[Soriams]

Uhoh! I better finish my form then and make sure it gets posted... Any idea on a certain date yet?

[Koiley]

Can I Adopt It?

Fill out the form. ^^

Uhoh! I better finish my form then and make sure it gets posted... Any idea on a certain date yet?

Eh not really, but if people need more time I can wait.

[Shiko Hayashi]

Hey Kiley? I might need a bit more time to finish up my form. I still have to do the art, and I have a few more paragraphs for the story. Can you give me maybe... one to two and half days? That should be enough.

[Koiley]

Sure thing. :3

[Shiko Hayashi]

Sure thing. :3

Awesome.
^_^

I was also wondering if you can give me some critique. It would be nice. I'm working on my writing skills.

[Koiley]

I'll see if I've got time to take a look. :3

[Shiko Hayashi]

I'll see if I've got time to take a look. :3

Awesome. i just went back and read myself. I noticed a bunch of typing errors. *goes to fix them*

Fixed them!

[Soriams]

Username:
Soriams

Name:
Pythagoras
aka Pythos

Pythagoras was an ancient greek philosopher who studied many things including mathematics and music. Though many of his works are lost, one of the greatest theories attributed to him is the pythagorean theory, whereas in a right-angled triangle the area of the square on the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the areas of the squares of the other two sides. Sounds a bit heady, right? But it is actually brilliant in it's simplicity. Beyond that, he traveled the world in search of knowledge and believed in both the transmigration of souls and prophecy. In life he practiced temperance in all matters and sought serenity and self-possession. All are characteristics that I have sought to weave into Pythagoras' persona.

Gender:
Male

Age (at most 200):
55

Personality:

Pythos is a very reserved and reclusive gryphon, at least on the outside. The truth is that his stony exterior is only a mask, hiding the turmoil that boils under the surface. As a young chick before Pythos learned to better control his powers, he used to literally scream from all the thoughts and voices running through his head. The problem is, if there is anyone close by it is quite possible that Pythos will pick up their unguarded thoughts and feelings. All of this tends to give him a headache and in general put him in a sour mood. Though he has learned to control this better as he grew older, he still will pick up stray thoughts and even when on his own he may sense drastic changes in others. Thus, it is that Pythos seeks to be alone most of the time to save himself from the confusion and pain of their unwanted intrusions. Hiding behind his mask helps to facilitate this, but it often leaves him feeling empty and lonesome.

Spending so much time alone has afforded Pythos with plenty of time for introspection and mediation. He has spent much time thinking on the powers he was given, and just what they mean and how to use them. These thoughts have shaped his entire sense of being, as well as his outlook on life forging him into a philosopher of sorts. Thus if asked his thoughts on something of a ideologic nature, it is quite likely that Pythos will have already considered the topic and will have an answer waiting. He will make the time to mediate every day, to clear his mind and help center himself both physically and mentally. It is one of the few things that relieves the pain his psychic abilities cause him and one of the only times he feels truly at peace.

He is also highly intelligent and cunning, enjoying puzzles, stratagem and devising new ways to outwit an opponent. This makes him appear thoughtful and careful in his actions, as he tends to think things through before carrying them out. It also makes him very critical of mistakes and that can make others feel he is cruel and cold. While he does tend towards the logical and rational, he never means his criticism harshly and in truth he only wants to see whomever it is succeed. As such, he is his own worst critic and is incredibly hard on himself, punishing or chastising himself for even the simplest, unavoidable mistakes.

Though Pythos may very easily be seen a cruel, indifferent and judgmental, the truth is that he is actually a very gentle and rather shy gryphon. His natural empathy gives him a great appreciation for the hardships of others and to intentionally kill are harm another creature gives him great pain. It is only through years of training and learning to control his own thoughts and emotions that he is able to be any sort of effective warrior. Thus it is only against his will that he fights against the Sabers and if given a choice, he will always choose to let his opponent live. Beyond this, he must constantly stay in control of himself in order to keep from reading others minds and sharing their thoughts. He has a difficult time holding a conversation with anyone as he quickly runs out of things to say, as he may already know the answer to any question he might ask. He is also easily embarrassed if he picks up on a stray thought that he should not have heard, and he tends to keep many secrets, both his own and others. Perhaps his most elusive side is also the most true to his soul: Pythos is kind. He will willingly help anyone in need, if given the chance, both enemy and friend alike. It is easy to see why he hides so much of himself from others: If the humans knew of his true nature he would most likely be destroyed.

