Short Stories by Nocks :D

[Nocks the Gryphon]

"Guarding the Littlest Treasures"

(A short story based on Nocks' past in Solheimer) ^_^

A whisper woke the gryphon as he blinked sleepily, aware that something, something young, was almost sitting on his ear, chanting in terror, "Don't find me, don't find me... please..."

There were more voices as well, children shouting outside the old stable as he dozed, his vision in the dim light obscured by whatever was sitting beside his head. Lifting his head from the hay, a muffled exclamation from the child revealed that, clearly, she did not expect to bump into a gryphon in an empty stable house.

Nicks regarded the little orcish girl curiously. She was only perhaps ten years of age, and she panted with exhaustion and appeared quite scuffed up and bruised. She was wide-eyed with awe as the gryphon sat up and tilted his head at her, blinking large amber eyes. She quickly lifted her hand and pressed it over the gryphon's beak.

"Shh," she hissed quietly. "Dey're bein' mean to me, don't want 'em to find me," she pointed a trembling finger up at the entrance of the stable.

Nocks streched his full length and despite the girl trying to tug him back down out of sight, the gryphon peeked over the partition wall and saw, out in the street, three boys, all goblins themselves, looking around for something.

"Where she sneak off to?"

"We find her, no worry. Den she gonna get it!"

"C'mon, Kron, dis not nice. Let 'er go!"

The gryphon peeked back at the girl, confused. He let himself get pulled back down this time, and the girl leaned closer, resting an arm over the gryphon's thick mane and hugging into his cheek, sniffling. "Every week they make me pay 'em so they don't beat me up. I don't want to shame my family and tell 'em they're bein' mean to me, or they'll just wanna punch me more!"

The gryphon pondered that a moment, alternating between comforting the child, who he knew was named Herth, and peeking over the wall as the three slightly larger children continued hunting around. The reluctant one peeked into the entrance of the old stable a moment, and Nocks gave him a stern glare. He did not see the girl, who cowered behind the gryphon, but he didn't stay long under the gryphon's steely scruitany before returning to the street.

At last, he stood up, pulling Herth up to her feet with him. She pleaded for him to stay with her, and not go, but the gryphon instead turned to her and nudged her with his beak lightly, chuffing lightly. Sensing she'd been dismissed, she whimpered slightly and crouched down to crawl out the hold in the back wall she'd entered, mumbling "Thought you'd help."

She was just standing up when around the corner walked the first of the three goblins. "Kron! She here!" he darted forward as the girl shrieked and turned to run, but the long-armed creature grabbed her arm, holding her with a wicked grin.

"Ow! Stop it, that hurts!" she started, but then went silent as Kron appeared.

Four feet tall, Kron was pretty huge for an goblin his age. Unfortunately, it also meant that no one his age dared to confront him. As he stopped a few feet away, he raised his hand menacingly. "Helloo Herth. Hear clinkin' in belt, hmmm? Know you got pretty coins. Now hand over! An' Kron no hafta crack ya pretty chops." he grinned maliciously.

"Kron, it's my mother's money, not yours! Leave me alone!" she tugged at the first goblin's wrists, but he held her fast.

"Suit self," the biggest goblin hissed, just as a shadow covered the area. He shrieked in alarm as he he was pushed to the ground under a forepaw bigger than his head. Nocks hadn't abandoned her!

The timid goblin did not so much as take time to blink before he dropped the stick he was holding and ran, yelling, "I did't like Kron anyways!", while the other let go of her arm and backed away a few steps, hissing and trembling in fear as the gryphon stood up, looming over him. Beside the gryphon, he stared at Herth as she clung to the gryphon's foreleg, until the gryphon leaned his head down to look squarely in his eyes. He raised his hands defensively and started to bawl abruptly, "Ock sorry, Kron makes me! Don't wanna hurt Herth! Really really really!! Promise Ock be good! Don't hurt Ock please! Ock never never ever bother Herth again, promise!" his voice accelerated in tempo as he spoke and the gryphon continued to stare him down, leaning forward closer and closer. With his last word, the gryphon snorted loudly, and the goblin turned and hightailed it down the street past a group of onlookers that were watching the whole spectacle. To Kron's astonishment, they didn't even raise a finger to stop the gryphon. Even other goblin kids in the street that he thought were his 'gang' didn't move.

Nocks turned his gaze to the remaining goblin, rumbling deep in his throat. Herth let go of his leg and offered to him, "I don't think Nocks likes it when you hurt me like that."

