Before Darkness Falls

[Takai]

“Where are we headed?” asked a strange man in a hooded black coat.

“Shh, we’re almost there” Whispers a young woman dressed the same.

These two figures wandered through the warm tropical area for a few hours before they came to a stop just as dusk was about to set. Looking around the woman hummed to herself in contentment as she began to clear plants and underbrush from the area.

“It would be nice to have some help you know!” she exclaims glaring at the man.

“I’m busy!” the man yells back

“Busy with what exactly Marcus!?” She yelled turning around. She was about to continue in her tirade of how useless Marcus was when she stopped and stared. Marcus had taken his coat off and due to the heat he was glistening with sweat. He had also taken his shirt off so all his was wearing were dark blue slacks that hung low on his hips.

“Is something wrong Zima?” Marcus asks her curious as to why she was staring at him and practically drooling.

Swallowing hard Zima turned back around to continue her task refusing to answer or even look at Marcus for the next few minutes. After what seemed to Zima to have been almost an hour and with little brogress on clearing out the plants she stood up straight getting an idea.

‘Of course! Why didn’t I think of it before?’ she thought, then lifting her hand to her mouth whistled as loud as she could in a seemly complex pattern.

Marcus just stared at her while working on getting fire wood for their camp for the night. He was confused as to why Zima suddenly stood up straight and whistled. However after a few seconds the ground began to shake. Rustling could be heard coming from the north towards the mountains. Suddenly out of the forest two large Ibex appeared. Sniffing around they both turned to Zima, walking toward her she held out her hands as they sniffed them. After seeming to confirm who she was they both stood up straight and proud.

“Would you two please help me clean out these plants and brush please? There’s to much here for me to handle on my own and Marcus isn’t gonna help anytime soon.” She asked looking both Ibex in the eyes.

Both Ibex snorted and walked to different ends of what was to be their campsite for the night, lowered their horned heads and began to eat the live plants and to move the dead ones and under brush into the pile outside the camp that Zima had started. With the help of the Ibex clearing out their campsite took much less time than it originally would have.

Watching how Zima utilized the help of her two Ibex Marcus took a leaf from her book and pulled out two flutes, one was a dark gray and the other was bright red and orange. Taking the dark gray one first Marcus blew into the flute creating a beautiful and rich sound. He played a little pattern for a minute then put the dark grey flute back in his pocket. He didn’t take the time to sit and wait for what was to happen and continued to find branches for their campfire. After a few minutes the flapping of wings could be heard. Marcus stopped what he was doing an looked up. In the sky circling to land was a giant dark gray Gryphon.

Landing and carefully folding his wings the Gryphon stared with one eye at Zima and her Ibex clearing the area. Eventually he moved his focus onto his Magi Marcus. Smiling Marcus slowly walked up to him with one hand held out to his side and the other held out to the Gryphon. After a staring contest the gryphon bent his head and sniffed Marcus’ hand. Seemingly pleased he lifted his head again and waited for Marcus to say what he wanted.

“I’m in need of your help for the moment Kurotenshi. Its not a big job and its really more of a menial task but I need you to help me gather wood. I am unable to safely travel far from this site without the help of Zima and the little sticks that I have found for firewood won’t last us all night. I need you to find larger pieces of wood for out fire tonight alright?” He politely asked the noble creature.

Bowing his head Kurotenshi then took off to find the required wood. Smiling Marcus got back to work finding sticks for the fire. As the sun was setting the area had been cleared and Zima was petting and pamering her Ibex after having finished clearing the area. Marcus had finished gathering as many sticks and twigs as he could find and was now staring at the sky wondering what happened to Kurotenshi. It would be dark soon and they needed a fire or they wouldn’t be able to eat and they might freeze. You never could tell how cold it would get at night in the tropical areas at night. The day may be warm but nights could get real cold real fast. After a few moments the sounds of wings could be heard again. Kurotenshi landed in the clearing with a few large branches in his claws. Setting them down he took off again and hovered over the trees just off to the side. Confused Marcus was wondering what Kurotenshi was doing. Next thing he knew the air was full of Gryphons of every color. Each took turns landing and dropping offsticks and branches. Even some small hatchlings carrying small sticks gave their contribution.

