The Griffin's War (Fallen Moon Trilogy)

by K J Taylor

  Skandar paid no attention. He continued to call his name, all his promises forgotten in the midst of what consumed him now: a male griffin’s utter and most powerful need to protect his territory against all comers, no matter how large or numerous.

  “Skandar, they’ll tear you to pieces!” Arenadd yelled, and ignoring the danger, he reached out to grab his partner’s flank.

  Skandar turned on him instantly, snarling.

  Arenadd backed off hastily. “Skandar!” he said. “Skandar, it’s me!”

  Skandar advanced on him, radiating aggression. But Arenadd was horribly aware of the griffins above, spreading out to circle over the city and the tower, and he stood his ground. Below, people had already seen them, and he could hear faint screams drifting up toward them.

  “Skandar, we’ve got to go below,” he said. “We can’t fight them all on our own; there’s too many of them.”

  “No!” Skandar rasped. “My territory! Mine! Mine!”

  “You won’t protect it by getting yourself killed!” said Arenadd. “We have to go below, we have to plan—”

  “No! You plan, I fight! You go, I stay!”

  “I’m not going anywhere,” said Arenadd. “My place is with you, Skandar.”

  The griffins were no longer approaching. They were there, just above them, flying over the tower in slow circles. Arenadd could see them—even hear the sound of their wings. They would attack at any moment.

  “Then stay,” said Skandar. “Fight.” He was already tensing, preparing to fly to the attack.

  “But Skandar—look out!”

  A griffin had suddenly folded its wings and dropped toward the tower. Arenadd dived behind Skandar, who opened his wings and reared up to intercept the attacker.

  The griffin, however, rolled out of the way. It landed neatly on the tower-top, close to the flagpole.

  Arenadd picked himself up and wrenched his sickle out of his belt. Ahead of him, Skandar was already charging, feathers flying, ready to strike . . .

  The griffin turned to face him. But it did not attack. It backed away a few steps and lowered its head, bending its forelegs and bowing low in a gesture of submission.

  Skandar halted his charge at the very last moment and stood over the other griffin, hissing and confused.

  The other griffin did not raise its head. It made several quick trills and clicks, sounds Arenadd vaguely recognised.

  He moved forward, to Skandar’s side, sickle in hand. “Who are you?” he demanded.

  The other griffin raised its head partway. It was a good-sized male, thickset with powerful limbs and tawny brown feathers. “I do not wish to fight,” he said. “Only to talk.”

  “Talk,” Skandar snapped.

  The griffin lifted his head all the way, though he still kept his forelegs bent. “Are you Skandar, the dark griffin?” he asked.

  “Am Skandar,” he said.

  The brown griffin’s eyes glinted as he looked at Arenadd. “And is this human your partner, Kraeai kran ae, the Shadow that Walks?”

  “I am,” said Arenadd.

  “And you have conquered this city?” said the griffin.

  “Our territory,” said Skandar. “We fight, win, keep. Go now, or we kill.”

  “Does he speak the truth, Kraeai kran ae?” said the griffin.

  “He does,” said Arenadd. “Who are you? I warn you: if you are here to fight, then Skandar and I will fight back. And we don’t lose easily.”

  The griffin drew himself up. “I am Kaanee, hatched at Malvern. Tell me, Kraeai kran ae, is it true that it is you who were behind the kidnapping of the Mighty Kraal’s human?”

  “Skandar and I,” said Arenadd.

  “We take human,” said Skandar.

  “And you killed the humans belonging to the councillors at Malvern?”

  “Yes,” said Arenadd.

  “And it was you who killed the griffiner at Warwick?”

  “We kill,” said Skandar.

  “What do you intend to do?” said Kaanee. “Is it your intention to attack Malvern and take this land from the Mighty Kraal?”

  Arenadd’s grip tightened on the sickle. “Yes. And we will kill anyone who tries to stop us.”

  Kaanee regarded him; his eyes were yellow, and they glittered with intelligence. “We have seen the Mighty Kraal,” he said. “At Malvern. He is . . . angry, desperate. Without his human, he does not know what to do. For all his strength, he cannot lead alone. We griffins know this. A griffin is a fighter, not a thinker. Humans do this for us . . . for partnered griffins, at least. Without his human, the Mighty Kraal is no longer mighty. He failed to defend her; he failed to rescue her. He is diminished.”

