Bipeds needed incredibly obvious signs to figure out the world around them.
One would think that the scent, darkness and presence of a large apex predator would suffice to keep humans from wandering into her den. Yet somehow, twice in one morning, they blundered in.
Logan was first, bleary and yet filled with curiosity, seemingly unsurprised to find her a griffin once more, and was rebuffed with gentle shoves of her wings.
Then, an hour later, came a complete stranger. The female was short, grey hair dyed an unconvincing red, and she crept close, hand out as she murmured, “Hey there, pspspspsps.”
The griffin glowered at her, arched her back and filled the room with her wings as she growled deep rumbling displeasure.
“Karen. Behave.” A sharp voice came as her mother, small and tense as iron, leaned behind the stranger. “Paula, this is my daughter, Karen. Paula here has very kindly come, on her weekend, to look at your shoulder, so… please lie down or sit, dear?”
“Shoulder and everything, I heard old Willingham blasted you badly! I swear, boys and their guns, it’s atrocious!” The vet clucked and breached further into her den.
The griffin snorted, pulled her wings close and slunk past her. She slunk under her hand, and lumbered into the hall, cornering her mother who backed away, blanching.
“Kare- darling, please don’t be difficult, your father’s out taking that boy home. Just sit still, please?” Mom hissed as the griffin wavered, then gently headbutted her. “What? Oh… fine, yes, I’ll touch you, just don’t trap me, it’s far too tight here. Back in the garage.”
It was tight, but that was no reason to invade her privacy, so she stalked into the lounge and flopped down.
“Here? Urgh, you’re such a fusspot. Very well, let me get a towel in case your bleed- Paula, I apologise, we’re all still…. adjusting,” Mom explained.
“Oh, yes, it must be quite some change.” The stout lady bounced in and set a bag down. “But you honestly have my highest admiration.”
“Up- good,” The other placed a soft broad towel under her leg, and nervously placed a small hand on her neck. Karen felt her chest thrum as she inhaled, and fought the urge to embrace her mother in a mass of wings, instead just curling her tail close. “Why? Honestly I’ve not done well, it’s Ernest and Karen who have done the most.”
“Well yes, but adopting a mystic? Especially fifteen years ago? Well that’s just wonderful,” Paula sat with a rosy cheeked grin.
“What?” Sylvia startled, “Did Ernest tell you that?”
“Oh sorry, was that too personal? No, no, I figured it out myself.”
Karen blinked and looked up at them, only for her mother to pat her side, “Don’t be ridiculous dear, of course you’re not adopted- you’re my spitting image.”
“Sylvia, I think it’s rather obvious by this point. How else would your daughter be a griffin?”
Karen shrugged her wings and Mom mimicked the motion, “Haven’t a clue. Even those anomalous boneheads didn’t have anything useful to say. But she’s my daughter, and don’t you dare suggest otherwise.”
Paula swallowed, and cautiously shuffled closer, “Very well. How peculiar. This spot here? Ah yes, it’s clotted, do you mind if I touch it?”
She did very much mind, but any anger would scare off her skittish mother, so she lay still for the pointless examination, culminating in the decision that she didn’t need stitches and was a highly impressive specimen. Bipeds were very blind if it took twenty minutes to notice the obvious.
“But do be careful still. As lovely as it is to meet you, I hope I don’t see you too often, Karen,” Paula zipped her bag after applying a new bandage, “Oh, but I do have more mice in my van if you’d like them?”
“Excuse me?” Mom stood, voice like ice as Karen cocked her head, “Why would we want mice?”
“For her? Ernest bought one before for her to play with. Did you like it?”
Her tail lashed as the pieces clicked into place- so it hadn’t even been wild vermin? Just a gross little pest brought to amuse her? How small a cub did they take her for? She shook her head sourly, talons curling with a low growl.
“That’s a firm no. We’re quite fine without them,” Her mother echoed and led the vet to the door, “But thank you for coming along. Enjoy the afternoon.”
“Oh? Alright, yes, I just thought… right, sorry. Bye bye!” The lady waved as if to a child before she was escorted out, the door slammed, and Mom breathed a long sigh of relief.
“Mice. Honestly, what was he thinking?”
Karen rolled her eyes, and leaned close to butt her hand.
“Right. Conversations like this are going to be strange. Yes, fine, I’ll pet, you don’t need to tackle me,” She grumbled and knelt and stretched her arms around to encompass her neck, breath quick and heart pounding. It was pathetic how terrified her own mother seemed to be, her shoulder inches away from her sharp hooked beak.