Attacks:

As a psychic, many of Pythos' 'Attacks' are based on his mind and the minds of others. Not all immediately give harm, but help to prepare him for the battle ahead. A notable limitation on his attacks is that for them to be truly effective, he must be within sight of his opponent. He is also skilled at claw to claw combat, and often only uses his abilities to give him a window of opportunity to attack. Of course, there are many shades of grey, and variations on the below listed attacks, but they still give a good baseline.

Clear Mind
This ability was not given, but earned. Through all of his meditation and training, Pythos is able to empty his mind of all thought and emotion, leaving him empty and ready to fight. When he has reached this point of serenety, his face becomes cold and hollow, as though he were a zombie, but in truth he is completely in tune with his movements and those of his opponent. Living entirely in the now there is nothing but this fight, and this victory. All past failures and everything that he is is forgotten, as is all thoughts of consequence. This is a strong defense as it leaves him practically impervious to taunting or attacks meant to confuse, and it limits the damage any backlash of his own powers might cause. However, when the battle is through and he slowly begins to recover what parts of himself he can find, he may often be wracked with guilt and remorse.

Empathic Inception
This is an attack of the most insidious and deceitful kind. Pythos will lash out with his mind and insert a thought or emotion into his opponent's head. This can be something simple, such as a stray thought of what one could loose from failure, which soon grows into the gnawing fear of certain defeat. Self doubt is every warrior's worst enemy, and he uses that weakness to his full advantage. Pythos must be careful not to spend too much time in contact with another's mind, or his strength may falter and cause him to loose concentration, crippling his ability to fight.

Disruption
This attack is in fact, nothing more than an illusion. Pythos' opponent may suddenly find it very dark and hard to see, or feel as though they are trying to move through water. They might believe they are fighting not one, but twenty gryphons all moving in unison, or something similar. However, it is simply Pythos using his powers to affect their senses, sending them false information about the world around them. He can only attack one sense at a time though, so if they are a skilled warrior who does not rely too heavily on one sense, it can be easily overcome, in which case Pythos will be forced to change tactics.

Nhil Mentem
Nhil Mentem is an act of desperation, a last resort, something that is used only if all else fails. With this, Pythos will pour the full breadth and strength of his power into his enemy, destroying their mind. In essence, he takes everything from them, their past memories, personality, pretty much everything that makes them who they are. The most immediate affect of this is normally madness, as spiraling dark derangement that can end in self destruction or a dark empty depression that leaves the creature a shell of it's former self. For some, this insanity turns into a blind rage that can make them extremely dangerous in their unbridled brutality. In which case as Pythos is still connected to them, he can stop their heart, killing them instantly and stopping the bloodshed. This whole process is terrifying for the sensitive gryphon, as he would feel everything that his victim does. The horrible fear of loosing oneself, and the searing, tearing pain as it is ripped away from them. Thus he is loathe to experience the full depth of his power, and probably never would use it, even to save himself. There would have to be someone he cared for deeply that was in terrible danger for him to be forced into using it. Even then, the remorse and depression that would ensue might kill him.

Special Ability:

Prophecy
Pythos has a form of precognition that lets him see not glimpses of the future, but rather symbols and impressions of will happen. They can range in severity from a quick glimpse of an icon that will cause him to stumble as he tries to regain himself, to a full on crippling vision that will cause him to black out entirely, not waking for days depending on how bad it was. This ability is neither a welcomed gift, nor is it a sought after experience for Pythos as the result is always a splitting headache. He has no control of when or how they happen and they often come unbidden at the most inopportune times. That utter lack of control frightens him, as he worries that someday he will be struck down at a critical moment during a fight and killed. In the beginning, Pythos thought that these visions were some sort of madness and it was only years later that he recognized some of the symbols in them as they related to certain events. He now keeps careful track of what he sees in each one, looking for clues as to what they might mean. To most, he has kept this ability a complete secret as he has no idea what the visions could be used for, especially in the wrong hands. Thus the headaches are just another one of the things that give him a sour demeanor, and he is very unlikely to speak as to their cause.

