《Reincarnated into a Snow Griffin》


 Chapter 1 - 1

    <h4>Chapter 1:</h4>


    My eyes are still closed when a few sounds and smells reach my senses, the wind softly caressing the leaves and grass bringing in the smell of soil and water, as well as the sound of birds chirping at each other, loud bugs and small animals climbing their way about. It is ufortably hot, even though I don''t feel the sun directly on me, so I frown while stretching my neck and focusing on my surroundings, the smell of wood and something elseing from close by.


    I yawn with my stiff jaw, letting a squealing sound out before closing my mouth again. I try to stretch again with my whole body now, but my limbs are too rigid and dense to do so, and soon I discover that I can''t open my eyes for being too heavy, and even if my body seems to resemble a brick about now I''m too hungry to care and give up moving, my stomach already touching my back, so I barely manage to vocalize my difort by screaming: "Good morning, is there anyone around? I do not seem to be doing very well, can anyone help out? I''m in dire need of food at the moment..."


    Or that is, at least, what I tried to say for only ss crashing chirps came out from my mouth, loud enough to be ear-piercing.


    "Haha, this one is a lively one, give him food before my ears start bleeding." I hear a voice from somewhere, making me try and turn my head towards there only to fall down from the sudden movement.


    There is some answer, but I can''t understand and the need for food is starting to drive my mind to the limits of being impolite as I scream:


    Chiiiiiiirp! "Foooood!"


    Someoneughs as they move some things and bump onto some ss, making me even more restless as my hungry situation is not properly taken care of nor seriously deal with.


    I feel another uncontroble chore of ear piercing chirpsing right up when something warm reaches my mouth and touches my tongue. Milk, warm and tasty, it takes my mind away from anything else as I hungrily gulp it all down, holding at it with my limbs until there is no more to swallow.


    Now, with a full belly, as the warmth of the milk spreads through my whole boy, my already heavy body grows slower I yawn my way into a deep slumber.


    ~~~~


    These actions repeat a few times, not much to be done from my end beyond sleeping and eating until, there is, the moment where I''m awakened by someone nibbling at my body, not hurting but apparently cleaning me up.


    I yawn, slowly opening my eyes as they finally give in, and seeing the blinding light for the first time. Yawning again, I stretch and curl my back, raising my butt and elongating my limbs, feeling lighter after so much time sleeping. I look beside me, stumbling on my jelly legs, and stare up when I see myself ncing at the image of a gigantic bird up close to my face, filling my vision with its eyes, and I chirp out of surprise at first, but when it doesn''t attack I start looking more closely... and no...no, it isn''t a simple bird, but...?


    It is actually a griffin! I blink my surprise away as I figure out what the creature is, a hybrid bird feline, but not a haft eagle half lion traditional type either, but a white one with ck spots all over her body, and a plushy long tail at the other side twisting in the air, a half snow leopard half eared owl, with big golden eyes looking intensely at me as she goes back to pecking at my fluffy feathers.


    It tickles and I chirp at her, earning a giggle.


    "Hello there, little one. Already giving trouble to your caretakers?"


    Chirp!


    "Haha." She pecks at me on the beak, making me stumble backward, but before I fall on the floor she holds me with her front scaled paw full of huge talons. I look down at my paws and could see my little limbs, the front ones covered with little light grey feathers, but the rest of my body is covered in a dark grey fur, my wings skinny and small. I figure something is wrong since I could not talk even though I tried for the only came out as chirps, but I would have never guessed that I somehow had be not even a bird, but a griffin on top of that!


    Thought I wonder why it feels strange to me...


    "Do you know what people are calling you? The one full of life, the fierce one who is born tomand, our little prince, Seraph, my little prince."


    I hum in response, but ites weird from my little beak. I approve, it is a beautiful name, mother has great taste, yes...mother, my mother, that should be it, it would exine many things.


    I straighten my back and neck, nodding at the sound of my name as it is the only thing I''m able to do to show my appreciation, incapable of saying it with words, a distressed feeling tensing my jaw for a second for myck ofmunicating skills.


    She somewhat smiles with her eyes and peaks at me again as I rub my face against hers, almost falling when she raises her head only for her to approach us again with her two bird scaled front legs, bringing me closer and cupping my body on her palm, our foreheads touching as she says:


    "Thank the heavens, the sky and mountains, for this healthy child of mine, that he grows as beautiful and strong as his father, and live a long prospering life."


    My previous confused state is ovee by the warm embrace and soothing words of my mother as she moves a little so I can stay on the side of her belly, covered by her big white wings, and I''ve never felt this safe in my entire life.


    I chirp at her before a sweet smell makes me blink my little eyes and follow my nose, until, without realizing, I''m on my mother''s furry belly, drinking her warm milk and watching her fluffy tail swing back and forth, and watching it go back and forth and back I end up falling asleep once more without realizing it.


    Such is the way my life as a small baby griffin starts.

 Chapter 2 - 2

    <h4>Chapter 2:</h4>


    Sleep and eat in a repetitive cycle is the only thing I do for the next few days, under the cover of that little wooden structure, and mother would rarely leave me alone for long, her food being brought by some winged humanoid creatures while I was asleep, which was most of the time, baskets of fresh apple and some meat too.


    Only when I''m finally strong enough to walk more than a few steps without feeling tired or getting my small retractable ws stuck on the wooden boards and tripping all the time I''m allowed to walk further away from her and, not long after, to even go out for the first time.


    That day when I''m finally presented to the wonders of the world I''m living in mother raises her huge body, shaking her white furry body, and pping her perched ears as she looks down at me, making me realize just how big and beautiful she is, having two huge pair of white wings on her back and a double pair of tails twitching behind her.


    "Ready my love?"


    Chirp!


    She walks out first, barely fitting her body past the wooden door and reaching outside.


    This would be my first time outside and I''m as nervous as I''m excited, my mind a white canvas to be filled with the wonders of this world. I soon follow her, being careful not to get my ws stuck as the bright sun hits me in the face, the blinding light robbing me from my sight for a few moments until I get used to the environment.


    And what I see is... marvelously stunning.


    I''m struck by the fascinatingndscape that befalls in front of me, the greenery, the blue sky extending in front of us, crystal clear water rushing and drips of it reflect the orange sunlight, and yet the crucial point is the white clouds rushing pass us down bellow


    For we are on inds, actually floating inds!


    The big pieces of soil are floating about midair, big stgmites looking pieces of rock, all together like birds migrating, somehow attracted to one another so that the masses of inds stuck together, floating like a flock wherever the wind guided them.


    But what impressed me the most is that all creatures here have wings; from the tiny bunny hopping in front of me, to the humanoid winged creature that approaches us, following up a white stone path as he walks ever so slowly, with the grace only a winged creature could muster.


    "Alinda, I''m so d you and your child are healthy and in good spirits, but isn''t a little early to get out of the nest?"


    "Aaron, you worry too much, and my child is just as stubborn and strong-minded as his father, he would not have stayed still any longer."


    "Haha, true true, though I would say that part he got more from you than his father, and also how about-"


    As they start chit chattering about things that I did not understand and were mostly little jokes like that I end up distracting myself with the incredible environment we are at, with so many new things to explore, making me look up and down and around like a little baby owl just left out of the nest.


    I look behind me, to the nest we came from, finding a small wooden structure staying on top of a small hill, and what it did not have in size it had on a sturdy structure for pirs of stone supported it, as well as thick wooden boards made to protect from the snow and rain, seemly very reliable to stay with the newborns.


    There are other structures like this on the back, all in a private safe distance from each other, and all simrly built, probably for other creatures to have and care for their pups too.


    Analyzing my surroundings not only do I pay attention to thendscape but to the limits of my own senses as well, understanding quickly enough that I have great vision, being able to even zoom it in and out, which is a weirdly amazing thing to be able to do, as well as a great sense of smell, the amount of odor rivaling with the number of bright colors reaching my pupils, all strange and new.


    The inds moves slowly up and down, as if floating on a river of clouds, yet somehow they stay in the same cement from each other, all covered in differentndscapes, some with green trees and waterfalls, the water falling down of them like a tail being left behind in the wind, others with big mountains cutting the air like a sharp de.


    And the clouds, soft and white, cover everything under us and some even around, like a rushing white river, making me realize just how high we are.


    After looking for a while however I realize that all small inds are circting around a bigger one at the center, and many had some type of chain attached to the main one, flowing in the wind like a maiden''s hair, connecting the ces around.


    All in all, this ce seems like it has been directly taken out of a fantasy world, which should not surprise me in my current youngling griffin state, and yet it did.


    I wonder why... after all, this is my first time out of the nest and I have no way ofparing or finding anything weird if I haven''t had any experiences prior to this, so how is that I find this ce somewhat odd?


    I shake my head sideways, getting rid of the useless thoughts, and almost trip over the tip of a rock on the stone path because of it, making me lose face in front of aplete stranger as both he and my mother chuckled at me.


    I cough an embarrassed chirp out and straighten my back as if nothing has happened, walking down the stones with my tail held high.


    My pose, however, is not received as expected when they hear me chirp, looking down to observe as I try to look tough in front of them, but with such a small body and fluffy paws and tail, big eyes and puffy cheeks, all ends up adding to a childish look that is far from the coolness that I was trying to get with my confident walking.


    Unsatisfied yet aware when to give up I huff and puff and stroll away, beak and tall high still high as I walked down the path, knowing that my mother is following me close by, and d that this grey fur can hide my flushed cheeks.


    S-such a shameful sign!

 Chapter 3 - 3

    <h4>Chapter 3:</h4>


    I keep ogling the ce up, trying to absorb everything at once, but my attention keeps going back to the shadows flying over us, my eyes narrowing to their bellies, making me trip sometimes for not paying attention to the path ahead, with the help of my not so trusty filled-with-big-ws paws.


    Those humiliating almost falls, however, are worth it for I can analyze the other creatures surrounding us, as Aaron follows right behind, still chatting with mother, but she sees my odd interest in the skies and starts adding:


    "That''s a Bunny hopper." She says to the numerous ones flying close by and lower than the others. "The Simurgh, those are hard toe by." She says to a half fox half peacock creature who had more feathers and colors than any flowers down below. "Wyverns, those have a temper, especially after hibernation, and there is the-" As I watch her exin and give name to some of these creatures, unsatisfied to see that most are much bigger than our owl forms, she suddenly stops and stares at one in specific as it hovers in circles above us.


    As if realizing it was being watched the Eagle-Lion griffin descends on top of us, flying too close forfort as if trying to hit us... no, me, the strong wind made by his wings almost pushing me backward and making me trip down the path, which makes mother very angry as she puts her leg in front of me to break the wind, crying a high tone piercing scream, eyes narrowing at the creature who hovers on top one more time, falling back as mother stands between us.


    As he gives up on that hends in front of us, his big paws and inconsiderable arrival brings dust and soil up in a cloud of smoke, earning my immediate disapproval with this attitude and this little meaningless show, even more when it ends with his smug cunning face.


    I narrow my eyes at him.


    I give a step forward without realizing it, making mother look down at me and bring me back towards her hind legs, but as I look up I realize that she did not mean to disrespect me or to hide me, but to make me believe in her as her yellow eyes shine with fierceness, staring the lion down, and even her smaller form does not make her feel threatened by the male griffin in front of us.


    And that fills me with pride.


    Go mother go!


    I quicklye to the conclusion that our smaller form is because wee from the owls and snow leopards, and as such they are naturally smaller than eagles and lions, but I cannot help but feel bothered by it, especially when the Eagle griffin scoffs his ugly face, showing part of with big sharp teeth, looking down on me as he walks in circles around us, judging and not carrying in hiding that.


    Part of me, and instinctual part, cannot help but be scared by such big creature as he shows signs of violence, especially when I''m not even the size of his paw, but my logical mind takes charge and does not let me embarrass myself and mother, making me stare back at him with defiance and not back off as my wobbling legs would have wished of me.


    He sneers, grunting as he says: "Such a little thing, yet it still does not cower in front of me and dares to re, it could only be the spawn of that ''pet''."


    If mother looked angry before, now she is livid.


    "Don''t you dare talk ill of my wing pair!" She screams, opening her wings and standing on her back legs, growing as tall and big as she could, her majestic pair of white wings shinning against the sunlight.


    The other griffin snorts, but I can see some reluctance in his demeanor, not truly wanting to face my mother as he says:


    "Alinda, Alinda, you will regret choosing that pet over me, and worst of all is that I won''t even have to do anything anymore to show you that. After all... I don''t see him around now, do you? Even though his son has just born... isn''t it?"


    That seems to have an impact on mother when worry shes in her eyes, but soon enough her angeres back as she screams: "Out with you Heavenw, out! I don''t want you near my son! Have youe here only to insult us?! Out!"


    He looks at her with unreadable brown lion eyes, licking his snout as if too eager to show fang. "Worry not, Alinda, I will go... for now, take care of yourself, you just had a baby, you should not strain your body with meaningless stress... right?" He says, mocking her.


    "I said out!" She ps her wings one more, but this time a freezing breeze apanies every p, and as I look down over the floor I can see a white cover suddenly form as my breaths make gushes of hot air out in front of me.


    The lion chuckles, as if amused with her outburst and show of strength, and says: "Never change Alinda, always enjoyed a woman with a little fight in her. Is always fun to break that spirit down."


    With onest angry look in my direction he turns and flies away, his open wings making him look three times bigger, if not more, giving no time for mother to suppress the livid anger his words made her feel to make coherent wordse out of her mouth.


    Even though mother stood against him I cannot help butpare his size to hers, it was like a lynx against a lion.


    I look up at her and see that''s her eyes are still focused on where he stood a few seconds back, as if still aware of his presence, her cautiousness making me worried about the oue of a possible fight.


    She probably senses my worry because she looks down at me and bumps me with her beak.


    "What''s with that face little one? Are you worried about mother?"


    "Chirp! Chirp chirp!" I say back, fiercely and stomping my paws on the ground, looking brave and noble... at least in my head.


    She chuckles and peaks at me once more, her rapid heartbeat resonating very close to my ears, and as she starts walking down once more I was the one this time to look back with worry in my eyes.

 Chapter 4 - 4

    <h4>Chapter 4:</h4>


    "Alinda, are you okay?" Asks Aaron, who stands on the side, clenching his fists.


    "Yes I''m alright, you two worry too much about me, everything''s fine." The fact that she says it twice doesn''t calm me, in fact it makes me even more worried and alert of that one, the lion griffin, Heavenw, such an outrageous name, making me curious as to why did he disy such behavior and what connection does he have with mother.


    Plus the clear aggressive behavior he disyed to me, a kid who just got out of the house for the first time; whatever is bugging him has to do with me, but cannot be myself exactly.


    "Sigh, is getting more difficult to deal with Heavenw nowadays... Even more after your mate went away with his contractor"


    I know mother just defended him, but I''m starting to get angry this father of mine without even knowing him, causing so much trouble for mother, but who can me me from disliking him if he gives me such a bad impression from the very beginning, leaving mother alone to fend for herself, even more with a newborn child, his child!


    However I say nothing after seeing the worried look on my mother''s face, and try to cast aside my prejudice for her sake as I puff my chest out, walking up to her and putting my furry paw over hers, catching her attention as she looks down at me while I keep a steady strong gaze at her.


    Worry not mother, I''m here to help you out, I won''t let you be lonely, is the least I can do for now.


    She looks down at my steady strong gaze as I narrow my eyes and nod, only that, with this small fluffy body of a kitty owl griffin, it has a rather different effect from what I expected.


    "Oww, my son is so cute and reliable, don''t worry, moma is alright hm...?"


    C-cute? My aloof cool presence has been carried out as adorable? I was trying to act cool you know!


    ...I think I should stop trying for now and resign to my fate in this small c-cute body until I''m grown enough to not lose face like this, sigh.


    "Come now, let me show you around my cute son." Ok, now she is doing on purpose! I think as she resumes our walk down the stone path, not after giving me a peck and flustering my small feathery fur.


    This mother of mine! She does not know her strength, I almost fall down every time she does that!


    Huffing and puffing I speed up to catch up with her while using my small chubby legs, weirded out by these four paws, not used to such walk.


    And yet... why do I feel this weird about it?


    I''ve always been four-legged, this fact should note out as odd... A confused emotion seems to cross me like an arrow, so fast yet so precise in my core that makes me stagger, a nostalgic, sad emotion of having lost something important, something dear to me which makes me question this body of mine.


    It was quick, and yet hit deep, leaving as fast as it came to simply stun me into confusion.


    "What''s wrong dear?"


    I look up only to realize that I had stopped walking, but a shake of my head clears my mind of such strange sensations as I trot forward to stand beside my mother.


    We walk in silence for a while, finally reaching the end of the stairs only to walk over grass and roots, stopping once we reach ake.


    And I''m overwhelmed with thendscape.


    It is as if the colors jump out from where they are, the greenery has a vivid green color, the blue contrasting and yet reflecting all there is above, and the many, many flowers that grow along the side of the river, not even letting the stones uncovered as the most odd and unique types of flowers seem to be growing here.


