“Pull up! Pull up!” Kathlin squeaked as she tugged on the gryphon’s bridle hopefully. The captain’s mouth went slightly slack-jawed for a moment as he took in the sight of the huge Demon bearing down on him, before briskly twitching the reins as he dug his knees into the Gryphon’s side. “Scooby, down!”

The gryphon dived, wings brushing between buildings as they swept only a few feet above the cobbles of one of Stormwinds main shopping areas in the Trade District. Normally bustling, it was now silent as the grave, grave, carts and stalls overturned. 

Malizia’s plated metal boot loomed before them. The gryphon swept by with moments to spare to dive straight through her splayed legs and continue at full pelt in the opposite direction to Malizia’s trajectory. 

“You called your gryphon Scooby?”

“WHAT? THAT’S your concern!? The Captain roared as he dragged on the reigns to bring the Gryphon into a turn, back towards the fight. “Why did the church send you!? WHY IS THAT THING FOLLOWING US!?”

“Long story – difficult to go into” Kathlin said breathlessly as she clung to the saddle. “The demon’ll follow me….head to the mountains to the north. Get it out of the city”

“…..”

“For the love of the Light, this is insane” the Captain snapped as they completed an arch to slowly circle around the demon. They were now between her and the mountains, the latter looking temptingly close.  Looking around in bemusement, the pair saw the giant Malizia’s eyes obviously focus on them again as her irises burnt a brighter shade of red. “Smushy-face!”

“Run” Kathlin instructed her companions. “Er, Fly. Retreat!”

“Back! Back!” The Captain roared as his mount, who jinked around to break into a frantic dive again as a massive hand reached out for them. “…Light protect us”

*

“This counts as progress” Liaena mused as Hester hovered just above the level of the houses, well above the fight taking place. The girl watched as the gryphon containing her friend turned to flee, pursued a moment behind by Malizia. “…she could use backup. Hester, yip!”

“….”

“….move, you bloody bird” Liaena growled after a moment of Hester showing disinclination to follow the crashing noises of Malizia, or indeed do anything besides float serenely through the sky. “Chocolate!”

This invoked a reaction of Hester starting to graciously flap in the general direction of where the gryphon had just gone. They were of course, travelling many magnitudes of speed slower. 

“…eh, they’re bound to slow down at some point” Liaena said to nobody in particular with a confidence that sounded not particularly convincing. “….can’t you go faster?”

“….”

“I swear to the Light I will have you in a pie”

"cluck"