Gia still wanted to see the older Loremaster, Gelinda, and Gilda figured she could exchange a few words with her too. As they walked along the small houses, Gilda also decided she could trade a few words with Gia. She didn’t want to end the conversation on a sour note after that talk of discrimination. For all the whining and complaining, Gilda convinced herself that she liked Gia as a friend. Even if it wasn’t exactly reciprocated just yet.

“Did you use to come here often?” She asked, walking by Gia’s side while Geary followed them from a respectful distance.

“Not really.” Gia held a bored expression, but despite that Gilda knew she had a place for her in Gia’s heart. Perhaps a cold, dark and out-of-the-way place, but it was still there. “I came here twice. Once when I first came from Griffindell. Then when a caravan was attacked on the way here and refused to leave without further protection.”

“Oh. What did you do? Did you get the big northerner fellow in Thunderpeak to assist?” Gilda picked up her pace with a bit of a happy spring. “Talk to them and get the northerners here to help?”

“No!” Gia cried as though Gilda’s idea was absurd. “I fired them and got the permit for Master Gillian.”

“Ah…” Gilda did her best not to laugh, but a grin came through. “I suppose that works too.”

Gia’s eyes rolled. “Southerner griffons can be bitchy about the northerners. They were iffy about an execution they witnessed and used the attack as an excuse. I don’t even know for sure what they wanted. They didn’t like it at all when I just replaced them, though.”

Gilda silenced after hearing that. Obviously, things were about to change and not many griffons would be happy with that. What a mess that was shaping up to be… But Gil adapted quickly. Griffons would too. It was still better than the corrupt nonsense of the Griffonian government. The ones that didn’t could always go live with the ponies, or something.

Not long into a silent walk they ran into Grunhilda accompanied by a teenager griffon. He was a nice-looking young fellow wearing a light version of the leather armor the local guards were wearing. The brown and yellows went nicely with his yellow covering and bluish head. Yet, he had the same serious and stern stare from the guards that didn’t really fit his young face.

Upon their approach, he raised a paw. “Ma’am! Lady Gilda, Captain Gosalynn would like to speak to you. She said it was important! Like, ‘right now’ kind of important. I found your thrall on the way to the inn.”

Gilda stared at him and nodded, but she also looked at Grunihlda. The white griffoness explained before she asked. “Miss Gertha took the things to the inn for me. I brought him to talk to you. I’m not supposed to leave your side, anyways.”

Gilda closed one eye and gave Grunhilda a distrusting stare. “You mean I can’t send you on an errand?”

Grunhilda didn’t answer with more than a silent hum, avoiding Gilda’s eyes and clicking her talons together.

“She’s just insecure…” Gia walked impatiently past them.

Gilda groaned, but said nothing to Grunhilda, instead turning to the teen again. “Where do I find this Gosalynn?”

He pointed up the walkway, the same way Gia was going. “She’s at Doctor Gordi’s clinic. One of the Sky Sentries is having trouble with her cubs, and everyone is there. You’ll find her there, ma’am.”

“Got it. Thanks.” She patted him on the head. “I suppose that’s where Gia and I are going anyways. Thanks for the head’s up, kid.”

She thought of maybe giving him a coin, or something. But he didn’t wait. As soon as she was done, he went his way. Gilda shrugged and pressed her step after Gia and Geary. She supposed the little guy had his duties as a cub Sky Sentry, or something.

“Hey, Gia…” Gilda approached her again. “What is it with the kid in leather armor?”

“He is almost a full adult.” Gia wasn’t too worried and shrugged without stopping or looking at Gilda. “It’s not like they’re throwing him to fight the monsters in the North. He’s on his way to be a Sky Sentry. Probably some Loremaster decided that he is Court of the Harpy material and that opens several doors. That put him early into contact with the military lifestyle of the Sky Sentry. It’s how things are in the North.”

“Wait… You can’t hunt monsters if you’re not in the Court?” Gilda frowned, but Gia only rolled her eyes.

“Of course, you can… Duh! But Sky Sentries are sponsored by Lady Gwendolen and professionally trained. With The Lion’s Army no less.” Gia explained with ostensive boredom. “The ones that do it on their own, though… They tend to be really good, but they’re not professional soldiers. The point is that the Sky Sentry are an elite. They are bodily fit soldiers tempered in combat against monsters.”

“Ah!” Gilda smiled, even if Gia didn’t see it. For all her edginess, Gia sure liked talking about stuff. “So, that’s why they sent the Sky Sentry to help in Thunderpeak?”

“Yeah, yeah.” Gia spoke mindlessly, as though Gilda was a nuisance and just kept her eyes on the path, despite Gilda right next to her.

“Right there.” Gia pointed at a small clinic marked only as ‘Doctor’ by a plaque next to the door.

