1st Spell [Open Commentlog]

[taintedtalent]

[The first thing Reese notices is that this is not the road to King's Creek. In fact he's pretty sure it's a cell. The second, and currently more important, thing he notices is this achingly empty feeling he's getting. His magic is gone, completely and utterly gone, and this horrifies him.

He fights the growing panic. First thing's first, he needs to regroup with Dutch. After a quick check of his room, he tests the door. It's unlocked. Why would it be unlocked?

Clutching his Winchester, Reese slowly pushes the door open and steps into the halls.]

Dutch. Dutch you out here?

[When he doesn't get an answer he continues moving through the barracks, calling our her name. He doesn't like it but he's got little choice. This is the most vulnerable he's ever felt. Finding her is his top priority.]

Comments

[bondedgryphon]

[Not being trigger happy is even better, thanks! Her attention snaps back to the here and now as she rounds the corner and finds herself suddenly not alone. She makes a startled sound, clambering to the side to avoid a collision.

Her eyes flit to the unfamiliar man and then down to the thing he's holding that is surely a weapon of some sort. But he's lowering it deliberately and there is nothing about his posture that reflects a threat in the slightest.

She blinks, golden gaze lifting to study the man as her head tilts slightly to one side. Her ear tufts flick forward in interest and she rustles her wing feathers as she readjusts them along her back. Her tone is bemused when she speaks, her voice soft and perfectly clear.]

I should hope not... I would not wish such upon anyone, in truth.

[Sarcasm at it's finest, ladies and gents!]

You have just arrived, I should think?

[taintedtalent]

[When she speaks his eyes widen even more. This is a griffin, the king of creatures, or queen in this case judging from the voice, and it's speaking to him. In his life, Reese has only seen a griffin once before and he was sure it was going to be the end of him. Instead it saved his life.

Now, standing right in front of him, is another griffin. One that can talk. Right now he's not sure what's going on or if this is even real. Have they always been able to talk? The one he saw was only there for a few moments before taking to the skies again.

A few things to strike him though. The first being how small this griffin is, and the second that he's been staring at her for some time now.]

I, uh, yeah. Just found myself here a while ago.

[bondedgryphon]

[Zhaneel is rather used to being on the receiving end of all these surprised looks she tends to get. Apparently, it's not even just the fact that she is a gryphon, but that she speaks that really gets them.

She chortles softly, the sound low in her throat and her beak parting with mirth.

He finally breaks his silence and she bobs her head slightly when he confirms that he's newly arrived.]

Well, then firstly I bid thee welcome to Holloway's Keep. You are, unfortunately, far from your home now and there is, as of now, no way for you to leave this place.

[She gestures absently around her with her wings.]

The Keep grounds, that is... you are able to leave the barracks at any time. My name is Zhaneel... I was brought to this place nearly a year ago from my own homeworld. There was a book in the room you arrived in.. [She sits back on her haunches and pulls her own journal out of her travel satchel.] It would look like this one... it explains how it is you came to be here.

[taintedtalent]

[Again Reese is taken a back, but not by her ability to speak. He was not expecting such an information dump like this at the moment. It takes a a moment for him to wrap his head around.

She's been here for a year and she's not trying to get out anymore? Maybe she's been tamed by the people in the keep. That's a heartbreaking thought really. And this is the second time he's heard about that book.]

Howdy, the name's Reese.

[She's very polite for what people normally consider a wild animal.]

As of now huh? Guess that means I should find one then.

[Something else she said strikes his as extremely odd.]

What's that 'bout "yer own homeworld" now?

[bondedgryphon]

[That's Zhaneel... the ultimate dumper of information, whether you want it or not! She studies the man rather curiously as she tucks her journal back into her neck satchel.]

Heyla, Rrrreesssse. [She could pronounce it perfectly clear, but his is a name that is full of trills and hissed syllabants and is damn fun to say. She says it a few more times, each a bit clearer than the last.

As for polite... she'd been taught many years ago that if they were to be treated better than animals, that they should act it. Treated poorly by her own or not, she had not forgotten that lesson.

