[Closed - Warden Assignment] So Take These Broken Wings...

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WHO: Bethany, Carver, Inessa, Alex, Audra, and Myr
WHAT: Summary of content
WHEN: Timing (backdated, covering a span, etc.)
WHERE: Location
NOTES: Content warnings, OOC notes, links to other relevant posts, etc.

In the Beginning of our Tale, the griffons were acting oddly.

Well, let us get more specific ... some of the griffons were acting oddly, and that was causing some distress to the other griffons. Enough that Bethany was standing outside of their nesting area, frowning with no little concern. Flea was snapping at poor Butterball and Potato. At the bottom of the stairs, Button was making a distressed noise, turning around in circles as he tried to find a way to climb up to the tower.

Not to mention that Burp and Uggie were nowhere to be seen. The Senior Mage warden put down one of the buckets of food to watch the griffons for a few moments longer, before she put out the meals in piles, all around the top of the tower. She knew others were there, and she knew they all looked as concerned as she did.

She went over to Carver, where the two started a quiet conversation as they went to check on Buttons down below. By the time they reached the base of the tower, however, it was not as quiet as it could have been...

" -- well yes I know you're worried, Carver, but it's not like we have a griffon doctor on hand." Came Bethany's voice from inside the tower, "All we can honestly say is that they are acting ... 'odd'."

Comments

A. To the Cliffs

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(Note, I'm just writing the initial post! Everything after this is all you guys.)

It happens quite suddenly, while the group is sitting here with their own griffons, watching Butterball and Potato move here and there away from Flea, when suddenly Uggie appeared from nowhere and headed over to the buckets of food that Bethany had left out earlier. She gobbled down one, and then without even batting an eyelash, grabbed two more with her front claws and flew off once more.

Now ... now might be the time to save Butterball and Potato, to see just what Uggie is up to.

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"Uggie! Potato, come here." She's unusually impatient as Potato heads over and crouches to let her tiny elven partner aboard, then glances over to the others. "Hurry, we'd better go before he gets too far away!"

She beckons quickly; if anyone cares to join her, they'd better do it fast. Otherwise, she'll take Potato and they'll have to find another way to catch up; the griffons' and their current issues take priority over everything else.

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Carver seizes the chance as well, whistling for Ghost. "Come on boy. Let's go see what your sibling is getting up to." Ghostface hurries over, bending to let Carver on.

"We can take a person or two with but get on now. You've got like seven seconds before we go." That means a ride with Carver or Inessa, both who are primed to go and ready to fly.

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"I'm coming!"

Audra nods her head, not giving it a thought before pulling herself up onto Ghostface behind Carver. She might otherwise have gone with Inessa, but she doesn't have time to pick and choose, and Ghostface is closer.

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That works for her; Inessa nudges Potato and the light grey griffon swiftly takes to the air. She's relieved that her graceful mount is apparently seeing the urgency and refraining from showing off, as Potato is prone to doing. Instead, the griffon responds to her urging by keeping focused on her clutchmate and their ultimate destination.

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Carver spares Audra a glance to make sure she's on and holding on tightly. "Keep a tight grip on me!" As soon as she's on, Ghost gallops towards the edge of the tower before leaping off. It's a short dive before his wings spread and they even out. He's a bit slower than Potato, given that he's carrying two, but he keeps pace with her well enough.

Uggie's soaring above the city, heading towards the coast, from the looks of it. She swings south, then west. Without a rider, she's a bit faster than Potato and Ghost. But perhaps it's for the best she doesn't know she's being followed at the moment. She's still in sight, and that's what matters.

Eventually, she finally begins to descend. Very pointedly, she's heading for a set of cliffs near the seaside.

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Audra doesn't need to be told twice to hold on tight, especially after Ghostface starts flapping those powerful wings. She tries to angle herself so she can see where they're headed but honestly she forgets a few times that they're in urgent pursuit of Uggie. The view is beautiful and distracting.

But she remembers often enough to catch glimpses of where they're headed, and she shifts a little in her seat, trying to get a better look at the cliffs they're headed towards.

"Why is she headed down there?" she wonders aloud, not really expecting an answer.

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Inessa narrows her eyes, taking in the seaside cliffs as they approach. Urging Potato into a descent as well, she keeps a lookout for anything of note. If it's Uggie's new home-away-from-home, there will be signs. Glancing back, she's encouraged to see that Ghostface isn't far behind with his own riders.

Unable to hear anything other than the rush of wind, Inessa knows better than to attempt conversation even over the crystal. Carver's paying attention, he'll know to follow them. When Uggie touches ground, she'll keep Potato in the air just long enough to keep from immediately alarming the first griffon with their presence. Only when Uggie heads off with those buckets does she urge her mount to land in the same spot. Potato's descent and landing are smooth, and she looks smug as Inessa jumps off.

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Carver can barely hear Audra either. All he knows is that she said something or other; he hopes it wasn't anything important, though he suspects she'd be poking and pointing if it was.

Uggie's landing spot is located just at the mouth of a cave, high above the waves but still close enough that the sea mist is ever present. Ghost lands right next to Potato moments later, chirping to his sister in greeting. But the happy mood doesn't last.

They're within sight of Uggie, along with Burp, who's further back in the cave. As soon as the griffon sees them, he charges. Wings spread and every inch aggressive, he squawks and screeches at them, going so far as to snap at his siblings. Someone is NOT happy to see them here.

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When the griffons touch down Audra moves to slide down off Ghost's back, that is until they're charged by the upset Uggie. She grabs onto Carver again, in case Ghost takes flight suddenly.

"Uggie, it's okay, we're here because we're worried about you!" she tries to reason with the griffon, which ordinarily when she's visiting with the griffons in the tower seems to work well, but where Uggie is agitated she's just kind of hoping she doesn't have to start throwing spells.

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Potato barely gets a chance to chirp back, when Burp squawks and charges. He's met with an angry squawk in turn -it's rude to attack your siblings for no reason, you know- and stands her ground, snapping back as soon as he invades her space.

"Uggie, no!" Inessa calls out in her best authoritative tone as she moves back. Potato repeats the squawk and blocks Burp from reaching the Warden, who is making no sudden movements or signs of aggression. "You know us--most of us. We're not here to harm you! Potato, don't escalate." She doesn't dare look over at her companions, ready to cast Barrier over them, if need be.

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Ghost backs up, screeching in warning but otherwise not looking to attack his brother. His sister's got more spunk and bite than he does. Carver holds out a hand towards Uggie, both as a sign of non-aggression and to indicate for him to stay back. "Easy now. We're not gonna hurt you or Burp. We just want to know why you're here."

Uggie, for his part, seems to be more focused on his siblings rather than the Wardens or Audra. He reacts little to Inessa or Carver, but as soon as Potato or Ghostface squawk or make any movement towards him, his hackles raise again and he shrieks his displeasure.

"He's way too riled up."