Griffon's Nest
From Reddit Choose Your Own Adventure
You edge sideways along the cliff face, trying not to look down at the emptiness beyond the rocky edge of the narrow path. The small ledge works its way around the curve of the cliff until you step out onto another larger ledge in front of a shallow cave, still very far above the beach. The first thing you notice is that the cave seems to be full of some sort of white, fluffy stuff woven into a large pile of sticks, the second thing you notice is that you are not alone. Two very large pairs of eyes set into two very small feathery heads peer at you over the edge of what you now recognize as a very large nest. A loud whooshing noise behind you forces you to turn and face the ocean.
You stand terrified as a monstrously huge beast lands impossibly lithely on the tiny outcropping. Huge shiny talons arm the end of four muscular furred legs, as they reach the shoulder and hips the black fur gives way to shiny black feathers. The glistening feathers armor the body, back, and wings of the monster, out to the tips an impressive wingspan, easily wider than the building you woke up in, most of the primaries and some of the secondaries as long as your entire body. Flicking around dangerously behind the monster is a long flat tail, tipped in a pair of winged-shaped blades that ring menacingly on the stone every time the beast flicks its body. A twin row of flat spikes run up the beasts back, starting small at the tail near the menacing blades and growing larger as they peak at a terrifying pair of shoulder-blades, the large raptor seems to have complete control over them the full length of its body. the blades grow small and sharper, becoming more square and menacing as they run up his muscular neck and over his raptor-like face and down his enormous, sharp hooked beak, culminating in a pair of flat erect blades. Its deep green eyes stare directly into yours, surprising you with the impression of immense intelligence. You see no less than three layers cover the deep pools of its eyes each time it blinks. It would breathtakingly beautiful had it not been staring you down from less than one lunge away.
Immediately to your right is the edge of the cliff, if you jumped hard enough you may clear the rocks and land safely in the ocean. Behind and to your left is a small outcropping that would be small enough for you to dive into and not be reached by this creatures claws. The fire of its eyes intrigues you deeply still.
Do you:
I might fall faster than it can fly, and there is no way it can swim!
Its closer than the cliff edge and that monster looks fast!
Its beauty and intelligence intrigues me immensely.
