Returning Home: Chapter 1

Kwame emerged from her cabin to the sound of Fujiwara screaming, her angry shriek sending laggard sailors scurrying out of her way. Kwame shook her head as she ascended the stairs to the stern deck. They'd been at sea for a few weeks now and every time the female gryph returned to the ship there was always someone in the way, despite the sound of her approach warning them of her approach. Today, Fuji had even roared to announce herself, so the men had no reason to still be there.

She stood at the top of the stairs so Fuji would have as much room as possible to land, though her razor sharp talons still gouged the wood mere feet from her position. Kwame winced at the exposed wood, knowing the sailors would complain. "We're going to have to pay to replace this deck." She stated, joining her mount. Fuji tilted her head to see the damage and croaked a response. Without a translator, Kwame wasn't sure if it was an apology or indifference, but in the end it didn't matter. The deck had taken much damage from Fuji taking flight and landing, and it would only end with their voyage.

"Did you find anything to eat, dear?" Kwame asked after the gryph had settled herself into a nest of old sail cloth, driftwood, shed feathers, and lockers. Fuji swung her head to pull something from a pouch Kwame had made her to remove a beautiful feather. It was a greyish-purple darkening to a star dappled midnight blue, the ventral side almost cyan fading to a sapphire blue and broken by thick bars. At the tip of the dorsal side a golden heart was enclosed in a black teardrop surrounded by the same cyan from the underside. And beneath it, a rune of some kind featuring a crescent moon and a switchbacking curlique. It was so unnatural that at first Kwame thought it was painted. "Where did you find this, Fuji?" She looked up and Fuji pointed her beak toward the east.

In the distance she saw a string of small islands, mostly rocky along the shores and covered in palm trees. From the waves around them, it looked as though a reef guarded the islands from ships. Tucking the feather into her tunic she rushed to the stairs, slid down them with her feet on each side of the frame, and ran to the helm where the captain was speaking to his navigator and bosun.

"Captain?" She called politely. The three men paused their discussion to look at her. "Yes, madam?" The captain asked in his politest manner. "Apologies for the interruption, gentlemen. Fuji just returned with an interesting artifact. What islands are those, if I may ask?"

They all glanced at the islands, and the captain was the only one among the three who didn't make some sign against evil. "Those are the Wyrd Isles, ma'am. No man lands there so we avoid it." "Things guard it from the trespass of men," the bosun added, earning an impatient glare from the captain and a single nod of agreement from the navigator. "A reef guards the islands from approach by sea and none in Roenden care to sail here with a Tyrian to explore it." The captain further explained.

"Ah, I see I have broached a sore subject." Kwame smiled apologetically. "Thank you for the information, I'll leave you gentlemen to your work and thank you for your time." So saying she turned to leave, but the navigator's next words made her pause. "Whatever thy beast returned with, I would advise casting it back into the sea. Nothing good ever comes of those isles." Kwame bowed her head respectdully, "I appreciate your advice." Though she had no intention of tossing the feather away. It was just curious enough that she wanted to present it to her emperor upon their return.