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Chapter 3 Council


“ The bond of tamer and tamed is more than just a partnership, it is a relationship that must be treasured, worked on, preserved, one may even say explored. For many, just finding a partner takes years or in some cases, a fallen life. For those who are quick to bond, the real test is not finding or surviving contact. It’s the struggle of the home. Home for the creature, home of the tamer, and the home they build or destroy together. - Head Tamer Alphonse Sonada  


The pair walked for miles back towards the town, Revna scoffed at the sight of large stone walls with wooden gates, “You humans and your contraptions, you really think this would have kept the likes of me away?”
Walter shook his head and pressed on, “Come on now, the sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can leave and figure things out. Going to the gate, Walter knocked loudly, waiting for the doors to open. It took a few minutes, but before long, a guard opened a secret peephole before shouting through the door, “Name and business!”
Walter rolled his eyes while Revna cocked her head at a 90-degree angle and tried to look for the peephole, “Human, I demand you let us in so we may be underway! Walter here has some,” snickering at herself, she looked towards Walter before facing the wall again, “personal and pressing circumstances to attend to.”
Walter leaned against the wall and groaned, “Look, you know who I am, I’m one of the new blood tamers, now let  me in or I’ll just fly over the wall.”
The small peephole cover slid closed as the gate opened slowly. A line of guards stood ready with their own myriad of creatures on standby. Revna’s feathers ruffled as she stepped back and hunched down. A low growl wrestling in her throat as her eyes locked with multiple dragons, massive serpents, and a random bear in the back. Their tamers close by with weapons drawn. Walter stepping forward put his hands up and stood between Revna and the wall, “Well, I’m here on my own accord, and we are all safe, so please, no weapons.”
The guard captain called from the back, “Recite the creed to ensure you are not being mind controlled!”
Walter looked over to Revna, meeting her gaze with a confused look before looking back at the guards, “There isn’t a creed, what the hell are you on about?”
The silence was deafening before the captain called back, “Alright men, he’s good! Let’s get him home!”
The guards placed their weapons in their holsters and sleeves, the predators relaxed and went back to their stable areas while Revna jostled her feathers to a relaxed position before leaning down to Walter, “I see the dragons have been dignified and disgraced by your puny saddles, I’m telling you right now Walter, you even suggest that and I’ll gut you in so many ways, you won’t be able to have time to bleed out.”
Walter could only smirk as he met her gaze, “And you better watch your tongue before I teach you a lesson as well. We are partners, we do not command one another, we talk. I’d hope a bird as prideful as yourself would understand such a thing.” Walter stepped forward, leaving Revna aghast before snapping out of it and quickly following him in.
The streets and cobblestone roads that were once filled with people celebrating the departure of the tamers were now just filled with everyday life. People gawked at Revna as they traded goods and served food. Walter smirked as he admired his home. He’d only been gone for a few days at most but it was always a pleasant experience to be back home. Looking over his shoulder, he checked on Revna only to be struck with concern as she eyed a few small kids playing before eagerly licking her lips. Missing a step, Walter hunched back and nudged her claw before shaking his head, “We will get you food soon, just a little longer.” Disgruntled, Revna snuffed and kept moving.  
The guards began to split off, returning to their own posts as Walter led Revna to the taming facilities. Standing outside the grand structure, Revna looked up and down before scoffing, “So you built big walls, major cities, and took creatures and kept them here?”
“Sort of,” Walter spoke quietly.
“And you think you’re going to do that to me?” she snapped, narrowing her eyes at Walter.
“No, I just need to do this last task, stop by my home for supplies and we leave. Sound good?”
Revna weighed her options before sighing, “Let’s make it quick, I really dislike this place, pure temptation but no opportunity.”
Opening the wide doors big enough to fit a dragon, the pair walked inside the great hall and stood in the center, waiting to find someone to help them. Walter watched other tamers in training and teachers walk past, give lessons, and most importantly, nobody noticed him.
Moving through the sea of people, he lead Revna to the back and out the second pair of giant doors leading to an outside courtyard. Once closing the door, he finally noticed a sign. A small banner flapping against the door read:
        All returning tamers, meet in the courtyard at noon.


Looking towards the city’s clock tower, he checked the hands and saw it read 11:50, “Welp, looks like we made it on time, just a few more minutes. Until then, Revna, where did you want to go since I’m joining you in this journey? We could see the southern settlements-”
Revna squawked as she shook her head, “No settlements, no cities, no humans unless hunting!” Trainers and new bloods looked up from their classes and studies, eyeing Walter before going back to work.
