eight miles high and falling fast

[tsubame]

The weather is somewhat disgusting today, which I rather approve of.



The gryphon watched Oasis from his corner as she departed in a swirl of skirts, his yellow eyes intent. "She is dangerous."

Siyamak sighed and slumped back in his chair. "She's ambitious, that's certainly true. I simply can't figure out why she's involving me in her schemes, though."

The gryphon's gaze shifted to the mage. He was playing with the handle of his knife without thinking about it. "She wishes to make cubs with you."

The mage blinked. "What?"

"Mating, yes? She wants to mate with you."

Siyamak closed his mouth after a moment. "She-- oh. Oh. I never even thought of that, but now that you mention it, you're right."

"Will you mate soon?"

"No! Of course not!"

The gryphon made his odd, settling not-shrug and moved forward to perch in one of the chairs near the brazier. "It is good to take care of these things quickly, before they are complicated."

"It's already complicated." The mage fiddled with the tassle on his sleeve. "You don't like women, do you?"

"Females are dangerous. They are even more dangerous when they are thinking about cubs. It is best to do what they want and then get out of their way."

Siyamak laughed. "You have such a refreshing view of the world, my friend. But it's a bit of a double standard, don't you think? I notice you have no problem with my mother."

"She is better than other females. She brings apricots. And nuts. And those strange plants."

"Sugared violets."

"Yes. Those."

"Apparently the way to your heart is through your stomach."

"I thought human hearts were further up."

"No, no, it's just an expression-- oh, nevermind."

"So? Will you make cubs with that female?"

"With Oasis? Absolutely not."

The gryphon paused for a moment. "She is an attractive female," he said, reluctantly." "Her coloring is regular, her forehead is at a good angle, and she is strong."

The mage groaned. "Now you're making fun of me."

"I do not know this making fun."

"And I'm too tired to explain it to you. Dealing with Oasis is exhausting." Siyamak rubbed at his temples.

"Your mother wishes you to make cubs. It is normal, yes? Even for humans."

"My mother has been wanting me to settle down and start 'making cubs,' as you put it, for a while now. I think she's figured out that it isn't going to happen. And I have no interest in what is or isn't normal." The mage's brow furrowed as he looked up at the gryphon. "I never asked you . . . did you have any cubs? Baby gryphons, a mate?"

"No." The gryphon's eyes slid away. "I am . . . unproven. And too small. And . . . I think strange things. I am not good for making cubs."

"Cyrus . . ." Siyamak's face softened. "You are certainly a marvelous and very attractive gryphon. Not to mention fast, strong, and intelligent. You'll have cubs too, if you want to have them."

"You are a human," the gryphon pointed out stiffly. "You do not know how things are with gryphons. Anyway, it is the females who decide."

"You're right, of course, I'm human and definately not female, but . . ." The mage sighed in exasperation. "You're not going to listen to anything I say about it, I can tell from your expression. Help me think of ways to deal with Oasis instead. And don't tell me to have cubs with her, you know I'm not going to."

The gryphon drew his feet up underneath him in the chair. "It would probably be bad to kill her."

That startled the mage out of his pique and into a laugh. "Her or that damn cat of hers, no matter how tempting it may be at times."

"I like the cat."

"You like Hector? That furry little demon? He attacked you the last time you tried to pet him, I point out to you."

"I like him."

"He sharpened his claws on my favorite coat."

"So?"

"Cyrus, he was looking right at me while he did it!"

The gryphon focused on the mage and blinked slowly, pointedly. "I like him."