They had crossed into the inner part of the city. A spacious cobblestone street with a few walking griffons that minded their own business. Small homes, much smaller than the ones in Thunderpeak, flanked it and intertwined with the stores. They were all rustic, but the materials spoke of quality and wealth. Additionally, their cramped and small structures probably dealt better with the much colder air of the city. Gilda supposed that the noise of the stores was an acceptable tradeoff. Although, she also supposed that most of the store owners probably lived next to their stores.

Funny. The Northerners liked living together. Meanwhile, the griffons in Griffonstone could barely stand the thought of seeing another griffon first thing in the morning.

The clinic was a two story house in the middle of the larger stores and small homes. It had dark wood walls and a stone foundation. It also had eaves in between the floors, made of dark wooden tiles, like the main roof that topped off the house. Small windows with thick and blurred glass helped keep the warmth inside.

On the ground floor, stony steps led up to the open door and the waiting room beyond.

The house next to the doctor’s had a small stair leading to the closed door, and next to it was a small garden where a griffoness sat on a small white towel with some cubs.

She was a young and gorgeous white and gray northerner griffoness, wearing her red scarf. A trio of very small cubs sauntered about in the towel, all white, but a little darker than their mother. She just sat there, looking over them, like she was proud of what she had done. Her belly was a little flaccid and her teats were filled, but she just sat there like she was the queen of the city.

That looked like a sunbath, but Gilda just couldn’t shake the thoughts that the mother was displaying her cubs.

“Aw…” Grunhilda approached to look at the little griffons and did a happy tap dance. “They’re so cute!”

Then the trio of cubs started happily mimicking Grunhilda’s tap-dancing. Gilda was happy Grunhilda was not a pony, or she might have exploded out of cuteness overload, or something. Her happiness was contagious though, and the mother giggled, looking down at her cubs. “They seem to like your thrall.”

“I heard Gelinda was seeing the doctor?” Gia asked, uninterested and before Gilda could respond.

“Yes, madam Loremaster.” The mother told her respectfully and pointed at the clinic next door. “It seems a young mother had some issues with labor, and Doctor Gordi asked Madam Gelinda and her apprentice to assist.”

“Great.” Gia turned to leave. “Thank you.”

Grunhilda was entertained playing with the little cubs and Gilda felt like she wasn’t bothering the mother. Certainly not the cubs as she tapped the towel with her paw, and they tried to pounce at it. She left Grunhilda to her own devices and followed the green griffoness inside. But on the way, she approached and spoke in a soft voice as they walked a small wood stair.

“You know you don’t have to be like that all the time, don’t you?” Gilda also bumped her shoulder against Gia’s.

“Ugh…” Gia groaned and rolled her eyes as they entered the clinic. “I hate kids. They’re needy and annoying. And they don’t do anything for you other than giving you work and messing everything up!”

Yeah. Gilda could understand Gia. And in her case kids could also get you in trouble with the law, get your house burned, and then force you to leave the city.

Rescuing a poor lost girl was on Gilda, though.

You cannot deny, even though you are technically homeless, your life has much improved. And however you consider Grunhilda your servant or lover, she is quite good at both. Even if you had to start again, your present life is much better.

Yeah. That was true. Even though Gilda was particularly uncomfortable with hating the ‘half-bloods’ and she had reservations about the thrall thing. Truth be told, the latter seemed to skirt around some terribly shady business, but it seemed quirky and harmless. But the former was a bony fish to swallow.

For an instant, Gilda felt as though the voice in her head had something to say. And that chilled her blood. She was not in a position to defy her sponsor, and she knew well Lady Gwendolen’s position on that. And by extension, The Harpy’s position.

But the voice said nothing.

And the room was, indeed, a waiting room. Some griffons sat in there around a hearth fire. Some of them covered themselves in their wings and shivered. A bored, large griffon guy had a cut on his head and seemed more distressed by the waiting than his wound. And there was also a whole bunch of griffons Gilda had no idea what happened to them. Specifically, an anxiously fidgeting male and an older female that consoled him.

A staircase led to the floor above and a few doors led to other rooms on the ground floor. Some pained moaning came from the door on the far end, but it was all mostly silent. Gilda followed Gia around the room as nothing in there interested the green griffoness.

In her defense, Gilda just followed Gia and didn’t think about it. But when she came to, she was with her friend in what her short time in the Griffonstone hospital told her was a procedures room. It was the source of the pained moaning, but she didn’t have a lot of time to think about that or look at the room. As soon as they entered, a young Loremaster under her usual blue satin cape handed Gilda something. It was a white bundle of a towel that held a small and limp griffon cub covered in a slick liquid.

“Here.” The griffoness said, expecting Gilda to know what to do.

Gia was as surprised as Gilda was, but also relieved the other Loremaster hadn’t pawed her a lethargic newborn cub.

Gilda didn’t even have the time to scream or cry. She just held the little thing as though it might break if she breathed too intensely while holding it. “What! What am I supposed to do?!”

