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Part 1

"Elder, do you know him?", the younger gryphoness asked. Her older sister subtly glanced between the two males and her eyes widened a little. It looked like she was trying to think of something to say, but in the end decided to stay quiet.

"Girls, head back to the colony.", he said calmly, it was neither an order nor a request.

"But, we can head back with-"

"That won't be needed. Tell your grandmother I'll be walking back with a friend."

"But, grandfather...", the younger looked worried as her older sister pushed her gently with a wing.

"Let's head back.", the older gryphoness half whispered to her sister. She turned back to her grandfather. "Are you sure you don't need us?"

"I'll be fine."

The two gryphonesses paused a moment, looking at Yogoloth. There was an undisguised mixture of worry, confusion and curiosity in those bird-like faces. Another push from her older sister and, one after the other, they grudgingly took to the air. The old gryphon watched them leave and then turned back to Yogoloth. Their eyes met and for a moment, neither spoke. Then the young hybrid remembered the etiquette drummed into him over the last few days. He lowered his head, extended a fore leg and spread his wings out low.

"Elder Farasuun.", Yogoloth almost whispered. He'd imagined this moment for many years and now it was here, he couldn't think of what to say. It almost felt comforting to just follow some silly gryphon rules instead of having to think. Please don't reject me.

"Enough of that, get up.", the old gryphon chuckled a little nervously as Yogoloth stood back up and flattened his wings against his flanks. Farasuun eyed the wings curiously. "I... didn't know. If I had, I wouldn't have..."

"I know.", Yogoloth could see this was difficult for the old gryphon- his father. His father. Another awkward silence hung in the air. Farasuun shook his head and breathed out.

"Walk with me. Let me lead you to the colony. I guess I have a new story to tell, or rather, an old story with a few extra details.", Farasuun said with a wry smile.

He turned and slowly walked the way Yogoloth had been heading. His steps were not exactly frail, but they were very carefully placed and paced. The young hybrid stared a little lost for words before quickly trotting up along side the old gryphon. Although a little rough around the edges and greying, his father's wings were exactly like his. The pattern so distinctive that he'd never seen another gryphon with anything quite like it. It all felt a rather surreal.

"Forgive me, but do you have a name? I know dragons don't really do names."

"Yes, I'm Yogoloth."

Farasuun turned to look his son in the eye and smiled. "Of course you are. I should have guessed. Your mother told me about her little big brother."

"She figured that being half gryphon I might need one.", Yogoloth shrugged his wings and sighed. This was all far too awkward. "I... just had to find you...", the young hybrid's voice trailed off.

Farasuun changed course and walked in front of Yogoloth causing him to stop. The young hybrid furrowed his brows and pulled his neck back into an S shape to avoid a collision. He was about to speak just as the old gryphon moved forward and wrapped his fore legs around his son's shoulders and hugged him tightly.

"I'm glad you did.", he whispered next to Yogoloth's ear.

The half dragon stepped forward and settled his rump on the ground as his father's feathery wings embraced him. He closed his eyes, nuzzled his snout into old gryphon's furry mane and gripped him back with his fore legs. The two of them hugged in silence for a time, neither having anything to say or wanting to spoil the moment.

"I guess I have a lot of explaining to do when we get back to the colony.", Farasuun chuckled nervously as he finally pulled away. "They know about the dragon friend I had when I was a young gryphon. I never did go into too many details about how friendly we were though."

"You never let on that you were a horny young gryphon with a thing for dragonesses then?", Yogoloth smirked. He felt a little more relaxed, as though a great weight was slowly lifting from his shoulders.

Farasuun looked a little wide eyed at the dragonic face of his son and then suddenly smiled and laughed. "No, I suppose that's long overdue. You both deserve better than that."

Farasuun released his grip and turned back towards the colony. Yogoloth followed along side and smiled. He was rapidly becoming more comfortable around the smaller gryphon. In his head, he'd always imagined his father being bigger than him, not exactly towering over, but enough to force him to look up. Which was foolish of course, no gryphon was larger than the young hybrid, his dragon lineage ensuring he'd grow to quite a size in time. But somehow his father still seemed to command respect. A gryphon social instinct? Dragonic parental respect? He wasn't sure quite yet.

"You don't have to lead me back. We could just sit and talk here. I don't want to cause you any trouble.", he said to the old gryphon.

