User:Jetfire/Stormy Skies

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Icon	Paradigm Shift story universe

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Icon	Works by Jetfire on Shifti

{{#ifeq: User |User| Stormy Skies | Stormy Skies}}[[Title::{{#ifeq: User |User| Stormy Skies | Stormy Skies}}| ]]
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     Author: [[User:{{#ifeq: User |User| Jetfire | Jetfire}}|{{#ifeq: User |User| Jetfire | Jetfire}}]] [[Author::{{#ifeq: User |User| Jetfire | Jetfire}}| ]]
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   {{#ifeq: {{#ifeq: User |User| Jetfire | Jetfire}} | | Authors: ' | 
     Authors: [[User:{{#ifeq: User |User| Jetfire | Jetfire}}|{{#ifeq: User |User| Jetfire | Jetfire}}]] 
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   {{#ifeq: {{#ifeq: User |User| Jetfire | Jetfire}} | |
     Authors: {{#ifeq: User |User| Jetfire | Jetfire}} |
     Author: [[User:{{#ifeq: User |User| Jetfire | Jetfire}}|{{#ifeq: User |User| Jetfire | Jetfire}}]] 
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}} {{#if:| — see [[:Category:{{{category}}}|other works by this author]]}}

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Author's note An independent story based in my Paradigm Shift setting, following another griffon as they adjust to their new form.

January 2024, Calgary

Danica sat on the edge of The Bow's roof, looking out over the frozen river from 225 metres up. The skies were clear, with a cool wind blowing from the west. Down below, people rushed about their business, most sprinting from cars or buses to lobbies and stores, trying to hold on to their warmth in between. Her phone said the temperature was in the mid teens; around -15C, and she found it nice.

Danica was a griffon, and had been one for about four months now. She had a hawklike head with cat ears. Her wings were blue-grey, and her tail feathers were darker, almost black. Her legs were covered in tawny fur, like a lioness. Her hands were yellow, covered in thicker scaled skin, while her beak was grey with a black tip. In this weather, her feathers and fur had fluffed up a bit, giving her a little extra insulation. It was enough for her to be comfortable in the below zero temperatures without needing hats, jackets and other heavy gear. She wore a simple cotton blouse that covered her chest, but left her back and midriff mostly bare. She also wore a pair of shorts that went part way down her thighs, and had a custom waist that could accommodate her tail. All her clothes had been custom designed and made for griffons; buying 'off the rack' was not an option any more.

She munched on the last of her lunch and just enjoyed the view and the peacefulness. She cursed many things about that fateful day last September, but being able to enjoy a view of her city like this one was not one of those things. It almost made everything else worth it. When she was done nibbling on the apple core, she wrapped it in a napkin and put it back in her lunch bag. She knew the owners of most of the towers in Calgary didn't particularly like griffons perching on their roofs; mostly for liability reasons that hadn't caught up to reality. Generally speaking, building security turned a blind eye to the occasional flying visitor, as long as the griffons kept things tidy, didn't cause damage or otherwise give them a reason to go up there.

She gulped down the last of her juice from a bottle and started repacking her lunch bag, getting ready to head back to work. She was a government worker, a desk worker in the city's Parks and Rec department.

Her ears twitched as a new noise caught her attention. Sirens in a city were not uncommon, but every time she heard them, she was curious about what was going on. The sirens were faint, and the echoes from the skyscrapers of the downtown core made it hard to figure out where they were. She left her lunch bag behind and did a leap-glide to the opposite end of the building, so she could look across downtown. Thankfully the winds at this height tended to keep the roof mostly snow free, though there were a few icy spots.

She scanned the downtown core, ears twitching as she tried to isolate the direction. It was obvious there were multiple sirens in motion now, hinting that something bigger was going on. A thick plume of smoke rising from the west end of the core gave her a clue of what might be going on.

The Bow was one of the tallest skyscrapers in the city, but there were a lot of slightly smaller buildings between her and the source of the smoke. Still, she was high enough to get a feel for where it was. She figured the smoke was coming from a big apartment tower, probably about two kilometers away. The tower was relatively new, built in the mid-teens. It was a pretty standard apartment tower, a thirty story concrete monolith clad in metal and glass, with balconies for each unit.

Danica glanced at the phone in a holder strapped to her forearm, and decided she had some time to satisfy her feline curiosity. She snapped her wings out and tested the air. She took a couple of steps to get off an icy spot, and then jumped over the edge of the roof. Her wings snapped down and lifted her up and she started a slow glide westward.

The apartment building was south of 6th Avenue, and she could already see the traffic snarl that it was causing. She climbed a bit higher to be above all the towers, and stayed north of the street, so she could see better. Thankfully, the winds were blowing the smoke southward.

Not in a rush, she squinted to get a closer look on what was happening. On the ground level, she saw police were already closing off the block, redirecting traffic and keeping onlookers away. A mass of people were streaming out of the building exits, as well as out of the adjacent buildings. Most of the mob were being directed down the block to a side street where a number of city buses were already parked, waiting to provide shelter. Four fire trucks, including a ladder truck, were on site, and the firefighters were busily organizing themselves. Many pushed through the wave of humanity to get into the building.

She shifted her focus onto the building itself and realized why the ladder truck wasn't extending. The smoke was billowing out of broken windows about two thirds of the way up; somewhere around the twentieth floor. It was way too high for the ladder to reach. It was hard to tell how far the fire had spread so far, but she guessed at least three or four apartments were involved, all on the same floor. The griffon's gaze flicked across the balconies around the inferno, not looking for anything, but just trying to see through the smoke.

She spotted movement on the balcony that seemed central to the blaze, and her first thought was that it was a pet.

"Aww, poor fellow. I hope-" she started to say to herself. A gust of wind momentarily cleared the smoke, and her blood froze, the words dying in her throat.

Crouched on the balcony were two figures, a man and a teenage girl. She was so surprised to see them, she dropped a few meters and almost lost sight of them.

Danica frantically climbed higher and reoriented herself in the sky. She was maybe half a kilometer away by now; about five blocks out. She swung a bit further north so she could get a better angle on them. The girl seemed to be in her pajamas, and she was shivering in the cold despite the inferno blazing right next to her. She had a light blanket wrapped around her shoulders. The man, probably her father, was dressed, but not wearing a jacket. Both did have cloths they were holding over their mouths and noses.

They were crouched in a corner of the balcony, as far from the patio door as they could get. A couple of stacked plastic chairs were the only other thing there with them. The patio door was closed, but a broken window near them was billowing smoke, indicating why they were sheltering where they were.

"Crap, that ain't good," Danica muttered to herself. She relaxed her focus and scanned the skies. She saw a few other griffons in the air, but none seemed interested in the fire. Calgary was about 300 km away from the griffon lands. There were maybe around a thousand griffons in the city, but that was a drop in the bucket for a city of millions. In this case, she was the only one heading that way. She shifted her focus down below and saw the first responders at work, but she had no idea if they knew the people needed rescuing. A quick scan showed all the other balconies near the fire were empty.

Danica's mind spun in circles as she tried to figure out what she should do. She was rapidly getting close. The right thing to do, she knew, would be to land and let the firefighters know there were people trapped up there. They were the experts after all.

She checked on the pair again, and despaired. The father was shielding his daughter as best he could, their backs to the building. The balconies were concrete platforms with glass panel railings, so she could easily see the terror on their faces through the gusting smoke.

"I'm up here already. I'll just reassure them help is on the way," she told herself, struggling to justify what she was about to do. She was half a block away and already dropping down.

She lined herself up with the balcony as best she could. The air currents between the buildings downtown were challenging on a good day. The extra turbulence from the fire made it even worse. The griffon came in on the far side of the street, staying near the neighbouring tower. When it felt right, she dipped her wing and turned, aiming for the pair. She could feel the air changing around her, suddenly heating up and cooling as the currents churned. Almost too fast, the balcony railing was right there and she grabbed for it while fluttering her wings rapidly. She slammed into the glass panel harder than she intended, and her paws scrambled a moment before her claws caught the edge of the balcony.

The pair jumped in surprise at her sudden appearance. The girl let out a startled scream and the man was obviously confused about what was happening.

Danica clung to the railing without a word, doing her best to recover from the difficult landing. The heat was high but not unbearable yet. The smoke, on the other hand, was challenging. The wind randomly would blow it over the balcony and into her beak and nares. It was hot enough that she could feel it burning in her sinuses and throat. She could feel it irritating her eyes even with her inner lids clenched tightly shut. The patio door glowed from the fire roaring inside the apartment, seeming to be a lot bigger than it should have been.

The griffon adjusted her position to be more stable on the balcony and to face the pair. She kept her wings partly extended, just in case she had to drop suddenly.

"Hi-" she started to say, only for a gust of smoke to blow over them. She had to cough to clear her throat. "Sorry, Hi there. I'm Danica. I'm here to help you. Who are you?"

"I'm ... I'm Steve. Steve Bear. This is my daughter, Joanne," the father coughed out. He hugged Joanne to reassure her while staring at the griffon that had appeared out of nowhere. They held damp cloths over their mouths and noses.

"Hi guys. Nice to meet you. I want to help you, but I've never done this before, so give me a moment," she said, trying to reassure them.

The griffon looked at what she had to work with. The balcony was clear, other than a couple of chairs stacked up near the pair. She climbed over the railing to join them, and looked down to the ground.

A few people had noticed her arrival. She saw a lot of people looking up, mostly the onlookers, but some of the firefighters were too. It looked like there were some intense conversations going on. She knew she should just drop off the side and let them know what was happening here, but she wanted to do more.

"Can you get us out of here?" Joanne asked, as if sensing her thoughts.

"I'm going to try," Danica said, realising her decision was made. At the very least she was going to get the girl to safety. She refocused on the pair, trying to judge their weights. She figured the daughter was only slightly heavier than what she was used to, but carrying Steve would be a challenge. She chased the doubts away and shook her wings. "Are you willing to trust me?"

Steve studied the griffon, then looked through the patio doors. The smoke hid the interior, but there was an undeniable orange glow coming from it. The heat radiating from the glass was becoming unbearable. "We have to try. Take her first," he said.

Danica nodded and looked at the railing. She wished she had something to punch out one of the glass panels, but there was nothing. She climbed back over the railing and hung off the side of the balcony, using a paw and a hand to stay in place.

"Okay Joanne. I need you to come to me and climb over. Don't look down, just look at me. We're going to glide down to the ground, but I'll need you to hold on tight," Danica said. She flicked her wings and tried not to think of what she was doing. For the first time since last September, she realized just how high they were.

