The Fifth Element

Part 2 Chapter 4

^Fan art by hearthians!

A massive paw pressed me against the tree, and foul smelling breath caressed my cheek. I felt something wet and rough, which I assumed was its tongue, glide across my cheek and work its way down to my chin, leaving a fresh trail of saliva behind. I shivered at the sensation but didn't dare to open my eyes. Was it sampling me before it decided to take a bite? I prayed that I didn't taste good.

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Its hot breath moved away from me, and my body relaxed a bit in relief. From beside me, Santana let out a loud shriek, and my body tensed up again.

" I-it just licked my face!" she sobbed.

My heart slowed down a couple of octaves. From that scream, I had thought it had already taken a nibble out of her. "It just licked my face too, and it isn't eating me yet, so maybe it won't!" I choked out. Or was it trying to decide who to eat first?

"Yeah," she squeaked back weakly.

After what must've been only minutes, but seemed like hours, I felt the presence of the paw gradually recede from my shoulder, and heard the sounds of huge paws padding across the soil. Confused, I opened my eyes just enough for a quick peek. Was it letting us go? Maybe we hadn't been that appetizing?

I glanced around the forest nervously, nothing. Did it go? But just then my eyes caught a tiny bit off moment off to the side, a blue tuft of fur disappearing behind a tree. I had the sudden feeling that I was forgetting something really important about griffins. I racked my brain trying to recall the exact detail, but whatever it was it was lost in the vast emptiness of my head.

Ugh! Why did my brain never work right when I needed it to! For crying out loud, I had done an entire school project on them, and all I could remember was they ate almost everything, and their poop glowed in the dark!

I nudge Santana, who was still sobbing beside me. "Hey, I think it's gone," I whispered.

She opened her round blue eyes, and relief spread across her face, "Oh thank god!" she said, wiping the tears away from her eyes. She pushed herself away from the tree and began to move off towards the bushes the griffon had sprung out at us from.

"Wait, where are you going?" I called after her and began to follow her. Who was this girl!? Wasn't she just crying, telling me her last words? I mean we had almost gotten eaten not even ten minutes ago, and she was already walking around like it was no big deal! She seemed completely calm!

"To get a weapon from one of those freaks that the freaking monster just killed," she replied coldly, pushing her way through the bushes in front of us. "I'm not facing another one of those things unarmed again!"

My nose began to pick up a metallic scent which grew stronger with every step I took following Santana. I stopped short of the source of the smell, knowing very well what its source was.

"Wait!" I said, and Santana froze.

"What!?" she asked nervously, the calm she had shown earlier fading in an instant. She turned her head to face me.

"Why did the griffon not kill us?"

The girl looked at me annoyed, "How am I supposed to know that!? Do I look like I have any clue what's going on!? Which reminds me...", she turned her body to face me fully and began moving towards me, her eyes narrowed in suspicion. She stopped just short of me. "What do you know about all this?" she motioned to the trees around us.

I gulped, "It was just a rhetorical question," I said hesitantly, "I was going to say if the griffon had two fresh kills, so that's why it didn't eat us. It might have gone back to the bodies to finish them up. I don't know about you, but I don't think I want a second meeting with Mr. Griffion."