"No son of mine is unwelcome at the colony where I live. You're family, you've committed no crimes; no one can bar you from visiting.", Farasuun chuckled turning to meet his son's gaze. "Besides, I'm too old to begin caring what people think of me. If anyone has a problem with you, they'll have us both to deal with."

Part 2

"I'm related to those two gryphonesses aren't I?", the realisation suddenly sprang to Yogoloth's mind and then immediately to his tongue.

Farasuun chuckled. "Well, yes. I suppose you're their... half uncle.", he added and then his brows furrowed as he looked sideways at Yogoloth. "So you must be, what? In your late sixties? You don't look a day over twenty five."

"I was sixty eight this summer. I age like a dragon. So, I'll probably be around for a few more centuries."

"Do you... do you know how your brothers and sisters are doing?", the old gryphon asked in a slightly quieter, more careful tone. Having not been there for the children he didn't even know about, seemed to weigh a little heavily on him. Yogoloth had known where he'd stood all his life, he'd have to give his father a bit more time.

"I'm the only one. The others... they didn't survive.", Yogoloth replied leaving out the messy details.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be, I don't have any memories of them. My mother took care of what was needed at the time."

Silence descended upon them again as they began to scale a slight hill. The slope was gentle enough and there were quite a few rocks perforating the yellowing grass. The odd tree had made way for the odd shrub of heather and insects danced between their dark violet blooms. Both males had begun to flick their tails and ears against the odd insect that dared to come too close. It was wonderfully warm and the sky had only a thin wisp of hazy cloud. A glorious day for flying.

Farasuun was breathing noticeably louder by the time they reached the top of the hill. His small pink tongue gently panting in his pale beak as he turned back to Yogoloth and smiled. He suddenly looked rather frail to the young hybrid. Eyes still full of devious energy, but the walk had exhausted him physically.

"Welcome to my home.", he gestured slightly with a wing as Yogoloth reached the top of the hill and peered down into the valley. The view was rather impressive.

The far side of the valley was rockier and steeper than on the side where they both stood now. Cliffs both natural and some clearly artificial adorned it. There were even a few deeper alcoves carved into the chalky stone by the gryphons who had settled here over the decades, possibly even centuries. Nests of rock, branch and leaf were scattered about the cliffs, some almost next to one another, others more distant or less sheltered. Yogoloth counted roughly fifteen nests before he spotted a shadow dash across the grassy valley and he looked up.

There were two gryphons flying ahead in a loose circle, Yogoloth didn't recognise them but one was male and the other female. He wasn't sure if they were just flying for the sake of flying or keeping a watchful gaze on their new arrival. He smiled, he would love to sky dance with Natanii right now. He sighed and turned his own gaze back to the cliffs. There were surprisingly few gryphons about. With so many nests apparently in use, he expected more activity.

"Is it always this quiet?", he asked the older gryphon.

"Not often. We have two hunts and a patrol out though.", Farasuun stepped forward and looked further down into the valley. "Others may be keeping a low profile for our unusual new visitor."

"You mean their keeping their distance from the disgusting hybrid.", Yogoloth muttered a little more bitterly than he'd intended. Farasuun turned surprisingly quickly to face him.

"Perhaps it is true that I can never understand what it is like to be... born a hybrid. But I can tell you now, it's not disgust you see in a gryphon's eyes. It's fear of the unknown."

"I've nearly been killed before.", Yogoloth muttered as his father moved forward and gripped both if his shoulders with his talons.

"Most gryphons never get to see a dragon their whole lives. The nearest dragon to this colony is over two day's flight across some fairly open ground, that's not even good for hunting.", Farasuun suddenly chuckled. "I've met him on a few occasions. He's old and refuses to speak in anything other than High Wurm. For a dragon, I think he's rather impressed with my skill with it."

Yogoloth sat back down on his rump as Farasuun went on, his talons still resting on the hybrid's shoulders. "But dragons are unpredictable, powerful and often unapproachable. Perhaps it's easy for us to just discount the actions of dragons because they are so different. Maybe you're a little too familiar to discount and a little to different for comfort.", Farasuun gave out a slightly nervous chuckle. "Besides, you're armed to the teeth, literally, and you're the biggest gryphon here. You're rather intimidating actually."

"Thank you.", Yogoloth said softly, smiling at his father.

"What for?", the old gryphon laughed.

"You called me a gryphon."

The old gryphon looked his son in the eyes for a moment and something clicked between them. Yogoloth leaned forward and it was his turn the wrap Farasuun in his own larger feathery wings. His father yelped slightly at the sudden unyielding embrace but soon reciprocated. They were fine. They'd both be just fine.

