Gilda. Cyanus looked like he wanted to join the fight, but Gilda kept a tight grip on his arms.

"What in the world is going on?!?" Griffin stormed into the center of camp, shoving his way between the new spriggans and older Moonlight Band members. Celadon stepped back, looking relieved.

"I merely suggested that we eat first since we're new and traveled for quite some time to find your band," Katana explained, eyes calm as she let her magic dissipate. "But then your followers took offense for some reason."

"Suggestion? Yeah right!" Pounce spat.

"Suggestions do not include threats," Night Shade added quietly, red eyes glowing intensely.

Scythe's eyes narrowed. "Do you even know what the word 'threat' means? Asking to eat first would not harm you in any way."

Katana smirked. "Exactly. So what's the problem? Don't like sharing?"

Sir glared at Katana, silvery magic still churning in his palms. "We share quite well with those of our own. And why would it even occur to you to conceive and voice the absurd opinion that you should be the first to dine?"

"We were in Moonlight Band first, so if anyone should eat first, it should be us!" Pounce chimed in.

"When you're in a larger band, you need more structure," Scythe began to explain coolly before Katana could provoke the sylph any further. "Wild knew this and organized the order of who ate when by strength."

Sir's eyes narrowed. "Are you insinuating the improbable fact that you're superior?"

"Yeah. We're saying you're weak, bird brain," Katana retorted, still smirking.

"You—"

"ENOUGH!" Griffin roared. The spriggan glared at his followers. "What are you, a group of children?"

"I'm a children!" Cyanus called out from where Gilda was still holding onto him.

Griffin shot his glare over at the fox-eared kid, holding it there until Cyanus cowered and shrunk in against Gilda. Griffin returned his attention to the rest of the band.

"Sir, Pounce, Night Shade; just because they're spriggans, doesn't mean they have ill intentions or are hiding threats beneath their words." Griffin nodded at Scythe. "She's right. We're 20 members strong right now—we've grown. We need to ration food and deal it out in a better, more organized way."

"Isn't that subjective?" Night Shade argued. "Strength isn't just—"

"I will determine the order," Griffin interrupted firmly. "I can tell the strengths of each member, so it will not be difficult."

Night Shade nodded and fell silent, though he noted that her fierce glow did not diminish.

Whatever. I don't need her opinion on this. She used to argue with Jequirity all the time, so she's not exactly the most reasonable, right? Besides, if Wild follows this structure then it must work well.

Griffin took a second to gaze at each member with shadow-veiled eyes, then pointed at Katana, Khopesh, Lance, and Night Shade. "You four will get your food first after me, followed by Cold, Shurikan, Scythe, and Ash. Then Fern, Celadon, and Sir receive their shares, then Pounce, Solar,  and Mac. After them Gilda, Starlight, Cyanus, and Jubilee will go. Jolt will remain last and as punishment for tonight will not be receiving dinner."

Griffin's eyes settled on Solar whose face had grown ghostly pale, reminding him of her injuries and the two unconscious dryads they'd brought back with them.

"Fern and Celadon, tend to the wounded and report to me in the morning. Make sure to get the dryads food when they awake. Do not concern yourself with Jolt. He got himself into his own mess and can deal with a couple scrapes." Ignoring the ugly snarl drawing back Jolt's lips, Griffin turned to look at the thankfully more mature phoenix in the band. "Ash, go ahead and pull out some food from our new supplies. Once I take my share, make sure everyone accepts their rations when it is their proper turn."

"This is unsophisticated..." Sir muttered beneath his breath.

Griffin frowned, dark eyes boring into Sir's. "What was that?"

The sylph broke eye contact and hunched his shoulders sullenly. "Nothing, leader."

Griffin stared at the sylph, wondering if he should say anything more, but was interrupted by Fern.

"Um, Griffin?" The dryad glanced around anxiously like a mouse suddenly aware some predator was nearby. "Where's Cold?"

The leader glanced around as well, casually at first then suddenly with increasing unease. All his followers stared back at him as his eyes roamed across the camp and surrounding desert sands. All except one.

Cold was gone