But Sylvia held still and let her wings close around them for a minute even with that fear. She stood quickly once released, and warily followed as Karen begged some offal breakfast from her, though she left the room rather than watch the griffin eat.
Nonetheless, progress was progress. It was speaking terms, or close to it, and she had claimed her body back last night, if only for a couple of hours. She had all her memories, thanks to Logan, and knew who to beware of- Mayor Carpenter, and Matt.
But others needed to be warned. One other at least. So she grabbed Veil and clothes, and set out.
* * * * *
The blue painted door loomed like the entrance to a lion’s den. It was not half as intimidating as her own den- the garden was well tended with a white picket fence, and cute stones scattered around the doorway. A unseasonal reindeer ornament lingered from last christmas, and the trees were crisp and golden with autumn’s breathe. Yet it felt a ruse, like a sweet pitcher plant waiting to devour insects.
Karen rapped her knuckles again, tail twitching. She’d fallen for that trap once, she wouldn’t do so again.
“Oh goodness, hello there! Are you a new neighbour from the camp?”
The pudgy cheerful frame of Hugh Carpenter filled his doorway, cheeks rosy against the morning cold, eyes squinting through glasses at her without recognition.
Which made sense, given she was a little satyr girl, wrapped up in a dress and jacket over her caprine legs that had tripped her three times already. It was a cunning disguise, if she said so herself, and her long red braid bobbed as she nodded and forged a smile, “Yup, you’re Mayor Hugh right?”
“Hugh else would I be?” The lying snake gave a jolly shrug, “And you?”
“Oh I’m… Hana. Uh, Maddie’s in my class- is she home?” She should have decided on a name beforehand. What if Hugh knew Hana? Should she have faked a name? Or an excuse? How did mystics lie all the time! “Uh, I wanted to ask about… homework. Maddie’s been super helpful, so I thought she could help with an assignment due tomorrow.”
“That’s my girl. Let’s see if she’s up- oh, come inside, come on in!” Hugh stepped aside, and she stumbled on the steps, only for a chubby hand to catch her. “Careful there, and wipe your hooves please.”
“Right, sorry, wouldn’t want any dirt on you,” Karen huffed, stomped the weird legs a couple of times and suppressed a flinch as he slammed the door. The lounge lay just beyond, looking much as it had years ago, wide long settees and bean bags, that corner where Matt had sat her down. She steered clear as Hugh bounced up the shallow stairs and tried to gather her wits.
Privacy was the goal. If she could get alone with Maddie, she could reveal the memory modification, the lengths her father had gone to- and maybe what Hugh was capable of. He didn’t seem like he’d know magic, but he was a scarily good liar, and she didn’t want to imagine… anything about his true form.
Then more footsteps, and her platinum haired friend peered down the stairs, eyes flickering across her with confusion. “H-hana?”
“Uh, hi Maddie, can I ask you about the… uh… homework for Geometry?” Karen fumbled, trying to choose a codeword, “Sorry for not coming human.”
“No, it’s fine, I just… thought you were something different.” She frowned suspiciously, folding her arms, “What were you struggling with?”
“Uuuuh… problem three? Yeah, it was problem three.”She reached down, but she didn’t have any pockets or bag, just her dress. “Do you have a copy? I didn’t bring mine, sorry.”
“I’m finished, so I’ll show you how it’s done, but then it’s up to yoooou, understand? You won’t learn anything by copying me.” Maddie considered, “Here, come on up.”
“Don’t spend too long on it, it’s a sunday girls,” Hugh chuckled as he wandered past, and Karen struggled up the stairs after her friend. “I’ll be heading out, make sure you get lunch Madonna!”
“Yes Daddy, have a good day!” She cooed back.
Maddie’s room was as neat and innocuous as ever. Maybe there was a subtle reptilian scent, or her wide round bed might be considered odd, but it was easy to pass for a humans- posters of lakes and cities lined the walls, tacky souvenirs lingered on shelves, and the veiled mermaid leaned on her white desk and set pale blue eyes on her.
“So, whoooo are you? Should I guess?” She broached with a mischievous smile. “That’s not Logan is it? Oh, please be Logan, that’d be hil-arious.”
“Nah, sorry to disappoint- and sorry for lying.” Karen’s ears twitched as she heard the car drive off. “It’s Karen.”
Maddie leaned in, snorted, then burst into giggles, “Aaaaaw, it’s fine- jeez, you look soooooo adorable. Why’re you a faun? Look at your lil ears.”
