Ugh...human bodies.
Such a pain in the ass.
It had been theorized that, centuries upon centuries ago, there must have been a reason as to why his race could take on a secondary human form but that that reason had long since been lost. It had also been theorized that, back then, the transition between forms was seamless--the secondary form felt just as natural as the true form, and there was no risk involved with staying in the secondary form for too long. There were a million theories about the reasons and the mechanics and the whys and hows and whatever else people could conjur up, but none of that helped Ari when it came to getting accustomed to the damned thing. Human bodies were weak and frail and hairless and featherless and clawless and wingless and just...argh. He didn't like it, and his clothes were scratchy. One thing all those theories didn't say was how much being in the secondary form sucked.
Which was why, whenever he was certain that there were no human hunters around and that he was in a place where he could be naked, he shifted back. Besides, he couldn't help but be a little paranoid about that whole "getting stuck" thing that all sorts of scholars had warned against. But, alas, right now he wasn't in a place where he could prance around as a Gryphon, not because there was anyone around, but because it was bloody hot!
Panting softly and sweating like crazy, Lezzari (or "Ari" as he would tell anyone and everyone because his real named sucked) was naming off all the reasons why he hated this particular form as he walked along, grimacing at the feel of sweat rolling off his brow and soaking his shirt. Ugh. Sweat was definitely one of those things he didn't like. It was gross. He wasn't a big fan of water as it was, and the idea of water leaking from him...bleh. It was made even worse by the clothes that now clung to him as a result, clothes he would have long since tossed off in an attempt to get cooler if the sun wouldn't burn his white ass. That was one thing about Gryphons, they didn't sweat, and in the Realm there was really no reason to if they did, because the climate was nice, as opposed to this Godsforsaken spit of land. If he didn't find water soon, he'd be one fried Gry--gah, nope, bad thoughts. Right, imagine his horror at discovering the humans here ate birds. Fried chicken, they called it...
Cannibals.
In any case, the sun was getting to him, and he'd just recently discovered all the pleasantness of The Sunburn. As a Gryphon, he was protected from the sun by his fur and feathers. As a human? He might as well have lathered himself up in oil and told the sun to take him. His skin was fair, his short, spikey hair was white, and whoever said that white reflected the sun had told a horrible lie that they should forever burn for because said person was sorely mistaken. Ari was currently walking, breathing proof of that. His once fair skin? It was currently quite pink and even blistered over the bridge of his nose painfully.
How humans survived, he had no idea.
Finally, he stopped to take a break beneath a lone tree, unstrapping his heavy sword from his back and setting it down beside him. Actually, it wasn't all that heavy at all but it sure felt it, now. He wasn't even sure why he had to have it, since he hardly even knew how to use it. Self defense while a human, sure. Made sense. But if things ever got that serious, he just planned on shifting and settling the issue that way. Still, the Elders had insisted...
Reaching inside the bag he carried, he pulled out his emptying waterskin and took a swig, even though he knew it'd soon be leaking right back out through his pores. Wiping his brow with the back of his hand, he leaned his head back against the tree trunk and decided to just take a breather and enjoy the shade for now. Waiting for nightfall before continuing on was sounding better by the minute.
He was still resting when a hummed tune broke the silence (unless you counted the drone of insects), and his blue eyes snapped open in surprise. A human? Here? Ah! Then that must mean there was a village of some sort nearby, and settlements were never made where there wasn't a good water source. Saved! Because he planned on drinking a gallon of water and then wallowing in it.
Rising to his feet with a weary groan, he dusted off his bottom, sheathed his sword, and shouldered his bag. Ari really didn't want to leave the shade, but...ah well. Time to suck it up. He was a soldier, for Gods' sake. He could stand a little heat, even if he didn't think he'd ever get used to it.
Off he went, trudging along toward the faint sound which gradually grew louder and clearer the closer he got. He wasn't really paying attention to the melody, but something began to tug at his subconscious, some strange sense of deja vu. Which...really made no sense. Finally, as he could really discern the tune, he began to pay closer attention to it. It sounded familiar. Why the heck would something from here remind him of something from--
Shit!!
The answer to that was suddenly obvious. It would remind him of the Realm because it was from the Realm. That song! The tune sounded almost exactly like this one song that--
"And how are you today, Mr. Lizzy?"
If Ari wasn't already tense, he was now. How the hell?! Lezzy? Lezzy?! That was a nickname of his back home and one he hated! How'd she know his name? His body went rigid and his hand felt for the pommel of his sword before jerking away. Screw the sword!</I> If it was really a Black Gryphon, there'd be no point. He'd be shifting. That was all there was to it, female Gryphon or not--they still had talons and they still made things explode.
Steeling his resolve, prepared to face some Black Gryphon scumbag, Ari took a deep breath and quickened his pace, crouching down cautiously and clambering up a grassy knoll that the Gryphon was obviously on the other side of. He didn't bother with his clothes. No time. He'd just shift and they'd tear to shreds, but it was no big deal. He had extra, and there was just no ti--
...What...?
He had just poked his head up over the top of the little hill to peek down over to the opposite side, and...what he saw was not a Gryphon. It was very much a human woman who he could just view from the side.
Human? But...wait...then how'd she know his name and how'd she know that song if she was just a human?
Duh, Ari. Shifting...
Right. Unless...well, there was a possibility she really was a human. A bunch of rebels had come to Earth, so it was possible that the humans here had learned something of their culture and adopted it. But this girl had black hair. And knew his name. He didn't know how any rebels would know his name to begin with; he was no one important. Bah! The thing was, he couldn't tell if she was a human or shifted! There was no red flag that went up and announced it, which made it so damned difficult to find the Gryphons among the humans. Yet, either way, whatever the case, this younger girl would be useful. If she was a Gryphon, he would kill her. Simple as that. That was his mission, and Black Gryphons were worthless. It was only the White Gryphon traitors he had to bring back alive. If she was a human, maybe he could glean some information off of her, as she'd obviously come into contact with them.
First things first, though, because it was driving him crazy. And, hell, it would be the best way to announce his presense and figure out which option was true. If she was a Gryphon, she'd react, probably shift, and that would be that. If she was a human, she wouldn't. That was his guess.
"How do you know my name?" he blurted, shifting up onto his knees and peering down at her. He was ready to shift at a moment's notice.