The Princess of the Moon

Chapter 6

I ran as fast as I could, weaving through the trees as I tried to outrun whatever was behind me. My footfalls seemed to echo through the forest, letting anything out there know where I was at with no destination at all.

The thing was closing in on me fast. I could feel this coldness behind me as well as this hot breath at my back. I didn't dare turn around, not knowing if I would like whatever I see or not. And, turning around could mean sudden death, which I prayed would not happen.

"Shit," I hissed, spying a cliff a few feet in front of me. I tried to run in a different direction, but for some reason, I couldn't. I kept going straight as if this force was pulling me.

I didn't let myself panic. I couldn't. I had to figure out a plan or hope for the best in this situation. I knew that if I panicked, then whatever was behind me could or would attack.

I shook my head, breaking me from my thoughts, and picked up my speed. I took another deep breath and counted the distance until I came to the edge of the cliff.

I had not come up with a plan, so all I did was...

Jump.

***

Have you ever had that dream where you were falling, and you were waiting to wake up or hit the ground? Have you ever felt so at peace at that moment, even though you knew that something bad would happen?

Well, that was what I was feeling now. I had this strange sense of calmness like I knew that I didn't have any care in the world. All I cared about was this blissful feeling, and I didn't even worry about what would happen when I reached the bottom.

I was flying, and it was the most exhilarating feeling in the world. Until... something broke it.

One minute I was falling enjoying the breeze through my hair, and the next thing I knew, something broke my blissful moment by pulling me by the collar of my shirt and lifting me back into the air. The collar of my shirt held steadfastly, and I was surprised that I wasn't choking.

"What the?" I asked in shock, being pulled out of my stupor. I reached above me to see what had gotten hold of me and felt this thing that felt like a bird's... leg. "What the hell?" I asked, looking up to see what looked like a griffin.

The griffin looked down at me and blink. It looked to be scowling, and I couldn't understand what ruffled its feathers. "You could've just stroked the feather that she had given you," the griffin said, scowling. From the sounds of it, I could tell that it was a male, even though I had no idea as to how I knew it. "I would've aided you."

I blinked, not knowing why I wasn't fazed by the fact that I was in the air in the claws of a griffin. I guess it was because learning mythology had been a part of my "extracurricular activities" when I was younger because my dad had told me that I needed to know them. It didn't help that I could "see" the future with the pain of others, so I guess I knew that they were actually real.

"Who are you?" I asked. "And why am I just hanging around?"

"Zën," the griffin replied. He looked up to see where we were going before looking back down at me. His brown eye held this fire in them, and I could feel this power radiating off of him in waves. "And, I am carrying you to where you need to go. You can't see the King for a while. You need to get some training done and become the warrior that you are meant to be."

I furrowed my brows in confusion. "King?" I asked, causing him to tense. I shook my head and huffed, knowing that he wouldn't answer me. I could tell that he had orders that he had to follow, but I was curious about who this "King" was. I folded my arms across my chest, trying to keep myself from choking. 'And, couldn't I sit on your back? Wouldn't that be "less" suspicious than me hanging in the air?"

The griffin frowned, flying closer to the clouds. He kept his hold on me tight, and I could tell that he would not let me on his back for whatever reason. "I do not allow anyone on my back," he said. "When someone is on my back, it means that they have power over me. I will not let that happen." Stubborn pride filled his voice, and I couldn't help think that he was acting like me.

I pursed my lips and narrowed my eyes in annoyance. I knew better than to say something because all it could do was lead him to drop me and hoped that nothing bad would happen to me. Gods protect me before I try to kill something, I prayed. I glared at the griffin but stayed silent. And, please make sure that I do not choke to death.