High on the cliff face overlooking a great, green valley loomed a small outcropping leading into a dark cave. Those of the nearby towns say that a great creature lives in the cave, leaving only to gather treasures from around the world for its hoard. Some might have climbed to see, but the cliff was treacherous to scale, and handholds gave under the lightest tough. The creature never brought harm to those living nearby, however, and many didn't even believe it existed-- a few scattered tales of a winged beast setting off from the mountain at dusk could be attributed to birds and drink.
In truth, a creature did exist. It made its home in the sheer mountain, away from the prying eyes of the little folk, and pursued its interests in its own ways. Its home served it well: no other being had disturbed its cave for hundreds of years, a stretch of isolation only broken on a late spring day that otherwise may have been just like any other.
Just before noon on that sunny day, a white rabbit paw broke the solitude of that ledge. As if that weren't enough, it used that pawhold to drag an entire rabbit --or half of one, anyway-- up over the edge. The panting, cream-white bunny took a moment to catch his breath, one ear flopping over his face and a sack fallen to one side, before wiggling his way up onto the ledge entirely until his footpaws could find solid stone under them again. The fluffy fellow rolled on his back and panted softly, brushing an ear off his face to stare at the brilliant blue stretching over him. The sun was just barely hidden behind the peak of the mountain, providing the lucky rabbit with a nice little patch of shade in which to cool down.
He lay there for a time, finding this stretch of rock strangely comfortable after the long, difficult climb. He didn't know how long he rested there, but it seemed far too soon that his toes started to warm up-- the sun was peeking over to shine on his little piggies, and they felt like they were going to cook in no time. He shuffled up a little further and gave a little sigh before finally climbing to his feet and taking up his bag.
The mouth of the cave loomed over the diminutive rabbit, its insides barely visible for a few feet in. It was at least three times as tall as he, and about as wide across as it was high. The floor was rough and beaded stone, dry and loud under the slap of even his light footpaws. The hush of the wandering winds around the mountain faded to silence as the bunny padded deeper into the cave, leaving him in silence but for those soft patters of his own paws. His eyes were adjusting slowly, and he could only just see the path before him-- though every once in a while, the floor before him was so black he had to stop and gingerly make sure it was still there before continuing. The floor had started to slope down subtly, and the light grew dimmer and dimmer behind him.
The bunny gave a soft yelp and stopped abruptly, realizing there was a wall about three inches from his nose. He felt at it carefully, following it to one side, then the other. He set down his bag and frowned, looking back. "A dead end?" He murmured, tracing the way he'd come.
If this bunny knew anything about adventure, he knew there was plenty to be found in the mountains. Especially the big, spiky mountains that people glance at and say, "oh, you don't want to go there." That was exactly what had brought him to walk into that gear shop back in town, asking about climbing supplies and adventure. The shopkeep had tried to convince him while he'd gotten out the gear that there wasn't anything special about those mountains. No ancient temples. No hidden tribes. No super-rare mountain goats or wildflowers. But this bunny didn't give up that easily. He'd finally gotten him to admit, "well, there is that cave way up on the West side of the mountain. They say there's a big stash of treasure up there, but nobody's ever gotten up that cliff, and blah blah blah silly stuff." The bunny had known on the spot he had his adventure, and he'd hardly laid down the money before he was out the door and on his way.
But dead ends were not any kind of treasure this bunny knew of. He frowned and rubbed his chin fluff some, before finally perking up. If there was treasure, it wouldn't just be sitting there ready to be taken. There must have been a secret door! He rummaged in his bag and got out a pick. Everyone knows you can tell a hidden door by the sound it makes. He started tapping at the stone, making his way around the back wall and going to either side. It all sounded solid, though. Either it was a really good door, or it wasn't here. He pouted a little, looking back again. He could check the whole cave... He thought about it some, looking around. Around then, he noticed that though the ceiling was a little sloped most of the way down and catching the light, it was pitch black right over him.
Another rummage in the pack produced a piton. The bunny tossed it up, and it clunked-- wood. The bunny grinned-- and yelped, dodging the piton. Collecting his gear, the bunny felt along the wall. It was too smooth and rounded for him to climb, so he searched until he found a crack, and drove the piton in. In a matter of a few minutes, he had wedged himself up against the dark, wooden surface. It was wide, sturdy, and very heavy. Mobile, but heavy. When he put his shoulder into it, the wood started to swing upward-- it seemed to be hinged on the far side. Definitely a door.