  Arenadd felt a hint of cruel pleasure. “I know,” he said. “That was my intention.”

  Kaanee bowed his head to him, and to Skandar. “We have seen this,” he said. “We have seen your triumph and his defeat, and we have decided—”

  “What decide?” Skandar interrupted. “My territory! You go, or fight!”

  Kaanee clicked his beak. “We cannot follow a griffin who has been defeated,” he said in a businesslike way. “Yet we must have a leader. And now we have found another.” He turned to look at Skandar. “A griffin with great strength. A griffin of great renown. A griffin with a cunning and powerful human. A griffin who has defeated the Mighty Kraal, when no others ever have. We have decided what we must do.” He lowered his head again and bowed low. “We have come to offer you our strength,” he said. “Mighty Skandar.”

  Arenadd was dumbfounded. “You mean you’ve come to join us?”

  Kaanee looked up. “We follow the most powerful griffin in the land,” he said. “And the most powerful human. Once Kraal was that griffin and Elkin that human. But now you have proven yourself more powerful than they. Therefore, you are our masters now. Command us, and we will do your bidding. We will give this land to you.”

  Arenadd couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He looked at Kaanee, then up at the cloud of griffins over Fruitsheart. “All of you?” he said.

  “I am the strongest of the griffins that came here,” said Kaanee. “I have been asked to speak for them. They are your followers now, Mighty Skandar.”

  Arenadd stared at him and the circling griffins a moment longer. Then he began to smile.

  27

  Plots

  Arenadd’s prediction had been right.

  Two days after Kaanee’s arrival, two days after Arenadd and Skandar had accepted the griffins’ allegiance and begun to organise the defence of the city with their help, the first of the griffiners arrived from Malvern.

  There were only ten, a small force sent to search the city and, with the governor’s help, find the rebels hiding there. They were seen within moments by the new griffin sentinels, which attacked them at once.

  Arenadd and Skandar never had to even leave their new quarters. Kaanee and the one hundred unpartnered griffins he led attacked their erstwhile friends in the air and tore them to pieces. By the time the short fight was over, there was very little left of them to identify. Down in the city, people gathered in the streets to watch, and some were even bold enough to climb onto rooftops for a better view. They yelled encouragement and jeered the dying griffiners and scrambled to pick up the feathers that drifted down.

  Arenadd knew that wouldn’t be the end of it—not by a long way. The instant Malvern realised that ten griffiners had vanished at Fruitsheart, they would know what was happening and the true assault would begin.

  He called a meeting of the council very quickly after the attack and waited impatiently while the councillors gathered.

  Saeddryn was the first to arrive. “Arenadd, I want a word with ye.”

  Arenadd groaned and rubbed his forehead; he was hung over and in no mood for another argument with his second-in-command. “Do tell,” he mumbled.

  Saeddryn sat down on his left-hand side, since Skandar had taken the right. “Sir, have ye really decided t’put that griffin on the council—Ka
nnie, or whatever his name is?”

  Arenadd yawned. “Saeddryn, let me put it like this: Kaanee and his friends killed four griffiners and came to look for us so they could offer their support. Skandar doesn’t want to have to talk to these griffins, so Kaanee does it for him. He has to be here so he’ll have something to tell them, don’t you think?”

  “Obviously, sir, but that wasn’t what I meant,” Saeddryn said stiffly. “Sir, I don’t trust him. He turned on Kraal. Who’s t’say he won’t turn on us, too?”

  Arenadd laughed softly. “You don’t know griffins very well, do you?”

  “I know—” Saeddryn began.

  “Griffins don’t care about patriotism,” said Arenadd. “They don’t plot or scheme, at least not without the help of a human. They’re not thinkers. All they care about is strength. They follow the strongest, and Skandar is the strongest. As long as they never see him lose to another griffin, they’ll stay on our side. We’re fighting a very dangerous war against a very dangerous enemy. Frankly, we need all the help we can get.”

