Gerad spun his stun-staff in a blur as Gallus tried to block blindly. He barely saw the other griffon’s strike. He definitely felt it when the staff slammed into his right ribs, his armor sizzling at it took the blow. A blow that sent Gallus spinning down into the mud five feet below. He landed hard on his back, a little dazed as he tried to figure out which of the three laughing Gerads were real.

“What kind of war hero are you, anyway?” jeered the enormous griffon. He was built more like a stone yak, really. Hulking muscles, granite-colored feathers and coat. The guy looked like the griffon version of that bodybuilder, Bulk Biceps.

It was totally unfair that this would end up being his last bout of the day. He wondered if Giselle had anything to do with that. Probably revenge for having a perfect day yesterday.

“Doesn’t matter,” he muttered to himself as he used his stun-staff to push himself out of the muck. “I’ve got a meathead to pound.”

He took a few moments to wipe the mud off of him, which may have been a mistake because it revealed this his Golden Branch armband had already shifted from the neutral orange toward a dangerous red. He needed to get his head in the game. He probably had one more shot at taking down this beast. If he took another hit like that, this would count against his four losses… and that meant a trip to the Red Chambers. And that wasn’t something he wanted to do.

Probably.

“Come on, pretty boy!” Gerad taunted. “Or are you ready to yield to being Red already? Most griffons at least try to put on a good show.”

Gallus rolled his eyes. He’d dealt with Smolder’s taunts for years. This idiot couldn’t even ruffle a feather on his ass.

He looked up at his opponent and grinned. “Just stretching. Want to make sure I’m nice and limber for when you’re put in the Red Chambers. After all, I saw you yesterday. Three bouts lost in one day? Ouch. But don’t worry. I’ll make sure to come by and say hello. Personally.”

Rage boiled in Gerad’s beady gray eyes. The entire griffon was little more than a gray hunk of a winged stone given life. But stones still hurt when they slammed into you.

Gerad dove straight for Gallus, using his stun-staff like a lance as he zeroed-in on Gallus’s chest. But Gallus had no intention of making it easy on the idiot. So, he shot straight upward, at just the right angle to miss the idiot’s charge while rocketing past him.

And the right angle for his own stun-staff to slam squarely into Gerad’s helmet with a sound so loud it reverberated throughout the Featherheart Coliseum.

Cheers sounded from somewhere nearby as Gerad, knocked nearly senseless by the impact, slammed headfirst into the ground. His stun-staff went flying to the other side of the combat arena.

Gallus hovered over his opponent, wincing as the other griffon slowly slumped into the mud. Then, to Gallus’s surprise, the giant griffon started to climb back up. When he wiped the mud off of his face, his eyes were crossed, but he looked like he was ready for another go.

Gallus had already been downed three times by this brute. He did not want to go another round with him. He was pretty sure he wouldn’t win a true face-to-face. So, it was time to finish this.

He swooped down and dodged Gerad’s clumsy swipe before coming in for a lightning-quick side-to-side strike. The impacts on the left and right sides of Gerad’s chest plate made the entire griffon rattle. It had the bonus of extracting a yelp of surprise and an almost feral growl, too.

“Trust me,” Gallus said as Gerad tried to recover. “You’re nowhere near as scary as Starlight before she’s had her morning coffee.”

He adjusted his position in midair, using his momentum to spin his stun-staff over his shoulder and cracked it on the other griffon’s helmet.

Gerad’s eyes rolled into the back of his head and his muddy armband—this one with the emblem of a sprouting plant—went from reddish-orange to a very clear Red. Gallus grinned, then with a single claw, lightly tapped him on the chest.

The giant griffon went over like a felled tree.

And just like that, the crowd around the arena went completely wild. Griffons, both males and females, hollered and cheered as the referees came out into the field to inspect Gallus’s handiwork. Numerous shouts came from all over, including more than a few from a pretty brown and white griffon female blushing in the front row. He winked at her and she giggled.

Above the cheering, he could hear the shouts and cries of the rest of the sparring griffons. Each arena was no bigger than half a buckball field, but there were at least twenty of them set up around the giant skytree sapling in center of the coliseum. Every few minutes, another cheer would come up as another griffon claimed victory.

He planted his staff in the ground and smiled to himself, only then yanking off his helmet and tucking it under his arm. He waved to his fans—there seemed to be even more than yesterday—and took a little bow. The crowd roared again as two referees came in to move Gerad onto a stretcher. The other griffon seemed to be coming around, because he yelled Gallus’s name a few times before Gallus wandered over.

Gerad lifted a giant meaty claw. Gallus hesitated a moment, then took Gerad’s claw with his own. The griffon was smiling though he obviously had trouble focusing on Gallus.

