her gracelessly, hanging onto th

don't die please don't di

h needed him for her petty tasks or dirty work. If Waltz was to fall now, he would surely explode on impact on the

he desperately fought to hold on. The griffin hissed angrily at having its feathers so harshl

e that she was failing to strike him. But Waltz

n began to

onto the griffin's neck as he tried his best

nt to be a

gazed about him, he saw with alarm that they

' Waltz said. 'And

im again, stabbing him in t

ooing it away like it was a

s scarf; slowly the scarf went into the griffin's mouth, like a h

htened around his neck, his head asce

. No! WA

everishly as the griffin

gr

n skull that bounced off Waltz's head and la

t, eyes growing wide a

eee

to shuffle away from the griffin

gain. He glanced down at the drop behind him, which

r…' Waltz

he area behind the griffin, seeing a d

rowing up from the earth, the top perfectly flat and level, perfect

ed, shoulders s

ain. Waltz yelped in protest

Stop

in squawk

answer

awked

his hips as the griffin began to preen itself. '

d up, tucking her beak beneath her wing and go

sheer drop before him. 'Time

n that appeared to be fast asleep a

and climbing backwards over the

ankfully, there were many little nooks and crannies in the rock, and

his nails began to bleed from scratching the hard ro

AL

, seeing a band of men running along a narrow ledge agai

called back.

e is

above him, and to the top of the pinnacle h

' Leroy mumbled bac

e pinnacle, seeing at the top a long t

' he mu

en spotted, stirred suddenly, rising and turn

lutching his weapons tightly in both hands. He narrowed his

ghty wings out wide and leaping off the pi

Leroy h

ng their weapons to them, preparing for

ching out to them as it we

nly slight surprise, reaching out as he fell. Trevor grabbed his wrist just in the nick of time, leaning forwards over the drop, his other hand grasping a root that jutted out of the rock be

as a cl

fore his expression t

party could see the griffin clawing its way up the mountain side to reach

till hanging onto the edge

altz!' Ler

Barry asked calmly as the

it on the grou

hich was a long chain. He cast his arm downwards, holding the spear back and aiming.

as the spear became em

e sh

ks Le

y hollered. 'Chain it a

erately claw its way upwards, feverishly swiping at the men on the narrow ledge in an effort to

' Leroy called. 'Get

ow held to the ground by chains it stood little chance. Waltz felt the rock of the pinnacle he held now shudder beneath his grasp. He looked down, seeing the griffin directly

called up at

wing his sword quickly from its

leaping off the rock, falling down directly onto the griffi

eapon, causing the griffin to lurch forwards, throwing up a great stre

llapsing on all fours. He stood on its back tall and

ed triumphantly. 'That

im sighed in exasperation; several more were face p

so lame' T

me!' Waltz

ting himself down and r

'We wouldn't have been able to

before sheathing it and leaping o

asked him and Waltz strol

umbled glancing

g up there?' Lero

tz replied. '

th a lot of money'

ey probably….oh I see yo

olding his arms in amusement. 'You're the best climber out

top of the pinnacle with a groan, turning reluctantly and making

er wall of the pinnacle, cursing angrily as he began his arduous ascent once agai

alled up to him from the

bing onto another rock and haling himself up. 'Do

camp and were now huddled around the fire, warm and happy as they cooked sausages, marshmallow, fish,

he chewed on a piece

sed, before Waltz fina

guild had gone to sleep,

had fallen, hopping off its back and touching solid and flat ground once more. He turned to face the others, lowering carefully onto the ground the three

im. In the firelight it seemed to glow slightly, i

eroy said to h

t where he stood, shuffling up

aring into the dancing flame