Griffin Ranger: Crossline Plains by Roz Gibson

Author:Roz Gibson [Gibson, Roz]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2015-02-18T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14: Ranger Cheer

“She was the clutch-sibling of my father,” Ranger Cheer Golden-Nape lay stretched out on the polished wood floor of her roost. “She just vanished, along with her hanz.”

The hanz kneeling at Harrell’s torn hind leg didn’t look up from her work. Harrell tried not to wince as she washed the wound with disinfectant. His leg was so swollen and stiff he could hardly move it, but he wasn’t going to show how much it hurt. A juvenile healer was already attached to his thigh. It was too small to do anything for the pain, but it should bring down the swelling.

There was little space in the roost's common room. Ranger Cheer, her apprentice, a male red-tail named Nye, both of Cheer’s juvenile chicks, and several hanz crowded into the space. The juveniles were fascinated by the huge griffin from distant Earthquake City, but the only thing Ranger Cheer cared about was her missing relative, an elderly golden-nape who disappeared two years before.

“Ranger Rekken did nothing!” She spoke of the Crossline Plains chief ranger with contempt. “He said he would look into it. He said it was being investigated. He lied!”

An older male hanz, the mate of the female trying to patch up Harrell’s leg, stroked the feathers on Cheer’s nape. Her hackles lowered but her voice still choked over her emotion. “My father died last fall without ever knowing what happened to his clutch-sibling. She helped raise me after my mother died . . . but I don’t know what happened to her, or whether she needs my help. . . .”

“That’s what I’m trying to find out,” Harrell said. “I’m here with an Investigator from Defiance. No matter what else happens, once Defiance finds out we were attacked in Kaerling, they’ll withdraw the greenie’s lease and force them out.”

“What is happening here? Why did they attack you?” The red-tail asked.

“I don’t know for sure,” Harrell sighed. His whole body ached. There were points of fire on his chest where the black-hood’s talons had penetrated and his hind leg was one giant, throbbing mess. He had no idea if Kwap was dead or alive. He felt like a complete failure.

“I saw some things in Kaerling I can’t explain.” he said “The greenies obviously didn’t want us to talk about what’s there. Kwap--the other griffin who was with me--took photographs he was going to send to Defiance, but I have no idea if he was able to get away.”

“Where are you staying?” Cheer asked.

“Crossline Plains. Me and Kwap . . . and Tirrsill.” He suddenly remembered the small hanz. “Do you have a com screen here? There’s a hanz waiting for us back in Crossline Plains. I need to tell her what happened.”

“You’re not moving, not until that healer finishes and drops off.” The matronly female hanz tending him put both hands on his wing shoulder. Her tone brooked no argument. “I’ll call her. Her name is Tirrsill? What’s your com code?”

Harrell gave it to her. “Tell Tirrsill to go stay with Kinnee for the rest of the day.

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