Marked

Note: This will be a short one. Sorry for the wait, but I needed to figure out how to do this. Thank you for your patience!

The other griffin approached us, smiling. His black fur was interrupted by pale scars of pink. His brown feathers were dirty, and his bronze talons dulled from digging. With a casual glance at my flank, he spoke, his words as casual as his glance. "Never seen a griffin with a cutie make before. You half pegasus?"

"No, sir. I'm just a griffin, far as I know."

"You didn't know your parents? ...A fate too many of us have."

"I did know them. They just weren't the ones who birthed me."

He smiled a little, and put a talon on my shoulder.

"You got lucky, fledgling."

"I guess..."

"Are you planning to keep fighting diamond dogs?"

"Well... sure. It's really the only skill I have." I had played the clarinet, but my mouth was very different now. And I'd worked as a freelance detective for about three days, until I was convicted of the crime I was trying to solve.

"Hello? Earth to... What is your name, anyway?"

"I'm Claire."

"I'm Jakris. And if you're planning to keep fighting those wretched mutts, I'm coming with you."

It would be dangerous. But we all knew that. In a moment, I had decided.

"Okay."