Story:
((This all takes place when Pythos is around twenty, still a young gryphon in training.
I promised myself that I would keep this short... Not like my WOI app that I had to edit because it exceeded the character count for a post... ._. But I'm pretty sure I've failed already. Sorry for putting you through all this, and I hope you enjoy at least some of it!))

Bad
Dreams

Pythos' sleep was shattered by a terrified scream. Startled to say the least, his head shoots up off of his forelegs and he stares around his darkened enclosure. The cells around his are silent and still, only the gentle sound of breath reaches his ears as the other gryphons in training still sleep in the early morning. A dim, predawn light slants in from the barred windows that are set high up on the cement wall, patterning the floor with dark stripes as they block out the weak light. A... Dream? He wonders, a bit nervously. Though he doesn't remember dreaming before the scream had awakened him, and Pythos almost always remembers his dreams.

Pythos had just about convinced himself that it was nothing and had settled back down into his nest of straw, when the scream sounds again, sending him leaping to his feet. ~Oh, no! Please no! Someone, help me!~ Awake enough this time to recognize that strange echoing voice is reaching him through his mind unbidden, rather than being spoken, he sighs heavily and takes a few steps away from his bed. Closing his eyes in concentration, he turns his head, looking for the source of the call. He soon locates it's source as belonging to someone from not too far away, perhaps in the cell next to his. Pythos walks over to it cautiously, and leans forward to look through the bars. There, lying just on the other side is a young female gryphon, she kicks in her sleep on the hard floor, having already tossed off the straw bedding that the humans seemed to think they liked. ~Someone... Please...~ Her next cry reaches him like a sob, and he looks on her with pity as she keens softly in her sleep. Poor thing must be having a nightmare. He thinks, watching as her talons flex, almost as if she were trying to claw her way out of something. Whatever afflicts her slumber, her mind has reached out looking for help, and Pythos' sensitive mind hears her pleas as clearly as if she were screaming at the top of her lungs. After a short moments hesitation, he reaches through the bars and gently shakes her, urging her to wake up. "Dido, wake up."

Dido awakes with a start, and stares at Pythos with her bright blue eyes, blinking away the sleep that still clings to them. "Pythos?.. What are you doing? Why did you wake me up?" She asks in a tired sounding, and somewhat irritated voice.

She doesn't remember... Pythos thinks, feeling a bit defeated in his effort to help. He puffs himself up a bit, the feathers on his neck and chest raising for a moment before flattening back down again, and he returns her annoyed glare. "You were dreaming, and all that thrashing about was keeping me awake." He growls back to her, and turns away to stalk back to his own nest.

"Pythos, you're such a jerk... Why don't you mind your own business?" Dido murmurs, just loud enough to reach him as she gets to her feet and gathers up the straw that she had scattered in her sleep. She eventually manages to get it all pulled together again, and curls on top of it with an angry harrumph, sighing loudly.

Wonderful. A perfect start to another delightful day. Mirroring Dido's sigh, Pythos rests his head back on his legs and closes his eyes. Though he is quite certain that all hope of sleep is now lost, there is little else to do this early in the morning and the idea of being alone with his thoughts is no more pleasant than tossing and turning for the next few hours until the humans come to wake them.

A
Hungry
Dawn

By the time the sun had fully crept above the horizon, Pythos was more than ready to start his day. The light always seems to bring the humans, and this day was no exception. However, it seemed as though something strange was going on, as instead of opening up the cells to feed them, they instead kept them inside. Though a few of the trainers were present and were doing their best to keep their student's calm, there were many grumbles and a general sense of unhappiness that persisted throughout the little flock. Pythos easily picks up on this malaise, which only added to his discontent from his lack of sleep, and sets him to pacing in his cell as he waits along with the other hungry gryphons.

Where is Susan? She is always one of the first ones here... Why today, of all days, should she be late? Pythos though to himself as he circled. While every trainer had several pupils assigned to them, and gryphons would often work with more than one trainer at a time, it was not uncommon for one particular master and student to form a special bond. Thus, Susan was his human, and he was want to overlook her duties to the other gryphons she trained and think of her as his trainer alone. Though she could be hard on him, forcing him to fight when he really didn't want to, or pushing him roughly past his roadblocks with little explanation, she had never been unjustly cruel to him as some of the others had.

