Part-Time Griffin

Battle

We all watch Lake Jah's dam from a safe distance away.
And when I say we, I mean Diesel, Ash, and I.
Yeah, when Diesel said that he would call 'backup', the Ash's name never came to my mind.
But I can't agree with Diesel more. Ash, though sometimes a little unusual, is a very trustworthy ally. He knows that I'm a griffin... but I don't think Diesel has told him that he's a alicorn yet.
Diesel and I are in our human forms at the moment. All of us are crouched in the undergrowth as we stare out at the dam. Ash is between us. I stare at the attire he has chosen to wear.
"Why do you having swimming trunks on?" I ask Ash quietly.
He shrugs, "Diesel said we were going to the lake dam. So I put on something to go swimming in."
I give Diesel a knowing look to let him know to tell Ash why we're really here at one o'clock in the morning.
"Ash."
Ash looks over at his friend.
"I'm going to tell you why we need your help." Diesel says seriously.
"Help?" Ash is confused now.
Diesel then goes on to explain about all the vandalizing and how there is more to it than just that. How there's a man behind it who's illegally taking oil out of the ground underneath Melark.
"So why are we here at the dam then?" Ash asks quizzically.
I hand him the picture of me as a griffin. He looks it over then flips it to read the message on the back.
"Well, that's a vague command." He hands the picture back to me, and I tuck the photo into the pocket of my blue jeans.
"But no one is here, obviously." Diesel points out.
"We should check it out." My instincts urge me to morph into my griffin form.
Ash seems to get excited as if he can tell I'm about to go griffin-mode.
Diesel grabs his friend's shoulder, "Before we do anything. Ash, I need to tell you that I'm..."
"You're what?" Ash stares at his friend.
"I'm like Olivia."
Ash narrows his eyes as he looks left to right between Diesel and I, "You're a griffin too?"
"No, a bit more complicated... and embarrassing.", Diesel mumbles.
"Why didn't you tell me, man!" Ash whispers loudly.
I step in, "I was trying to help him keep it a secret by distracting you with my own secret."
Ash lightens up a bit and after a few seconds of thinking he leans toward Diesel to whisper, "She really does like you, you know?"
Diesel smiles, "Well, yeah. We're dating."
Ash looks shocked once again, "You could have told me that at least!"
"I've been busy. I haven't seen you since Monday night." Diesel retorts.
"Can we please get back to the point?" I gesture back toward the lake dam.
The boys then return to our main concern.
I don't say anything before shifting into a griffin. Feathers spread across my shoulders, and fur covers the lower half of my body as my clothes are absorbed. Wings sprout from my shoulders as a tail forms on the lower portion of my spine. Talons grow on my two front eagle feet. Claws form on my hind lion feet.
I open my eyes as a griffin to see Ash staring at me. He doesn't see the huge, black alicorn looming over him.
Ash sees me looking past his shoulder. He turns then bumps into the furry chest of the tall alicorn.
Backing away fearfully, Ash stutters, "Is- is that you, Diesel?"
Diesel snorts annoyingly, "Yes."
A smile slowly spreads across his face as he glances between Diesel and I, "You know, you guys are really cool. Olivia's a griffin. Diesel's a horse."
"Excuse me?" Diesel opens his wings angrily.
"Okay, pegasus. Same thing." Ash corrects himself.
I ignore them as I make my way down towards Lake Jah's dam. They eventually follow me. I can feel Ash's excitement coming off of him in enthusiastic waves. We all quiet down as we reach the stone dam.
The dam itself is thick, and a thin sheet of water runs over it. The sound of running water meets my ears as I step out on the dam cautiously.
There's no sounds, scents, or anything in sight that might mean danger. It's calm and serene as ever. A smooth breeze ruffles my downy feathers. With that breeze, I smell lake water and green leaves.
Water sloshes over my four feet as I go farther out on the dam. It's about eight feet wide. There's plenty of space to walk on if you ignore the fact that there's two inches of water constantly running over it.
My head swivels toward the boys. Diesel seems cautious as he goes further out on the dam. Ash is ahead of him as if he's enjoying this little nighttime adventure.
It's so quiet. That note said to get here within the hour. Maybe we're late...
A barking dog is heard in the distance. I ignore it as I inspect the old dam. One side of the dam has a wall of water pressed against it. On the opposite side there's a huge drop where jagged rocks lay waiting below.
More barking can be heard now. Except it's coming from both sides of the dam.
Diesel stomps his hoof worriedly. Ash doesn't seem to be minding the oncoming storm of barks and howls. He's staring into the lake water with a confused look.
"There's something in-" Ash is cut off as a volley of wild barking bursts from the woods as a pack of pitbulls explodes from the undergrowth.
I turn to run to the opposite side of the dam only to be met with an equally ferocious pack of dogs. Behind them, three men follow.
Diesel's side of the dam also has three men, but one in particular stands out from the other two.
Takolize!
My insides boil as I stare evilly at the smug man.
Takolize steps forward and speaks to his men, "Take all three of them."
Without further warning, the men on both sides of the dam signal their dogs to attack. The viscous pitbulls proceed willingly.
No, no, no!
As the dogs run out on the dam, I face the ones who are closest to me. I let lose one of my screeching roars and allow my griffin side to take over completely.
The first dog launches himself at me. My talons reach out and tear across his face. Before he can counterattack, I clamped my serrated beak on the skin around the pitbull's neck. My muscles strain as I throw the heavy dog. The animal doesn't go far, but it eventually slides off the edge of the dam and isn't seen again.
My momentary pride is instantaneously taken away as another pitbull takes the place of the former. Jerking backwards, I watch him snap where my neck was seconds before.
I lash out at him, leaving red bloody streaks across his wide muzzle. My head turns to see how the boys are doing.