Joanne was clearly terrified, but she stood up with her father's support. He helped her climb over the railing, never letting go of her. Danica swung around, briefly pinning the young woman against the railing. Joanne hesitated for a moment, then grabbed the griffon's arms. Her legs went around Danica's waist and suddenly the griffon had the full weight of the girl on her.

"I'll be right back," Danica assured Steve. She hugged Joanne with her free hand, helping hold the girl in place. "Hold on tight and don't look down. I've got you," she said, hoping she sounded more confident than she felt.

Without any more warning, the griffon let go of the railing and kicked off the building. Joanne let out a scream and squeezed harder. Danica hugged Joanne tight with both arms as they fell. Her wings snapped out and caught the turbulent air, twisting them around to a more normal flight orientation. With Joanne's weight hanging from her arms and waist, Danica realized she should probably have had the girl on her back. As it was, Joanne was doing most of the hanging on, and she had the griffon in a death grip.

Danica focused on the ground, trying to drop as fast as she safely could. She held Joanne tight, her arms burning from the effort. They were dropping a lot faster than she was used to, but it was still a controlled fall. She flapped hard a few times to adjust her descent so she was following the avenue.

The street was closed off, but she wasn't sure if that would be enough space to safely get to the ground. Below, she could see dozens of people staring and pointing up at her. Some of the first responders were running, trying to anticipate where she would land.

Halfway down she realized she had to make a tough choice. She was rapidly running out of closed road. Her choices were to keep going straight and try to land on an active road or even the frozen river, or to turn and backtrack. Reluctantly she decided turning was her best option.

"Gotta do a turn. It's okay," she said, not sure if Joanne could hear her. The teen was still terrified, but had stopped screaming for the moment. Danica dipped her wing and twisted her tail. The pair began to drop faster while the world spun and the teen let out another ear splitting scream of terror. A few heart pounding moments later, they were going in the opposite direction and the ground was coming up fast.

"Almost there, almost there!" Danica shouted. She knew they were coming in fast, but there was nothing more she could do about it. Her arms were burning from the weight she was carrying, and her wings were similarly aching. She picked a spot behind a fire truck as close to the ambulance as she dared and did her final approach. At the last minute, she back winged and tried to kill as much momentum as she could. Her feet went down and touched the cold pavement. She stumbled, still going too fast, and fell forward. Midfall, she tried to twist around to put her body between the ground and Joanne. They hit the ground and she let out a loud oof, the wind knocked out of her. They slid a little further and then they were still.

Danica laid there for a moment, her heart pounding and her chest heaving. Joanne was still squeezing her in a death grip, but the screaming had stopped. Danica could feel her body aching, but nothing seemed to be hurt.

"It's okay... It's okay," Danica said, letting go of her charge. "We're on the ground now. We're safe now."

Her ears twitched, hearing people running towards them. A couple of paramedics reached them first, one of them carefully pulling Joanne free from the griffon. The other offered a hand to help Danica get to her feet.

"Wow, I didn't know you guys could do that," the second paramedic said.

"I didn't know we could either," Danica replied. She rubbed her side and shook her wings, doing a second mental assessment before getting ready to go up again. "Is she all right?"

The first paramedic was wrapping a blanket around Joanne and leading her to the ambulance.

"She looks fine. We'll check her out, give her some oxygen. We should do the same to you too, but I'm not sure we have a mask that fits...."

Danica nodded and looked around. An angry fireman was heading their way. "I should. But I'm not done yet. Her father is still up there, trapped on the balcony."

The paramedic looked worried, clearly torn between the griffon's health and helping a trapped person. "You sure you can handle it?"

"Do you see anyone else who can? Their unit is fully engulfed. I don't think you guys can get there in time. I'll be right back."

She crouched and leapt into the air, hearing the angry shouts from below. She hated to do it, but she took her time climbing back up, breathing in the cooler, cleaner air and letting her body recover as much as it could.

The fire was obviously intensifying when she got back up to the Bear balcony. The patio door was still intact, but there were some ominous cracks, and the heat was even more intense. There was no sign of any attempts to fight the blaze, but she was sure someone was trying to do something. Her nares and throat tightened from the smoke and the turbulence made it even harder to land at the railing. She didn't even bother hopping over it this time.

Steve was obviously worse off. He was sweating profusely, eyes red and half closed. He somehow was managing to keep his nose and mouth covered, but it didn't seem to be doing much. She worried if he'd be able to hold on to her; she knew there was no way she could carry him.

"How... how is Joanne?" Steve coughed out, recognizing the griffon's presence.

"She's safe. She's on the ground. The paramedics are looking after her. Now let's get you out of here," Danica said, trying to be more confident than she felt.

"How?"

Danica wished she had something to help, but all she had was what she was wearing. There was a loud crack, and a spiderweb appeared on the glass of the patio door. It was obvious it wouldn't hold much longer. She looked around, hoping for a firefighter to appear on a nearby balcony to give them more options, but there was no one.

"I'm going to need you on my back. Let gravity work for us," Danica said. She turned a little so her back was to the man. She looked over her shoulder, holding on to the balcony with one hand and one paw. "Climb over and grab my shoulders. My arm shoulders. Or hug around my neck, just don't squeeze too tight."

"I don't-"

Steve was interrupted by another loud crack and the sound of shattering glass. A blast of heat blew through the now open doorway, sending smoke and embers over the pair. Danica grabbed the railing with both hands, clenched her eyes closed and held her breath. She could feel the heat but couldn't tell if her feathers were being damaged.

The initial blast eased off. She turned her head and cracked her eyes carefully, not really believing they were still alive. Smoke obscured everything but the patio and the man she was trying to save. She became aware of a stinging pain from her arm. Glancing down, she saw a red line against the yellow scales of her right forearm. She touched it carefully and decided it wasn't deep; probably a grazing blow from a chunk of glass. She did a quick check and noticed her blouse had a few slashes, but there was no glass caught on her.

"We don't have time. We have to do this now!" she shouted, her attention going back to the man. His skin was red and his hair was smoldering a bit, but he didn't seem to be cut.

Steve still hesitated. She wanted to reach over and pull at him, but that wouldn’t have done them any good. Finally, he built up the nerve and started climbing over. She supported him as best she could and made sure he was safely balanced on the wrong side of the railing before she turned her back to him.

"I need you to grab on to me and hold on tight!" she shouted. This time she kept her wings tight to her body, to give him the best access to her back and shoulders.

She felt a few tentative touches as Steve tried to reach her, but he almost immediately gave up. "I can't do it. I don't want to hurt you!"

"Waiting is going to hurt more! Just grab whatever you can!"

She felt a hand on her shoulder and this time it gripped harder. She resisted the urge to tell him not to look down, and just let him do what he needed to. She held still as Steve transitioned from the balcony to her back. He was heavier than she expected, and her doubts began to grow.

"Hold tight. Once I extend my wings, wrap your legs around my waist," she said, turning to face the fire. The only thing keeping Steve from falling was his own arm strength. Danica carefully spread her wings out, trying not to disturb his grip. Before they were fully out, she felt his legs around her waist, pushing past her innermost flight feathers.

The fire was crackling even louder now, and was clearly visible through the open patio. Some of the flames were licking around the door frame, searching for more fuel. She let go with one hand and lightly touched Steve's hand.

"We're good now. Hang tight, and close your eyes. I'm letting go," she said.

She didn't wait for a response. She let go of the railing, doing the smallest kickoff she dared to do, not wanting to dislodge the man. They fell fast, dropping past a couple of floors before her wings caught the air. She didn't try to get any distance and focused mainly on slowing their descent. Having the weight on her back made it easier in a lot of ways, but it was still challenging.

In the clearer air below the fire, she took a few deep breaths to clear the smoke and blinked rapidly. They were dropping faster than she wanted to, but in a controlled manner. She looked down and saw dozens of upturned faces and cameras watching her. A large area near the ambulances was still clear and a paramedic was pointing to it.

The ground came up to them fast. She flapped a few times, trying to slow them down, but it was a futile effort. She landed hard, her paws hitting the ground first. She fell forward, reaching out to catch herself, even as a stab of pain shot up from her left ankle. She slid forward on the asphalt road, almost reaching the parked ambulance before they stopped.

She laid still on the ground, chest pounding while she did another self assessment. Her ankle was sending sharp stabs of pain up her leg anytime she even thought of moving it. Her toes ached from trying to dig her claws into the pavement to stop them; it felt like someone had tried to pull her nails off. The gash on her arm stung, and the stinging was echoed by similar feelings on her palms. Her wings ached, but seemed intact.

Steve was still on her back and for a moment she worried something had happened. All she could think of was the man she had hopefully saved. She petted the arm still wrapped around her neck, hoping to sense some sign of movement from him. To her relief, she felt him stir, his death grip finally loosening as he let out a weak groan.

The paramedics swarmed over her. Two lifted Steve off and transferred him to a waiting stretcher. A third, the one that had helped her before, offered her a hand again.

"Are you done now?" he asked.

She groaned and slowly stood up. "Gods, I hope so-OW!" she winced and nearly collapsed again when she tried to put weight on her foot.

The paramedic reacted instantly, moving to her side to help support her. He guided her to another stretcher and helped her sit down on it, her tail feathers hanging off the far side. Her wings ached too much to pull back against her body in their normal resting position.

"Just sit tight. We'll take things from here," he ordered.

She didn't resist, sitting on the stretcher, coughing a bit and just recovering. She could tell she was exhausted and her wings were killing her; but not as bad as her ankle was. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, she was able to open her inner lids and the world cleared up. Annoyingly, blinking with either set of eyelids still felt like she was rubbing sandpaper over her eyes.

Behind her, at the ambulance, she heard someone shouting to get the griffon health book.

The paramedic returned with a bottle of water and a few other supplies. He started to offer the water, only to stop suddenly when he saw the shape of her hands and arm. Their appearance gave her pause as well. The gash on her right forearm was still bleeding, and her palms were bloody. Despite the tougher scales that had replaced her skin, they had taken a beating from sliding on the pavement.

"I'm sure it looks worse than it actually is," she said.

"Let me be the judge of that," he said. He uncapped the bottle and handed it to her reluctantly. "Here, rinse your... rinse the smoke out of your beak? And drink the rest. You probably don't realize how dehydrated you are. Where are you hurting?"

She didn't answer at first. She dumped a quarter of the bottle into her beak and carefully shook her head. The griffon sense of taste wasn't the best, but what little she did have did not like the acrid smoke that filled her beak. She turned her head and spat the dirty water onto the pavement, a little surprised she could actually spit without lips. The rest of the bottle she gulped down almost all at once, surprised at how thirsty she suddenly was.