Next to him, Dido too is restless. True to her affiliation with the ice element, her sky-colored eyes are cold and angry, every last inch of her displaying her displeasure as her snow white feathers stand on end, making the normally crisp lines of her blue river-like markings blur. The sight of her makes Pythos stop his pacing, and with a heavy sigh, he forcibly lays down his own plumage into a more neutral position. He knows that this is one of those times that he truly needs to examine himself and decide just how much of the irritation he is feeling actually originates within himself, and what is just an echo of those around him. Taking a few deep breaths, he has just started the daunting task of closing himself off from the others, when Susan and the last few trainers walk into the cell block. His concentration gone, Pythos walks up as close to the door of his cell as he can get, looking out at the humans as Susan makes her rounds. She eventually stops in front of him, reaching between the bars to give him a friendly rap on the beak. He pushes back against her small hand, ears pricked forward and his golden eyes lock with hers. "You're late." He says grumpily, speaking to her with the common telepathy that is the language of gryphons.

Susan just chuckles at him, and ruffles the feathers on his head. "No worries Pythos, you'll get your breakfast soon enough." She says, speaking back to him verbally, knowing full well that he understands her words as well as any human. This draws another sigh from the brown gryphon as he dips his head a bit and softens his gaze. Though Pythos at this time, was still a young gryphon, Susan had still been his trainer for over twenty years. During that time, he had watched as her hair slowly changed from a deep russet-brown, to sporting streaks of grey at the temples, and her grey eyes, once so full of life, grew ever steadily more tired. Her hand now feels so small and weak against his head, and Pythos knows he could easily snap it in two with the merest click of his bill. However, all malicious intent towards their human companions had long ago been bred from the avians. Not a one of them there, no matter how angry, could ever consider harming them, any more than they could shed their wings and live in the grass with sabers.

Susan's radio beeps, and she steps back from the cage, a moment later the doors swing open and the gryphons emerge to eagerly gather around their trainers. Much calmer now that they have at least some semblance of freedom, they mill about, posturing to each other as they wait for further instructions. Competition between the birds was heavily encouraged by the trainers, and while there would be no outright fights, there were few true friendships among the members flock. Dido joins them, still unhappy with Pythos for awakening her early, as she is the type to carry grudge for a long, long time. They in turn are joined by another two gryphons that Pythos hardly knows, when she sees that they are all assembled, Susan gives them all a command to follow her outside.

The five of them exit through the heavy doors and out into the paved lane that winds it's way between the barracks. A cool mist hangs low to the ground in the early spring morning, and their passing kicks it up into eddy's and swells as Susan leads them out to the center of camp and into the bedraggled parade grounds. The massive lawn is perfectly flat on the end through which they enter, the grass ragged and torn from the many passing talons that have dug into it during formation practices. Even now, Pythos sinks his claws into the soft earth, reveling in the feeling of it as compared to the stone-like cement of his cell. About a hundred yards away, the land slowly becomes more natural, and there is an expanse of grass-covered rolling hills before the man-made open land finds it's end at the edge of a vast forest. Though it is hidden from view by the dark green foliage of oak and yew, Pythos knows from experience that somewhere in the acreage beyond lies the wall. As much to keep the gryphons in as it is to keep the sabers out, the grey mass stands thirty foot tall and encompasses the entire base, creating a near impenetrable fortress. However, the gryphons' keen eyes soon spot their destination: Just at the end of the flat land stands a sergeant, immediately recognizable as someone of rank amongst the humans by the chevrons on his shoulders, along with two veteran gryphon warriors in full armor. Between them stands a large cage, holding four shaggy moose that jostle each other and paw restlessly at the ground, growing ever more fearful as the big Cervidaes sense the approach of even more predators.

