Description
– Johny, where are you!
A woman on a bright forest meadow lifted up a summer umbrella and looked around. Noone was eager to answer her.
– Must be at the pond feeding ducks. He will be back soon. – suggested a man next to her.
– Johny, make sure not to get your shoes wet! - shouted the woman again, but just as the time before noone took the time to answer.
Grasshoppers were chirping and crickets were singing all around the meadow, enjoying a hot summer day in the cool rosehip underbrush. The very same underbrush was used for cover by gryphon fledgling, sitting there to conceal his presence from people.
He couldn’t tell what they were talking about, as the human tongue for him was more of a mystery rather than an open book, but nevertheless he was drawn to the human world. And to the human treats! There was a lot of these sitting atop vast white tablecloth. Baskets, pots, jars and jugs filled to the brim with the most unusual food the young fledgeling could imagine. He could smell the berries and fruits, and recognized the meat - pheasants, that he hunted himself, but human ones for whatever reason also smelled of smoke - there was even honey, something he would never thought of eating for himself! But more than anything else on human tablecloth gryphon was intrigued by small brown pancakes that smelled like ginger. What was they tasted like? Gryphon couldn’t wait to find out.
The man in front stretched his arms and turned around to whatever place little gryphon was hiding, forcing fledgeling to lay low, tempering the expectations for a little while. Soon after the man have turned back away and the path has cleared. It didn’t take long for gryphon to close most of the distance to humans, before he had to stop again, to hide from the woman this time.
– Johny, come back! We are packing already, can you hear?
She shook her head getting no reply, then started packing away the treats into a basket. Gryphon winced in place. Now there was no time to waste!
He dashed to the closest bush preparing to pounce, sneak or leap forward, whatever it takes to get the ginger treats before they are put away. What he would never expect at this moment was for someone to be behind his back.
– Ducky, ducky, ducky... - he heard closely from behind.
He jumped around and froze. A human! A little boy was hiding in the rosehip brush and seemingly watched him getting close the entire time.
– You're not a ducky... - little human tilted his head, examining critter up close.
Gryphon was about to jump away and hide, but instead he kept standing, only letting a tip of his tail to flicker. The ginger treats back on meadow were maybe put away, but here was entire sealed jar of them, shining in the sun in boy’s hands!
The boy slowly opened a gasket and put his puffy hand inside, then took out one gingersnap.
– Want some? – he said waving it towards the gryphon.
Fledgeling noded.
– Then catch!
Boy clumsily swang his hand, sending the treat flying through the underbrush. Gryphon was fast to react, catching it in midair. With a crunchy sound he took a taste of a treat, and great winds it was worth it!
Human giggled and took out another treat from within the jar.
– Want some more?
He tossed the second treat in the grass halfway to the critter, then another one and another, making sure he’s got critter’s attention. After that he sealed the gasket, hastily stood up and ran away through the brush.
– Oh, Johny, here you are! – soon followed from the meadow. – Oh, and just look at your shoes... And your knees! I’ve told you not to get dirty. Not again.
The boy ran past the woman to the man and tugged at his sleeve.
– Dad, dad! Can the kitty go with us?
– Oh, and just look at your back, Johny. What was you doing out there?...
– What kitty, John? Have you made a friend back at the pond?
– Yes, yes. Come!
When the boy returned to his hiding spot in rosehip bushes with the adult human, the fledgeling was gone. Three gingersnaps he threw were still sitting in the grass, but the jar with the rest was gone as well.
The critter turned out to be a quickwitted one.
– So? Where is your little cat? – asked the man.
Boy sighed.
-Must have flew away...
Short story written by
You can read the original Russian version в моей группе ВК