The fact that it hadn’t happened sooner surprised Jo more than the altercation itself. It was bound to happen, that much she knew. Anticipating it, however, did nothing for her frustration.

Barely half in hour into her walk towards the upper part of Waterdeep, many of those around her began to point and gawk towards one of the streets that broke off the main road. Evidently, someone had been arrested near Suldown Street, and the ruckus they were currently causing had given the Griffon Riders quite the headache.

Jo sighed as she altered her direction, moving towards where everyone was pointing to. How she’d missed it, she didn’t know. Jo had to imagine that Cruck’aa wouldn’t have gone down without a fight.

As she drew closer, the crowds along the sidewalk began to congregate on the corner that turned to Suldown Street. Many were forced to step onto the main road to avoid the congestion, much to the irritation of the passing wagons.

Despite how packed the crowd was, Jo slipped her way through with ease, politely pushing past those who were too busy trying to see around the people in front of them. When she did make her way to the front, finally getting a better view, Jo swore, loud enough to draw a few looks.

Two city guards stood at the entrance to Suldown street, directly across from the crowds, waving away the wagons and carriages that attempted to turn onto it. Further down, two more guards stood bickering with a stubborn carriage driver, currently blocking a long line of wagons, all waiting to make U-turns. And in between the four guards, in the middle of the street, sat Cruck’aa.

Four Griffon Riders, dressed in the typical guard outfit of plate over red tunics, stood around him, every one of them frowning. Cruck’aa’s talons were cuffed behind his back, with three strips of glowing yellow bands fastened around his wings. His beady yellow eyes alternated between the Griffon Riders and the crowds around them.

Perhaps more eye catching, however, was what sat behind them. In a neat row at the edge of the sidewalk, four large griffons sat at attention, backs stiff. It had been some time since Jo had seen one, and she couldn’t help but stare; their brown plumage, turning white around their heads, was striking, more eye-catching than Cruck’aa’s could ever hope to be. Their thick wings, tucked against their feline backs, stood taller than Jo, and their bright yellow eyes were trained on a small group of children at the front of the crowd. They gawked at the animals, stunned into silence at the sight; Jo couldn’t blame them.

Her attention was ripped away from the mounts as Cruck’aa raised his voice, loud enough for the crowds to hear.

“This is a damned outrage!” Cruck’aa spat. “How dare you tell me where I can and can’t fly! The dominion of man has no right to place such restrictions on me!”

“Sir!” One of the guards, the oldest of the quartet, yelled over him. “For the fifth time, the area over the city is a no-fly zone, unless you have a permit!”

“I’ve never needed some blasted permit to fly before! How dare you take away my natural rights!”

“Sir, that’s not…” The guard sighed, and stared into the clouds; Jo saw a vein bulging in his forehead, and took it as her cue to step in.

She ignored the looks cast her way as she walked into the street, quickly moving towards Cruck’aa. As she did, one of the other, younger guards, caught the attention of the oldest. The younger guard pointed a mailed glove towards Jo; the oldest guard glanced behind himself, only to turn fully around and stick his hand out, palm towards her. As he did, Jo’s eyes jumped to two silver bars pinned to his tunic collar.

“Ma’am,” the guard said, in a voice that booked no argument. “this is official Waterdeep business, I have to ask you to –”

“Jo!” Cruck’aa squawked, struggling to stand. “Tell these idiots to unhand me! I’ve done nothing wrong!”

“Shut up.” Jo replied.

The guard narrowed his eyes. “You two know each other?”

“Unfortunately. He’s an acquaintance of mine.” Jo said. One of the other guards bent down and placed his hands on Cruck’aa’s shoulders, forcing him back in a seated position, infuriating Cruck’aa further. “I tried to warn him before he flew up, but he didn’t listen to me.”

“For good reason!” Cruck’aa spat. Jo shook her head.

“Look, captain,” Jo said. “I think I can explain what happened. My friend is…rather new to the city. He’s lived out in the woods all his life, he’s a bit backwards, and doesn’t really know the rules of this place, and…well, from what you’ve seen so far, he doesn’t listen to people either.”

The captain nodded as Cruck’aa began to yell something; Jo ignored him.

“Really, the whole thing is an unfortunate accident,” Jo continued. “and I hope you don’t mind me asking that you –”

“Ignorance of the law is no excuse for breaking it.” The captain interjected; he rested a hand on the pommel of the sword strapped to his belt. “And I hope you’re not asking me to ignore that fact.”