    It is like a rainbow, but instead of unreachable above our heads this one stretches out right in front of me, from bright yellow small flowers trying to imitate the sun, to even fluffy cotton white, red and pink appearing here and there among the carpet of colorful petals.


    And the sounds and smells too, the flow of water, the beating of wings from the small insects, a dragon-fly stopping midair nearby to show its green colorful body.


    And yet with all these wonders surrounding me I cannot stop myself from focusing on that one insect, feeling my eyes zoom in on it, blurring the surroundings to watch every move of his, and before I know it I react when it flies to the side and jump in persuade.


    Of course against such small quick creature I barely reach where it stood before it flies to the side, but still I try, my fluffy paws stretching out in front of me, only grasping air, my long tail moving and keeping my bnce as I idle in such fruitless little hunting game.


    Still, it is quite fun, making me roll around in soft grass and pitter-patter some of the flowers too since my gaze is mostly up towards my target.


    "Hey, will you stop destroying the flowers? Thisdy worked hard on these you know!" I hear out of nowhere, a high pitched yet small voiceing from somewhere, and after looking over to my mother and seeing her merely smiling,ying down unpreupied over a rock while watching me y, I feel more secure to tail the source of the sound.


    "... Are you talking to me?" I trying asking with my chirps.


    "Of course I''m, who else is messing up with thisdy''s garden?" She says again from somewhere around the trees, and to help me pin point from where I try to keep her talking, even more after realizing she can understand me even with only chirps.


    "Sorry, I didn''t mean to. How can you understand me?" I ask.


    "Humph, of course I can, who do you think I am? Also no need to chirp this loud, you are hurting thisdy''s ears."


    "Sorry." I chirp back, but her next humph and a quick sniff makes me know where she is, and as I hear pping of small wings again I wiggle my butt in the air and jump straight for it among the bushes, finally grasping something under my furry paws.


    "Hey! Quit it! Have you no manners? You are crushing thisdy! Out with it, out!"


    I''m apologizing by instinct once more once I open up my paws to finally see the source of such voice, and I''m shocked to see the petite figure that carries such strongmand voice as she starts cleaning her clothes up once free of my attack.


    "What are you staring at? Have you never seen such beautifuldy before?." She says, but that was not the case.


    It is just my first time seeing a fairy that''s all.

 Chapter 5 - 5

    <h4>Chapter 5:</h4>


    "Lily, don''t be so mean to him, the poor thing..." One of them say as Lily sits down on a low branch the tree and cross her arms and legs.


    "Humph! He is the one who was impolite with thisdy! He should be the one apologizing! "


    "Sure sure..."


    "Oh, hey, an owl kitty, how cute!"


    Out of nowhere other voices join in our conversation, and the owners appear soon after as I search for them up above, flying directly towards us and not hiding like Lily, and actually even telling me their names.


    Overwhelming beautiful in a petite size, all the fairy have a charm and characteristics of their own, from beingpletely white like Lily, to pink like Camellia Cedarwhistle, or yellow and orange like Wallflower Sparklepond, or a soft white that almost looks like feathers and fur from Lake Cottonwhistle.


    They all say their names while flying in circles around my head, which only adds to the dizziness that so many talking at once gives me.


    However amidst the confusion I''m surprised by something thates out of the blue, a sound that makes me look back and around, making the girls giggle for how silly I look as they me the bees flying close by for catching my attention, only to make me realize that no one is reacting to this strange sound at all beyond myself.


    Ding ¨C Title Earned ¨C Cute Kitty


    Now now that''s just rubbing salt in the wound.


    I have no time to ponder what that is all about, however, as the fairies keep pestering me and giving very nice strokes behind my ear, only stopping once one of them speaks out: "Ladies,dies,e down on the enthusiasm, you will scare the poor kitty." Says the same one that reprehended Lily first, the Lake fluffy white fairy.


    "Ohh, sorry little one, this group of old fairies do not get such cute visitors like yourself very often so we got carried away." Says the pink slightly chubbier than the rest fairy, Camellia was it?


    And yet even if they are apologizing and being kind they cannot stop themselves from talking more, even approaching me to touch my soft fur and small wings, always cute this and so soft there, making a bed out of my back and touching the pads of my paws.


    "Even his paws are cute, look at this! Not scaly talons bird feet, but cute pink pads underneath, and with such soft fur! I want to rub my face all over it!"


    Please stop... I have less and less face to lose at this point.


    But what can I do when overwhelmed like this by so manydies? I don''t know what to do so I end up just sitting still and letting they y around to their heart''s content as I coil my tail back and forth as they try to grab it, letting softughs out that fills the soul with joy.


    "Here kitty kitty, y with aunty fairy." One of them say, and I don''t even try to keep up with their names anymore, especially since all are around me at this point, the only one avoiding us being the one that got me into this mess, Lily, as the others get a long leaf on their hands and start swinging it in the air in front of me in a yful manner.


    Ok, now this is too much, to think that I would fall for such cheap trick and lose even more face and why do you move it so fast, slow down and let me grab it! Down a bit will you, I can''t fly with these chicken wings yet! Almost... there!


    "Seraph! Let''s go home!" Among theughing and ying with the fairies I hear my mother''s voice and, turning to see her standing and waiting for me to trot along I start walking away from the field of flowers, only turning back to chirp at thedies:


    "Thanks for thepanydies! I had tons of fun!" I say, somehow aggravating their owws and cutes adjectives while I wobble my way away from them, tail up in the air, still hearing them even after putting some distance between us.


    Ding ¨C Tittle earned ¨C Ladies Friend


    Please stop, or rather, this ding reminds me, what is up with this? Some weird sound and voicees out of nowhere, and seemly no one around me hears nor reacts to it, almost as if sounded inside my mind.


    That could not be the case... could it?


    Lost in thought for a while, trying to understand that strange voice, I''m dragged back to reality when my mother starts speaking to me, still walking slowly so I can keep up.


    "These floating inds are called Higher Land, my dear, and they are the heaven for flying creatures like us. Somee here only to have their children but others, like us and Aaron, live here."


    I look around me to assert the ind, so full of life that anything manages to distract me, to the beautiful ck and blue butterfly, to the crystal clear water of the river that feeds theke left behind us.


    I pass my paw over it, making sure that there was truly water there, watching the little waves distorted the fish swimming inside.


    A little piece of heaven these are.


    "Inside each ind there is a core of fire burning. They create hot air that keeps the inds afloat, so be careful when you see one of these around, and do not approach it." Mother says after stopping close to what looks like a metal tube crisscrossing like veins over and into the rock and climbing up the mountain. "These take the air out and are very hot, so be careful."


    I try to ask who had built them or how they came to be, but only chirping sounds resonated from my small beak.


    She seems to feel my distress, passing her big scaled bird paw over me and catching my attention to her once more as she looks over the hill beyond the clouds and distant inds.


    "Our kind usually lives on the lower inds for they are the coldest of them all. The higher the ind, the hotter it is, though all kinds of creatures give birth on the middle inds since they are the most neutral ones, having cold mountains for our type, and grasnds filled with life and water to sustain our newborns."


    Uhm, seems quite the self-efficient system, though for what I saw before it is not all peace and quiet around here.


    We keep walking down the path circting the grasnd, these ind proving to be far bigger than they seemed at first, with even more constructions and preparations to not only receive the newborns but to protect them, with stone stairs to move about and give enough footing so that even small birds like myself can move around freely.


    "This is our home, our inicial nest, as some of us have the caretakers to thank for. Of course, not all is perfect, and some... birds and others like causing trouble, but I''m proud of what we have going here, though here is not where we will stay most of the time." She looks down at me, bright yellow eyes meeting mine, and a melodic chuckle resonates from her beak, somehow sounding impossible to be done by such strong and sharp mouth piece.


    "But enough about all that, it must be too much for you to understand already, how about we head back home? I''ve been waiting so long for you my little one..." She bumps her beak at me again, but this time I push back a little, a glint of smile shining in her eyes.


    "Oh, look how much time has passed already, we just arrived. Wee to our ind love."


    And at that I''m left to stare at the new home that stretches out in front of me.

 Chapter 6 - 6

    <h4>Chapter 6:</h4>


    I should have guested with this white warm coat of mine that we would be living in very cold ces, but still the view leaves me astonished.


    We are at the lowest inds of the lot for they have less of that hot core that keeps these colossal rocks afloat, and in such altitude is actually a surprise that the other inds are not as cold as this one, in a perpetual winter snow state.


    We have to cross over the cloud river to get there, no railings on the side as the metal bridge looks more like loosen tes put on top of the long chain that swing with the wind and curves with the long distance between one ind to the other.


    I''m not afraid of heights but even I raise my eyebrows at that.


    Mother, without thinking twice, steps over the metal, her body making the passage look even smaller to me, but without fear she advances; and of course she would, she can fly, one misstep and she only needs to open her wings to p back around.


    For me, however, is quite different.


    Mother stops a few steps further in when she notices that I have not been following, and seeing how I stared at the bridge and bellow makes her quickly realize the problem.


    "Oh, love, is alright, if you want mommy can carry you with her beak." She says, turning back to face me, but her statement only makes me frown.


    Carry me on her beak? What kind of bird cat hybrid I''m if I can''t even walk this metal bridge? No railing, sure, but I have no ce to fear it now.


    So instead of waiting for her I puff my chest out and trot the first step on the structure, my leopard padded paws making no sound as I advance, and with a cool attitude I reach my mother''s side.


    "That''s my cute baby boy, so brave and strong."


    Chirp. ''Please stop, you are embarrassing me mom.''


    Almost in a mechanical walk I do not stop on my step, trotting one after the other, so once a strong wind pushes the bridge to the side and us with it, forcing us to stop while giving me a very good look of the extreme soaring height we are at, I end up freezing in ce.


    This time my mother grabs me by the back of the neck without asking, probably thinking that I had enough adventure for one day, reaching the end of the bridge without worries as I start to feel a little sluggish and tired from running around so much, letting her carry me in the end si we can reach our home faster, but still my curiosity keeps me stubbornly awake so I can observe around our home.


    In this always snow heavy ce, where the grass has never grown and the water never warmed up, there are some unique and intriguing nts and animals about, for example the apparent fallen tree is actually a tree that grows upwards only to twist and turn around back to the ground, for instead of frail branches that could break with the weight of the snow its leaves grow directly from the trunk, red, orange and brown, almost as if in permanent autumn, making huge arches over our heads.


    There are white horses with fur on their paws and big wings that are closed, curving alongside their bodies to keep them warm as they eat the wood out of those strange trunk trees, with or without the leaves, while some small hopping horned white rabbits would dig the snow to find some soft roots to chew, while having long two tailed silver foxes hearing for their squeaks on top of the snow, fluffy ears moving in different directions.


    As I watch I try to do the same, realizing that I can pin point exactly where the sounds areing from much better like this, but my reaction earns me another chuckle from my mother, that could not say anything beyond that while she carried me with her beak.


    "We are here." She says while putting me on the ground, but it takes me some time to find out where here is since it just looks like every other part of the forest we have been to.


    Only that I had not looked up... until now.


    There is an intersection of those thick curved trees where three of them meet, high up above, but this empty space in the middle is filled up with white branches from the white red leafy trees surrounding us and, as I climb the curved part of the trunk, following right behind mother, I came to realize just how tall these strange trees curve.


    As if showing how is done my mother does not use her two pair of wings, but instead walks the curved path with me, these curved truck being bigger than the metal bridge we just passed over.


    Only then we arrive at the center where a huge nest is rested, but not a thin normal one I soon realize, but one that has a hiding ce inside for me to stay while mother sleeps on top, just to show how strong and well made this nest is, must have taken a lot of time for her to build it for us, lots of trunks and branches, especially while doing this all alone.


    I yawn just in time to reach the highest and, while my mother curves her body in a semi-circle on top of the nest, over the pieces of trunk that sealed the top part from the rain, she shows me with her long fluffy tail the hidden entrance to the lower part where I would be safe from the weather and most predators.


    With onest drink of her warm milk, and after such a full day, I''m more than ready to go to bed, so without further ado I simply pitter patter with my big paws and wiggle my way inside, the small ce feeling cozy as I hug my tail to sleep.

 Chapter 7 - 7

    <h4>Chapter 7:</h4>


    ...Today should have been a happy day, a day to celebrate that I have, after countless chirps and hoots, finally said my first word, that I''m finally freeing myself from the squeaks.


    Only that...


    "Oh, my baby, who am I? Do you know?"


    "... Momma."


    "O, say again sweetie, everybody will be so jealous when I tell them that your first word is mother. Now, say again sweetie."


    "... Momma!" Please stop!


    Sheughs at my change of tone, amused that her little kitty owl has such a fierce cute personality. She bumps her beak on my side and I end up falling with my paws in the air, belly up and losing even more face as I try to get up but get my wing stuck in the branches, looking like an upsidedown turtle swinging my limbs in the air.


    Earning another chuckle from her part mother pulls me out of my predicament, and I can see her expression change as her eyes meet the horizon, lodging as she says:


    "He will be jealous too, that you called for me first hon." A few moments pass after she says this, and, lost in thought, her eyes lose focus and memories y in her mind.


    "Momma." I say as I get close to her, putting my paw over hers. Mother, don''t be sad, I don''t want to see you like this. "Momma, momma."


    I guess I just upgraded the chirping to momma at this point.


    She gives me a faint smile, but soon loses interest,ying her head on the edge of the nest, but as I think that she must be very tired too from giving birth and all of that I do not bother her again, and instead go explore on my own a little, nothing far mind you, just below the nest and around it where she could hear me.


    Because something other than my father''s situation is bothering me too, the fact that is this voice in my mind that keeps ying from time to time, like when I spoke too is said:


    Ding ¨C Celestial Language Learned


    I was surprised at first, but now that I''ve paid attention to when it happens and what it says, it sounds like some kind of... achievement pop up? Is it rted to what I do it seems like, as my first word activated it...


    Perhaps is some sort of analysis? Some kind of evaluation of my actions? But what about things? Does that works outside myself too?


    -Appraisalpleted-


    Name: Seraph


    Gender: Male


    Race: Snow Griffin


    Age: 0


    Level: 1


    HP: 25-25


    MP:195-200


    SP:89-100


    Attributes: Ice, Wind


    Titles: Reincarnated, Bookworm, Ladies Friend, Cute Kitty,


    Attacks: w, Peck


    Magic: Appraisal 1, Cold resistance 5, Cold Breath 1, Freeze 1, Ambush 1


    Language: Celestial Language 1


    Status: Questioning the meaning of the world surrounding him and his existence in it and wondering when he will be able to eat something beyond milk.


    What is this?! And what''s up with that status at the end? Well, is urate indeed, but somehow putting those two together trivialize my line of thought!


    And yes I''m ignoring my tittles until they disappear from my sight.


    Although that Reincarnated one is intriguing... what can it mean? With my name on top I supposed this is some sort of data from my part, but there are strange things in it.


    Also...Can I try it with other things? Like...


    Appraisal ¨C Winter Log


    Oh, there it is! It works! I lock eyes with the wood again, only for the same thing to pop up!


    That''s fun, let''s try in other things!


    Appraisal - Snow


    Appraisal ¨C White tree


    Appraisal ¨C Rock


    Appraisal ¨C Water


    This is cool! Even though somehow useless, but still cool! I feel like I can keep doing this all day!


    Ding ¨C Appraisal level up 2 ¨C


    Ding ¨C Appraisal level up 3 ¨C


    Level up? Uhm... so the ability can be upgraded? That sounds very intriguing and exciting!


    However I cannot overlook something very worrying about my so called status... HP, MP, SP... P is in all of them, something regarding points perhaps? Position? Portion? I didn''t know for sure but I focused on the other part since the difference is on the first letters, and after some pondering I guess what they are all about.


    Health must be the HP, Stamina for the SP, the hardest one being the MP that makes me list all M words that I can remember; Muscr? Multi? Mechanism? Math? Masterfulness? Masculinity? What is it? However, as I use this appraisal all around me, that MP starts decreasing, making me connect it with the use of some sort of abilities.


    Then, as I look once more my own status I end up seeing the answer right there.


    Is Magic! Magic points perhaps? Makes sense!


    However my discovery at this point does not take my eyes away from a very concerning problem...


    That is, that HP of mine... is really low!


    25? Seriously? I know I''m a cub still, but that makes me think that if I get a simple flue I may die!


    Sigh, well, no point in losing calm over such thing, I can only move forward and see where it leads after all.


    I keep ying with it and the snow, enjoying the crunching sound that my paws makes when I rasp then on the snow, and out of it as I am I do not realize the danger that I put myself into until it is toote.


    I turn around when a twig snaps far too close to me only so see a pair of eyes staring at me and then only chaos unfold with pain and blood, shes of fang and ws and as I try to run away I hear a loud ss breaking chirpe out of my mother''s throat and the next second snow and dust are up in the air as the ground shakes with hernding, but as the attacker runs away so does my mind as I pass out on the spot, only enough to see my red blood give an almost artistic contract with the pure, white snow, as if I was the one tainting it.

 Chapter 8 - 8

    <h4>Chapter 8:</h4>


    ...That was my first encounter with the ways of this world. I''m not na?ve or dumb, mind you, and yet one thing is to know that there are dangers out there, and the other... the other is to live through that, to have the sheet of safety and childness unveiled before my eyes.