In an instant of self-deprecating humor, Gilda was glad she had managed to retain so much from the stupid book Goldina had given her. At the same time, she was panicking because she had read nothing about newborns. Of course, neither the Griffonian correctional system nor Griffonstone’s hospital would trust a criminal with a newborn.

The young Loremaster that had pawed her the cub turned to Gilda again with a serene smile. “It’s okay. Just rub his back and his chest with the towel until he starts crying.”

Panic was good, because it made Gilda not stop to think. She simply did exactly what the young Loremaster had told her despite her trembling paws and the constant feeling that the little cub was going to fall to his death if she blinked. But it worked like magic. She held him as tightly as she dared, and rubbed the little fragile thing with the towel as though her own life depended on it. Before she knew it, the little blue and green cub with a lovely metallic sheen on his head’s emerald feathers started crying.

“Oh my gosh!” He barely moved his little limbs, and she gasped, holding him tighter, still in fear he might fall, but the sight filled her with wonder. His little beak opened, and he cried so weakly Gilda feared he might be sick. She couldn’t suppress a smile and the wave of awe that washed over her. “Oh my gosh!”

The young Loremaster chortled, checking up on Gilda and the cub again. “There, there. You see, it worked just fine. You’re doing great.”

She was the younger Loremaster she had seen on her way into the city when the caravan first arrived. And for the moment, she just let Gilda hold the little cub. She spoke with a happy and relieved voice, certainly happy that things worked out. “Thank you. We had our paws full for a second there. You can clean him a little too. Don’t worry, he’s not really as fragile as he looks.”

“Oh! Sure!” She spoke faster and louder than needed, but Gilda softly rubbed the dry parts of the towel at the small, softly crying cub. He moved a little, but she made sure not to let him fall, despite her still trembling paws. So fragile and so weak, his crying was barely more than a whine. She couldn’t think of anything more fragile or precious that she had manipulated before. It took her a while, but she figured she had it under control and her unpracticed clumsiness wouldn’t kill him. It became easier, after the initial moment of panic.

She also finally had some time to look around the room. The windows were closed, and a small fireplace provided a comforting heat. It had a bed in the center where a tired griffoness laid on her side. The Older Loremaster, Gelinda, covered her with a white sheet before stroking her head and talking softly with her. She let four other cubs next to the mom’s belly.

A black griffon, with his back to them, washed his paws on a sink while yet another griffoness talked to the new mother. And she was the one Gilda found herself most curious about. She was small for a griffoness, and Gilda wondered for a second if she wasn’t a teenager. Maybe a younger sister?

Things calmed down, but there was yet controlled activity in the room. The younger Loremaster took a tray with surgical instruments and some wet sheets away. And Gelinda approached Gilda and Gia with a jesting chuckling, taking the cub from her with slow and careful paws. “Good morning, Gilda. Welcome to Wayfarer’s Rest.”

“Uh…” Gilda mumbled. “Thanks?”

“Miss Giovina had a complicated pregnancy.” Gelinda smiled, leaving the small cub with his siblings and their sleeping mother. “Griffonesses are supposed to have two or three cubs. She just birthed five. One of which you assisted. They were born small and one of them almost didn’t survive. He will be prone to diseases, but I am sure that the grandmother, aunts, and friends will help our new mother.”

“I uh… Oh… Yeah… Gia wanted to talk to you.” Gilda finally gathered her wits again and pointed at the green griffoness who pretended she wasn’t there.

“I’m sure she does.” Gelinda wasn’t impressed and the black griffon approached too.

It was a large griffon covered in black and with purple eyes. Very smooth feathers over his head and his body had a velvety fur with his feathers. He nodded when the Loremaster presented him to Gilda. “This is Doctor Gordi. He is my mate. Gordi, this is Gilda, the griffoness I told you about.”

“Greetings, Lady Gilda.” The black griffon offered her a paw for her to shake and she did with a smile and a nod. “Gelinda told me you and your company mean to go North to Griffindell. I suggest a medical check-up for all.”

“Oh! Nice! That’s a good idea.” Gilda beamed. “Sounds like the north is no joke!”

“Just make sure that your griffons show up before you depart. I’ll give you a special price.” He added with a calm smile. Meanwhile Gilda did her best not to show she thought he meant for free. But he didn’t linger, busy as he was. “I must see to the little ones now.”

He left them only to be replaced by the short griffon lady Gilda had seen before. She was about a head shorter than griffons usually were. But her feathers and fur were incredibly glossy. What she lacked in height, she made up with the sheen in her feathers. Her head was a greenish blue with even more blue in her neck. And while her chest lacked fluff, it more than made up with shiny feathers. Her beak also looked funny, being thin and long.

