Sunny stared up at the eyes that sparked in the darkness; she was at the same time fearful and in awe, unsure how to react to such a beast that she'd only heard about but had never seen.

She felt Laphi slam against her, and she laid a comforting hand on his head -- but it was a whisper in Aro's voice that distracted her attention. Sunny stared over at Aro, illuminated hauntingly in Laphi's light. Aro seemed ... terrified.

The outline of wings spread; talons scraped against stone.

Suddenly the griffin was speeding at them, wings wide, eyes sharp. Silent. Deadly.

[i]"RUN!"[/i] the man's voice echoed behind them.

Sunny sucked a breath through her teeth; there was no way they could escape running, not in this dark open space. She shoved Laphi behind her, grabbed the thin leather pack from her shoulders and raised it up like a shield, bracing herself, just as the griffin's talons clattered against it.

Illuminated from below, the white griffin seemed ghastly -- feathers and talons and snapping beak. Talons snapped out again.

Sunny was wrenched suddenly away from Laphi and dragged upside-down into the air before she could understand what was happening. Her "shield" clanged to the floor. Inside the leather pouch was a heavy brass astrolabe, set to Whistlehowl.

The griffin -- and Sunny -- was gone.