    The cruelty of aiming for the young, of how easily the hopes and dreams for fledgling can turn into mourning.


    One nce away, that''s what I takes. Is just that easily.


    Cruel? Unfair? It doesn''t matter for the flow of time, as things work the way things work, in the end... in the end, a kitty cub is an easier target than the mother griffin, and the other just wants a meat in his mouth at the end of the day.


    Is just like that.


    And yet as simple as the world makes it look as the matter isn''t that meek, and as my mother watches over me after taking me back to the house where I was born to have the help of the winged humanoids, I cannot help but feel depressed about the situation as it y in my mind countless times as I try to find a reason as to why, even if I know there is none.


    I few steps out of this shack, not even a day at our nest, and I''m already back and unable to leave, bandages all over my side, nothing serious, they say, but still here I stay with mother again, stuck on this makeshift nest.


    My mother barely leaves my side, coiling around me, and as I stay still in pain none of us chirp anymore, save when I get scared by the sounds around us, which only makes her worry more and stiffen around me.


    I cannot help it, I''m just a few weeks old and had such a close encounter with death, anyone would be scared stiff by it.


    That''s how we end up spending my recovery time by, Aaroning into y once more by bringing in food and water and changing my bandages.


    Even him, noticing the depressive aura in the room, does not try to speak and break it, only moving back and forth and doing his job fast so he could leave quickly.


    Until, there is, the day he finally takes the bandages off and does not cover my side with a new one, the wounds healed enough for me to move about again.


    Only that my mother disagreed.


    "No, he is too small, who can tell if he is not hurt inside or anything? No, is far too dangerous, I think we will wait here a little longer, maybe a year or two and..." I wake from my nap only to hear mother talking to Aaron outside, but nervous as she is she ends up talking loud enough to wake me up.


    "Alinda, I understand that you are worried for him and just got I big scare, but is not healthy for him to grow locked up like this, and-"


    "No! You don''t understand, he is so small, so little, he can die so easily, just like that, in a blink of an eye, one moment of distraction and I can lose him forever, can''t you see? I cannot lose him, not him too, I-..."


    Her words make me catch my breath and shame starts to overwhelm the fear I''m still feeling. Is my fault, having her worry sick like this for me, if I had not gotten distracted, if I did not act so much like a scary cat, but all I did was coil in fear and pain without thinking just how much I was hurting her.


    Just thinking about how much my selfish acts made her this worried makes me sick with shame.


    So while they are discussing the situation I decide that this is not the way I want to live, this is not the way I want to be, I''m not weak, even if I''m still an owl kitty one day I will grow to be as strong and dependable as my mother.


    I cannot let her bloodline weaken with my own fears. I won''t let themmand me.


    That''s why I take a deep breath and test standing up, a little weak on the legs for the time I''ve spend in bed recovering, but once they stop trembling I give a few steps forward, and step by step get out of that wooden cabin.


    They are still talking when I reach outside, but once they notice me they cease all sounds only to stare at me, as if wondering what I''m up to.


    "Love, go back inside, mommy will be back in a moment."


    However I ignore her and, unable to convey my thoughts through words yet I show it with my actions, keeping a calm face as I do not stop walking, going down the path we used to go to our home, our nest.


    Mother is out of words as she watches my actions, then with a nce at Aaron she follows behind as we go back to our home.


    I cannot be worrying her like this again, I''m the only one she has left, we are a family of two and have to stick for each other.


    I''ve never been more certain in my life about something.


    I''ve no time to lose, this world is not for the weak, and it would be reasonable to wait for me to grow and be stronger, but no, I''ve changed my mind, I need to do as much as possible to turn the odds to my favor.


    So I stop once I get close to the river and chirp at it, looking at mother, then back at the river.


    "What is it hon? Our furry feathers are no good to swim, is best for you to not go there. Hm? That''s not it? Then what is it?" I chirp many times until she understands. "Oh, perhaps is... do you want the name of it? It is water, river."


    After a few attempts I finally get her to say what the name of it is and, trying to chirp it out and managing a few sybles, I get excited once more and start pointing at many different things for her to teach me the name of.


    "Wood, tree. Soil, earth. Sky, blue." And so on and on.


    Ding - Celestial Language 2


    Taken away from her worries she starts to get into this, as my achievements and her softening face makes me have a smile on my own.


    There is no time to lose now, I have to get stronger no matter what, so I don''t ever have to see mother that sad ever again.

 Chapter 9 - 9

    <h4>Chapter 9:</h4>


    Well, once all thatmotion settles down and we go back to our nest, as my mother barely leaves my side and when she goes hunting she forces me to hide in the nest until she gets back, and even if I dislike being locked up for so long I can''t really me her for it, but at least all that gives me enough time to truly analyze my status.


    And the enormous difference between them.


    Stamina is alright is seems, but not only my HP is very low but my magic is sky high, what''s up with that? Is clear for me, however, that the only path I can follow to became stronger is to invest my training into magic.


    So I ask the only person around, my mother, to teach me those as well but... oh well.


    "Is something you feel inside and forms outside, you know? Like when you feel a buzzing in your stomach and it gushes out a wind st, you know?"


    ... Feeling in our stomach? Wind st? Isn''t it just stomach ache? Sorry, but no, I don''t understand at all!


    "...Momma, don''t understand." I say, but she is not surprised by it anymore, only sighing, thinking that perhaps her son is a little stupid, and not that her exnation doesn''t make sense at all!


    "Momma, magic teacher! Magic user!" I say, still a little far from makingplex phrases with this beak.


    She tilts her head, cleaning her beak with her paws as he munches on a red sweet white apple, called white apple even though is red because it only grows in cold ces like this, and until is ready to be eaten it is actually white to meddle with the snow, but very red and easy to spot once is done.


    After enjoying such sweet meal she seems to ponder about my words, thinking, then she finally says:


    "Oh, right, how about we meet some of my friends? They must be very eager to know you! And perhaps we can find a magic teacher there too!" She gives a little jump to stand, making noticeable her excitement as out of nowhere her face is up close to me as, like a mother cat, she grabs me by the back of the neck and stand with me at her beak, and without giving me enough time to settle in jumps up into a dash fly, where she would hover above the ground for a few moments before leaping again.


    Mother, I appreciate the concern of not taking fly with me on your beak, but please could you stop shaking so much, I''m starting to feel a little dizzy and sick and-


    Ok, scratch that, very, very dizzy now.


    The less evil is that, at least, we get to the ce quite quickly, so my tormentsts only a few minutes when we go towards one of the peaks, this one is made of pure rock and soil, not many trees and no rivers or snow on them, and I learn why in a moment.


    For, after looking closely, I start noticing that the one seemly empty smooth rock is actually filled with wholes here and there where flying winged peoplee and go in and out from, like bees out of a beehive.


    Looking up to it I already dread seeing that they look like the only way in and, dreading the following events already, I''m not really surprised when mother finally takes fly to get to one of the lower rock balconies that the ce has, but still I have to close my eyes to stop the world from spinning.


    She puts me softly on the floor, and it takes me a few moments to adjust after the gushing air and the deafening buzzing sensation, having to blink my eyes a few times to adjust to the darker inside as I look towards the round carved entrance.


    "This is their outpost hon." My mother says as I finally manage to have a good look in the insides of this oddlyplex yet hidden construction.


    And if it looked like an average mountain from the outside, the inside is far from it.


    There are some smaller holes here and there that let the natural light in, brightening up the gigantic open space in the middle where enormous pirs hold the ceiling and inner walls of the mountain steady, but beyond that natural part and some stgmites left intact the remaining structure is molded for the use of its members, with manynterns, wooden or rock made houses, smooth paths serving as roads to intertwine them, even though most of its users are flying about instead of walking like us.


    "There are a few outposts in the inds surrounding the main one where the big city is located, and they serve for housing and as market ces as well so to take the traffic off from the main city a bit. I usually just go this far too, no need to meddle in more troublesome things in the big city...usually at least." Mother says.


    I''m so excited by all the new things surrounding us that I''m almost trampled over by the passing people,pletely forgetting just how small I''m currently and that it would be dangerous for me to wonder about like this.


    Back and forth in such situation, I end up conceding and climbing at my mother''s back, making sure not to harm her with my ws even though they are too small to do any damage, but once I''m at her back is like a new world opens up in front of me.


    And all the smells, the sounds,e to life in front of me, for truly it is a merchant outpost, filled with many goods, from colorful cloth hanging to vibrant crystalnterns that fill my eyes with gleam, books, writing utensils, armors, weapons, meat, fruits, leather, all sorts of things are sold here.


    "Hello Alinda! What a nice day isn''t it? Is being so long, where have you being? Brought any goods to us today?" A merchant says, the one selling bows and arrows, making so my mother approaches him to greet.


    "Is has been quite a while indeed, I did not bring any feathers this time around, sorry."


    "Oh, is alright, just that your feathers make the best arrows, I''ve evene up with a name for them, they are now the "Silent Arrow" because your feather makes no sound at all! Is amazing!"


    "Haha, thanks, I actually came to find a mage to teach my son, have you seen any?"


    "Wait, son?" At that he finally looks around for me and, being a little darker than my mother''s white back, he manages to spot me. "Ah! What a cutie! Hellou there, name''s Roger, nice meeting you!"


    "Wait, Alinda''s son?" "Alinda? Where is she?"


    After that chaos unfolds for every seller around gazes at us and, seeing Alinda, then seeing me, they all came to greet and congratte, and many even bring presents with them, chattering and smiling and sometimes petting my back.


    In the end, not only we got a hold of many goods to bring back to our nest, but discovered that there was no mage there, and the only one they heard of was in main town.


    Another travel for another day... for these apple fresh pies cannot wait!

 Chapter 10 - 10

    <h4>Chapter 10:</h4>


    This time it took us a few days before we resume our travel to the big city in search for a mage to teach me because of some minor reasons; mother thought initially that she could simply find one, have him exin magic to me, and be done with it, but as she asked about a mage at the outpost, not only they were very few, especially up here, but very expensive.


    So not only troublesome to find, the mage may troublesome to deal with, so she started gathering some currency to pay a ss with him, selling the loosen feathers that drop from her and hunting some prey to sell as well.


    It is not an easy task, especially for having to take care of such a small child like myself, so it takes more than 10 nights for her to feel satisfied enough with the results.


    And with that my twenty or so days old self I managed to grow up a bit and get used to this body, not enough to care for myself mind you, but enough to pester my mother more and walk around, climb trees, get stuck, things like that, and even my cool and aloof self could not deny the painfulness my juvenile heart desired.


    I mean is what they say right? That children have to roam free, explore and learn the world by themselves, otherwise they won''t grow right or something...


    Plus ying with the snow is quite fun, especially when I do not get cold by doing so, however, this time around, even if I wished to y and insisted on not staying closed in the nest, mother would always worry a lot and stay on guard close by, not letting me out of her sight ever again.


    Is quiteforting, to have such a protective and kind mother, and I cannot me her for her change of behavior afterst time, but still I could not wait to learn magic and grow up enough to take care of myself, no, even more, to protect mother so she would not worry again.


    However even though staying with her is fun and all, I could not hide my excitement when the day to visit the town has finallye.


    "Stay obediently on my back Seraph, don''t go ying around otherwise it may be hard for me to catch you if you fall."


    "Ok, mother, I will stay put." I say, my vocal being much better than before.


    No point in taking the long road around only for her to grab me when we reach there, so instead we are going to fly off from home towards there right out of the bat.


    And that is a thrilling adventure on itself, much better than shaking back on forth while hanging from her beak like a sack of potatoes, and the new experience makes me wish dearly for my own turn to fly.


    For now, however, I have to be satisfied by only pretending to do so when we are already up in the air, stretching my small wings out while holding her fur with my ws, not being as bothered as I thought I would by the thin air, even feelingfortable and light, using the air sacs inside me so I would not need to breathe as much either, the strange way we birds function to survive such altitudes while flying.


    The howling sharp wind passing by, the powerful wings pping beside me, the strong winds prompting us up, all together with thendscape passing by us, the ind far yet close enough for my owl eyes to see the details in them, the winged horses running in the fields, speeding up at the sight of our shadows, high rocky cliffs stretching out their piercing structures to the sky as mother flies close by, aware of my awe towards all of this as she makes sure to get as close as possible, flying under rocky arches and in between mountains and cliffs.


    All of that brings light to my eyes as I watch everything without closing them even for a second, so many things and details that I dread even blinking.


    But nothingpares to what I see unfold in front of my eyes as we finally reach the main ind and see the city from afar.


    Huge buildings are stretching out together in the massive city, such big and borate town looking oddly misced among the wild inds circling around it.


    It is almost as if a nation itself has been build up here, soplex and intrigued as such.


    The details are lost to me until we get up close, and as if passing by a portal underneath a waterfall suddenly we are right at its gates, entering its open walls only to discover what secrets it holds for us.


    There is just so much to this city that I don''t even know where to fix my gaze at.


    Is what having only flying creatures resulted at, the upmost use of space that could have being. First the city is literally floating above ground, with their type of chains and biddings holding them in ce so they would not fly away or bump into each other, the bigger heavier buildings even having a more fixed structure build underneath holding them steady and barely giving way to the wind.


    Bellow the city were the meadows, the farming and even some wood at parts, probably letting the earth rest and avoiding turning the soil bad from ting too much in it, and above there were no roads so to speak, some meager connections with open balconies between shops to make moving in between easier, but most dislocated by air, and that''s where the volume of people are, in the sky.


    To make it even more full to the eyes not only many passed over us and beside, but there are a lot of lines floating in the sky in different altitudes, with different colors and arrows indicating the direction and destiny, though it looked very confusing to an outsider like myselfing in from the first time, like invisible roads put in the air in different altitudes, no need to stop for they did not cross each other.


    And yet all seem to know how it works for even with the skies full like this I can see the patterns all around, no bumping or confusion, but as currents on a river they dislocated like one, moving to the same direction, height, and only going out for a brief second to join another line.


    It is an organized chaos, and I would enjoy if I''m toe here enough in the future to understand them as well as mother does.

 Chapter 11 - 11

    <h4>Chapter 11:</h4>


    Is all great and fantastic around us, however that is a big problem regarding our predicament, and that is... how are we going to find a single mage in such a big city?


    Mother seems to be familiar enough with this ce to know where to look, and even though we, as beasts, are not stopped from entering this ce we still are outnumbered, mostly flying around being rs, the winged humanoids, so we are not able to enter everywhere as we please, mostly for not having enough space at the front door for us to pass through.


    So while we reach one of the verandas attached to a very busy building with many shops turned towards us, we go to a tavern named The Metal Bird Tavern, with many small statues of birds to make up for it''s name, where part of the service and balcony stretched out to the outside in a way to receive all types of clients, including creatures such as us, by an opening on the wall.


    "Howdy there, what can I do for ya today?" Askes the man on the other side as mother sits down on the floor while putting me on the balcony.


    "An apple cobbler for me and my son please, and some water."


    "Coming righ'' up mam."


    We have time to look around and inside the establishment as we wait for our order, the darker interior looking cozy with a fire at its center, but to my surprise the illumination here, as in some other stores as well,es from transparent tubes running up and down the building, filled with what appears to be magma, distorting slightly in an orange substance, but it could not be since its inside ss and would have pierced it long ago if it wasva.


    "Thosee from the core inside this ind. The others inds have it too, remember what I exined? How they keep the inds afloat? Well, this one actually has the biggest core around, and the most amount of cores too, you can say is reminiscing of the magic that, instead of simply going out from these hot tubes, were made into illumination before raising out into the sky. If you look from above you can see their smoke."


    "Uhm." I say, thinking that this ce, these wholeplex of inds, were tightly made to sustain life as is, even this high and about.


    "Mother..." I say, making my mother a little sad since I fixed my way of speaking and improved from the lisping momma from before.


    "Yes darling?"


    "What are these inds? This ce, how was it build?" and away of the passing rs at the back, thinking for a while until she starts: " I wasn''t here when they came to be, of course, that has been many many years ago, but there are stories about it passed down by the rs elders. Would you like to hear it?"


    "Yes!" I say, however as if perfectly timed our meal arrives, making me bask at its smell for a while before my vision goes down to the contents on the te.


    "Here ya go little one." The man on the other side says and, as mother takes with wind magic a coin out from a bag tied around her neck, I start salivating at the crunchiness before my eyes, the goldenyers of pudding topping the filling of apple syrup, warm and red and looking as good as it smells, freshly made and still dripping pieces of apple on the side, the slow movement captivating my eyes.


    "Go on, eat it up, just don''t choke with it alright? Slow down, slow down, you!" She says, chuckling as I start eating too fast and get my beak all dirty with apple syrup, making so that even the tavern owner smiles kindly at my image, and I even hear some r women say that I look cute eating like that.


    C-cute again! I stop eating, passing my paw over my beak to clean it up, which only increases the owwsing from inside, but decided to change my image and stop losing face like this I do not let the girls affect me as, once cleaned, I sit straight up and start cutting the pieces of pie with grace and taking it up to eat instead of messing the meal further.