“Don’t you know you owe a visit to the chief of security of every city you visit?!” She hopped and beat her wings in the cramped place just so that she stood at Gilda’s height. Her voice was so high pitched and fast Gilda almost had trouble understanding what she was saying. Not to mention she spoke fast. “Huh? Huh?”

Taken aback, Gilda grimaced and sat on the floor. “Actually, I didn’t.”

“Gilda, meet Gosalynn.” Gelinda smiled. “The head of our weather team and Captain of our Sky Sentries.”

“Uh… Hi?” Gilda smiled awkwardly.

The small griffoness just hovered in front of Gilda, wings buzzing and eyes squinting. “Anyways, I need to talk to you!”

“Alright.” Gilda simply nodded and the small griffoness was already walking her way outside before she even agreed. So, since the griffoness left her behind and expected her to follow, Gilda followed with a shrug at the short one’s curious manners. Gelinda and Gia went along behind Gilda, while they talked in a reserved tone.

Their conversation was clearly something personal and Gilda didn’t bother with it. Instead, she hurried to catch up with the small griffoness.

“Uh… Is there a problem?” Gilda asked as they walked around Grunhilda playing with the little cubs outside. Gilda decided not to disturb her, but once she saw Gilda, Grunhilda joined them anyways.

“You’ll see.” Gosalynn said while she kept her eyes on the way and her buzzing wings kept her afloat.

They walked in relative silence among the small northerner griffon houses. The large cobblestones and dirt which made the road was easy walking for griffon paws. But as nice as it was, Gilda supposed she still hadn’t learned patience because she felt more anxious with each step. Not to mention Gosalynn’s calling her on not presenting herself earlier. So much she needed to learn about the northerners and their way of doing stuff.

Gia and Gelinda whispering to each other didn’t help her either. Especially because it sounded like a heated argument.

Soon enough the group arrived at the top of a small hill overlooking the path that circled around the outer part of the city to the north gate. A small wood fence kept distracted griffons from falling over and it was basically a section of the inner wall that held the small hill.

When she looked down the fence, Gilda’s eyes went wide.

Hundreds of griffons had camped there. Small tents tried to stay out of the way of passing caravans but left nary a thin passage in the middle of the road. Some griffons had even started small campfires and kept large, wooly oxen in an improvised pen made with several carts. And the carts were, of course, loaded with tall bundles of cargo wrapped in leather and ropes.

“What in The Harpy’s name…” Gia gasped as she too looked down the fence.

And that was when one of the griffons, a lanky guy with sand colored fur and feathers looked up at them. His eyes too went wide as he gasped comically loud. “Oh my gosh! It’s her! Guys! It’s Lady Gilda! Over there!”

That caused griffons to stare up to the lookout above the palisade and start cheering.

“What the fuck?” Gilda whispered with her jaw hanging and turned to the other griffonesses.

“We received a magical letter from Madam Gaetana in Thunderpeak,” The banker Loremaster, Gilda remembered as the local Loremaster explained. “Informing us of your impending arrival and the migrants caught wind of it.”

She stopped for a second, allowing Gilda to contemplate the griffons still cheering for her. “Some of them had been here waiting for quite some time, waiting for enough numbers for a caravan north. They decided to postpone their departure one more day just so that they could travel with the Swordmaiden of the Shaddani.”

Talk about beating a dead horse. So much for Gilda’s plan of a discreet trip north… She all but sighed in resignation and the prominent feathers in her head flopped.

“Ahem.” Gosalynn’s high-pitched voice clearing her throat drew Gilda’s attention.

“Last night something happened.” Gelinda nodded. “Someone activated the Red Dawn order in Griffonstone.”

“Ominous…” Gilda rolled her eyes. Meanwhile the griffons below still cheered. “Let me guess, it’s bad.”

“Not necessarily. Information hasn’t arrived yet on what happened, but it is meant to protect our assets in the city.” Gelinda explained with some gesturing. “Chances are that, indeed, something unfortunate happened… The Chancellor may have started to crack down on our supporters, or maybe some government official figured something out about our fronts. We don’t know. For us, it means that we are about to receive many griffons going north. Our cells will move our supporters out of Griffonstone via the teleporter to Thunderpeak and here by caravans. Hurriedly.”

Easy to see where the conversation was going, but Gilda said nothing yet. It was Gia that spoke.

“No. No way! Nu-uh.” The green griffoness threw a tantrum, shaking her head as widely and frantically as a griffon neck allowed. “We are, most certainly, not hauling anywhere near hundreds, much less thousands, of griffons with us!”

“Yeah…” Gosalynn flickered her wings and hovered at a proper height. “I was going to be nice and not spell it out, but we’re not really asking. The town can’t keep them. For one, we can’t feed them. And two, they’re just going to attract monsters and brigands. It’s going to turn into a mess I don’t want on my paws.”

