Hours later Daniel and the rest of his Cadre entered the clearing to find the Moses Family. Mal the head of the family did as Will had said and began his tale leaving nothing out. Daniel read the note Will had left. Three of the soldiers nearest to the girls size gave them extra pants and shirts. Corporal Chivey was assigned to escort them back to Fox Wood. He picked two men and departed with the family. He also had been given orders to conract the potion Mistress to test the ladies and take the needed action.

I had been studying the spell book and had picked out an attack spell of lightening and a protect spell each could be single or group with just the change of one word. I felt proficient but for the need for silence I had not tried either one.
****
We were nearing the Quarren Mountains and began to look out for Will and Leaf. I had my binoculars scanning out and up when I felt a presence. I slowly lowered my glasses… Standing beside me was Leaf.
“Lord .. Will is scouting the cave entrance… I will lead you there.”
I just nodded and Leaf began moving ahead but after a short distance he suggested we leave the horses and continue on foot I assigned the horse wrangler and his assistant to take care of them.

Leaf was very cautious and I warned all the soldiers to be silent. The trail we were following was like a covered trail the brush and limbs hooded it all.. We snaked our way to the opening in the cliff. I assumed this was the cave we were looking for.. We entered the cave , there were torches scattered ahead. Most were lit. Leaf said, “Will is lighting the torches a head of us.. Still be careful the trail is not very wide and there are Chasms along the way.”

The trail weaved in and out of the mountain.twice I was sure I saw the group we were following. Also it was obvious we were ascending. After some time of following we stepped out in the open and leaf yelped and tried to push us back inside. The assassin were just ahead.

I felt a sharp pain in my chest, I stepped back and was falling. Limbs and bushes and rocks were hitting me. I reached my hand to grasp the arrow sticking out of my chest. I came in contact with a feather. I grasped at it and yelled” LU..S..a..n. “That was the last I remembered.

*****
Lusan was teaching her chicks how to hunt. Her male chic Brax was quick to kill while her female chic Bren was the true killer she waited … then pounced … hardly wasting a drop of blood. Brax was messy.
Lusan often thought of how she came to have such Disimilar chics.It was obvious Brax was Bron’s chic, A mighty Head and wings of a Golden Eagle and the body of a fearless Lion. But Bren, oh so different. Bren was twice the size of Brax. In her normal state she mirrored her brother but when on the attack … she was different. Head and wings like an Eagle. Upper body of a human female with arms and breast. The real odd part was she could change it all… She could change her head to that of a human female. And if she wished to the body of a human female almost 7′ tall.

Yes Bren was a force to be reckoned with. Especially since she had wheedled out of Lusan as to who her Dad was… She wanted to meet him… and protect him.
Lusan was just correcting Bren and telling her to quit playing with her food when. A Blast of mind power hit them all. Lusan forgot about her chics, rose into the air in an instant and was almost out of sight when Bren and Brax fell in behind her. All they could get out of her was “Daniel”

Bren screeched ”Father”
Brax some how knew it was battle time he answered Bren “Blood”

Daniel opened his eyes, looked around and froze… He was laying across a tree trunk suspended over an abyss. He looked above and could see the Mages and assassins were in sight, worse yet they were in bow range.
Daniel mentally checked him self over. First was the arrow in his chest which had broken in his fall. The section sticking out of his chest was about 3” long. There was also a burning in his right thigh, At first he thought it was another arrow shaft.
He raised his head enough to be able to see his thigh, It was a sharp limb that had ripped his pants and there was a deep scratch. It had already ceased to bleed. Daniel tried to move…He heard a scream in his head “Don’t move…”
“?.. Lusan ?… Where did you come from?”
Suddenly a soft pair of hands gently lifted him from his precarious perch on the tree trunk. He looked up to see a beautiful woman looking down on him. He snuggled in to her soft naked breasts and again… he was out.

Chapter 11
Leaf’s story
Leaf, being on point was trapped between each faction. He had a clear view of each side but could aid neither. But he had a view of the entire incident. The assassins and Mages seemed to react first resulting in the wounding of the Duke.
I had seen the Mage’s group ahead and ducked down out of sight. Suddenly there was frantic activity among them… They had spotted our people. Before I could react they had fired their bows, three of them. As near as I could tell..
.
The Duke was the first in line and the only arrow to make contact hit the Duke. He stumbled and fell off the cliff. There was an exchange of arrows Will drew down with his flintlock and hit the Mage leader in the forehead just as he was releasing a spell.

There were sparks and stones and small pieces of wood tossed into the air. There was a puff of smoke and a loud boom. There was a lot of activity, I laughed… a spell gone wrong. It got their attention… but that was about all.

I was trying to aim an arrow and still stay hidden when I heard a scream. I looked out and up and saw three…at first it appeared to be birds. But no as they drew nearer it was clear they were Griffins. I had only seen a Griffin one time before and some how these seemed to be different.

Two seemed to be as I remembered but the third was different. It was obvious she was female…the upper body was of a human female…. WOW ! And a well built one at that. She headed for the Duke. The other two continued to scream and attacked the Mage’s party.

The smaller Griffin Was blood thiristy it slashed and ripped and tore flesh The Larger of the two seemed to recognize that the Mages were the most dangerous and directed its attack toward them. In a matter of Minutes they were all gone. And the Griffins turned our directions screamed once and was gone.

I stood there dazed… Something touched my shoulder and I almost leaped into a small tree. I heard a laugh and Will grabbed my Shoulder and said, “It’s Me.”

I Looked at him then to where the Duke had been, “Where is the Duke?”
A Tiny voice answered, “ Lusan”
Peering from behind Will was the Duke’s familer looking very lost. “What happened, Tiiup, do you know?”

“He is still alive and is in good hands.”

Will scratched his head and asked, “And whose hands are those and who is Lusan?”

Tiiup smiled and said “ Lusan is the Mother Griffin and she would not allow anything to harm Daniel.”

“What about the other two”

“They are her Chics”

Will Looked at me and then back at Tiiup, “Now that is a story I just have to hear.” and I nod.

Tiiup smiles and says, “ And that is a story, Will and I leaned forward, that is not mine to tell.” “Let’s just say She hates Tarrant.”

Tiiup starts to say something else then gets a blank expression on her face… “Will says, the Duke?” Tiiup nods.
Tiiup briefs us and Will goes back to brief Armsmaster Avril I and Tiiup follow along behind.

Will calls Armmaster Avril aside after assuring everyone the Duke is alright.
“Sir we have been in contact with the Duke, however fleeting, thru Tiiup, Avril nods, He assured us he was alright. He said he was being treated before the removal of the arrow. His orders are for you to send a man with the Horse Wrangler to assist with the wounded and take them back to Fox Wood..”

Avril smiled, “ I guess we continue?”

Will smiled back at him, “Almost right, Leaf and I continued to explore the caves. You and the rest head in the direction of the Griffins travel. Tiiup will be with you in case the Duke tries to contact you.”

‘You will have two days of backtracking So I guess you should get a nights sleep before heading out. Leaf and I will leave after we eat. Good Luck.”