Midnight Lost-------by Lennox MacDuff---------cpmills@indiana.edu

Summary:  Hudson remembers a time when he was leader of the Castle Wyvern 
clan, and the loss of his own Angel of the Night.


Hi everyone!

Glad to see you again.  This is my second Gargoyles fanfiction.  You can 
find the first at my website
http://members.tripod.com/~movieland/gargoyles

This piece was influenced by the piece "Snowed In" by Don Redmond  (sorry 
if I misspelled that, Don).  

This story also pays tribute to one of my favorite books of all time, "Eyes 
of the Dragon" by Stephen King.  Go read it.  It will make a few of the 
references easier to understand, and it’s well worth your time.

As always, the legal stuff.  If you think that *I* created the Gargoyles 
characters, then please send me a check for $100 each time you watch the 
show.  They really are mine, you know.  Honest.  Disney had nothing to do 
with it ;)
King Roland and his two sons Peter and Thomas, Ben Staad, Naomi, Niner and 
the Kingdom of Delain are creations of Stephen King.  Peter’s son Thomas 
and the gargoyles of the clan are mine.  ALL MINE!!!  HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!

Well, enough of that.  On with the show!

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			New York, 1997

	Elisa ran up the steps of the castle.  For the thousandth time in 
the last five minutes she cursed her tardiness.  She burst through the 
large oaken door that lead to the roof.  Puffing up the last flight of 
stairs, she was happy to see that she still had a few moments of sunlight 
left.  Elisa settled herself down and caught her breath.  She hated it when
she missed seeing Goliath and the others come to life when the sun went 
down.
	As the last rays of sunshine faded away, Elisa gazed at the stone 
statue lovingly.  She couldn’t remember what her life had been like before 
she had met Goliath.  *Probably a lot less exciting* she mused to herself.  
A sharp cracking sound snapped her out of her daydream.  She looked at 
Goliath, watching tiny spiderweb cracks began to appear along his stone 
form.  The stone fell away from his eyes first, revealing a bright white 
glow from within.  Suddenly the statue burst to life with a mighty roar, 
sending shards of stone flying.
	Elisa sighed.  No matter how many times she saw Goliath come out of
his stone hibernation, she would always be amazed to see it.  Below her, 
she heard the roars of the others waking from a long day’s sleep.
	Goliath turned to Elisa, a smile spreading across his face.  "Good 
morning, Elisa," his deep voice said with a loving tone one wouldn’t expect 
possible from a creature with his appearance.  
	"Good morning?" replied Elisa with a grin.  "Don’t you mean ‘good 
evening’?" 
	"It all depends on your point of view"
	"Yeah, well, I’d say I’m viewing a rather handsome gargoyle."
	Goliath looked down, smiling.  If his face wasn’t such a deep 
color, Elisa was sure he would be blushing.  She loved it when she made him
(almost) blush.  She went over to the towering gargoyle and was swept up in
a hug.  Goliath wrapped his wings around her.  Elisa didn’t know everything
about gargoyles, but she did know that they only did that to those they 
especially cared for.
	After a long embrace, Goliath led Elisa into the castle.  The 
others followed, looking forward to a good breakfast.  Hudson lingered, 
watching the two lovebirds go.  He could see how happy they were together, 
and it warmed his old heart.  He looked toward the sky.  It was a beautiful
night, no sense rushing inside right away.  As he gazed at the heavens, a 
shooting star caught his eye.  Hudson’s smile faded, as he began to 
remember...
	"Hudson?"
	The aging gargoyle looked to the source of the sound, only to find 
Brooklyn staring up at him.  "Are you coming in for breakfast?"
	Hudson quickly wiped a tear from his eye, but not before the young 
gargoyle could see it.  "Aye lad, I could do with a good meal."
	Brooklyn sat down on the perch next to Hudson.  "Are you all 
right?"
	Hudson sighed.  "Aye, I’m fine enough.  I was just dreaming...old 
dreams..."
	As Hudson gazed into the heavens, Brooklyn gave him a concerned 
look.  "What were you thinking about?"
	"Someone from me past, lad.  A gargoyle, one who was very special 
to me long ago..."
	Brooklyn cleared his throat.  "You mean...your mate?"
	Hudson looked sternly at the young gargoyle, but his face softened 
when he saw that all Brooklyn wanted to do was help.  He usually didn’t 
like to talk about the subject, but for some reason Hudson felt this was a 
night for it.
	"Aye lad, my mate.  My Angel of the Night."
	"I don’t remember her."
	"That doesn’t surprise me.  She died long before ye were even 
hatched."
	"What was she like?"
	Hudson looked up into the sky where the shooting star had been.  
"Well, lad, she was a sight tuh be seen.  She was tall, taller than me.  
She had long, brown hair, and skin so light it almost could have passed for
a human’s.  Aye, _she_ could have almost passed for human, if not for the 
wings and such."
	"Tell me about her."
	Hudson looked at Brooklyn, and felt that it was a night for 
remembering.