Jo grimaced. The man was more rigid than she gave him credit for.

She crossed her arms and nodded.

“No, absolutely not. I know that better than most. But let me ask you something captain, did my friend hurt anyone? Or was this a victimless crime?”

The guard stared at Jo, his lips twisting into a tight frown.

“Because as I see it, captain,” she continued, heart beginning to pound. “all my friend did was fly above the city and…what, looked around? Can’t see anything wrong with that.” Jo shrugged. “I mean, yes, he did break the law; a no-fly zone is a no-fly zone. But he didn’t really do anything aside from that, correct? Ignorance of the law is no excuse, but I highly doubt that my friend here will ever do something like this again. No need to take him to a cell, I should think.”

“You’re asking me to let him off with a warning.” The guard replied, voice low.

“I’m asking you to make the best choice, given the scenario.” Jo said; she nodded at the bars on his collar. “Which I’m sure they taught you over in the academy, right? If you think he needs to sit in a cell for a while…well, just tell me what the bail will be set at. But if not…”

The guard captain narrowed his eyes at Jo and tapped his fingers against the pommel of his sword. Jo rocked back on her heels, as she continued to hold the man’s gaze. Both of them ignored the string of curses that flew from Cruck’aa’s mouth as he tried to stand up again.

“Fine,” the captain said, sending Jo’s heart into her throat. “we can let him off with a warning. Don’t have many flying citizens in the city as it is.” He pointed a mailed finger at her. “But next time I catch him in the air, I will authorize force. Do I make myself clear?”

“Crystal.” Jo replied.

“Good.”

The guard captain turned around and stepped towards Cruck’aa; he waved his hand over the bound Aarakocra, causing the three bands around his wings to disappear into a puff of yellow smoke. Another guard bent down and unlocked the cuffs around Cruck’aa’s talons, removing them.

“Now sir,” the captain said, as Cruck’aa jumped to his feet. “I’m letting you off with a warning, this time. If I catch you flying about the city again and I know you haven’t registered with us yet, I will take you down personally. And it won’t be as nice as what we did today. Do I make myself clear?”

Cruck’aa opened his beak, only to close it from the look that Jo shot his way.

He narrowed his eyes at the guard captain and nodded.

“Good.” The captain gestured towards his subordinates. “Mount up, still have a patrol to finish.”

The three riders nodded and followed their captain as they made their way over to their griffons. Immediately, the beasts sank down as each rider hopped onto their backs and dug their feet into the stirrups. The captain shouted and tapped his heels against his griffon’s sides.

The beast leapt into the air, jumping almost a story, and spread it wings; with two pumps, the griffon soared high into the sky, the three others following quickly behind it. The crowds on the sidewalk let out shouts of amazement as they watched the riders shrink against the blue sky.

“Why didn’t you do something about them?!” Cruck’aa spat, as the City Watch began to disperse the crowds; the stubborn carriage driver, red in the face, began to turn his carriage around, deaf to the protests around him.

“Why didn’t I – did you expect me to fight them?!” Jo asked. “How in the hell would that have – gods damn it, get out of the road.” She grabbed him and pulled Cruck’aa onto the sidewalk, as the road began to fill with wagons.

“Don’t you manhandle me too!” Cruck’aa said, pulling himself free from her grip. “I’ve been assaulted enough today!”

“Cruck’aa just – shut the fuck up.” Jo said, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Just tell me what you saw up there.”

“Nothing.”

“What?!” Jo threw her hands up, startling the people who began to walk by them. “What the hell do you mean, ‘nothing’?!”

“There wasn’t anything to see!” Cruck’aa said, as he threw his own talons up. “What else do you want me to say Jo, there’s nothing to see from up there.”

“Can you explain?” Jo said; she lowered her voice, suddenly aware of all the looks thrown their way. “And maybe do it a bit quieter, so –”

“Oh, I see how it is!” Cruck’aa continued to yell. “First, they try to police my flying, and now you feel as though you can police my speech?!”

Frustration ripped through Jo, her eyes widening and fists clenching; it was like dealing with a four-year-old.

Her hand shot out and grabbed Cruck’aa’s beak, holding it closed in a vice grip. Ignoring the now confused and slightly terrified looks of those around them, Jo grabbed Cruck’aa’s tunic with her other hand and yanked him towards the nearest alley. The Aarakocra began to flap his wings in panic but couldn’t free himself from Jo’s grip as she dragged him along.