The stone revealed was smooth-hewn, and light laid dimly over the bunny as the gap widened. Shouldering his pack carefully, he wedged himself between the door and the wall and used them to crawl up. He just barely squeezed through before the door fell shut with a slam again underneath him, leaving him to topple over on top of it. The door made the bottom of a cube-shaped recess-- about as wide and as deep as the cave had been. Beyond, a smooth, curved ceiling loomed high above him, with a small hole carved in it letting light shine through. He'd definitely found something. He just needed to get out of his little hole.
The bunny grasped at the sides, but the stone was too smooth. There were no cracks proper for driving a piton into, either. He scrabbled at it and gained a few feet before sliding down again. He frowned. It wasn't THAT tall. He turned around, and dashed at the far side, bunny hopping up onto the wall and scrabbling up. His claws nearly chipped off on the stone, but he just barely managed to grab hold of the edge.
One more time, the breathless bunny dragged himself over the stone ledge, dropping his bag beside him. He had much more incentive to look up this time, however. The walls around him were carved into shelves at least twenty feet high, stretching all around the room. Shelves jutted into the room, extending from the walls, and a second platform sat atop the shelves, still more shelves lining the walls beyond. Six holes in the domed ceiling shed light over the massive room, glinting off countless treasures.
Necklaces, crowns, trinkets, swords, sculptures, shields, gems, vases, tomes, helms, and an endless variety of treasures, gilt and silvered, begemmed and skillfully painted, filled the shelves on every side of him. The room was massive, and its contents immeasurable in value. The rabbit could scarcely begin to imagine the wealth he had stumbled upon. He turned around several times before finally stepping to one of the shelves. A gold crown bearing a wide band of gems of several kinds sat on a red silk pillow. He reached out, not quite ready to believe it was real.
"The Band of the Primarch, ruler of the Western Coalition until it dissolved 359 years ago." A smooth, masculine voice filled the chamber, and the bunny jumped. "Last worn by Ezekiel the Third, also called Ezekiel the Coward." The voice drew together, behind the rabbit. "Not the happiest piece of history, but I think it's at least well made." The bunny turned to find a beast smiling at him.
The rabbit had never seen a gryphon in person before, and the majestic specimen before him left him speechless. Blue eyes shone over the bunny, their gaze piercing and the little mammal, seeming to see beyond him entirely. Below, the beast's beak was turned slightly in a smile, and above his gentle brow perked feline ears nestled on either side of a plume of white and gray feathers. Strong, white-furred shoulders broke into avian forelegs, claws making not a sound on the stone flooring. Broad, white and gray wings folded over his back, his feathers still settling quietly in the moment of silence. The rest of the beast's form was that of a white lion, gray seeping at his hind paws and tickling the tuft of his tail.
It was apparent the bunny had no words for him, and after a moment, the gryphon's smile deepened with amusement. "I'm impressed that you've made your way into my humble dwelling. I thought my glamor on the door was perfect." The bunny finally blinked. He had no idea what a glamor was. "You'll have to tell me when you've gathered yourself a bit just how you saw through it. As company goes, I suspect I could do far worse, but I should like to make sure I don't end up with someone more sinister coming a-knocking." He took a step, and another, casually making his way towards the bunny. Not towards him, but just around him-- his legs swung within a few inches of the bunny as he passed, his wings hanging over the little one's head. The creature easily dwarfed this little bunny-- he only came up about halfway to the beast's shoulder. As such, the gryphon's belly hung about at his eye level-- earning him a view he wasn't expecting as the creature stopped beside him to take a closer look at the crown.
Happy to divert his eyes, the bunny turned back to look on as well, the crown seeming to glimmer softly under the attention. The gryphon murmured overhead, "I'd imagine that the gold and gems alone could easily buy a plot of land and a home with enough left over for a few easy years of living. But the real value of this piece likely would lay with the collectors. It is a significant artifact of a fallen government, and many would pay quite the price for it, I expect." His eyes fell to the rabbit. "Wouldn't you agree?"
The bunny was stunned again at the clarity of those great, blue eyes, at the intelligence and the dignity and the kindness that they bore so quietly. He closed his mouth, and swallowed. "Um." He looked down, picking at the stone floor a little with a footclaw. "I thought it looked pretty..."
A rich chuckle answered him. The gryphon sat, a low rumble rolling in his belly as he settled a little. "It does appeal to the eye as well, does it not? Pity it didn't have a prettier head to sit on." He smiled and gave a soft sigh before leaning down until his head was almost level with the bunny's. "What is your name, little one? I should like to know a bit about you."
The gryphon was much larger than he, but even with that great head drawing close, he couldn't help but notice how handsome he was. He found his thoughts after a bare moment and gave a soft peep, his head tilting till a flopping ear nearly hid his eye. "My name? I'm Onigrift." He looked down a moment before deciding not to try to shake paws. "Nice to meet you."
