Kazien had always been the sort of person whose curiosity could not be contained—especially when it came to magical beasts. Ever since he was a child, he had devoured every book he could find about griffons: their habits, their habitats, their nobility, their ferocity, and their legendary partnership with chosen riders.
But one question had somehow escaped every scholar, scribe, and so-called "beast expert" he had ever encountered.
How, exactly, did one distinguish the gender of a griffon?
For all he knew, every griffon in the kingdom could be male, female, or something entirely different. None of the books offered even a hint. The authors always wrote confidently about "he" or "she," but never about how they knew.
That bothered Kazien deeply.
So, while riding atop Lidaz's back as they soared across a pale blue sky, he finally decided to ask the source directly.
"Lidaz," Kazien called over the wind, leaning forward. "How do you even tell your gender? I mean—how do I know if a griffon is male or female? None of the books explained!"
Lidaz, who possessed far more patience than many creatures—or humans, for that matter—let out a soft, amused chirp.
"It's very easy, Master!" he answered proudly. "Just look at Roviz's back tail! Can you see those white stripes?"
Kazien blinked. He turned, leaned slightly to the right, and peered at Roviz, who was flying gracefully beside them. Her wings glimmered like burnished bronze in the sunlight, each feather perfectly aligned. Sure enough, near the end of her tail, faint but unmistakably bright, were white stripes cutting across the darker feathers.
"Yes, I see them!" Kazien shouted. "But what do the white stripes mean?"
"If there are white stripes," Lidaz declared triumphantly, "it means she's a female griffon!"
Kazien stared, mouth slightly agape. He turned fully toward Roviz.
"Roviz," he hollered, "are you a female?!"
Roviz dipped one wing in a half-spiral, glancing back with golden eyes full of amusement. "Yes, Master, I am a female! Why are you so surprised?"
"It's nothing!" Kazien replied quickly, cheeks warming. "I just wanted to make sure. Lidaz told me the white stripes meant you were female."
"That is correct!" Roviz said proudly. "That is the only distinguishing physical characteristic our race has. Our voices, strength, and size can vary, but the tail feathers never lie."
Kazien felt strangely enlightened—like he had just uncovered a secret lost to human scholars for centuries.
In his lap, Alvin—the person he loved most—was looking around, looking left and right with excessive focus. His eyes moved from griffon to griffon, his lips moving silently as if he were counting something.
Kazien frowned. "Alvin? What are you doing? You look like you're trying to watch a dozen things at once."
Alvin puffed his cheeks in concentration. "Nothing strange! I just want to count how many female griffons are flying around us!"
Kazien couldn't help it. He laughed. Alvin, with his innocent face and sincere determination, looked absolutely adorable. He was taking the newfound knowledge far too seriously, as if the entire future of griffon research depended on his count.
He really is too cute. The way he's focusing so hard… it's like watching a child discover stars for the first time.
By the time they approached the city of Lazavis, a magnificent fortress-city built atop layered stone terraces, dozens of griffons soared in formation above them. Their shadows swept over the rooftops and cobblestones, causing people below to freeze mid-step.
The citizens stared up in confusion. Griffons without riders were almost unheard of—especially in such numbers. Murmurs spread like wildfire.
"Where are the soldiers?"
"Why are they flying freely?"
"Are we under attack?"
The griffons descended gracefully into the vast courtyard of the Air Force Special Forces headquarters. The landing zone—an enormous field of polished stone, reinforced with magic—was specifically designed for trained griffon units. Yet even here, dozens of riderless griffons arriving at once was enough to draw attention.
Davin, Kazien's elder brother and the commander of the division, emerged from the central building with a firm stride. His dark uniform and long coat swayed behind him, radiating authority and presence.
His eyes widened when he saw that not a single soldier accompanied the magnificent beasts.
"Huh? Where did the other soldiers go?" Davin demanded, scanning the sky as if expecting them to descend from nowhere.
Kazien waved cheerfully. "Brother! These are additional troops! Well—griffons. This one here is Roviz, the leader of the group I just recruited."
"Recruited?" Davin repeated, eyebrows raising. "You mean he actually agreed to join?"
"She did!" Kazien confirmed proudly. "Oh, and she's a female, you know!"
Davin squinted at the griffon. "A female? Then why did you name her with a male-sounding name?"
Kazien scratched his cheek awkwardly. "I didn't know she was a female. Not until Lidaz explained the difference."
Davin leaned closer, interest piqued. "And what exactly distinguishes male from female griffons? Don't tell me it's something simple."
"It is simple!" Kazien said, Kazien said, pointing at Roviz's tail. "See these? The white stripes on the tail feathers. That's a sign that she's a female griffon!"
Davin stared as if witnessing the discovery of the century. Then, without a word, he pulled out a notebook and scribbled furiously, his face set with grave seriousness.
Kazien blinked. "Brother Davin... why are you writing it down? You look like you're documenting something important."
"Because," Davin muttered, "I'm going to write a proper book about griffons. Humans are idiots. They keep attacking calm wild griffons thinking they're dangerous. If people understood their behavior and characteristics, we wouldn't have half the incidents we do now."
Kazien's heart swelled with admiration. He leaped forward and wrapped Davin in a tight embrace.
"You're the best, brother! I love you!"
"Don't hug me so tight, you idiot!" Davin sputtered. "I can't breathe!"
Kazien released him only when Davin started pushing his shoulder in desperation.
After catching his breath, Davin clapped his hands loudly to gather attention. "Alright! All griffons, follow me! I'll guide you to your respective nests and resting areas."
Roviz stepped forward and bowed her head respectfully. "Gwak!"
As Davin led the group, Kazien walked alongside Roviz, gently patting her neck feathers.
"Roviz, you'll definitely feel comfortable here. My big brother is the commander of this entire division. Handsome, isn't he?"
Roviz let out a soft, thoughtful caw. "Seeing the way these humans treat us… it seems I judged them too quickly. And yes—speaking of your big brother, he is indeed handsome."
Kazien puffed out his chest, beaming proudly. "He really is, isn't he?"
Roviz chuckled—well, the griffon equivalent of a chuckle—and followed the others obediently toward their new home.
Once all the griffons had been shown to their quarters, Kazien dusted off his clothes and stretched his arms. "Well, I suppose that's everything. Borther Davin will take care of the rest."
He turned to Roviz one last time. "Alvin and I will be heading home now. I hope you enjoy your new life here, Roviz."
Roviz bowed deeply. "Thank you very much, Master. I will serve faithfully."
Kazien gave her a warm smile—one filled with genuine trust and fondness—before climbing onto Lidaz's back. Alvin hopped on behind him, still counting under his breath.
"Ten... eleven... wait, did I count that one already…?"
Kazien laughed again. "Alvin, we're done counting! Let's go home."
With a powerful flap of her wings, Lidaz lifted into the sky, carrying the two young riders into the open air. The city of Lazavis shrank beneath them, its bustling streets and towering spires becoming small shapes.
The wind rushed past them. The sky stretched endlessly above.
And Kazien felt something warm in his chest—a sense of accomplishment, pride, and excitement for the future.
For the first time, humans and griffons were beginning to understand one another not through dominance or fear, but through genuine communication and respect.
And perhaps, just perhaps, this small discovery—the white stripes of a griffon's tail—would someday become a crucial piece of knowledge that reshaped how the world saw these majestic creatures.
Kazien leaned back slightly, letting the wind brush his face, and smiled.
Today had been a good day.
A strange day, yes. But a very, very good one.