The way her funny voice carried authority was an interesting thing to notice. Gilda would be amused if she didn’t feel so numb already. She was, in fact, about to include ‘stress relief’ to Grunhilda’s job.

Huh… A formal list of duties might be a fun thing to have.

As much as Gilda wanted to stay in her delusional distraction from reality, Gosalynn was still talking. “Of course, my Sky Sentries will assist you all the way to Frozenlake.”

Maybe Gelinda and her Loremaster senses detected Gilda’s silent distress and she followed on Gosalynn’s words. “Most of them won’t go as far as Griffindell.”

Once she had Gilda’s attention, she went on. “The practice is to keep them close to the border until they learn how to survive in the north. Build some resistance and some northerner wisdom into them. So, they travel to Frozenlake and they become Lord Graham and Lady Geena’s subjects. They will settle in the city or will be sent to recently founded villages in their jurisdiction.”

“Of course,” Gelinda went on. “Frozenlake has only so much territory where they can guarantee their safety each batch, so many will still go to Brokenhorn to live under Lord Griskjal. I am sure Lord Graham will provide some assistance too. It is what the Sky Sentry does.”

Finally, she concluded with a smile. “While Griffindell is our largest and most developed city, the area around it is not for new arrivals. Few go there in their first year. Chances are you will have a small and discreet caravan on the final leg of your journey. As is preferable.”

“While it is generally true that small caravans are better, that is so because of the speed.” Gelinda concluded with her professorial tone, sitting, and letting her blue cape rest around her. “A large caravan is better for transporting unprepared griffons, if its leaders know what they are doing and prepare accordingly. I trust Mister Gillian with that.”

“Yeah…” Gia rolled her eyes and held a derisive grimace. “Not to mention that Lady Gwendolen doesn’t want small villages ruining her view from Griffinsky.”

She didn’t like it. Gilda had initially decided on a quick stay in Wayfarer’s Rest, traveling as fast as they could to Griffindell. She had ancient memories floating around in her head added to just plain common sense. She knew that thing was going to be dangerous. However, compromises had already been made and she was neck deep into that mess. No way out. She helped the griffons in Thunderpeak and drew to herself a lot more attention than she needed. She supposed she was lucky some Royal Justiciar didn’t just teleport into her face already.

The truth was that she should just tell them to deal with their problems. She had her own problems. She has been dealing with her problems for a while, and ‘the griffon thing to do’ was to just leave.

Yet, with all that spinning around in her head, Gilda’s heart weighted in her chest. She turned back to the griffons below. They had stopped cheering, but there was definitely more activity going on in the road camp below. She could see some griffons talking excitedly to each other. Some of them even had that excited innocence of the ponies, hopping in place and talking like it was their birthday. They didn’t look like the hardened and grizzly northerners. Just normal griffons, like Greta and Gary, trying to live through the mess their country had turned into. There were kids too. Families. Although much fewer than one would expect, confirming her previous suspicion that the long-seated problems in Griffonia had upset would-be parents.

Gilda would be lying if she said she didn’t feel for them. They left their homes behind. Some of them were in a hurry and may have left too much behind. Never one for much of a sense of community, at the least Gilda knew that felt.

Do not shy from a sense of duty towards your brethren, My Child. It is a noble endeavor and a service I am most pleased with. Much less underestimate the benefits of your position or the privilege that is the ability of choosing who will serve your own designs.

A naughty grin showed in Gilda’s beak as a finger caressed her jaw. Some of those griffons looked like they were doing quite well for themselves despite their situation. She saw an older couple with an adult sitting at a comfortable set of pillows. Under guard from a trio of big and burly griffons. Rich griffons, looking for comfort and someone that knew what they’re doing to protect them. And with lots of money to buy that protection and comfort.

Not quite. Rich griffons are present in numbers larger than you would ever need them. Your position as my chosen puts you above monetary concerns. Try again.

Hum… Gilda squinted. Her eagle eyes scanned the agglomeration of griffons. It was not money that she should look for, of course. She soon found what her Mother expected her to see. A griffon that reminded her very much of Gertha and her brother Gui. Or the handsome guy in the hunting supplies shop, but he had a ‘proper’ griffon tail. Dark gray fur and feathers on his body, except on his black head and chest. Golden eyes he kept on a map strewn over a bundle of cargo. Gilda could see the butt of a firearm sticking out of his cargo. He looked like a mercenary. A griffon that could get stuff done and knew how to survive in the wild, but also was smart enough to not try and travel on his own.

Although, the hunter from the store knew how to craft his own tools. He was also a nice guy, given all the crap griffons like Gia gave him. She wasn’t used to analyzing creatures, but it spoke of character, as far as Gilda was concerned. Gilda doubted she could convince him, and his mate, to stick around her to be dragged further north.

What is your infatuation with that half-blood? You are of higher stock. Too much above his league. I would have him castrated for even touching you!