“No shame,” Gerad rumbled.

“Only honor,” Gallus said, finishing the traditional Featherheart salute. “Still, uh… sorry…”

“Nah,” Gerad mumbled. “Don’t be. Clan needs more mothers, and we all… we all serve in our own way. Glad I got to lose to you…”

With that, Gerad released Gallus’s claw and nodded to the referees. They began to fly him off toward the Red Gate on the side of the arena nearest the smaller skytree. Gallus pointed to Gerad and raised his claws into the air. The crowd took the hint and roared another cheer for the fallen Gerad.

Gallus still didn’t leave the arena until Gerad had vanished behind the gate, just like he’d done with all of his other defeated opponents.

As for him, he left through the Orange Gate, leading to the complex beneath the coliseum. Attendants took his armor and handed him a towel to wipe away some of the sweat, grime and mud off of him before he hit the showers. To his surprise, he was the only one there as he scrubbed his feathers clean. He had to work extra hard to get the mud was out of his coat. Too bad nogriff else was here. He’d had some fun with one of the female competitors yesterday, but it looked like that wasn’t going to happen today.

He just had to take care of his raging erection himself. Oh well.

About an hour later, he arrived in the suite the queen had provided for Smolder and him. However, to his surprise, he found Gemma chatting up Smolder in one of the sitting rooms that looked out over the coliseum. He hadn’t expected to see her ever again, despite his attempt to breed her. He couldn’t say he was upset, though. The sight of the curvy maid made him stiffen automatically, though she wasn’t in uniform. Instead, she wore a very girly—but very shapely—light blue sundress.

“—pretty much needs to be sated in the first hour. In fact, some say the longer somegriff goes without it, the more they’ll need it later for the rest of their life!”

“So, what you’re saying is after Gallus eventually slips up, we need to make sure he—I mean she—doesn’t get any for a while,” Smolder cackled, looking out at the last few active arenas through the massive floor-to-ceiling windows.

“Cute that you think I’m going to lose,” Gallus snarked as he leaned against the doorframe. “Not a lot of faith in here.”

Gemma spun around, but Smolder didn’t even flinch.

“Hey, anything to make you even hornier sounds awesome to me,” Smolder laughed.

“Seriously, you still haven’t had enough?” Gallus asked as he strode in, not bothering to hide the bulge in his pants. “I think the Idol’s messing with you, Smolder.”

“Nah,” Smolder shrugged and finally turned around, grinning. “I’m just naturally insatiable.”

“Sure, sure,” Gallus said as his eyes slid to Gemma who was blushing faintly. “Hey, you okay?”

She nodded and licked her beak. “Uh, I should warn you that Smolder… well, she invited me to stay the night.”

“And does that bother you?” Gallus asked with what he hoped was a comforting smile, feeling himself harden even more.

“As long as… it doesn’t bother… bother you…”

“You weren’t nearly as shy yesterday morning when you were doing your ‘chores,’” Gallus pointed out as he squatted down to study her blushing cheeks.

“Well, I’m not here to work… I’m here… as a guest and…”

He put a finger to her beak to silence her, then went in for a gentle kiss. She moaned into the kiss, her arms automatically wrapping around his shoulders.

“I’d think you two were mated or something the way you keep going at it,” Smolder said from somewhere, but Gallus was too busy enjoying the kiss.

His hands had just cupped Gemma’s beautiful breasts when a knock came at the door.

“Oh come on!” Gallus shouted after he broke the kiss. “We’re kinda busy!”

But the knock only came again more insistently.

“They don’t sound like they’re going away,” Smolder said helpfully.

He shot her a glare as he slowly disentangled himself from a still-blushing Gemma. He took a moment to adjust his clothes, shrugged helplessly at the cute maid, and stomped over to the door, intended to smack whoever was dumb enough to interrupt him right now. He’d been competing all day! Didn’t he deserve a break?

A much louder and stronger knock—enough to rattle the doorframe—sounded just as Gallus reached the door. Gallus swore and yanked it open.

“Look, whoever you are, I have plans tonight and they don’t involve… you…?” He trailed off when he had to crane his neck to look up from a silver breastplate and into the somewhat amused eyes of Griswald. Eyes or no, the rest of his face remained as impassive as ever.

Gallus swallowed hard.

“Oh shit,” he heard Smolder mutter from behind him.

“Mister Gallus,” he said in his calm, cool voice as if Gallus had not just been shouting at him. “Her Majesty has requested your presence in the West Hall at your earliest convenience.”

For just a heartbeat, Gallus thought about telling him his earliest convenience would be after he had about an hour—or three—in bed with Gemma. He discarded that thought instantly. It would not be a good idea to piss off Giselle.

