1 Chapter 1

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 uncomfortably 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 else coming 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 discomfort 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 glass 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!"

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

I feel another uncontrollable chore of ear piercing chirps coming 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 glancing 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 black 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 become 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 to command, our little prince, Seraph, my little prince."

I hum in response, but it comes 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 explaine 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 my lack of communicating 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 overcome 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.