    Only that...


    "Oww, how cute, is trying to imitate his mother." "Such fluffiness is out of this world! Can I squish him? Can I?"


    ... Why is that that every attempt of mine to look cool ends up backfiring like this?! Ahhh!


    I eat the rest of my fruit cake in silence.


    So mother takes the chance and starts answering my question, trying to hide a smile.


    "These inds are the pieces ofnd with the most magic and nutrients of allndsbined. They were once lost in the ocean, submerged, and some even dare say inside dungeons, but they were all brought together by one of the ancients beings who shaped thisnd, the second Bringer of Magic."


    I stop eating to look up after hearing that name, tilting my head to the side in question.


    "Hihi, that''s true, the Bringers of Magic are why this world still exists." Says one of the r women that had not stopped paying attention to me since I arrived.


    "That''s right, it all started with the first Bringer of Magic, the goodness of magic who brought her knowledge and teaching with her, making all kin to understand the elements and be one with the world, protecting all from the demons."


    "Yeah yeah, and the others who followed her steps,ing from the divine to help shape this world as is, did immeasurable works for this, such as these inds that we live in, away from humans, demons, and all the problems they like to make for our kin."


    "Yes, yes, so troublesome, I hear they are at war again too."


    "No way, again? Against who now?"


    Thedies start chatting with each other once more, so I turn for my mother for more information, asking her a question while she chews:


    "What were their names?"


    "Oh hon, that has been long forgotten and lost at the cycles of many moons, some even say that they did not exist at all, but how else would you exin these inds? These chains, the use of the cores..."


    "And what you believe in mother?"


    "Me? Uhm... Well, I''m just thankful for having an amazing ce to raise my boy at, even more from the stories that I hearing from the continent."


    That makes me think of what the girls said, about humans, demons, and war, but as I was about to ask again the tavern owner approaches enough for my mother to call him again and ask the whereabouts of a mage, which in the end we learn not from him, but from thedies at the inside table that talk with us once more.


    "There is only one problem..." They say after informing where to find him.


    "What is it?" Mother asks, stopping to look at them.


    "Is that... that mage... he is despicable!"

 Chapter 12 - 12

    <h4>Chapter 12:</h4>


    Mother frowns at that.


    "How so?"


    "He is, he is... infuriating! An old man with no regard to anything beyond his research!"


    "That right! That''s right! He doesn''t care at all, only ys with his toys!"


    "That right! The other day he painted one of the girl''s hair red, and said she should be thankful for helping him with his research!"


    "No way! I hear that he too..." At that we seemly unleashed the furring rage of thesedies as they startining no stop about the unknown mage, telling stories about how he uses others as guineas pigs for his spells with no consequences, though mostly harmless ones at least.


    "Well, if he is no good that how about another mage?" Mother says, but they soon nod negatively.


    "There is none, mages finding these inds are getting rarer by the day, humans in general actually, and most don''t see a reason toe this far, or don''t even know about us anymore, to have all the trouble ofing up here..."


    "Right, and the inds can be very unpredictable, if a not flying creature like ourselves and with our sense of direction tries toe they would have a hard time finding this ce."


    "It is rare to have one for so long even! But good riddance he is!"


    "Still, I need a teacher for my boy, he is very interested in learning magic..."


    "Oh, I see, well that will be a problem." One of the girls say.


    "Yeah we don''t see a lot of mages around, actually no one from outside in general, but I don''t think that mage will want to teach him at all, with that personality of his..."


    "Yeah, for what I heard he is only interested in researching and learning and nothing more."


    "Well at least I''m going give it a try, no harm done right?" Mother says as the girls exchange a look, only to shrug a momentter.


    "Very well." After that they exin in detail where he is staying at, and momentster we are back in the sky, flying among the many other winged creatures and humanoids hovering by, until we finally reach his ce.


    His house proves to be very easy to find out among the other ces for not only it stood above everything else, too far up in the sky, but had a strange and unique architecture.


    Firstly it looks like a tower with nothing around it, oddly ced on top of the city huge floating buildings, secondly it had a central tower at the lower part made of stone and on top of it a wooden average looking house building that you could find in the woods and think nothing of it.


    As the door was built in the lower stone part we knock on it twice while looking up at the wooden crooked parks that seem to challenge gravity, especially while being supported by thin wooden sticksing from the ground.


    We hear crashinging from above and stomping, and while our sharp hearing gives us a good idea of our host''s humor, we are still taken back by the grumpy old man that opens a little of his door, barely enough to see us there.


    "The shop is close, go back another time or something."


    "Wait!" Says mother as he is about to close the door on us.


    However he doesn''t wait and we are left dumbfounded when the door closes with a click.


    ...So much effort to have enough money to pay him and to get here just to end up like this? I meant, the food and the adventure were worthy of their own, but my mother thought otherwise.


    So she knocked on the door again, this time not so gently.


    He opens the door again, not at all happy about our presence there, and this time my mother does not waste her time and goes straight to business:


    "Look, I need someone to teach my boy magic, and I have money to pay for your services, at least give him a chance to receive our knowledge oh great mage." She has a hint of sarcasm at the end.


    "Receive my knowledge? Knowledgment is not something to receive but to be gained and experience, it is gained from person to person and not shared by any worldly matters, receiving my knowledge is utter madness it is! What gains are to be gain and what''s lost is to be lost, waste it is to try otherwise!"


    ...Wait, what? Even I''m at lost after this one.


    "I do not take students, and even if I did his ce is not here, there is nothing I can do to guide such heavy destined child, blood and power walk along side such magical creatures that carry his tittle, unique magices within, and that is the only thing he needs to understand for what he seeks; there is no way for me to suppress the will of the world that gave such destiny to this creature, and I do not intend to partake in such heavy burden!"


    At that he closes the door again, but this time we are left to stare at the stone walls that swallow the door, making it disappear in a clear way of saying that we should not knock thrice for there was nothing to knock at.


    And yet, even if maddening, his words resonated with me somehow.


    But not with mother that, after a long silence, turns her head back and says in a chuckling apologetic voice: "Haha, well, there is that I supposed, uhm... it seems it will be harder than I expected..."


    "Yes." I say, agreeing.


    "Uhm..." Mother says, thinking and tilting her head sideways. "There are other ways I supposed, perhaps with books uhm... but then you don''t know how to read, that will give us more troublesome things to deal with..."


    I wasn''t paying much attention to her until I hear her talk about books. Books? Reading? How could I forget such important matters! Of course I don''t want to stay like this, knowledge opens the eyes and the mind, and what better way than books! Not having it will bring me closer to the mindless beasts around! Also I''m oddly excited about the possibility of having books, even though I did not know had one before.


    "Teach! Teach! I want books!" She is surprised to see me hopping around with the possibility, smiling with her beak as she watches me agree with her.


    "Alright, alright, settle down before you fall from my back, haha, silly you." We chat a little, but not long after we are taking the air again, her feathers stretched out and the wind shushing by, but as our image is fading back into the sky roads, a old man eyes us from a small opening of his curtains, a strange look in his eyes as he says:


    "Another one of these... is seems that things are about to change again, as you have done so old pal. Another one like you has surged... and I hope he manages to survive as you did." With that he looks at a big bowl full of water put at the center of the room, but instead of clear this water reflects something odd, not here, but there, and as it moves to an invisible force a voice sounds from beyond the dark deeps reflecting silver orbs in it:


    "He was brought here for a reason, just like I was, let him find his destiny andplete his reincarnating cycle. We are not to meddle."


    "Yes... I agree, we are not to meddle. May destiny pour fortune along his path, poor boy..."

 Chapter 13 - 13

    <h4>Chapter 13:</h4>


    After all that, as we hit a dead end, we get to, at least, explore the city as she shows me around the ce and I''m grateful for the opportunity because after some hovering about we actually stumble upon an solution to my problem.


    And that is... a bookstore!


    I start pawing her back at the sight of it, only to be scolded at the next moment for moving around while mid-air, but at least I get her attention towards the ce I want to go to.


    Wend on one of the wooden tforms after turning around in the air, and as her talons rasp the floor we are meet with a slight problem, one of the firsts actually to be given for your size and kind; and now that I think of it, it is actually a given that it took so long for it too.


    Because on the side there was a board indicating that the tforms leading to the shops on this side are only to be used by humanoid beings.


    It may have something to do with the size and structure of the balconies, smaller than the others we have been through so far, or perhaps even our weight has something to do with it, but since it disqualified all other creatures, no matter how big or small, using the term ''humanoid'', it makes me thinks that perhaps there was something more to it.


    That is my first taste of the prejudice that my kin, my species receives, no matter how small, and even though it is in such a simplistic act it still feels bitter in my mouth.


    And yet I have no time to swallow it when mother surprises me and, afterying down and indicating that I should get down from her back, she looks over the bag stringed around her neck and close her eyes, focusing, and something starts shinning behind the brown clothe.


    The next second, however, is herself that is let alight, shinning up blinding like a white sun, only for that to go as quickly as it came.


    But as I open my eyes I''m left in shock at what I see, for standing there is not my griffin fluffy white ck mother, but instead a winged woman that stands up with grace.


    I frown, at lost, but the giggle she gives me is distinctive.


    "M-mother?"


    "Yes my love?"


    It is unmistakable, so once that is settled I go back to taking in her strange new appearance, on how her pair of white wings still frame her from behind, twice her size, and when they fold the big long feather at the ends brush the floor, like a cape almost.


    Only then my gaze goes towards the round beautiful face of the woman in front of me, the hair ck in great contrast with the rest of her pale white body, the only things keeping her frompletely blending in with the s is her birdy talon filled feet that curve slightly below her.


    "Surprise!"


    I stare at her, not amused. "Mother..."


    "What love?"


    "Could you tell me about it before doing something like this next time!" Scared the shit out of me!


    "Oh, sorry hon, didn''t mean to scare you."


    "I''m not! Who would be scared by that?" Sheughs, which only makes me want to roll my eyes at her, but that would be too uncool so I take a deep breath and try to calm down, puffing my chest out.


    Ok, well, at least we can ess the bookstore now.


    She takes me off the ground and carries me in front of her as my feet dangle in the air, but at least I have a good view of where we are heading, especially since because of her bird legs mother is actually taller than most around, receiving some gazes that I choose to ignore most of the time at least, but not the disgusting ones that stare at her, entranced by her beauty, those receive a cracking ss chirp in return from my part.


    Daring to stare at my mother with those impure eyes... I will not let it pass!


    Mother seems amused by my reaction, patting me from time to time as if trying to coax a child, but I won''t deny that it feltfortably good, almost enough to make me sleepy.


    "Shh, hon, it will be over soon, hold on on your nap a little longer."


    I shift in her arms, but before the movement lubies me to sleep we arrive, making my eyes shot open and my long tail to twist excited midair.


    The ce is simple, small, yet charming in a way, with red bricks at the front and an entrance made of dark green wood, some ss too to disy the piles and piles of books inside, cramped in such small space.


    Sounding like a small piece of paradise so far.


    We open the door to the stale smell of books, ink and paper, and I take it in very slowly, quite fond of this new find perfume as the green door swings back and closes with a click.


    "In a second!" Someone says at the back.


    My gazends on the shelves everywhere, from the ceiling to the ground, and I bet if he could bend thews of physics there would not be a ce left here without books in it.


    Passing by a pile of romances at the front where a ck and white winged cat sleeps on top of, we find the seller at the back as he stays on top of a wooden stair, grabbing some books at the top.


    ... Why would he have a stair if he has wings? I think, but soon find why when he clumsy falls back and beats his small brown wings to keep himself from falling, but ens up knocking a few piles of books to the ground in the process.


    "Ouch, ugh, clumsy me, sorry, will be with you in a second!"


    "No hurry, we can wait." And that''s just what we end up doing as we watch the small man descend the stairs with the books he was after, only to have to clean up the mess he made in the process.


    Once he is ready to attend us I can have a clearer view of him, from the nervous gesture of rubbing his hands in front of him, to pulling the round sses up from his small nose, all and all giving him the appearance of a small frightened bird.


    And even if mother, as an owl-leopard, weren''t the biggest griffin around, when put together with humanoids she seems to tower over them, which gives off a slight oppressive aura to her.


    Plus the huge wings at the back that prevented her from turning too much inside this shop added to that aura too. Yeah, that, and probably the predator in her too.


    "I want to see if you have any magic books around." I say, making that he finally notices my presence in my mother''s arms, and the vision of me makes him rx a little.


    "Oh, of course little one, I have a few around, what do you have in mind?"


    What do I have in mind? Didn''t think I would have something to choose from to begin with.


    "Something I can learn, with... ice and wind. Something basic." He nods at every word, moving his head way too much, almost like a dove, a small brown dove for sure.


    "I will see what I can find for you little one." I look over the piles and piles of books.


    Well, this is going to take a while I suppose.

 Chapter 14 - 14

    <h4>Chapter 14:</h4>


    It doesn''t take as much time as I expected at first for the shopkeeper to find it as he clearly knew where to look for them, somehow making sense of all this mess, what actually took some time is actually getting to the book without making a domino effect yout throughout the pile of books.


    My mother waits patiently without saying a word, but I soon grow tired of being carried like a baby and, avid to explore such ce, somewhat feeling at home surrounded by such objects, the paper smell rxing and nostalgic, I jump from my mother''s arm onto a pile, careful not to damage them with my cat ws as I look around the leather and paper covers.


    I sit down obediently, watching around, but feeling eyes at the back of my head I turn only in time to receive a paw on the faceing straight from the winged cat that was sleeping before.


    Oi, you!


    He did not use his ws, only pawed at me, so it didn''t hurt physically, only my pride, so I puff my feathers and open my small wings in a challenging manner.


    Even if I''m still a month and a half baby griffin, I''m still enough to take down a domestic cat like you!


    He stands on his hind legs to look bigger, stretching his front paws in the air with the ws outstretched, but in such position I find it hard to advance without taking a paw to the face.


    Swinging my fluffy tail in annoyance I give it all and jump up at him in a moment of distraction, making the cat fall back with my weight and end up trapped under my body, and even if his hind legs attacked with little kicks like a bunny I still manage to bite his ear and cheeks, yfully without causing any harm, enjoying the little game we have going.


    "Seraph, behave, you will make the books fall ying around like that."


    I get off from the cat after that, and only after showing me his butt the cat goes away in search of another sleeping ce, surely only known by himself in such a book maze like this.


    Well, that was fun, I think, going back to waiting for the seller to find the book.


    But then I grow bored once more, without a friend to y with, so I start looking around and walking over the books while being careful not to disturb the piles and make everything fall down on my head, looking and smelling the leather covers, some made of bamboo, papers and so on,ing from who knows where and being written from who knows how long.


    But then I frown, and with a few steps in, that frown deepens... for I have encountered a small problem... actually, a big problem.


    That is... that I cannot read!


    That is a major problem! And a shock! It shouldn''t be since I''m still young and uneducated, but still for some reason I didn''t expect that!


    I''m left staring at the odd scribbles, stubbornly trying to decipher them, when the seller finally gets back down with two books in hand.


    "Sorry that I do not have many options, these kinds of books are hard to get by."


    "Oh, is ok." I say, even though he was looking at mother for I had my back to them, but now that I had the goods in sight I turn around to face him. "What did you find?"


    "Well, one is called Protective Spells and this one is, uhm, How not to Burn your Ass while Learning Magic." He coughs after saying thest title, his small face and pointy ears turning a little red.


    "That''s great! Not one, but two!" Mother says, ignoring the titles and the difort from the seller, going straight to business: "How much for them?"


    "Each is five gold coins."


    "Five gold coins?! You are kidding me, that is a robbery! For just piles of paper like this?"


    "Sorrydy, but magic books are a very rare find, you may even look around but I''m certain you won''t find better goods than this. Five gold is a bargain for what they are worth."


    Mother seems ready to bargain andin further, but she must have thought the same as I that, if finding a mage is hard as is, finding books about magic will be even worse, considering that the r do not study it and that all the knowledge about it has toe from the continent down below, which always means a higher price and lower quantity.


    Still she goes about it: "Very well, I''ll take one, however I''ll only pay three gold coins."


    "That cannot do,dy, I-"


    "I understand the value of such goods, however for what I understand and from the dust on their covers they are not in high demand, are they? Three gold coins, or you may have them to gather dust on your pile for another few decades."


    At that she turns around and takes me in her arms, only that once she is reaching for the door the seller calls out again:


    "W-wait! Let''s talk shall we? How about four gold coins then? Uhm? That''s a bargain."


    Mother stares daggers at him for a while, the already nervous and frightening little man coiling up further, his hands sweating, and pushing his sses up his nose he says:


    "You know what? Three gold coins sounds perfect, I ept. Which one will it be?"


    You go girl! That''s right, mother is a badass!


    At that mother looks down, sifting the attention to me, and a secondter I realize that they are waiting for me to choose.


    Well... I start thinking, the second book with the long odd title seems to aim at beginners, and perhaps it will give me a better grasp and understanding of the basics, however learning Protective Spells can be what I needed in regards to making do with little life but tons of magic I have.


