Zel

Zel, unlike some other boys his age, had flourished in the matriarchal society of Ice High Aerie. Sure, his four sisters had preferential treatment, but they doted on their baby brother, and he was content with his lot in life.

He stood 6'2" tall, and had an eye-pleasing athletic build. His skin was a pale tan color, typical of the long-time residents of the Aerie community, and his dark hair was short and thick. His brown eyes had so much depth it was possible to get lost in them, provided Zel let himself stay in ones company long enough.

* * *

Zel woke uncharacteristically early one morning for no apparent reason. Even he had no explanation for why he was up. His sisters slept soundly in their cushy rooms, and Zel walked quietly down the hall lest he disturb them. His father and uncles were just starting breakfast when he arrived in the communal kitchen that belonged to the extended family.

"You're up early this morning, Zel." His uncle said, giving him a welcoming hug. Zel enjoyed being crushed by those big loving arms. Even at 19, he was still treated somewhat as a child.

"Uncle Derrle, what are you doing here? I thought Jenx…"

"Jenx decided he'd rather spend the winter at home, rather than alone in the Hall." Derrle replied. "It's friendlier."

Zel grinned. "I love Jenx! Where is he?"

Derrle released his exhuberant nephew. "Up to his flank in snow, lad. The stuff really came down last night."

Zel blinked. Sure, Jenx wasn't that big of a gryph, but that meant nearly three feet of snow. "Drifts?" he inquired, "or direct?"

"Drifts, fortunately." His other uncle said, stepping up to the doorway.

"Uncle Terren! You're here too?"

The big man nodded, and a melting clump of snow fell from his hat and landed on the floor with a splat. "And Mirenex. The Aerie Mother sent out dozens of gryphs to help people dig out."

"Get your gear, Zel." His father said. "Between you and your uncles and their gryphs, the courtyard and path to the waterhouse should be cleared by the time the womenfolk get up."

Zel grinned and ran back to his room for warmer clothes. Though he moved with speed, he moved with stealth. The barest sound was made when his soft-shoed foot hit the floor.

* * *

Snow clearing could be tedious with heavy winds, but it was a normal activity for the men and boys of the House. During his labors, Zel found half a dozen feathers. He cleared the snow from Lita's window ledge, and tucked the largest powder gray feather close along the edge, packing snow around the quill so it would stay.

Kina's ledge lost all the snow, but gained a tiny snowman with small gray feather for a crest.

Sannata's snowy ledge was to be undisturbed, but Zel tucked two dusky red downy feathers into the top layer, hoping they'd stay.

Maryt's window took much longer. A pouncing snowgryph with two blue feathers for his wings. Zel smirked as she brushed off his hands and ran around the front of the House.

Zel and the other snowmovers were at breakfast when the girls arrived. Lita and Kina had their feathers clipped in their hair. Sannata came racing through the dining area and right into the mudroom for her coat and boots. Unlike her sisters, she couldn't retrieve her gift by opening the window. Zel smiled when she came back in snowdusted and grinning with the pair of feathers in her hand.

It was nearly half an hour lager when Maryt put in an appearance. Blue eyed and deaf, she generally slept late, blissfully unaware of the hustle and bustle of the House in the morningtime. In her tiny hand were the two feathers.

Uncle Terren leaned across the table. "Heavens, Zel, didn't you keep one feather for yourself?"

Zel smiled and shook his head. He got all the luck he needed from his sisters.

Maryt made her way around the hall, showing everyone. Then she came to the table where Zel and their uncles sat. She wrapped her arms around his waist and gave him a hug. The twinkle in her eyes was all the thanks he needed. She climbed up on the bench beside him, and one of the boycousins promptly got up to get her breakfast.

Maryt leaned on Zel, and slipped one of the blue gryph feathers into his shirt pocket, and patted it.

Zel understood. He shouldn't try to give it back. He put his arm around her shoulders and gave her a loving squeeze. Terren's eyes twinkled. It wasn't every boy that was so well taken care of.

* * *

That evening, large female gryphons decked in the silken ribbons marking them as official messengers of the Aerie Mother. They were admitted to the hall, and the House representatives came to hear their messages.

"Mother Yence has been in contact with Aeries from across the sea. They are more than interested in youths from our isle coming to them as bonders, and we welcome youths from their isle to come here." The green gryphoness said, her head held high with pride.

"Usually we don't look for potential bonders on a wide scale," the second began, "but in an effort to get the exchange started on the right wing, we're hoping to send several youths right away." Her speech sounded very rehearsed, but the message was clear.

Zel's sisters sat attentively listening. Would they be chosen? Zel did his best to stand still. Maryt fidgeted, brushing the blue feather across her fingertips. She couldn't hear what was going on, but was required to stay.

"We will stay the night, and announce our choices in the morning." The green gryphoness said. A murmur passed through the house as they disbursed. Zel thought he would offer his services to the gryphonesses, and took a step forward.

"Zel!" Lita hissed, "go see if they need anything!"

"On my way, sister." He whispered, and stepped forward. He bowed to the messengers, and looked them in the eye, unafraid.

"Greetings ladies, I am zel, and I offer you my assistance."