"Where are you hurting?" the paramedic asked again. He magically made another water bottle appear, but held it back.

"Everywhere," Danica finally said. "But mainly my ankle. Arm and hands are stinging too, obviously." She flexed her toes carefully, trying not to move her foot, while testing her claws. "Toes and claws are aching but good. Wings and tail ache as well, but seem intact. Nothing seems broken."

"Well, that was a hard landing. I'm impressed you aren't hurt worse. Just relax now and we'll take care of you. I'm Rob."

"Danica," she replied.

Rob nodded and handed her the second bottle while he got to work. He wrapped a clear tube around her head and positioned it near her nares, and soon she was breathing in clean oxygen. He used some tape to hold it in position. He ignored her hands and arm for the moment and knelt down at her paws. She felt his hands rubbing them, and gasped as a jolt of pain shot up from her limb.

"Good news, it doesn't seem broken, but it's a bad sprain. You'll want to take it easy," he diagnosed.

"That's good," she said.

Another paramedic showed up with a bottle of pills. "The book says to do basic first aid on griffons. Regular painkillers are fine for them too," she said to Rob.

"Thanks Sue. I think Danica here's going to need the latter," Rob said. He took the bottle and shook out a quartet of pills. He offered them to the injured griffon.

Danica took them and gulped them down with the last of the water. Rob somehow managed to make a third bottle appear.

"Sue, can you get some bandages and cleaning supplies for her hands and arm? Danica, how are you feeling? Anything else hurting? How are your eyes?"

The other medic took in her bloody injuries and studied them for a moment before disappearing to get more supplies.

"I'm fine. Eyes are stinging a bit but not too bad. How's the family?"

Rob glanced past the griffon. "Sue! Get the eye wash bottle too!" he called out. "The family is fine. Smoke and heat issues of course, but they're alive. That's the main thing."

"Good, good," Danica said, finally letting herself relax.

"Speaking of heat, how are you doing? Are you cold? Hot?" As he spoke he leaned closer to study her eyes. She tried to hold still, and could tell he was a little frustrated.

"A little warm actually, but not too much. Certainly not cold. Do you see something?"

"Not really, and that's the hard part. Your eyes are so different from what I'm used to. I think I can see the smoke irritation, but the signs are different. We'll rinse them out at least and you should use some eyedrops for the next few days.

"As for the cold, you guys are lucky there. Wish I could say the same. Winter fire emergencies are the worst. Freezing cold temperatures and lots of water to turn to ice," Rob said. He motioned for her to lift her arm and finally took a closer look at the gash. She winced as he probed it carefully with his gloved fingers.

"It's superficial for the most part, but it did get through your scales, just not much deeper. You're lucky. For humans, it would probably need stitches, but for you guys, I'm not sure. We'll slap some bandages on it, and let Foothills sort it out."

Sue returned with the supplies and a third paramedic. After a quick debate, they made Danica lay face down on the stretcher, with her head hanging off the end a little and her arms held out. Sue and Rob started washing the ash, soot and blood from her wounds, while the third handled her head.

"Okay, I've never done this before, but it should be simple. Just keep your eyes open," he said.

Danica tried to relax and follow his instructions. She stared forward, trying not to focus on the bottle that he held near her face. The splash of water made her blink reflexively, and she felt the water soaking her face feathers. She made sure she blinked both ways, just in case. When he was done, she closed her eyes while he dried her feathers.

She blinked a few times once he was done, and was glad her eyes didn't feel quite as sandpapery.

"You should probably get some eye drops and use them for the next few days, just to help clear the irritation out," the paramedic suggested.

"Sure, that's no problem."

Danica looked to see what the others were doing on her hands. There was a surprising amount of red on the towels they had used to clean the wounds, but neither of them seemed too concerned. Her forearm was wrapped in a white bandage over some gauze padding. The palms of her hands were being wrapped similarly.

Rob taped one bandage in place and inspected his work. "Right, this part is done. They look worse than they are, but your skin is quite thick and durable. Those scales, I'm not sure what to make of them to be honest. I'd suggest you get them looked at, but I'm confident you don't need any stitches. You probably should get a tetanus shot at least... if you guys can have them. Can you make a fist?"

"Not since September, but I can close my hands," Danica noted. She did so, feeling the padding of the bandages, but not having any problems. She opened her hand again and wiggled her fingers.

"Good. Last thing then is that ankle. Then we'll need to get you inside somewhere. You may not feel the cold, but you're way too wet to be out in this weather."

She didn't feel wet, and she certainly hadn't been in the splashback from the firefighting. She glanced at her damp hands, feeling a bit of chill now and realized what they meant. She could almost see the ice forming on the feathers around her eyes from the eyewash.

They let her carefully slide back a little so her head was resting on the stretcher now. All three paramedics converged on her foot and started discussing how best to handle it. She could hear them clearly, even though they were talking quietly, but the terminology left her in the dark.

"Brace yourself. This may hurt a bit, but hopefully not for long," Rob warned her. He came forward and took her hand for support, while the other two paramedics started their work.

They moved her foot slightly and started wrapping it in a tight bandage. The movements sent fresh stabs of pain up her leg, only slightly dulled by the painkillers. Her eyes teared up and her beak clenched shut while she forced herself to endure it.

"All done. You did great," Rob reassured her, patting her hand. "How do you feel?"

"Worn out, but better. It all still hurts, but not as bad," she admitted.

"Okay. Just relax. We have to clean up a bit, but I'll check back on you in a few minutes, and we'll figure out what to do next."

She nodded and took a few deep breaths, partly to clear the lingering smoke, and mostly to calm herself. She looked around to see what was going on now.

The ambulances were parked at one end of the closed off block, about as far from the building's entrance as they could get. It took her a moment to realize one ambulance had left without her noticing. Its replacement was just arriving. A crowd was gathered at the police barricade, watching what was going on. To her embarrassment, she realized much of the crowd was focused on her. Quite a few cameras were pointing her way, mostly camera phones but a few actual cameras too. Some of the crowd she realized had to be reporters.

She tried to ignore them and looked down the block. The firemen were still battling the blaze and slowly getting it under control. Looking up, she could tell the texture of the smoke was changing, the black smoke turning grey. She didn't notice a fireman coming her way while she was watching the smoke rise. The clearing of a throat surprised her. A few feet away, a serious looking man angrily stared at her. It was obvious that he was Someone In Charge.

"What the hell do you think you were doing?" the man asked when he had her attention, his anger barely contained.

"I wasn't thinking. I just had to help," she admitted, taking the blame he was laying on her, but also feeling a surge of defiance against the accusations he was levelling. "I know I shouldn't have done it, but... I don't know."

"Damn right you shouldn't have. You could've gotten yourself killed. Or killed them. What were you thinking?"

Rob rushed over and seemed about to intervene, but she waved him off while focusing on the fire chief with her best eagle glare. She carefully sat up on the stretcher to better match him eye to eye, suppressing a wince of pain.

"I was thinking that I saw a couple of people in trouble, and it didn't look like anyone could help them in time. Since I can fly, I felt I could at least reassure them, maybe help you get to them... but when I got there," Danica sighed and shrugged her wings, breaking her glare and looking away. "I just had to do something. I couldn't leave them."

The man glared back a moment longer, and then his expression softened. "Just, don't make a habit of that sort of thing. Leave it to the trained professionals."

"I don't intend to. I'm not really sure what came over me."

"Good, in that case, thank you for what you did." Out of habit, the supervisor looked around to make sure no one was in ear shot. His voice dropped down, almost to a whisper. "I doubt we would have been able to get to them in time. Especially since we hadn't even realized they were there. So thank you. You did wrong, but you did good."

He turned away and fast-walked back to the squad, to refocus on the fire. Danica stared after him, struck speechless for the moment. Rob shook his head and offered yet another bottle of water to her. She took it gratefully.

"Wow, I’ve never heard the Chief act like that. He's strict but firm, and he hates civilians putting themselves at risk. But you did legit save their lives, and he knows it."

"I'm just glad I was able to do something. So what's going to happen now?"

Rob shrugged. "I'm not sure. It's chaotic, but I think things are settling down here, officially at least. I'm going to have a lot of paperwork to do one way or another. You're the first griffon I've treated, possibly the first any of us have treated. I'm going to need your full name and a few more details too."

"Danica. Danica Storm," she said

He looked her over and nodded. "It's an appropriate name. Thank you Danica. We've already taken the Bears to the hospital for a more thorough checkup. I'd advise you to go too; griffons are just too big of an unknown to take a risk. But we can't force you to go. Technically you're fine to leave when you want; I'd just seriously advise against it."

She took a moment to think it over. She looked down and realized her clothes were ruined. Her blouse had many holes from sparks and the glass shards. Her shorts were slightly better; scorched but not holed, mainly due to the thicker fabric. Her feathers and fur were a mess as well, darkened from the smoke and just feeling icky. She could almost smell the smoke that saturated her clothes, fur and feathers. All she wanted to do was to go home and get cleaned up, but she knew Rob was right. As if to confirm her decision, her ankle gave a twinge of pain that shot right through the painkillers.

"Sure, I'll go in for the check out. But can I make a call first?"

"Of course, take all the time you need."

Rob walked away while she checked her phone. Like many griffons, she wore it on a wrist bracer, so she was a little worried it had been damaged. Luckily she wore it on the arm that didn't get slashed by the glass. The leather holder was intact, but a little scorched, and the plastic over the screen was yellowed and obviously partly melted. She took the bracer off and pulled the phone free, having to gingerly peel the plastic off. She was relieved when the screen lit up, showing no sign of heat damage.

"Oh right, I left it on silent over lunch," she mumbled to herself, seeing the dozens of messages wanting her attention. She ignored them all and placed a phone call back to her office.

"Tim Cole speaking. How can I help you?" her supervisor answered after a few rings.

"Hey Tim, it's Danica. I... I'm sorry for the short notice, but I'm going to need to take the rest of the day off."

"Of course, I understand. Take all the time you need."

"You understand?" she asked, surprised. Her bosses were usually understanding about special circumstances, but they usually asked for a reason first.

"Of course I do. You wouldn't ask Clark Kent to return to work right after Superman saved the world now, would you? Granted, he is Superman, so he'd be back at work writing up the story before the dust settles; but you're only human... or griffon."

She blinked silently for a moment, trying to understand what he was talking about. "You... heard?" she stammered out after a moment.

