Come morning, Cadmus was gone.
Or rather, the human Raizel knew as Cadmus was gone.
In his place was a large black gryphon, twice as large as a male lion but curled up beside her like a kitten. Of course, he was no longer on the bedroll at all; he was too large for it now. He was sleeping on his belly, his body curled around hers but only barely touching, his eagle-like head on his massive front paws--which were actually less paws, and more like the wicked feet and talons of a bird of prey. His long, feathery ears rotated idly as he listened even in his sleep, and his back foot twitched now and then as though he were dreaming.
But for the time being, he was blissfully unaware of his accidental shifting, and tired enough to keep on sleeping.
They both probably could have gone on snoozing if, sometime later, Cadmus hadn't shifted positions and rolled onto his side--and draped one of his heavy front legs over Raizel's body.