Pythos looks on the fully-fledged warriors with no small amount of awe, wondering just how long it will be before his own training is complete. More than a simple expression, the older gryphons are quite literally 'fledged' as only avians that have completed their training are aloud to re-grow the long primaries that give the gift of flight. Trainees, such as Dido and Pythos, have their wing tips regularly cut back to keep them perpetually earthbound, and well within the human sanctioned training ground. By this time, many of the other gryphon's from Pythos' flock have arrived, and are looking hungrily at the contained beasts. Including Dido and the other two who followed Susan. Pythos on the other hand, would much rather have his food already dead by the time it gets to him, and he groans inwardly as he realizes what is happening. They must be planning a tracking exercise... Otherwise they would have no need for the veterans, who they'll send up to just watch and taunt us from above. Though the idea of being let out to run free in the forest, no matter the circumstances, is normally an uplifting experience for Pythos, his already sour mood is little lightened at the prospect.

As the troop settles and the morning mist begins to fade, the sergeant blows his whistle to get everyone's attention. "Alright, now I know everyone is hungry, but don't worry, these here moose are going to be your breakfast! You'll notice that there are four of them, and each one should easily feed at least two of you." He says, pausing for a moment to let the implications set in. "However, there are sixteen of you, so only eight of you are going to get fed today! You'll be assigned partners, and you are to work as a pair to track and bring down your own food." With that, he gives the signal and the door to the cage is opened with a screech and the moose immediately bolt for the sheltering trees.

The trainers then have their hands full trying to contain the hungry gryphons long enough to give the deer a long enough head start. Antsy and just as anxious as everyone else to be off and running, Pythos shifts on his feet, looking to Susan for guidance. "Ok guys, the instructions are that you are to give the moose a thirty minute head start. So I highly suggest you use that time to plan your hunt." She pulls out a tablet and makes a few notes. "Epiktetos, you'll be with Miltiades. That means that Pythos and Dido are a team." Susan finishes with a certainty in her voice that leave no room for question. Pythos looks over to a very irate looking Dido, and shakes his head a bit to himself. Susan is well aware that the two neighbors do not work very well together, and that is probably exactly why she assigned them as a team. Just as she announced the paring, Pythos had sensed a bit of urgency in her, as though this were something more important than just breakfast. ~Oh Pythos, please do good this time... We have to show them that you can do this, or...~ The stray thought is cut off as she then walks away with the rest of the trainers to attend to their other duties. Leaving the armored veterans to keep time and release the trainees to their hunt.

Deciding that he had probably better at least try to make up now, before she leaves him smashed against a tree somewhere, Pythos approaches Dido. "So, what's the plan?" He asks in as civil a voice as he can muster.

The young female glares at him, fixing him pointedly with her icy blue eyes. "Just stay out of my way, Pythos." She says, her voice more of a growl than anything as it reaches his mind. Beyond that though, he senses disapointment in her and the heavy weight of resignation. ~Why did it have to be him? He's such a screw up... Not to mention a jerk.~

With yet another sigh, Pythos steps back from his angry partner to get away from her demeaning thoughts and lays down on the cool grass, watching for a while as the others break off into pairs and begin the discussion of tactics. One must live an angry life to hold a grudge for this long... He remembers the last time they were paired far too well for his liking. The simulated war game had ended poorly for them even though the two had worked quite well together, when Pythos was unable to make the final attack against one of his opponents who at the time he had considered a friend. The fire gryphon's counter was deviating, and left them both with nothing more than a painful defeat. Much to Dido's chagrin, Pythos was far to embarrassed to admit his own shortcomings, and instead cited their inability to work together as the reason for failure, making her look even worse as she rightfully accused him of incompetence. Fluffing out the feathers on his chest, Pythos dips his head and begins to preen, having little else to do besides pass the time besides ponder his deficiencies.

The
Game's
Afoot

As the time draws near and the others finish their discussions, Pythos slowly draws in his mind, cutting himself off from the rest of his companions. Though it is a feat not easily accomplished, it is a necessary task, as he learned long ago that his powers were just as much a hinderance as a help when in battle. He must control them fully, lest they control him instead, making it impossible for him to effectively attack anything sentient, as his own mind picks up their fears and fills him with the dread he himself may inspire. Once he has forced away all thought, and found that place of emptiness, a dark stillness that leaves him a mere shadow of a creature, Pythos is then ready for work. He gets to his feet, with a blank expression as the other's anxious conversations fall on his deaf ears and he stares out into the woods with blind eyes. His thoughts honed like a knife, he seeks out the minds of the forest, easily sorting and passing over creatures that are not his intended prey. Within mere moments, he has located the moose and intimately knows each one's thoughts as they picked their escape routes, as well as paths they had taken to get to where they are now. Though he has had more than his fair share of failure in many areas, Pythos is an expert tracker and there is little that has any hope of escaping him for long, if he is determined to find it. He is actually a bit surprised by how far they have gotten, as the moose are apparently much more agile than one might expect from such a large creature. It is obvious that the humans would not have made their task easy. Such things would normally amuse him, as he leans towards ironic sense of humor, but now there is no place in his mind for such stray thoughts.

