Chapter 13 - The Hunt Begins

Morning came too quickly after our late-night planning session. We'd spent hours discussing how to trap the griffons, with Aeolin sketching crude maps in the dirt of his nest and me suggesting various snare designs I'd learned back in Willowbrook. Now it was time to put our plan into action.

The edge of the nest was a vertigo-inducing drop into the murky depths of the rainforest. I stood there, bare toes curling over the edge, the rough bark of the tree pressing against them. My heart was doing that thing where it felt like it was going to punch its way out of my chest, and I wasn't sure if it was because of the height or because I was standing there in my birthday suit. Ever since Aeolin had ripped my torn pants off and tossed them from the nest, I'd gotten used to being naked around him, but this felt different. This felt… exposed.

"Taking your sweet time, huh?" Aeolin called, hovering in the air with that smug look on his face, his emerald feathers catching the dim light filtering through the canopy. "You're not scared, are you, village boy?"

"Village boy? I'm not a village boy," I shot back, gripping the branch tighter as I started my descent. "And I'm not scared. I've climbed plenty of trees."

"Then why are you shaking like a leaf?" he teased, zipping around to hover in front of me, his wings creating a gentle breeze that cooled my flushed skin.

"It's the height, not your dumb bird jokes," I muttered, trying to speed up to prove him wrong. My foot slipped on a patch of moss, and for one heart-stopping moment, I was falling—until Aeolin's strong arms wrapped around me from behind, catching me mid-air.

"See?" he said, his voice low and teasing against my ear, his chest pressed warm against my back. "I told you I'd help."

I let out a breathless laugh, my heart still racing from the sudden drop. "You're an asshole, you know that?"

"Yeah," Aeolin said, his voice light as he lowered us gently toward the ground. "But I'm your asshole."

The ground was a lot less forgiving than I thought it'd be. The moment my feet hit the dirt, the jungle seemed to swallow me whole. Every sound was amplified—chirping insects, rustling leaves, the distant call of some bird that sounded way too big to be anything good. The air clung to my skin like a wet blanket, and I could feel the sweat trickling down my back before I'd even taken two steps.

"You look like you've never been dirty before," Aeolin said, landing beside me with a grin as he kicked at the mud with a taloned foot.

"Shut up," I muttered, brushing a strand of hair out of my face. "I've been dirty plenty of times."

"Yeah, sure," Aeolin said, his chirp light and teasing as he pressed a quick, wet kiss to my mouth. "But never this dirty."

He slapped my ass, hard enough to sting, and darted ahead as I yelped and jumped sideways. "Oh, come on!" I laughed, chasing after him through the underbrush. "What the hell?"

"Just keeping you on your toes," he called over his shoulder, weaving between trees with infuriating grace. "You're too slow, Sam!"

"Slow?" I shot back, pushing through a tangle of vines as we made our way toward the ravine. "You're the one who's always getting caught."

I adjusted my grip on the dagger, my other hand idly running along the weighted edge of the net slung over my shoulder—the same net Aeolin had shown me in his nest last night. He'd insisted I carry it since he needed to be free to fly and distract the griffons. The forest buzzed with life around us as we walked, a stark contrast to the tangled storm of thoughts raging in my head.

Aeolin strolled ahead, completely at ease, the rhythmic sway of his bare, pink backside maddeningly hypnotic. This is insane, I thought, my gaze flickering away, only to snap back moments later. My cheeks burned, but my hand twitched with impulsive curiosity.

"Stop staring," Aeolin teased, looking back over his shoulder with a sly grin. "Unless you're planning to do something about it."

I huffed, adjusting my grip on the net to hide my expression. "You ripped my pants off and threw them away, so forgive me for being a little distracted by all this... nakedness."

When he slowed down to duck under a low-hanging branch, I reached out on impulse, my hand landing on the curve of his ass, giving it a quick, firm pinch. Aeolin yelped, spinning around with mock indignation. "Oh, you're bold now?"

"Just making sure you're real," I muttered, though the smirk tugging at my lips betrayed me.

Our trek through the jungle became a dance of flirtation and focus. Aeolin would dart ahead to scout the path, then double back to tickle my ribs or brush his wings playfully against my shoulders. Each touch sent a spark through me, but the sight of massive griffon feathers scattered across our path kept me grounded in our mission.