    Plus... what would reading that book in public do to my cool image? Is like reading adult books with abs on the cover while keeping it up for all to see!


    I would die of embarrassment!


    Also Protective Spells sounds way cooler.


    So is easy to make my choice at this point.


    Only one remaining problem now... and that is to learn how to read!

 Chapter 15 - 15

    <h4>Chapter 15:</h4>


    Sigh, why did I still have my hopes up? Didn''t I learn it the first time? How could amit the same mistake twice!


    That mother... is not fit to be a teacher!


    I was exhrating after discovering that she knows how to read a little, even if she does not practice a lot, mostly just recognizing shop names on the boards, but still, to be this bad at teaching... she should earn a prize for that, is not an easy feat.


    "I told you, the snaky letter says like Sssss, like in ssssnake."


    "Please mother, give up, it won''t work." I sigh, resting my head at the edge of the nest as she tries to exin things to me.


    Now what to do? How can I learn how to read? After so much trouble to get a book and learn magic, it would be a shame to waste it just because I couldn''t read!


    Also is really uncool to be like this!


    My tail swings back and forth in annoyance, differently from the rest of my body that remains still from thinking too hard about the subject.


    Ok, let''s not get hasty now, there must be a way that does not involve my mother teaching me... Wait, hold on, I turn to look at mother, head tilted a little sideways as I inquire:


    "Mother, how did you learn to read?"


    "Well, I used the rune to change to human when I was little and got inside a few sses, and once I knew the basics I got bored and stop going. Why hon?"


    I don''t know if I feel happy for finding a solution or mad at mother for not telling me.


    I chose to remain calm... somehow.


    "Can I use that too? That magical thingy that changed you back at the store?"


    "Oh, hon, I don''t know, it consumes a lot of mana to keep it up, and I have only one too..."


    "Mana?"


    "Is... uhm... magic fuel?"


    First time her exnation makes some sense, so MP is not Magic Point but Mana? Uhm...


    "Can''t we find another one of those? And buy it?"


    "They are not easy to find like that hon, here, look." At that she takes it off to show me, giving me time to inspect it close up for the first time, and I see that the artifact has nothing grand in it, it is merely a wooden tablet with some strange engraving in it.


    And yet I can feel some buzzing strange energy resonating from it, the numbing sensation that electricity gives.


    "Want to know about it?" I nod, curious now.


    "This is a rune. It has ancient knowledge in it. There is quite the legend surrounding it too, for there was a time that such magic had been almost wiped out from existence, but after a great magical beast the Terror came and changed the order of things and with his elvenpanion brought this knowledge back to life, and many, seeing the strength it held with new eyes, went after it, somehow a few books of the subject came to be, some being disciples of the master elf himself, so many were able to learn, the only rule for that was that they had to use that information to grant magical beast fair treatment, and thatsted for a while, at first at least, and that''s how these magical runes like this were created for our use, to help us have an easier life." She nods in satisfaction after looking so knowledgeable.


    "What happened to them? Are they still around? Perhaps there is more of these for us to find too..."


    "Well, it may, but it has been a long time since I went to the continent, and I have no intention of going down there for the next few years, at least until you have grown up enough to take care of yourself, we can even travel out and discover new ces then if you like, like a family vacation, what do you think?"


    "Sounds interesting." I say, trying to get the childish glimmering of excitement out of my eyes, which only makes her giggle and bump her beak at my side.


    But I know that smile, that sad smile that does not reach her eyes.


    "... He is there too, right? Father..." She doesn''t answer, looking down on the ground. "Why he is not here with us mother? Why did he leave us?"


    "He... he did not leave us hon... he just had... bigger things to deal with."


    "Bigger things than his own family? What can be more important than family?" I can feel a hot angry sensation wanting to grown and burst out against this reckless father of mine, but as always, every time I bring him up, mother starts getting sad, and no pointing venting out on the only family I have with me, distressing the most important person in my life.


    So I close my beak before all my thoughts can leak out, and stay quiet, even if, in my heart, I had already regarded that father of mine as a degenerated man.


    Still she doesn''t want to let it go like that, and for the first time starts talking about my father, probably thinking that I deserved to know by now.


    "He is different from us, you and I are wild beasts, grown to be free, and he is... a contracted magical beast from the cultivating realm. He has a master, a humanpanion to follow, and many obligations alongside him."


    "I just... don''t want you to get the wrong impression hon. After all, I was the one who left him, not the other way around." Well, that''s new, but I could not bring myself to hate mother, never would be, so I chose to stick with ming my father for it. " I could not raise you there, I barely could live there, and such strong intelligent creatures as ourselves are in high demand on the continent. It was too dangerous to have you there, only to end up as someone''s pet. I could not have that, even if he did not think it bad... that''s when we greatly disagreed, so I left."


    "But still he should have followed you."


    "Seraph..."


    "No, he should have supported you! Instead he just... left. He chose to stay. No, I won''t have it." I wanted to rabble about it, to shout at him, but not only it would be too uncool but would be very childish on my part, so I take a deep breath and say: "Mother, is alright, we don''t need him, we will do just fine by ourselves, then we can fly the entire world together, discover new sweet fruits, gaze at beautifulndscapes, so many things to do that he will be a far thought at the back of your minds by then."


    She smiles at me, this time with a glimmer in her eyes at the perspective, but she cannot help but joke around:


    "Only if you haven''t found your other half by then and wants to travel with her instead of me, leaving your poor old mother behind that is...." She fakes a sob, covering her eyes with her bird paw, while I''m d that my fur covers my blushing cheeks.


    "Mother!"


    "Hahaha!" Sheughs at me, making me attack her and jump at her side,nding on her fluffy fur feathery side.


    "I just wanted you to know love that no matter what happens and what is toe, I''m d for having you in my life, even if that means I had to let go of your father. You mean the world to me."


    We exchange looks, and I couldn''t be happier than this.


    "You mean the world to me too momma." I realize my mistake toote as she turns around to fuzz my fur.


    "O, you said momma! Such a sweet cute little boy! I want to squish you!"


    "I-I''m not cute! Mother, stop! Ah!"

 Chapter 16 - 16

    <h4>Chapter 16:</h4>


    After we got back home to our nest, before going to bed even though I was really tired, I still wanted to have a peek at the contents of the book carefully opening it with my retractable cat''s ws, but upon confirming my illiteracy, like a kid I simply look over the images, the hand made symbols looking very foreign to me, but simr to that rune mother wearied somehow.


    Interesting, perhaps it teaches runes too... cannot wait to find out.


    But even that could not lift my spirits up, knowing that such knowledge is this close, and yet so far from my grasp, that with a turbulent mind I end up having a restless sleep that night, embracing the book like a pillow, coiling my tail around us.


    And yet, for some reason, the next day, after mother brought some small cherries for us to munch as breakfast, she does not lingers around and brings me back to that area full of greenery that we were before, and I recognize the ce before we even have theke of fairies and thedies on sight.


    But I forgot to prepare myself for the high pitch cheering andughs of thedy''s fairies here, especially once their eyesnd on me.


    "Oh, you are back! The cute owl kitty is back!"


    "Where, where?"


    "Tsk, things are going to get loud again, thisdy is already annoyed!"


    Only one fairy, as always, does not approach me as the others came and swarmed around us, smiling and talking at the same time, and I knew by the end of the day to stop trying to understand all of them at once, only saying something when directly talked to.


    While they keep ying around with me, however, mother goes and talks with Lake Cottonwhistle, the most mature looking of the group and the one responsible for this never-ending chattingdies, and once both are done she calls me:


    "Seraph, can youe here for a second. Pleasedies, give the boy a rest." There are many smallints, but they soon get entertained by attending the flowers. "You too Lily,e over."


    That shocks me and the group, but no more than Lily herself, having to fly down from her higher branch towards the other.


    After we walk a little further away to have some privacy, fairy Lake starts talking:


    "Alinda and I are long-term friends, and she asked me if any of us could watch over for her son when he goes out."


    "What, you want me to babysit? No way!" She flickers her wings quickly behind her in distress.


    I''m about to agree, not only because I did not need a babysitter, but because Lily always had a strange look while ncing at others, with an arrogant air of superiority, I did not think I will enjoy nor need herpany, however Lake talks before us can:


    "I chose you Lily because I believe you are capable of keeping you both out for danger without being overtaken into small chatter or trying to y around with the boy all the time. Also, you are the most free of us all, you only attend to your flowers andzy around all day, wouldn''t be unfair to take the upied with the garden fairies out for it? Or perhaps you are willing to take their part of the job and rece them..."


    "Ugh!" Lily seems to be taken back by the cutting words of Lake, who keep the smiling front even after the subtle threat.


    "Mother, what this is all about?" I end up asking while the two fairies keep the staring contest on the side.


    She smiles before answering, her towering figure not being dimmed by her sitting down at all: "I''m going to enroll you in an r''s school to learn how to read!"


    ...Well, that''s great news! But it doesn''t exin why we are here...


    "But because I''ll have to make money to pay the teachers, I''ll have to be out more often, hunting and searching for fruits, that sort of stuff, so I''m asking Cottonwhistle to watch over over you while I''m gone. I do not intend to leave you alone mind you, but still I would feel a lot more reassured if one of the kind fairies here could apany you to ss while I''m out in the mornings you see..."


    ...So it is babysitting in the end.


    "I think that is unnecessary mother, I can take of myself just fine." I say to upkeep my pride.


    "I know hon, but can you indulge me on this please?"


    That is hardly an argument, and yet she keeps appealing to emotions and making a pleading face, so I''m left in a state akin to Lily on the side, as if these two were plotting against us all along.


    We exchange looks at that, a tiresome sigh wanting to escape my lips, but as mother''s eyes lower and a sad light passes quick as lighting, I''m reminded of all her worries these past days since I was born, on how I was attacked, on how losing me would break her heart.


    So I end up sighing anyway. "Very well then, if it will calm your heart mother."


    Her next smile is beaming with light, and happy she stands, saying: "Oh, I almost forgot, you cannot learn like this, you will need to use my Rune Tablet. Here it is."


    At that she uses her wind magic once more to take it out from the bag, the not amusing wooden piece with a symbol carved on it being disyed, holding its hiding immense power with such simplistic aesthetic.


    Next she pulls the rope and knots it around my neck, the strange piece looking rather big and heavy on my kitty neck, but it was not weighing as much as its appearance let it out.


    "Now, all you need to do is to focus energy on the Tablet, and it will light up and do its work!"


    Great teaching skills as always mother, did not understand a thing! Though one thing I learned is to not ask for further details, for it would only worsen my understanding as she starts talking about feeling this, energy that.


    Yet I try to somehow focus there, easing my breathing and heart, and entering a meditating state that is still new to me and easily broke from any distraction around, but it was enough so that, when I focus my senses into that weight on my neck, it shone over the rune markings and activated.


    And that''s how I end up alongside the river, crouched down at the edge of theke, unable to stop staring at the reflex on the water as the figure mirrored there stares me back, or rather, my own reflect stares me back.


    And what I see should not have shocked me... and still does.

 Chapter 17 - 17

    <h4>Chapter 17:</h4>


    I knew what that Rune Tablet is capable of, have seen it first hand with my own eyes, but once I feel that strange light surround me in a warm embrace, I could not help but feel oddly giddy about it.


    So once the sensation fades, I rush to see the changes, ignoring the looks the three on the side were giving me, stumbling all way towards and almost falling in the water, using the trees around for support.


    The river wasn''t far from where we were talking, so by merely crawling towards the edge of the stone I could get a perfect view from the reflex below.


    And I''m left speechless.


    Chubby cheeks and fingers, heart shaped lips, big round yellow eyes and long snow white hair, but not only that is overflowing with cuteness but the pair of small white wings at the back add to the overall image, as well as the long fluffy ck and white tail twisting and turning at the back.


    This... what is up with this?! How can I be this cute?! Yeah, now even I am left speechless and cannot deny that fact, no matter how much I wish to.


    I''m so overwhelmed by my new strange appearance, however, that I do not realize that I have another major problem at hand... that is, that I''mpletely naked!


    Worse than that is that, the moment I realize the fact, thedies behind start giggling and looking away, while others treat me as a clumsy baby and stare with amusement in their eyes, especially mother on the side.


    "M-mother!" I barely manage to say beyond my embarrassment, which only increases the giggles.


    "What is it hon?"


    "Why am I naked?!" And why do I even have to spell it out for you mother?


    "Because you don''t have any clothes?" She says, tilting her head to the side. Is that an answer or a question?!


    I cover myself while cowering on the floor, my small wings trying their best to coil around my form, but that is a petty attempt after all the girls have already seen what is there to see, although my childish form has nothing to show really, but thinking like that does not improve my mood but rather hits another heavy blow at my manly pride.


    At that, unable to do much, I awkwardly embrace the wooden tablet around my neck and focus my energy there once, and only sigh in relief once I see my furry paws in front of me.


    "You are weird." I hear Lily say, and when I turn around I see hear hovering at my side, small white transparent wings moving at the speed of a hummingbird, making her long blond hair wave in the wind with grace, as if underwater, but what catches my attention the most is the crystal blue eyes shining at me like theke at my side.


    "What?" I say before her words sink in. "How am I weird?"


    "Thisdy has no obligation of telling you." Does she really need to make trouble at every corner? It is such a simple question. "But the great me will be kind enough to enlighten you today."


    "...Is that so?" I say, trying hard to keep myposure and not be impolite.


    "You are a beast, so why are you so bothered by being naked of all things? Aren''t you naked right now?"


    That... that is actually an interesting point.


    Not that I would admit it to her, I would just lose even more face at that, but that makes me wonder why did I felt ashamed of being naked in the first ce? Just because I changed forms? It is quite odd indeed, why would I have such reaction since I''ve always been naked like this, just like she said?


    Hum... quite odd indeed, but in the end I simply walk past her and ignore her words, going towards mother, saying:


    "Mother, can we go buy some clothes in town? I will need to be dressed properly if I want to attend the sses."


    "Oh, you think too much about it." No, mother, you are the one who thinks too little!


    I''m about to insist on the matter when I hear strong big wings ps in the air, and more than one pair at that, rmingly getting closer and closer, and mother does realize it too as she stands and looks towards the sky, a serious look on her face.


    "Alinda! Sorry to interrupt you on your leave, but we have a situation!" Says the one at the front, a mix of a wolf and a falcon, brown body and ck bird talons shinning as obsidian, being the same size as mother, though something in his demeanor makes him look less threatening than Alinda, especially when angry and attentive as now, a sharp glint in her eyes.


    Behind him two other griffinnd, other mixes of animals too, one looking like a goose, all white and with a long neck and an arrogant aloof expression, and the other being a small winged dog with a goofy smile on his snout, being simr just because of the bird legs and the pair of wings on their backs, but at least no lions here.


    "What is it this time?"


    "Demons at the southern inds, we discovered a hidden camp there and now they are arming an attack in one of the lowest outpost!"


    "I see, these demons are persistent, I''ll give them that. Very well, let us show them just how sharp our ws are." The others howl in agreement, trotting in ce in an animalistic behavior.


    "Son, I need you to stay with the fairies for now, ok? Here, take this, go have so fun while I''m gone, but just... be careful alright?" She gives me her bag full of coins before leaving, having to go so fast that I''m left with my beak half open when I try to ask her what is going on.


    I see her majestic figure take fly, both pairs of wings jolting her in the air with strength, and as her silhouette grows smaller and smaller I cannot help but feel anxious with her leave.


    After all, since my birth, this is the first time that I''m left without her presence and away from the safety of our nest, the first time I''ll give my steps out there alone.


    I cannot help but feel anxious about it.

 Chapter 18 - 18

    <h4>Chapter 18:</h4>


    In the end I''m left there with the girls, and after ying for a while as theyb my fur and put some flowers on my ears and fur, making me sneeze with the sweet smell only to end up messing all their hard work, but I would justy back down for them to start all over again, knowing deep inside that mother would take a while toe back, but even I grow impatient as for once I stand and end up trotting over Cottonwhistle to say:


    "Hi, miss Lake, do you think mother will be back soon?"


    The Lake fairy is taking some pollen out of a flower to sprinkle at the other, golden dust descending slowly around her, as she turns to see me.


    "Hm... Is hard to say, she may end it today, perhaps tomorrow, perhaps in a week, who knows."


    "In a week?" That is just as if a cold bucket of ice have being turned above my head and drenched me to the core. Seriously, a week without mother, out of nowhere like this? That is at least... disconcerting.


    "Oh sweetie, don''t worry, I''m sure your mother will end it as fast as she can so she cane back to you as soon as possible."


    Her words do not sound asforting as she is trying to make them, and that only makes me lower my ears further while casting my eyes towards the floor.


    But this time, before the fairies coulde and try to cheer me up, a tsk sounds stronger than their sweet voices, making me look over to see Lily on the side, with her arms crossed, looking down on me with disdain and a scold at her face.


    "Such a baby indeed, aren''t you? What, can''t stay away from mommy for a day? What are you going to do? Don''t start crying now, thisdy ears are very sensitive I''ll tell you that!"


