Chapter 16

"Break!" one of the fairies around us announced as a message rippled down the group. We descended to an area where the trees were more spaced out.  Some of fairies laid down for a nap, and others started unpacking some food. Our guards left us as soon as our feet touched the grass, one of them mumbling something about food. Aiden ran up to us, his face and shirt stained with purple berries, as the parents called their kids back.

While Aric excused himself to go to the bathroom, the four of us sat down in the grass a bit farther off. Chase leaned against the gryphon, and Juno and Grey rested their heads on Autumn's and my lap.

"Why am I the only one without a mascot?" Aiden tried to throw some grass in Chase's hair.

"Mascot?" Autumn frowned.

Chase pushed him away. "Because any animal with half a brain will stay away from you."

"You had Mr. Potato," I reminded Aiden, pushing Grey's head away as she tried to nimble on my hair.

"I know, I miss him." He pouted.

"Mr. Potato was so fat." Chase laughed at the memory.

"Shut up! Your gryphon is fat."

"No, he's not."

"Hold on," Autumn said. "Why do you always say he? And by the way, peryton are fine, but if I ever catch you calling a human fat, I will knock your heads together so hard you will pass out."

Chase and Aiden gulped and took a moment to notice Autumn's first question.

"Yes, he," Chase said. "Why?"

Autumn sighed. "Oh, I don't know. Maybe because 'he' is a female."

"What?" Aiden and Chase chorused. I couldn't help bursting into a fit of laughter. The gryphon looked down at us curiously.

"Actually," Autumn observed, "Aiden's right. She is a little fat. Maybe she's pregnant. It would explain her aggressive behavior when she first found us, but reluctance to keep fighting after it ended in a draw."

Aiden started laughing too, while Chase gave him a dark look. He turned to his gryphon.

"You couldn't have told me that earlier?"

She headbutted him in the shoulder.

"Okay, sorry," he relented. "Is she really pregnant?"

Autumn shrugged. "You can't know now for sure, but it's possible."

Aiden sobered up. "Oh my goddess. Chase. If she has a baby, I want it."

"That's the worst idea I've ever heard!" He made a shocked face, and the gryphon threw a protective wing over his shoulder.

"Question time!" Aiden said. "Is it: 'Chase has a new pet', or 'the gryphon found herself her very own human'?"

"The second one, obviously," I answered. "Poor thing, she's going to have her hands full."

"Why is every one teaming up against me?" Chase complained.

I shuffled closer and kissed his cheek. "Aw, do you want a hug?"

"Yes! Group hug!" Aiden yelled. Before he could throw himself at us, Autumn extended her leg and tripped him. "Hey! What was that, Autumn? You're supposed to be the nice, innocent one. Hailey's the mean one."

Autumn rolled her eyes. "You were about to tackle a gryphon. By all rights, you should be thanking me."

"You should give her a name." I tentatively reached up to pet her side. Her golden fur was thick and warm.

"I've been thinking about it, but I suck at finding names. This girl hasn't been very helpful either, but that might have been because I was suggesting guy names."

"Ooh!" Aiden raised his hand. "I've got a good one."

"No," Chase said.

"Hey! You didn't even hear what it was."

"In his defense, you did rename your peryton Mr. Potato," Autumn reasoned.

"Exactly! I'm good at names!"

"I actually liked that name," I seconded.

Chase shook his head. "I'm disappointed in you, Hailey."

"Goddess," Aiden teased, "between Chase's creativity and Hailey's taste, their kids are gonna have hilarious names. I call the title of favorite uncle!"

I blushed, but was saved from answering by Aric's appearance. He was carrying some fruits and told us,

"The fairies say: eat a little, then let's go again."

After our snack, we went back on our way.  We had five new guards, who once again dismissed Aiden to go play with the kids else where. Though Aiden seemed to be having a ton of fun -I wouldn't have been surprised to hear he was related to this food-and-fun-loving tribe, I couldn't say the same about the rest. Aric seemed content enough. He was discovering new things and always seemed surprised when someone told him to 'do whatever you want.' Autumn seemed to enjoy his company and helped him with his english, but the corners of her mouth pulled down when she thought no one was looking, and she was tired. I didn't manage to have any long conversations with her, and wondered if she was mad at me. With a pinch of guilt, I realized she would have good reasons to be.
Chase was the worst off. The more time passed, the more he glared and flinched away from the fairies. His head jerked up as soon as Aiden fell out of our sight, and his eyes narrowed when I asked a fairy something. He ended up walking on the forest floor with the still-nameless gryphon, who seemed the only one capable of extracting a smile from him. One of the fairies watched him from above, as if afraid he would make a break for it.

The fairies seemed wary of him. However, they were comfortable with Aiden, who behaved a bit like an overgrown fairy and had already fallen prey to many pranks -and returned the favor. Mikoy and Elwys, the little boy and girl, followed him everywhere and showed off their new friend to everyone.

"We will reach the elder tribe soon," one of the fairies assured me, following my gaze to our dismembered group.

She was more serious around me than the rest of the fairies, and we had exchanged a few words.

"Before tonight?"

"Just at nightfall."

"What will happen to us then?"

"The One Elder will decide."

I had gotten used to their cryptic names, Great Lady, Elder Tribe, or One Elder; but that didn't mean it wasn't annoying.

"Decide between what? We do need to get on our way."

"Decide if your cause is just or deceitful. Your kind are fickle."

This comment stuck me as strange because of their own facetious temper, but it seemed the relationship between fairy and Winged had been even more tense than I'd thought.

"If you really are related to the Great Lady, you might have been called here for a reason," she continued. "Maybe she'll have a message for you!" she perked up.

"So this Great Lady is a Winged of the royal family?" I clarified.

"So it is said."

I sighed. So, was she or was she not? "What does she look like?"

"She is beautiful and one with the heart of the forest."

I gritted my teeth. Her inability to give a straight, comprehensible answer was getting on my nerves.

"I have to talk with my friend," I excused myself.

The fairy smiled and flitted away to joke with one of her friends.

"Autumn?" I flew a bit faster to catch up with her and Aric. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

"I never said you weren't allowed to join in." She let Juno brush past her and continued to Aric. "You're right, it doesn't make sense for gryphons to originate from such dense forest, but they just don't seem fit for the desert. They're too big, and their fur is too thick."

I bit my lip. Yep, she was mad at me.

"You're right," Aric answered. "Colder temperature is more goo- is better for their fur." He held a branch out of her way and whispered a few words to her.

Jealousy flared in my chest, and I tried to catch what they were saying.

"You said she is your friend," Aric insisted in a hushed tone. "That is precious."

Autumn chewed the inside of her cheek and mumbled something I didn't hear.

"So? At least listen. You became friends for a reason," he whispered. "I have thirst - no, sorry. I am thirsty," he said more loudly. "I will ask for water and be back." He let me pass in front of him to catch up with Autumn.

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Sorry this is short :/ I have a lot going on and even have to go back to school tomorrow on a Saturday for a stupid test even though I just want to stay home in my PJ's and write more chapters for you guys. Oh well.

I'd be interested in hearing any names you can come up with to help out Chase :) (also me. But Chase, too.)

Anyway, covert art is by @lady_guardian_star :)
(Instagram: Sweet_galaxy711)

Have a good weekend, everyone!