To be honest, Gilda wasn’t as surprised as she should be. Maybe it was because she had gotten used to The Harpy talking inside her head. But it was also because she already expected she might say something like that, given what Gilda had seen.

She tried not thinking about it, but how in the hot Tartarus does one avoid thinking about something?

Screw that… The Harpy was responsible for how griffons treated each other if she was responsible for the whole purity thing. Or… If Lady Gwendolen was following her command.

“Well, the dude is good looking and knows how to handle himself. He has skills and makes his own tools. That’s valuable.” She spoke aloud on impulse. “Not to mention that Gia was a dick to him, and he didn’t deserve it just because his parents were wrong!”

Only after she talked back to the voice she alone heard, she realized that the others were there right behind her. And probably thought she was going insane.

And you are not supposed to talk back to me! He is a danger to future generations of purer griffons. One of his ilk could ruin years of careful strategic mating. If they are not kept in their place, they will forget it. They will start believing the pony ways. That they are entitled to things.

“You’re exaggerating!” Gilda shot back. “Especially with griffons like him that are well aware he’s not supposed to have cubs.”

You are speaking out of place! Nobody understands griffons as I do. You are naíve and ideals the hooved ones have indoctrinated you with are blinding you to how easy it is to fall to their wicked ways. They turned My Children into weak-willed bastards that cannot be told they are unfit! They must accept it.

She stopped for a second.

They will suffer if they cannot.

Gilda gasped softly. Did she… She was convinced that they would suffer because they would believe they are entitled to something they couldn’t have. Gilda’s brow bent into a frown and she crossed her forelegs. “If you’re going to say that I’m so important to you, then you have to listen to me when you’re wrong! And you have to do something about griffons hating him over not being from a pure breed! It doesn’t work like that.”

The voice inside Gilda’s head literally gasped, but Gilda didn’t give her time to respond. “He seems like a hard-working griffon! One that is valuable to his community. This is true and you know it is because the local northerners treat him with respect, even at a distance! It is the entitled jerks like Gia that you enable, that give him trouble. Madam Gelinda, and Gladys in Griffonstone, said that Celestia is using hippogriffs to ruin the pure griffon bloodlines. If you truly believe that, you have to welcome them. Because by pushing the less pure griffons away, you are literally playing into Celestia’s hoof! Instead of accepting and understanding they can’t have cubs, they’ll join the enemy and have cubs anyways. You are driving them away and they’ll take whatever skill they have and will be helping the enemy! Not to mention all the sorrow and hating this will create among griffons that should be working together.”

I…

Gilda’s eyes widened. For the first time The Harpy hesitated, or even showed any sort of insecurity. “You are hurting them. Not hardening, or preparing them.”

As She went silent, Gilda allowed herself a small nod of victory. She put her forepaws on the top of the fencing at the top of the wall, barely believing what she had gotten away with. She was glad she opened her mind to The Harpy. She got angry, and she didn’t want to admit it, but Gilda was sure she had given her a good argument.

Most importantly, Gilda’s consciousness was clean. What a wonderful feeling that is.

The griffoness returned her gaze down to the agglomerated griffons with a confident smile that turned to a concerned frown. Did they leave any ‘half-blood’ behind? No… They wouldn’t. Most of these griffons probably didn’t even truly understand the concept.

Once again, squinting her eyes, she looked for interesting things in the group of griffons until Grunhilda interrupted. “Hum… Are you okay, Miss Gilda?”

Gilda turned to see the other griffonesses staring at her, each with their own measure of confusion and worry, in a single line side by side.

“Yeah…” Gilda did her best to make a reassuring grin instead of a mocking one. That certainly looked weird from their perspective. “I’m fine.”

“You really do talk to Her, don’t you?” Gia rolled her eyes walking next to Gilda to look down the fence. “This is dumb, anyways. We’ll be carrying the dinner bell and the whole buffet with us. Unless you can talk The Harpy into shooing the Windigos away for us.”

“I know what you think, Gia.” Gilda looked at her. “But these griffons need help. You heard something important happened.”

“I sure did.” Gia said sarcastically. “I just missed the part where that is our problem.”

“It is our problem. Just because I disagreed with Her, it doesn’t mean that we don’t need to help these griffons get home. To our real home.” Gilda pleaded, offering her paws, and giving Gia a begging stare.

“You know a whole total of one griffon that exactly one other griffon treated badly…” Gia reminded her with a deadpan. “I don’t buy your white knighting over treating the half-bloods like they’re equal to the members of the Court.”

Gilda groaned and turned to the griffons below, pointing a talon. “I don’t disagree that griffons are different, Gia. I’m sure that The Harpy has good reasons for doing what she does, getting Lady Gwendolen to teach such things to the Loremasters… But in the middle of those griffons there are both ‘good’ and ‘bad’ griffons; all of them are struggling together. If I hadn’t gotten help from other griffons, even pony-loving griffons, I, and my special blood, wouldn’t have gotten here!”