Never in his life had Marcus or Zima seen so many Gryphons! Kurotenshi had sensed that they would need more wood than he could carry in time and had utilized the help of almost every gryphon in the area! Smiling Zima congratulated Marcus on having a popular and smart Gryphon. By the time the last gryphon had left they had enough wood to last them months in the woods. Laughing Marcus called Kurotenshi down from the trees to praise him for an excellent job.

After everything had settled down and Marcus and Kurotenshi were lounging against the trees, while Zima was leaning against her two Ibex, Marcus held up the red and orange flute. Putting it to his lips he blew. A loud and unpleasing screeching noise was the result. Both Ibex stood up and started stomping in distress while Zima covered her ears and Kurotenshi just watched them laughter in his eyes. After a few seconds Marcus was finished and he put the flute away.

“What was that about Marcus!?” Zima screamed

“Calm down I know its not a pleasant noise but just like you call your creatures with a whistle I call mine each with a flute then their own specific rhythm. So just calm down and we’ll have out fire soon alright?” He said laughter in his eyes as well.

Zima just glared at him and worked to calm her Ibex down. After they were calm they resumed their earlier position. Just a few moments later loud screeching and the flapping of wings were heard overhead. Suddenly the sky lit up in fireworks. Different colors corresponding with their shapes were everywhere. Each spark burned and died out before even touching the trees below them. Zima just stared in awe while Marcus smirked at her amazed expression.

Out of the fireworks a blast of flame shot towards the ground in the exact spot where some of the wood was piled. Since night had fallen a few minutes ago the light was almost blinding before it died down into a comfortable campfire. Amazed Zima stared at the fire for awhile before staring back at the sky. The fireworks had long gone and in there place was the most brilliant phoenix Zima had ever seen. She herself had a few phoenix companions but none could compare to the size and brilliance of this flaming aviator. Seeing that its job was done the phoenix flew back off to where it had come.

“See now we have our fire for the night we’ve got food and water too. So tell me how awesome I am?” Marcus gloated.

Marcus continued to gloat until Zima, getting fed up with it threw a raw steak at his face, hitting her mark square in the center. Glowering Marcus held the steak at arms length.

“Oh gee thanks for that. Sorry but I’m a vegitarian” he grimaced at the thought of eating living creatures.

Turning his head around Kurotenshi snatched the steak from Marcus’ hand he swallowed it in one go. Zima laughed at the look on Marcus’ face as he watched Kurotenshi devour the meat from her position at the fire cooking her own steak.

“Well then I suppose you better pull out some etible plants or you’re gonna starve tonight cause all I got are meats. Sorry bub.” She laughed.

Grumbling Marcus stood to walk over to his bag to get the food only to stop short. A young hatchling Ibex had its head buried in his bag eating what was supposed to be his supper.

“HEY GET OUT OF THERE!!” he yelled, running at the young hatchling.

The young Ibex removed its head from the bag and trotted over to Zima and her two Ibex licking her hand and laying down by its mother. Growling Marcus opened the bag again to get what was left only to find the bag empty.

“WHY YOU LITTLE!!! YOU ATE ALL MY FOOD!! THAT WAS ALL I HAD FOR THE ENTIRE TRIP!!!” he screamed.

Marcus ran at the young Ibex, the young Ibex got up and ran around the campsite as if playing a game of tag. Marcus chased the hatchling for hour before collapsing against Kurotenshi in exhaustion. Grumbling about ‘stupid Ibex eating all my food’ Marcus stoked the fire. Sitting back down he looked at Zima about to ask if she had anything at all left since he was really hungry only to stop and smile softly at the scene he saw. Zima was asleep against one of her Ibex while the other had its head in her lap. The hatchling was laying against his mother already asleep, exhausted after his little game of tag. Smiling Marcus grabbed his coat and after covering himself up in his makeshift blanket fell asleep against a snoring Kurotenshi.


End