“They’re awful- the eyes are gross and don’t get me started on the legs. Hooves are ridiculous, it’s so noisy! But I left my human veil elsewhere, and we’ve got to talk. You trust me right?”
She gave a gentle nod, “Sure, you suuuck at lying. Why not phone?”
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“Because it’s about your tail,” Karen sat on the bed, stamping her hooves irritably, “Where to start?”
“At the start? There’s no spies in here, relax. Do you need taught how to slither?”
“No. Well, maybe.” She crossed her arms and looked to the familiar blue eyes, “Look. This is going to sound crazy. But, four years ago, right after I broke my arm, you told me everything. About magic, about mystics, you showed me your true form, all of it. And I know that doesn’t add up- you can’t remember it, and I couldn’t, because our memories were sealed. To keep it secret. By Logan’s uncle Matt, but I think your Dad ordered it.”
The teenager tensed, lips parting softly, “Ooooh. Karen. No.”
“Yes, I’m serious! I know it’s tough, but it’s the truth. Logan discovered it yesterday, his uncle was hiding magic by locking down people’s memories- hundreds of them, for years and years. Logan can bring back your memory too, it feels real weird, bu-”
“Karen. My memory’s not been tampered with,” Maddie looked to the floor.
“Yeah, Matt’s spell’s really strong, you don’t notice you’ve forgotten it. But we can’t let your Dad know, I think he must have been the one to pay for it, he’s a snake!”
“Yes, I know! My whole family’s snakes!” Her friend snapped and stood straight, tears swelling in blue eyes, “But Daddy would never do that to me.”
“Don’t go into denial about it, you said you’d listen!”
“I’m not in denial, that’s…,” Maddie ran a hand through her hair, “Karen, look, think! Why would my memory need erased? Everyday I wake up with gills and a tail and I drink a magic potion. Forgetting that would do nothing.”
“Because… because you told me.. you said he’d done the magic trick before…” She stumbled, felt her tongue move dumbly in her mouth. In her memory, how would Maddie had known there was a magic trick if it made her forget? Why had she seemed so upset when she urged her to trust Matt?
“You tricked me,” She whispered, the revelation hitting like a hammer blow.
“They’d have done it either way, Karen, Daddy said it was best to get you to submit willingly,” Maddie murmured, shaking on the spot, her fingers spidering across each other anxiously.
“You helped them. You traitor! You helped him steal my memory! I trusted you!” She snarled, “What happened to besties?!”
“It was best for you- it was four years ago, I didn’t know what would happen. I’m sorry, I’m on your side, but… I mean…” Her tears shimmered with strange rainbow as they fell, picking out in the air as Karen felt her field of vision narrow, the details grow sharper, the colour blindness fade. “Look what happened to you!”
“On my side?” Her hands burnt too, and she blinked to find eight digits lengthening, tan skin hardening into black scales, nails reaching out into razor sharp talons. Karen gritted her teeth and stood, rage flaring through her blood, why was so much talking needed?! “You think tricking me and stealing my memory was best for me?!”
“YES! Daddy said you’d be in danger if you remembered!”
“Daddy this, Daddy that, why can’t you ever decide for yourself Maddie?!” Karen staggered and reached for the door, missed and gouged four long lines down it, “Is he why I’m a griffin?!”
“No, I am- Karen, calm down, breathe. Just sit and take your stuff off… and I’ll get Veil, okay?” Maddie stumbled close, reached out.
“DON'T TOUCH ME!” Karen screeched, swung around and saw her claws sweep within centimetres of the traitors' scared blue eyes. Maddie stumbled back in terror, and she ripped the door open, staggering on stupid hooves, “Just stay away!”
“Karen- wait, don’t do something crazy!” Came the shout behind as she raced down the stairs. It was too low. Too tight. This house, this cage, this trap, she raced until she stumbled out into fresh air, her eyes burning and vision blurred. Karen reached to wipe her eyes before suddenly noticing the inch long talons and used her wrist instead. The distraction was too much, her stupid prey hoof hit a curb and she slammed onto the pavement, hearing the voices of stupid bipeds around her.
There, an old man in a garden, there, a mother walking her son and a pram, there, a jogger. All had the same confusion and fear at the girl, this eagle eyed, horned and hooved and clawed freak, weeping without tears.
“Yallright kid?” The jogger slowed but stepped closer, his fluorescent clothes overbright in the noon sun, gleaming with too many colours.
