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"Ike, we're here." Sentry shook me from yet another nap. I would have preferred to remain asleep as I had plenty of rest to catch up on, but if we were arriving I should at least make the effort to look awake.

I followed Sentry out into the chilly air top deck where I was instantly greeted with the sight of sheer and stony walls all around us. I peered over the edge of the ship, instinctually tightening my grasp as I viewed a mist obscured river far below. "Are we going down?" I asked.

"No, up." Xane adjusted one lever to its furthest setting, our ship slowly ascending even further.

The eagle's visage split through the clouds as we flew through them, our ascent brining us to view the sun poking over the mountaintop.

"Welcome to the Nest." Xane mentioned as I first laid eyes on the sprawling city bridged between three grand peaks of stone with another jutting through its very heart.

I stood in awe of the marvel, the mountainous monolith in the center draped in golden light as we drew ever closer. The grandiose architecture was stunning, each stone support suspending the city over the vast drop below.

Xane smirked at our awestruck wonder at his home. "The Nest has been the capitol of gryphon territory for thirteen millennia."

"Thirteen? How can a city so large last that long? Even stone crumbles eventually."

"Our ancestors had an allegiance with the elder dragon, he blessed the rock with his fire to never wear away as long as the gryphons protected the..." He paused, rethinking his statement. "Protected something dear to him." He revised. "The city is still warm from his age old flame, despite the frigid mountain air."

"The elder dragon?" Kira questioned Xane.

"As a crystal pony I am surprised you do not know, perhaps the gryphons need to work harder to restore relations... He is Raeleth, the first dragon, a beast rumored to be as old as the world itself. In his ancient age he awakens only once every fifteen thousand years, a shame I will not get to see it in my life."

"How old do gryphons get?"

"It depends on their bloodline, but on average gryphons live to be around 600, the dragon's next awakening will not be for approximately another two thousand." Xane paused, peering into the distance. "It seems we have company."

I looked ahead, seeing a massive ripple in the cloud layer. Moments later a battalion of gryphons clad in armor punctured through, rocketing skywards before tucking their wings and barreling towards the deck at alarming speeds. They slowed at the last possible second their simultaneous impact causing the entire vessel to shudder. The soldiers formed a defensive perimeter on deck with surprising haste, an honor guard for the gryphon in the center. This avian appeared larger than any of the others, his chipped beak showed a history of fighting, streaks of silver feathers cresting his head.

"Father," Xane spoke and bowed his head low as the armor clad gryphons parted, deeming it safe. Their motions were fluid and trained, each snapping to position then standing alert and perfectly still, save their piercing gazes.

"For a moment I was surprised to see you at the helm, nestling. It seems you have finally grown into your talons. The tale of how you bested that letch will be shared in revelry and song." Xane's father, the Nestking, congratulated.

"I... I didn't confront her. My efforts were spent on escorting the Equestrian diplomat away from danger."

"I see..." The nestking's visage now sat at the verge of a displeased frown, a frankly frightening appearance combined with his battle scars. "A partial victory is still better than none, take your vessel to the skydock and reunite our equestrian guests with their crew."

He barely gave me a second glance before leaping from the deck, his massive wings nearly brushing the wood as he launched away. In coordinated unison his troops followed suit, the gust noticeable from where I was standing.

"Not one for long conversations, huh?" Sentry broke the silence.

"Not when they can be avoided. He would rather speak with beak and claw than words even though he has proven a wise king, and as his son I am expected to act in the same manner. " Xane sighed and returned to the helm once again.

"But that's not what you want, is it?" Sentry questioned.

Xane looked to his most evident wound, wrapped in Sentry's bandages. "I'm not much of a fighter... Zandria would have made the stronger choice had things been different."

"Leadership isn't about physical strength. It's the strength of this." Sentry placed his hoof over Xane's chest, pinpointing his beating heart. "Choose to have strength of heart, if you have that alone you already make for a better leader than your sister."

