I Ate the Mythology ... & Dreamt

Once inside, the boy jumps down from the fence, turning about only long enough to throw the simple bolt that locks the gate and gesturing with a nod deeper into the enclosure. "Name's Hunter." he says offhandedly, offering a charming sort of grin. "The hippogryphs should be out sunning at this time of day. You're lucky... may get a good look at 'em." Seeming the not quite so outspoken sort, he rather simply just takes the lead.

It's a fairly lengthy walk among the pleasantly cool shadows of the trees, little to be heard besides the twin crunching of your feet and those of your guide. The forest floor is awash with pine needles, releasing a fragrant scent with each step. It's overall a rather pleasant place... not just as an animal habitat, but with that lovely creek running near enough to be heard as it burbles along it wouldn't be a bad place for even a person to stay. Those rocks off in the distance would make for shelter from the sun too. And just as you stumble across this line of thinking you'll stumble as well into your guide.

Back he glances with a teasing smile, brown eyes glowing with humor. "Don't look now, but Orinoon is out. With that he lifts a hand, pointing towards the highest point of the stacked boulders. Considering that you've come signifigantly closer, it's fairly easy to see the creature perched at the top. A rather noble looking beast, like in hue to a golden eagle to a point. His fore is feathered, crest partially folded in relaxation. His hind attractively echoes his fore coloration with a sandy palamino. He's a rather noble beastie, and regardless of massive beak and powerful talons it's with a remarkably calm violet gaze that he targets first the boy, and then yourself. The impression he gives is an inquiring one, head cocking in a birdlike fashion to the side, and as the charmingly quiet Hunter dips into a respectful bow he shifts his piercing gaze back to him. A moment of consideration, and the noble hippogryph dips in acknowledgement his own feathered head.

"All myths aside, hippogryphs are very intelligent.

Sentient even, like we are. The fences here are more to keep intruders out than to keep them in. They're very aware of how this place works, and stay in the enclosure of their own free will." This has to be the most he's said to you at once... and regardless of your expression he continues, pacing calmly nearer the hippogryph. "And as you can see, not all of them have wings either. None of ours are winged."

You listen as he points a few things out, idly wondering as to the second one that must be here somewhere. Now is when you note the sudden flurry of nearby motion, something of a lizard-like green darting here and there before gliding down to 'land' as it were upon the boulders. How the thing lands without legs though is beyond you. "Komoriuta is a wyvie... a sort of companion creature to the hippogryphs. She's bonded to Kuusou." pipes up Hunter from your side, a veritable wellspring of knowledge it would seem. "If you take a good look at that on her wing there, we wanted to give her something so that she'd feel more secure in the new habitat. The feather cuffed to her wing is from her bonded."

He speaks on, and again as he does so you peer about. If they're bonded then the hippogryph must be nearby, right? It's the stirring of a breeze among her feathers as well as the affectionate croon of the wyvie that pinpoints Kuusou. Sprawled in comfort upon the warm stone lay the somewhat monochromatically-colored female. Her fore, whilst crested, is still vaguely reminiscent of a peregrine falcon. And her equinine parts are colored in a dappled grey. No wonder she escaped your earlier notice.

As you glance to him, Hunter is speaking still. "Now of course, with her wyvie so nicely bedecked, Kuusou expressed interest in some decoration of her own. So we had one of the girls wrap part of her tail in a color close to Komoriuta's." And yes... with a bit of peering you can see as much. Whilst close enough to see details though, you pause your walking a decent distance from the sunning stones. "No matter how smart they may be, it's still a bad idea to disturb a sleeping hippogryph" observes Hunter. A wise thing to say as well.

Now in all the excitemen the third tenant has gone unnoticed! She appreciates this not in the very least, and from her sun-warmed seat among the stones lets out a resounding screech. Funny that, though you give a jump Hunter would seem less than surprised. One might guess that he expected the action. "Swensia is an attention-hound..." he says simply. What more explanation would one need? "Do be sure to make a big deal of watching her, or she'll simply feel scandalized." Doing so is hardly a bother, the hippigryph somehow giving the impression of grinning impishly after her poorly behavior. Notably enough, she has a feathered tail. This is a signifigant difference from the first two.

Now with a little time to look them over in proper appreciation, your guide turns without so much as a word of warning and begins to stroll back the way he came. Whilst some might consider it rude, it seems moreso a reflection of his tendency to be fairly quiet. And quiet he stays, all the way back to the entrance of the habitat.