"I think the whole city has heard by now, probably the whole province. That was an incredible thing you did. Are you okay? That last landing looked really rough." The concern was clear in his voice.

"They say it was just a sprain, but they want me to go to the hospital for an X-ray just to be sure. And I'm really thankful that Tylenol still works on me."

"Well, don't let me keep you. Go get checked out and rest up. Don't worry about tomorrow either. Just stay home, rest up and recover."

"Thanks Tim. I'll check in tomorrow, and I appreciate it. Bye now."

She disconnected the call and took a quick glance at the notices screaming for her attention. Most of them were from friends asking what happened or if she was alright. A surprising number were from complete strangers. Griffons were rare enough in the city and had distinctive plumage and fur patterns, so she wasn't surprised people had figured out who she was from the numerous support groups and other databases. She decided to tackle them later and turned off the screen. She eyed her wrecked bracer, and moved the phone to her pocket.

Before she called for Rob, she looked around the area again. The fire was obviously contained and the fire department was shifting to recovery and cleanup mode. The police barricades had been pulled back mostly, but they were still in place around the ambulances and the building entrance. A thick crowd of onlookers were behind the police lines, most watching her. As she looked up at them, many started cheering and waving.

To one side a half dozen reporters were also being held back. Their cameras shifted from her to the crowd and back. When her eyes went over them, they burst into action.

"Mx Storm! Mx Storm! Can you answer some questions?" they shouted over each other, their actual questions being lost in the noise.

"Rob, I think I'm good to go now," she called back, turning to the paramedic. "How do we do this?"

He walked over with Sue. "We would prefer you stay on the stretcher, and we'll handle everything," he said."Just lay back down on your belly and keep your wings in, and we'll do the rest."

She followed their instructions. Sue placed a pillow for her head, and checked to make sure she was properly positioned. Danica made sure to keep her wings tighter to her sides, and kept her tail feathers together and partly lifted above her legs. Rob added another pillow under her hurt leg so her paw would be elevated. The paramedics rolled her to the waiting ambulance and with practiced ease, slid it in.

"You're lighter than I expected," Sue said once they had her inside.

Danica nodded, sensing the sides of the bus surrounding her. It felt a lot more confining than she expected. "Yeah, September was quite the weight loss program."

Rob climbed in and squeezed past her to sit near her head. The doors clunked shut and Sue went to the driver's seat. Danica closed her eyes a moment and took a few deep breaths, trying not to think of how tight the space was. There was absolutely no room to extend her wings or to really move.

"Are you okay?" he asked, taking her hand in his and squeezing it gently.

"Yeah... I'm good. There's just less room in here than I expected." She opened her eyes and tried to reassure him.

"These buses can be cramped. And you do fill it in differently than humans do. Not sure what we could do about it," he said pensively.

She nodded and shifted a little, trying to get more comfortable. She heard the engine rumble into life and her wings spread reflexively as they started to move. They banged into the cabinets on the sides and she quickly pulled them back in. She was glad they weren't running the siren.

Rob petted her hand and watched her closely. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm sure. Been awhile since I've been in a car. First time actually."

"First time?"

She nodded and took a few deep breaths to calm herself. The ambulance was feeling really small. "We were visiting friends in Etzikom when it happened. When we could leave, we decided to fly back to Calgary. Took us all day, but we weren't in that much of a rush. Since then we just walk and fly everywhere."

"I guess that makes sense." He squeezed her hand again. "It won't be long, we're taking you to Foothills. They're relatively close and they've been preparing to handle griffon cases.

"You said 'we'? Is there someone we should call for you?"

Danica nodded. "I was with my husband, Scott.... Damn! I should have called him too. He's still at work."

"You've got some time to spare, if you want to now." Rob said. He turned away from her as best he could and focused on his paperwork.

Getting her phone from her pocket was trickier than usual. The moving ambulance, her position on the narrow stretcher and her injured hands all combined to make it hard to pull the device free.

"He's probably worried sick, especially if he hears I left in an ambulance. We've all been a bit more nervous since we realized we're pregnant."

Rob tensed up. "You're pregnant? You should have mentioned that."

She laughed and pressed the call button. "No, not me. He's pregnant. Since early December."

Before Rob could process that, the call was answered.

"Hey Babe, I'm fine. They're just taking me to the hospital for a checkup," Danica said quickly.

"Oh thank goodness. I've been worried sick. Are you sure you're okay? They said you were limping. Where are you going?" her husband asked.

"Yeah, I sprained my ankle and got some road rash on my palms and a nasty cut on my arm. But I'm fine. Seriously. They're taking good care of me. They're taking us to Foothills."

"I'm leaving the office now, and I'll meet you there."

"Of course. I'll wait for you. Love you."

She hung up and set the phone down.

"He sounds nice," Rob noted.

"Scott's the best. Are we almost there?"

Rob looked back, peeking out the window. "Just about there. Are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine."

"And he is the one who is pregnant? You're the father?" Rob asked, swinging back to his initial confusion.

"That's right. It wasn't exactly planned. Hormones got the best of us, combined with some holiday cheer. But we're rolling with it. We're debating if we should start on her sister before she comes out, but we'll probably wait until after we see what the chicks are like first."

Rob looked puzzled for a long moment, until he figured out what that meant. "Oh! Well, good luck with whatever you do. I'm sure you'll make a fine father... and mother.... Man, you guys can be confusing."

Danica laughed. "You got that right. Try living it."

The ambulance tilted as it made a turn, and slowed to a stop. The doors slammed as the driver got out, and soon the backdoor was opened. Danica relaxed, feeling the fresh, cold air blow in.

The ambulance was parked in a sheltered bay. They wheeled her through an entrance and into a waiting area. Sue went to fetch a nurse while Rob stayed with her. With room now, she sat up on the stretcher and shook out her wings and tail.

The waiting area was relatively busy with dozens of people waiting, most tending to their own issues. There was a sense of urgency in the air, but no panicked rushing about like an emergency would entail. Many people stared openly at her, and she heard many whispered questions.

"This is where I'll be handing you off. I'm sure you'll hear this often, but thank you for what you did. It was amazing," Rob said.

"Thanks. It was incredibly stupid too. But I'm glad I could help." Danica tried to ignore the attention she was getting.

Sue joined them, with a nurse. "Hey Danica, this is Kate. She'll look after you here."

"Hi Danica. I hear you were quite the hero. We've called for a specialist to check you out, and we'll be getting you in for an x-ray as soon as we can. In the meantime, we've got some paperwork for you to fill out, and we'll get you out of the open as soon as we can. Now let's get you moved over to a bed so these guys can get their stretcher back."

Before she could be instructed otherwise, the griffon eased herself off of the stretcher. Rob was beside her in a flash, supporting her before her paw could hit the ground. He grunted softly as he took her weight.

"I'm not too heavy for you, am I?" she asked.

He led her a couple of steps to another bed. "Not at all. You're lighter than I expected actually."

"As I said before, September was one hell of a weight loss program."

He helped her onto the bed, carefully pulling her tail feathers over the side.

"In any case, this is where we take our leave of you," Rob said. "It was a pleasure to meet you. Good luck, and I hope I don't meet you again, at least not while I'm at work."

Danica laughed and nodded, "You got that right. I went all my life without needing an ambulance. I don't intend to make it a habit."

The paramedics wheeled their gear out, leaving the griffon on the bed against the wall. The nurse checked if she needed anything before disappearing to take care of her duties. Alone at last, Danica took her time filling out the paperwork.

Kate returned a half hour later, with an orderly. Danica put her phone down and looked up expectedly.

"Sorry to leave you like that. We're still waiting for the specialist to get in, but he has made some requests. He wants to get an x-ray of your ankle, to make sure there aren't any breaks or cracks lurking in there. We'll need you to lay down and Rick will get you there."

She laid back down on her belly, a pillow partly propping up her head. Rick raised the railings on the side of the bed and rolled her through the hallways of the hospital. She was sorely tempted to make race car noises as they went.

There were more people in the x-ray room than she expected. A half dozen technicians were eagerly awaiting her arrival, and their excitement was palpable. Rick lowered the bed rails so she could sit up.

"Do you normally need this many people for a simple x-ray?" she asked.

A woman stepped forward, obviously in charge. "No, not normally. But it's also not normal to be imaging a griffon, and Foothills is a teaching hospital. I could clear the room if you want me to."

"I don't mind. What do I need to do?" She looked around the room. The actual x-ray machine dominated the room, with a platform for the patient to lay on. Glass windows showed the side room where the controls were located. Half the specialists retreated to that side room to observe while the team organized the scan.

"Normally, we would have you lie on your back on the table there, but I'm not sure. Can you lie in that position?" the technician asked.

"It's possible. It's not the most comfortable position, but I can handle it for a few minutes."

Rick rolled her bed to the table, and helped Danica transfer over. She laid back as flat as she could, and found herself looking at the back wall; the natural angle of the griffon head meant they didn't look up like humans did in a similar position. The table was plastic with no padding, so it had no give. It made her painfully aware of her tail and wing shoulders. She hoped they wouldn't take long.

"All right now. We need to move your leg ever so slightly to get a better angle on it. We're not used to the ankle being so high up." The technician paused, studying how her body laid on the table. "Do you mind if I touch your tail?"

"Touch whatever you feel you need to, within reason," Danica assured her.

Another technician helped carefully position her foot and leg to one side, while gently pushing the tail feathers out of the way. The third tech brought over a lead blanket.

"Just to be absolutely sure, is there any chance you might be pregnant? When was your last period?" the lead tech asked. She froze, realizing her mistake.

Danica laughed, "I'm sure I'm clear. I had my egg just a couple of days ago. So I'm definitely not pregnant. Unlike my poor husband."

"Good, and I apologize for the faux pas. It's easy to just read the standard script and not realize what exactly you are asking." The technician addressed the last statement to the crowd in the other room more than to Danica. "Also be careful about making assumptions, especially with griffons. Just because they may have a male name, doesn't mean they can't be pregnant or have other complications. For that matter, that can also apply to human patients too."

They placed the protective blanket over her chest and double checked the position of her injured foot to the machine. Finally they retreated to the control room. There was a loud hum and a beep and it was done.

They took multiple images, slightly repositioning her each time. She was glad when she was able to roll onto her side for most of them. By the time they were done, she was worn out. The lead blanket hadn't seemed too heavy at first, but by the end, it felt like it weighed a tonne.

"Thank you for your cooperation," the first technician said, picking up the protective blanket and hanging it up on the wall.

