~Naminé~
It took Falla and Halta three hours to complete healing the baby griffin. He was very close to death, and I sat beside them the entire time praying that he would live. After about an hour, he had stopped moaning, and I was afraid he had died, but I could see his stomach rise and fall and knew that he was still breathing, if not barely.
I gasped as suddenly I could sense in this baby griffin that he was a Fëa. Falla must have noticed along the way as well because she and Halta had been laboring for hours to heal him. I dared not give anything away, because only a Maite’Ona could sense when an un-bonded animal without a Maite’Ona was Fëa.
The Fëa were creatures of nature, different species of the animal kingdom, and were always linked with a Maite’Ona. Once one became aware of their gift and became a Maite’Ona, they would embark on a sacred journey, or our Maranwe. Maranwe was an extraordinary exploration to find our Fëa essence: an extension of one’s being, forever linked together.
My heart constricted as I thought of my Maranwe—my exploration to find Calen. It took three intense days to journey and find my Fëa essence. When I finally found her, it was a rare memory I would never forget. What a horrid affair it was trying to explain my absence, and though I had been punished severely when I returned, it was imperative that I kept it secret.
I looked down at the baby griffin and realized that a future someone would embark on his or her own Maranwe to find this Fëa. The poor soul had to survive. I would do everything in my power to save this youngling so that one day it would bond with his Maite’Ona.
Baby griffins were uncommon in this part of the Kingdom. There were not too many griffins left at all. The fact that one had gotten pregnant while in the stables was a miracle. The King had started to acquire all the griffins in the land, and he paid a hefty price for the capture of them. No one quite knew why, but it was thought the King hoped they would help our side win the war. I hated to see these animals in captivity, but at least I knew that my father would care for them.
Now that I knew this one was a Fëa, I wondered how many others were in captivity. The Fëa were not born to be captives. They were to be free to enjoy life and bond with their Maite’Ona. That was the way of our people.
When they were done, Falla looked exhausted and went to lie down in the grass and instantly fell asleep with Halta hidden in her vest once again. It had taken a lot out of them both to heal. I watched them and the baby griffin sleep all night long. I couldn’t keep my gaze away from him as it labored to breathe.
I jumped as I saw him move. He hadn’t moved all night. He was trying to get up, so I went to put my hand on his head to comfort him. He snuggled his head in the palm of my hand and licked my wrist. I smiled, as I knew he wanted to be comforted, loved. I didn’t know where his mother was, but as I went to pick up the baby, he tried to crawl in my arms. He settled on my lap, wrapped his wings around his body, and laid his head on my arm. He cooed a strange sound, then instantly went back to sleep.
I picked up a sense of contentment, and perhaps a little envy coming from Calen, and I couldn’t help but smile. I longed to be with her, too.
Chapter Thirty
Sweet Oblivion (Sweet Series #1) Page 49