Sweeter than Honey.

Sweeter then Honey.

By Inkquill.

The train jostled slightly as I laid there across the wide passengers seat; my head propped against the wall. My eyes regretfully pried themselves open and I brought my clawed hands to rub my temple lobe. The night had been relatively decent, but I still found it difficult find a peaceful slumber. Never was that keen on travel anyway.

The morning had come and it's early light was now peaking over the sloping, rocky hills in the distance, and seeped into the train car. I cleared my senses and sat up, flexing the tendons in my back as to drive away their befuddled stupor. I then turned to allow my hind legs to hang down to the floor and I stoop up swiftly. Reaching upwards I stretched out my body, making sure to stand on my toes. For some odd reason that would always make my ankles pop, but all the same part of my morning ritual.

I looked outside to see where exactly we were, and by 'we' I mean the other ponies riding along and myself. Outside, the land was still covered in shadows, since the sun had not risen high enough yet, but I could tell that we were moving through sloping foothills and were heading downhill at an even pace. I could also make out that covering the slopes of the foothills were bountiful groves of wild flowers, which kind I was not sure of.

After a while, the morning finally came to a full swing, and things aboard the train became a bit more lively. A waitress moved down the train car with a small cart of simple treats. Tea, coffee, and bagels the like. I made the selection of a light cup of coffee and a blueberry bagel. Always had a fondness for the combination I guess.

"Would you care for anything else sir?" The waitress asked in a pleasant tone.

I looked up at her and with a drowsy smile said, "No, no. I'm, I'm fine thank you."

She smiled in return and proceeded on her way down the aisle.

"Waite, miss!"

"Yes, sir?"

"You wouldn't happen to know how long until we reach Val Fleur by chance?"

"In about two hours tops." She replied. "Now, if you'll excuse me I have others to attend to sir, have a good day."

"Yes, of course, you too."

Val Fleur was a small country side village on the western coast of Equestria. Situated between two branching arms of a nearby mountain range, it was famous for it's vineyards and vast fields of wild flowers. Val Fleur literally meaning 'Valley of Flowers' after all. Sure enough, within the next two hours, we had arrived at our destination; I had glanced out the seat window out onto a vast rolling vale of wild lavender gently swaying in the breeze. The sun was now at its halfway mark in the morn' time sky and the world felt fresh.

I could also see in the distance, among the beautiful violet orchids, was a little hovel of bronzed sandstone and red tiled roofing. A storage house perhaps? It looked somewhat dilapidated and rundown. Perhaps it was abandoned? I could make out a single window just bellow the tiled roof; a simple square hole with a crossbeam of wood placed within it. Anyway, I then noticed upon the horizon a rising hilltop. Pavilions, tiered pouches and humble cottages of all assortment rose up its slops to the very summit. "Val Fluer..." I whispered to myself.

Ah, Val Fluer. A white jewel amongst a garden of colour. Each building glittered in the sunlight with their white plaster walls and crimson shingled roves, cobblestone streets and scenic gardens. It was a treasure I had heard about a while back when I first moved to Equestria from my native lands of the Griffon Kingdoms. After a few more minuets, we arrived at the train station. I departed the train with my suitcase in claw and stared towards the town.

As I moved through the cobblestone streets of Val Fleur, I drank in every detail my griffonic eyes could hold. Creeper vines of rich green draped themselves over sandstone and stucco walls and trellises; shops bustled with activity as the native pony folk went about their morning errands. A baker called out "Hot fresh bread! Hot fresh bread!", a wine store owner arranged a display rack in his window to show the lasted brews, and innumerable flower shops burst with every color imaginable; the air thick in their fragrances.

As I continued my way through the streets, I couldn't help but notice that some of the locals were giving me some curious glances. Then again, they probably don't usually see griffons this far south of the Crystal Mountains. I had come from a small lakeside fishing village in the highlands of the Crystal Mountains in the Griffon Kingdoms. A humble collection of stone cottages made out of smoothed dark river stone "woven" together into walls and roved with bands of wicker. Blackpearch was its name.

I then noticed out of the corner of my eye a shop widow with an assortment of ink wells and quills displayed in it. On the glace was written in bolded gold and green lettering "Thorn Rose's Quill and Parchment Emporium". I was eying a most catching ink well made of what appeared to be carved amber when a small noise caught my vulpine ears. "Pheasant?" A tiny voice said. I looked downward to find a little Pegasus filly to be standing by my side. She appeared to be no older then four or five, well, um, by pony years, and she was staring at me with a sense of confusion and wonder.

"Why hello there little one," I said, "Where'd you come from?"

All she did was giggle and look at me. "You look funny." She said with the bluntness characteristic of her age, "What are you?"

Yep, griffon's are a rarity here, that I knew. "I'm a griffon." I said with a smile, "And what are you?" I asked playfully. "Hmm.. are you a beaver?" She giggled. "No."

"Are you a ferocious dragon?"

She continued to laugh, "N-no, I'm a Pegasus mister," she said, "But you cant be a griffon. You don't have any wings."

My eyes widened in surprise and a bit of embarrassment when she said this. It was true, I didn't have any wings. You see I'm what some call a "demi-griff", griffons born without wings. My parents both had very proud wings, however I was born "earth bound" as we say. I believe it must have been a receive gene on my mothers side. But I smiled at the filly and politely corrected her. "Nope, I'm a griffon alright. I was just born without wings."

She gave me a look a disbelief, "Sure mister, whatever you say." It was then that both the filly and I heard the call of a mares voice, "Pollen Storm, come along. Leave the nice sphinx alone." Well at least she was close. The young then bid me farewell and ran off to join her mother. With a sigh, I gathered my things and headed onward to my destination, a local in where I had rented a room for a month, and at a great price. Finally after some wandering and asking for directions, I finally reached by destination; the l' Oiseau Rare - "The Rare Bird".

"Well... at least a "pheasant" like me would find it comfortable?"