The signal is given, and the trainees around him release their pent up energy and lurch forward in unison in a race to the edge of the forest. Some leap, flapping their wings to propel themselves just that much forward of their rivals, while others have already tapped into their elements in hopes of throwing off the competition, and there are bursts of blinding light or concealing shadows that linger on the rolling fields. Pythos however, stays rooted to the spot in which he stands, reading the intent of the other gryphons like a book. Watching to see what target the groups have chosen, and what paths they will use to get there. Not gifted with a keen sense of smell, gryphons not touched by the same element as Pythos are forced to track with their eyes and ears, just like many of their avian brethren. Thus, he is not surpassed when many choose to follow a large bull that has left a sizable hole in the undergrowth from his passing. Somewhere in the depths of his mind, he notes that Dido is among them, jostling and snapping at the others as she runs. He immediately leaves the thought of staying with her, instead choosing to follow a doe that has taken a sharp turn northward along a little stream, throwing the others off her trail.

The two veterans look at Pythos with a bit of curiosity, no doubt wondering why he is still standing there, but it is not their duty to motivate him into following the others. So, after a few moments pass, they leap to the air, beating their strong wings to take them up to altitude where they might easily observe the hunt from above. Ignoring them, Pythos drops his connection to the other three animals, turning his considerable amount of attention to the doe. His feet find purpose then, and he starts off at a slow lope that eventually works it's way into a run as he reaches the trees.

By this time, the sun has risen high enough that there is no trace left of the morning's mist, and there is little to obscure the forest floor as Pythos skillfully dodges around tree trunks and other litter as he runs. Not bothering to worry about stealth, as he already knows the location of his prey, he quickly makes up the ground he had lost to his opponents. His path takes him somewhat away from the others, and the trees are quiet around him, making it easy for him to pick up the sound of the little brook that had presented itself for the doe's escape. About the time his talons find the water, as sudden urgent thought cuts through his mind, making him falter in the soft mud. ~Oh no you don't! He's mine!~ Apparently, Pythos had retained some sort of connection with Dido's mind as she left him, and now her thoughts are once again reaching out to him. Though her words may be brave, she is filled with fear and it flows through him in waves. A broken vision presses it's way into his mind, and he knows instantly that she is outnumbered, and most likely out matched.

Recovering slightly from the painful shock of having his concentration broken, Pythos struggles to regain his composure and control over his own mind. Taking deep breaths, he stands with all four feet slowly sinking into the mud at the bottom of the little stream, as it's current slowly buries them with silt. After a long moment, he is once again able to think and now realizes that he is now planted firmly at a crossroads: Should he continue on his way and seek out his own prey, or should he help his 'partner' out of whatever situation it is that she now faces? For a simpler gryphon, the choice would be clear: Go and find breakfast and take the glory for himself, earning some adulations from the trainers. After all, it was her choice to leave and Dido very made it very clear that his help was not wanted. However, the guilt he harbors from their last failure has built up a sense of loyalty in Pythos towards the ice gryphon, and he technically owes her one. With a heavy sigh, he realizes that for him, there really isn't a choice. Pythos turns and heads back in the direction he came, reaching out as he does so to pinpoint Dido's location.

The connection not having completely faded between their minds, Dido is not difficult to find and Pythos finds himself slowing as he reaches a stand of tall oaks. The soft ground of the forest has been frozen solid here, and yet the limbs far above his head still smoke from where they have been scorched. An wholly unnatural combination that could only have resulted from a scuffle between opposing elementals. Oh Dido... Not a fire gryphon. While every element has it's strengths, none are infallible. In face, every element has one that they are particularly weak against, and for an ice gryphon like Dido, there is little she could do to protect herself from the flames of a fire elemental. The path of destruction leads deeper into the trees, and Pythos sinks low to the ground to creep up on them as stealthily as a creature his size can manage.

