As the first rays of dawn streaked across the sky, thirteen year old Gwendolyn Griffiths felt around her nightstand for her glasses. After a few moments of frantic searching, she put them on as a new sight met her eyes. She still wasn't quite accustomed to the luxurious, yet dusty, room that she could call her own. She'd been at Gryphon Wing's for a little over a week to organize what little poseesions she had into the spacious room.
Her bright green eyes searched the room in wonder. The room was lined with bookcases that reached the ceiling except for the wall where a small deaaer and the door leading to a small hallway stood. She tried in vain to push her brown bangs out of her eyes before she remembered that today was the start of her classes.
She dressed as fast as she could and put her brown hair back into a messy ponytail before grabbing her backpack and rushing out the door. After she closed the door she stared at the blue cresent moon and gently traced the outline of one of the stars on the edge of the door before hurrying off to class.
She walkedup to a door that had a swirling vortex that swirled with colors and stepped in, hoping that it was the right door. Suddenly she felt a whoosh of air as she stepped out of the vortex. The hall she had appeared in was light and airy with several golden arches on either side that showed a small courtyard with a tree in it. She glanced up at the ceiling to see golden carvings of birds in flight. "Wow, this is amazing!" She breathed. "Like it? I found it when I got lost on my way to class just like you." Startled, she turned around to see a tall young man standing there in an elegant blue tunic embroidered with gold. "Who are you?"
[BREAK]
The man bowed elegantly, "I am Zander Gryphon." The girl gasped, "The Prince of the Birds." He gave her a mocking smile, "So you've heard of me." "You're in my favorite book... But it said that you died two hundred years ago." "So I did. What else did that book of yours say?" She thought for a moment before she exclaimed, "Of course! Your familiar was a pheonix! Her name is Ava."
As soon as the words were out of my mouth a plume of flame surrounded ZAnder, as the flames died down there stood a magnificent bird on his shoulder. It greatly resembled a Peregrine Falcon except that its feathers were flames and its beak was the same silver as its talons were.
Ava preened her fiery feathers as Zander studdied the girl, "What's your name?" "Gwendolyn Ginger Griffiths, Gwen for short." He raised his eyebrow, "After the seer?" "I don't know." I confessed as I looked down, knowing that my bangs would cover my glasses, therefore covering my eyes. He shook his curly black head as if clearing it and said, " Ava, this is Gwen. Gwen, this is Ava."
Ava flew gracefully over to me and perched on my shoulder. I stroked one of her fiery wings, I was amazed that her feathers flet as if I was stroking the surface of soft silk instead of the scorching heat I had imagined. I looked carefully at each of the flames that made up her feathers before I looked at her eyes. Her eyes were made out of twin blue flames that gave her eyes a mischevious twinkle. I had heard that if your familiar was a pheonix then instead of dying a mortal death, you would live as long as your familiar did in the healed form that you had died in. Obviously the rumor was true.