    That was a low blow, but I do not have time nor need to do anything for Lily''s words unleash the wrath of the other fairies around her as their shouts fuse together, but I can barely make out some loose words of "How dare you!" "That has gone too far!" "Lily, how cold hearted of you!" and some even saying "Poor thing, don''t listen to her alright? You can cry if you want, we are here for you."


    And yet of all things thosest words are the ones that bother me the most. Crying, who is crying, nobody is going to cry, especially with such small matter!


    So, realizing that I had given off such weak appearance, I fix my posture and look up once more towards Cottonwhistle, but this time with a new light as I say:


    "I see, she will probably be tired then...I don''t want to trouble you Miss. Lake, but I would like to go to the city to buy some clothes for me, see about the sses too so I don''t have to trouble motherter. Would that be asking too much?" I look hopefully at her, unaware of the irresistible kitty puppy eyes that I''m giving her.


    "T-That''s... of course my love, we were about to agree on something like that anyway, so of course, just take Lily with you."


    I was hoping she would forget about that part, but it seems that I''m out of luck.


    The odd part is, even if clearly unsatisfied with Lily''s behavior, when the fairies hear this they only frown and show discontent, but do not say otherwise, perhaps not wanting to go against Cottonwhistle judgment?


    Not matter, but the following moment I''m up to staying together with the most difficult to deal with fairy as long as I can go out, and as our eyes meet I think: Well, it can''t be that hard right? She is bound to stay put with me, and she did not contest Cottonwhistle judgment even with her temperament, so perhaps there is still some kind of respect and moral bearing there.


    Or at least I hope, at the level of not causing trouble for me just for the sake of it there is.


    She seems to think about it for a while, looking from me towards Lily, and then she shrugs her little shoulders.


    "Very well, your mother was just asking us to apany you while she is out, so I don''t see why not. Also, Lily, can you carry some of our Poly Honey to town?"


    "Me? All the way there? How do you think this tinydy can do that?"


    Cottonwhistle looks at her, not amused, and rolls her eyes. "Now Lily!"


    "Alright alright thisdy gets it! No need to fuzz about it now!" At that she finally moves and gets down, flying out of the field only to stop and look back.


    "Come on, what are you waiting for, an invitation? Thisdy is very busy, very very busy, so stop daydreaming and let''s move it! Or else I''ll leave you behind!" She says, impatiently flying in circles waiting for me.


    "I''m going!" I quickly answer and run to her side, wobbling my body up and down as my tail swings in the air to keep my bnce.


    After that momentary trotting, however, I slow to a walk as to not look like a clumsy kitty running around, and with my nerves all jangled with not only insecurity but excitement, I look at my surroundings with bewilderment and fear.


    I follow suit, walking on the stone path without trying the grass around, with an eye open for anything that may be hidden there, and yet at the same time I could not help but appreciate the environment I live in, the chilly wind that makes the leaves and grass swing swiftly, some white grass mixed over the soil moving like waves in the wind, some natural rives, from small to big, crisscrossing thend, adding the soothing sound of moving water to the mix, and the wet smell of earth, rocks and leaves.


    It is hard to think that such calmingnd has many dangers hidden within, I think as I remember how I almost died in a moment of distraction.


    "... What are you doing? Looking for the boogie man?"


    "... Who?"


    "Don''t need to be so tense, thisdy is here with you."


    I cannot help but look her up and down, and the fact that I don''t even need to move my head to do so does not help me feel secure with her presence.


    And of course she notices the act, getting annoyed by it.


    "Thisdy can take care of us alright? And if you do not believe thisdy at least believe your mother''s judgment, after all she chose thisdy for the task."


    After that she turns her back at me, any attempt of friendliness gone after my reaction, leaving us both to deal with our own moods.

 Chapter 19 - 19

    <h4>Chapter 19:</h4>


    I can''t take the silence for long though, even more knowing that I''m the cause of it, and the oppressing aura leaving from her makes me try to start a conversation once more:


    "What were those griffins talking about with mother?" I ask, genuinely curious, but as seconds drag without a reaction from her I''m about to give up when she finally answers, however without even turning her back to look at me as she does, simply moving forward:


    "Those are the protectors of these inds. You did not think we would not have some sort of defense around here did you?"


    "I don''t know, didn''t think much of any of that."


    "Humf, it that so..." Another moment of silence.


    "So...?"


    "So what?"


    "Why do we need them defending these inds? And from who?"


    "Humf, and thisdy thought owls were supposed to be smart... use that brain of yours, how about it humf!"


    I narrow my eyes ever so slightly, but calm down the next second, knowing that she may be right and asking everything won''t lead me anywhere, I should try to figure things out on my own too.


    Figure things out... that sounds interesting. What do I know so far about this ce? It is actually quite the strange setting, with these seemly natural floating inds, and yet they not only have hot cores that keep than afloat, but the strange high magical energy in its soil, perhaps from the energy the cores themselves give out, or perhaps were like this from the beginning just like the legends say.


    "It may be due to ournds and their high concentration of magic." I say out loud, making her look over her shoulder until, not too far from the bed of flowers andke, we reach some wooden barrels that have a sweet odor drifting off from them.


    "What is it?"


    "Honey, specially made from the hands of the fairies, we give them off at the market, especially in winter or when the food is low."


    "Give? Why not sell it?"


    "Tsk, talk less and help more kitty."


    In the end I have to carry two small round barrels on each side, cramping my wings under them, as Lily actually uses wind magic to carry three of them in an air bubble.


    "Y-you!" I say before calming myself. "You can actually use magic?!"


    "What, surprised? Thought I was a worthless littledy now?" She says, a scornful look in her eyes.


    "No, of course not! Sorry if I gave you that impression, is only that it was quite... unexpected."


    "...Well, at least you are quite honest."


    "..." Who would have thought that other magic usery so close by? And a wind user too at that!


    "Can you teach me?"


    "No."


    "Really?"


    "Yeah."


    Oh, ok, I think, lowering my tail and ears down as we resume our walk down the path.


    "So, is that all?"


    "What?" I ask, caught by surprise when she starts a conversation with me once more, especially after myck of consideration.


    "Is that all the reasons they would attack us that you could think off?"


    "Well, I-"


    "Humf, then let thisdy enlighten you. Not only the soil, but these ancientnds have many rare special unique items that were born as such from the centuries of us being separated from the main continent, and not only that but the creatures that live here are unique as well, most developed wings or some sort of mobility like that to adapt to the environment we live in, and even the humanoids have it, which can be sold for quite the profit down below, in more ways than one."


    "Also for fairies... we have, we have many magical attributes within us, and many strange potions require some parts of us you see..." I''m left speechless at all what she is implying, and the quick image of her and the others put inside sks to be cut to pieces little by little crossed my mind, sending shivers down my spine.


    "Anyway, not only that but these inds have a very tactical importance, not only it can rest troops and attack the continent while being imprable and producing resources, but it can be a great hideout."


    "Thankfully just because of that we are very hard to find, following the winds and rarely following the exact same route as before, only that some annoying demons manage to find us from time to time. Supposedly only the ones born here can find this ce, sensing it in the cosmos, but there are not only traitors but... other types of annoying creatures out there."


    I''ve not thought of all those possibilities, and even if I think that, given me enough time, I would havee to the same conclusion, I''m still impressed by her overview of the subject.


    "Is the same idea that we fairies have from not selling our honey, because by giving it away and not having riches back home, we do not invite hostility and the greed of thieves, though nothing can be said about the other magical reasons."


    I think I can understand their reasoning, though I disagree in regards to not seeling the honey since they themselves are already the target of greed, in the end. "I see, in the end you all just to live peacefully."


    "Don''t we all?"


    I suppose it is... but that does not seem right for me, or wait, not enough, to disarm oneself to avoid conflict, isn''t that just inviting a deadly blow?


    I can only see one way of protecting myself and mother, and that is, to be stronger, to know better, to hit faster and harder.


    I''m not inviting a fight with others mind you, but I''m not afraid of getting into one to defend myself when needed.


    "You see to disagree with that." I say to Lily, who gives me a confused look.


    "You said so yourself, you can defend us from any trouble, and you know magic too, that does not seem the ways of your sisters."


    "..." She looks surprised for the first time, and with a fleeting smile on her small face turns around before saying.


    "Indeed, thisdy is quite special, and thisdy has had her share of experience to know that being on that level of altruism is just... na?ve."


    I did not think the conversation would turn this way, but it gets me curious to know what had made her change from what seems to be the natural way of the fairies to this mouthful of ady, however I do not find the opportunity; nor the boldness; to ask her before we finally arrive at the outpost.


    "Here we are, don''t get too far from thisdy otherwise I''ll just leave you behind!" She says before pping her small wings with strength and speeding up, and I obediently follow suit, too aware that she did not speak empty words and, if given the opportunity, she would truly leave me behind!

 Chapter 20 - 20

    <h4>Chapter 20:</h4>


    The first ce we go to is the clothing store, and after some nerve racking walk along the full of customers streets I manage to find one at the side that had a change room behind it.


    Torn between wanting to preserve mother''s hard earned money but wanting to have a cool look too I end up choosing a simple vest, a blue pair that contrasts well against my white skin and hair, and brings out my yellow full eyes, being a sleeveless tunic closed by golden buttons at the front and open and simply knotted on the back to give space for my wings, and a pair of puff pants and white sandals, all with simple embroidery on them that could only be seen when the light hit at the right angle, reflecting the gleaming light-blue needlework.


    After paying I go to the back, carrying the folded clothes on my beak, and once inside I use the Rune Tablet to change to my humanoid form and quickly put the clothes on, having a hard time knotting the back.


    Once done I fold my hands on my back and go outside, finally feelingfortable in changing forms like this, and simply walk past the owner of the shop since he is already too busy to gives us any attention, however Lily gives makes up for that by saying:


    "You look like a high quality tofu."


    ...What''s that supposed to mean?


    "I will show you where the school is, and will be back to get you at lunch."


    "Wait, you are not staying?"


    "What? You need to hold thisdy''s hand now?"


    "No, is just-"


    "Thisdy is very busy, and this honey would be given out by himself, you know."


    In the end, that is just what she does, guiding me towards the school and leaving me there before even speaking to the teacher, flying away carrying her stuff while screaming she will be backter to pick me up.


    Well, at least she has that much sense of duty on her, and wouldn''t just abandon and forget about me... right?


    I end up going in on my own, and even though I know it is silly I still get a little stress out about it, but once inside a kind r; the teacher I soon realize; is quick to understand my situation, and beyond what I expected he does not ask for anything beyond my name, guiding me directly towards the ssroom, not taking long to walk these halls since the school is quite small, having rs from different ages sharing the same ssroom for there is not many of them overall to begin with, and as he guides me to the youngest bunch I soone to realize that this situation is kind of awkward.


    Not only because the other kids look strangely at my long fluffy tail swinging back and forth behind me, but because, the moment Iy my eyes on that row of kids, I feel... left out, not only because I don''t know them, but because I don''t feel the same as them.


    It gets clearer by the time I sit on the back and hear them talk, their childish behavior and silly chitchat are too immature for me, not saying that in a bad way, they are children after all and that is to be expected, however the mere fact that I''ve already stared death in the face... made me lose some of that innocence already after that.


    Plus I''m a beast too, and by essence we are not the same, my kin doesn''t have the luxury of having a childhood; the moment we are born until the end of our lives were are to fight to survive, and the children even more so since we are easy prey.


    So theyughed, talking about unimportant things, hairbands, clothing, new colorful crayons and the like, and I''m here trying to learn how to read so I can be stronger to survive in the wild.


    It is just too... ipatible.


    So in the end the only one I speak to is the teacher, which is fine by me, and putting a lot of effort into learning I''m bound to not waste much time nor money here anyway, so no point in trying to make friends with the children.


    Is not a matter of not liking children you see, even though I''m one, is just too unharmonious.


    I don''t think too deeply about it though, for my mind is focused and I''m actually quite anxious to start making use of that thick book back at home, however of course it is not that easy nor fast as I wished and for the next few weeks I have to be patient and learn with the others like this.


    When I leave, however, I''m meet with two surprises; well, not really surprises, but still something odd.


    Firstly because Lily indeed came back in time, showing some sort of responsible demeanor that is strange to even phrase her with, even more to consider herself a responsible adult.


    I mean, the people I trust, mother and Cottonwhistle, chose her, so she should be trustworthy, but she has the gift to make me think otherwise every time she opens her mouth.


    And the second surprise is that, when we get back to the fairieske, mother has note back yet.


    Well now that''s a boomer, I had so much to talk with her about, first day of school and all that, I even wanted to show her the notebook and paint we brought so I could practice, the cheapest of course, I''m not the one to waste hard earned money on things like that, only the necessary.


    Though I can say some books and beautiful clothing did catch my attention, some threeyer blue tunics... but still I wouldn''t dare to be that wasteful.


    Looking at the darkening sky with lodging as the girlsughter surrounds me I wonder what mother would be doing right now, hoping for her safety and barely appreciating my surroundings with the growing worry in my heart.


    Only when the sky turns from baby blue to orange, purple, and dark blue that I start to realize that I may not go back to our nest as soon as I hoped for, still with my human form so I could practice holding the pen and using thisplex and delicate utensils called fingers, the mere pressure needed to hold anything down being so different from my simplistic wed paws that I have to train just to get the pressure right.


    Those things are as slippery as fish, only that my ws can hold the slippery animal in ce much better than my hands can against such small round things!


    As I get sleepy, however, I stop training and find a good ce to put my things in; a hollow hole inside a tree; and after putting my clothes in I change back to my griffin form, stretching out and enjoying thefort of being back at my own skin, having my fur to warm me up better than those light humanoid clothing, and I finallyy down beside the trunk and fall asleep while the fairies do the same over my head and below in the flowers.


    However such simplistic shelter would soon change to be improved because I soon realize that I''m about to spend more and more time with them than I thought to at first.

 Chapter 21 - 21

    <h4>Chapter 21:</h4>


    A few weeks have passed since then. Mother seems as busy as one could get, the initial months we spend fully together gave me the impression that she was able to be very carefree and free, which now proves to be very far from the truth and an actual effort of hers at fisrt, so we could spend more time together, especially in the beginning.


    I have conflicting feelings about it, I know it is her responsibility, I feel proud of having such strong willed mother, but still I cannot help but being a little selfish and wanting her only for myself, at least for a few hours a day.


    It cannot be helped though, so by then I''ve already moved some of my things from the nest to here, which is basically the book and some round stones that I caught from the river, my small new nest being made by the branches and leaves of the Fairy Lake.


    "Thank you for thanking care of Seraph once more Lake, and sorry about it, did not intend to abuse our friendship like this."


    "It cannot be helped Alinda, and you are doing a great service in protecting this heaven ce and all of us from the chaotic creatures that want to harvest it, I should be the one thanking you instead." Cottonwhistle says, small wings pping and keeping her in ce midair.


    "But how is it? The attacks, I mean." She still asks mother, who stops licking her front paws and passing over her head to look at the fairy and sight.


    "... I wish I could say they are not that bad, but..." Alinda says, sitting down but still overlooking us as I yed with the fallen leaves.


    "...Yes?"


    Mother sighs again. "Is nothing noteworthy, but something is bugging me, there are not many of them, and definitely not enough to break through our defenses, but still they keeping back, almost as if they are looking for something... or someone. Or even poking us to see a weak spot. I don''t know, he just seems like scout behavior at this point."


    "Which can only mean that there is a stronger force supporting them from behind."


    Mother nods. "What for? Why? And worst of all, do they intend to attack as well? What are they searching for?"


    "What does the others thinks?" the fairy, but mother sneers at that.


    "Oh them, they think I''m overseeing things and there is just a bunch of low level demons striving for chaos all around, but I cannot believe they are this stupid to risk their life only to trouble us, especially with the way they act, how they are very good at hiding, which only makes me think that they may have already infiltrated us, perhaps we only found what they wanted us to find."


    "Well, now I think you are overthinking a little my friend."


    "But still... It is hard to ept, and I rather be prepared than caught by surprise you see."


    "What do you intend to do?"


    "...That is where the problemys, I cannot count with the feline griffins, it actually would be for the best if they did nothing at all, but not only that but the others do not believe me, or rather, they do not see it the way I do, and convincing them will take some time that we may not have."


    "Well, I can see you have thought about it a lot already and is stressed about it, but at the end of the day you just do what you can, don''t overthink it, it may be just like the others said and you are just adding white hairs to your head."


    "...I''m already white thought...But I guess you are right, nning is one thing, suffering from stress and anxiety is another, perhaps I should stop worrying about it so much..."


    "Yes, indeed, and you can now focus on enjoying your little one while he still hears you, once he grows up he may start rebelling and wanting a wife or something."


    "No way!" They chuckle, joking around, and I pretend to be deaf at that point onward to avoid further embarrassment on my part.


    They talk for a while after that but mother, visibly tired, takes a nap over a rock, enjoying the sun, and even though I missed her a lot and a childish part of me craved for attention, I manage to hold off and respect her needs too.


    And I had other matters to attend too, my day did not consist of only ying around with leaves and snow you see...


    Because after a few sses I finally managed to achieve something great, and that came in with that ding sound inside my head!


