T-Cotuil-Advisor-3 Aqua-ilas

Next Challenge: [link]

Previous Challenge: [link]

Also called “Petrogryphs and Aqua-ilas”

Cotuil had initially questioned Queen Tulkiina’s decision to send her to Grandesque. The little owlgryph preferred a solitary lifestyle, usually emerging from the forest only for ritual, barter, and festivals. But after having to ventured so far, and meeting so many strange gryphs… social life wasn’t quite so foreign to her. She even accompanied Jhator, one of the few gryphs she had regular contact with, back to Grandesque to catch a peak at a ceremony. Truth was… it was somewhat nerve-wracking, since she knew she wasn’t really supposed to be there. However, she was surprised when she recognized a couple of gryphs she’d seen earlier, like Skerry, the stiff one who’d helped her. Somehow, the two Twistoults managed not to get caught… though the owlgryph suspected that was only because the portly Queen had droned on so long, almost everyone had fallen asleep.

Not too long after, Jha asked her to go flying with him, in one of the more populated areas, which was only a short glide away from her secluded home. Finding this far safer an adventure than their previous one, she obliged, though the little owlgryph stuck close to her friend. Cotuil followed him around the intricate network of Home Caves, meeting new gryphs, and placing names to ones she’d seen in passing. There was so much going on! Some gryphs were sitting down to meals, others were calling out to them from booths as they advertised their wares, meanwhile, other gryphons screeched in delight as they rolled around in play.

Cotuil was… awkward, shy, and quiet at first. But gradually, she became more comfortable, loosening up. Offhandedly, the owlgryph mentioned that it’d be easier of she either knew everyone already, or if she had the opportunity to familiarize herself with the place, without the other gryphs. And that is when Jhator had a fantastic idea: Bring the other gryphons to her, so she could get to know them better first.

***

It only took a few days to get everything ready for the party in the little patch of forest Cotuil had staked out as her own. She lived in a small cave that water had long ago carved into in a bowl of waterfall-scraped stone. The pool and nearby streams were loaded with many colorful fish, and there was plenty for everyone to eat. Furthermore, there were plenty of large trees for roosting and preening in, and the cliff face provided a perfect place for sunning.

In addition, much of Cotuil’s normally hermit-like life was spent decorating her surroundings. Painted onto the inside walls of her home, were many depictions of gryphons, which she happily called ‘petrogryphs.’ However, outside, petroglyphs depicting everything from gryphons to deer to abstract ideas adorned the rock face. Along the nearby trees, Cotuil had tied many, many strips of colored cloth to the boughs, to mimic gaeldun leaves during the other seasons. She often would watch them flutter in the breeze, especially if she saw strange clouds, their movements often letting her know which way rain might come from. Strings of round shell and wooden beads hung in garlands with these ribbons, along with hanging bones and sticks. Cotuil would sometimes save the bones of her prey, displaying them as a sign of reverence and respect, thankful for her good fortune. However, what she really loved about the bones and such was that if she hung them close together, in a breeze they’d clink and clack against one another, allowing the wind to make music.

Cotuil had asked Jha to invite everyone who wished to come, but had insisted that an invitation was given to a strange, black-and-white gryphon she’d seen. A flock of other gryphs had been picking on it, and she felt that in order to maintain balance, someone ought to do something nice for them. As gryphs began to arrive, Cotuil found she was even able to remember a few names of some of the kind gryphs she’d met, like Rokhurn, and Kiyet.

Somehow, miraculously, everything went surprisingly well. Cotuil slowly became better acquainted with many of the other gryphs in her aerie, both through interaction and observation, meanwhile, everyone seemed to be having a blast. As the day wore on and the angle of Vistle’s radiant light began to lower, Cotuil found herself relaxing under a tree with Jhator. Shyly, she gave a few of his neck feathers an affectionate preen. The owlgryph had initially doubted Jhator’s idea, but, he had been right. No wonder the rest of the community valued his advice so much.

Cotuil looked around at all of the young gryphs flying about. Soon, they’d all be adults, herself included. Most of them even had their adult plumage. Catlike, she rubbed her shoulder against Jha’s. How quickly childhood had gone…

Please consider joining !

Woo, third challenge! (Now I haveta add to Cotuil's character sheet O.o) I decided, since the background was simple in the last one, I'd do a complex one this time... and I also borrowed more gryphons, this time of several other Twistoults (thanks guys!) When ~Wolfsjal makes her gryph, I plan on sticking it in here too!

*Chuckles* Also, randomly, the whole ‘petrogryph’ thing is something I plan on bringing back up later…

So! The cameogryphs are:

=SageGoat’s Jhator [link] (He's there because he's awesome!)
~zenithfoxie’s Rokhurn [link] (too cute to avoid)
~Nambroth’s Vesper [link] (Delightful character personality)
=Jerepasaurus’s Bey [link] (Super-active chatroomer)
~avalonauggie’s Kiyet [link] (Has one of my favporite first challenges)
And of course, Cotuil is mine :} [link]