Danika sat up and ran her talons through her feathers a bit, shaking her wings carefully. Her aches were getting worse as the painkillers were wearing off. "No problem. Did you see anything?"

"I'm afraid I can't say. But I'll send them to the doctor and they'll let you know," she said. "But I will say what I saw was fascinating. Very different from what I'm used to seeing. In a general way."

"So what happens now?" Danika asked.

"For now, we'll have you get back in the bed and roll you outside. We've already called for an orderly who'll take you...." The technician paused and double checked her notes. "Oh good, you've been assigned a room. You'll be taken up there."

They helped her transfer back onto the bed where she laid out on her front again. She was rolled out into the hall and left beside the wall to wait. A young man was in a bed with another orderly waiting to get in. His eyes widened when he spotted the feathered person come out. Danika gave him a friendly wave and settled in to wait.

She didn't have to wait long. The man's orderly came out a few minutes later and checked Danika's chart.

"All right, we'll get you upstairs to your room now," he said. "Are you ready to go?"

"Please," she said.

Her room turned out to be in a ward on the fourth floor. Her room had two spots for beds, but was empty. The orderly helped her move over to the bed, while a health care aide stood by.

"Can we get you anything?" the nurse asked as Danika settled in the bed.

"I could use some juice please, and maybe some fruit or toast maybe? I'm starving."

"Of course. I'll be right back."

The bed itself was a standard hospital bed, which meant it didn't fit a griffon well at all. She tried adjusting the controls, and ultimately left it as flat as it would go. She laid on her side, attempting to keep her injured foot still and tried to relax.

The aide brought in a tray with the food. "Do you need a hand with anything?" she asked.

"I think I can manage it. Thank you," Danika said. She pulled her phone from her pocket and left it on the tray next to the food. The aide waited just long enough for the griffon to nibble on the orange slices, before leaving.

Danika finished the snack quickly. She squirmed on the bed, trying to find a comfortable position, before giving up. The ward itself was loud, full of beeps and chirps and other machine noises, along with the noise of things being rolled around. She sighed and tried to tune them out. She fluffed the pillow as best she could and closed her eyes.

Her ears twitched back towards the door, hearing a soft knock on the door frame.

"Mx Storm?" a soft voice spoke, obviously trying not to disturb her too much.

Danika lifted her head and looked at the door. Her eyes were itchy and dryer than she was used to. Blinking with either set of lids didn't help much.

"Sorry to disturb you, Mx Storm, but there's someone here to see you. Another griffon, with jaguar spots. Zey say zey are your husband?"

She yawned hugely and her mind finally clicked into gear. She rolled over to better face the door, and almost yelped from the pain in her foot.

"Scott's here? Please, send him in," she said, fighting to hide the pain. She winced and carefully shifted position.

The health aide obviously didn't miss the reaction. "Of course. Before I go though, how are you feeling? What would you say your pain level is?" She indicated a chart on the wall Danika hadn't noticed before.

"I'm fine," Danika said."Maybe a solid four or five I guess. It's tolerable, but I'm aching all over, especially my foot and my arm is stinging."

"Have you taken anything for it yet?"

"At the fire, before I got in the ambulance. Four pills."

"Alright then. Give me a minute; I'll check with the nurse to see if we can get you something for it," she said before she disappeared from the doorway.

She sat up in the bed and smoothed her feathers. A glance at her phone showed she'd dozed off for an hour; it was now mid afternoon and the sun was dropping fast. A peregrine-jaguar griffon appeared in the doorway and stared wordlessly at her. He dropped the bag he was carrying and rushed to the bed. His arms surrounded her and squeezed her gently.

"What the hell did you think you were doing?" he asked after a long hug.

"I wasn't thinking. But I had to do something. It's done now. I'm sorry... but I'm not sorry."

He nuzzled her beak and let her go. "I know. How bad is the damage?"

She lifted her foot and winced. "Just a sprain they think.They took the x-rays but I haven't seen anyone yet."

"Well, sorry I'm late. I stopped off at home and picked up a change of clothes," he said. He retrieved the bag and offered it to her.

"Thank you!" She grabbed the bag and pulled out a clean top, and saw a few brushes in there as well. She striped off her charred, smokey top and started brushing her fur. He retrieved a second one and started working on her back, making her chirr softly in relief.

"I'm sorry, I can come back later if this isn't a good time." The man in the doctor's coat stood in the doorway, looking embarrassed.

Danica waved her wing, not pausing her brushing. "No bother. Come on in. I'm just trying to brush out some of the soot."

He looked doubtful, but stepped into the room and closed the door. He set a cup of water and another cup with some pills on the table."Well, I'm Doctor Ruby Clark. They called me in for your case. I understand you haven't had any painkillers recently, so I brought a fresh dose."

"Thank you!" Danika said. She put her brush down long enough to gulp the pills and water down.

"Are you a griffon specialist?" Scott asked. He stopped brushing as well, and stood protectively next to his wife, one hand on his furry belly.

"Not... exactly. I'm actually a vet, but I've been in contact with specialists down south and I'm experienced with fur and feathers and animal anatomy in general. It's a grey area when it comes to you guys."

Danica laughed, "I guess that's fair. I'm not sure I'm that comfortable being looked at by a vet, but I'll take what I can get. You don't seem overly concerned; I assume the news is good?"

He nodded and turned on a light box. He pulled a couple of sheets from a folder and lit them up. Seeing her paw's bone structure still looked strange. "The news is good indeed. No breaks, not even a crack."

"Right, so what should we do?"

"Rest is the main thing I'd suggest. Elevate it if you can. Ice it up for a quarter hour every so often, and keep it bound. Try to stay off it as much as you can. If it doesn't seem to be improving, call us right away."

She nodded. "I think I can do some of that. Staying off of it may be tricky."

He put the x-rays away and turned back to her. "That's fair. Do what you can."

"Anything else? She's still on oxygen," Scott pointed out.

Danica reached up and found the plastic tube over her beak. She'd forgotten it was there.

The doctor flipped through a few pages. "That was just a precaution for the smoke, but her oxygen levels seem to be well within the norm, so we can take that off now. In fact, you're free to go when you are ready. Though if you don't mind, I would like to rewrap that ankle for you."

She lifted her paw and offered it to him. "Sure, go ahead. You wouldn't happen to know how the Bears are doing? They're the people I saved. Rob said they were coming here too."

Doctor Clark unwrapped her paw and studied it carefully. He bent it and watched her reaction. "Amazing. It doesn't seem too bad. As for the Bears, I can ask around. Just wait here a second."

Danica finished her grooming, letting Scott brush her back and wings while she relaxed. With his help, she took the opportunity to change her shorts as well, and felt a lot better, even if her ankle was still throbbing and her hands stung.

"I'm going to need a new phone case," she said, sitting back down on the bed. "Luckily, I don't need a new phone."

Scott laughed, "Well, that's a small price to pay."

"Speaking of small things, how's the little one?" she asked, putting her hand on his belly.

"Still very little. No movement yet. But if she comes out with grey fur, I'm blaming you."

There was a knock on the door frame, and the doctor returned with a nurse and a cart of supplies. "Movement? Are you pregnant? There was no mention of it in your chart."

"No, my husband's pregnant," Danica explained again.

The vet paused, then shook his head. "Right, sorry, I forgot that about griffons. Congratulations! We'll get your ankle rebound and change the bandages on your hands and arm, and then we can take you to see the Bears. They’re eager to speak with you."

"I'd love to speak with them." She held her hands out, palms up. "They are all right aren't they?"

"They're fine. They'll spend the night here on bed rest, just to be sure. They took a lot more smoke and heat than you did."

He took her hands and studied them, peeling off the bandages the paramedics had applied. She winced as he cleaned the scratches, seeing the bloody marks. He carefully probed the gash on her arm, looking a little concerned.

"It looks bad, but it should heal fine. A little deeper and I'd be figuring out how to stitch scales. But bandages should do. Your hands are fine too, just some road rash basically. Change the bandages twice a day, and I'll prescribe you a salve that should help with the healing. If things start changing colour, hurting bad or otherwise don't look like they are healing, come right back here."

He slathered a salve on her forearm and wrapped it in a clean bandage. When he was done he focused closer on her hands.

"Can you close your talons? And excuse me if I'm too rough, I'm not used to my patients being able to tell me how I'm doing."

She followed his instructions and soon she had fresh coverings on her palms and a fresh bandage around her ankle. She had the feeling he was using her to learn more about griffons in general, and not just studying her wounds. Finally, the doctor removed the oxygen tube and stepped back to admire his work.

"So how did I do? Everything feel alright? Nothing is tugging your fur the wrong way or anything is it? "

She flexed her fingers and twisted her arm experimentally. She similarly moved her foot, watching the bandages flex. "I feel fine now. Thank you."

The nurse was busy cleaning up the cart while he watched her. He was clearly puzzled as he thought about the next steps. "I really want you to stay off that foot; but I'm not sure how we can do that. We don't have a wheelchair you can use... and I'm sure you won't be driving home so I'm at a loss for what to do."

"Well, could you get me a pair of crutches? I could manage those... I might even be able to fly with them."

"We can do that. I'll scare up a pair for you and take you to the Bears before you leave."

A short time later, the crutches were dropped off. Scott helped Danica stand up and try them out. Annoyingly, she discovered that her body tilt made the crutches harder to use; her shoulders were naturally a foot or so ahead of her hips and legs, so the crutches were ahead of where they needed. With a bit of practice, she made it work enough so she could leave the room.

A nurse led them through the wide corridors to another ward on another floor. The room had two beds, occupied by a girl and a man. The privacy curtain between the two beds had been pulled back. A woman stood up as the griffons knocked on the door frame.

"It's her!" the girl exclaimed excitedly, sitting up in her bed. She had an oxygen tube under her nose and her eyes were still red from smoke irritation.

"Hey there. I've been released, but I wanted to check on you before I left, to make sure you were going to be fine."

"They're more than fine, thanks to you. I don't know how we could ever thank you," the woman said, giving Danica a hug. She stayed standing, letting Danica kneel on the chair to keep the weight off her foot.

"I was just in the right place at the right time. Are you her mother?"

"Lucy. Yeah, I'm Joanne's mother. Were you hurt badly?"

"This is my husband, Scott. And no, I wasn't hurt badly. Nothing was broken. I can walk somewhat, and I can fly. Landings and takeoffs will be tricky, but I'll manage, and I should be fine soon. How about you two?"

"We're alive, that's the main thing. They don't like my oxygen levels, and I was really baked. Joanne didn't get as much smoke, but she was already fighting a cold. That's why we were home in the first place," Steve said, sounding a bit hoarse.