The gryphon tilted his head in return. "Onigrift? What a sinister name for such a cute little creature." The bunny gave another peep, straightening. "Oh, I mean no offense. It's just that Oni is a word in the tongue of a foreign land for... Ah?" The bunny's cheeks had faded from white to a light pink, and he was looking down. "Are you alright? Oh, I do apologize, I didn't mean to imply that you might have sinister intentions."
Oni hadn't been perturbed by the comment on his name so much as the comment on the rabbit himself. He'd already been struggling not to just stare into those eyes in admiration. He was suddenly very self-aware, and embarrassed to be so tiny and silly and slow to speak in the majestic presence of this creature. His intent study of the floor was interrupted by the gryphon's face, craning down to almost touch the floor, peering up at him with a concerned expression.
"Oh, please don't look so down. I'll feel just terrible to have ruined the mood of the most adorable little guest I've had in, well, ever." The bunny had already finished jumping, and stepped back a little, folding his paws behind his back. The gryphon straightened again, the bunny's gaze following him. "Well, also the only guest, but even so. I'm sure if there had been others, they'd be no competition." He smiled, and the bunny couldn't help but smile in return, giving a little embarrassed giggle. "Ahh, that's a much better look." The gryphon's smile widened, and he canted his head. "Ah, what was I saying? Oh, that's right. It is, indeed, a pleasure to meet you, Ser Onigrift." He lowered his head again, taking a step back in what appeared to be some kind of bow, his wings spreading out to either side in a wide sweep. The simple motion sent the bunny's fur fluttering at the breeze it threw about.
Flustered at the courtesy, Oni quickly dipped into a low, awkward bow, his head level with his waist and his ears flopping down. He rose uncertainly and brushed the great, floppy appendages over his shoulder again, nosing down a little as the gryphon gave another soft chuckle-- one still quite loud coming from the great beast.
Settling down again, the gryphon folded his wings deliberately, folding his arms as well to lay on his belly, though he still had to turn that sharp blue gaze down to find the bunny even so. "Hmm. Now that that's out of the way, perhaps you could tell me why you've deigned to visit my little corner of the world. You don't seem to have come for my head, or to pillage my home." He smiled a bit bemusedly. "For which I am thankful."
The bunny stiffened at the very idea, his anxiety over having to explain himself forgotten. "Oh, nonono! Nothing like that. I just..." He blinked, and looked down. Well, he had come for the treasure... did that count as pillaging? "I..." He couldn't very well say that now-- it would disappoint the nice gryphon. He glanced over at the crown, giving it a rueful look. Another chuckle slipped from the gryphon.
"I see. Well, I suppose I can't blame you there. I've seen to it I have quite the impressive little collection, and I imagine I'd be the envy of many if they even knew it really existed." He smiled, his eyes sliding over the tall shelves full of endless wealth. His eyes only matched his smile when they fell back to the bunny. "I can guess you weren't expecting to run into me. Well, I'm afraid that I can't let you run off with my collection, it's much too precious to simply give away." The bunny blinked, and his eyes fell again. He should have known better than to hope. It was only fair, he hadn't even known that the treasure would still belong to someone.
"No," the gryphon mused, "it would be much more appropriate to arrange for a trade."
The bunny peeped. "A trade?"
"Mmm. You don't seem to have much of value on you, but I think you may well be able to render services of which I am very much in need." He glanced away and murmured, "very much so."
Oni perked up, "a quest!"
The gryphon gave a start, and chuckled softly. "Not... exactly. You see, Ser Onigrift, I have traveled the world quite a time, but I have not found one such as myself in centuries. My days have grown lonely, and my need for companionship... considerable."
"Just Oni."
Blinking, the Gryphon turned his eyes back from the unseen horizon, down to the rabbit. "Beg pardon?"
"You can just call me Oni. I'm no knight." He giggled softly.
"Ahh." The gryphon smiled softly, and cleared his throat. "Very well, Oni. As I was saying, my needs have been growing intolerable, and with my kin seemingly withdrawn from the skies and cliffs we once prowled, I am left with few options. Or rather, I was, until your arrival. I must confess that your slender, soft form has stirred in me feelings that I thought had long faded." His voice was growing deeper, seeming to descend into his throat as he confided in the white rabbit.
Said rabbit fidgeted with his paws behind his back, trying to put together everything the rumbling gryphon had just confessed. "Um... so what was it you wanted?" He swallowed, his heart beating loudly in his ears.
The gryphon leaned closer, smiling slowly as he answered in a low murr, "I want you, little rabbit."
