This time the gryphon took you to a much larger ledge, where a large number of colourful gryphons were gathered to bask in the warm sunlight. You dismount, glad to touch the ground but made certain to avoid the edge and its precipitous heights. Picking one of the gryphons at random, you approach a bright blue one...

As you got closer, you were suprised to note that he had the head of a bluejay and not that of a hawk. Perhaps they weren't actually gryphons? Or some sort of subspecies?

"Jay, I think it's a human," the violet female said. The blue male moved closer, "Are you a human?"

You admit that this is so, and you ask them if they were gryphons. They think about this for a moment. "Kind of," the female said. "We're Gryphon Whorlings from the Whorl." You were about to ask what the Whorl was when they continued their introduction.

"My name is Talon, and this is Jay," the female added. You introduce yourself in return. Then suddenly they both get this horrified look on their face and fly away. Obviously leaving you to whatever had frightened them. You turn slowly to see a much larger whorling approaching, he had a nasty look in his eye, a predatory look. You start backing away from him slowly.

A few steps back and the ground gave way beneath your feet and you began to fall. Only you shouldn't be falling, you were nowhere near the ledge. Looking up you could see his head outlined against the sun, looking down you could see...what was that glowing thing down there anyway?

She matched your speed as you continued to descent. You ask for help, but she merely looks at you, eyes glowing softly in the increasing darkness. Then there was a bright flash of light and you tumbled onto the ground under a sunlit sky. What was that?

"Wow," the spotted female said, "That was a pretty impressive belly flop there."

You were too happy to still be alive to resent that comment. You describe your experince with a shaky voice, she laughed. "Oh, there are portals like that all over the place. Usually one doesn't fall into them by mistake, but its been known to happen. Just be happy that portal dumped you here instead of the middle of the ocean."

"The name's Kiwi, by the way. And over there, that's Papillion." You tilt your head to see the buttefly-winged whorling. He nodded in greeting.

"The two you met must be Sabre and Mystery. Everyone around here knows Sabre, he's dangerous and some claim that he may even resort to cannabalism when the mood takes him. I'm not sure he'd go that far but I know some whorlings who will bear the scars of their encounter with his for the rest of their lives."

"I've never met Mystery though, she prefers the dark places. She might be the guardian of that portal, though not all portals are guarded. She may have helped to ensure you fell into it properly."

It didn't seem like she did anything to help, but you were willing to give her the benefit of the doubt and offer silent thanks for her guidance.

Papillion got up and stretched, "There are others like us that way," he indicated a plateau over a rise, "and if you are interested in seeing more glowing gryphons, you will find another there, one more likely to speak with you."