Home Not Sweet Home

by CitreneSkys

Trapped

Author's Note:

This chapter is a little more violent and slightly more gorey, just a heads up.

Gallus was startled awake, hearing the loud crashing and clanking just outside. Opening an eye, he peaked out his cardboard box, curious about that was happening.

“Ack, really? I had to drop that watering can. Of course, what did I expect.”

“Uh..are you talking to yourself?”

“Shut up-“

“What are you doing here?” Gallus yawned, not fully processing the situation.

The shadowy silhouettes that outlined the entry of the alleyway turned to look at him. Both stood still, and for a moment Gallus wondered if he was imagining voices, and they were just a figment of his imagination. Then one spoke.

“Great, now we’ve alerted him. Good going, Goose.”

Gallus was fully awake, realizing that there were actual griffons in his alley, and they didn’t seem friendly. They just gave him a bad feeling, and the cold wind sent a shiver down his spine. Carefully, he stepped out his box, growling.

“What are you doing here?” Gallus prompted again, this time his voice was low and menacing. Or...at least it was as low and menacing as he could get it. One of the older griffons cackled.

“Aww the fledgling thinks he can scare us, how cute,” one of them said, laughing. The other one made an uneasy noise.

“...to be fair he did claw your fa-“

“Shut up about that!” The griffon whipped his head around to face his comrade, his face caught the light of the moon. The large griffon had a scar running along the left side of his face, his eye was cloudy. Gallus took a step back, suddenly recognizing the griffon before him.

Crap...

“Leave,” Gallus said as sternly as possible, drawing the attention bot the older griffon back onto him. The older griffon chuckled, his eyes narrowing.

”Oh, I don't think so, ” he grinned, taking a stride towards the fledgling, and in turn, Gallus stepped back. His blue eyes flung around, looking for any possible exit. As he was backed into a corner, he felt his mind racing. The walls seemed to shrink, making the already thin alley seem suffocating. Goose chortle, seeming to enjoy watching the younger griffon as he realized he was trapped.

Gallus leaped for one of the broken boards that lined the alley, trying to put distance between him and the two griffons below. He didn't get far, as the griffon behind Goose had trapped his tail and pulled him back down, the boards slid between his claws. He landed onto the stone floor with a thud, feeling sharp spikes stab through his skin, and splinters fell out of the air.

”You actually thought you were going to going to get away?” the white-feathered griffon asked, the fledgling struggling underneath his grasp. ”You don't get to scar someone’s face and get away with it. That's something they teach on the streets, don't they?” There was hesitance in his voice, and Gallus couldn't help but laugh.

”That sounded oddly rehearsed, ” the griffon on top of him blinked and turned back to his comrade with an apologetic grin. Goose shook his head, disapprovingly.

”You aren’t supposed to-ugh, I deal with him,” shoving the white-feathered griffon aside, he gripped the fledgling’s head in his claws, and sharp pain coursing through his head and neck and he felt himself be pulled into the air.

“Listen here ya little brat,” he spat, his feathers bristling, “After what you’ve done to my face, I thought I’d come to teach you a lesson.”

“Oh c’mon, that happened MONTHS ago,” Gallus said, squirming in pain. “Why are you doing this now? In the middle of the night!?”

Goose didn’t answer. Instead, Gallus felt his body be flung across the alley, his head colliding with the stone floor. Unbearable pain coursed through his body, and Gallus had to wait it out until it subsided so he can stand. Immediately, a large body threw themself on top of him, pinning him to the ground. The blue griffon bit his lower beak, stopping himself from screeching as he felt claws tear at his wing. Blinking away his tears, he curled himself into a ball, twisting in place, and effectively loosening the grip his attacker had on him. With a forceful kick to the stomach, Gallus threw of the brown griffon and was able to right himself up again.

With much effort, Gallus heaved himself to his feet, staggering a few steps towards the mouth of the alley. He didn't get far, as the dizziness from his head injury made him stumble, collapsing onto the ground.

He gasped, the pain spreading through his body. The world around became blurred, and he could feel something dripping down his face. Claws were back onto his back, and Goose hoisted Gallus up into the air.

“The fledgling thinks he can outsmart us, how cute,” Goose taunted, letting the young griffon hang from his talons. Gallus could feel the wind drying the blood flowing down his face, sticking to his fur and feathers. He didn’t have the strength or energy struggle anymore, everything around him was spinning.

“So..what do we do with him?” the white griffon came padding towards Goose, his steps light. “You agreed to not kill him.”

“I have a better idea,” Goose claws sunk deeper into the younger griffon’s flesh, which went numb against every other pain in his body. Dragging the fledgling’s body, he stuffed Gallus back into his box. Confused, Gallus lifted his head, ignoring the screaming of bloody murder in the back of his mind. The brown griffon flipped the flaps of the cardboard box, closing the way out.

Gallus’s eyes flew open, realizing what they were doing. Using his claws, he tried to push the flaps open, only for Goose to hold the box shut.

“Glide, get me something heavy! Preferably multiple somethings,” the griffin called, which was followed by crashing and clanking. Gallus felt something be placed over the head, and when he tried to push out, it didn’t budge.

“Hey!” He cried out, clawing the side of the box, his dull claws barely making a dent. The older griffons cackled, amused by Gallus’s attempts to escape. “Let me out!”

“Good luck, brat,” Goose’s voice was muffled by the walls that surrounded the young griffon. Pairs of talon steps faded away, their laughing went along with it. Leaving Gallus alone, stuck in a box, and unable to get out.

---

Gabby didn’t think much of it when she didn’t see Gallus the following morning. When she showed up to the empty alley, she’d assumed that the young griffon had left for the library early, and continued on her mail pathway.