"Farasuun? I think perhaps introductions are in order.", a female voice called out somewhere behind his father. Her tone was a mixture of surprise, accusation and intrigue.

Yogoloth opened his eyes, not even sure when he'd actually closed them, and saw an old gryphoness walking towards them nearby. Her fur was mostly a rich golden colour that grew gradually paler toward her belly. Subtle patches of paler fur also mixed in giving her a slightly marbly look. Her beak and talons were darkish brown, a little like Lenela's dark grey. Farasuun pulled back and chuckled a little nervously.

"Oh well, he we go. Try not to bite her.", the old gryphon joked.

Part 3

The old gryphoness somehow smirked and scowled at the same time. Yogoloth suddenly felt rather uncomfortable even though her ire was directed at his father. He quickly let him go and backed up a step. Farasuun grinned a little sheepishly at her, it was clear the two held a strong bond even from just that one moment. His father had found another mate. Well, of course he had.

"Introductions, yes.", he gestured towards his hybrid son with a wing. "This is Yogoloth. Yogoloth, his is my Life Mate, Yishina."

Yishina stepped forward towards the young hybrid. Yogoloth's father had only just described him as rather intimidating, but he was the one who felt rather intimidated right now. There was certainly a spark of his own mother's strength in this gryphoness, his father was obviously rather drawn to strong females. It seemed to be hereditary. Yogoloth decided to err on the side of caution and bowed his head and extended a fore leg.

"Your 'friend' has been brought up with good manners...", she said, briefly lowering her own head in return. "and has rather distinctive wings, wouldn't you say?", she purred towards her mate as he walked up beside her and nuzzled her neck. Farasuun chuckled a little nervously.

"I suppose I have a few extra details to add to a one of my stories.", he began.

"You mean that the dragoness you once knew was your mate? Oh Farasuun, I love you very much, but you're very much mistaken if you think you can hide your feelings from me.", she turned a little towards him and gently nibbled a few of his feathers. "When ever you've talked about her, it's been clear in your eyes how much you cared for her and how much it hurt you to leave her."

"You've always known?"

Yishina laughed. "Of course. Although you should have told me about your son!", she exclaimed, then her tone lowered. "But there are laws you know."

"He didn't know.", Yogoloth interrupted. "Even my mother didn't know until I hatched.". If anyone had broken any laws it had been his mother, not his father.

Yishina turned to the young hybrid and took a moment to look him up and down. "Well, I assume you'll be living a good long time. You don't look as old as you must be.", she tilted an ear in Farasuun's direction and smirked. "Unless he's been sneaking off to see her over the years..."

"No.", Farasuun replied, suddenly a little distant. "Yogoloth is my eldest son. The son I'll never really know.", his voice was rather muted.

Yishina slowly draped a wing over her mate. "None of that. You have now.", she smiled and turned back to Yogoloth. "So, let's have a good look at you then."

Yogoloth raised an eye ridge and flicked an ear. He wasn't averse to posing for people, he'd long ago accepted that people were interested in the way he looked. The odd gryphon wanted to see the dragon parts and his mother was fascinated with the gryphon parts. He was a moderately tidy blend of two surprisingly different yet surprisingly compatible species. Who wouldn't want to admire such a handsome creature? he chuckled to himself.

The young hybrid sat back on his haunches and slowly spread his wings. Balancing on his widened hind legs and a little on his tail, he reared up.Protracting his fore claws, he silently roared into the sky. His father may be a gryphon, but he was a dragon and dragons enjoyed showing off. Even if just a little bit.

Farasuun smiled and Yishina rolled her eyes. "Males...", she muttered. "When you're quite finished, we'll head down to the nest. Then you and my Life Mate can tell us all about your mother."

Yogoloth landed back on his fore paws and thrashed his head and tail a little. It had felt so good to spread his wings. He'd done far too much walking recently and yearned for the sky. He looked up and the sun hung brightly in the near blue sky. Evening was approaching.

"Lenela...", Yogoloth suddenly hissed.

"Who?", Yishina asked casually. The flick of her ears betrayed a deeper curiosity.

"My sister.", Yogoloth replied, then Farasuun's brows furrowed. "Oh, she's my Sky Sister. One moment."

Yogoloth focused on that ethereal strength within and gently tapped into his magical reserves. He drew a thin strand out and formed the required shapes to send Lenela a message.