She cants a feathered brow slightly at Reese's words, head tilting slightly. Before she can address his desire to go off and save the world, he asks about homeworlds and she clicks her beak lightly.]

There are many of us here from different places in space and time... it is a bit... overwhelming to accustom oneself to at first. [She tilts her head the other way, blinking inner lids across her golden eyes.] Have you gryphons on your world, Reese? You seem less inclined to fear than many others...

[taintedtalent]

[As she repeats his name again and again he grins. For something that could probably tear him in two right now she's kind of cute. He's reminded of a dog excited to meet someone new.

Then she dumps even more information that he has to wrap his mind around. Other worlds in different space and time? With no reference, he doesn't know whether she's just lying to him or not. All of it seems like something out of a children's book that you can buy at the store for a dime.

Until he can verify this somehow he's just going to address her other question first.]

Yeah, I've seen griffins before. A griffin at least, tore some people chasin' me in half before flyin' off.

[bondedgryphon]

[He seems willing to hear her out, but who knows if he's willing to believe her just yet. Instead of stressing things he will learn on his own in a short while, she sticks to the side conversation with an absent twitch of her tail.

She cants a feathered brow slightly at his reply, however, head tilting to one side as her ear tufts flick forward.]

A brief glance, certainly, then... but quite the glance at that. I should hope I am not forced to defend you in the same manner, Rrreese, but with luck you shall not encounter such that requires it.

[Had she just volunteered to defend him if need be? Yep. Even after just meeting him? Yep. It's what she does, boo.

She fluffs her facial feathers up.]

Do you have questions? I have been here long enough that I should be able to answer most, or be able to direct you to others that may.

[taintedtalent]

[He's slightly taken aback with the offer, not offended, just surprised. Being offered protection by a griffin isn't something that he would ever see. Then again he's seeing a lot of things he didn't think he would ever see.]

Thanks fer that but ya ain't gotta worry yerself about me.

[Despite not being whole and not having his medicine, it doesn't feel right asking her to look after him. It wouldn't feel right even asking Dutch to protect him like this.]

Unless ya can tell me how to leave, I ain't got anythin' to ask.

[bondedgryphon]

[And you've barely seen anything yet, Reese... it only opens up to a larger bowl of crazy from here on out!

She clicks her beak lightly, shaking her head in negation.]

It is no bother... I shall leave the offer standing, should you need any assistance.

[At his quip about leaving, her ears flick back and she shakes her beak once.]

Would that I could, Reese... unfortunately, that does not appear to be knowledge that is soon to be shared with any of us.

[taintedtalent]

Well ya got my appreciation fer that then.

[Who knew that griffins were so polite? This is the first time he's ever tipped his hat to one before.]

Yeah I kinda figured. Nnothin' is ever that easy.

[bondedgryphon]

[She dips her beak once.]

It is my pleassssure.

[It was possibly surprising, but for the most part they were a rather polite species. Certainly there were some that could be as unapproachable as any human or cold drake, but those were few (thankfully). A gryphon's personality could vary as much as a human's, though.

She studies the hat tipping gesture, having not been treated to such before. Inner lids flick across her eyes as she nods again, facial feathers fluffing around her eyes and .]

There would be nothing worth fighting for if everything were that easy, Reese.

[taintedtalent]

[Reese nods his head in an almost absentminded manner. Something she said struck him and not in the best way either.]

That wouldn't bother me so much. Sometimes I get a little tired of fightin'.

[He rests the barrel of his gun over his shoulder. Sometimes, well many times actually, he just wants to go home to Ada and just stay there. No more going out and fixing the world's problems. If he could then this whole fight wouldn't have even happened.

This isn't the time or the place to get introspective though.]

Thanks again ma'am.

[And he starts to walk back down the hallway.]

[bondedgryphon]

[She thrums low in her throat, nodding her head once.]

Do not we all, Reese?

[Then he thanks her again before starting off the opposite way.]

If you have need of anything, you have only to ask. Be safe, Reese.