Part-Time Griffin

Unveil

Art created by @thedragonshifter 😊

My wings open wider as I land at the dark sawmill.
It feels so good to be in my griffin form. It's like being free and taking a huge stretch after a long car ride.
My hind feet touch the ground first. I spread out my front eagle talons as I fully land. I stumble as I come to a complete stop, but at least I'm becoming better at landing though.
A large, dark figure stalks toward me from the shadows of the sawmill. I smile as the shape comes closer.
"What's up?" I greet normally.
Diesel snorts happily and says, "Nothing much."
Even though we're officially girlfriend and boyfriend, we still act like we're friends. Which is completely okay with me.
Diesel, the pegacorn, steps closer. His long mane, huge wings, and long horn always amaze me. I could imagine that a little girl with a deep love for unicorns and pegasus would be all over him.
"We're still planning on checking on Roxanne, right? Since she wasn't at school today." Diesel asks me.
My neck feathers move as I nod my head, "Yeah, let's check her house first. Hopefully, nothing has happened between her family and the man who's blackmailing them."
We then take flight and we head toward Roxanne's house at the opposite side of the lake.
Passing over the lake's dam, I think about how unreal this whole situation has been. Discovering that your town is being attacked then finding out it's your blackmailed friend who is committing the crimes seems more like something out of a movie or a fictitious novel.
But then again, I'm a griffin. That fact itself is absolutely absurd!
The wind ruffles my feathers and fur as I fly high above the lake. My tail blows straight out behind me helping me balance myself. Diesel, on my far right, flaps his jet black wings almost effortlessly. His long mane waves in the wind around him.
Everything about him seems dark. His coat, his wings, his eyes, his hooves, and every part of him is one color, black. Some may say that his dark color reflects who he is as a person.
The only part of him that isn't dark are his fangs that peek out from below his lip. Their true purpose is still under questioning.
The part of Lake Jah that I'm most familiar with comes into sight. I quickly point out Roxanne's house to Diesel even though he already knows where it is.
Without having to land, we scan the house from hundreds of feet above. As I survey the house, I become concerned when I notice that there isn't a light on inside.
"Diesel, they always have a light on when they are home. Something isn't right. They're not home." I shout over the wind.
We slow down to a glide as we think this over. My eyes narrows as my mind works hard.
"Do you think they're out vandalizing?" Diesel offers.
I shake my head, "For once, I doubt that."
Obviously, my fear has come true. This 'antagonist' threatening Roxanne's family has struck.
Now the true question is: Where is my childhood friend and her family?
And are they still alive...?
Diesel and I bank left. The lights of town slowly come into sight.
"Where... how... what do you think happened to them?" Diesel asks out loud.
I growl, "Find the man who blackmailed them and we find where they are."
Continuing anxiously, I say, "I'll take the west side of town. Can you take the east?"
"I think we should stay together. It would be safer.", Diesel snorts.
I then agree with him. We always do better as a team, not as loners.
_____________________
An hour later we don't get any results. Inspecting every part of town has ended up being futile. There's no places where an evil dude would keep a family of five. No one has been seen vandalizing either. Truthfully, each moment that passes I become more nervous.
What if that man... killed them...?
I don't want that to be true. With all my heart, I hope nothing dire has happened to my friend and her family. She made a mistake by locking me in her basement, but I've forgiven her for that.
"Are they're any other places around town where they might could be? You know this town better than me. You've been exploring around here for many years.", Diesel asks as we gain altitude together.
My brain thinks about the secret places in this town and the woods surrounding it. Not many places comes to mind. Only four can be recalled: the old dilapidated mansion near Crooked Creek, the creepy disused theater on the outskirts of town, the huge cement culvert near the lake dam, and the quarry outside town.
"That's it!", I shout.
"Huh?"
I turn to Diesel, "The quarry. I haven't been there in months. It's north of town where people seldom go. That is the best place to find someone who needs to be found."
"Okay, lead the way!", He says enthusiastically.
_____________________
Fifteen minutes later, we land in the dense woods that surround the quarry. Insects sing and thrum steadily around us. The natural scent of rich earth rises from the forest floor.
We weave through the trees as I direct us to the quarry. After about three minutes of navigating, a light is seen through the thick trees. Our speed increases as we come nearer.
The quarry is always desolate, and only a few, rare, and brave persons dare venture here. I'm hoping this is where my friend is. There's going to be a huge disappointment if-
We reach the quarry, but we skid to a halt before stepping into the bright light that covers the entire area. Our eyes widen at what we are currently viewing. Each of our four feet automatically take us backwards. The sight is too shocking to pry our eyes off of.
This explains everything! This is why they were blackmailed! This is why they had to vandalize the town!