"Sorry, I lost track of time. I'm fine, I met him... he's...", Yogoloth said then blinked once. He looked his father in the eyes for a moment and then grinned. "He's introducing me to the family."

He released the shapes and they sped off to his sister. Then he waited for the message to reach her. At such short distances he'd probably get a reply pretty quick. He did.

"I know, I could just about see the two of you head off. I found myself a bite to eat while I was waiting. Have fun.", Lenela's voice was happy yet tinged with sadness as well. Yogoloth frowned and hoped she'd remember his promise, she need never be alone again.

"Are you two ready?", Yishina asked not even waiting for a reply as she turned away and began to walk down a rocky slope that lead down into the valley. "The girls have been worried."

Farasuun smiled at Yogoloth and headed after his mate. The young hybrid was a little overwhelmed by it all. It had been a very emotional day and all of this had happened so quick. He still felt a little on edge though. Not because he felt threatened, but probably because so much was happening all at once and he hadn't had the time to process it all yet. After decades of being in full control of his own life, Yogoloth hated feeling like a leaf on the wind. So he pushed his worries to the back of his mind and quietly followed his father down the narrow slope into the valley.

Part 4

Farasuun and Yishina's nest was a fairly simple affair. It was built inside a smooth dip in the rocky ground on one of the cliffs that lined the valley. The cliff above jutted out and formed a natural shelter from the rain while a tightly woven series of flexible branches had been erected to create a wind break. The nest was positioned in such a way that it caught the sun throughout the day.

The cliff above and the ground below had been flattened and a hardy grass had been allowed to grow. If a gryphon was careful, he could avoid tearing it up too much as he walked. Yogoloth's dragonic hind claws were not as gentle as a gryphon's cat-like hind paws and the grass wasn't enjoying the attention he was inadvertently giving it. But if his father or his mate had any complaints, they did not voice them.

A set of cured animal hides lined the nest itself creating a rather comfortable looking bed. Although this was first and foremost a feral colony, they obviously still had contact with the civilised races directly or indirectly. Alas, the nest was only large enough for two gryphons, and then only if they cuddled closely. Yishina settled first and Farasuun soon joined her. Yogoloth's father sighed as he settled and his mate preened some of the fur around his head and neck. They looked beautiful together.

"Hen and Shen should be back soon. They went to tell the other Elders about our new guest.", Yishina said, her beak still in her mate's fur. Yogoloth frowned.

"I'm not here to cause trouble.", he said carefully as he settled down on his belly a short distance from the nest. Just for a moment, he missed the fine rugs that Reinald had at the estate. The furs looked rather inviting in a similar way.

"There's no trouble.", she replied. "We just want to make sure people aren't too shocked when they come back from hunting or scouting to see you here. You've been invited to our nest, no one else will cause you any trouble.". Having stopped her attention on Farasuun, he tilted his head back and nibbled gently around her neck. Yogoloth couldn't help but smile.

"Ah, here they are.", Farasuun said looking off into the sky.

The young hybrid turned his long neck around to see a pair of shapes flying in low through the valley. They were already close enough to identify as the two sisters he had briefly met before. His... what was the gryphon word...? Nieces? They certainly shared more in common with Yishina than his father. But traits often followed the first and second parents of the same sex.Although to gryphons it was parents and grand parents, he reminded himself. The youngest of the two landed nearby closely followed by the eldest.

"Yogoloth? Are you our half cousin?", the young gryphoness asked right away. Her older sister nudged her with a wing and rolled her eyes.

"Hen!", she chastised while Farasuun chuckled at the pair. The sound was a little infectious and Yogoloth couldn't help but smile.

"Actually no.", he replied. "I'm your half uncle. I'm older than I look."

"Oh!", the young gryphoness stepped forward, tilting her head this way and that trying to take the strange hybrid in. "You look younger than me."

Yishina cleared her throat and Farasuun's ears perked up. "Ah yes.", he quickly interrupted. "Heneyia, Sheneya, this is Yogoloth, my... eldest son."

"I told you he'd age slower than a gryphon.", Sheneya said to her younger sister, giving her another poke with her wing. Heneyia scowled back briefly before a thoughtful look crossed her slightly feathery face. She suddenly turned to Farasuun, eyes wide in shocked realisation.

"You mated with that dragon you knew!", she gasped. "That's disgusting! I mean, how did you even manage to...?", she suddenly burst out laughing and then quickly covered her beak with the talons on one fore leg. The outburst prompted another wing swat from her older sister. They both behaved as though they were half the ages they appeared.