  “Yes, sir,” said Saeddryn. “Ye make a good point. All I’m sayin’ is we should keep watch on ’em. Just t’be on the safe side. Trust no-one, sir.”

  “I don’t,” said Arenadd. I trust Skade and Skandar, and no-one else. Not even you, cousin.

  “That’s wise, sir,” said Saeddryn.

  Arenadd watched her curiously. She was certainly being more agreeable today. Maybe she was just in a good mood over the deaths of the griffiners.

  The rest of the council arrived shortly afterward. Kaanee came last, panting and a little bedraggled.

  Arenadd stood and inclined his head to the griffin. “Kaanee, welcome. Take any place you want; Skandar and I are in your debt.”

  The tawny griffin looked pleased. He padded around the edge of the room and settled down by Skandar, taking the honoured seat to the right of his new master.

  Arenadd smiled to himself. I have Saeddryn, and Skandar has Kaanee. I’m not sure which of us got the better deal.

  He pulled himself back to the present. “Welcome, my friends,” he said. “Relax and have something to drink; you’ve earnt it. Now . . .”

  The humans around the table leant forward intently.

  “We won a victory today,” said Arenadd. “And an important one. Our new allies have shown us what they can do, and they won my trust. Kaanee, I want to thank you on behalf of all of us, but especially on my own. With your help, we can defeat the griffiners and take Malvern.”

  Kaanee dipped his head, obviously flattered. “We did only as we were asked,” he said. “I am proud to have served such a powerful griffin and such a worthy human.”

  Arenadd translated his words for the benefit of the council, who looked duly impressed.

  “Unfortunately,” he went on, “we can’t afford to rest on our laurels. This victory may have been important, but it was also minor. There are hundreds of griffiners still left at Malvern, and ordinary soldiers as well. We’re outnumbered but not out-led—not yet. I don’t know if Lady Elkin will recover, but we have to take advantage of the chaos we’ve created at Malvern as quickly as we can. Kraal is leading poorly without his human, so we have the upper hand. And he still doesn’t know where we are. The faster we act, the better.”

  “I agree,” said Saeddryn. “But what d’ye advise we do, sir? If we send people out t’attack other cities, we’ll weaken ourselves too much here.”

  “I agree,” said Arenadd. “But we still have to strike now, while they’re unprepared.”

  “What about Nerth, sir?” said Caedmon. “What orders have ye given him?”

  “That he’s to come south immediately,” said Arenadd. “I told him to leave some men behind but bring three-quarters of them down the river and take cover in a certain spot where the land is very wild. When they arrive, if Fruitsheart is still in our hands, Skandar and I will go to them and order them to come here. They’ll give us the numbers we need.”

  “But it’ll be months before they get here, sir,” said Saeddryn. “Too long.”

  “I know,” said Arenadd. “Until now I thought it would have to do. But now it’s different. Kaanee, I have orders for you.”

  Kaanee looked alert. “Speak, Lord Arenadd.”

  “We don’t need all of your griffins here at once,” said Arenadd. “Twenty would be enough to defend Fruitsheart if we were attacked, at least for a while. In the meantime, I have a use for the rest of them.”

  “You want them to attack other cities?” said Kaanee.

  “Exactly.” Arenadd unrolled a map on the table and pointed to different marks on it. “I’ve been reading the records in the library here—the governor’s aides were kind enough to keep them all nicely up-to-date. Now obviously none of these towns have been used for military purposes for a long time, but they all still have walls and defences and so on. We’ll want to attack the largest and most well placed of them, and I’ll welcome suggestions once I’ve finished speaking. I’ve already marked out two that I think should be the first. Caerleon, a little further north, deals in cows and has at least twelve griffiners in permanent residence and a small garrison. Obviously they’re still prepared in case us nasty rebels decide to attack from the mountains again.” He grinned, and then became serious again. “Kaanee, I want that city. Do you think you and your friends can overrun it?”

  Kaanee curled his talons. “If the strongest and most magically powerful of us are chosen, then we shall defeat the griffiners there easily.”

  “Skandar, can you help him do that?” said Arenadd.

  “Will help,” Skandar said.

