Return the Human

By Vanessa E. Howard

“Another human got in.”

Clio yawned and preened one long coppery feather. Annoying humans. “Another? Which portal this time?”

“That’s the problem.” The minotaur shifted his hooves in the sand of the desert zone. “We don’t know how she got in.”

“You’re too soft, Terminus. You should block every portal. How are you going to get her back where she belongs?”

“Not me. You. She came into your zone.”

The red griffin stopped preening. “What? But there are no portals, no vortexes.”

Terminus shrugged. “That’s what you’re going to figure out. How she got in and how to get her back out again.”

“No, no, no. I chose this zone because it’s the least populated. I want to work alone, not escort blubbering humans.”

“You came to me for a job. This is part of the job. Unless you want to go back to freighting?”

Clio narrowed her eyes. “I’m never going back.”

“Then stop complaining and return the human to her home.”

The griffin shook her feathers and began beating her huge wings. She stayed on the ground just long enough to stir up an irritating sand cloud around Terminus, then lifted into the air.

Before she became a guard for Terminus, she worked hauling loads in her talons for brutal bosses. Guarding the forest zone meant blissfully solitary flights, living happily alone, and only occasionally breaking up a fight or rescuing some creature in peril. It definitely didn’t include humans.

How had one gotten in her zone? It wasn’t unheard of in the dragons’ zone, with all its secret tunnels. The elves caught a few sneaking through their waterfalls. But here? Never.

Clio scanned the landscape. Her sharp eyes telescoped in and out, taking in every hill and clearing.

There. Climbing over a jumble of rocks was a tiny biped in a bright pink shirt.

Clio dove, landing with a skid that tossed dirt clods.

The human let out one short scream, then brandished a rustic spear with a whittled point. Clio cocked her head. The human was just a fledgling. But look at her, ready to fight.

Clio folded her wings. “Bit far from home, aren’t you?”

“I’ve already taken out that weird green lizard,” the girl said. “Stay back!”

Green lizard? She fought a basilisk?

“Did you make that weapon yourself?” Clio asked.

“Yeah, and it’s sharp.” She jabbed it forward.

Spunky little thing.

“Did the lizard have spikes on its head?”

The girl nodded. “It’s dead back there if you want to verify.”

Spunky and tough. Clio almost liked this small human. Almost.

“How did you get into our world?”

The girl shrugged. “I was reading in the library and I saw a white glow on the wall. I just stepped through.”

“You just stepped through,” Clio repeated. “Haven’t you humans ever heard the saying ‘Curiosity killed the chimera?’”

“We say ‘curiosity killed the cat.’”

“Huh.” Clio clicked her beak. “My name is Clio. I’m a griffin.”

“I know what you are. Pretty much all I read is fantasy. I’m Harper.” She leaned on the spear. “You’re not going to send me back, are you? I don’t wanna go back.”

Clio ruffled her feathers. No way was she becoming emotionally invested in this trespasser. Absolutely not.

“That’s right. You need to show me exactly where you entered.”

“I can’t find it again.”

 “Were there any landmarks?”

“There was a super tall tree.”

“We’re in a forest.”

“Don’t send me back.”

“This isn’t your world. You can’t stay.”

“Fine.” Harper huffed. “It was this way.” She talked while she tramped. “Look. My parents are both workaholics, I just changed schools, and I’m always alone. That’s why I read so much. And why I’d rather stay here. With you.”

More feather ruffling. She would not get attached to this fledgling.

“You have to go back to your own ki—”

A piercing screech filled the air.

Clio froze. “Harper, how big was the basilisk you killed?”

The girl held her hands about shoulder width apart.

“Oh Lands, you killed one of their young. Even the babies are deadly, and I’m sure it deserved it, but now they’re after you.”

Another screech.

“I’ve got to get you out of here. Get on my back.”

Harper’s eyes grew round. “Are you serious?”

“Get on, you foolish egg!”

The girl climbed on, pulling feathers and fur. Just as the angry basilisks tumbled into view, Clio launched herself and Harper squeaked, grabbing on tighter.

“Look for landmarks!” Clio called. “Does anything look familiar?”

They wheeled and banked until Harper yelled, “There! Right there at that big rock!”

A boulder as tall as Clio stood out amongst the trees and a white glow shimmered on its surface.

Harper jumped off as they landed. Basilisks screamed behind them.

“They’re not far. You have to go,” Clio urged.

Harper stroked the griffin’s shoulder. Clio fidgeted. She should not enjoy being petted.

“Can I ever come back?” the girl asked.

“I don’t know.” Clio hesitated before pulling a feather from her breast. With one sharp talon, she split the end of the quill and held it out to Harper. “But if you ever do get back through, blow on this. I’ll hear the whistle.”

The chorus of screeches rang out again. “Now go!”

Harper clutched the feather and stepped into the white glow. Clio spun to face the basilisks, snapping her wings out to full length and opening her beak in a throaty roar. Harper may have started the fight, but Clio would finish it.

And when she returned to Terminus, she’d tell him she’d killed the basilisks, including the young one. But she’d leave out the part about her feather entering the human world.

She was a blur of beak and wing as her talons sliced through reptile skin. She slashed and snapped. Feathers and scales flew. Soon, the lizards lay still.

Three years later, a loud whistle rippled through her zone. Uh-oh. Terminus definitely heard that. She had some explaining to do.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Vanessa E. Howard writes primarily fantasy for middle grade and young adult. She has been a newspaper reporter, magazine writer, and college composition teacher. A member of American Christian Fiction Writers and the Flash Fiction Magic writing community, she is also a homeschool mom and co-op teacher. Ms. Howard lives with her family on a couple of woodsy acres in Central Texas.

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