"Yes, yes, yes.", Farasuun chuckled with a combination of nerves and restrained tolerance. "Just settle down you two and listen."

Heneyia and Sheneya quickly did as they were told and settled down nearby. Heneyia near Yogoloth, followed by her older sister Sheneya a little further away. The two sisters were side by side, almost touching. Hen leant slightly against Shen and she received a brief nuzzle in return. The eldest of the two watched the young hybrid quietly, not with suspicion but with curiosity. It felt strange to be studied so closely by a relative. He suddenly realised, apart from Yishina, he was related to all these gryphons; the dragon equivalent of second siblings. It hurt his head.

"I'd told you all before that I'd met the dragoness after flying my parent's nest and heading east.", Farasuun started. Both Sheneya and Yogoloth broke eye contact and turned to listen. "That we had become good friends and that she had taught me High Wurm before I continued east. Arriving here after a few year's of travelling. Well, that's not technically a lie, I just missed out a few details."

"Rather important details.", Yishina replied with a loving smile.

"Yes. Anyway, I met her passing through her territory, as I told you all before. But later I was caught in a sudden storm and the only option I had was to walk the miles to her lair.", Farasuun chuckled. "I think she just took pity on me that night. But she set about teaching me proper High Wurm. I nearly just spoke to her in Low Wurm, but in my youthful ignorance, I wanted to impress her. If I had shied away from my limited knowledge of High Wurm, things might have worked out very different indeed."

"We... became very close. Neither of us really realised until... well, until it happened.", Farasuun grinned at the memory. "She was pretty amazing. She was my first and I really wouldn't have changed anything."

Yogoloth glanced at Yishina, but she was merely smiling at her mate. She clearly felt no unease at the thought of Farasuun having had a dragon as his first mate. Farasuun's express darkened slightly as he continued.

"But I guess it was never going to work. Dragon and gryphon? We were... just too different. Then another dragon arrived and she chose me over him. I could see it in her eyes, her instincts burning for her to go to him. I told her to go. I told her that... ", a hollow laugh escaped his beak. "I told her that he could give her the one thing I couldn't.", he looked up at Yogoloth and smiled. "How wrong we both were."

"So she left you for this other dragon?", Heneyia asked.

"No. She came right back and we mated on the spot.", he laughed a little. "She chose me after all of it. She chose me over another dragon.", the old gryphon frowned again and twisted around to meet his mate's gaze. "When the eggs came, we both thought they were his. It made sense. After all those years we were together we just figured we couldn't produce eggs together. That the legends and ancient laws were wrong."

"What happened to this other dragon?", Sheneya spoke up.

Farasuun turned back to the group. "Male dragons don't stay around to help with young. Well, it's very rare. Unless he's a nesting male and then a female will just leave her eggs for him to look after. But that's equally rare. Dragons are... complicated.", Farasuun replied and then smirked at Yishina. "I felt so jealous of him at first. I'm not like other civilised gryphons. I wanted to find a mate and settle down for the rest of my life. Civilised gryphons are just too open with their relationships."

"Anyway, I soon realised that she was Life Bonding with me.", Farasuun stopped as he saw puzzled looks from his grand daughters. "Oh, it's a dragon thing. They might not form large groups of friends, but when they form a bond with someone, it truly is for life."

Yogoloth took that moment to speak up. "We don't normally realise it's happened until years after, assuming we survive the end.", he spoke quietly as though it was a great secret. "I... once bonded with a human. A very close friend and I didn't even realise until years after he died. If the bond grows too strong, it takes us with it. His death was nearly my own."

"You had a human male as your mate!?", Heneyia exclaimed.

"Oh, no. I never would with Marrus... not that I wouldn't with... I mean, Apples is different and... the cheetah, well...", Yogoloth stumbled over his words a little and shook his head. "Anyway this isn't about me. The point is, if dragons Life Bond properly, the death of their partner normally kills them too. It doesn't have to be a mate."

"So I had to leave her.", Farasuun continued, looking down at his crossed fore legs. He seemed to examine them for a time. He looked up at his son. "How is she?"

Part 5

The question struck Yogoloth rather suddenly. He wasn't prepared for it at all. Even to this day, he still didn't know what exactly had happened to his mother. The young hybrid wondered if she'd not handled being alone very well after he had flown the nest. Perhaps looking after her son kept her going after losing her Life Bonded mate.

