Protectors To The Guardians

Artemis nodded to show he understood. "...were you always this big?"

Jacen curled back up, but next to the griffin this time, suddenly more like a normal dog, besides his size.

Muttering angrily to himself, Joseph made his way through the crowds, searching. He'd only been introduced to the guardian he was now looking after when he'd arrived at the gathering the night before and he'd already lost them. He tried not to panic as he pushed past some of the other protectors.

Alex shook his head, he had been much smaller before. He could sometimes control just how big he became, but not always.

Frankie carefully rubbed the wolf's head with his beak before going back to preening his feathers, his eyes watching for anything.

Leo huffed softly as he looked high and low for his brother, his family would be mad if they figured Alex had gone running or if he got hurt.

"I guess it makes sense that you weren't..." Artemis said. "My brother wasn't always as big as he is."

Jacen made a happy sound in response before relaxing, resting his head on his paws.

Not realising he was also looking for someone, Joseph pushed right passed Leo, not bothering to even stop to apologise.

Alex nodded, he didn't know many other guardians and most he knew had some growth but never as much as his.

Frankie relaxed, enjoying the quiet time he was spending with the wolf.

"Hey!" Leo huffed as the man pushed past him.

"Oh!" Artemis said, suddenly reminded of something. "Um- ...you haven't seen a large wolf around by the way, have you?"

Jacen lifted his head again after a bit, looking up at him.

Hearing him protest, Joseph paused and turned to look. "What?" He asked rudely.

Alex thought before shaking his head and shifting back into his human form. "Large wolf?"

Frankie had been eying the room carefully, after having his old protector hurt and try to control him he didn't like being around this many of them.

"There is something you say when you bump into someone!" Leo huffed.

"My brother." Artemis said, nodding.

Jacen watched him curiously, not sure what he was doing.

"Or you could just not be so sensitive about things." Joseph replied, rolling his eyes.

"Does he stay transformed most of the time?" Alex asked curiously.

Frankie flinched at the sound of something dropping.

"Or you could just not be an ass." Leo retorted.

Artemis slowly nodded. "He's not really a fan of crowded places."

Jacen made a nervous sound, ears going up when he heard it.

Joseph went to respond, but stopped and frowned instead. In the past he never would have been so rude.

Alex nodded, "I don't like these meeting either... But I'm the only guardian in my family so i have to come..."

Frankie backed deeper in the darkness.

Leo sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"The only one? Why...?"

Jacen let out a low growl, doing the same.

"...sorry." Joseph muttered before turning and walking off, searching again.

"Almost all my family are protectors." Alex answered.

Frankie didn't growl, just move deeper.

Leo sighed softly, "I'm sorry too..."

"Why are you different then?" Artemis asked.

Jacen looked around nervously, trying to spot the source of the noise.

Joseph heard him and glanced back for a moment before looking around again, starting to worry.

Alex shook his head, "I don't know, sometimes their have been the rare guardian in my family..."

Frankie stopped as one of the staff cleaned up a broken plate.

Leo sighed and started looking for Alex again.

"There aren't many of either in my family." Artemis told him.

The wolf made a sound like a sigh and slowly relaxed again.

Joseph continued moving through the crowd, quickly hurrying over when he finally spotted the griffin. "There you are!" He said, looking relieved.

"Of course that means my goes crazy if I so much as stub a toe..." Alex sighed.

Leo looked into the room, "Alex!"

Frankie slowly came out of the darkness, his movements still nervous.

"It d-" Artemis started before jumping when he heard Leo.

"What are you doing out here?! Are you oka- ...Oh, you've found Jacen." Joseph said, relaxing once he spotted the wolf. Not really having anyone else in his family, he was taken in by Jacen and Artemis', the two like brothers to him.

Alex jumped before sighing, "Yes Leo?"

"Where the heck have you been! Your not supposed to wonder off and you know it, if anything happened... "

"Nothing's going to happen Leo...Nothing ever does..." Alex huffed before freezing at what his brother said next.

"Right like what Austin did was nothing?" Leo said before he could stop himself.

Frankie sat down next to Jacen again.

Artemis nervously stepped back as he listened, running a hand through his hair. "We didn't- We weren't doing anything..." He mumbled. "He just...he said he was a dragon..."

Joseph smiled a little and reached out to pet the wolf's head as Jacen looked up at him. "And where's your brother?" He asked, sighing when Jacen lowered his head, looking guilty.

Alex looked away, he hated being reminded of the fact that he had been used by a hunter posing at a protector. He flushed when Artemis started to explain they hadn't done anything.

Leo looked at Artemis.

Frankie tilted his head as he looked at Jacen curiously.

"Sorry." Artemis added quietly when Leo looked at him. "I'd just never seen a dragon..."

Joseph shook his head at the wolf and sat down in between them. He figured the wolf's protector would show up sooner or later so he saw no point to looking for him, not wanting to risk losing the griffin again.
"At least you're safe..." He said, speaking to Frankie, though he meant both of them, over protective from past experiences.

Leo sighed, he wasn't mad at the protector, but looking for Alex had made him grumpy.

Alex huffed and moved away from his brother, he had been having such a nice time with the other man and then his brother had to ruin it.

Frankie laid down, watching the room again.

"Sorry..." Artemis mumbled again before turning to leave the room.

Joseph sat silently with them, Jacen eventually lying with his head and front paws on the protector's lap..

Alex looked disappointed that Artemis was leaving and made an upset noise.

Frankie made a nervous noise when anyone came close.

Artemis paused at the sound and looked back at him.

Joseph frowned and looked at Frankie, reaching a hand up to pet him. "It's okay..."