“And… I’m assuming you are here to escort me?” Gallus hazarded.

“That’s correct, Mister Gallus,” he said with a nod. “Her Majesty was most insistent that you arrive without being distracted by other matters.”

Gallus didn’t have to think hard to know what the ‘other matters’ would be. He turned to glance over his shoulder at Gemma, but she was already shooing him onward. Even Smolder was just staring at him. Not even a quip.

He sighed and nodded at Griswald. “Then it would be best not to keep Her Majesty waiting.”

“I agree, sir,” Griswald replied as he stepped back and gestured for Gallus to join him in the hall.

After a halfhearted wave at Smolder and Gemma, he closed the door and fell into step beside Griswald. Their steps echoed through the quiet stone corridors. Aside from Gallus’s pounding heart, it was the only sound he could hear. And that sound quickly started to eat at him, until he did the only thing he could think of—and the last thing he wanted to do.

He struck up a conversation with the burly griffon.

“It’s… ah… been a while since I’ve been home,” Gallus said in a voice that hopefully wasn’t nearly as awkward as he thought it was. “What exactly is a Sky Captain, anyway?”

“It’s a unique rank awarded to members of Griffonstone special forces who have distinguished themselves through combat,” he replied, his voice still cool, but not unfriendly as his boots cracked against the stone. “Queen Giselle awarded me with the rank after I prevented an attempt on her life in her first month as Queen of the Griffons.”

Only his wings prevented Gallus from faceplanting on the stone. “Somegriff tried to kill Giselle?”

Sky Captain Griswald shrugged, as if it was no big deal. “The griffon in question was a vagrant from the lower city slums, hopped up on Equestrian, Zebra and Abyssian drugs. I believe he thought Her Majesty to be the ‘second coming of King Sombra.’ Or an escaped Queen Chrysalis. He did babble rather rapidly and it was difficult to keep up.”

“Still though…” Gallus said. “An assassination attempt? Really? There hadn’t been one of those in… centuries.”

“This one was a simple matter,” he said with another shrug. “After the arrow meant for Her Majesty buried itself in my shoulder, he were taken captive by the Guard. Per her orders, he was brought before the Queen to explain his actions, only to have him unexpectedly pull free from his captors and come at her with a hidden knife. I disarmed him, though the Queen herself knocked the poor fool out. After rehabilitation, I believe I got a job as a janitor at the skyport. Up for promotion next month, if my intelligence is correct.”

“You took… an arrow to the shoulder?” Gallus said, gaping at the report-like story. “And you still managed to take out his weapon?”

“I have served Griffonstone for a long time, Mister Gallus.” Griswald turned his head so he could raise an eyebrow at the younger griffon. “Perhaps not as spectacularly or publicly as you have, but I serve nonetheless. It’s an honor to be the head of Her Majesty’s Guard. Service runs in our family. It has for generations.”

Gallus narrowed his eyes at Griswald. “‘Our’?”

“Oh, I thought you knew. It’s common knowledge in the city. Her Majesty is my sister.”

Gallus thought he might fall over from shock. He couldn’t think of a thing to say.

All during this time, they’d been navigating the outside corridors toward the western end of the Featherheart Coliseum. He couldn’t think of any reason why the Queen would be here. There were no rooms save for armories and equipment storehouses for the various events. Well, except for the lower levels. That’s where—

“Sky Captain,” Gallus said, screeching to a halt. “Where are we going?”

Griswald kept walking. “No need to concern yourself, Mister Gallus. You are still very clearly an Orange competitor.”

The implied note of safety let Gallus relax a little, but not entirely. “You still didn’t answer my question.”

“No, I didn’t.”

Griswald turned toward a random wall scone. With a gentle tug, he pulled it down and a section of the wall slid away, revealing a surprisingly-modern-looking elevator cage. The Sky Captain gestured for Gallus to go first.

Gallus hesitated, but his curiosity nagged at him. The version of Gallus he’d been before he’d come to Equestria would have balked at this entire thing. But that Gallus was long gone. Just like the Griffonstone of only a few years ago was gone.

He stepped inside with Griswald on his heels. Griswald pulled a large lever on the side of the elevator and the entire thing shook once before slowly sliding down. The hidden door retracted on its own, leaving the elevator only lit by a single enchanted magelight.

“Why all the secrecy?” Gallus asked with a frown. “What’s going on here, Sky Captain?”

Griswald turned to face Gallus and Gallus was suddenly reminded of just how imposing the other griffon was. He was positive that when the Featherheart Championship had been held during his time, he had won the prize of Alpha, if he’d been allowed to compete. After all, it was custom to only let one member of each family become a contender. It wasn’t a custom everygriff honored, though.