"Any idea what caused it?" Scott asked.

Steve shrugged. "It started in the laundry closet. I was doing a few loads since I was home with Jo. Maybe a circuit overloaded, or the vent was clogged? I know the lint trap was clean; I always clean it."

"I'm sure it will be figured out. I'm sorry for your apartment. Do you have a place to stay?"

Lucy nodded. "The Red Cross is mobilizing to help us and our neighbours. And I have a brother we can crash with for now, until we get back on our feet."

Steve looked around and found a crossword book he'd been working on earlier. He grabbed it and opened it to a page that had some empty space. "If you don't mind, could you leave your phone number? I know we just met, but once we're all healed up, I'd love to get in touch with you. Maybe we can treat you to dinner or a game or something."

Danica jotted down her number, "Sure, we would love to do that sometime. Just don't feel like you have to do it right away. Get yourselves back on your feet first before you worry about hosting guests."

"How did you know we were up there?" Joanne interrupted. "I mean, dad woke me up and the door was already blocked. We ran to the balcony and realized we forgot our phones. We had no idea how to let anyone know where we were."

Steve chuckled, "I was getting ready to throw one of the chairs off the balcony and hope someone realized what it meant."

Danica put the book and pen down and nodded. "It was luck. I was finishing my lunch when I heard the sirens. Then I spotted the smoke. I admit I was a bit curious, so I took off and decided to have a closer look... Which reminds me..." she interrupted herself and made a snapping motion with her fingers. Remembering her talons, she was distracted from her distraction. "Damn, old habits die hard," she mumbled.

Scott squeezed her arm reassuringly. "That reminds you?" he prompted.

"Right, I left my lunch bag behind. It's still on the roof of the Bow."

"Once we get you home, I'll go get it."

She nuzzled him. "Thanks dear. They'll appreciate it."

"Wait, you were on the Bow? On top of it? In this weather?" Joanne asked.

"Yeah. I usually have my lunches up there. It's peaceful and gives great views of the city. They aren't really thrilled that we do it; but as long as we keep things neat up there, they don't raise a fuss," Danica explained.

"So yeah, I took off and was curious. Luckily, I had a clear line of sight to your balcony, and I spotted you on it. I flew over, and I should have just landed and told them you were there... but I decided to try and reassure you first, and, well, you know the rest."

"And thank you for it. I can't imagine what would have happened if you hadn't been there," Lucy said.

They chatted for a while longer, until they were interrupted by another knock on the door. The fire chief stood there, still dirty from the scene. Danica reflexively tried to hide behind her husband, but it was ineffective.

"Can I help you?" Steve asked.

"Hi there. I'm Captain Andrew Brooks. I was in charge of the fire at your apartment," he said, entering the room.

"Hi Captain. Are you here to ask us about the fire? I'm afraid we don't know what happened. I think it started in the laundry closet but I’m not sure," Steve said.

"Thanks for letting me know. But no, I'm not here to ask questions." His gaze landed on Danica. "Nor to make accusations. After the situation is under control, I always try to visit the victims, just to see how they are doing."

"Well, thank you for what you did. I'm Lucy, Steve's wife and Joanne's mother," Lucy said.

"Nice to meet you. I wish it was under better circumstances," the captain said. "We’ve put the fire out and my team's doing their final inspections and cleanup now. Sadly, your apartment, and your neighbours' apartments are likely to be total losses. You'll have a chance to recover what you can, but I doubt it will be much."

The pain was obvious on the family's faces. Steve tried to smile and reached over to squeeze Joanne's hand. "It's only stuff. Stuff can be replaced. The important thing is that we’re alive. Mainly thanks to her."

"Yes, her." Andrew focused on the griffon, levelling her with a steely gaze. "I hope you understand that what you did was extremely reckless and put all three of you in extreme danger. You should have landed and let us know where they were, and let the experts handle it."

Danica's wings quivered, but she tried to return his gaze. "I'm well aware of that sir. In hindsight, I should have done just that. What I did was extremely stupid, and while the cost could have been a lot worse, I am paying something for it." She lifted a crutch and shook it to draw his attention to it.

Andrew's expression relaxed, and he nodded. "Right. Well you seem to have learned a lesson at least. I trust you won't make a habit of this?"

"Goodness no! I don't know what came over me. Maybe it's just some fathering instincts kicking in or something." She patted her husband's arm. "Got a kid of my own coming after all."

The adults exchanged looks, figuring out what she was talking about but not quite understanding it at first. To Danica's relief, she didn't have to clarify yet again.

"Right, in any case, I'm glad to see you are doing so well. As I said, an inspector will be by later to ask some questions about what you remember. Just answer as best you can. We aren't looking to assign blame, we're just trying to figure out what happened."

"Thank you Captain. We'll answer as best we can," Steve said.

"Mx Storm, may I speak with you outside for a moment? Your ... mate can come with you. You aren't in trouble, but I may be about to throw you to the lions."

"Then maybe it's a good thing I'm part lion," Danika said. Their curiosity piqued, the griffons got up and followed the fireman out of the room. He closed the door behind them and faced them.

"It's just after four, and I've got a swarm of reporters waiting for me downstairs in the media room. They're looking for an update on the fire, and they especially want any information on you, Mx Storm."

"Me? Really?"

"Yes, really. The paramedics snuck you off the scene before they could talk to you, and they want to know all about you.

"Now, I'm not saying you have to come down with me. But I would seriously suggest you do so. You're the hero of this story, and they want their pound of flesh from you. If you come with me, and let me run interference, you can pay them now and get a bit of peace while you recover. Or you can just go home, and be hounded day and night until they get their way or some other shiny thing distracts them."

"But what should I say?" Danica asked, knowing he was right but trying to convince herself.

"Whatever you want. It's your story. Understand we'll want to talk to you later as part of our investigation; but to the press, you're your own person."

"Okay, I'll do it," Danica said.

He led them through the hospital, moving slowly as Danica got used to limping with the crutches. Their path took the elevators back down to the ground floor, after which the griffons were completely lost. Andrew obviously knew where he was going, taking them on a route that went through more than a few Authorized Personnel Only doors.

He stopped outside a door with a Media Room sign. "There's probably going to be a dozen people in there, and they'll obviously react to your appearance. Just try to relax and go with the flow. Don't look at the cameras, but focus on whoever is speaking, whether it’s me or a reporter asking you a question. Be yourselves, and don't worry about what you're saying. They can always bleep out anything they need to later. I'm going to give them my update, and then open the floor to questions. They'll obviously have a lot for you. If you feel like it's gotten too much, feel free to say that's enough and maybe even leave if you want to. This isn't an interrogation, but it will feel like it."

Andrew stood at the door with his hand on the handle as he watched the griffons' reactions. Danica took a few deep breaths and shook her wings out, nervously readjusting them on her back. She squeezed Scott's hand briefly, then nodded. "I'm ready."

The fireman nodded and opened the door. Over his shoulder, Danica could see the room was filled with people and cameras, all facing the doorway. There was an open area at the door's end of the room, delimited by a podium and a couple of flag poles with the maple leaf and the Albertan flag on it. Andrew's body hid the presence of the griffons at first, but there were a lot of flashes from cameras going off.

"Relax, you'll be fine," he encouraged them before stepping into the room. The noise level in the room rose significantly as they spotted the griffons, with the number of flashes somehow increasing.

She squeezed Scott's hand once more, and stepped into the room, picking a spot slightly behind the firefighter and to his right. Her inner eyelids closed to cut down the glare from the lights until she got used to them.

Andrew held his hands up, and the room quickly quieted down.

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen, and others," he said, briefly nodding to the griffons. "My name is Captain Andrew Brooks of Fire Station 1.. I'm here to give you an update on today's fire at the Bow Trail Tower. This is probably going to be the last update I'll have.

"As you can see, I have some guests with me. You probably recognize one of them as the griffon who saved the residents who were trapped on their balcony. I'd like to officially introduce you to Mx Danica Storm, and their partner, Mx Scott Storm."

The griffons stepped forward as there was another flurry of picture taking. A few reporters shouted out questions, but Andrew quickly silenced them with a glare.

"They have agreed to speak to you and answer your questions in a moment. But first, I need to get through my boring parts," he said with a friendly grin.

The griffons stepped back and the room quieted down. Andrew launched into his briefing with practiced ease, outlining what happened and how it was handled.

"That still sounds strange to me," Danica mumbled, trying to keep her beak still. "Being called Mx and calling you my partner and stuff."

Scott's ears twitched. Some of the closer reporters seemed to notice their conversation but were mostly focused on the firefighter. "Yeah, I know what you mean, but it’s more appropriate considering. I mean, we were married as husband and wife, but the husband doesn't normally carry the kids. At least not until after birth."

She fought to contain a chuckle. "You're right. Doesn't make it any less strange though. Just another thing that catches you off guard I guess."

Andrew was wrapping up his briefing, and glanced over to see if she was ready. Danica nodded and stepped forward a little.

"All right now, I'll open up the floor to questions to either of us, but I know where most of your questions are going. Just remember, Mx Storm is just a regular person who has volunteered to share her side of this story. When I point to you, you may ask your question."

The room rumbled with a hint of discontent. A few reporters shouted out questions that were ignored. Andrew instead studied the crowd, and finally picked someone.

"Mx Storm, could you briefly go over how you got involved in this?" the reporter asked.

"Sure. I was finishing my lunch and getting ready to head back to work when I heard the sirens. I was curious about what was going on so I looked around, spotted the smoke, and I decided to check it out. I certainly didn't intend to interfere, but I wanted to take a closer look."

"How close were you when you saw it?" the same reporter asked.

"I was at the Bow." She saw many of them pause, mentally calculating the distances, and then recalculating the distances.

"How close were you when you noticed the victims?"

She tilted her head and half closed her outer lids, thinking back. "Fairly close, I was following 6th more or less. I guess I was maybe five or six blocks away."

The reporter obviously wanted to ask another question, but Andrew pointed to someone else.

"What made you decide to go right to the Bears? Shouldn't you have told the authorities that you had seen them?"

"That's exactly what I should have done," Danica said. She saw the fire captain nod his head approvingly. "I honestly don't know what came over me, or why I decided to go to them. I guess I noticed how scared Joanne was and wanted to reassure them first; to see if there was anything I could do to help."

Andrew nodded and interrupted her before anyone could ask a follow up. "To expand on that slightly, I want to make it clear, especially for any other griffons watching, that you should make sure to leave this sort of thing to the experts. If you see people in trouble, please let us know right away. But don't take matters into your own hands. Leave it to the trained professionals who have the right gear.