“No, get back, I’m.. iiiieeee,” She croaked and screamed as her throat changed, the burning pain spreading through her body, seizing the muscles and bones. Her back arched and arched as it lengthened, larger vertebrae crunching into place. She felt her ribs follow suit, dress and jumper tearing to reveal darkening hide, sinewy muscle and scars building around growing limbs. Her tail, no longer a pathetic caprine ornament, lashed and flailed as it snared whiplike, and her blasted hooves finally broke apart, the flesh bubbling into feline paws.
The beak always felt horrid. Perhaps it was that teeth were a rather horrid concept in and of themselves, but the melting of the mandibles and their subsequent elongation as her skull became aquiline was nauseating. Then there was the pins and needles of her coat growing- the brown fur turning sleek and dark grey, the stormy feathers arraying themselves to soak up the suns warmth.
There was still biped muttering as the pain faded. Not even muttering she could respond to, and it was none of their damn business. She stretched her wings and opened her eyes wearily, she wanted to get away from this stupidity, this treachery. She wanted to fly.
“Stay still,” A different man was in front of her. This one a police man, all in dark navy clothes, badge on his belt, firearm at his hip under one trembling hand. She paused as she saw it- it was nowhere near the size of the gun the farmer had used, but it was small and close, a promise of pain.
Or death.
Probably useless if she pounced quick enough.
“Uh, Officer Danton here, got a 3MC here, Meadow Avenue, big… bird panther thing. Over.” The cop buzzed the radio on his collarbone, looking her over warily, “You understand me?”
Karen nodded her head slowly and cast an eye around. There was a parked police car across the road, but no sign of another cop. They normally hunted in pairs.
“Right. You changed form on the street. You from RASA?”
She shook her head, then winced as his radio crackled.
“OFFICER DANTON. COLOUR OF THE 3MC? OVER”
“Uh, bla- dark grey? Over.” He responded, ignorant of her true colouration, and noted her glare, “What? Uh, you’re real spookin’ people here, can’t be having that. You got that magic potion? ID?”
She shook her head. All that stuff was left at Logan’s yesterday.
“Right. That’s an issu- woah, hey there, best to stand back miss!” He whirled around, stupidly exposing his back to her as footsteps approached, carrying a treacherous false friend.
“No- no, it’s okay, I know her, she’s my friend- Officer Danton right? Uh, she’s in my class.” Maddie said carefully, her eyes still wet and bloodshot.
The man blinked, “Ya- oh you’re Hugh’s kid. He- uh, she- is that young? Wow. Uh, know her name? Where she from?”
“Uh-huh, her name’s Karen, she lives down on Birch Street,” She took nervous step forwards.
“Right. Uh, control, her name might be Karen, Birch Street? Over.” The officer fed the radio.
“COPY THAT. CORRECT. C-394. THREAT D. CAN YOU GET HER TO SEVEN BIRCH STREET? OVER.” the annoying voice replied, and the cop considered her, then the car with a pained expression.
“I can get her home. Officer Danton. You can stand, right Karen?” Maddie murmured, inching closer in her stupid wobbly way, “I’m sorry.”
“Ms Carpenter, she is very dangerous like this, please stay distant,” Danton raised a hand cautiously, “C-39… Karen, can you get up, and I’ll walk you home?”
She rolled her eyes and stood, saw him recoil as if just now realising how large the griffin was, one hand still on the butt of his pistol. “Right. Good. Uh, Control, now escorting 3MC-394 home. Seem’s cooperative. Over.”
“COPY THAT. STAY ALERT,” it droned back as Maddie snuck a step closer, her voice low.
“Karen, I’m reeeaaaally sorry I ever told you. If I’d kept quiet you’d not be hurt. At all.” She murmured.
The griffin shot a glare, but the tears were too vivid, Maddie’s face too messy. So she kept her eyes forward and marched off, the cop shadowing beside her. The town was busier than the previous evening, so she tried to walk with greater pomp, resisting the limp of her sore shoulder as much as possible. They had to have seen her before, nothing else so large could fly around here, and yet dozens of bipeds gawked and stared as if the presence of a griffin was unprecedented. Some tried to glare, they had the advantage as far as facial muscles went, but human eyes couldn’t glare half as well as piercing avian ones.
Her mother received her with a significantly better glare, chided her for forgetting any Veil, though she was certain it had worn off early. Nonetheless she left the conversation to the bipeds and retreated to her den, sinking long furrows into the log that was her scratching post as frustration and bitterness whirled within.
How was her state justification for lying to her? Hiding things from her? If she’d known more maybe she’d handle things better!