"Laaaame..." Kira lightly mumbled and shouldered up to me, avoiding being overheard by the others. "I'll bet you twenty bits they screw before the end of the week."

I opened my mouth to respond but couldn't find the words.

"You in or not?"

~~~

"How long are we going to have to wait? This is getting ridiculous." Kira paced my chambers, just as bored as the rest of the crew.

"It's only been three days, besides the city is huge how can you be bored already?"

"Huge and relatively inaccessible to somepony without wings. Some of the shops have doors built halfway up the walls, no steps." Kira flopped over on the floor with a sigh and a grumble, "Asshat architects."

"I guess that's what happens when your entire population can fly. They probably don't even give it a second thought." I myself hadn't managed to make it outside very often in the last few days, and when I did I was toting around a book for my delayed gryphon history cram session.

"They don't even take bits here, which you owe me twenty of by the way." Kira referenced her proposed wager from a few days prior.

"I really shouldn't take your bets. When it comes to this kind of thing you are strangely accurate..."

"Kira, shipping expert extraordinaire. No denying it." She joked.

"Oh? Any other pairings you want to declare before they happen?"

"Well..." Kira reluctantly started. "I think that if a few things happened just maybe there could be one between-"

A knock at the chamber door cut off her train of thought, a familiar voice coming through. "Ike, its Sentry. Xane says the nestking is growing impatient that you haven't sought audience with him yet."

"What?" I looked questioningly over to Kira as I pulled open the door. "Sentry, we thought we were supposed to wait for his invitation."

"Well, apparently that isn't how it works here." He spoke as he walked in, looking briefly around the room.

I sighed and rubbed my head, "It would have been nice to know this, I don't know, three days ago? At least I had a chance to read up on how things work around here though."

"Come on Sentry," Kira jostled him and put a hoof around his shoulder. "You do have a gryphon you're inside... Oops, I meant gryphon on the inside. You should be more... On Top of the situation?"

Sentry seemed at a loss for words for a moment before clearing his throat and sliding away from Kira. "Our personal matters have nothing to do with- I... I mean... I don't know what you're talking about."

"Smooth." Kira continued to tease him. "Don't worry, I can keep a secret." She turned back to me, "Well, what are we waiting for? Don't want to keep him waiting any longer.

~

"A single solitary fucking bridge would be nice for once." Kira grumbled as she looked at the gap between the mountainside, and us where a large keep was built into the stone. "Screw this, I'm out." Kira stormed off before I could get in a word, mumbling something to her.

"Hey Sentry."

"Yes?"

"Kira needs a punching bag to relieve some stress, you got this right?"

"Ha, I think I'll leave that for you. She's already managed more than enough harm for my liking."

"Coming?" Xane spoke, letting his presence be known before leaping from the edge and unfurling his wings. He looked much healthier in the mountainous air, his wounds having healed surprisingly fast. Almost fast enough to make me wonder if it was physically possible. The real question though, was he there when Kira was prodding Sentry about their relations? For the life of me I couldn't remember.

I leapt from the stone into the empty air, an almost immediate chill coming over me as my hooves left the dragon fire blessed stone. The winds were harsher than I thought but it was easy enough to fly after getting over the sudden shock. The cold mountain air almost seemed to have its own magic, each chilled intake invigorating to the senses. I caught up with Xane and glided beside him, Sentry choosing the same.

"Anything else I should know?" I half shouted over the distance between us.

"I don't believe so, as long as you show civility and respect father shall grant you the same."

"What about the Alicorn sisters? I was told that their leadership is only tolerated by distance."

"That is why you are here, father is a renowned warrior to our people not some benevolent figurehead. He believes they do not have what it takes to rally their own nation should a crisis rise. That is why they were wise to send you, one who has proven capable against the darkest of foes, one who could call Equestria to action through example."

"I'm not a warrior, I never was. So far I have just done what seemed right."

"And that is all that matters, you will be-" Xane suddenly paused, an ear perking up.

"Suck it bitches!" A voice shouted in an exaggerated fashion as it swooped down from above us, a glimmering aura of reflected sunlight temporarily blinding us as the speaker landed on our destination platform.