    Ding ¨C Old Commonnguage learned


    I was excited as I was confused by it, though this time I learned not to ask mother about it, and surprisingly took Lily''s example and tried to figure things out on my own.


    And about thenguage it was not that hard at some point.


    First of all, it seems that what the magical flying creatures talk in the Celestialnguage, and I did not notice that the rs had another type ofnguage until I started learning it at school.


    That is, this ce actually has two officialnguages!


    I do not know if the Celestialnguage was only spoken by our animalistic kin, and perhaps they learned it to easilymunicate with us, the only thing I know is, not only I was learning how to read, but how to speak apletely differentnguage!


    The only thing to ease the burden is that the teacher could trante and link the words from bothnguages so I did not need to guess their meanings... though memorizing it all would still take some time after all.


    But when I thought about the amount of knowledge waiting for me inside those old crumbling papers... The excitement pushes me forward to study even harder.


    Which brought me to another achievement.


    I actually level up!


    Is still level two... but nheless it gave me a lot of information when I use Appraisal on myself again:


    Age: 0


    Level: 2


    HP: 30-30


    MP:250-250


    SP:110-110


    Attributes: Ice, Wind


    Titles: Reincarnated, Bookworm, Ladies Friend, Cute Kitty


    Attacks: w, Peck, Dash


    Magic: Appraisal 2, Cold resistance 6, Cold Breath 1, Freeze 1, Ambush 1


    Language: Celestial Language 2, Old Commonnguage 1


    Status: Munching at the leaves when no one is watching. Is bitter.


    First of all, my status grow with it! I quickly calcte the amount, using the soil to carve strokes with my w to help me with keeping track of the numbers, and it seems that my life force has grown by 5, my endurance by 10, and my magic... by 50.


    ...Am I made of magic now? Why there is such a big difference!


    The real question is, is my magic too high or my life force too low? I''m betting on both...


    Another thing that I learned is how to evolve abilities! Is easy to figure things out, after all I''ve not done much beyond ying and studying.


    And the level uping right up with thenguage ability... I did not need to go far to put two and two together.


    By studying and practicing things I can level up... that is right up my league, two rabbits with one stone!


    I''m nodding myself silly at this point, a small smile on my face as I sat there with my paw on my chin, looking rather silly, staring at apparently nothing.


    I was so excited that I kept forgetting to think about why the Commonnguage had an old in front of it, but because I was fooling around did not mean I was not attentive; lesson learned the hard way; so when the bushes start moving at the side and a shudder runs down my spine warning of a deadly gaze watching my way, I''m the first to react, but by actually jumping straight into danger!

 Chapter 22 - 22

    <h4>Chapter 22:</h4>


    "AAH!" The fairy at my side screams, frantically flying away to hide behind a flower petal the same color as her wings, and her voice brings all the attention towards us, jolting my mother awake as by merely standing she could overlook almost the entireke side we are at.


    "Son?" "Seraph?" "Cute kitty?" I hear some ask, together with mother as her anxiety increases with the tone of her voice:


    "Son, are you alright? Seraph?"


    The bush I''m at covers my figurepletely, and the only confirmation that I''m still there is that it moved from time to time almost as if alive, thick enough to not let anything that is happening inside appear at the eyes of others, even mother''s sharp gaze cannot see past leaves and branches.


    When she is about to step up and attack, however, I leave the bushes, fur a mess and leaves all over my body, but most importantly, I walk out with something hanging from my mouth.


    And that is... a snake, a brown and green snake that was camouged along the tree''s trunk, so well done that it even has small branches with leaves along its thin body.


    But I saw a small movement when his eyes blinked once it was stretched out enough to bounce at one of the fairies.


    So I stroke first at it.


    There was no time to shout for help not warn anyone about the danger, like a bow string the snake shoot out, looking as if a vine hade to life, and I reacted before I could even hesitate while facing such a dangerous situation, my paws weighing it down to the ground as we fall in the bush together.


    And this is a real fight, some that I will ponder about for hourster, and even be scowled as much as praised for it, but on that exact moment the only thing I was is a beast, an animal, fighting to survive against a predator, and my mind was overflowed with adrenaline and moving by mere instinct, no coherent thoughts and only actions.


    So once we fall and hit the floor, bouncing in different directions, we both attack each other, but the snake was very easy to read and with only one type of attack I''m able to dash around its bite and hold his neck with a strong grip of my beak as my paws came a moment after to hold its body down, rendering the snake powerless.


    I did not think about what I was doing, nor did I register the taste of blood flowing in my mouth and down my throat, not until the fierce battle and the curling body of the snake start to dimmer until it finally stops moving, hanging limply on my beak.


    Still I do not let go, breathing heavily with my eyes shot open, and I''m only awakened from my trance when a familiar yet odd sound resonates at the back of my mind.


    Ding ¨C w Level up


    Ding ¨C Peck Level up


    Ding ¨C Dash Level up


    Ding ¨C Sharp Eyes learned


    Ding ¨C Level up


    ...So many at once, what is going on?


    Well, I guess I level up again... I think as I get out of my cover while dragging the snake''s body along with me.


    "Oh my!" "Are you ok?" " That was dangerous" I hear thedies talking while flying over my head, but I''m still somewhat shocked after my first battle so I just move about, not really registering things.


    "It seems that he has your fighting spirit." I barely hear Lake say to mother as a proud yet worried look grows over her face. "And the charm of his father. He is promised for great things I can already tell."


    "Yes..." Answers mother, using a neutral tone of voice that carries the weight ofplicated emotions turmoiling inside her mind.


    I''m still filled with adrenaline from the encounter, and left in quite a shocked state, so the words enter and leave my brain as they pass, my own heartbeat sounding loud against my ears.


    For I had just won my first battle! My first battle for survival, to the death at that!


    It is as thrilling as scary I would say... but to calm my nerves in both ways I try to focus on the fact that that ding sound resonated once more, disclosing information, and that I could use that to my favor.


    And fighting has just entered my list of things to do and train, for apparently I do not learn just by mere studying, but also by acting out, experiencing it.


    Well I guess that makes sense, no better way to learn something than to put it to practice right?


    Alright! That sounds interesting!


    But how the hell do I do that? Mother would kill me for putting myself in danger once more like that, and I can tell already by the deep gaze she is sending my way that I''ll hear from thister.


    "Thank you so much Seraph! You saved me!" The chubby fairy that I just saved says, finally flying my way and hugging my neck, trembling small hands grabbing my fur tightly.


    The others, seeing her action, get envious and jump right up too, so while I was trying to go ponder about things suddenly I was a fairy ma and was hugged all around by thedies who buried their faces at my fluffy fur.


    Ding ¨C Tittle change - Ladies Friend for Ladies Hero


    Please stop! Thesedies will be my downfall!


    ...Sigh, I guess there is no helping it so I let them stay for a while even if I did not cut the coolest image right about now because the chubby fairy still trembled against my skin, frightened, after being so close to death, finding some support at burying herself at my baby fur.


    ...Well, I can rest with them for now, but from tomorrow on... it will be training time! I''m almost too eager to even rest now!

 Chapter 23 - 23

    <h4>Chapter 23:</h4>


    "You know this is a stupid idea right?"


    "Shh." I say back to Lily, who only humfs on the side and sits on a branch, crossing her little arms and looking annoyed, but at least she keeps quiet so I can go back to my n at hand.


    That is... to hunt down a rabbit.


    I was hearing it walk about, and even though my species used their eyesight to dive from the sky quicker than the prey could notice us to grab them out of the ground floor and finish them midair, I could let my age and small wings stop me from trying.


    So I had to do it the old fashion way and sneak up on it, so as I crouch down and bend my back to make me as small as possible, I dig my growing ws on the ground, testing their new found sharpness, flexing my feline limbs, my round pupils searching for movement among the grass, and sharpening into a diamond shape to focus at a fluffy pair of wings that flustered against the grass.


    I can feel my heart pounding, and I''m almost afraid that my prey will hear it too for how loud it is, but I keep my pace nimble and steady, approaching slowly, and stopping once I see the long ears pop up above the grass.


    I''m not close enough but the ears do not recede, in fact they start moving all around, alert to danger, so I have to gamble and give thest few steps quickly and jump right after, in hopes of catching him unguarded.


    Only that, as I barely take a grip at the furry back, the winged bunny squeaks and dashes forward, managing to break my loose grip from his back and opening its small wings the next second, flying away from my reach and alerting the others around, a cloud of fluffiness flying away from this clearing.


    Well there goes my chance, but as hard as hunting already is it is even harder for me when everything around here has wings, even the snake from the other day!


    "H-hahahaha!" I hear an increasingugh sound behind me, which wounds my already sour mood even more, but I try to shake the feeling away, not that it does much for the frown on my face.


    "T-thisdy hasn''tugh this much i-in a long time hahaha!"


    Well, d that someone is having fun at least.


    "You don''t stand a chance like that you know?" Very inspiring thank you but I got this.


    "No need to worry." I say, trying to be polite and not sumb to my aggravating feelings, but Lily did not care and acted out childishly, provoking me when she had the chance.


    "Oh, thisdy is not worried, just wished thisdy had brought something to chew on while watching the show."


    She can be a mouthful at times, but still she did not mean any harm... thought it is hard to see her as a kind helping fairy when her mockingugh resonates so loud beside me.


    And even I''ve my limits, so I end up saying:


    "Laughing so hard, but are you able to do it?"


    That puts a stop to herughing.


    "Questioning thisdy''s abilities again?" Her little face contorted into a frown, annoyed by my remarks once more, and once more proves me wrong by pping her wings and shushing in the air quickly, her small figure hardly spotted against the bright blue sky, but as I wonder what the hell is she up to and how does she intend to hunt something bigger and heavier than her, I prove from my own venom when she actually... manages to catch one.


    By using her wind magic.


    She does not need to stealth around for her intentions were to have them flying up and away from their covers to begin with, and once in the air she traps one inside a bubble of air, making the poor bunny hit his face against an invisible barrier, sitting down and looking around in fear, his big ck eyes staring as the bubble moves closer to us, little pink nose twisting around in fear.


    She turns towards me once the bubble stops beside her, hand up, presenting her feat and looking back with a smug look on her face.


    "What were you saying?"


    "Oh great one please teach me your ways." She sneers at my condescending tone, but as I do not dismiss my words not joke around, her stares deeps and with a flicker of her hand the bubble dissipates, the caught by surprise rabbit wobbles his feet in the air before stretching his wings out and giving a solid p that halts his descend.


    "Ah!" For a second I thought she would give him to me, but I guess there was no reason for me to believe that in the first ce, considering who we are talking about.


    "Are you serious? What is the sudden change of tone?"


    "Is just that I''ve only realized now how powerful and wonderful you are and cannot begin to say how much you have open my eyes and how sorry I''m from not believing you."


    After all, beyond studying and hunting, the fastest way to learn still is to have someone exin it to me... and if she is that one, I''m ready to throw pride and shame away for a bit of knowledge to grow my strength quicker.


    What is pride without real power backing it off but an empty attempt at arrogance?


    I''m ready to throw that empty shell away for a slight chance of growing stronger so mother would be able to have it easy, for once.


    Only that... Well, Lily is Lily.


    "I see, so you finally see the true worth of thisdy, took your time I would say... and not only that still tries to curl favor with thisdy with honey words and sweet talk?"


    Well...when you put it that way it sounds way worse than what I had in mind...


    "Only that it does not sound sincere enough... how about meaning it? You can start by apologizing to thisdy uhm...?"


    ...I''m starting to regret this and hate her more and more.


    "..."


    "..."


    "Ok, thisdy''s mistake for thinking that way, let''s go back to the other fairies, you may trying hunting once you can walk without stumbling kid." At that she turns around, intending to leave, so I panic and throw the words she wanted to hear:


    "No, wait! I''m sorry, please teach me magic!"


    She stops, making me think that I may have finally convinced her, but before I can rejoice for finally having someone teach me magic she smirks at me over her shoulder to simply say:


    "Thisdy epts your apology, but no."


    At that she flies away once more, leaving my astounded self behind.

 Chapter 24 - 24

    <h4>Chapter 24:</h4>


    I cannot leave it at that.


    I mean, how could I with such an amazing opportunity of having a teacher being here and there, so many possibilities to unfold, only to give up because she said no once?


    So of course the following week I used and abused of the fact that she had to stick around me, at least toe and go from school, to torment her to death about it.


    "Lily, teach me magic."


    "No."


    "If I call you master will you teach me?"


    "Of course not."


    "What if I bring you some candy and sweets?"


    "What thisdy is, a kid? Don''tpare thisdy to you!"


    But even though I found the most annoying ways to make her change her mind, and at times eveny my pride to rest and begged, she does not change her mind in the lightest! Too bothersome, too troublesome, thisdy does not have the time nor the patience for this were her excuses, but in the end she is just toozy to care at all!


    So that''s why, in one of the rare moments I''m back in the nest with mother not just to sleep or for a quick stay, but rather a full day free with her, I''m left disturbed at the slow advance that I''ve done so far, and most advance is only regarding reading and writing, not much to do with getting stronger, and even if I know that it is a long time investment I cannot help but feel restless.


    Especially that, from time to time, we would still see that lion flying about, his bunch of winged feline griffins sneering and scoffing at us, high and proud and not mixing in with others beyond their kind pass to bully them, that is.


    His massing shadow and piercing gaze would always remind me of my task at hand, and the urgency of it.


    For every encounter, for every exchange of looks and threats, he grows bolder and more disgustingly obsessed with mother by the minute.


    And his anger toward me only increases, as much as my physical growth, and my own anger towards him too.


    That disgusting man should leave us be, but at least his presence helps me keep focused on getting stronger so he and no one else can ever look down at me and mother ever again.


    So, in this rare peaceful idle morning, with no sses nor hunt in sight, I have enough time to test another type of theory out... and that is, my mother''s line of thought mixed with my own insight.


    Sigh, I guess this will go badly, but it doesn''t hurt to try I supposed.


    Surrounded by snow mother chooses to stay on a clean path over a rock to sunbathe, all stretched out and with her pink pads up, looking veryfy but not shutting her eyes once since thest time she did I ended up hurt real bad.


    So I knew that her rxed self is only on a superficial level, for she is rather tense and alert of our surroundings since we are out of the nest, alone in the wilderness.


    And it bothers me to be such a nuisance to her, having her on alert on her free day, and since I cannot fasten my growing speed I can only focus on learning as much as possible.


    And one of the things that I could learn that did not matter size, strength or age, is magic.


    So I give it a try.


    After observing Lily use magic more than once, I''m confident in at least having memorized it, and since, thankfully, I too possess wind elements myself, is a matter of being able to reproduce it.


    Sounds easy enough... and yet I stand there without knowing what to do for a while.


    Ok, maybe I''m too nervous, I should first calm down, I think while taking deep breaths and calming my beating heart.


    Alright... so, what did mother said, to feel it, right? I shut my eyes for it. The wind, the snow, the cold breeze brushing, I can feel it all sweeping against my fur, like needle ws trying to pry the warmth away from my body and drench me into a shivering thin bone creature.


    Thebination of strong winds and freezing temperatures, such deadlybination, and yet for me it felt like home.


    And that''s it, when I feel it, and repeat Lily''s actions:


    "Wind Shield!"


    At that the once passing wind actually gathers around me, twisting and turning visible to the naked eye, and yet not in a devastating way, cozy even if cold, like an embrace, softly moving around me.


    "Oh! Good job hon!" Says my mother, jumping up from the sudden air shift only to find out that I was the cause. "Who is mommy''s little smart boy?!"


    Even after uttering such embarrassing words I don''t question her right now, for I''m too happy about this achievement!


    Though part of me is annoyed that her advice is somewhat useful in the end... and turns out not to be some mumble jumble nonsense.


    I mean, can it be that it is this natural for us to use magic like as is to breathe? Or are we just truly two genius beasts?


    I''m betting on both.


    "Oh my, I''m going to talk about it for everyone tomorrow, how my little boy is already this grown up, you make me so proud little one!" I guess by tomorrow everybody will know that I finally learned magic it seems, sigh, such an owl gossiping mother.


    But even as she keeps talking none stop, happy and trotting in ce with light in her eyes, I cannot help but let a smile grown on my own beak from all this love she is pouring on me, even if a tiny bit too much.


    Only that, another thing grabs my attention, something that I''ve not seen before, but would early await and search forter in life, something very connected to my wishes to be strong.


    And it appears... with a ding.


    Ding ¨C Level Up ¨C Evolution avable.

 Chapter 25 - 25

    <h4>Chapter 25:</h4>


    This is my first time facing such an overwhelming amount of information, and I attempt to blink them away, trying to focus above the ruckus mother is doing at this point, celebrating and talking nonstop.


    Wait, hold on, time out please!


    "Oh hon, are you tired already? Guess such big aplishment is enough for today hum?" No, not at all, I''m actually rather full of energy and want to try and test things out, is what I would have liked to say but mother simply finishes her words and picks me by the back of my neck and hoovers back to our nest that was not far from here, pushing me down to my second lower floor to rest while herselfy on the entrance, warm and cozy and trapping me inside.