"Call him off Herth! Please call him off!" tears started streaming down the goblin's cheeks as he stared fearfully into the gryphon's narrowed eyes. The gryphon's rock-hard beak ground loudly only inches from his face.

"I think you'd best apologize to the lady, Kron," one of the shopkeepers nearby said gravely.

Another offered, "Oh, just let him eat the little troublemaker." Kron's eyes widened even more.

Nocks leaned forward until his beak touched the goblin's nose. Kron pressed his head back into the dirt and sobbed. "Kron sorry, never ask for money any more ever ever!"

Herth kneeled down on the gryphon's paw and said, "Never ask anyone for money from anyone!"

The goblin nodded. "Yes! Yesss! Never! I promise! Never! Juuust get him *offf* meee!" he burbled, his voice a strained squeak now.

Herth hugged the gryphon's leg again, and peeked up as the gryphon turned to her. "Thank you, Nocks." she backed off as Nocks lifted his paw, and the goblin backpedaled away a few steps. Then she giggled - and within a few moments the surrounding onlookers began to laugh and guffaw as well; for the goblin's trousers were quite and truly soiled. The embarassment was certainly too much for Kron, who broke into a sprint down the road, crying. The laughter continued even after he was gone, and as Nocks crouched down on the road, Herth leaped up to hug around the gryphon's thickly furred neck. The gryphon's eyes closed in contentment, a rumbling purr starting up deep within his chest and throat. The girl giggled, and reached around the back of her neck, untying a bright orange ribbon that circled her hair. She reached up, and Nocks lowered his head as she tied the ribbon into a bow around his eartuft. He flicked his ear a few times after it was on, peering up at it, but it didn't come off. He nuzzled into the girl before she stood up. "My mother's going to wonder why I was late. Don't tell her," she giggled, placing a finger on the gryphon's beak between the nostrils. Not that such a promise would do much good, Nocks could not talk anyways. But Herth was sure that the gryphon nodded at her. She waved, and with another giggle, she stepped away. The shopkeeper asked if she was all right.

"'Course I'm all right! Nocks protects us!" she said, with a bright smile aimed at the gryphon.

(Note: Was written in the last half hour before I got off work, so yes, it was rushed)

[Mean Golem]

Awww! Love that cute write, nocks!

[Chuina Asturias]

very awesome nocks

[Nocks the Gryphon]

"Origins"

(A short story based on Nocks' past in Solheimer, another half-hour quickie from a dull day at work, so apologies for my writing crapness) ^_^


Yunar's foot slid off the top of a rounded rock abruptly, nearly pitching him into the snow. Lunging out with his walking stick at the last second, he caught it between two boulders and yelled in surprise as he crashed over onto his side in the heavy snow, the old staff splintering in two from the force.

He sat there for a moment, catching his breath. The snow had started only that morning but had worked itself up to a good foot of white blanketing the hills. Brushing off his coat and robes, he shivered. The weather was warm enough that the snow was soft and heavy. Just ahead on the old path, he could hear the water flowing through the old brook.

Yunar wasn't quite the most dexterous - as far as monks go, and the icy patches on the path only amplified the fact. He got to his feet and continued brushing off his robe some more, but then paused. Straining to hear, he thought he heard a strange cry from the trees. The brook swallowed all surrounding noise, and he shrugged it off, starting down the trail again, leaving the old splintered staff behind.

Only a few moments later, the sound came again, clearer now. Yunar looked around curiously, and ahead on the path, he noticed footprints in the snow, leaving the path and heading into the trees at the source of the sounds. Hunters, most likely... or bandits. Couldn't be bandits, could they? So far from the main road? It had to be hunters.

As he walked down the road closer, he began to have doubts; two sets of the tracks were labored, and the way the tracks of the third indicated, it looked as if the first two were carrying the third. Blood stained the snow below these tracks. Yunar sighed. One of the trio probably mistook their friend for a deer and had shot him. But then, why would the trail lead *into* the trees? Yunar stepped over the tracks and into the woods, following the erratic tracks.

He was relieved that he didn't have to wade over the stream as he caught sight of the men ahead of him through the trees. "I am a healer, I saw your tracks, I can help," he called out, but they didn't respond. he could only see two of the men at this angle, one leaned against a tree while the other was on his back up against a fallen log. "Is someone hurt?" Yunar called again.