“I am fucking sick of your attitude today.” Jo growled; Cruck’aa’s response came blessedly muffled.

As Jo approached the mouth of the alley, she flung Cruck’aa the rest of the way. He stumbled in and barely caught his footing, almost smashing his face against the side of one of the buildings.

“Now be quiet!” Jo whispered harshly, following him in. “Nobody else needs to know what you were trying to look at!”

“Well why didn’t you say that in the first place?!” Cruck’aa retorted; though his voice was now lowered, it did nothing to ease the frustration lodged firmly in Jo’s chest.

She closed the distance between them and leaned in.

“I don’t have a damn clue why you seem to have a burr lodged permanently up your ass, or whatever it is birds have,” Jo said harshly. “but you have been nothing but a burr in my ass for the past hour! Not listening to a word anyone says, and then bitching once you land in hot water, I’m done with it.” She straightened up. “Tell me what the hell you saw up there, or so help me Tempus I’ll go back and get those guards myself.”

“Fine, fine.” Cruck’aa grumbled in half sincere resignation. “There isn’t much to see up there, and I mean that. I saw what you were talking about earlier with the plateau and the walls.” He gestured a talon behind himself. “The upper part of the North Ward – I think it was the North Ward – is probably the best spot for some kind of shortcut into the city. You could probably dig a hole into the side of the cliff, tunnel up a bit, and come out right under the street. The problem…” He sighed. “The problem is, is that I couldn’t see anything from my height. Absolutely nothing. If some kind of entry does exist, it’s hidden extremely well. Wall looks spotless, and there’s nothing near it that tips me off that it’s been traveled before. We’re not going to find it from the air. Or from the ground, for that matter. It…the wall just looks spotless.” Cruck’aa shrugged. “Nothing else to say.”

“God damnit.” Jo mumbled, rubbing her chin with her hand. “I was afraid of that.”

“I got a good look too, before those guards took me down.”

“I know, I know.”

She let out a guttural sigh and tucked her chin against her chest, frustration turned against herself.

If there was a kind of entryway into the city, like Larion had said, it would have no doubt been warded or hidden to the naked eye. After all, wouldn’t the Griffon Riders have spotted it already, had it been visible from the air? Why hadn’t that occurred to her in the first place?

Jo cursed; there wouldn’t be any point in finding a map of the city either, a map wouldn’t tell them anything. In fact, Jo doubted they would ever find the entryway at this rate, unless they walked alongside the entire stretch of wall and looked for it. But a search like that would take months, if not a year, to complete, and that was assuming they wouldn’t be caught snooping around, either by the guard or the Thieves Guild.

Cruck’aa eyed her with a single beady eye.

“What’s on your mind?” he asked.

“How fucked we are.” Jo replied, digging her knuckles into her eyes. “We’re never going to find the hole at this rate and…gods damn it.” She crossed her arms and hunched forward, anxiety digging a hole in her chest. “I haven’t a clue where to go from here, I don’t. I don’t even know what I was thinking, trying something like this. No way in hell would we have found anything…grasping at straws, I suppose.”

“So now what do we do?”

“Well…” Jo sighed. “Either we throw caution to the wind, ditch Waterdeep, and head straight to the Mere –”

“Which wouldn’t be feasible.” Cruck’aa grumbled. “Pavel’s not leaving until that tournament, or whatever it is, and Serena…” He sneered as anger filled his eyes.

“Or” Jo said, before he could continue. “or…we try to find someone with the Thieves Guild, get them to tell us where that damned hole is.”

“Sounds easy enough.”

“Sounds like suicide. You know how big of a foothold they have in Waterdeep?”

“No, and quite frankly, I don’t care. We’ll deal with them.”

Jo let out a pfft and turned away.

“Regardless of what we do,” Cruck’aa grumbled. “we need to tell Pavel and Serena what we learned today, even if it’s not much. Can’t do anything without discussing it with them first.”

“Right. Can’t argue with that. May as well head back then.” Jo said. She stepped out of Cruck’aa’s way and gestured to the mouth of the alley. “After you.”

Cruck’aa glowered at her but began walking out. With a stifled sigh, Jo followed behind him, praying to the gods above that he’d behave on the walk back.