Walter nodded as he took a seat on a bench nearby, “Ok, so no human areas, I can work with that, but that also means that I get a say on what I don’t want to deal with.”
“Is that so?” Revna shot back, “Like what? As if a human knows what they really need in life!”
Walter shrugged, “Well, for starters, no area where other gryphons would hunt me for sport. You don’t want to be a pelt, and I don’t like being hunted and eaten, you did that enough as is!”
Revna grinned at the thought as she hunched her neck and stood behind his seat, shading him from the sun while snowflakes blew in the gentle wind, “Oh poor Waltywoo, couldn’t handle a truly safe place? Not dangerous enough for you?”
Walter rolled his eyes and pushed Revna’s beak away, “Anyway, be thinking of where to go, this shouldn’t be much longer and I don’t own much, so we should be gone in a few hours tops.”
Waiting in the courtyard,  Alphonse Sonada emerged from the grand doors behind them, dressed in white robes, laced with golden fabrics and a sash full of resources that even the highest rank tamers didn’t know about. Running long fingers through his gray hair, Alphonse walked up to Walter and examined Revna, his old and tired eyes scanning her details as he nodded with a smirk, “You’ve done a mighty fine job with this one, even came back among some of the first with the group, well done.”
Revna rolled her eyes as she bit her tongue.
Walter smiled and nodded, “Thank you, sir, I know it’s not common to ask this, but it’s more of a formal regard than anything. Revna and I will be leaving the village as soon as possible, there are many more aspects and creatures in this world, and I plan to see as many as I can!”
Alphonse smirked and nodded, “Very well, you have my blessing, my the sun and moon watch over and guide you young one.” With that, the old man walked back to his chambers, brushing off the small snow flakes which had collected on his shoulders.
Revna eyed the great doors before looking back at Walter, “That’s it? And we’re hunting others?”
Walter shook his head, letting his tired smile drop, “Had to say some sort of reason to let  me leave without conflict, now let's get going.”
Going out the way they came in, Walter lead Revna through the maze of a village until he found his old home. The house still stood tall, even if it was dustier than when he left it. His mess and thrown around clothes and items still rested on the floor and in strange corners as he packed what little items he truly cared about, a spare jacket, a few planned taming outfits, and a small pocket knife, “Can’t leave you, come on guys, time to find a new home.” He spoke to the old blade as he sealed the tool in his satchel.
Revna sat outside, waiting quietly as she sniffed and looked around. The house was just slightly bigger than her as she walked around, tracing fresh tracks, exploring small corners, and licking snow as she paced about, “Come on Walter, I want to leave before I’m 80!”
Walter closed and locked the front door behind him and turned around, facing the door one last time. His heart felt heavy, his eyes watered slightly as he pressed his palm against the old wooden door. His thoughts became heavy while Revna grew quiet and watched as Walter pulled his hand away. The gryphon stayed quiet before talking in a soothing tone, “Are-are you ok?”
Walter nodded quietly before waving for her to follow. Walking out the front gates, the guards gave him a passing wave as a farewell as the gates opened and the pair walked out into the falling snow.










Revna stayed quiet, enjoying the cool winds whipping through her feathers while Walter braced the grasp of living chills, “OK Revna, my living stuff is ready, where are we going first?” Walter asked as he stopped and turned to face his partner.
The gryphon grinned as she sat up and towered over him, “Well, we want somewhere warmer and I heard of a wonderful nesting ground south of here, it will take more than a month of travel to even get close, but nothing you can’t handle right human?”
Walter nodded as he looked about, “Will you let me ride on your back or am I still in the no-flight zone?”
Revna wrenched back and shook her head, “You really are eager aren’t you, heh, nice try though human, you are not riding me like some horse, earn and carry your own weight!”
Walter shook his head and sighed, “Ok, guess you’re either leaving me here or you’re walking with me, because news flash, I can’t fly.”
Revna grinned eagerly as she moved in on all fours, circling Walter like a shark in the snow as she spoke, “No, you’ll be able to fly, just not ride on me, but in me will do just fine, heh, or are you too afraid to go back in?”