    What a subtle way to force your child to take a nap uhm? Well, at least it gives me time and peace of mind to focus on the information disyed.


    And it seems that the evolution this time is not a simple matter as a level up and an increase in status, but something beyond that, not only a change in characteristics but the possibility to change elements even!


    Did not think it to be this powerful, or rather didn''t expect such a thing at all! So, with a mix of bewilderment, surprise, and seriousness I analyze one by one of the options disyed:


    Phantom Griffin: Appearance barely changes, feathers and wings are longer and for what needs less pping while in flight, making no sound at all while in the air, and being almost invisible for changing into a white fur coat.


    Downside: Loses cold element, increasing wind cognition.


    Well, it would be nice to be able to fly, but the downside of losing an element does not seem reasonable, plus... this option seems quite meager for an evolution, not special at all, only giving me a pair of wings that I''m bound to get anyway.


    But I guess is the safest bet for those who did not risk giving some to take more I supposed.


    The next one, however, manages to be even worse than this:


    Dainty Snow Griffin: Appearance greatly increases in value, tales will be told about your beauty, poets will struggle to put to words the mere glint of your being, the moon with pale at your mere presence, and-


    Ok, let''s skip the remaining mboyant words, shall we?


    Downside: To stir someone''s heart with a mere gaze.


    ...What the hell is up with this evolution? Who makes up these kinds of things, and who the hell in their right mind you chose such option? Is basically nothing but a beauty crown, so useless!


    I''m getting really worried here if these are all the options avable... but thankfully they are not.


    Freeze Steel Griffin: Appearance is changed, body is covered by scales made of frozen metal, greatly increases defense but harshly increases weight, giving you a tougher body to sustain attacks.


    Downside: Is too heavy to fly, barely managing to hoover, so the wings serve mostly as a shield.


    Hm... it was tempting until the downside, myck of health is really worrisome so it makes me consider a higher defense rate, but to give up my ability to fly, especially in the ce I live at, is just too much to lose.


    Blood Griffin: Appearance is changed, like a bat you will have wings for arms, losing one pair of limbs, and will be granted with sharp fangs instead of a beak to draw in blood. Ability over your own blood, however over others will depend on the level of the ability, the level of the user, and the level of the enemy.


    Downside: Completely nocturnal, blind as bat in daylight, need to consume blood on regr basis. Loses both elements and reces them with dark and blood.


    That''s... grim. And odd. And macabre. And having to suck blood? I already rather have apples and fruits from dripping meat, how am I supposed to live off from only that? Is already so-so that I have to keep a bnced diet with meat, but this...


    Although control over blood sounds pretty interesting... and powerful at that as most creatures had it in their veins, making them an easy target for myself.


    I imagine having control over the blood inside the lion griffin... and that makes me unable to discard this option yet.


    However, the next one takes my doubts away from me:


    Storm Snow Griffin: Appearance is changed, a pair of antler horns grown from our head to summon magic attacks, gains one pair of strong wings that are able to prompt you with strength in the air.


    Downside: Lose in stealth for being bigger and louder than before.


    This is perfect! It even has a cool name on it! Being able to fly, giving better magical status, and even if I lose in stealth I can always make up for that with magical attacks!


    There is not even apetition here after thisst one, it crushed all the other options.


    Storm Snow Griffin... the name itself brings a smile to my beak.


    I nod, that''s it, I think before choosing it, already fantasizing about being able to fly tomorrow morning, on the many things I''ll be able to do from now on.


    Only that... fate has a bitter sense of humor, for when I''m about to select that as an option mother moves up above, and by sheer destiny the once sturdy part of the nest caves in and her paw hits me, not strong enough to wound, but enough to surprise me and scare me into miscing and choosing without looking.


    Oh no... Oh no, what have I done?!


    But before I can figure things out, as mother calls out to me to apologize and fix her mess, what is done is done and as my body starts burning up I dive into a deep slumber as my body starts changing form.


    But for better or for worse, only time can tell.

 Chapter 26 - 26

    <h4>Chapter 26:</h4>


    I yawn before blinking my eyes, stretching my sore limbs and taking a deep breath.


    Yeah, that was a good nap I think, full belly, resting in my warmth safe ce in the nest, cozily hugging my own tail, all thatbined made me sleep soundly, and woke up refreshed for sure, and-


    And... wait... oh no... oh no! I had evolved, haven''t I? Last time, when I was looking at the options avable, and ended up choosing one random thanks to mother...yes, is alling back to me.


    Reality downs on me then, making me shot my gaze back at my own body, feeling satisfied that I still had my pair of wings and no scales, which at least took out the two worst of the list.


    Perhaps I ended up being lucky and chose the one I was eyeing? I soon discover that not to be the case as I still could move my head freely, no antlersing out from my head.


    Which only left two other options... the neutral useless ones.


    But my face nks when I think of one of them in particr... and when I look back at my own body I have a feeling that that may be the case.


    For my appearance has greatly changed.


    From my fluffy kitty owl fur now there is a majestic white coat with some ck spots here and there, mostly at my back, and the fur along my neck and on my chest are ticker than the rest, fluffier too, dense enough to serve as a protective coat around my neck while looking very cool.


    The bigger change I''m able to see, however, is on my wings, now bigger and stronger, nothingpared to the chicken wings from before, and with long smooth feathers at its tips, seemly suited for flying by now, or at least hovering it seems.


    A p of those brings me great join, but there is not much I can see nor test in such small space so I crawl my way out of my lower nest floor.


    I shock the sleepiness away by stretching and moving about a little, however once I look beside me I catch mother staring me all the way, stopping midway from her own stretching, and if that is not odd enough she suddenly approaches, calls out to me, and when I give her a small answer back her big round eyes sparkle with tears.


    Shocked with the sudden sad disy I trot to her side, worried sick for her, and ask: "What is wrong mother? Are you hurt somewhere? Should I go call a doctor? Or someone hurt you?"


    As I speak she works hard in controlling her sobs, and without saying any words brings her big scaled paw behind me and closes in for a hug, and as my soft feline paws rest on her broad chest, she finally speaks out.


    "M-my little boy is already this grown up, losing his baby fat, time really flies too quickly doesn''t it... my little boy..." I swallow dry at that, loss of words, until I roll my eyes and start patting her back, still too small to give her a full hug back.


    "There there, what is all this fuss about? I''m still here alright? Just because I''ve grown a little does not-" Well, I''m going to regret saying this but whatever. "¨C does not mean I''m not your little boy anymore, uhm...?"


    "Uhm...Uhum." Mother agrees without uttering a word, but as she takes a deep breath she soon recovers from her outburst but still actually keeps squishing me into her hug.


    "M-Mother, too tight." I barely manage to squish the words out.


    "Oh, sorry my love, is just that having such a well behaved cute little son makes me want to squish you to death."


    Sigh... mother mother, always having a way with words doesn''t she?


    Still... is not all that bad, I think while giving off a small smile, hiding it once I finally manage to break free from mother''s killing grasp.


    "But my, who would have thought you would inherit your mother''s beauty and your father''s mannerism? Seems like I''ll have a hard time ahead of myself, having to keep the predators away..."


    I may be able to ignore half of the crazy mumbling she is speaking out, but not the fact that she is so self-aware as to refer to herself as a beauty in that way.


    Well, I didn''t expect to have it any other way,ing from her of all people.


    And by now I was able to guess already which one I had identally chosen from, and something tells me that, back in the day, mother had the same option avable to her, topare us this way.


    And I really don''t know how to feel about having her choosing such an option willingly, nor with having to live up with this important choice been messed up from the start.


    In the end, I simply check my status with Appraisal, just to make sure.


    And that is...


    -Appraisalpleted-


    Name: Seraph


    Gender: Male


    Race: Dainty Snow Griffin


    Age: 0


    Level: 5


    HP: 45-45


    MP:400-400


    SP:140-140


    Attributes: Ice, Wind


    Titles: Reincarnated, Bookworm, Ladies Hero, Bewitching Beauty


    Attacks: w 2, Peck 2, Dash 2, Sharp Eyes 1, Captivating Gaze 35, Fly 1


    Magic: Appraisal 3, Cold resistance 6, Cold Breath 1, Freeze 1, Ambush 1


    Language: Celestial Language 4, Old Commonnguage 3


    Status: Actually giddy inside from mother''s showering love, but too prideful to admit.


    ...It is as bad as I had thought at first... what''s up with that Captivating Gaze and such absurd level? I''m not proud of having it as my strongest skill at all.


    ...Sigh.


    Well, might as well check it out properly this time around and read its mboyant description until the end since it has been nailed down on my head by now.


    Dainty Snow Griffin: Appearance greatly increases in value, tales will be told about your beauty, poets will struggle to put to words the mere glint of your being, the moon with pale at your mere presence, and kings and queens will feel small at your presence. Your bearing aura does not reflect only on the outside exquisiteness, but the outstanding powerying within, waiting to be awakened.


    I frown at thatst part.


    Can this be... somewhat surprisingly promising?

 Chapter 27 - 27

    <h4>Chapter 27:</h4>


    "... You seem to be quite in a good mood." I hear Lily say in between my own humming.


    "Uhm? Oh yeah." I simply say, ignoring her grumpiness for once as I indeed am in a very good mood.


    And how could I not be? Not only did I get my first evolution and finally lost the baby fat to a more grown look even in my human form, but also had made mother promise that she would teach me how to flyter today, today!


    ...Thought is still shocking me how much hope I still keep up from her managing to properly teach me something, but this time she is the only one with simr wing types so my attempt is justified, for our wings are bigger and our feathers are longer in a way that we glide more and p our wings less, making so that our owl fly is smooth and soundless, like snowkes dancing in the wind.


    And not only that, but I''m also being able to push my limits... and have started reading the magical book!


    Once I got the words on the cover right I was too excited that I ended up bringing the book out with me, finding out that turning the pages with my ws is a hard feat but feeling too stubborn and prideful to give up and change into my human kid form.


    "... Do you at least understand what is written there or are you just looking at the pictures?" Says Lily. Looking at the pictures? What does she think I''m, a kid?


    Well, she would not be wrong, but still I narrow my eyes and buff my chest out before saying:


    "Of course I understand, otherwise I would not use so much time only to stare at these pages!" Though there is still some hard words that the meaning still escapes me, especially the ones for advanced Shield Magic, but I''m not up to give her the satisfaction of knowing that.


    But as of now is enough for the Basic Magic spells, so I''m eagerly devouring what I can from the book''s content.


    And, amidst my reading, something unexpected happens.


    Ding ¨C Hidden ability discovered ¨C Reading 68


    Eh? Hidden ability? From where? And such a high level at that... but... but reading? But I just learned how to read, how can I''ve such an ability hidden? And also... it did not improve the number of words I understand at all.


    I try Appraisal with it, and this is the result:


    Reading : Usually confused with the quick learning ability or the facility to learning newnguages, this ability does not apply to those as it increases the proficiency over the speed needed to read and the amount of information acquired and the number of reads necessary to master the subject a book has to offer.


    ...Well, is not as good nor as bad as I thought at first, but I know that this is the right method for me, studying using books, not only because of this skill nor my Bookworm title; which now makes a little more sense; but because is feels... natural, I''ve been reading for hours now and I''m not tired at all, and actually feel at ease, almost as if used to this kind of routine, almost as if missing it already.


    It is odd, but as long as it serves my purposes then that is fine by me.


    And also I''m set in learning this kind of magic, especially when a paragraph in the book says that this type of magic field requires a lot of mana, or magic fuel, for a caster to grow stronger by using it, for as long as there is magic to fuel it up the shield can withhold any attackers assault.


    So, in the end, is not all just about the level of the caster, nor the level of the ability, but the amount of mana necessary to keep it up too.


    Which is perfect for my absurd unequal status distribution.


    In high spirits I read through the first part of this thick old book, stopping only to gaze at the sky and to think what wonders awaited me in the near future, the things I could do, the sky that I was about to conquer, the freedom and power that this now stronger wings were about to give me, all the possibilities that awaited me...


    Only that nothing I could have thought at the time would match what really happened next, for what the future holds is not as pleasant as my na?ve young self hoped for.


    How things turn out to be, in the end... for good, for bad, perhaps there were only there to be, but one thing for certain is that I''m about to hit the bottom before I can even think of climbing back up.


    When things go down south that fast and that bad, we always think that it should have some sign of it, some bad premonition, an uneasy feeling before it happens, the same as, when we are very sad we find it odd when the weather opens, with sunny sunshine and cloudless skies, almost as if we world should cry with us, that things should not stay still while we crumble from inside out.


    And yet, no matter the torment we may have inside, the world still carries on, and no warning came to me as that day started the same as any other, better even, with the sweetpany of the fairies surrounding me, ying around, as I manage to study the book...


    And yet, all changed, when,ter that day, as we munched on some berries, my sharp senses caught a whiff of smoke in the air, and as I sniff the wind while frowning, paying more attention and rising my gaze towards the horizon, I caught the sweet iron smell of blood being added to the mix.


    However, before I have time to turn and warn Cottonwhistle and the other fairies, one of them screams to the side:


    "Get down!!" They scream before somethinges crashing down on us.

 Chapter 28 - 28

    <h4>Chapter 28:</h4>


    Whateveres towards us hits the trees at full speed in a st, and as thedies scream and we all duck branches, leaves and soil fly all over us,


    I put my paws over my head with my wings covering my body, and as we wait for the dust to settle in I can hear the p of wingsing closer, but my attention is not brought to the sky even when shadows pass over our heads, but towards the responsible for breaking half a dozen trees only to beying on the floor.


    Because I could recognize that white double winged creature anywhere.


    "Mother!" I feel the blood leave my face and my heart freeze at the unmoving image of my motherying on the floor while having stones and wood scattered around her, a small indicator of the destruction that just unfolded by her body smashing against all of that.


    But I could not care less about the surroundings when I see that coat smeared in blood, and one of her wings oddly twisted backwards.


    I start trotting towards her, my mind buzzing and empty as the only thing that fills my eyes is her figureying there, barely breathing, and while seeing that her chest still is going up and down, the brief relief it gives me is smashed out of my mind when something hits me square in the face and sends me flying whiling robbing me of air.


    I scream at the excruciating pain when my back double backs as it hits a tree, my vision blurring as I flop down while gushing out blood and whimpering.


    I hear the fairies gasp, some even call my name, but soon their screams join mine as whatever has kicked me had note alone.


    While trying to suppress the pain of having my insides crushed I look over my pain and my blood shot eyes only to see the worst bunch there is surrounding us and approaching mother.


    Only that, even if I always hated the bunch, I''ve never thought there would be capable of treason like this.


    Those feline griffins!


    "Ah... Alinda Alinda, things could have turn out so more peacefully have you and your bunch not given us so much trouble uhm..."


    "Y-you...!" I hear mother''s weak voice sound on the side as the overbearing lion griffin approaches her, snout twisted in an ugly winning smirk.


    "I told you, didn''t I? That I would have you one day, and yet you never took me seriously did you? Tsk tsk tsk..." At that point he had already reached her side, and even though mother is very wounded and unable to fly she still tries to get him by surprise and shot Ice Spears at him, only for them to be broken midair by a hit of his massive wings.


    "Stubborn as always...Uhm?!" At that he gives her a solid kick on her head that makes mother go back to the floor while the smell of iron intensifies in the air. "You rather be in this state than with me, then so be it! I will take you even if I have to break all your limbs Alinda!"


    "S-stop! Don''t hurt mother anymore!" I scream, letting the situation affect me, not thinking straight as pain feels my body and mind, and simply dash forward towards the pair, using my own new learn ability against that smug lion.


    "Wind Shield!" The wind responds to my calling as it has done before to my delight, swirling around me and thicken as I dash forward like a cannon ball.


    Only that the mere wind produced by the p of his wing is enough to disperse my weak defenses, and as I try to dodge his attack the gust of air he creates takes me off bnce, which makes mend straight towards his crushing paw.


    "Gagh!" His paw alone must weight more than my entire body, but not satisfied he pushes his mass down, forcing my ribs and making it hard to breathe.


    "Seraph! You... Let go of my son!" I hear mother scream close by with renew strength as I try to paw away from his crushing grasp, seeing the ice fly among my ckening view, bird talonsing down on his face, forcing him to back off or take the hit, and as the protective shadow passes over my head and pushes the lion away I''m finally able to breathe, coughing as the air fill my damaged lungs and fearing that my ribs have broken and pierced an organ from the amount of pain simply breathing brings me.


    Crashes and shes happen all around me, I can feel the magic energy oozing from the battle as the wind brings down the remaining trees and bushes, and once I''m recovered enough to see around me once more I''m left to pale more on that overturned soil, watching as the smug lion has his friends to help and has once more subdue mother to the ground, pinning her as she could only stare daggers at him.


    And once I look at these other creatures I understand what happened.


    Their horns, their tails, their different yetplex but humanoid appearances, with a simr dark aura surrounding them and the soulless eyes that stare at us without a wince of empathy and mercy.


    There is only one thing''s such creatures could be, the so called demons.


    And that smug lion, Heavenw, with his felines griffin, has just betray the Higher Lands people and sold us to them.


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