Amy continued to squawk at her, but Mary could not understand her caws. She was about to try writing in the dirt, when she spied the large wooden box of vials on the ground. Finally! She could become human again!
Mary rifled through the box and found the "Human" vial. Amy watched her curiously. She was about to drink it, when Amy began to caw furiously. Mary shook her head, indicating she could not comprehend her speech. She looked sadly at the child. She couldn't become human and leave the little girl like this. She sighed, and decided that she should let Amy change back first. She held out the vial to Amy, and Amy slapped it away from her hands, chattering angrily.
Mary was angry, too. She quickly found the human vial in the bushes, but the wild girl had almost ruined her chance to be normal. Both of their chances! What was the matter with her? She was about to drink the human vial when she realized that even as human she would not be able to understand the girl if Amy was a Gryphon. Mary looked through the box of vials and found the one marked "Gryphon", refilled after Amy replaced it in the box. She set the "Human" vial down, and drank the entire contents of the "Gryphon" vial, just as she assumed Amy had.
Over the next half hour, Mary slowly changed. She didn't change much - she already looked much like a Gryphon - but she lost some dexterity in her hands and feet, and her hind quarters looked more feline than a mix of monkey and dog. The most dramatic change was her hearing. Gradually, Amy's tirade of caws and squawks became recognizable as words. Amy didn't notice any change, and continued to prattle on.
"Enough!" said Mary, trying to finally silence the noise coming from the girl.
Amy looked at her with wide eyes.
"Whoa! I can understand you now! What vial did that, Mara?" said Amy with excitement.
"It doesn't matter. And the name is MARY, not MARA, " said Mary.
"Mary? That doesn't sound like a very magical name for a Gryphon, " said Amy with curiosity.
Mary sighed. The girl was beginning to annoy her.
"Look, my name isn't important. I'm grateful for what you did back there, warning me about the hunters and saving my life. But you have to take drink this vial. It will make you human again, " said Mary, holding the "Human" vial in her claw.
It was difficult to hold now that she had lost the prehensile abilities of the monkey, and Mary was afraid she might not be able to open it. It teetered in her claw as she held it up to Amy's beak.
Amy sulked and turned her head away.
"No!" she said. "I like being a Gryphon. It's fun. I can finally fly!"
Amy flapped her wings with excitement. Mary sighed again, but she forgave the child. After all, she had the mind of a child, and had no idea of the real danger they were in. Children and powerful magic were not a good combination.
"Amy, what about your home? Your family? Aren't you going to miss them? " asked Mary.
Amy looked at he ground sadly. "I love the farm, but I heard some men tell Momma they were going to take it away, and make us live on the streets. Papa passed away. But maybe Momma and John can be Gryphons like us. Then you can take us all to live with you in your magical kingdom."
Ah, the innocence of a child and their naïve way of thinking. Now it was Mary's turn to feel sad.
"I am sorry, Amy. But it doesn't work that way. I can't take you or your family with me. Now please, take this vial .... " started Mary.
"No!" interrupted Amy angrily. "I am done talking. I wanna play."
She jumped in the air, flapping her wings and hovering above the ground.
"Amy, we don't have time for this, " said Mary with frustration.
"Aww, c'mon. Just for a little while, " pleaded Amy. "How about this? If you catch me, I might drink your magic potion and become human. But if you can't get me, then you have to let me and my family live with you."
Mary was about to protest, when Amy giggled and flew away. Mary silently cursed the child again. She was sweet, but she could be really irritating. She carefully hid the "Human" vial and the box. She could not easily hold them and chase after Amy. She didn't want to risk losing them. She jumped in the air, finding it easier to hover and fly in her new body. She followed the path that Amy had flown, trying to catch up to her.