"Happy birthday Daphne!" Bonar exclaimed

"Happy birthday Boner!" Daphne returned the greeting

Both of them didn't actually know the date of their births, but they decided to hold a joint birthday on the winter solstice since it felt like the end of one year, and the beginning of the next.

They enjoyed the flesh and eggs of a cockatrice they fought, with Bonar grilling the meat and Daphne making an omelette .

With this, Bonar regarded himself as 17 years old, and Daphne was 13.

"I'm a woman now right?" Daphne asked

"No, not yet" Bonar replied

"But you're only 4 years older than me" she argued

"You're not a woman until you bleed there" Bonar said

"Actually, I already started two months ago" Daphne replied

"You did? I mean... sure you did. But you are not a woman yet until you grow hair down there" Bonar said again

"Ariana didn't have hair there!" Daphne argued

"Erm... yes she didn't. But you're not a woman until you have breasts" he said

Her plant clothes opened up and she showed him her budding pre-pubescent breasts

"Aaah..." Bonar looked away

"What? You said if I have breasts.." she said

"I mean they need to be a handful one can grasp. Your's are still flat" Bonar said

Daphne huffed and looked angry.

"I just want to love you, you know" she said

"I know. Just wait till you have matured. I'm sure I will taste your sweet fruit when you get the right age" he said as he hugged her and kissed her on her forehead.

--

Bonar continued travelling by foot while Daphne sat on her favorite mount, a manticore she named Manty.

Since Bonar's evolution, most creatures felt a bloodline suppression just in Bonar's presence.

Even the bear Daphne rode on from Desivir fled the moment Daphne left it alone with Bonar at camp.

Only Pokey seemed to not be phased by him, as it was resistant to any physical or magical damage. It was similar in a sense to Bonar. 

Besides Pokey, mythical creatures could resist Bonar's bloodline suppression.

Daphne then selected a pretty unicorn she named Uni, but it brought too much unwanted attention as men started hunting them to catch the unicorn.

Manty, with his lion body, dragon wings and giant scorpion tail was a deterrent by itself, so they travelled without much bother.

As they crossed a lush hilly grassland, a farmer on a horse was shocked by their appearance. 

His horse threw him and bolted, together with his cows that he was herding. 

"Aaaaagh... please don't kill me" he screamed in fright. 

"We mean no harm" Bonar said as he helped the man up. 

Daphne jumped of Manty and called to his horse, which returned unwillingly, eyeing Bonar and Many warily. 

"We are just travelers passing through. Is this the Snowy Mountains?" Bonar asked

"N...no! This is the Alpen Mountains.." he farmer said. 

"Oh... then you wouldn't so happen to know of a giant bird, do you?" Bonar asked

"That... yes. There are giant birds up the mountain" he said

"The giant bird is not on fire, is it?" Bonar asked again, just to be sure. 

"No, it's not a phoenix, sun crow nor vermillion bird. I would know the difference. It's a huge bird of prey, and it keeps stealing my cattle! Occasionally, people get taken as well" the farmer said. 

"Great! Which mountain?" Bonar asked

"I'm not sure. Nobody dares go look for a bird that is bigger and more powerful than yourself" the farmer said. 

"Many thanks!" Bonar said

By now, Daphne was nearby petting the horse and the cows were all gathering back again, but still keeping a distance from Bonar and Manty.

"It's probably around those three mountains. I can sense a few powerful presences up there" Daphne said, pointing to a group of 3 tall mountains. 

Bonar looked at the mountains, anticipating a troublesome climb again, even with Jasmine's vines. 

"Hey. Let's not climb when we can fly" Daphne said as she got on Manty who opened up his huge wings. 

Bonar smiled and got onto Manty behind Daphne. 

Manty wasn't happy, but obeyed Daphne and immediately took to the air. 

As they flew into the air, their visibility reduced as the clouds started getting thicker. 

"I sense... something. Be careful" Daphne said to Manty. 

"What do you sense?" Bonar asked. 

"I don't...." Daphne said.. closing her eyes and trying to sense danger. 

"Watch out!" she suddenly screamed

A large black object flew past them, it's passing causing air turbulence that shook all of them. 

Another one flew past, and Bonar blocked it's huge claws with his spear, causing a loud clanging noise. 

His spear cut the bird's claws, as it screamed a loud screech and disappeared into the clouds. 

A third black bird flew from underneath, knocking Manty's body, causing it to roar loudly as it spun in the air and tried to right itself. 

"Boner!" Daphne yelled as Pokey hung stretched and caught Daphne, but not before Bonar fell to the depths. 

Pokey tried to reach for him, but the last thing they could see was his tentacles trying to reach for Pokey before disappearing below. 

"Boner! Boner!" Daphne screamed as Manty righted it's flight, but the 3 birds continued flying past and not giving Manty space to fly. 

As one of the black birds charged at them, from below a small object that glowed started getting larger. 

The bird changed directions in mid flight at the last moment as the object flew directly upwards, between the bird and Manty

"Waaaa hoooooo!" Bonar yelled as he flew above and spun in the air, leaving a trail of flames from the wings behind his back. 

"Boner?" Daphne looked, drying her eyes. 

"Come get some, bastards!" he yelled as he charged at one of the birds, realizing by now that they were not giant eagles. 

He charged at one of the birds, not letting it change directions as both their bodies crashed in the air. 

As their bodies spun, Bonar stabbed the bird with his spear, causing both bodies to go in a tailspin as they both crashed towards the earth. 

"After them" Daphne said as Manty chased after them. 

From behind them, the other two birds dive bombed at Manty. 

Manty turned it's head around, and just as one of the bird tried to grab it with it's claws, Manty's scorpion tail struck it in the abdomen. 

The bird screamed and backed off, trying to shrug off Manty's poison. 

The other one tried to attack but Pokey expanded to protect Daphne as the claws bounced off Pokey harmlessly. 

At the bottom of the mountain, Bonar spread his wings and pulled out of the crash at the last minute, leaving the bird to smash into the ground by itself 

Manty landed near Bonar and Daphne got off and ran to him

"I don't think... that was an eagle" she said as she hugged Bonar with tears in her eyes

"No... I don't think so too" Bonar said.