He wasn't quite ready for what he saw then. As he rounded the last tree trunks, he discovered red stains all around the two men. "By Enwah..." he muttered as he caught sight of the face of the fallen man. He turned his head quickly, for the man's face was half gone. It looked like someone had tried to tear his face from his skull. The man on the log... was only whole from the waist up. Despite twelve years of discipline, Yunar turned his head and leaned against a tree, and gasped at the sight and smell, avoiding another glance. A bear attack? He didn't know any bears in the area. He leaned back, discovering two more things.

One, he was not standing in deep snow. He looked down to find he was standing in an indentation where something had sat in the snow. His eyes widened as he discovered the paw-print was big enough for both of his feet to fit into. This was no bear! Secondly, the tree he'd leaned on was shredded up above him... long gashes in the tree started at about three times his height and progressed right down to his waist level. Something big had stripped the bark from the tree and put massive gouges in it.

Clearly, it was time to leave. He turned to backtrack his steps when he was aware of movement between the two men. The discarded, torn coat of one of the men flapped back, revealing what at first he thought was a chicken. Wary of the bigger creature that surely would be nearby, he reached down and paused upon regarding the creature.

It moved slightly, making a blubbering, squeaky sound. Grimacing, Yunar scooped up handfuls of snow to wipe it off the creature, who was matted with blood... but as it seemed, it was not badly wounded itself - the blood did not appear to be the creature's. It was the size of a small puppy, with skinny forelegs and long toes, and pudgier hind legs, and only a hint of fur and feathers. He lifted it out of the snow, and was stunned to see a tiny beak on a scrunched, kittenish face, with closed eyes and mucus dripping from one nostril. He rubbed at the top of the beak to clear its airway, and it left out a small serious of wheezing coughs, splattering him as it cleared its breathing passages, arching its back, and letting out a tiny squeal in his arms.

Something in his mind told him to leave it, but he was sure this could not be responsible for what happened. It seemed young, surely it had parents that had killed the men. He placed it down again, and hurried away back to the trail. The creature's wails because more insistent as he trudged back through the snow toward the trail. Surely its keening would attract its parents!

He had reached the trail and gone a small distance before he stopped. The remarkably loud sound from the creature had not abated, and still, it was the only sound to be heard above the wind. Yunar was not sure what to do. It was different when a rabbit or deer was found wounded, for it could be taken as food if they were wounded beyond helping. But this was something that could grow up to be a monster. But at the same time, the sounds grated on his soul, surely it would die if left by itself. He stopped, and sighed, not sure if he could believe he was actually going back for it.

As he retrieved the fluffy beast from the snow, he held the creature up into the sunlight to see better, and it flinched slightly as the sun struck its face and squealing softly. He lowered it again, and said quietly, "Whatever you are, little one, I am here to help.", as he used a cloth to clean as much blood off the creature as he could. Its significant lack of fur made it not a terribly hard job. It trembled at his touch and stuttered out chuffling sounds, but didn't move much otherwise. Being careful of the soft-clawed feet and beak of the creature, he tucked it under his jacket to help keep it warm. He smiled some as he saw it visibly relax a bit, the infernally loud sounds finally abating. Looking around and listening hard, Yunar still heard nothing other than the wind and the brook. Giving a last cursory glance around the area, without looking at the two men, he stepped back out to the path.

As Yunar walked back to town, there seemed to be no doubt to him that, somehow, Yunar had just helped a baby gryphon. Everything he'd ever known about young cats and birds seemed to be combined in the helpless infant animal he cradled in his jacket. Infant or not, it was the size of a full grown house-cat, and started to squeak softly again. He curled his fingers around its frail-looking body and stroked at its beak lightly, and the calls subsided, letting him get a better look. It must have been a gryphon, for its fore and hind limbs were as birdy and as catty as they could be. Four fore-toes with only the nubs of what would probably be talons in the future, and no visible hind claws at all. The wings on its back were perhaps twice its size.

His train of thought was interrupted as the creature stretched out its neck and let out another long, drawn out squeal, clamping the tiny beak down on Yunar's finger. There was no pain, for it was certainly too young, but its tiny fore claws held onto his hand as it tried to suckle for a moment... and when that failed, it squealed again.

"Come, let's get you something to eat straight away," Yunar chuckled, as he stepped off down the path toward Solheimer.

[Mean Golem]

<applaudes>

[Nocks the Gryphon]

"Point of view"

(The last events leading up to Nocks' "adoption", in Nocks' view - After Eira's story I had to try to write a story with the extra challenge of being from a creature with eyes still closed.)

