Azalie rubbed the back of her head. "Um... I don't know the area either. Iradon just took me here like five minutes ago..." She had a nervous smile on her face. "Um... Basically, it's the blind leading the blind." She laughed.

After a minute of looking around, Azalie pointed to a store and said, that looks like a good one. It was an upscale version of a Sears store. She grabbed his arm and towed him over to the entrance. She entered, and the cool air blasted into her face. She closed her eyes and smiled. That cool breeze reminded her of riding on Iradon. Then came the flashback.

~~~~

It was a cold winter night in Irayni's mountainous forests. The moon was full, and Azalie was shivering. Jack curled up next to her in an effort to keep her warm, but it wasn't nearly enough. If the night continued like this, Azalie's feet would fall off from frost bite.

Soon, Azalie succumbed to sleep. She had curled up in the fetal position, and Jack was curled around her. She was shivering in her sleep. Soon, several small noises of large feet crunching the snow sounded. A large griffon came up to her and curled itself around her. Usually, griffons were hibernating or in a warmer area by this time of year. However, this one seemed to have stayed.

The large griffon stayed by the girl's side until morning. When the griffon felt Azalie start to wake, it got up and flew up into the skies. Azalie's eyes shot open. She was cold again, but she wouldn't get frost bite now. She looked around her. In the snow were the distinctive foot prints of a griffon. She stared into the sky, and saw a spec. That was the griffon that saved her life.

That was how Azalie and Iradon met. 

~~~~

She was still staring off into space, going through the remaining parts of how she met Iradon. That was part of being a witch; vivid flashbacks.

Azalie blinked a few times, and looked at Stucka. "Yeah. I'm fine. I was just thinking about an old experience," she said, obviously lying. She ran a hand through her hair and said, "So... Do you just want me to go on my own, or do you have to monitor my shopping?" That was the most akward question she had ever asked in her life. It sounded like she was talking to her dad or something.

"Okay," Azalie said, smiling as she walked off. She walked to the juniors' section of clothing in the back, and grabbed two shirts. She grabbed two pairs of pants also. She finally grabbed a pair of converse that weren't knee highs. She made sure that all of the items that she had were light enough to go into her messenger bag without weighing her down.

And then, a man, a Shadowkeeper, came up behind her and cupped his hand over her mouth. She screamed, but no sound came out. "Your brother is looking for you," the man said, smiling wickedly. Azalie yanked her head upward and bit down on his hand, hard. The man winced and pulled away. Azalie placed her right palm on his chest and said, "Yatmaq." The man fell to the floor, asleep.

Azalie slowly stepped away, and returned to the cash register. She waited patiently for Stucka.

        Stucka went in the other direction toward the mens clothing, sure he was only seventeen, but he big for his age. He didn't see anything at first, but noticed a pair of shoes that interested him, picking them up and inspecting them. When he decided he agreed to get it, he slowly began to walk back to the register. Stucka stopped moving, his sensitive ears picking up something for only a second.

        When nearly a minute pas.sed by and the noise was completely gone, Stucka proceeded to walk until he saw Azalie again, waving slightly before standing in front of her. "Got everything? Then let's pay for them." He went over and put his shoes on the table, getting his wallet out. He sensed something nearby that seemed almost...dark. It's probably nothing. he thought, finally pulling out his wallet and taking out some money.

Azalie looked a bit nervois, but she hid it well. She watched the cashier ring up their items. Of course. She looked over in the corner of the juniors' section. The Shadowkeeper was standing up, clearly not asleep anymore. Azalie jumped, and grabbed Stucka's arm. She didn't scream.

The man, grinning wickedly, snapped his fingers. Shadows swirled around him, and he disappeared. He was definately a Shadowkeeper. Azalie shivered and Jack waited patiently for them outside. He was staring in through the front gl*censored* doors of the store. He growled when he saw the man disappear.

Outside, there was a huge commotion. "Oh my gosh! It's a griffon!" Yelled one man.

"It sure is, George," a lady in a business suit said. "Take a picture."

