Shyral pulled Slyten up to the start of the exam.
First year exams were simple, but she had already got a penalty for being late.

"Shyral and Slyten of clan Beaks. You may begin."

Shyral lent foward, and Slyten beat the air with his powerful wings.
Young and inexperienced they may be, but they loved to fly.

Growing up, Shyral had been clumsy, unco-ordinated. It wasn't till her uncle had taken her flying did she realize that air was her element.

They flew, completing the basic course in record time. Slyten was the envy of the first-years. He was the fasted flyer his age, daring, and confident. This also meant he got them both into trouble on a regular basis.

Shyral looked down at the landing pad. That was boring. Why did only the second and third years get to do fancy flying?
"Come on, Slyten. Let's show them that first years can do it too."

Slyten crooned, and Shyral gave him a signal. He was his own now, she had given control to him.
Slyten raised, higher, higher.
Soon they were above regulation heights, and Shyral was getting colder and colder.

"Shyral! Get that gryphon of yours down here right NOW!"
A faint voice was heard from below. The examiner had jumped on her own gryphon, and was circling below.

"You heard her. Let's go down." Slyten crowed with delight.

He folded his body, snapping his wings to his side. Soon they were plummeting, the platform quickly getting larger and larger.
The examiner pulled her gryphon away from them with a cry of alarm.
No-one had dived so fast before and walked away.

Slyten slowly pulled his head back, stretching out his legs and fanning his wings, straining with the effort involved with the braking. Slowly, they decelerated enough for Slyten to beat his wings, once, twice, before landing on the pad with a soft thump.

"Shyral! Report for extra duties after your classes!"
Shyral slipped of slyten, her head still spinning from the plummet.
"Yes, miss. Sorry miss. Do I still pass?"
"Yes. Barely. Now go to your next station before I take away your gryphon for endangering it so."

There was a problem with her early morning flights, Rae decided as she raced to the mess hall. They made her lose track of time.

She left Shadow waiting outside the door, hauling behind into the hall. The sundial appeared to read just ten minutes after eight. Good. She wasn’t too late.

Her theory disintegrated as she saw the empty cafeteria, half-eaten scones and nectarines left on dirty trays. Rae muttered a not-very-nice word under her breath and did an about face.

“Shadow!” she groaned, mounting him in one flying leap. “We are so dead!”

Exams were today. First-year exams. For her, it was her chance to prove to the class of twenty-somethings that she knew her stuff – that she was young, but not stupid.

Unfortunately, she was quickly throwing away her chances of making that point.

Shadow shrieked and shot into the sky in one mighty burst of energy. The first-year flying course was a little over a quarter-mile away, and Shadow, sensing her anxiety, was rocketing towards it at top speed. Way over first-year regulation speed. Rae closed her eyes and prayed that there was no security monitoring flights outside the courses.

Shadow landed perfectly just outside the flight field. Yanking his halter over his head, Rae tugged him through the gate, urging him with clicks of her tongue to go faster, please, please, please.

And she was so intent on getting to where she was going that she didn’t even see the examiner when she ran into him.

Liam Renadli’s usually red complexion was deep purple as he made a big check mark next to her name. “First-years!” he fumed, looking for all the world like an angry puffer fish. “No responsibility! No discipline! I’ve given just three exams this morning and already I have to mark two students down for lateness! Not to mention dangerous conduct, Shyral.” He glared at a girl leading her griffin back to the stables. Hearing her name, she sighed, rolling her eyes, and whispered to Rae, “Remember, you’re not allowed to have any fun.” Giving her a wink, she strode towards the paddock.

Rae swallowed hard.

Shyral had watched Rae race in. She wasn't bad. Maybe I could teach her some tricks about speed...

Shyral put Slyten in his stall and got out the brushes.

"You did well,

"Come on Rogue. Just one more to go." Jacob had performed excellent so far. They were trying to complete the final back archer move. They had managed to get every target but one. "Where could it be?" He looked down. Of course! It was hidden on a balcony! The one place he wouldn't look. He pulled back his bow. He was ready...almost there...BOOM! A rumble shook the air. "What the hell was that?" He heard a shoot from below.
"They're here!"
"You...um...you..uh what happened?"
"They invaded!" Jacob landed as quick as he could. The instructors ran over.
"Everyone! Please get into the gym. There is no cause for alarm. But please just go." Principal Myers said. Another rumble shook the courtyard.
"But...what caused the-" He was cut off by the sudden rush of students heading off towards the gym.
"Now if we surround the premise the Black Fangs shouldn't be able to get in..." That was the last thing he overheard before running for his own life.