Beautiful, My Child.

Whoa… She was still listening. Gilda blinked blankly as though she was caught red-pawed stealing fish from the market.

What you lack in the sophistication of a Loremaster, your heart delivers in the passion of a griffon that has been exposed to suffering. You found compassion for your brethren and your choleric heart told me I am wrong. The same thing Grigory has told me in strategic thoughts that I considered misguided by a similar naivety to yours. Know that I have listened, and your words weigh heavily in my heart. I will take them into consideration, even if I believe you are unaware of the dangers the pony way of thinking presents to your brethren. I do not say this lightly, but the lives of My Children are too important not to consider the words of those close to me.

Gilda deflated a little. Something she didn’t fully understand made sense when she poured her heart out. And she spoke both to The Harpy and to Gia, still looking down at the agglomerated griffons below. “Let’s just try to find a position where we get stuff done without hurting our own. Alright?”

The voice in her head didn’t answer, but her silence was agreeable enough. Gia, however, groaned and rolled her eyes with a derisive grin. “You’re just hot for that half-blood, aren’t you? I still don’t know how any of this is my problem.”

“Well…” Gilda turned to Gia, poking her chest with a talon. “It’s my problem because I’m making it my problem by wanting to help. And that makes it your problem too because you’re stuck with me. Therefore, it’s our problem.”

That settled it. Gilda decided to go along with the large caravan plan. To help those griffons, yes. But also just to spite Gia. “Not much we can do… We’ll take them. We’ll leave in the morning with whoever made it here. And you’re going too. Because we’ll need your help as our Loremaster.”

Then Gilda chuckled. “Also, because Lady Gwendolen is just going to send someone to fetch you if you don’t go. And that is likely to end poorly for you.”

Grunhilda did a little giggle, hiding her beak with her paws and Geary just watched as though he had nothing to do with the whole conversation. Gelinda had a disappointed blank expression though. “I am sure Mother Harpy appreciates your enthusiasm, Gia. You are a Loremaster, for feather’s sake. You should recognize the signs of time. You just witnessed a griffoness talking to The Harpy. As far as I know, Lady Gwendolen used to be the only one.”

Meanwhile the short griffoness that was Gosalynn watched the interaction and didn’t speak. All she did was pay attention and rub her jaw with curiosity. No idea what went inside her head, but Gilda sure had more things to say.

“One thing, though.” Gilda added. “I wanna be in charge. And Mister Gillian will deal with caravan matters. I trust him and we have enough of a relationship already.”

Would be nice to know his opinion first, but if griffons thought that she was so awesome, they might as well put their money where their beaks were. The others didn’t complain and Gosalynn simply nodded at Gilda like she really was the boss.

“Sounds fair!” The pretty and short griffoness showed her a thumb up with a grin behind her weird long and thin beak.

“He should be in the market.” Gosalynn added cheerfully, and her wings fluttered to hover a few paws above the ground. Happy as though Gilda had removed a weight from her shoulders. Then she buzzed away. Probably before Gilda changed her mind.

“Ugh. Fine.” Gia growled and frowned with barely contained anger. “Whatever. Just give me the stupid witchweed.”

Gilda grimaced and recoiled at the older Loremaster reaction as she slapped Gia in the face. Then Gilda had to contain her laughter that turned to a grinning giggling. It was not really a harsh slap, but it wasn’t a soft one either. It was one of those slaps the right way to hurt one’s ego much more than their body.

“If you had paid attention to Lady Gwendolen’s classes, not only wouldn’t you need those weeds,” The older griffoness pointed a finger and waved it like she talked to a cub that had done wrong. “But you would understand the importance of protecting Her Children.”

“Yeah, yeah… Our Mother deals in griffons and her currency is our souls.” Gia sighed, frowned again, and rubbed her eyes. “Fine. I still need the feathering witchweed.”

So, that was what she was talking about with Gelinda before. Not that Gilda cared that much, but she supposed it was understandable. Gia probably made full use of Geary’s… Faculties. And didn’t like cubs. Gilda stole a glance at Geary, sitting next to Grunhilda. Patiently waiting for Gia to need something from him while she argued with the older Loremaster.

Gilda had to admit that he was quite handsome.

Wait a second. Gilda raised a paw. “Hey! I thought that we were not supposed to drink the witchweed tea. Although, that was because The Harpy wanted the Swordmaidens to have the Emperor’s cubs. Did that apply to the Loremasters too?”

Gilda blinked at her own words. “Wait. How is she supposed to not need it?”

“A Loremaster has full control of her mind and body.” Gelinda spoke with her majestic poise before she looked at Gia with a disdainful glare. “At least, they’re supposed to.”