I'm surprised to see Diesel stomping dogs with his hoofs as Ash kicks and punches anything that nears him. I can feel the fear radiating off both of them.
I return to my fight. Ripping and tearing with both my talons and hind claws. Though this technic doesn't always work. My wings are great defense as well. Slapping the dogs with my wings usually disorients them.
But with every dog I fight off, one immediately takes it's place.
One in particular is very fast. He dodges my every blow as if this is a funny game.
A different dog comes on my left, and I quickly grab onto his flabby skin to heave him away. The dog falls into the water with a terrified cry.
Suddenly, jagged teeth sink into my right, hind leg. I whip around to see that the fast dog has taken advantage of my distraction.
Full of fury, my talons streak out toward the latched-on canine. My talons rack across his pelt as my knife-like beak tears into him. The dog instantly let's go and tries to bite me once more. Before he can do so, I kick him off the dam.
I turn back to the fight to see a pare of jaws headed directly toward my face. I have no time to react.
Right before the teeth bite down on my throat, the dog is suddenly pulled into the lake. Waves slosh as the dog disappears underneath the surface.
I blink as I realize that I'm totally covered in water. Looking up, I seeing a creature grabbing ahold onto dogs and throwing them into the lake. It jumps out of the water and sinks back down underneath the massive waves it has created.
Stumbling backwards, I stare terrified as the silver horse-looking creature pulls more dogs into the lake. I notice a long spiral horn on the forehead of the creature.
It looks half horse!
The creature dives underneath the water once more, and a scaly silver tail splashes me with water. My senses come back to me as the water covers me once more.
I stand up and help Diesel and Ash. The dogs I had been fighting are all defeatedly swimming in the lake now.
Ash kicks a dog off of him, and I slash the mutt across the face.
My eyes widen when I watch Diesel open his mouth and sink his needle sharp fangs into a growling pitbull. The dog squeals in utter pain and uselessly pulls back.
Another dog roars up to him, but Diesel quickly unlocks his fangs and smacks the new dog with his black horn.
Never get on Diesel's bad side. Remember that, Olivia!
Ash and I work together to fight off the vermin. We're doing well until the men who came with the dogs advance on us as well.
A white streak lands in front of me, and I'm in shock as an ivory creature lands only feet away. I have no time to stare, because a man comes up by my side with a rifle.
I quickly jump onto the man before he can hurt anyone. He drops the rifle as I knock the breath out of him.
"Olivia! Watch out!" A recognizable voice speaks from the new winged creature.
I instantly look up to see a man about to stick his knife in me. I dodge the blade and kick his legs out from underneath him.
Breathing hard, I back away and glance backwards where I had seen Takolize earlier. I'm not able to see where he has gone, because the new creature who apparently knows my name runs up to me.
"Olivia, are you okay?!" She shrieks.
Ignoring the bite on my leg, I reply, "Yeah, I'm fine. Who are you?"
I stare at the creature. She appears to be a white cougar with huge wings just like me.
The cougar answers with a smile, "It's me! Felicity!"
"Felicity?! What happened-"
I'm interrupted as Ash yells for some backup.
"Stay out of the way. You'll get hurt." I command Felicity as I turn to help Ash.
Ash is currently having to hold back a pitbull that has pinned him to the ground. I quickly sling the dog off of my friend then pull Ash up.
Suddenly, an angry voice shouts, "I told you the griffin would be worth more than the oil. Capture all four of them animals!"
I realize that it's Takolize who is yelling at the men, but I have no time to think upon that fact.
All four?
My question is answered as a horse head flies out of the water and throws Takolize into the lake.
The remaining men stare terrified as they watch their boss get dunked into the water.
"Call the police." I tell Ash who's beside me.
The henchmen suddenly don't know what to do. It's like they just now realized that they're fighting against four huge mythical beasts... and one teenage boy.
There are five men present. There are five of us. Some of the men seem to want to continue the fight while the rest seem weary.
But really. It's five of us against them. They're insane if they think they can overcome us.
Off to the side, Takolize is flailing in the water. A gentle wave pushes him toward the shore. The dogs swim alongside him or have run away completely.
I growl as I turn back to the five men. Police sirens now wail in the distance.
Diesel steps up beside me, "I believe this is when we leave, right?"
The men's eyes widen when Diesel speaks to me.
"Diesel, they weren't supposed to know that we can talk. Oh, well.", I reply.
I quickly continue, "Let's go, but we need to make sure these guys are detained."
As if by a silent decision, we all head get off the dam. I launch into the sky, and Felicity slowly follows. Diesel grudgingly lets Ash ride on his back. The water horse who hadn't made much an appearance stays beneath the water.
We soon find a place to stay hidden in the woods. Dense trees and undergrowth cover us well. Then the four of us watch the men to make sure they're caught by the police.
As expected, the cops come. The five men attempt to escape, but are soon caught.
A satisfying feeling overcomes me when I watch Takolize being put in hand cuffs.
"I think our work here is done. We ought to do this more often, you know?" Ash says pleasingly.
I look at all of us together. A black aliorn, a teenage kid, and a white pumagriff. Then there's me, a griffin.
"Is everyone okay?" I give them a concerned look.
Felicity nods, but Ash and Diesel point out a few places where they've been bitten.
"It's still not safe here with these cops snooping around. Let's head downriver to the sawmill. My dad has a first-aid kit in his office." Diesel tells us.
Felicity hesitates, "What if those bad men tell someone about us?"
"No one would ever believe them. It might actually give them more jail time, if it makes people think they're crazy." I reassure my sister.
We then go through the woods. My mind is spinning with all that has happened within the hour, but my mind is on one thing specifically.
Who is the waterhorse creature?