"Come on" Jacob said as he rushed towards the last target. He had somehow managed to shoot everyone of the targets in under two minutes. The last one was as clear as day. It was on his dorm's roof under a bell. "Yes" He thought to himself. He poised for the shot...he was ready...almost there...BOOM!" A rumble shook the courtyard. "Rogue land!" He yelled. The large griffin did what she was told and flew to the ground.
"What the hell was that?" He asked the instructor.
"I don't know." A voice boomed over the loud speaker.
"PLEASE REPORT TO THE GYMNASIUM! WE HAVE EVERYTHING UNDER CONTROL!" The voice sounded firm but afraid.
"BUt what was-" He was cut off by another loud boom. Growls could be heard in the distance. He took one look back and just ran. "come on Rogue! We got to get outta' here!"

Aqua had just landed from the final maneuver before her Back archer when the lound booming came. She couldn't understand the loud speaker, but Mr. Panton instructed her to get to the Gym. She didn't protest and Corrith launched into the air.

"What's going on?" Aqua asked, mainly to herself. Corrith growled lightly and Aqua knew he had no clue.

They landed inside the gym, an enormous, coliseum-style structure, and looked around for somewhere to stand. Most of the students were here, and several more were landing around her. She didn't see Jon anywhere.

She led Corrith over to a clear patch of grass and sat down, Corrith laying down next to her.

Shyral dropped the brush.

"Sorry Slyten... looks like we are going flying again."

Slyten pranced out of his stall, cooing impatiently.

Shyral leapt onto his back, and he took off inside the stables, upsetting the rakes and caused hay to fly everywhere.

"Come on, This is an opportunity to fly fast with no consequences."

Slyten cackled in delight and flew up into the sky, heading for the gym.

**Eeeh, I've missed such a lot! I'm loosing track of everyone here!**

Robyn breathed a huge sigh of relief as Sunclaw whirled away from the grounds and up into the sky. The exams were over! Whether she had done good or bad, she could not tell, and in truth she did not much care. They were over, and that was all that mattered.

Sunclaw screeched in delight as they flew up into the clouds, the ground becoming a dizzying nothingness below. Her griffin's cry woke in Robyn that wild exaultation that she always felt when she heard it. Then she heard another sound, almost felt it. A massive booming noise that sounded like a thunder cloud with belly-ache. And not just a boom . . .

Sunclaw screeched again, but this time from pain, and not excitement. He lurched awkwardly sideways, nearly unseating Robyn as she covered her ears. Underneath the boom was a piercing, high whistling that filled Robyn's head like liquid fire and threatened to turn her brain to water, so intense was its frequency.

Sunclaw screamed in pain, as the noise hit his more sensitive ears, and his wings simply folded up like bits of paper. Griffin and rider fell towards the ground, both screaming.

Below them was the gymnasium, and the people on the ground looked up, shielding their eyes against the sun, and as they realized what it was falling towards them, they ran in all directions, calling frantically for help.

Robyn pounded against Sunclaw's side, too terrified to think clearly. "Sunclaw!" She screamed. "Stop! Pull up!"

Sunclaw rallied, and with a desperate effort snapped his wings out, and slowed their desperate plunge down. Sunclaw lifted himself up, then slewed sideways as the ground rushed up to meet them. As he hit the ground, he rolled, and Robyn was entangled in his legs and feathers. As Sunclaw thrashed in pain and panic, one of his taloned feet caught Robyn on the side of her head. The last thing she heard was the outcry of the approaching students and teachers, then everything went spiralling down into giddy darkness.

Jon Looked about him. Beak hated loud noises and as the boom sounded he had climbed for air and now Jon was freezing. Nudging Beak Jon flew down towards the Gym. As he came lower he saw Aqua and Corrith down below him.

Beak flew down quicker and quicker, eager to be on the ground. Landing Beaks claws dug deep ditches. Corrith leapt up and moved to Beak as Jon slid down.

Aqua stood as moved towards Jon.
"What happened?" he asked.

"I dont know, Just a loud boom. No one has told us anything." Jon hugged Aqua suddenly.

"Glad your safe he said." He said to her then released.

"I am glad your safe too, Jon."

Jon reahced into the pocket of his Jumpsuit and removed a small black box. He handed it to Aqua who looked at him.

"When i broke my arm i missed your birthday and thats your present." Opening it Aqua removed a silver chain that had a pendent upon it. The pendent was in the shape of a Griffin.

"Thanks..." Jon looked away shyly.

Jacob looked around. The noise was too much for him....He fell to the ground holding his ears in pain.
"Rogue...Go!" He pushed her on. She nugged him. He knew she would never leave him.
"Hey! You okay?" A voice yelled over the screeching. Jacob looked up to see a girl standing over him. He could tell she wasn't a Feather.
"No...I can't up." She helped him up."Thanks..."
"Save your thanks for later." She ran back to two griffins and a young man.
"C'mon Aqua!" The man said. That was the last thing he heard before passing out.