Sure enough, Iradon was circling the city, only a few feet above the top of the skyscrapers. She had sensed the Shadowkeeper, and was staying close to Azalie.

Azalie let go of her arm and said, "I'm okay." But obviously, she wasn't. She walked outside, holding her bag with her clothes in it. As soon as she got out, she was met by her griffon. Iradon swooped down and people made a clearing for the large creature. Iradon landed, and looked at Azalie. Azalie sighed.

People began taking pictures, but nobody dared to touch the griffon. Azalie walked over to Iradon and rubbed the space between her eyes, just above her hawk-like beak. Iradon leaned into Azalie's hand and closed her eyes.

Iradon looked at Stucka, a bit cautious, but she didn't act out. Azalie turned to face Stucka. She rubbed Iradon's neck.

"This," she said, patting her griffon, "is Iradon. It took me a year to tame her, but she trusts me completely now." Azalie had the biggest grin on her face. She was proud of her griffon. Only a few people had succeeded in taming a griffon. "Wanna ride her?"

Jack walked up beside Azalie and licked her leg. Iradon waggled her wings, hearing the word, 'ride.'

        Stucka took his gaze from Iradon, and looked at Azalie, a bit panicked. "Me? I don't know, I never rode a griffon before." he knew he could shift into a horse, and in the past, he rode horses, but a griffon was way different, he wasn't sure if he could handle it.

        "He...and you trust me that much?" he asked, walking a little closer, his body in line with Iradon, if Stucka wanted to, he could have reached his hand out and stroked him, but was still hesitant, not wanting to cross any bounderies.

"Iradon is a she," Azalie said, correcting Stucka. "Griffons can see into the minds of people. If Iradon sees that you have any ill will towards me, she will drop you in mid-flight." She smiled and scratched Iradon's shoulder. Azalie grabbed Iradon's mane, and swung herself up onto the ma.ssive creature's back. Iradon laid down and allowed Jack to get onto her back. He took his position on Iradon's hindquarters.

"Well, you coming?" Azalie said, still clutching Iradon's mane.

        Stucka hesitated, but smiled, feeling a bit excited even though his heart raced in his chest. "Alright then." when he walked pas.sed Iradon'd head, he wispered to her. "Sorry about that, didn't mean to call you a guy." he ran his hand along her neck before standing next to her.

         "Okay, this should be like getting on a horse..kind of." Stucka did the same, grabbing on Iradon's mane, and hoisting himself up onto the griffon, his strength making it easy for him. He smiled once more, the experience was something that didn't occur often. "There, good girl." Stucka slightly stroked Iradon's side, while still holding his balance.

"If you need to, you can hold on to me," Azalie said, blushing. "Jack and I are used to Iradon's way of flying. We know how to hold on." She smiled, and said, "Brace yourself," before letting Iradon into her mind.

Iradon, sensing what Azalie wanted, shot up into the skies, making the crowd that gathered below ooh and ah. She was like a rocket, extremely fast. Then, she evened out. The flying evened out, and it wasn't as hard to hold on.

        Stucka didn't think that he would need to hold on until she lifted off, making him involuntarily grab onto Azalie as he nearly fell off. His bandana around his neck stayed on somehow, and his gloves helped with the grip that he had around Azalie.

        When Iradon evened out her flying, he lightened the grasp, finally able to look around a bit. "Wow, it's amazing up here." Stucka closed his eyes for a minute, feeling the wind fly around him. When he opened them, he let go of Azalie, although he kept his hands on her waist just in case he lost balance.

"You're finding out something I've known for years," Azalie said, conscious of Stucka's hands on her waist. However, Jack was walking around. He was perfectly balanced, but Azalie was clutching onto Iradon's mane, not wanting to fall and bring Stucka with her.

"It's a rocky ride up," she said, sighing, "but once you're up here, it's like time stops. Iradon once flew with me on her back for a day." Azalie smiled. "Of course, that was when she did it against my will. A griffon tests you before it decides that you are worthy of its trust."