And things get bad. . . Really bad.
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My heart raced in my chest as I shifted into my second form, My secretary wings spreading out on either side of me as I held my little sister close to my chest.
She had shifted back into her first form, Her little body still kitten sized, She had yet to really grow at all.
She took after our mom a lot, Her feline half being a African golden cat, Her bird half a Secretary bird just like our mom, However unlike our mom, She still had her kitten fluff as well as downy feathers instead flying feathers.
Speaking of my mom, I poked my head outside slightly only for her to hiss at me quietly, Her giant griffin form standing between the outside jungle and our frightened house.
''Get back inside!'' She hissed/snapped at me, Her avian eyes wide with panic.
I flinched back, Startled by her raised voice.
She looked to the left before her first form barreled back inside, Pushing me and in turn my little sister to the ground.
I moved my wings forwards, Wincing slightly as I landed on them.
Thankfully they protected my little sister from harm as she cowered close to my chest.
Glancing up, I saw mom going full mother bird mode above me.
Her claws were out as she let out a quiet rumbling growl, Her eyes trained on the door.
She was standing over both Marigold and I, Her wings held down at an angel to hide us from view.
I held my breath, My heart racing as I heard someone land on the entrance perch to our house.
No. I can't. I can't just hide here.
Carefully, I set Marigold down before darting out from under mom, My form shifting into my first form as soon as I was clear.
''Theo!'' Mom hissed quietly, Sounding panicked upset over my defiant action.
Tensing my beak, I moved to stand beside mom's slightly larger form, My claws drawn as my snow leopard tail slowly flicked behind me.
My eyes were trained on the door, The long eyelash like feathers Secretary bird's have over their eyes made it easier to see when the house shook slightly, Causing unseen dust to fall down on us.
I'm the man of the nest while dad is gone. I'm not about to let everyone down.
Suddenly the front door burst open, A familiar half snowy owl half snow leopard griffin rushing in, His feathers stained slightly with blood.
''DAD!'' I screamed as he rushed over to our little huddle, Panting for breath.
''Theo, Marigold, Umber'' He whispered in relief, His soft snowy white wings flinging around us in a hug.
I could feel mom trembling as she pressed close to her mate, Tears of relief dripping from her Avian eyes.
''Polar, What is going on out there? How bad is the attack?'' Mom asked worriedly, Slipping up and using my father's name in her panic.
I moved back to stand over my little sister as dad and mom whispered back and forth to each other, Panicked.
I was about to listen in when a tiny fragile little voice spoke up.
''Tea-o?'' Marigold asked, Peering up at me with her big baby blue eyes.
''Yes Mari?'' I whispered back, Crouching down to be a little closer to the tiny cub.
''Tea-o why is ever-one runnin'?'' She asked innocently.
I glanced up at our parents, They were of no help in figuring out what to tell the little girl, They were too busy exchanging what they knew about what is happening.
''Well uh. . . You know how we play tag?'' I checked, At her eager nod I forced a nervous smile on my face.
I can't tell her what's really going on. . . She's too young. . . It'll rob her of her happy youth. . .
''Well. . . Everyone's playing a giant game of new tag!'' I said, Trying to come up with a good lie on the spot.
It seemed to work as Marigold's eyes lit up, A beaming smile forming on her avian face.
''Realy!? Can I join?'' She asked eagerly, Stumbling up slightly on a word.
''Yes you can! Here's how you play, You find either mommy or daddy and you don't leave their side, Think you can do that?'' I asked.
She nodded her head rapidly, Eager to play a game.
Looking around, I spotted a wide roll of bandages, Grabbing them, I tore off a bit and tied it around Marigold's eyes.
''You gotta wear this to play the game, No matter what you hear you've gotta keep this on okay?'' I checked.
Grinning, She gave me a energetic nod, Her head moving as fast as a bobble head's.
''Theo! Come on, We have to leave now.'' Mom whispered urgently, Hurrying over to pick Marigold up by her scruff.
''How bad is it?'' I asked dad as I hurried to catch up with him, My legs not nearly long enough to fully keep pace with him.
''They've broken through the first few lines of Frogs. . . It's a blood bath out there'' He whispered quietly to me before taking flight, I followed suite, My wing beats a lot louder than his silenced ones.
''Where are we even going?'' I asked as mom sided up beside us, Her wing beats as loud as mine.
Glancing over, I could see Marigold held gently in her talons.
''There's a old cave up near the mountains, The Mothers and their shadows are leading everyone there in little groups while the Frogs try and hold off the attackers'' Dad explained quickly as we all took flight through the trees, Our wings just barely refraining from clipping branches.
''So we're running? Why aren't we standing our ground! Or at the very least trying to help our Frogs?'' I demanded, A sense of outrage filling me at the thought that we were just turning tail and running, Leaving our friends behind to die or worse.
''Are you crazy!? They know what they signed up for when they chose to become Frogs.'' Dad snapped back at me, Clearly panicked.
''Sweetie, We can't fight off a army of those Homigriffs, We'd fall like leaves in the wind, The brave Frogs have chosen to give up their lives so we can live, We can't let their sacrifice be in vain'' Mom explained as we followed behind dad.
But. . . Our friends. . . The Frogs. . .
Mid thought the canopy of leaves above us burst open, Two tussling bodies crashing down to the forest floor.
''Fly! Quicker!'' Dad shouted back to us, I started to follow them as my parents took off through the trees but I paused.
Glancing back I saw the Frog struggling to do any amount of damage to the much larger and stronger foe.
His claws and beak were barely doing damage as the larger griffin tore into him easily, The foe's claws leaving deep bloody trenches in the Frog's belly.
With a choice made, I turned around, Tucking my wings close to my body, I dived down.
Opening my beak and unsheathing my claws, I rammed right into the foe, The coppery taste of blood filling my mouth as I rammed him off of the Frog.
The larger Griffin stumbled back, Giving me the chance to grab the heavily wounded Frog and take flight.
The only problem was, With the added weight, I was slowed down. . . Yet the foe sure wasn't.
The larger griffin rammed into me, His sharp claws shredding through my wings leaving tattered feathers behind.
My eyes widened as my wings buckled under me.
Just like that I crashed towards the ground below.
No! Not like this! I have a wounded person to protect!
Spinning over onto my back, I collided into the ground.
My vision flicked as my head hit something hard and painful.
As I started to slip under, A shadow of a giant Griffin blocked out my limited view of the tattered canopy of leaves above.
Guess. . . Guess I still get to go out protecting someone. . . Just like a Fro-
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So Theo doesn't like to abandon friends, Any guesses how the attacking Normal Homigriffs are going to treat him?
Anyways! Like always, Have a good day/night and find a better book! - fallen