"Thank you Zel." The great green said. "If you'll show us towards a nest…"

Zel smiled. "My pleasure. This way…" he said, leading the way down the short wide hall to the main dorms, and showed them the vacant nests, not pointing out the one Jenx preferred, since he knew the small male would be staying, though it was technically empty until he spoke for it.

The larger gryph chose a nest overlooking the area, but the small one stayed on the floor.

"Is there something more I can do for you?" Zel asked courteously.

"Actually, there is. I would absolutely love to have my fur brushed. I hate how it gets after I land in snow."

Zel blinked. "I'd be happy to. Let me get a brush." Hadn't they cleared the snow?

The gryphoness settled herself to wait. "Honestly, Kace, you're too vain." The green laughed.

"Am not Lanice!" the smaller said.

"But if you hadn't insisted on checking on that private project of yours…"

"Oh hush!"

Lanice laughed. "You and I both know that kid has potential coming out of his ears, and one of these days he'll be big enough to ride and we'll fix him up with a gryphlet right proper."

Kace laughed. "Give him time Lanice!"

Zel came back with the brush, hoping she wouldn't be upset that Jenx was last to use it. Apparently she didn't care, and actually helped, standing up or holding out a limb without having to be asked first. "You have the most beautiful spots…" Zel said, giving her flank one lass pass with the brush.

"Thank you, Zel." She laughed. "My mate enjoys them as well."

Zel smiled, surprised that he'd been let in on such an inside thing.

"I'm sure he considers himself to be very lucky to be mated to as lovely a gryph as you." Zel thought perhaps that she blushed.

"Well thank you for your help, Zel. I'll call for you if I need anything."

Zel bowed and departed. In the hallway, he came upon a tired looking Jenx. "I saved your nest for you, Jenx." Zel said, and the gryph smiled in his way.

"Thanks lad." He said, brushing his wing on the young man as he passed in a friendly gesture. "You're a good one Zel." He said. "take it easy."

Zel returned the brush to its place, and walked down the hall towards the activity room, to see if he could be of help. As soon as he stepped through thew doorway, Maryt bounded over and took him by the hand. Once again he found himself wondering just what his quiet sister was thinking. She sat him down and leaned against him. Maryt took her lucky feather from her skirt pocket and waved it at him, as very young children waved with things when someone was leaving and it hadn't occurred to them to put it down first.

Zel shook his head, and waved back. "I'm not leaving." He said.

Maryt shook her head and poked Zel in the chest, then waved at him with the feather again with every ounce of her insistant.

"I'm leaving with the gryphs?" he tried again, pointing to himself, then at the feather, followed by a flying motion.

Maryt nodded excitedly at him.

"How do you know?" he asked.

Maryt slid down from the chair and shrugged before running off.

"What was that all about?" Lita asked, looking up from the book she was reading.

"Maryt says I'm going with the gryphons." Zel said, still a bit confused himself.

"She's just amusing herself. She doesn't know why the gryphoness' are here. They don't have mouths to read."

Zel nodded. "I know." He sighed, "yet she's so convinced."

Lita snorted derisively. "If you leave with the gryphs, I'll…" "You'll what?" Kina said, stopping her trek through the room to butt in.

"I"ll buy him a new fur coat." Lita finished.

"And if he doesn't?" Kina asked.

"He buys me a new coat! I've had my eye on a new mink coat…"

Zel didn't particularly care to fund his sister's fashions. "I don't…"

"Well I do!" Kina said. "If he goes, he gets a new coat. IF he doesn't, you do. It's fair."

Zel didn't quite understand the logic.

Kina left after shaking her hand. She only had gone a few steps when she called him. Zel obediently left the room and joined her, to help with whatever she had in mind. His sister grinned. "She's getting that coat for her birthday. Don't worry on that bet. Besides, if you do go, she'll have to get you a flight jacket." Kina smirked. "I am jealous, but I don't exactly want to leave the isle either…"

Zel patted his sister on the back. "Kina, you're great."

She grinned. "Go relax. Take a bath or something." She laughed. "You deserve it, especially with the shoveling you did this morning. And don't think I don't know." She said with a smirk, tapping the feather in her hair.

Zel smiled. "I'm glad you like it, Kina."

* * *

Zel slept restlessly, and awoke just after dawn when someone tapped on his door. Slipping on some clothes, he eased the door open. It was Maryt. She pointed to him, then to the gryph feather, and pointed own the hallway. Zel was confused. She gestured for him to follow and she led him to the dorms.

Kace was curled up asleep with Jenx, and the great green stirred. Her bright eyes caught them. "Hello." She whispered. "Go pack, Zel."

Maryt was right, Zel was to be a bonder. But where?

* * *

Lanice herself brought Zel to Caelum Aerie, giving Zel firsthand experience flying over the oceans. Caelum Aerie was nice - the weather was pleasant and everything was wonderful - except Zel worried about Maryt. Was anyone looking out for her? Were they sweeping her windowledge off when it snowed so the late morning sun could wake her? He was sure the gryphons noticed his distraction, and it worried him to a degree.

However, it wasn't until he came upon the Aerie Mother that his worries were aired. "Don't worry about Maryt, Zel. She'll be taken care of."

Zel felt more at ease then, but he still missed her.

Zel's Red Male Towodil ("hawk")