"I can't begin to count the number of things that could have gone wrong with what Mx Storm did. They are very lucky it worked out in the end with only a few minor injuries."

Andrew pointed to the next reporter.

"Have you ever done anything like that before? Did you know you could carry someone?"

Danica shook her head. "I had no clue, and in hindsight I really shouldn't have done it. Joanne alone weighs more than I do now, and her father is significantly bigger than that. Carrying Joanne down like I did almost killed my arms. Her father was on my back which made things a bit easier, but it was still hard. It was more like a controlled fall than a flight." She paused and shuddered, shaking her wings a little. "It was probably the first time I actually felt scared of heights since September."

The next one spoke up. "A question for Mx Storm... err the other Storm. How did you find out what your partner did? How did it make you feel?"

Scott took a step forward, surprised to be in their sights now. "I found out almost immediately, before she took off to save Steve. Griffons are a very connected group after all, and there were a lot of eyes watching her.

"As for how it made me feel, it made me feel a lot of things. Scared for what she did. Proud as well. Relief when she was on the ground again. And a hint of anger at the risk she was putting herself in. Especially since it might mean our little one might have lost a parent."

The room lit up with excitement as the reporters quickly jotted down various ideas. They didn't need griffon eyesight to realize what they were writing. Pregnant Griffon Saves Family From Highrise Fire! and similar exciting headlines.

"You are pregnant?" one of the reporters shouted from the back. She didn't indicate to whom she was questioning, but it was obvious she was one of the few double checking the facts.

Danica shook her head and stepped closer to Scott. "I'm not. My husband is," she said, putting a hand on his belly.

Scott nodded and squeezed the hand. "About a month along, give or take a week," he confirmed.

The record scratch the news caused was almost audible. Most of the reporters froze for a moment, puzzling out pronouns and names and trying to make it fit with the news they had just been given. A few seemed more on the ball, and were smirking, obviously proud to be ‘in’ on the joke that had been set up. The one who had asked the pregnancy question was one of the smirkers; Danica recognized her as someone who had covered a number of griffon stories in the Calgary area.

"If you could go back and do anything differently, would you?" someone asked after recovering from the revelation.

"I would probably do what I should have done, and dropped down to let the Captain here know there were people trapped up there," Danica said, watching Andrew nod in agreement. "And then I would probably have gone right back up to get a closer look at them and make sure they were all right." The Captain's nodding stopped and he gave her an unhappy look.

"But knowing his team was on the way, I would not have risked trying to fly them down. I would just have given them some reassurance that help was coming."

"Please don't do that. Leave that to the experts. Under no circumstances should you place yourself in a dangerous situation; and once you are out of it you should absolutely never go back into it," Andrew said, staring at the griffon hero to make sure she got the message.

"A question for the Captain. In light of what you've seen griffons can do, are there any plans to train up any griffon experts and add them to the force?"

"Ever since news about the griffons broke... hell since news about the Titans broke, I think every first responder has been pondering ways to use them effectively in the emergencies we handle. The possibilities are endless, from the strength Titans possess, to the literal eagle-eye view of the scene griffons can get, they will revolutionize emergency response where they are available.

"For Calgary, and Edmonton as well, I know we've been talking with the local flocks, brainstorming ways we can safely test their abilities and integrate them into our responses. I believe we already have a number of volunteers who will be doing some testing at our training facility in the coming weeks and months. By spring, we will have official griffon support available."

"Will those griffons be trained to carry people?"

"We don't know. We'll certainly try it, to find what their limits are and to find ways to make carrying people easier. But for now, it's still an unknown."

"We can see you are using crutches. Can you describe your injuries? Will they affect your day to day life?"

Danica wiggled a crutch and nodded. "Yeah, I'm on crutches, probably for a few days. I'm sure you've seen the videos; I took quite the tumble from the sky there. My wings are fine, but my palms took a beating. And I gave my... well it's more my foot than my ankle but it's the same thing. I gave it a good wrench.

"Thankfully, nothing was broken. I should be back on my paws within a day or two hopefully."

"What are you going to do next?"

"Go home and get some rest. They want me to keep my paw up as much as possible. And I'm exhausted, and starving. So go home, get a bite to eat, clean the smoke out of my feathers and fur, and go to bed."

There were a few more questions, but it was obvious the main points had been made. A few reporters slipped out, eager to get a head start on editing their stories for the evening news. Finally Andrew wrapped things up and announced the interviews were over. He followed the Storms out the door they came in, and away from the reporters. He started guiding them through the halls, towards a more isolated exit.

"How are you getting home?" he asked as they walked. Patients and workers often did a double take noticing them but no one interfered with them.

"We'll be flying back. I should be able to manage it, especially if we can get back before the Tylonol wears off," Danica said.

"Will the crutches be a problem?"

"Nah, griffons have flown with more awkward things. And I'm not talking about the Bears. The tricky part will be landing, but I'll tough it out."

"And I intend to catch her so she doesn't have to tough it out too much," Scott added.

She nuzzled him and giggled, "You are an excellent catcher."

"Right then, in that case, here we are," he said. They were at a side entrance that clearly wasn't used much. Not quite a fire exit, but also not a normal exit. Through the windows, they could see the lights of cars along the avenue nearby.

"We've got your contact information. Expect a call, probably tomorrow, from an investigator. They'll want to question you about the fire, go over what you saw and what you experienced."

Danica nodded in agreement.

"Also, as I hinted at back there, we do have a group figuring out how best to use griffons in our normal operations. We don't like what you did, but you have invaluable experience that we'll want to take advantage of. So expect us to contact you about that later."

"Of course, anything I can do that will help."

He tapped the button to trigger the automatic door. "In that case, have a good evening. And don't you dare pull a stunt like that again!"

Chuckling, the griffons left the hospital. The early evening air was cool and crisp, a thankful relief from the heat of the building. The path was clear and well salted, with the snow piled on either side. Once they had enough room, Danica paused and stretched out her wings and shook them out.

"How do they look?" she asked, twisting to try and do her own inspection. "There were a lot of sparks up there and I haven't had a chance to give them a good look since it happened."

Scott helped her check them out, running his talons along the stiff feathers and checking her tail out.

"They're good. A few new scorch marks, but everything's intact," he confirmed. "A lot of soot on them though. Can you feel it?"

She waved them in the air a bit and shook them more. "Maybe... not really. I feel a little heavier, but it's probably just in my mind. I can't wait to get home and get a proper cleaning and preening. I must absolutely stink of smoke."

He chuckled and hugged his wife. "Well, I wasn't going to say anything, but now that you mention it, I could pick up a whiff of something from you."

She lightly hit him with a crutch. "Ugh! That's horrible! If you could smell me, then I must absolutely stink. Come on, let's go."

"Want me to take those? Let you focus on flying?" Scott offered, pointing to the crutches.

Danica considered it for a moment, and turned slightly to set up her take off direction, careful to make sure they wouldn't be going directly out over traffic. She passed the crutches over to her husband and crouched into a take off position, while keeping as much weight off her injured foot as possible. She braced herself, knowing this was going to hurt. Taking off from ground level needed a good jump to get enough height and momentum to stay airborne long enough for the wings to take over. A running takeoff was out of the question, and a one legged launch was going to be difficult.

"Maybe we should go back inside and find the parking garage. Or roof access," Scott suggested, realizing their problem.

"We'll see, I'm going to give it one try," she replied, holding her beak tightly closed. If she still had teeth, she knew she'd be gritting them.

She winced, putting more weight on her hurt paw and spread her toes a little. Her wings lifted up into a ready position as she got a sense of the air. Before her nerve could give out, she leaped upwards.

A stab of pure agony shot up her leg from her paw and ankle as the strained muscles objected to the load. It was almost enough for her to forget her wings. Thankfully, months of regular use kicked in past the pain, and her wings snapped down. She automatically climbed higher in the sky until she was above the hospital, the pain finally beginning to ease. She settled into a wide circle, and blinked the tears away, trying to hold her foot as still as possible.

Scott joined her shortly after. He held the crutches close to his chest and watched her worriedly. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine!" she snapped back, obviously lying. "Let's get home. The sooner I'm back on the ground the better."

The sun was a faint memory on the western horizon by the time they got to their neighbourhood. Their home was a two bedroom apartment on the second story of a four story walkup building. They didn't have any handy balconies to land on, so they would have to come down in the main parking lot. Danica circled, already wincing at the thought of the pain a landing would cause. Part of her just wanted to stay in the sky forever. The exhaustion she was feeling told her that one way or another, she was going down.

"Let me go down first," Scott said. "Then come right at me, and let me catch you."

She nodded in agreement and watched him descend. He came down fast, fluttering his wings at the last minute to kill his momentum and control his fall. He tossed the crutches to one side and touched down on the cleared pavement. Once he recovered, he turned and crouched slightly ready to catch her.

Not wanting to put the chore off any longer, she lined up and did her own descent. Her hurt paw stayed slightly higher than normal in anticipation. Her nerve almost gave out at the last minute, but soon enough her wings were fluttering and Scott was growing rapidly in front of her. He took a couple of steps forward and they collided. He wrapped his arms around her as best he could and fell backwards, absorbing the last of her fall from the sky and mostly keeping the pressure off her foot. It gave one stab of pain when it lightly hit the ground, but otherwise seemed fine.

"Thanks dear," she said, nuzzling him tiredly.

"You okay?" he asked, not moving from under her.

She nodded and he finally let her go. He squirmed free and stood up before offering a hand to her. "In that case, let's get inside and get some dinner."

Scott retrieved the crutches, and the pair made their way into the building. As usual, the heat hit them like a wall. Danica tried to use the crutches to climb the stairs, but quickly found them too awkward. She passed them to Scott and used the railings to limp-pull herself up.

Their apartment let out a blast of cool air when they opened the door. They had to keep it a little warmer than they might have preferred, to make sure pipes wouldn't freeze; but they did tend to have some of the windows cracked through the winter to bring in fresh, cooler air.

Danica took the crutches and limped over to the couch and dropped onto it. She let out a long sigh of relief, her injured foot lifted in the air. Scott retrieved some pillows to help prop it up.

"Can I get you anything?" he asked, checking her bandages to make sure they were still clean. They were a little damp and stained from the landing, but he decided they were fine.

"I'd kill for a burger right now," she said after a thought. "But I'll make due with a snack. Oh! We should fill those prescriptions the doc gave me."

"Right, I'll go get it after you're settled." Scott passed over the TV remote and retreated to the kitchen. He filled a small container with carrots and peppers, and took it out with a bottle of water.