Rae and Shadow were fifty feet in the air and climbing when the world split open. At least, that's what it felt like to her.

A horrible shrill shriek rent the sky. Shadow screamed, tearing at his feathery ears with his talons. Rae echoed his scream and clutched at the bridle, burying her face into his mane. "What's happening?" she cried.

Shadow shrieked again and jerked in midair, tracing random roller-coaster patterns in the sky.

"Shadow! Please! Just land!" Rae screamed. "Please!"

The sound ripped through air again. Rae looked down, and goosebumps raced along her skin as she saw the earth below on the flight field erupt in ripples, like a pond when a pebble is thrown in. The green grass and sandy hills rolled like the ocean on a stormy day. Trees surrounding the stables and the paddock fell, crashing into the barn and fence.

"Great God in heaven," Rae whispered hoarsely. "Shadow! Please! LAND!"

Finally the griffi did as he was told, hurtling toward the gymnasium.

Slyten was hurtling downward when the boom sounded.
Luckily, they were going so fast that the sound of wind in Slyten's ears lessened the effect, so he just spread his wings and landed.
Around them, however, Griffens where screaming, some plain falling out of the sky.
Shyral looked around her, staring at all the confusion.

"Someone? What's going on?"

Jacob woke up with a start. He was lying on one of the seats on a the large bleachers of the gym.
"Wwww-where am I?" He sat up panting. "Where's my griffin."
"Settle down...she's right here." Aqua said. Rogue rode over to his side.
"Thank you...but what happened? What were those noises?"
"We...uh...don't know yet. We're in the dark as much as you." Jacob looked up.
"LOOK IN THE WINDOW!" They both looked up. A huge beast was in peering in. It had a strange...almost wolf like quality. But this was no regular creature. The thing had a gold bony crest on it's head and wings coming from it's side.
"WHAT IS THAT?" Aqua through herself back. The beast looked straight at her. It growled and speed off.
"We got to get some one..." Jacob started to get weak. It was the noise again...and this time it was in the building.

Jon looked at the beast. The first thing that came to his mind was "That is cool." but then his sense took over and told him to run. Grabbing Aqua's arm and the dude they had saved Pulled.

"Lets get out of here." A bit of debris fell from the roof. The feather fainted again. "Damnit. Put him on the back of his griffin." Jon and Aqua lugged him up and laid him over his griffin.

With that the ran as fast as they could towards the exit. Outside students were streaming in all directions. In the air a dozen more of those peculiar beats were flying about, they were attacking students and Instructors.

"Take him." Jon gestured to the unconcious figure.

"What are you dong?" Aqua demanded him.

"I am going up. They need help." With that Jon turned and ran to where Beak was snarling at the beasts in the air. The beasts were about twice the size of a Griffin and were obviously more aggressive.

Beak struggled up and swerved expertly away from teh battle gaining more air. The best way, Jon had been taught, to attack othe rflying creatures is to attack from height.

The strange beats may have been aggressive but they were not prepared for Beak as he came hurlting in. Jon Once again thought about how cool this was. He was finnaly riding Beak into a conflict, they were useful.

Then the danger hit him. what if they killed him and Beak. It was too late to pull out now so Jon just shrugged his shoulder and prayed he wouldnt die.

Beak basically landed on teh back of one of the Beasts. Beak may be kind to his human carers but when it came to fighting others he was a deadly opponent. The beasts back broke and it began falling through the air.

Beak swerved and a Beasts claws barely missed ripping Jon's head off. It was a deadly fight to teh death.

Robyn slammed back into consciousness with a pail of water being dashed in her face. She gasped and sat up, her head throbbing. All around her was pandemonium, students running hither and thither, teachers shouting commands no one was following, griffins squealing in pain, and in front of her stood a female student a year or two older than herself, holding a dripping, empty pail. "What's happening?" She demanded.

Robyn shook her head, and the other girl hauled her to her feet. "I don't know, there was this noise, and Sunclaw crashed, and . . . Sunclaw!"

"Don't worry, he's alright," the girl reassured her. "A bit battered, but fine." She held out her hand. "I'm Shryal, by the way, of Beaks. And this is Slyten." Her golden-brown griffin was behind her, rubbing his beak over Sunclaw's neck. Robyn pushed past and went to him, running her hands over his body, assuring herself he was unharmed. Then she suddenly recalled her manners, and turning back to Shryal, belatedly shook her hand. "Sorry, my name's Robyn. Of Claw."

Shryal nodded, her dark hair swishing over her face. "I didn't hear the noise."

"Be thankful. It hurts inside your head like it's a nail boring down inside your skull."

Shyral winced. "Nasty. Sure you're okay?"

"Yeah. What do we do now?"


**Hope you don't mind, Nutty? Robyn needed to meet someone.**