Alati

We buried Jasper's body in the nearby crevice, covering him with nearby stones, and said our goodbyes. Edgar seemed to take it the hardest out of all of us. I suppose when you use to have the ability to speak with and care for animals it's hard to be unable to help them. There was no talk among us for a while, just sitting and mourning.

After a while I felt I could not keep silent any longer. I turned to Merlin who sat with his gaze firmly focused on the ground.

"I found him." I said.

Merlin and Edgar's attention instantly turned towards me.

I took a deep breath. "He was in this temple, covered by some shield. I tried to save him but the temple was destroyed and I barely got out of there alive. I failed."

"What?" Edgar exclaimed. "That is not possible!"

I looked at Edgar, eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean that's not possible?"

Edgar's eyes grew wide, as if he had accidentally shared something he wasn't supposed to. He shook his head. "Nothing, nothing, nothing." He began to try to hop away, only to be caught up by Merlin.

"That's it, rabbit. What do you know?" Merlin stared pointedly at Edgar, holding him up by his jacket.

Edgar's ears drooped. "Do not call me rabbit! I have lived much longer than you." He crossed his arms, but he was obviously deflated. "Time travel is a tricky business." He said, as if that explained all of our questions.

"And?" Merlin asked.

Edgar merely shook his head. "Your parents must be alive. We find them, we find our answers."

Merlin let go of Edgar, letting fall the short distance to the ground. "A lot of help you are. Why would our parents be alive, huh? I am sick of your cryptic messages and not telling us things we deserve to know!"

The griffin let our a hissing cry in Merlin's face, then moved its head down to nudge at Edgar.

Merlin shook his head, letting out an exasperated sigh.

I laid a hand on Merlin's arm. "They kept our parents alive last time, remember? Maybe they need them to survive. Yelling at the one person who can actually help will only divide us and make us easier to destroy."

Merlin looked at me sadly. "I am sorry. I know I am guilty of taking my feelings out on others." He looked down at Edgar, who was now being licked by the griffin disapprovingly. "Can you forgive me, Edgar?"

Edgar nodded, pushing away at the griffin. "I do not blame you for being angry, we have all lost just about everything but each other, it's hard." Edgar looked at the griffin, almost as if they were to have an eye-staring contest. "Alati knows where they may be keeping your family."

"Alati?" My brother and I echoed.

"Yes, that is the griffin's name. Now, if you all are ready to go, let us be on our way."