Walter shuddered at the thought of the fleshy prison, “No way I’m falling for that trick Revna, come on!” The gryphon snickered more before whipping her tail around and smacking Walter to the ground in a pile of snow. Dazed, Walter went to stand up only to feel a claw pounce on his chest and hold him down, “I wasn’t asking boy, now either be nice or I nip your limbs off, got it?”
Walter squirmed and struggled before giving in, “If it starts to hurt you let me out immediately, do you understand?” Revna grinned eagerly as she licked her lips. Hunching her neck, she moved in, loosening her grip as her beak opened widely and welcomed Walter’s head.
Wincing at the slimy tongue licking about, Walter closed his eyes as he felt the beak engulf his form. The tongue snaked into his shirt and jacket, wandering about while his weight was pulled in more. Throwing his jacket to the ground as well as his satchel and other loose items, he called out to Revna through muffled breaths as more saliva coated him, “Re-Revna, take my stuff and make sure to carry it, I need it with me at all times.” The gryphon moaned loudly at his salty taste and flavor as she shook her head from side to side. Sucking gently like candy, the gryphon began to pull her human in deeper. Her fleshy throat widened as loud gulps sounded.
Walter pressed his arms together, his body being enveloped quickly as the first Gulp! filled his ears. Shuddering with each passing second, he felt Revna engulf the rest of his body and lift her head in the air, gulping with joy as he slid down her throat and into her gullet.Walter gripped the fleshy walls, trying to slow his decent to no avail as he crashed into the even tighter fleshy prison, acids still pooled around him even faster than before. Pressing on the walls more, he stretched the space out as much as he could while yelling, “Revna! The satchel! I need the satchel now!”
“ Murrrr” Revna moaned with glee as she watched the small human hands push against her stomach, little bumps showing before disappearing into the fleshy prison. Hearing Walter’s outcries, she looked down and sniffed his satchel before shrugging, “Might as well give him what he wants, he’s stuck with me anyway.” Licking up the satchel, she gulped it down with ease and felt it pass all the way to Walter.
Inside, Walter slashed and squirmed in the warm bubbling acids, trying to ignore the growing searing pain being caused on every inch of him, like poison ivy running rampant. Looking up at the pulsing orifice, Walter squirted as his satchel suddenly smacked him in the head. Smirking, he dug through the satchel, his arms and legs stinging with every move as he wiped away his face, trying to keep the acids out of his eyes, “Come on now! Where are they!” Walter cursed himself, looking for his special solution like before while Revna walked through the forest, her stomach sloshing with each step as she carried her new favorite food. Draped over her shoulders were Walter’s coat and other left-out supplies. Snickering to herself as she rubbed her gurgling bump, she put her beak next to her stomach and spoke softly, “Good luck in there Walter, try to enjoy your new home, you’ll be there every time we fly.”
Walter shuddered at the thought as he finally found the vial filled with the solution he was looking for. Popping it open, he drank the horrid liquid before relaxing, “So be it Revna, but I hope you’ll soon trust me, I did my part and even willingly came here, you owe me!”
Revna squawked as she grinned to herself, “You think I owe you? Wait till I tell you why you owe me human, but that will have to be a later story, for now…” Revna yawned happily as her belly sloshed more, “I’m resting  before we fly, so good luck getting out of this situation this time and don’t you dare try that feeding crap again, if you’re getting out without my help, then you can at least stay until after my nap!”
Walter held his hand up to protest but the smelly fumes were beginning to cloud his judgment, the air grew thinner as his eyes became heavy, “REvna, I swear… If you… don’t…” Falling back with a splash, Walter slammed against the fleshy walls while liquids filled the chamber with ease.
Rubbing her belly, Revna grinned as she laid down at the base of a tree before whispering, “Don’t you worry Walter, I’m really good at taking care of those I like, and I can say, you’re growing on me, but I could never say that just yet!” Looking at her belly, she flopped over to her back, her wings sprawling widely as she made a bird angel while her talons and claws kicked and felt about, making the chamber shift and contort at random. Walter groaned as his eyes fluttered open and closed. Revna moaned louder, squawking in bliss as she sighed, “Good night Walter, I hope to see you later in the morning…”  Walter bubbled in acids as he slept, unsure of his true fate while Revna sighed, watching her massive human bulge slowly shrink with every minute, “I’ll see you soon Walter, sleep well.” Revna cooed as she closed her eyes and enjoyed the grumbles and growls of her active belly, a full feeling, and a new friend that tastes divine, “Sleep well, sweet dreams.”