So hungry.

It was either hunger or cold that woke me up, I could tell that mother had left the aerie to fetch me something to eat. She must not have expected me to awaken so quickly, but the wind is chilly. I am still young, I cannot see yet, everything has been just a blur to me since my egg parted. I can hear her cries in the distance, and that she is coming. Good, I am feeling terribly cold. At least before I had father to keep me warm while mother was out, but in the last few days he has gone somewhere and I have not sensed, heard, or smelled him around. I think he has left us.

Mother's wings are very easy to hear now, ahhh, she is back, I can smell her and... I hope she has food for me, because I am dreadfully starved now! Mmmmmm... there we go... warm meat. Mother treats me with greater care than ever, especially since Father disappeared. I hope I will not have to leave too, I have never been away for long from her and I do not know what I would do! The aerie is very lonely when she is gone. But when she is here, she keeps me fed, and warm, she is so soft and protective of me. The cold is gone now, and my belly is soon full, so I can sleep again.

When I next awaken, things are not as they should be. Mother is gone again, but now, I do not hear her. But something else is in the aerie with me, making sounds that are not sounds like mother would make to me. Ouch! One of them just grabbed my face, holding my mouth shut! And now, something is being tied around my legs! Mother, where are you? Help me! I can smell something disgusting and its... making me... feel ill... ohh...

I have awoken again, but the smell is totally different now. I am not in the aerie, and I am being tossed about like a meal in mother's beak! I am inside something that is cold and wet, and I still hear the voices. Mother's scent is gone, and something is stuck on my face and legs, I can barely move. After a moment I manage to get the thing on my face off, and I call for mother as loud as I can!

She answers! The echoes of the sound say that we are not near the aerie at all. I can hear her coming, and the sounds of the things that are not like me are now afraid. Things move faster, whatever holds me is running now. I hear screams, both of mother and some other creature. A battle! Suddenly I find myself discarded, thrown to the uneven ground, rolling out of whatever contained me and across the snow, and I hit my head on something hard, and it hurts!! The cold is nearly unbearable! With my legs stuck and burning as if on fire, I cannot move! I lack the strength to even call out now. Everything else will not move, the smell of whatever I caught the stench of earlier is still with me. It smells of death and pain. I am scared, but I cannot move, cannot speak. Even as mother arrives.

I feel her beak nudging me, but I just cannot get any energy to respond. I try to make a sound and nothing comes out. She nudges me for a time, and stays with me, but I feel myself getting colder and colder... and mother is desperate... and then suddenly... I can sense her leaving. No, wait! I am all right, can you not tell? Are you going to bring food? I am not hungry but I will take anything warm now.

After a while, she has not returned. She has never left me for so long before. I have gotten my voice back but she is not calling back to me now. I feel terrified and alone. I manage to move a little ways, but my legs hurt so much, and I cannot yet see where I am going. The ice and snow... I fear that I will be buried if I stay still.

The scent of another like the ones I smelled in the aerie arrives when I have nearly given up hope. I am chilled to the bone, and I can barely breathe or move. I am terrified at first, but I am too weak to move now. The thing picks me up, but gently, not unlike mother would do. It helps me to breathe, and I nearly choke but soon I can breathe again. With one last call to mother, I wonder if I have died, and I am being taken to the place mother says that my brother went to a few moons ago.

I am placed down once again, and now I am confused. Now I am being abandoned again? I listen as the something leaves, and I do not want to freeze again! if mother will not answer, then I will call to the other, for even if it came back to gobble me up, it would be a better fate than freezing.

The thing must have come back for me, as I hear its feet crunch crunch crunch through the snow again. Again it picks me up, and this time it grooms at me some and then tucks me under its... wing? I cannot quite tell, but the scent of warm fur is inviting, even if it is not mother's. Did she leave me? Maybe she thinks that I am dead. I do not know if I am dead. But with the warmth, hunger returns anew. The something should feed me, so I give it a nip to remind it that I /need/ food. It makes strange sounds at me, but there is a tone of kindness to it. With my energy having been sucked out by the cold, and the warmth spreading through me now, I cannot keep my eyes open. I can feel the thing touching something to my legs, and the burning sensation starts to go away. Oh, thank you! But I'll express my gratitude later, for I so need to sleep now. Good night!

[Nocks the Gryphon]

Mental note: Stop posting, I killed the forums.....

[amethyst]

Nock's you did not kill the forum your story is wonderful. very moving i enjoyed it very much!