The Gryphon's Bond

Chapter Ten

   Anna stirred as she regained consciousness once again. Her eyes opened slowly as she expected the light to assault her eyes, but instead she felt no pain as she pried them open.

   Where am I? Why is it so dim?

   She blinked trying to get her eyes to focus.

  There were torches on the walls. Am I in a cave? How'd I get here?

  She felt her heart start to race, although she wasn't sure why. She felt like she was missing something, something important, that was supposed to be with her.

  She sat up in a panic, looking around frantically, and then she saw her, the Gryphon.

  Her heart beat calmed when she saw her, comforted by the sight of her bond.

  The Gryphon's eyes turned toward her, sensing Anna waking, she stood, walking over to Anna's bed.

"How do you feel?" She asked.

"Um, slightly better, thanks. How did we get here?"

"We flew, I carried you. The Oracle has been forcing water and broth down your throat while you were unconsciousness."

"The Oracle?" Anna asked in alarm, unnerved that she had unconsciously been drinking fluids. "Who's that?"

"The woman that lives in this cave, and who has been caring for you. You will meet her soon."

  Anna nodded, looking to her left she saw a glass of water on a stool beside the bed. She grabbed it, draining it quickly, feeling the cool liquid soothe her parched throat.

  Anna looked back up at the Gryphon; she had laid down beside Anna's bed, watching over her protectively.

   She was a magnificent creature, with deep auburn fur. Her wings were folded gracefully against her back, her long tail curled around her; it was like a lions tail, but at the end it had a large fan of feathers. Her eyes were intelligent, inquisitive and kind, colored like flames and liquid gold.

"So, we're bonded," Anna laughed, still somewhat amazed. "I guess it's about time we introduced ourselves. I'm Anna,  Anna Grace."

"And I'm Rhia, Rhia Flamewing," Rhia purred. Her internal voice filled with mirth. "Pleased to make your acquaintance."

  Anna laughed again as she slowly got up out of the bed, walking over to Rhia, she sat down with her back against the massive chest of the gryphon, feeling safe closer to her bond.

  Rhia laid her head on the ground, outstretched next to Anna.

"So, its true then?" Anna heard a strange voice say. She jumped up her hands searching for her knives, coming up empty.

"Peace Anna, this is the woman I wanted you to meet. She had been helping and caring for you while you were ill."

  Anna calmed herself, instead searching for the originator of the voice.

  A woman came in from a tunnel connected to the cave. She looked to be about Anna's age, but something about her told Anna she was much, much older than she appeared.

   She was taller then Anna, and slim. Long hair cascaded over her shoulders, so blonde it was nearly white. But the most noticeable feature of her were her eyes; they were strange and perplexing; not seeming to have a color, but instead were like oil on water, their colors forever shifting, and rippling. Galaxies seemed to be held within them. The Oracle moved with the grace of time itself,  yet there was also a very tough look about her, like she had fought her share of battles and was still prepared to fight more.

"Is what true?" Anna asked her, unsure of what to say.

"It seems the impossible has finally been accomplished. When the Gryphon brought you to me, I was hoping it had not happened yet."

"What were you hoping hadn't happened?" Anna asked, confused.

"Your union with the Gryphon. I had foreseen it, but had hoped it wouldn't happen for a long while."

"You foresaw  it? And why did you not want it to happen yet?"

"I'm sorry," the mysterious woman said. "There's much I must explain to you. Sometimes I forget people do not know the same things I do. As a start I guess I better introduce myself; I'm Rebecca, better known as the Oracle. I am a Time Bond."