Ark huddled in a small wooden building he had called home for the past 2 days. The flight from his hometown would have been 10 hours+ in the cold wind. That, in itself, would be hell. Though, in exchange for making the trip more like 30 minutes, he had to spend 2 days in the horrid cold of Alkvher, instead of Ghrenheim, with it's glorious tropical weather. Ark looked over at the old man he had been staying with for the past 2 days. The old Human had offered him a place to stay during those 2 days for the past 3 years Ark had been a student at the academy. The man was charitable and kind, and Ark was thankful for that, though he was nothing compared to his old friend back in Ghrenheim. His name was Earl. Earl was a farmer who sat in the old cabin during the long winter months, barely making it through each year.

"It's nearly time for me to go." Ark looked at the fireplace, then back at the kind old man "Thanks for letting me stay here again. I guess I'll help you with the next harvest." The old man simply smiled at Ark as he picked up his thick coat and walked to the door. Earl was mute, though he still managed to make a living without words. "Goodbye, Earl. Eyn' Gohdus." (Eyn' Gohdus is a draconian saying which means something like "Good fortune and hope to you") Ark stepped outside into the frigid cold, the leather on his feet barely preventing his feet from freezing. Ark watched as a majestic beast fell from the sky at brilliant speeds, landing a few feet in front of him with grace and elegance. Ark quickly checked the bags at his sides, making sure that all of his items of importance were there. Ark moved towards the beast, petting it slightly before climbing onto the saddle. Ark could not fly on his own at the moment. The air was too cold and it would have taken too much time.

The beast climbed through the clouds at speeds faster than most could imagine. Ark looked around at the clouds. Boring. He checked downwards, at the still-visible human settlement, and the many acres of farmland owned by the old man. Ark began to sing an old chant under his breath. A relic of his past, a memory of an old friend. A tear dropped from his eye, before being torn away by the wind. After the allotted time had past, Ark arrived at the school, right as the announcement was made. He dismounted the gryphon, petting it once again before thanking it and walking off. Ark made his way to the main hall with his bags at his sides, underneath a thick coat that covered his wings, which were hidden against his back. The walk, while annoying, was simple, even in the cold.