Xander awoke and found his bedroom window blocked by a giant cargo container. He blinked sleep from his eyes and shrugged into his jeans and sweatshirt. Giles was outside arguing with the men who insisted they weren’t going to help unpack it.

"What’s up?" Xander asked sleepily. Giles whirled round his eyes glinting yellow with anger; he growled deep in his throat. The burly truck drivers had obviously pissed him off.

"These Neanderthals won’t unpack the bed. Something to do with their fucking union!" Xander’s hand on his arm calmed him a little.

"Go make us some tea, Giles. Call Buffy to help us unpack!" Xander winked at his friend, and Giles’ smile lit up his face. What would they make of Buffy? He made his way happily inside. Xander turned back to the men who were exchanging knowing looks.

"Your boyfriend gone to get some reinforcements?" The huge one commented.

"Hey, you used a big word! And yes he’s calling the girls." Xander smiled easily at the smirking men. He backed off down the path and into the hall where Giles had just finished the call to Buffy. They were just about to say something when they heard a rending, tearing noise from the kitchen. Giles led the way, with Xander hard on his heels.

In the kitchen they found a hole torn in the door of the fridge that had contained the dead griffin. The griffin was missing they exchanged worried looks.

"Oh, shit!" They said together.

"What does it mean, Giles?" Xander reached out to the door where drops of purple blood dripped to the floor and sizzled on the stone.

"They reclaimed their own, the roost must be very near!" He caught Xander’s hand just before he touched the blood. "We go out tonight and search for them, I have to see if they need help. I killed one of their number, I have to make amends."

Buffy walked up the path to Giles’ and ran the gauntlet of the wolf whistles from the truckers. Once inside she saw Giles and Xander deep in conversation their heads together over a surveyor’s map.

"You called a council of war O’ Watchers?" Giles straightened holding his mug in his hand. Buffy took a second look at his eyes and shook her head. Something’s upset him.

"Yes, could you help us unpack my bed? Willow and I couldn’t get anything big enough so I had it shipped over from England. It’s an heirloom and the thugs out there won’t unpack it. Feel like giving them a show of Slayer strength?" Giles finished his tea and grinned wickedly…

Buffy smiled… "Ohhh goody! Can I hit ’em?"

"Not if I get there before you. Xander? Can you clear a path to the bedroom please?" Xander hurried to his task leaving the plan on the table. From the upstairs gallery he saw what had been staring him in the face for half an hour. The surveyors’ map also included details of the grounds. He hung over the banister in shock. The garden and surrounding land was in the shape of a mythical creature, a griffin. There was a rocky outcrop to the north of the property that could only be the griffin roost.

The bed was in place. It was a magnificent oak four-poster bed with a canopy and drapes of peacock blue. The mattress measured four feet by seven feet and Giles was just putting the finishing touches to the soft furnishings when Willow walked into the master bedroom laden down with her belongings.

She looked as though she’d been crying. Giles flung the last of the cushions to the bed head and sat down next to her. She rested her russet head on his chest and sighed.

"What’s the matter love, were they difficult?" Rupert asked gently. She shook her head and fumbled for her tissue. He gave her a handkerchief.

"Thank you, they weren’t there. I made an appointment an’ everything… They don’t care about me. So I left them a note and packed and here I am…"

He stared at her dumbfounded. Willow shouldn’t have had to make an appointment with her parents to see them. He found himself getting angry for the second time that day.

"Rupert, you OK? You growled…" Willow looked at him closely. "Your eyes are getting more grrr y’know."

Rupert got up and paced. He needed to get rid of nervous energy. He stopped in his tracks and stared at the headboard of the bed. He had not seen this bed since he was a boy. The carvings in the headboard were of unicorns, satyrs and griffins. He marched out of the room and called for Xander and Buffy over the banister. He stared down at the map on the table.

"Willow!" He bellowed as he rushed downstairs. Willow arrived at his side breathlessly. Rupert screwed the note up in his hands and howled as his face began to rearrange. He gripped the table his shoulders hunched. Willow’s gentle fingers on his arm snapped his head round to face her. She gasped and backed away. Rupert stared at the table battling to remain human.

He succeeded at length and turned to her, wiping the sheen of sweat from his face with the back of his hand.

"Buffy and Xander have gone to investigate the griffin roost." He swept his arm round the room and laughed. "I bought a bloody griffin roost!"

Willow was worried about him it was happening again. Oz turning and now Rupert, what was he transforming into? She was scared and it must have shown because she found herself in Rupert’s warm, powerful embrace.

"I’m scared too, Willow." He murmured. "Nearly sunset, we have to go after Xander and Buffy. Slayer’s and junior Watchers rush in where Angels fear to tread." He sighed.

"What about Witches and Watcher–Slayers?" She said, her eyes glimmering with humour.

"Hmmmm, I’ll tell you later. C’mon, time to suit up."

End of part 3

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