Sentry gawked for a moment as we neared. "Is that? No, it can't be Kira."

We alighted on the ledge and the crystalline pony turned to face us, the nearly blinding light assailing our eyes once again. It was nearly impossible to see until Kira stepped into the shade, a smirk accenting her maw.

"Wait? Are those butterfly wings?" I began to chuckle at the effeminate display of the sparkling crystal wings.

Kira lifted them once more and stepped back into the light, immediately punishing my chortle. The wings were works of art but the fact that she was a crystal pony turned the light streaming through the multifaceted and colorful wings into death beams. "You trying to blind me?" I said with a cringe as a particularly bright beam from the temporary magic wings flashed across my eyes.

"If you keep laughing I might have to... The spell wore me out just enough to not feel like kicking your flank."

"I think we can work some form of transportation out if the eyesight of the whole nest is in such peril..." Xane joked. "But might I suggest heading inside for now? Somewhere with less sun." He spoke, working in vain at blocking some of the glare with his talons.

"Yeah yeah, quit your whining."

~~

Entering into the great stone keep it was surprising how much activity there was. Going from the serenity of whispering mountain winds into a boisterous and full banquet hall was an unexpected change.

We hovered around in the back, realizing we came at a bad time in our haste. The gryphon king sat at the head of the table, his advisors and guests to his left and right spaced out along a decorative span of tables. He was draped in kingly finery, a royal purple cloak lined with fur.

The gryphon king paused, looking our way, his powerful voice silencing all individual conversation and activity in an instant. "So, the Alicorn prince finally chooses to appear? I was beginning to wonder if you intended to speak with me at all."

From the silence that fell upon the room I could tell that my response would be heavily weighed. This was nothing but a political game and I needed to show that I could play on his level.

I tapped into the strange and commanding force that came with being an Alicorn, the Royal voice. My words were softly spoken but carried a volume and edge to suitably reach every ear in attendance. "For one who has lived so long you seem to be lacking in patience." I diverted full attention back upon him as our unwitting audience waited for a reaction.

"That is only because I intimately know its value. It is not something to be squandered, even with my many years."

"Then shall we discuss the future of our peoples now, or would you have that wait until after all of this-" I looked around to the bards, the servants with wine, and even across the tables laden with food to emphasize my point. "Squandering?"

For several tense seconds you could hear a breathless silence, if he agreed to take council with me the revelry would come to an abrupt end, causing much dissatisfaction. But if the King refused it would refute his last conversation point, derailing his momentum. I couldn't help but crack the smallest of smiles at my minor victory.

"Bahahaha! The warrior has wits to match his accomplishments." The nestking laughed out, dispelling the tension. "Come join us Otherworlder, our city is graced by your presence."

Otherworlder... Is that what the gryphons had taken to calling me? The name felt strange, yet bitingly accurate in a way I didn't like. I was used to being grouped with pony kind by now and being separated made me feel something akin to a deep longing.

"I know you grant the title as a friend, but it is one I cannot accept. I would hope your people see me as a part of this world, not separate from it."

"Very well, Ike. That is in fact pleasing for these old ears to hear." The Nestking stood and motioned to several servants who lifted his chair and moved it back, providing room for another table. I noticed immediately that this showed a very uncharacteristic respect compared to the common idea of kings. He not only went out of his way to make room for us but also did so without disturbing the guests in attendance.

As we took our places a gryphon whispered something into the Nestking's ear, passing him a scroll with the Canterlot royal seal upon its surface. The king set it upon the table next to his plate and took a seat once again, the majority of the gryphons in attendance only giving the occasional glance our way now that the excitement was over.

A strange smell wafted over me, making my mouth water at the scent alone even though I couldn't seem to place what it was.

"Ah, good. Here comes the main course." I heard one of the table guests speak."

"Finally, I just can't seem to palate these greens, time to move on to something more." Spoke another.

