------------- Tales of the Silver Gryphon - Safron

The huge thing circled the oasis once and alit on the dunes just past the trees. By the time they'd gotten out of the sheik's tent and started towards the monstrosity, a commotion had started amongst the Thunes. Now, not only did they have to make their way through the underbrush to the edge of the water, but they had to push their way through the crowd of nomads as well. Having had enough of being pushed and jostled, Savra drew the ankh from its resting place inside her shirt and held it aloft. Its holy light stunned a few into paralyzed stares. The rest dropped to their knees or suddenly looked around and bowed. Fallon snickered.

"Ya know, dearie. Dat little necklace seems ta cause more shock and awe than me bare bodice. Gives me an idea fer another spell, it does."

Savra gave her a sideway sneer and moved on through the now parted crowd to the new arrival. She was now standing on the stone platform built out into the holy oasis of Gahlafashir, the place where it was said the Queen-Empress had called forth a spring where there had been only parched sands for thousands of years, and now a valley of green broke the unending desert landscape. It was clear that the woman was not of the Thune nomads, nor did she appear to be properly Symballan. She turned as the noise of the crowd subsided and the SGL approached.

"Ah,… there you are."

Serenity seemed to appear out of nowhere, her scanner bleeping away as she poked furiously at the keys.

"Yes, we are. And who are you?"

"I am to be your ride."

Savra raised an eyebrow. Fallon smiled. Malik cocked his head and pulled the scarf down from his face.

"Our,… ride?"

The woman smiled at the Thune sorcerer and rested her hand on the hilt of the scimitar hanging from her belt. Her nails were not nails at all, but long, sharp talons, carefully shaped and polished like any proper lady of Carellon.

"Yes, my desert friend, your ride. I have been sent by Sheik Waleed al'Shaloor, my esteemed father, once a member of the Pharaoh's Silver Gryphon. I am pilot of the Symballan Airship Ravenhawk. You too, Savra Selegan, are a child of the Silver Gryphon, I understand. Seems we are all their legacy, are we not?"

Several of them caught the code phrase. So, this was their contact, and their way of not crawling across the desert like ants on the backs of horses.

Savra held out a hand as she stepped up onto the stone platform. The raven haired woman took her hand gently, obviously aware that she could easily rip out the priestess' wrist with a careless claw.

"Your name?"

"Safris Aru'te Beni-Waleed,… but my friends call me Safron."

------------- Credits

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