  “Good. The other city we must attack is closer to us: Skenfrith. An important trade centre, very large and well populated and, more importantly, two days’ march away from Malvern. If we own Skenfrith, we’ll be in the perfect position to strike.”

  “That’s a strong city, sir,” Saeddryn said doubtfully, following his pointing finger. “I’m not sure we could send a force big enough.”

  “I know,” said Arenadd. “That’s why I plan to use the strongest weapon we’ve got on that city.”

  Saeddryn raised an eyebrow. “Weapon, sir?”

  Arenadd patted Skandar on the shoulder. “Us. Skandar and I will lead that assault ourselves.”

  “Sir, are ye sure we could hold on here without ye?” said Davyn. “What if we were attacked while ye were gone?”

  “Don’t worry,” said Arenadd. “Skandar and I can be back here in a—”

  “—Heartbeat,” said Saeddryn.

  “I suppose so. And as I’ve said before, I didn’t agree to lead this rebellion so I could sit on my backside and do nothing while everybody else did the fighting for me.”

  “It’s a good strategy, sir,” Saeddryn soothed. “But if ye want t’hear, I’ve got some suggestions, sir.”

  “I’m all ears,” said Arenadd.

  They spent a good portion of the rest of that day in the hall discussing strategy. It was a long and slightly tedious process, but by the end it was agreed that they would attack Skenfrith first. Once it had been secured they could consider an assault on Caerleon, but for now Skenfrith was their priority. Half the griffish force would mount the assault with Arenadd and Skandar, and the other half would stay to guard Fruitsheart.

  “Even if Malvern finds you here before we return, they’ll have a hard fight on their hands—much harder than they could be expecting,” Arenadd said confidently. “And Skandar and I will only be gone a few days. The instant we get the chance, we’ll come back with news.”

  Saeddryn nodded. “Ye’re right, sir. As ye’ve said, ye an’ Skandar were given power so ye could use it.”

  Arenadd grinned wolfishly. “Are you ready to fight again, Skandar? Skenfrith will be a much bigger struggle than we’ve faced yet.”

  “Am ready!” said Skandar. “Always ready. You ready?”

  “If you’re ready, I am,” said Arenadd. “It’s time the Southerners know exactly who they’re up ag
ainst.”

  Kaanee stirred. “They are up against an enemy more powerful than they have ever faced before,” he said. “An enemy that will destroy them.”

  Arenadd sat back in his chair, ignoring his lingering headache. Are you happy yet, master? he thought. Have I pleased you yet?

  No. He knew the answer at once. No, not yet. But she would be pleased, she would be . . .

  28

  Skenfríth

  Arenadd had been afraid when he went into battle at Fruitsheart, but as he and Skandar flew toward Skenfrith with fifty griffins following them, he felt nothing but hot, fierce confidence and determination. He could feel Skandar’s huge muscles flex, and his ears were full of the sound of the wings of Kaanee and his followers. This was not a ragtag group of escaped slaves or a band of rioting civilians. This was a real army.

  The records at Fruitsheart had said that there were fifteen griffiners in permanent residence at Skenfrith but that there were quarters for twenty.

  Twenty griffiners against fifty griffins. Unpartnered griffins, faster and more agile in the air without humans to weigh them down. Griffins who had been organised into a true army. And they would strike without any warning.

  Arenadd had to suppress a laugh. Skenfrith wouldn’t stand a chance. He and Skandar would be walking over the corpses of their enemies before the day was out.

  They had organised it well in advance. The moment Skenfrith’s walls came into sight Skandar banked sharply upward. The griffins followed him higher and higher, until the air became icy cold. Few griffins could fly this high for long before the thin air began to suffocate them, but they would be almost impossible to see from the ground unless someone was actively looking for them—and why would anyone do that?

  Arenadd clung on to Skandar’s back, shivering. The height quickly made him dizzy, but he ignored the discomfort and focused on staying alert. He had to be ready when the moment came.

  Skandar flew calmly, keeping his eyes on the ground. Skenfrith looked ridiculously small from here, but a griffin’s eyes were made to pinpoint anything on the ground from a great distance, and this target wasn’t even moving. Skandar knew exactly what he was doing.