But she was a dragon, such social desires just didn't register with her kind. But the bond? Had it finally consumed her? Yogoloth's mind raced with possibilities that flashed through in the blink of an eye. He restrained his uncertainty and confusion and kept them from showing. This half truth was for the best.

"She was fine the last time I saw her. You know what we dragons are like.", he forced a smile and a chuckle.

Farasuun took the briefest of moments before he smiled and then took a deep breath. "I was worried. I thought maybe the bond was already too strong."

"No, she raised me well. Told me everything she could about you, never a bad word. I could tell that... she missed you...", Yogoloth hoped he hadn't gone too far. He hoped his words gave his father comfort rather than opening old wounds.

Yishina wrapped a wing around her mate and nuzzled his neck. She whispered something to him and he leant back into her caress.

Farasuun shook his head and continued. "Anyway, I flew east. Out across the sea and to the Gretish nations. I hunted for a while, time spent hunting with your mother really helped when I was alone. I'm not sure how young gryphons manage it when they fly the nest actually. It's hard work!"

"Anyway, the civilised races there aren't as used to gryphons as they are here or back in Namaria. But they were just as happy to have a gryphon's skills and strength available.", Farasuun chuckled. "I even did some construction work along with the courier work I was used to. We gryphons can pull as much as a horse, lift the same as two men with a pulley and need no guidance like a common beast."

Farasuun stopped and looked thoughtful for a moment. "I... there is still a place for her in my heart...", he tilted his head back to Yishina, desperation in his eyes. "I'm sorry... I..."

"Hush your beak, I know you do.", Yishina preened one of his feathers. "Why would I mind anyway? You have a big heart, more than enough room for both of us in there."

"So...", Farasuun continued with a little difficulty. "I just kept flying. I met a couple of gryphons in my travels, some civilised, others feral. But I slowly realised that I wanted to be surrounded by others, friends or family. The life I had before at the estate and all the courier work had been rather lonely. I wanted something else, something more."

Yishina and Farasuun pushed against each other in an overt display of affection. Civilised gryphons they were not, but they still had no problem with others seeing their love in a very physical way. Sheneya cleared her throat and somehow managed to catch everyone's attention.

"Hen, your mate isn't keeping a good enough eye on your young.", she said quietly enough to imply she was being subtle, but loud enough for everyone to hear anyway.

Yogoloth's ears perked up and flicked this way and that. Magical senses spread out and he quickly looked up at the cliff above. A small beak surrounded by a fluffy face disappeared far too slowly as the group of them looked up. His senses told him that the owner was a very young gryphon, not even a fledgling.

"I bet you can't glide down here onto your new great uncle's back!", Heneyia called out to the small hatchling.

Yogoloth grinned and then slowly frowned as his brain processed the gryphon familial concepts. Great uncle would mean the brother... of the gryphon's second mother... or father...

"I don't think that would be a good-", Farasuun started just as Yogoloth realised what was about to happen.

It was too late to protest as a high pitched screech erupted from above, quickly followed by a small bundle of feathers and fur. Tiny wings spread out and fell downwards in a fairly well controlled arc. The young hybrid only had a brief moment to appreciate the hatchling's aim before it landed on his back between his wings. It took a moderate amount of willpower to remain still as the weight hit him. In yet another moment of clarity, he realised he was related to this gryphon too. It was almost too much.

"Your head's all funny!", the hatchling cried out in triumph as tiny talons sank into Yogoloth's bare hide.

"Aaah!", he resisted the urge to rear up and throw the painful bundle of talons and feathers from his back. Instead he quickly stood and dug his claws into the ground. "Why would you do that!", he cried out to Heneyia.

Heneyia laughed and her older sister swatted her with a wing. Sheneya then scowled and whispered non too quietly. "We know nothing about him, you trust him with your first son?". Heneyia scowled back but otherwise said nothing to her.

Suddenly there was a tension in the air felt by everyone except the little hatchling climbing up Yogoloth's back. Those little talons weren't sinking anywhere near as deeply as he first thought though. The young hybrid had never had chance to interact with hatchlings before. He'd never even had siblings and wasn't sure how to deal with this. He could be playful when he put his mind to it though. Time to improvise.

"Your... aunt is right! You shouldn't go around hunting dragons!", he gave a quiet, playful growl as he turned his dragonic head towards the little hatchling, still trying to climb onto his neck. At least he hoped it sounded playful.