That didn’t surprise Gilda. Maybe it was because of the memories from past lives seeping in, or because magic really did make anything possible. Especially now that she had some nifty magic of her own. Her face still showed her surprise, though. “Like… Can a Loremaster bang a dude during her cycle and not get pregnant? Without any magical devices, or pills, or teas? That… Sounds useful… You know. To get rid of ‘the fire’.”

“Actually, a Loremaster is not supposed to feel, much less give in to such urgings.” While Gia just showed a bored frown and remained silent, the older Gelinda laughed a little and nodded. “Surprised? It’s understandable. You have lived your whole life in the south and the myths, many of them true, about the Loremasters never reached you. Unlike the Swordmaidens, Loremasters are quite common in our time. The northerners learned to respect us in the few years Lady Gwendolen started sending us out from Griffindell.”

“How do I learn that?” After all, Gilda was supposed to be both a Swordmaiden and a Loremaster. Even as a swordsgriffon, control over her mind and body sounded useful.

“To master one’s body, one must first master one’s mind.” Gelinda used the professorial tone. “In the ancient times, the first stages of training of both Loremasters and Swordmaidens intertwined. Today, we don’t have enough griffonesses worthy of wielding a dancing sword.”

“I know two.” Gia shrugged. “But Gwineth went through Thunderpeak in a hurry. I barely got a chance to talk to her. Much less getting her to help liberate the city from Mayor Grosster and the Chancellor.”

“Did you mean recruiting her help to get the money for yourself?” Gilda Teased the other with the straightest face she had.

Gia didn’t answer, she just frowned and pouted while the older Loremaster gave a contained laughter. The former also quickly changed the subject. “Well, I taught you something. Remember?”

Gilda grinned. “You did! That meditation thing helped a lot to help me connect to my magic!”

“You should build upon that.” Gelinda added with a gesture. “Even if Lady Gwendolen is bound to properly training you, learning such skills and fostering your inner strength is paramount. Discipline and mindfulness are two of the most useful skills a griffon can learn. From a young tom that has just left cubhood to an old Loremaster such as myself. The heart of mastering the arcane lies within thoughtful practice.”

Finally, the old Loremaster concluded with a friendly smile. “Take some time off your day and look inside. The mind is a cavernous and mysterious place to explore. Ripe with treasury for those willing to dedicate themselves.”

“Thanks, Madam Gelinda.” Gilda even allowed herself a small respectful nod. “I’ll remember that.”

“Aren’t you going to be up in her case for talking back to The Harpy, or something?” Gia growled like a child with an injured ego.

Gelinda shrugged. “Who am I to tell her how to address Our Mother? I have precedence over telling griffons of our traditions and moral laws. I am a teacher foremost, but I cannot tell an adult griffon how to address Aya Harpyia. She is responsible for the way griffons treat her much as any other griffon is supposed to impose their limits upon others.”

The Raptorial Creed in practice.

Then Gelinda slapped Gia to the sound of a surprised yelp. Again. “And that is also something you should know.”

Again, Gilda found herself barely restraining her giggling while Gia rubbed her cheek. “Yeah, keep having fun at my expense, hero. We’ll see how that goes once Lady Gwendolen starts doing the same to you.”

Unfortunately for Gia, that didn’t have the effect she expected. Gilda just chucked at her and punched her shoulder lightly. “C’mon. Let’s get the others up to speed.”

The two were followed by their thralls, and Madam Gelinda walked by their side. Gilda’s side, because Gia changed to walk on her other side when the other approached. Gilda was going to make some light fun of her, but instead chose to talk of more serious matters.

“So, I suppose that we should prepare to receive a lot of griffons.” She talked to either of them. “Right?”

“So we should.” Gelinda agreed with her serene voice. “Though that is the responsibility of the city’s leadership. They will require my assistance and that of my apprentice, however. Not to mention that city guards will be required to check their belongings. But you might wish to ensure everything runs smoothly on your end. You’ll be the ones hauling inexperienced griffons into the lands of the Windigos. It is a good idea to ensure everything runs smoothly.”

“Or not.” She showed a mischievous grin that looked positively evil in the old griffoness’ beak. “Maybe you would prefer some griffons not make it with your caravan for personal reasons. What is the point of having power if you don’t use it, after all?”

“That sounds smart.” Gia cheered as she walked next to Gilda. “Can I get the others to vote out this stupid idea? Go back to ten-something griffons caravan?”

“No.” Gilda gave her a playful smile. “Democracies are for lame ponies.”

Since Gia’s reaction was an annoyed grimace, Gilda went on with a deeper grin. “Come on, Gia. Lighten up. At least it’s not like we’re going to be picking up any more ponies on the way.”

So, legitimate question for you people.

Does anyone feel my characters are talking heads? I write dialogue-heavy scenes, but I never thought it was a problem. Because I like characters talking, and I try to put a reasonable amount of gesturing and movement. They are generally doing something while they are talking.

Does anybody have some feedback on that account?