At times the path you follow seems to disappear only to reappear ells later, half hidden in foliage.
Finally the forest opens out into a brightly lit glade, a deep stream crosses the glade. A large willow tree grows on the bank, a third of it's boughs extend ove the water. Beyond it, growing up a steep rocky hill is a mass of morning glories.
The is a motion of colour within the willow and a scarlet face pokes from between the pale leafy fronds and blinks, swivelling rounded deer-like ears towards you.
"Eh...ah... Tzu'mia g'zt nevun yvette."
Another face pokes out of the leaves beside the Pah'llock's, regarding you with luminous blue eyes. The gryphon runs the side of her hooked beak along the pah'llocks neck and after a glance and slight nod from the Pah'llock both step from the willow tree's shelter.

"I am Tarkba'ani, ap Tz'rhiannoc. And this is Chalys.." He bobs his head at the gryphoness.
Tarkba'ani, ap Tz'rhiannoc, pel Tarben'anu
"Caern'takuo na Well come to our Aerie." She flicks her ears and parts her sharp beak in a smile. "Though not the usual sort of a gryphon's roost this is our territory."
Chalys touches Tarkba'ani with a wing as she emphasises the word, then creaks something to Tarkba in another language and he lips one of he primary feathers affectionately.
"Will you walk a while?" Tarkba asks you as Chalys bobs her head and lopes away.
"My Jiidari goes to hunt for a moment." He steps further from the willow, towards the forest occassionally looking to one side to observe you following. Near the forests edge he avoiding a large patch of blackened and withered plants. A few small grasses have managed to survive what ever caused it but look very sickley, as though blighted.
At your curious glance the red Pah'llock speaks. "This is the death-place of a Yah'm'boh, a dark spirit. Chalys and I were attacked by it but managed to defeat it. Even now the stain of it remains. Gradually fading. !nisgu tells that tale still if you are interested." He tosses his head to indicate the surroundings.
"The stream's source seems to be the hot spring that heat's our cave, though it is fairly cool by the time it reaches the surface. It runs down through the gather stones and eventually on to the Great Lake. Salui, hunting and grazing, is good there."
"The South-West forest paths from here lead to an old orchard while going North-West will take you to the crystal tree, much of the forest is too thick to easily penetrate.
As he speaks Tarkba leads you back towards the mass of morning glories. Using his long horns he snags a long vine, snapping it loose of with a jerk of his head and tossing the rope of purple blossoms and dark green leaves over his neck so as not to step on it.
Chalys, daughter of Mangwanani and Maskarti.Moments later Chalys returns, her feathers damp from cleaning. You can still faintly smell blood on her but it does not seem to bother Tarkba'ani who, dancing like a foal, flips a part of the vine over Chalys' shoulder.
She chirrups and grabs the end in her beak, giving it a challenging tug and the pair frolic about the clearing, almost appearing to be playing some strange game but for the matching pace and the dancing motions they make.
Before you realise it they have circled you and ensnared you in the middle of the vine, twirling you around. Laughing you grab a handful of the thick vine and the dance dissolves into a three way tug of war ending in all three of you collapsing.
Chalys is shaking with laughter, a circlet of morning glories made by Tarkba sitting haphazardly on her head, and Tarkba grinning despite huffing tickles her paws with a feather that fell from her wings. Sitting with your back against a tree you clutch the stitch in your ribs and gradually get your breath back.
After thanking you for the game the pair return to the shade of their willow leaving you to decide where you intend to go.
To follow the stream, the path to the orchard or return to the crystal tree.

All images on this page are (c) to me!! Do NOT take them.