Yet more sour was the immaculate vision of hindsight. Of course Maddie hadn’t had her memories repressed! Why would she? It had been nothing but another stupid delusion from the queen of de nial.
* * * * *
Pa got back in the afternoon, to find her curled up in her nest, half of it torn, most of the log covered in deep scratches.
“Hey kiddo, really not a fan of the vet, huh?” He rumbled, and she growled before shaking her head. “Nah. I know everythin’.”
Karen blinked, tail flicking and stared at him.
“Logan told me. Him and his uncle could’ve turned real ugly if you hadn’t stopped him. I mean, I knew the tree was complete nonsense, you’re better than that but… well done for calming things down. You made the right call.” His hand laid heavy on her shoulder, four digits scratching idly, “Well, I’d prefer you didn’t lie to me, maybe say you’ll tell me later in the future? Yeah?”
Karen straightened and peered at him inquisitively, adding in a headbutt for good measure.
“What? Oh, right. Not sure about Logan. Them and Exi were having a talk about them dragons- those little things are terrifyin’ compared to you! Oi, an’ that’s a compliment, don’t give me that look. Lil’ critters were climbin’ all over him growling non stop, thought they might burn him alive, but apparently they’re close and they all love it here. Exi’ll see if anyone can help keep an eye on them an’ Matt. But they were talkin’, so that’s good. That’s the first step to solvin’ anythin.” He explained, “Oh, yeah, an’ speakin’ of speakin’, Diana, you comin’ in?”
“He expects us to walk into a gryphon’s den? No thankyou,” A familiar female voice echoed from the hall, “I brought some recordings if you’re serious about trying some avian.”
Karen perked her head and glanced to Pa.
“Yeah, I can watch and listen.” He leaned a little closer, “But first- Sylvia said a police man brought you home from Maddie’s? Is she alright? Would you rather have Veil now and talk?”
And say what? That her family were treacherous snakes who’d stolen her memories as much as Matt had? She felt her rage kindle. It wouldn’t be that hard to rat them out. A few rumours to expose them as the snakes they were.
But she had promised. And she wasn’t a traitor, she wasn’t a snake, she was better than them! The griffin snarled bitterly, bounded upright and loped to the door to find the red haired witch waiting, a smile on the corners of her lips.
“Ah, she’s getting stronger?” She mused, “Yes indeed, you’ve been improving. Will we do this outside? I’ve recorded myself making some calls, you should be able to mimic them without me, but I’ll show you how it’s done. Agreed?”
“I’ll sit in too if that’s alright?” Pa followed her.
Diana pouted, “Fine. But he won’t be very good at them. His vocal chords are broken.”
They took to the warm grass of the garden, where Diana produced a phone and began to play through a list of short sound clips. Each consisted of an english female voice saying a word like North, Food or Fire, then an avian mix of trills, chirps and squawks. It took several tries for Karen to mimic them, and even more for her to remember them, but they were distinct enough to tell apart. Diana admitted they’d forgotten some basic concepts partway through- good and bad would have to be North and South for now, but it was a start. Pa nodded along, slowly recognizing them, and eventually headed into the kitchen after she chirped the food chirp at him twenty times.
“She’s adjusting wonderfully, isn’t she?” Diana chuckled at the proud ruffle she gave her feathers, “Don’t worry about that stupid cop. They’ll have to get used to us.”
“North,” Karen agreed, permitting a warm hand to stroke her tail. “Fire-Wing. South. Magic. Query?”
“What? Do I do bad magic?” The witch puzzled it out and earned a nod, “No, no, I told you, I just deal with a spirit.”
“Wing. Wing. Wing. Wing. Wing. South. South. Dead. Magic. Query?” She asked, pondering the horrid five winged spirit she’d encountered.
“Uuuuuhh… no, your wings seem pretty magnificent to us,” Diana misunderstood, “Want to go show off?”
She tapped her foreleg, puzzling over the limited vocabulary, “Ground. Wing. Dead. South… krrrk..”
What was a word for father? She pointed to him through the kitchen window.
“Oh, your sire? I didn’t come up with a word for him,” Diana admitted, “Want to make one up?”
The griffin lay flat thoughtfully, then nodded and chirped, “Kra. Kra. Kra.”
“She’s a quick thinker,” Diana broke into warm sharp laughter, “Sure. Just teach us the new words back okay? I think I know someone who might want to learn from you too. How would you feel about meeting another griffin?”
Karen considered it briefly, then flicked her tail dismissively. “South.”