"Oooooh...", the big brown eyes stared right back at him in a combination of awe and excitement. There was a healthy hint of fear mixed in there too. "Teeth!", the little gryphon then poked Yogoloth in the snout with a talon.

"Hey!", Yogoloth exclaimed covering his snout with a fore paw in feigned pain. He could almost hear the collective sigh of relief from the group of gryphons as the little hatchling grinned at his own cleverness. Heneyia nudged her older sister with a wing and grinned along with her son.

Yogoloth slowly sat back on his rump, careful not to lean back too quickly and dislodge his young relative. He felt those little claws and talons dig into his mane as the terrain became trickier for him to manage. The hybrid spread his wings a little and reached back with his fore paws. The little bundle of brown feathers and orange talons squawked in protest as Yogoloth's big paws quickly got a hold of him. His little beak bit down into one of the hybrids green toes, the pain barely registered.

"No biting!", Heneyia called out in the same voice she'd used when the two of them had first met outside the colony. The little gryphon's ears drooped immediately and his beak released Yogoloth's flesh. "What do you say?", his mother added sternly.

The little gryphon looked up at Yogoloth, his ears still drooped down. "Sorry...", his ears suddenly perked up a bit. "Down now... please!"

It was all rather pleasant in a strange way, the thought that there were so many gryphons who would carry on his father's line. It was also comforting to think that even the memory of his mother would also be carried down through these gryphons now. Gryphons and dragons both held their family histories in very high regard. His father's first mate was now assured to be a prominent story for generations to come.

Yogoloth smiled at the little gryphon, gently placed him down and he scampered into his mother's waiting talons. Sheneya looked at Yogoloth for a moment and then nodded imperceptibly. It was for him and him alone to see, perhaps a grudging acceptance or recognition? He wasn't entirely sure, but it felt good. He suddenly felt both happy at things having worked out so well and unhappy that he'd have to leave again so soon. But he missed Natanii now more then ever.

Part 6

"So... what about you?", Farasuun started awkwardly. "Is there... anywhere you call home?"

Yogoloth smiled, he may have been received fairly well here, but this was family. It wasn't guaranteed, but tolerance was more likely here than anywhere else. His father knew that such a welcome reception was unlikely elsewhere for a hybrid.

"You're wondering what a hybrid might have gotten up to over the years while you were enjoying life here?". Yogoloth cringed at how that sounded. "Sorry, I didn't mean it like that.", he smiled to try and soften the mood. "It's sometimes been tough, I've made a few mistakes... but I've made some friends along the way too. Generally just living day to day I guess."

"I'm glad it's not been all bad, I guess it was never going to be easy for you.", Farasuun half smiled and blinked a couple of times.

"No. But I have magic enough to disguise myself as a gryphon sufficiently not to break the ancient laws. Hence my friendship with Reinald, Gregory Tylor's grand son."

"That's... risky. But I suppose there are no precedents... for something like this. I expect most gryphons don't even think hybrids are even possible."

Yogoloth suddenly grinned. "I have a mate too! She's a gryphon called Natanii. Beautiful eyes and strong with magic. We met under... unusual circumstances.", he looked a little off to the side and breathed deep. "I'm really missing her right now actually. Even more so because of meeting you all."

"Did she not come with you?", Yishina suddenly asked, Farasuun seemed distracted.

"She's civilised, she has a lot of work to do and family back home.", Yogoloth couldn't help but smile a little. "It keeps me going to know that she's safe and waiting for me."

Farasuun grinned and snuggled back against Yishina as she replied. "I wish we could have met her. What about hatchings? Are you and her planning?"

Yogoloth blinked a couple of times, a little stunned. It wasn't something he'd ever really thought about. Would he want to have hatchlings with Natanii? He was still young, older dragons wouldn't even consider him an adult. He and Natanii hadn't even talked about it. What would they look like? he wondered. They'd be mostly gryphon, maybe just with horns and claws? He'd like it if his hatchlings had his mother's horns and his father's wings. Was it even possible?

"I... suppose I would like that eventually. I'd not really thought about...", Yogoloth trailed off as he realised his father was sound asleep. Just like that. Yishina smiled down at her mate and gently nuzzled his neck.

"I think that's the longest conversation we've had out of him in a few years. Today is certainly the longest he's travelled for a long time too.", she said a little forlorn, but smiling anyway as she gently fussed over his feathers.

"What...?"

Sheneya spoke up. "Grandfather is an old gryphon, Yogoloth; he tends to get tired quickly these days. He's lived a good long life, but...", her gaze met Yishina's and then she turned to Heneyia. Her younger sister's son was also fast asleep, held firmly in her talons.