She knocked on an older griffon’s window, waiting patiently for the elderly griffon to open up.

“Hi, Ms. Griddy! Here is your le-“

The aging white griffon snatched the papers out of Gabby's claws. She briefly skimmed over the writing on the back of the envelope, before huffing and slamming the window shut. They mail griffin sighed, descending from the sky.

She glumly walked across from street to street. The small town of griffons never said any word of gratitude as she mailed letters and packages, Gabby was mostly met with shut doors and angry adults. She was starting to miss the younger griffons company.

Gallus at least said thank you every once in a while, she thought, her annoyance becoming apparent on her face. She shook her head, ridding herself of the down-beat thoughts.

It’s fine!

Her talons clacked against the stone roads, making sure to keep a pep in her step as she made her way to the farthest end of the street. If the street had a name, Gabby wouldn’t know, because any sign that once was has been taken down or left to fade away with time. Either way, she’d like to think she had the whole of Griffonstone memorized like the back of her talons.

She turned a corner, trying to find a specific house that laid on the avenue. It was a new address that she’d had never delivered for, and Gabby was looking forward to making a good impression. She looked around the neighborhood and came to a halt.

The house in front of her was small, probably big enough to fit two griffons, and even that was a stretch. It had been carved from one of the dead trees, it’s entrance being hallowed out. The door was a glassy sheen to it, but the doorknob was missing. She knocked gently on the front door, waiting for the griffin to answers.

With a creak, the door opened slightly, just enough that Gabby could see one yellow eye peek out from the darkness. The grey griffon smiled warmly at him, waving.

“Hi! I’m Gabby. I’m here to deliver a letter for you,” she dug around in her leather satchel, pulling out a weathered piece of paper. With shaky talons, the griffin behind the door took it tentatively, before closing the door.

Gabby sighed and began to walk away, he from behind the door, a voice spoke up.

“Um...Gabby?” The griffin opens the door wider, and the grey griffon could see the white feather, ruffled, and tattered. Gabby looked confused but was delighted that someone had decided to make a conversation with her. The white griffon handed her a folded piece of paper, to which she took it with open talons. “Just..read it and...please don’t tell anyone of this.” There was underlining of fear that was held between his shaky voice. He abruptly shut the door, no longer wanting to talk.

She gripped the sheet of paper, her claws wrinkling the thin fibers. Curious, she unfolded the paper, reading its contents.

A small blue griffon is trapped in a box. Please get to him before he comes back a decides to do worse! Alleyway, up north, broken down.

“‘Small blue gri-“ Gabby stooped, realizing with dread that the white griffon had meant Gallus. Who else had blue feathers? And who was this ‘he’? Was Gallus in danger? How did the white griffon know?

She decided to not ask questions. Taking off in the direction she came from, she left her mail route. The grey griffon may be delivering late today, but right now she was more concerned about Gallus.

How did I not realize that he was in trouble? I should pay more attention to this! I’m a terrible friend, Gabby fretted, her mind racing with all the possibilities running through her head.

She arrived at the alleyway, her talons scraping the stone floor that sparks were created, bouncing in the air before disappearing. The alley looked just the same as it did earlier that morning, but now with the information that Gallus was here, it felt uncomfortable, like a spider crawling along her spine.

Gabby crept along the fallen planks, carefully avoiding splinters that littered the ground. She noted that there were dried black substance on the stone floor, flaking off when she scratched it. She didn’t know what it was but it did make her worry.

The cardboard box stood still in front of her, having large planks of wood and metal beams piled on top of it. Gabby's heart sank when she realized that she didn’t even notice the still silence that engulfed the alley, and felt ashamed.

“Gallus...?” She tapped the box’s sides, hoping the get a response. It was quiet for a moment.

She piped up when she heard something move.

“...Gabby?“ a raspy voice said, muffled by the cardboard walls. Quickly, they mail griffon knocked down the pile of planks and beams, letting them clatter and clank against the stone floor.

Inside the container laid the small, blue griffon, curled up into a little ball. He shivered as he lifted his eyes towards Gabby, a pink blanket held squashed to the side of his head. She could see red seeping into the fibers of the fabric.

“Oh geez, what happened to you?!” Gabby exclaimed, using her claws to gently pick up Gallus. She settled him into the stone floor, and the young griffin swayed on his feet. Tear stains were leaking down his face. He took a deep breath as if he hadn’t been breathing the entire time.

“Uh...I....”Gallus stuttered on his words, collapsing on his stomach, unable to keep himself up. Gabby’s fear was etched onto her face.

“Ok, ok.....you can tell me later uhhhh I’ll take you back to my place! I can get some medical-“

“NO!” He screeched suddenly, stumbling back. Gallus’s eyes were wide with fear, tears forming along his face, hyperventilating. “I don’t want to...Small...can’t...breathe..!”

“Gallus! Please, I need you to calm down,” Gabby urged, sitting Gallus back down. The young griffin fought back weakly. “I’m trying to help you!“

Gallus didn’t seem to hear her. Tears went streaming down his face as he finally let go of the pink blanket, letting it float to the ground. Gabby gasped when she was blood dripping down his face, staining his fur and feathers with a sickly red hue.

“Gallus, I’m going to need you to stay here, I’m going to go get something,” she said quickly, pressing the blanket to his face again. She tentatively wrapped the cloth around his forehead, hoping it’ll stay in place as she quickly raced home for supplies.

Gallus watched her leave, his vision still blurred. He sat on the floor, his energy levels at an all-time low.

He gazed around the alley, his breath hitching. Why was it so hard to breathe? Why was he panicking?

And most importantly, why are the walls coming closer?

Comments

[Pete100]

Shoutouts to gabby and that griffon.