By the time we reached our destination, a sharp ravine facing even deeper forest below, the tension between us was palpable. I was torn between my growing infatuation with Aeolin and the need to focus on our task. But the sight that greeted us snapped me back to the moment: two massive griffons circling above, their dark forms casting shadows across the expanses below.

"Great," I muttered, sitting down heavily on a fallen log. "Now we've got to figure out how to bring those bastards down."

He flopped down beside me, our bare arms brushing as he rested his head on my shoulder. "You're lucky I'm here," Aeolin said, his voice lilting with mock arrogance. "Otherwise, you'd still be wandering around, staring at trees."

I chuckled, the sound low and genuine. "Yeah, well, if you weren't so damn distracting, I might have figured this out already."

Aeolin's hand crept toward my ribs, tickling me just enough to make me squirm. "Distracting? I'm helping," he said with an exaggerated pout, his wings brushing lightly against my back.

"Helping," I repeated dryly, swatting his hand away, though the grin on my face betrayed my amusement. Despite the absurdity of the situation, I couldn't deny that his presence was both infuriating and grounding.

As we sat there, heads close together, my mind turned to the task ahead. We'd need a plan, something bold and reckless. Aeolin's aerial agility would be crucial for distracting the griffons, while I would have to rely on timing and precision to trap and incapacitate them.

"You're the bait," I finally said, nudging Aeolin gently with my shoulder.

He perked up, his grin sharp. "I like the sound of that. And you?"

I twirled the dagger in my hand, my confidence returning. "I'll be the one making sure they don't get the last laugh."

His laugh was bright and full of life, and as we sat together, arms around each other, I couldn't help but feel a rush of anticipation.

I nodded, marking the spot in my mind. As I stood, Aeolin took off again, his wings beating swiftly. Before I could react, he landed on my shoulders, his light weight a surprise. I stumbled slightly, catching myself with a laugh.

"Hey! Watch it, birdbrain," I teased, though my blush betrayed my amusement.

Aeolin chirped, the sound like laughter. "You're sturdy enough," he said, his voice playful. His hard cock pressed against the back of my head, and I couldn't help but smile. It was moments like these that made me forget we were on a deadly mission.

We moved to the next spot, the net heavy but manageable. I could feel his eyes on me as I looked around, but I didn't mind.

As we set up the trap, I felt a shift inside. My initial self-consciousness about being naked had faded, replaced by a growing confidence. The jungle, with all its dangers, felt less alien now. I moved with a newfound ease, my rogue instincts sharp as I scanned our surroundings.

Aeolin hopped down, his feathers brushing against my arm. "You're a natural at this," he said, his tone sincere.

I grinned, feeling a surge of pride. "Told you I'd catch on."

The sun dipped below the canopy, the last rays of light slicing through the rainforest. Shadows stretched out, making the jungle floor look like a patchwork of light and dark. The plan was set, we were ready. Now, we just had to grow the balls to pull it off.

We sat on a fallen log, the wood soft and rotted, caving in slightly under our weight. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and decaying leaves, and I could feel the humidity clinging to my skin like a second layer of flesh. I was caked with mud, head to toe.

Aeolin leaned into me, his feathers rustling softly. "You think we've got a shot at this?" he asked, his voice low and serious for once, though there was still that musical lilt to it.

I shrugged, kicking at the mud with my heel. "We set the trap right, and the net's in place." I said it like I was sure, but really, I was just guessing. These griffons were way bigger than any animal I'd trapped before.

Aeolin chirped softly, a light sound that made me glance at him. His emerald feathers caught the fading light, and for a moment, he looked like some kind of forest spirit. "You know, for a naked human, you're not terrible at this whole 'jungle survival' thing."

I rolled my eyes, though I couldn't help smiling. "Yeah, yeah. Naked and useless, right? But hey, at least I'm good for something."

He smirked, his sharp teeth glinting. "Oh, you're good for a lot of things." And with that, he leaned in, his lips brushing against mine. It was a soft kiss, but it sparked something in me. I grabbed him by the waist, pulling him closer, and he let out a startled chirp before laughing.

We tumbled to the muddy floor, rolling around like idiots. Aeolin was strong, but he was lighter, and I managed to pin him down, my knees on either side of his hips. He struggled for a second, but then relaxed, looking up at me with a grin. "You win," he said, mock-defeated.

