The Royal Griffin

Geralt and Vesemir were waiting a while for the Griffin, Vesemir remained perched on one knee. Geralt resorting to sitting on his backside, a screech came from the distance, alerting both witchers. "Hear that? it's close." Geralt said moving from his place on the floor. "let's go give it a warm welcome" Geralt turned to Vesemir as another screech ear piercing screech came from above them, much closer this time. "Wait. Take this." Vesemir told him in a rushed whisper. Geralt watched as Vesemir pulled something from behind him, a crossbow. a standard one, wooden. with a metal frame in which to place the crossbolt and fire it. "a crossbow?" he asked as Geralt placed the bow in a safe place. "Won it in a card game while you ran around. Might come in handy." he offered making Geralt smirk. "How about that. always lectured us on the evils, but you're a gambler yourself." another screech came. "stop talking. Got a Griffin to kill" Vesemir reminded. Geralt narrowed his eyes and looked towards the field where the trap lay.

The Griffin came fast, screeching and skidding to. halt on the floor next to the stuffed sheep, it's talons digging deep into the grass. The Griffin saw the two witchers as they approached in front of it, Geralt ran around in a wide circle trying to get a better angle on the monster as it reared up on its back legs, wings out. He barely had time to place a crossbolt in the weapon before firing it as the Griffin took off, he'd already started reloading it whether he had missed or not. He fired the second bolt, it missed again, just like the first one had. the Griffin had taken off into the air and with amazing speed it was already facing the two witchers again. "It's about to dive!" Vesemir shouted. Geralt stood their waiting, and it did, it dove it's body forward, back legs positioned forward, talons outstretched as if going to grab Geralt's chest and fly off into the air with him, at the last moment Geralt rolled out of the way, making sure to keep his grasp on his silver sword tight. The Griffin made an attempt to keep diving at Geralt, and it failed, only because Geralt was forced to keep rolling out of the way, so much so that now his feet were ankle deep into the river behind him, the last dive of the Griffin caught the beast off guard and he stumbled on the uneven surface of the ploughed land. Vesemir was already upon the creature, knowing it wouldn't stay on the ground for long, Geralt ran forward and too swung his blade at the beast. Geralt cut anywhere he could. the Griffin howling in pain as it's sides were cut. it's exposed back legs, the home structure of its wings. a ferocious cry came from the Griffin as Geralt cast a sign, the feathers of the Griffin being caught on fire, the Griffin flapped its wings and Geralt quickly rolled to avoid the hit, he didn't have much choice to roll anywhere else but into the little area where the stream started, not even the brief dunk of his head under water could wash the Royal Griffin's red blood off his forehead. it was another whole two minutes of Vesemir and Geralt cutting and slashing at the grounded Griffin before it managed to find the strength to fly up into the air once more, despite its wings having been set on fire for the second time. "Don't let it get away!" Vesemir warned. it flew, and this time it didn't circle back. it was critically wounded, and even the creature was smart enough to realise that. Geralt kept a hold of his silver sword, sprinting in the direction the Griffin flew, it was good there weren't many trees here. an open space, just like Vesemir had said. the perfect ambush spot.

It took ten minutes of Geralt and Vesemir running across the fields until they ended up outside a huge mill, the Griffin flying above it, it screeched again, wasting no time in sensing that the witchers had followed it's every twist and turn over the countryside. Three minutes had passed and Geralt had only managed to land one crossbolt into the creature. one out of many as it kept flying around, he dove out of the way dropping his crossbow as the Royal Griffin dived at him again, it stumbled, it's big weighted and wounded body stumbling over its feathers. the whole top of the Griffin soaked in blood, it's massive tail swinging about from side to side dangerously threatening to knock Geralt off his feet. He drew his sword and slashed at the creatures back legs, the Griffin screamed and swung it's body back violently, it's left wounded and bloody wing clipping Geralt across the face making him gasp out and stumble back in shock. he didn't have time to waste, he blinked and cleared his vision, the Griffin's angry eyes now set on him. He raised his hand and cast Igni, a torrent of flames leaving his palm and fingertips and directly straight into the Griffin's face. The intelligent creature covered it's eyes with its wing causing a gust of wind that almost immediately extinguished the flames. Geralt rolled around, another solid five minutes had passed and almost every hit of his silver blade had struck the creatures raw hide. He ended up facing the creature again, standing inches away from its snapping beak, he slashed the silver sword as hard as he could across the top of the Griffin's neck, with a screech it fell to the floor dead. Geralt panting like mad as he stepped out of the way not sure which way it would fall. The Griffin laid there and made weak noises, weak screeches and couldn't even move a feather, Geralt stood and watched it for a minute until he was sure the beast was dead and sheathed his sword, blood soaked in dirt and blood and grass hanging onto him, blood splattered across his cheek and forehead. "Not bad. Not bad." Vesemir complimented as he walked over to the other witcher, his sword also sheathed. "though you could stand to improve some things" he added on shortly after. "man spends his whole life learning" Geralt shrugged. "Not a Witcher. unless he doesn't want to live long." Vesemir said as they both stared at the dead Griffin. "But more on that later. take the Griffin's head to the Black ones. I'll ready our horses" they both turned to look at each other. "Meet me at the inn" Vesemir told him, to which Geralt nodded. Geralt walked around the Griffin and started looting it's body, he definitely needed proof of this kill. He took a Griffin's egg, a few of the cleanest Griffin's feathers he could find, he obtained Griffin mutagen from the kill and last but not least, the Griffin trophy, it's head.

Now. To claim his reward and find Yennefer.