Welcome to Gaia! ::

((I'm posting to maybe give some people a head start. Instead of starting at the cliche forest scene... let's go with a little something more))

Wind howling, a deep moan across the horizon, sails filled with the tired stretch of tarp that had seen more than its days of travel. Sliding down the mast was a young figure, not over teen years, landed on the worn deck and hurried to the edge. Salt water whipped through the air, stinging all the sailors above the hold. They were finally pulling into port!

The town itself looked to still be sleeping. Odd to him, since despite the stormy skies, it had to be well past noon. "Ho, Aekith! Where are ye?" he hollered to the wind. Surely that fluffbrained...

A piercing screech greeted him moments later. Along with a shadow circling the conservatively sized merchant ship before a windblown gryphon touched down with a thud to the wooden deck. It's cooing purr made the teen laugh. "Such a bark with no bite," he teased. The great beak nipped at his shirt. "Fly off to yon town and see if anything be amiss. We need to know before docking... no sense to bring our supplies to a ghost town."

The beast took off without a second thought.

The gryphon's wings were harder to control closer to land. The updrafts from the coast added to fighting the storm... it was lucky he could even stay IN the air.

Just as the human had guessed, the town was empty. Swooping low over ghostly markets and empty buildings, the gryphon dipped down to land on the open ground of a wide road. Dust stirred as he touched down, but by the time his wings had stopped whipping to and fro, the great beast had already trotted down the lane, looking about curiously. It cooed to itself, before clicking it's beak in a sign of unease. Human places should never be quiet.

Scuffling along, the gryphon dipped its head low to the ground. Completely shattering it's "image" the creature began rubbing the top of its head all over the dusty ground before rolling sideways down to dust the rest of its feathers. Moments later, it stood again and shook the excess off... just like a fresh shower.

Happily, it trounced along again, keeping its eyes keen for any dangers. There was no telling just why all these people had disappeared. It turned down another lane, and slowed. There were no human foods on display. Alas, he couldn't pick up a free meal. Maybe fish... humans always had fish...

Somewhat abandoning his mission of "scope out the town" and such, the gryphon began sticking its head into the shops and markets in search of a snack.

Fish smells wafted from a towel inside that particular shop. He ripped it accidentally on it's way out, leaving perhaps an intimidating image. It pulled its head out and shook the towel viciously, mostly frustrated that there was no food.

Tossing its head, the gryphon let the towel fall on the ground. In doing so, its golden eyes fell on the girl. It's pupils narrowed, focusing upon the girl... It screeched what might have been a greeting...or a threat.

Dipping down, the gryphon scooped up the town and leapt to the sky. Treading air for a moment to take another look at the girl, it took off, sensing the storm's approaching fury. It had to be landed when it really got started or he'd be in big trouble. Not to mention... this land was not safe. Sea storms... tsunamis... their names meant little to the creature but it's own instincts told it not to get caught in one.

((scooped up the TOWEL!))

The young merchant sailor waited nervously for the gryphon... his Aekith, to come back. Preferably BEFORE the storm hit. They needed him to guide them through the winds so they could get out of danger before this bedamned storm rolled in.

A screech of greeting set his nerves a bit at ease. "Did'ja find...-"

The towel was dropped at his feet. "A SMELLY TOWEL!! You feath'rbr-?!"

It screeched just as the rain began pouring down with thunder cracking across the skies. "Well get in the skies, bird brain! We gotta get to safer waters!" But the beast wouldn't move. "Get...rg...moving!" he shouted, even trying to push the gyphon to get a move on. But it's eyes ... that stare... what was wrong?

The waves grew more and more vicious by the minute. The human danced from one foot to the other. "By the time you get in the air it's gonna be too late!!" he shouted. "The waves are coming from the ocean, at this rate the boat's gonna get bashed into the shore!"

The gyphon didn't seem to hear him. What in the blazes was wrong with him? "Just ... at least lead us to safety!" the human shouted. Teh gryphon tossed its head. But... but it had always obeyed orders. Unlike the rest of the crew whom had all jumped ship at the last stop. Superstitious fools.

"We have to get the boat to safety! It's all we've got left!" The beast picked up the dirtied towel again. Why was that so important? "I swear Aekith if that's some stupid pun I'm gonna rip yer feathers out m'self!" But it just dropped the rag at his feet again. Throw in the towel. Meaning... let go of his ship. Leave it to be busted to pieces. "I can't... do that Aekith. This ship's my life."

The bird narrowed its eyes in anger... the very first time it had ever shown aggression to the human. For a split second, it's yellow, narrowed eyes showed a signs of intelligence he'd never known. Eyes of yellow fire... like a dragon... "So be it, ya big chicken hearted brute. I'll be stayin' with mah ship and turkey feathers to you. Go t'r hell-!"

But he was swept off his feet. Two iron-gripping clawed feet clutched him by the shoulder and arm and hoisted him up. The force of takeoff took his breath away... as did getting whipped to and fro by what seemed like a hurricane's winds. The beast fought bravely, against wind and waves, but its strength gave out just before reaching the coast. Both plunged into the swirling waters to a resigned death... But the human was ready. He could swim. "Aekith!" he shouted, fighting the tide to find his friend. Lightning flashed, giving him the smallest sight of wings fluttering weaking against the waters. Birds can't swim... their great wings are just deadweight...

Too in shock to speak, the human fought to stay above the surface. It would prove to be a long night as the storm had yet to reach its worst.

Understanding that the more he fought, the harder the sea would pull him out, the human rested as the tide pulled him pretty much parallel to the coast. Eventually he was close enough to put some muscle into it and reach teh shore. But the gryphon... Aekith was gone. The sea claimed yet another life.

But he had to find cover before the waves began swallowing up this low lying land. Even to his eyes, which rarely saw such things, understood the danger. He had to trust that his gryphon had made the right choice in bringing him to land rather than fleeing out to sea.

Crawling up through the spongey wet sand, the human shakily made his way to the town. Eyes blank, he searched for some building that might resist the almost inevitable tsunami. Aekith must have sensed that one was forming... and knew that the ship would have been powerless against it. ...He had to get as far inland as he could.