I leaned down, kissing him again, harder this time. His hands tangled in my hair, pulling me closer, and for a moment, the jungle around us just melted away. I let him go, sitting back on my heels, both of us breathing a little harder.

"So," I said, trying to sound casual, "ready to go bag us a giant flying lion?"

Aeolin sat up, brushing mud off his feathers. "As ready as we'll ever be."

We stood, both of us caked in mud, and started the trek back to Aeolin's tree; we'd try tomorrow; it was already evening, and the griffons were gone. The air was cooler now, the jungle sounds shifting as night began to fall. I could feel the weight of the net slung over my shoulder and the familiar ache in my muscles from a day of climbing and setting traps. But despite the exhaustion, there was a buzz in my veins, a mix of excitement and nerves.

The base of Aeolin's tree loomed ahead, its gnarled roots twisting like giant serpents against the forest floor. The sun had long since vanished, but the sky overhead was alive with the faint glow of stars peeking through the canopy. The air clung to us like a damp blanket, heavy with the scent of earth and greenery. My muscles ached in every placeable and unplaceable spot, but the exhaustion felt good, like I'd earned it.

"Home sweet home," Aeolin chirped, his voice light as he hopped up onto a root, his feathers rustling softly. He stretched, arching his back like a cat, and let out a low, melodic hum. "Or at least, home sweet temporary base of operations."

I chuckled, leaning against the trunk of the tree. The bark was cool against my back, a welcome respite from the swampy heat. "You make it sound like we're some kind of adventurers or something."

"Fuck off, we are adventurers." Aeolin hopped down, his talons clicking against the ground as he sauntered over to me. His emerald feathers caught the faint starlight, shimmering faintly. He reached out, brushing a strand of hair from my face, his touch featherlight. "And pretty damn good ones, if I do say so myself."

I rolled my eyes, but the flush in my cheeks betrayed me. "Yeah, yeah, sure. You're a real legend in the making."

Aeolin's chirp turned into a low, teasing laugh, and he pressed in closer, his hands resting on my hips. "You're just mad 'cause I'm the one who came up with the good ideas."

"Please," I said, smirking, "I'm the one who's actually good at the whole 'not dying' thing."

"True," Aeolin said, his voice softening as he leaned in, his breath warm against my ear. "But I'm the one who's good at making you not care about dying."

My cheeks burned hotter at that, but before I could come up with some witty retort, Aeolin's lips were on mine. It wasn't the wild, desperate kiss from earlier; this one was slower, sweeter, like he was savoring the taste of me. His hands drifted downward, sliding over my hips and thighs, and I felt that familiar flutter in my chest when his fingers brushed against my cock.

"Aeolin," I murmured, breaking away just enough to gasp for air. "You're... really not helping me focus on the whole 'not dying' part."

He chirped, the sound melodic and teasing, as he pressed another kiss to my jaw. "Don't worry, Sam," he whispered, his fingers wrapping around me, sending a shiver through my entire body. "You've got me. I'll make sure you live long enough to see the sunrise."

I groaned at the terrible pun, but it was hard to muster up any real annoyance when his touch felt so damn good. "You're such a shit," I said, my voice trembling slightly as he started to stroke me, his grip light but insistent.

"Guilty as charged," he said, his lips brushing against mine again.

We lay there for what felt like hours, the world narrowing down to just the two of us. The jungle around us faded into a distant hum, a backdrop for the quiet, intimate moment we'd carved out for ourselves. Aeolin's feathers tickled my skin, his hands moved with a practiced ease that left me breathless, and his kisses... his kisses were like a brand, searing themselves into my memory.

Eventually, we broke apart, both of us breathing harder than necessary. Aeolin's eyes glinted in the dim light, his smile soft but unrepentant. I leaned back against the tree, my head spinning just a little, and let out a shaky laugh.

"You're gonna be the death of me," I said, not entirely joking.

Aeolin chirped, stepping in close again to press his forehead against mine. "If I am, at least we'll die together."

The thought should've been grim, but it wasn't. It felt... right. Like no matter what came next, as long as we had each other, we'd be okay.

I wrapped my arms around him, pulling him close as the stars twinkled overhead. "Promise me you won't die," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

There was a pause, just a beat of silence, before Aeolin said, "I promise."