Peering around the trunk of a particularly large tree, Pythos spots Dido pinned against thicket by two fire elements that a trainer had paired together like some cruel joke. "Well, you've given us enough trouble, little lady, that I'm thinking we should just make sure you can't follow us further..." One of the fire gryphons says, drawing a hearty laugh from the other. As Pythos watches, he can see them building up for a final attack, their energies feeding off of one another as a small spark of flame winks into existence between them.

Realizing that he must act quickly, Pythos lashes out at them with a distraction that breaks their concentration and destroys the attack they were building. "Wait... What was that?" The first speaker asks, as they both look off to the right. Not hearing the sound planted in their heads, Dido takes that moment as an opportunity and counters, sending a clap of air laden with ice descending on the two, forcing them to dodge as it sizzles against their defenses.

While everyone is distracted, Pythos sinks his talons into the tree next to him and hauls himself up, easily climbing up to a point where he has a much better view and is out of the way of the other's attacks. The fires quickly recover and once again turn on Dido, but they are unsettled and Pythos easily reaches into their minds again, and enhances that feeling, turning confusion into doubt, and doubt into fear. Defenses weakening, they step from Dido and Pythos enhances the effect by blurring their vision, doubling then tripling everything the see. Left feeling dizzy, and still completely unaware that they are under attack by another gryphon, the two fires back off even further, shaking their heads and stumbling over the uneven ground. It is exactly that lack of knowledge that has made his attacks so powerful, as it is nearly impossible for them to defend against something they are not even aware is happening.

Though Dido looks a bit confused by their sudden change in countenance, she doesn't stop to think too hard about it and slips away from the hedge they had her pinned against. Every inch of her plumage displaying aggression and anger, she lunges at them from a flanking position, causing both fires to flinch back in surprise. Though he realizes he effectively has the two neutralized, Pythos knows he can't let up now. They are trained warriors, and the instant he lets them go, they will start to recover and no doubt redouble their own attacks. Taking a deep breath, Pythos leaps from the tree, opening his wings with a deafening crack to slow his descent just as he reaches the ground, and lands directly in front of the pair. With their blurred vision, and fear rising in them up to the point of paranoia, the sudden appearance of another gryphon, his form doubled a hundred times, causes them to panic. They turn and flee into the forest, their minds devoid of thought beyond self preservation.

No
Good
Deed

Not really having any idea what just happened, Dido is certain that it was her own doing that scared the pair off and she glares angrily at Pythos as he folds his wings. "What are you doing, you idiot? Climbing trees like a chick... I mean really, couldn't you see that I had them on the run?" She spits at him, still worked up from her fight and hardly in any mood to wonder what it is that really happened.

Pythos turns to look at her, his expression blank and his eyes cold. There is no room left in his mind for anger or pride as he holds on to the connection, keeping the pair of fires afraid and running for a few hundred yards before letting their own natural fear, and the confusion that persists as he lets the contact slip away, chase them a bit further. "Sorry..." Is all he can manage to say, in a quiet and distant voice.

His detachment infuriates her further, and Dido screams at him, making him flinch as the words echo through his sensitive mind. "Pythos, you imbecile! I told you to leave me alone, and what do you do? Sneak after me and ruin everything!" Still storming with rage, she turns from him and leaps away, disappearing into the undergrowth. ~What a jerk...~ Her thoughts float back to him as she puts distance between them, picking up the trail of the bull she had been tracking when the others came upon her.

Though her words will hurt later, as will the fact that she never recognized what he did to help her, at least for now Pythos' is immune to her bluster. Thus he finds it prudent not to dwell on the encounter, and quickly turns his mind out again to seek the moose and perhaps secure some breakfast. Senses heightened, and still feeling the effects of his own attacks, the search is much faster this time and he soon finds there are only three minds left in the forest. The bull that Dido is tracking has been killed, and from the desperation that wafts from the other male, it's death too is imminent. That leaves the females, one of which has turned far to the south and is quickly moving further in that direction and away from the chaos of the hunt. The doe that Pythos had chosen has turned back on her own trail, also moving a bit to the south, and strangely enough closer to his current position. Deciding once again to focus on that animal, Pythos leaves the stand of oaks quietly, with barely a second thought of Dido and her soon to be fruitless search, and heads off towards the doe.

