The ice stung even on the toughest of skin. Chills ran through Carbin’s fangs, almost as if they crawled through his veins. The winter storm surrounding them raged on, even in these familiar mountains the air seemed almost haunted. The snow crunched beneath the feet of the pair as they trudged on through the deep powder.

Insornia looked ahead, he was mostly unbothered by the cold. His coat hung on well. His companion was not as lucky, being near bare. He had a sense of familiarity with this drake who had begun to accompany him. 

They had come face to face back at the Gryphon village. They called a meeting practically begging for outsiders to start on their expedition to bring their elders home. The disease that ravaged the world had finally come for their kind and their elders had been the most susceptible to its wrath.

This time they weren’t so lucky on the location this ghostly figure had traveled. Descriptions of this gryphon suggested she wasn’t exactly a gryphon - at least not anymore. Her form is described as almost ghostly but still tied to this plane of existence. Insornia admitted he knew apparitions existed but wasn’t as persuaded by one being so connected to the world of the living.

He had tried to quiz Carbin on this but the lad had only remained silent, only offering a shrug in answer. The black drake trudged far behind Insornia at this point, slowing his pace as the cold hung onto his scales. He breathed in and out slowly, his body giving into the weather.

Insornia stopped and noticed him, the snow blinding the vision of this character. As he watched the drake look back to him he noticed something in the distance behind him. His stares became evident to Carbin who spun around without hesitation.

A large glowing entity stood tall in front of them. Almost calm but… something was off. If this was the described elder she didn’t see right. While she stood there, her body twitched feveriously as if she was holding back. Insornia stepped closer to come side to side with Carbin and the gryphon twisted around grabbing at her claws.

The pair watched the writhing mess. They attempted to step forward but the ghost froze still in her action. Silence followed, all unmoving. Carbin opened his mouth to speak, the cold now gone replaced by a nervous heat. He stepped forward and the gryphon raged. Her feathers flailed with madness and she stood on her hind legs.

She was much larger than they had originally thought. Insornia braced himself for the incoming attack, unaware of how they would be able to capture something so translucent. The elder took no time and leapt into the air landing on Carbin who was not so quick to react. He took the brunt of the blow and was shoved deep into the powder below them. He groaned and growled stretching at the thing before him. Surprisingly, he was able to get a grip on her with ease. She was translucent but tangible. 

Insornia caught onto this fact quickly and tackled the gryphon to the ground. Although she was much larger than most of her kind, Insornia’s bulky weight was able to knock her down. She screeched with animalistic rage and removed herself from under the wingless warden. Her wings shook uneasily and she attempted to grab Insornia. She was pulled back quickly by Carbin who was clamped down onto her tail feathers.

She wheeled around to push him off but Insornia took the chance to grab the back of her neck. She reared up, her horns coming into contact with Insornia’s eyebrow creating a large gash upwards. He roared back as blood flowed into his eye. He shook himself off, vision now blurry. Pushing his face into the snow he dug around to help clean off his face and came back up to see the Gryphon now struggling under Carbin who had pinned her wings. 

As the blurred visuals came back into focus for Insornia he eyed the gryphon, her white form was plagued by red veins around her body. They quickly grew in intensity and pulsed with unyielding fury. He sighed with anger. Someone had to have caused this purposefully. All of these important figures being infected did not bode well for these species who did not have protections against the affliction.

He snapped out of his thoughts, returning to the fight. The white gryphon only had eyes for Carbin at the moment and she snapped continuously at his horns. Her attempts to grab hold only gave the drake practice in avoiding her sharp beak. He noticed Insornia charging back out of the fray and shifted his weight down as hard as he could. The ghost now pushed deeply into the snow and breath was knocked out of her. 

Insornia landed on her dealing the additional blow. He wrapped his jaws around her throat. Her fur attempted to shield her from the sharp edges but Insornia was strong and he clamped down enough to feel her throat collapse. She wiggled and strained but her energy faded as she stopped struggling. The red veins began to retreat and dissipate. Carbin kept his weight on the ghost but Insornia climbed off.

The intelligence returned to the apparition once more, her expression now fragile. She attempted to talk but no sound came due to the condition of her throat. Carbin felt a warmth bubbling below him as he noticed the edges of her feathers started to dissolve into their own orbs of light.

The gryphon held out a clawed hand and Insornia took it carefully. He looked at her with sorrow. “I’m sorry it had to end this way…” she smiled as much as she could. Her other claw reached out to his to gently grab his hand.

She was unable to speak with words but she pushed her thoughts into his mind. It’s alright… I will return for my kin one day. I only hope they will be alright without me. Thank you for alleviating my pain and worry.

Her form was slowly absorbed by the forms of light before they fled upwards into the sky disappearing. Carbin looked up, the feeling of cold had completely dissipated. He instead felt a hole in his heart. The feeling of sadness washed over him. Maybe it was for the gryphons or maybe he felt as if a mother had returned towards the sky.