Queen Giselle had said herself she’d competed. He could help but wonder if Griswald had defied that particular tradition and join himself. But if he’d reached the rank of Alpha, he wouldn’t be serving on his sister’s guard. He’d be too important for that.

Something else nagged at him, though. Despite himself, he wondered what it would be like to be a Green Featherheart with Griswald here. Gallus wasn’t by any means straight—as Sandbar would happily remind anycreature—but he did prefer females. It was rare for another male to catch his eye. Well, it was impossible for Griswald not to catch his eye. Especially in these close quarters. He swallowed hard.

During all of this very fast thinking, Griswald had remained silent, as if considering his response. Finally, he spoke.

“Giselle has spoken of how important it is for someone such as yourself to become a Green, as opposed to a Red. And she has more to say on the subject. I will not say her piece, but I will say mine.”

“And… what’s that?”

Griswalk slapped his claws behind his back in a perfect example of a military standing rest even as he twisted his beak in a grimace. “While most nations considered the Battle of Unity to be a turning point in the fate of our world, there are factions in every government who believe their leaders are becoming complacent. That there are more threats on the horizon and we cannot let down our guard.”

Gallus shrugged and leaned back against the metal wall of the elevator. “I mean, it’s possible. Look at how many monsters and baddies have attacked Equestria in the last ten years. It could happen to any of us.”

“That’s correct. Which is why we must be vigilant.” Griswald nodded in approval. “But not at the cost of our people. There are many hard-liners in the griffon military and most of those believe in the old ways of the Patriarchy.”

Gallus sputtered. “You’re joking. You have to be joking!”

“I am not.” Griswald somberly shook his head.

“You’re telling me that a bunch of generals and admirals actually believe in that bullshit that only males are fit to rule?” Gallus almost shouted. “That’s insane. Didn’t our entire race almost die out before those idiots were overthrown a few hundred years ago?”

“Yes,” Griswald replied, his stoic expression never wavering. “And the problem is there’s been a resurgence of such ideas. What’s worse, those who serve under the command of those griffons are beginning to believe as they do.”

That’s when Gallus put it together. “That’s what Grand Admiral Gass was yelling about when I first arrived, isn’t it? He was trying to convince me not to participate. To stay male to support his cause.”

“Former Grand Admiral,” Griswald corrected him, steel in his voice. “And yes. Gass is at the head of the movement within the city. If you were to become a Red or a Green, it would sway a great deal of public opinion away from the former Grand Admiral. Drop out or—worse—become a Gold, and you become a beacon for his movement. More will flock to him and those like him.”

Before Gallus could respond, the elevator suddenly came to a stop at an open doorway, where Queen Giselle was leaning against a wall, looking frustrated until she saw them.

“And that is why you’re truly here, Gallus,” Giselle said as she straightened. “One of two reasons, really. Attendance at the Featherheart Championship is at an all-time low. Despite the crowds you saw when you arrived, we had only a little over a hundred males sign up, with a clawful of females.”

“In times such as this, we need a symbol,” Griswald said as he stepped out of the elevator and gestured for Gallus to join them. “Something to show the Patriarchists that the best of us believe differently.”

“And you want me to be that symbol,” Gallus said as he stepped beside Giselle, looking down the cold stone corridor lit only by flickering blue magelights.

Both Griswald and Giselle nodded.

Gallus took a deep breath and Giselle put a claw on his shoulder.

“I’ll take him from here, Gris,” Giselle said. “Thanks.”

“Happy to serve, Selly,” Griswald said, then nodded to Gallus. “Mister Gallus. Please consider our request. We do not make it lightly.”

With that, he walked down the corridor in front of them. Despite the weighty matters flowing around them, Gallus couldn’t help but find himself drawn to the griffon’s backside.

However, he apparently wasn’t very subtle about it. Giselle laughed softly.

“He is still single, somehow,” she said in a sing-song voice.

Gallus went scarlet, and shot a glare at the queen. “I thought we had more important things to talk about!”

“We do,” she replied with another pat on the shoulder. “It’s time you learned the truth about the Idol of Aventa and what’s happening to the griffons. This isn’t just about the military. This is about our very culture. I’m sorry to drag you into this, Gallus. But by being a key player in the Battle for Unity, when you came home, you did so just to enter another war. One that could decide the fate of the entire griffon race.”

“Oh, so no pressure, then?” he quipped weakly.

“No pressure at all,” Giselle replied. “Come.”

She began to walk down the long corridor. Gallus just stood there for a moment before finally huffing and hurrying to catch up.

“How do I keep getting myself into these sort of things?” he muttered to himself. “I wonder if Elements get hazard pay…”

I hope Gallus gets something fun out of this since he was just pulled from quality time with Gemma and Smolder~!