Backtracking his way to the stream, Pythos turns to follow it's course as the flow bends gently to the east. The sound of the cool water is soothing to his ears, and allows him to step back from the tension that the fight had built in him, slowly easing back into a calm emptiness. The ground soon begins to flatten, and the stream spreads out, sinking into the ground and forming a large bog. Pythos is forced to move onto more solid ground, as his large form easily sinks into the muck, sticking to his feet and slowing his progress. It is from a distance then, that he finally catches sight of the moose he has been following. She stands half submerged in the dark water, head dripping wet as she happily tears at the water plants growing up through the sticky mud. It is almost as though she has lived there all her life, and ironically enough, her choice of feeding grounds also makes a direct attack nearly impossible. Thus Pythos looks out at her from the trees, feet firmly on solid ground and tail swishing with indecision.

Though he would much prefer to break the connection he has with her, and block off his mind before hunting to save himself from the backlash, Pythos realizes that the use of his powers is most likely the best way to flush her out of the pond. Decision made, he easily creates a distraction behind her, and the startled doe quickly moves away from the water. Trailing far behind so as not to spook her back in, Pythos waits until she has moved far enough into the trees to be free of the mud before he sends the next attack. Forming his mind into a kind of blade, Pythos slips it neatly between the connection of her mind and body and the doe instantly freezes in place. Once she is thusly secured, he then slips from the tree and approaches the terrified animal. Rooted to the ground with no understanding of why she can't flee, the dow is now faced with a predator of impossible size and of a configuration never intended by nature. Pythos looks into her eyes, a puddle of urine slowly pooling about her hooves, and can feel the terror his presence inspires in her, the all encompassing fear of the hunted. He lifts his taloned hand, prepared for the killing stroke, but it soon sinks slowly back to the ground as his resolve falters. To kill like this, a defenseless victim... This was not her choice, not her fight nor her duty... It hardly seems right. His thoughts cause him to waiver, and he steps back. Even if he could convince himself that this was the right thing to do, somehow get past the injustice, killing her now means knowing the death of his prey as if it were his own.

Cursing his own weakness, he is just about to give up and drop the connection when a sudden noise from behind him catches his attention. Just as he turns to look and see what it is, Dido bursts from the trees and leaps on the doe, sending Pythos into shock. He stumbles backwards, landing hard on his haunches in a sitting position as she skillfully dispatches the animal. He talons find their mark easily, and the doe's suffering is over in an instant, leaving Pythos to pick up the ragged ends of his severed connection.

Having found that the others had already killed the bull she was following, Dido had doubled back and followed Pythos' trail, which in turn led her directly to the helpless animal. Her work finished, she looks back at her 'partner' and can't help but laugh at his bedraggled expression."Good work finding this one, Pythos. The others all dead, I think... Everyone else went south." She says, in a chipper voice. No doubt happy to have caught her meal, as it is most certainly not from Pythos' presence.

Pythos shakes his head, coming out of his shock and letting his barriers drop as he steps forward. "Uh... Thanks I guess." He says, still somewhat confused in his thoughts, though he is actually truly grateful to her for having done what he was unable to do. Finding that he is staring at the carcass hungrily, he forces himself to look back up to Dido. "So does that mean you're going to let me have some? Or are you going to run me off like those two fires?" He asks, his tone a bit hopeful in it's sarcasm.

Her expression turns more serious, and she glares at him for a moment. "We'll see I guess. Depends on how hungry I am. The humans did say they were each supposed to feed two of us..." She says, her normal prickly demeanor showing itself once more. "After all, it's my kill and you're still a jerk, Pythos."

Art of it:

I have yet to see a picture of a WAG with armor... So I'm not sure if I need it for this competition or not. If I do, please let me know and I'll draw some!

[Koiley]

Hey guys sorry I forgot about this! I'll be judging and announce the winner tomorrow.

[Soriams]

Just thought I'd give this a bump up, and thank -Kiley- again for all their hard work.