"I think I understand.", Yogoloth spoke quietly, almost a whisper.

Gryphons got old. But unlike dragons, they didn't get bigger and stronger, they just deteriorated. Eventually time killed them as sure as it breathed new life into each generation. Yogoloth clenched his jaws and watched his father as he slept. He was calm and seemed free from stresses and burdens; he was happy in his mate's caress. Yogoloth didn't want to know how long his father had left. 'Gryphons just don't live that long', his mother had told him as a hatchling. It wasn't fair.

Something caught Yogoloth's attention, in the back of his dragonic mind he knew there was new magic in the vicinity of the colony. His eyes didn't leave his father's face as he consciously stretched out his senses. A flight of gryphons was approaching the colony, right on the edge of Yogoloth's unenhanced sensory range. He could feel various magic being wielded or worn, but nothing that sparked his instinctive concern.

"I think one of your hunting flights has returned.", he said solemnly.

Sheneya and Heneyia turned and looked out into the valley, their keen eyes seeking out the dark motes as they became visible in the sky. Perhaps about six or seven gryphons gradually appeared before splitting up and heading towards the various nests and cliffs. One headed directly towards the small group that had gathered where Yogoloth was. He had an oddly striped fur pattern and dark wings as he landed near to Heneyia and padded up to the group suspiciously.

"Is... everyone alright?", he asked, his eyes not leaving Yogoloth's own. The young hybrid noticed that many of the other gryphons that had arrived from the hunt had taken up positions that gave them a good yet distant view of him. They were curious but didn't seem threatening.

"Did you leave our son with your cousin again?", Heneyia accused.

"I did!", the new gryphon responded. "Someone has to hunt if he's going to get fed!"

"Our son may be a third of your cousin's age, but judging from how many times he outwits him, he clearly gets his intelligence from my side of the family."

"Well, his magpie blood also found him safely back here...", the gryphon that was clearly Heneyia's mate chuckled and then glanced again at Yogoloth. He seemed slightly on edge but tolerant.

"Well his great uncle here also shares that 'magpie' blood you keep complaining about. I'm sure you can talk to him about it.", she smirked evilly. Yogoloth had no idea what they were talking about and his confusion clearly showed.

"Magpie blood?"

"Grandfather's dark feathers. It's very rare to have nearly pure black or pure white feathers. Although they skipped a generation with me.", Heneyia looked down at the little hatchling in her talons and carefully passed the sleeping gryphon to her mate.

For the first time, Yogoloth noticed that the little one had a few near black feathers and even a few white ones amongst the more usual browns of his wings. Magpie blood, he could see why it was called that. He looked back at Farasuun and noticed Yishina had settled down against him too. She wasn't asleep, she just watched and listened to the goings on around the nest.

Heneyia cleared her throat. "As my mate likes to remind me, I haven't hunted today and I really should catch something. You... err... want to join me, Yogoloth?", she said, clearly not sure about how dragons approached group hunting.

"Yes, sure.", Yogoloth replied trying to sound casual. "I could do with something, it's been a strange day and I've grown quite an appetite.". Dragons held a very different view on group hunting than gryphons did. He had to remind himself that this was the norm and Heneyia was family, so it was fine regardless.

"Well, while you two fill your bellies, I have last patrol today.", Sheneya said then nuzzled her sister. She turned and nodded to the group before taking to the air.

Yishina lifted her head up. "Yogoloth, it's getting late, we'd both be happy if you stayed the night near our nest. Sorry we don't have anywhere more comfortable.".

"I... thank you. I would like that.", the young hybrid managed as Heneyia poked him with a wing. He flinched only a little but turned and smiled back. He was slowly getting used to all this. He wasn't sure it was a good idea or not.

This trip had probably gone as well as he could have imagined. He'd met another hybrid who was now his Sky Sister. He'd met his father and hadn't been rejected at all. Even his father's family had apparently accepted him. Heneyia took to the air with a flourish and Yogoloth followed best he could. He knew he couldn't stay for long, but he could still enjoy things while they lasted.

As he soared though the valley after his niece, he saw the eyes of some of the colony gryphons follow him through the air. But instead of disgust in their eyes he saw curiosity, instead of fear he saw only caution and he couldn't help but smile. He curled one wing and pumped the other, spinning into an impressive display of skill and freedom. This wonderful journey would stay with him for the rest of his life.