"Thanks love," Danica said.

"Need anything else?"

She shook her head, already flipping through the guide on the screen. Scott leaned forward and nuzzled her briefly. "I'll be back soon, with the burger and the pills."

It was a short flight over to the shopping plaza near their apartment. London Drugs was its main anchor, and the pharmacy they had used before the change. Since the change, they hadn't really had a need to talk to the pharmacist, until now.

He strode to the back of the store and waited at the pharmacy counter. The store was quiet, with only a few customers and no one waiting for drugs. The pharmacist looked up and did a double take. He forced himself to restart his count and finished his task before coming up. "We don't see many of you around here. How can I help you?"

"Yeah, I guess they're still sorting out what drugs we need. But we can still get hurt. I've got some scripts for my wife," Scott said, handing over the papers. He dug out his wallet and retrieved a couple of ID cards. "We should be in your system. I used to get my diabetes supplies here and Danica used to get her birth control here." He paused and chuckled a little, touching his belly. "Guess I'm the one that really needed birth control."

The pharmacist missed his comment as he tried to sort out how to process the request. He started looking up the patient records on automatic. "Right, you're the first griffons I've served; I'm not all that sure how to handle this. I think we've got some guides around...."

"Of course, take your time," Scott said patiently.

"First, I'll update your records, and...." the pharmacist trailed off, taking a closer look at the scripts. "This is from Doctor Clark, I'm not familiar with him.... He's a veterinarian?"

"Yeah, apparently griffon care is drawing from a wide variety of specialties. Is that a problem?"

"It's very unconventional. I mean, it's not the first vet script I've filled, but it's usually for a dog or a cat, not a… person." The pharmacist was clearly getting a bit flustered. "Please excuse me, I'll be right back."

Scott stepped to the side while the pharmacist switched to another computer and began to type frantically, looking up information. Another worker joined him and they had a long hushed discussion that eventually led to some phone calls.

Scott let them work and started browsing the aisles for the other supplies they needed. The other technician joined him after a few minutes.

"Right, we need to double check a few things, but it looks like we can handle it. Griffon care is still being sorted out, so we're making sure we do everything right. The good news is, the prescriptions have been cleared for griffon use, and it should fall under your health plan. The pharmacist is filling them now. Can I help you with anything else?"

"Sure, Danica got banged up today, so we need some supplies," Scott said, offering the list Doctor Clark had scrawled out for them.

The technician studied the list, translating the doctor scrawl. "These are simple enough. Follow me.... Oh! Is this for the griffon that saved those people from the fire today?"

Scott followed the tech down the aisle. "Yes, that was my Danica."

"Wow, how is she doing?"

They walked back to the counter as they talked. "She's fine. Hurting, but she'll heal."

"I'm glad to hear that. I saw the videos on Facebook; that was absolutely insane! I didn't know you guys could do that."

"I didn't know either, and neither did she."

The pharmacist was waiting at the counter when they got there. He had a bottle of pills and a tube of cream waiting for him.

"I checked around and everything seems good," he confirmed. "Have her take two pills before she goes to sleep tonight, then another in the morning. No more than one every few hours after that and only if she's still feeling pain. If the pain persists past tomorrow, she should contact a doctor.

"As for the cream, apply it to her wounds every time she changes the bandages. I understand her palms and forearm are injured?" Scott nodded. "Then you should probably change them two or three times a day at least, for the first few days. Watch for infection, and go to the hospital immediately if anything seems wrong."

While talking, the order was rung up. Scott tapped his card and started packing everything into his flight bag. "Thanks. And thanks for looking out for us. It's part of the reason we've always come back here."

"Well, it was good to see you again. I'm glad we could help. If you need anything else, or have any questions, we're here for you."

Once again, he tapped his belly. It had only been a month since he missed his egg, and ever since the fact that he had a new life growing in him was high in his mind. "I'm sure we'll be back, for pregnancy and baby supplies if nothing else."

The clerk perked up but missed the details. "Congratulations! Be sure to bring the little one over for a visit when you can."

Scott left the pharmacy and crossed the parking lot to a Wendys. It was a place they regularly visited, so his arrival didn't cause a reaction. He picked up dinner to go and took off.

The figure on the couch didn't move as he walked in the door. He set the bags on the table and unpacked them as quietly as he could, while debating waking her up. He was saved when he saw her ears twitch. The injured griffon slowly sat up, yawning and stretching her wings.

"How're you feeling?" he asked.

"Aching. Feels like I was hit by a truck," Danica replied. She grabbed one of the crutches and carefully hobbled over to the table.

Scott tapped out a couple of pills and passed them over with a bottle of water. "Well, this should help. The pharmacist said to take two tonight, and then one in the morning as needed."

She gulped them down, then sat at the bench at the table. "Thanks. I really appreciate it. Thanks for getting dinner too." She snagged a fry and dipped it into a Frosty. She closed her eyes and pressed her ears back as she savoured it.

"Anything for my super hero," Scott replied, unwrapping his own burger and chowing down.

Epilogue

It was a beautiful late spring weekend in the city. The first weekend in June, and a perfect excuse to get out and enjoy it. The Bears snagged a picnic table with a view of the river, still running high from the last of the snow melt but the flood risk was long gone. Lucy and Joanne began unpacking the bags they brought, setting out the fried chicken and salads and plates.

Steve stood to one side and scanned the skies, shading his eyes from the spring sun. There were a dozen griffons flying around that he could see, but not the ones he was looking for. They'd been chatting with the Storms quite often since the fire, and this would be the first time they would meet in person.

A short screech made them look up. A pair of familiar looking griffons were coming in from the river. The smokey grey one waved as they dropped down onto the gravel trail near the picnic benches. Their landing turned into a jog that brought them to the family.

"Hi guys, good to finally see you again," Danica greeted them.

"Good to see you walking normally. How's the foot?" Steve asked, shaking the offered hand.

Danica spun around on her toes, obviously happy. "All healed up. Took a bit longer than I had hoped but it's fine now."

"You're looking good," Joanne said. "Though you look different. You seem thinner than I remember somehow."

"The molt happened. We shed our winter fur and feathers a few weeks ago. Not the nicest of experiences but it was refreshing," Scott explained.

"It was a relief really. Got rid of my scorched feathers from the fire. And it means we won't be cooking as much in the summer," Danica said.

"Interesting. Please, there's lots of food, help yourself," Lucy said, indicating the table. Joanne was setting out cups and bottles of pop and juice. They gathered around the table and passed around the plates to load them up.

Steve realized a problem right away; the picnic tables had attached bench seating that couldn't be moved. "Oh shoot; I didn't think this through," he said, realizing the griffons couldn't sit down easily.

"It's fine, we're used to it. Gives us a reason to exercise our legs a bit more," Danica said. They set themselves at opposite ends of the table.

"Please, have a seat, we're fine," Scott assured them.

They dug into the food hungrily. The griffons could tell the Bears were watching them while trying not to seem to be watching them. It was something they were used to every time they ate out.

"So, how are you doing now? You've got a new place right?" Danica asked, once the first round of food was done.

"We do. A new townhouse on the north side of the river. A bit longer commute but plenty of room for all of us," Steve said.

"Good, good. Send us the address and we'll get you a house warming gift. Maybe a fire extinguisher or a smoke detector," Scott said.

Danica glared at him from across the table, while the Bears laughed.

"Don't worry, our new place is fully equipped. We'll be ready just in case. And yes, we'll send you the address soon," Steve said.

"Did they ever figure out what caused the fire?" Scott asked, changing topics slightly.

"Faulty wiring. The washer may have triggered it, but it was just a matter of time they said," Lucy explained.

"Damn, that sucks. But lucky it happened during the week. If it was the weekend, it could have affected a lot more people," Danica said.

"Yeah, we were lucky in a lot of ways." Steve acknowledged. "So what about you two? How have you been?"

"We've been good. Danica's got the cape bug. She volunteered with the local fire departments, helping work out griffon tactics," Scott said.

"Wow! How's it going?" Joanne asked.

"It's hard work. We're still figuring out our limits and how best to carry people. But it's going well; we're figuring out our strengths and weaknesses in general. It's very interesting."

"Cool. Will you be doing any demonstrations?" Joanne asked.

"Nothing official yet, but we might have something come Canada Day or the Stampede."

"We'll be sure to come out and see it," Steve said.

Lucy shifted her attention to Scott. "And you? How are you doing with your bundle?"

He twitched his wings and one hand went to his belly. It was obviously bulging a little now. "It's a strange feeling, but she's doing well."

"Can you feel him... her.. .uhm? Can you feel them moving yet?"

"We're saying 'her' for now. And yes, she's starting to move. A few more months before she comes out."

Danica went around the table and squeezed her husband. "Considering what's coming, I'm glad it's you and not me."

"Yeah, I'm not looking forward to that. At least I know somewhat what to expect. Those poor parents, they never had any eggs before their kids." Scott shuddered in sympathy. News of the first fertile griffon eggs being laid had broken just a few days before. He was still coming to terms with what he would be going through in August.

"It's such a strange thing to think about. I'm amazed you're taking it so easily," Lucy said. "May I?"

"Sure, go ahead," Scott said, turning to her. Lucy put her hand on the furry bulge gently. "I'm getting used to it myself, but it probably won't really click with me until it's time."

Lucy left her hand on the offered belly for a long moment. "How often does she move?"

"Often enough, usually in the evenings. She might be resting. I'm half thinking we're making an owl griffon."

"Well, please keep us in mind for the baby shower. We'll certainly chip in something for her," Steve said.

"You don't have to do that. But thank you. We're not setting anything up until the first hatchlings come out, so we have a better idea of what we need," Danica said.

"Sounds good. Let us know when."

Danica's phone chirped and she glanced down. "Now I know you said not to bring anything, but we didn't want to come here empty taloned. So technically we didn't bring this," she said, looking around. She spotted someone in the parking lot and waved her wing.

A delivery driver waved back. He jogged over to their table, carefully balancing a cake box.

"Oh! Really, you didn't have to do anything," Steve said.

Danica claimed the box and thanked the driver. She set it on the middle of the table and took the cover off. It was a simple birthday cake with red icing. It was decorated with a simple image of a burning house and a firefighter putting out the flames.

"As I said, we didn't want to come empty handed, so we ordered dessert. I hope this is okay," Danica said.

"It's fine, a good reminder of what brought us together," Steve replied. He hugged the griffon in thanks. "Now, before we cut this up, let's get a proper group photo to celebrate."

END