It was then that it hit me, the smell... Fresh meat. I looked across the table to the stark contrast of expressions between Xane and Sentry as they both set eyes on the platters entering the hall pilled with medium rare slabs of seasoned beef and several smaller trays that were uncooked entirely. Sentry seemed practically mortified at this turn, meats being almost taboo in pony culture, while Xane looked outwards with a longing. I looked over to Kira and her ridiculous looking wings receiving a kick at my unpreventable exhale of laughter. Even though she pretended not to care I could tell the smell of meat was putting even her on edge.

Are you going to be ok? My eyes questioned both her and Sentry in turn, receiving short nods from both.

In a surprising short amount of time each of us found a plate before us, the steaming slabs of meat mortifying to some while succulently appetizing to the rest... And I was part of the rest.

I watched as the nest King disregarded all etiquette, snatching up a sizeable steak in his talons and tearing into it with his beak, blood from the uncooked meat splashing back down upon his plate. The way he attacked the food was like watching a beast tear into its prey; I looked down the table to similar sights everywhere. It made perfect sense to me, they were predatory creatures, but the eyes of Kira and Sentry showed hints of fear despite the fact Gryphons only consumed non-intelligent beings.

I knew I shouldn't in front of them but I had to know what it tasted like... It had been so long since I had had anything except plants and the occasional fish if I was in the right company so I hastily sliced a portion of meat, levitating the bite of once living tissue to my maw.

As the meat graced my senses with its unparalleled flavor my eyes nearly rolled back with pleasure. I had been missing out for so long... As I slowly chewed, prolonging the flavor I thought to take a peek around once more.

As I glanced over to Sentry he pushed away from the table with haste, a thoughtful servant intercepting him with an empty pitcher. Sentry heaved what little he had inside of him into the container, leaning on the gryphon for support.

Before I could react thunderous laughter echoed through the hall, gryphons banging on the table or clutching their sides in laughter.

"You already know your crew arrived before you... But not of the events when we first offered to feed them." The Nestking chuckled. "We thought we knew what to expect of you, but yet again you surprise me Ike. I see you have a hunter's tastes."

I wasn't quite sure whether to be offended that I had played an unwitting role in his joke or accomplished at the fact that I had yet again gained another modicum of respect from the nestking. In any case he wasn't entirely to blame, we were intruding on a court of carnivores mid meal.

"By the way, this was for you." The Nestking motioned to the sealed scroll, saving me from having to respond to the jest. It was quickly ushered over and I lifted the scroll with magic.

Removing the seal and opening the scroll I immediately recognized Twilight's writing, despite its apparently rushed sloppiness.

"Ike, I don't have much time so I'm going to keep this short. The princesses have both gone missing and it's up to me to find out what happened. Please, if you don't hear from me again by-" the scroll had a smeared splash of ink obscuring several lines, covering the words.

"Damned black vines, if I stay still too long they get all grabby, I'm sure they connect all of this somehow. Just come back to Equestria soon, hopefully I can fix all this before you get back."

Stay safe.

~Tw-"

There was an uncharacteristic fade in the ink where she had run out, presumably from the earlier spill. Her name was barely legible, scratched into the parchment by the dry quill.

I rolled the scroll back up and set it down, receiving inquisitive glances from more than a few ponies and gryphons. There was no reason for me to share that Equestria might be in some sort of danger, especially in such a public setting.

"Perhaps there is a dish available that is more suitable to an Equestrian diet? My friends here, if they have much appetite left, would appreciate the hospitality." I deflected the questioning stares, letting them think the message wasn't important enough to worry about.

"Very well, let it not be said that the gryphons are unwelcoming to their guests."

Author's Note:

Apologies for taking so long of late. It is surprising how much 12.5 hour shifts interrupt the flow of doing anything else. (not really, I have pretty much accepted the fact that they suck for creativity.) What I have been writing has been in small spurts on the weekends when things slow down at work. I think I'm going to work up a side chapter next for those of you who need a bit more Discord. After that its back to the story.