A Gryphons tale

Talio looked up as his childhood friend, Senek, flew down into his nest. Senek, as always, started talking before she had really landed. "Tal, Tal, guess what," she said.
         "I give up, what?" Talio asked not even bothering to try and guess.
         "Your father, the Storm wing, has decided that that evil scum of a dragon, Lezzkek, has attacked us for the last time. He has sounded the wind of war." Senek squawked this last word, her bright gold feather and tawny fur ruffled.
         Talio remembered well the last time Lezzkek attacked. It was horrible, the monster had gone right by the assembled warriors. At first they had thought the dragon was for once going to leave the tribe alone. But no the dragon went straight to the Nesting grounds, full only of pregnant females, eggs, and newly hatched. Talios own mother and new born sister had been two of many who had not survived. Talio own heart was almost broken and he had not left his nest since the attack.
         Talios own depression was nothing compared to his fathers rage. There was nothing anyone could say to calm his fathers anger, there was also very few who wanted too. Lezzkek had killed to many wing brothers for this to stand any longer.
         Talio was pulled from his contemplation by Senek next words. "And the best thing is that I'm going with the warriors."
         "But your not a warrior, your a hunter." Talio said with confusion.
         "A hunter is just as good as a warrior." Senek said flaring her wings in anger.
         "No, that’s not what I meant and you know it." Talio said, "only warriors fight just as only hunters hunt. What is my father doing, Senek."
         "All wing brothers that are able to fight are being sent." Senek said making it obvious she approved of the idea.
         "But that’s madness," Talio said as he jumped into the air. Senek scrambling after him cried out.
         “But Tal isn’t it good to send every one against so  terrible a foe.”
         “Of course not,” Talio said not looking back. “Those who are not warriors have no idea how to truly fight, They will at best just get in the way and at worst will be easily killed.”
         Senek could not help but be a little happy that Talio was this agitated. This had been the most he had moved in over a month. In fact if Senek had not brought him food and water every day he most likely would have died. Senek sighed to herself she hadn’t even received a thank you.
         Talio landed in the great clearing of the tribe were his father cawed out orders. Pushing through those waiting to talk with the Storm Wing, Talio called up to his father, “Father, what are you doing.” His father stood up on the Speaking stone. A natural rock that looked like one of the Humans pillars. Talio was looked down upon by his father.
         “I am going to end that worms life once and for all, that is what I’m doing.”
         “But why do you send those who are not warriors” Talio asked, “They will only get in the way.”
         Senek landed next to Talio, The Storm Wing looked at her than a Talio. Talios fathers ruffled feathers softened. “My son, I know you are scared for your friends. Do not think that even when my own heart is cold and uncaring for my life, that I would send our wing brothers to die needlessly.”
         “So you have a plan,” Talio asked a little ashamed to think so little of his father.
         “Yes, I do,” His father said with patience.
         “What can I do to help?” Talio said raising his sharp beak proudly.
         “Nothing,” his father told him.
         “What do you mean ‘nothing’?” Talio asked.
         “As my soul air you now have the responsibility to stay out of harms way.” His father told him.
         “Bu-but I want to help.” Talio said not caring that he was whining. In a flurry of  fur and feathers, The storm wing landed on the ground before Talio.
         “Do you question my authority, do you wish to lead this battle.” The Storm wing crouched down in, what Talio was alarmed to see, the stance of challenge.
         “No, of course-”
         “Then do as I say, you are the future of our clan and must stay back with those who can not fight this day.” The Storm wing looked over at Senek. “Say your goodbyes and join the rest of the hunter battle wing.” Talios Father took of into the air, which was shortly filled with the sounds of hundreds of wings.
         Talio looked at Senek wanting to tell her what her friendship meant to him, but it fell to much like saying goodbye for good. “Hey, Senek bring back a dragon bone to gnaw on.”
         “Heh,” She laughed “Just like always, me doing all the work you getting all the reward.” And before Talio could reply, she took off into the air. Talio watched her go for some time past even when she was little more than a speck surrounded by hundreds of other specks.
         A sudden wind gust blew into Talios face, with came a vision. A field of fire with the bodies of wing brothers every where, Lezzkek standing over them in one gigantic for paw he held the Storm wing in the other, that the dragon was bringing slowly to its mouth was Senek. “NO!” Talio screeched into the air. The vision was gone but Talio was alarmed to see that the relatively short vision had in reality taken hours. The sun that had been noon day bright was now setting.
         My father told me to stay here Talio thought to himself if go and they don’t need help I’ll just be disappointing father. Even if they would need help what could one wing do that two hundred couldn’t.
         Talio leapt into the air, I will at least see how the battle fares, Father need not even know I was there. Talio flew at the setting sun towards Lezzkek cave.
         The sun had set and the full moon risen when Talio came across the horrible sight of a rampaging dragon and the crumpled bodies of nearly every wing warrior that had left earlier that day. Worst yet was that among those still fighting was Senek and the Storm wing.
         Lezzkek spouted a torrent of fire at the Storm wing but it was buffeted away by a gale of wind sent by the Storm wings magic. Senek seeing an opening gave a loud screech and rocketed at the exposed neck of the dragon. Lezzkeks tail snapped out and slammed into Seneks side.
         The Storm wing tried to catch Senek before she hit the ground but was hit by one of Lezzkeks giant claws. The two landed hard in a cloud of dust and debris. The dragon brought back its head taking a deep breath and unleashed its fire on to the crumpled forms of Senek and the Storm king.
         The fire was vanquished by the sudden wind that was a hundred times stronger than the Storm kings. “Don’t touch them, wurm!” Talio yelled from his position in front of his father and Senek.
         “Hehehehehehehehehehe, What is this another of you little flies thinks that he has the power of a dragon.” Lezzkeks rumbling voice shook Talios chest. Up close Lezzkek was two tall trees tall and at least four long. His fiery red scales denoted that he belonged to the red dragon family known for their love of violence. “Do you think you can do any thing that two hundred of you including the Storm wing can’t. I am a dragon only another dragon can face me.”
         “I don’t care touch even a hair on my comrades and…”
         “And, what?” Lezzkek asked bringing his massive head within inches of Talio face.
         “And,” Talio said his voice low and deadly “you want live for very long.”
         “Whaahahahahahahahahahaahahahaahahahahaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah.” Lezzkek lauged so hard that fire spurted.
         “Monster don’t you laugh at me.” Talio said as his eyes flashed with a white light. Another wind rose up crashed into the dragons side. The wind was so powerful that it threw the massive dragon like a rag doll.
         The dragon picked its self up with a horrible roar that shook the ground. “Little fly know your place and d-” Lightning struck the dragon from the ground and sky simultaneously. The smell of ozone and burnt flesh filled the area.
         “What…is…this…power…” Lezzkek breathed before toppling over dead.
         “I guess you didn’t know.” Talio said to the still form of the dragon that still smoked. “There’s more than one Storm wing in gryphon clans. And I’m much stronger than my father. you shoudn't asume some one is weak or you'll pay”
                A month later the clan had found a new nesting ground and life returned to normal. Talio went back to being lazy and leaning on Senek to feed him and Senek went back to her secret crush and life went on.