[ Like Nina, Alex has been making regular circles around the base camp and memorizing the layout and the faces. It's hard not to notice when he sees someone else doing the same thing. He places her age somewhere around his youngest sister, which only sends a momentary pain of regret through his chest. He takes that regret about Antimony and tamps it down hard until it's flat enough to slip into his mental "stay alive, deal with later" file.

He himself is more noticeable in the days following the trip to the Chrysalis chamber. It's not that he found any particularly garish clothing, and his weapons are hidden well enough not to show through his tweed jacket. What is noticeable is the animal wrapped around his shoulders.

At very first glance, it looks like a black bird sitting on a furred cloak... until one realizes the feathers and fur are from the same animal. A large furry housecat's hindquarters and tail and a big black corvid bird's wings, beak and talons in place of front legs. Crow the church griffin has been clinging to him since he'd found him curled up in the egg Alex had hatched from, laying over his weapons like a bird guarding a nest of tiny, deadly eggs.

Alex is about to do the usual politely-passing-someone-familiar nod-smile when Crow decides that no, it's time to make friends now. Not having to hide himself is as novel to the griffin as it is to Alex- and the griffin has less impulse control. Before Alex can grab him, he swoops down off his shoulders and glides to the ground in front of Nina, chirruping curiously, trying to see if this person is a threat to his person or, more importantly, if she has food. ]

Crow, get back here. [ Alex is quick behind him. ] Enough people are probably wondering how close you taste to chicken, stop wandering off. [ Crow seemingly ignores him. Alex sighs. ] I'm sorry, he's been a bit overstimulated lately.