			Scotland, 912

	"Look, my love!  A shooting star!  Make a wish!"
	Hudson raised an eyeridge at his mate.  "Now why would I do that?" 
he asked with a smile.
	"It’s an old tradition of the humans.  You wish on a shooting star,
and if you don’t tell anyone what you wished for, it will come true."
	"Wishes...don’t humans think of anything else but what they _wish_ 
they had?  Can they not be content with what they have in the here and 
now?"  Hudson wrapped his wings around his mate.  She looked lovingly into 
his eyes, and they kissed.
	The next morning, Hudson walked along the cliff, surveying his 
home.  They lived on a cliff overlooking the ocean, and the sound of the 
waves beating against the rocks was so calming.  The smell of surf was in 
the air, and the birds were just waking up with their songs.  He was happy, 
happier than he had been all his life.  He was the leader of his clan, with
his loving mate at his side, and a beautiful home for all of them.  As the 
sun came up, a smile was frozen on his face.
	Life continued in much this way for many years.  One night, just 
after sunset, Hudson was surprised to find that a young man on horseback 
was approaching their cliffs.  His second-in-command, a deep red gargoyle 
with three horns sprouting from his forehead, unfolded his wings and 
growled at the sight of the approaching human.  
	"Hold on now," said Hudson.  "Let’s see what it is he wants."
	The two gargoyles remained hidden as the young human dismounted 
and scouted the area.  They watched with curiosity as he inspected the lay 
of the land, tested how solid the ground was, and marveled at the view.  
Hudson and his second-in-command shrunk back as the human approached the 
bank of rocks they were hiding behind.  The human took a deep breath of the
salty air and turned to leave when he saw them.  Startled, he backed off, 
drawing his sword.
	"What in God’s name..."  he gasped as Hudson stood and came out 
from behind the rock.  Hudson sighed and readied a battle stance.  He was 
all too familiar with this situation.  Some human wanted to build a home on
their land, and was going to try to take it by brute force.
	The human surprised Hudson by lowering his sword.  Hudson raised an
eyeridge...this did not often happen.  The human stared at him for a few 
seconds, then cleared his throat.  "What are you?"
	"What do ye think I am, lad?  I’m a gargoyle," was the response.
	"A gargoyle?  But I thought your kind was but myth."
	Hudson chuckled.  "Nay, we’re real enough.  And who might you be?"
	The human looked wary, but took a step forward.  "I am called Ben 
Staad.  Uh...what shall I call you?"
	"Must you humans name everything?  My kind has no need of names."
	Ben swallowed hard and resheathed his sword.  Clearly he was trying
to present an atmosphere of trust.  Hudson, however, was becoming 
impatient.  "What is it you want?" he asked the stranger.
	"I have been sent by my King Peter to find a suitable location for 
the construction of a new castle.  The kingdom of Delain had fallen prey to
the curse of the sorcerer..." Ben stopped himself before saying the name.  
"...of an evil sorcerer who’s name I dare not speak out loud."
	Hudson frowned.  "I see.  And now ye would bring the wrath of this 
sorcerer upon our home as well?"
	"No!  Fla- that is, the sorcerer has been vanquished, but his curse 
remains.  My people seek to begin again in a new castle."
	The second-in-command chose this time to come out of hiding, along 
with Hudson’s mate and a few others from the clan.  Ben gasped at the sight
of them, but quickly composed himself.
	"Too many humans have already tried to take this land from us, and 
failed," growled the second-in-command.  Ben swallowed again and stepped 
back.
	"I assure you, I have no such intentions.  I thought that this 
cliff was deserted."  The second-in-command advanced toward Ben, but Hudson
stopped him with a wayward glance.
	"The fact of the matter is that this is our home," said Hudson.  
"However, you have shown to me that ye are good of heart, Ben Staad.  Tell 
yuir king to come to these cliffs, and I’ll talk with him."
	"I shall be off right away!  Thank you, my friend!"
	Ben jumped on his horse and galloped away.  As soon as he was out 
of sight, Hudson’s mate rushed up to him.
	"Are you sure it’s safe to bring them here, my love?"
	Hudson smiled and wrapped his arms around her.  "Aye, if this 
Staad’s king is anything like he is, it’s safe enough to talk.  Don’t 
worry, my Angel.  I haven’t been leader long, but I know what I’m doing."
	She looked into his eyes and saw trust and confidence.  She 
couldn’t help but to smile.  She loved his eyes.  So deep and pure.  She 
felt she could stare into them for an eternity.  Just then there was a 
glare in her eye, and she felt herself turning to stone in his arms.  A 
smile was frozen on her face, but Hudson wore a look of concern.
	It was nearly a week later when Ben returned to the cliffs, this 
time with King Peter.  They looked around the cliff, but the gargoyles were
nowhere to be seen.  
	"Are you sure this is the place?" asked Peter as he squinted to 
keep the light from the setting sun out of his eyes.  
	"I’m positive, Peter.  I don’t know where they are."
	"Well, wait a few moments.  If the stories my father told me are 
true, then we’ll see them soon enough."
	Peter and Ben settled down on a rock as the last rays of sunlight 
faded away.  From the cliffs below they heard a sharp cracking sound, 
followed by a series of roars.  A few moments later  Hudson and the 
second-in-command glided to the clifftop.  
	"Ah, Ben.  I see you’ve returned," greeted Hudson.  "Is this the 
King Peter ye spoke of?"
	"Yes it is," Ben answered.  "This is King Peter.  Peter, this is...
um...the gargoyle."
	Hudson extended a taloned hand, and Peter surprised him by taking 
it by the forearm in the gargoyle style.  "I see you know much of my kind,"
said Hudson with a grin.
	"Yes, I learned it from my father, Roland the Good, before he 
died," replied Peter.  "He loved stories and legends."  
	"Well then, let’s be off and have our talk."
	Hudson and Peter walked off, leaving Ben alone with the 
second-in-command.  Ben looked up at the seven-foot gargoyle.  "Um...hi."
	Hudson glided Peter down to the beach and they walked along the 
shoreline.  "So, I understand you want to build yuir new castle here."
	"That’s right.  Ever since a curse was placed on the land of my 
kingdom, it has been unsafe to live there."
	"Aye, I’ve heard of this curse.  I ask you, tell me of this 
sorcerer."
	Peter drew in a long breath.  "He was a most evil man.  No...not 
even a man.  He was truly a demon.  He was my father’s advisor, and 
murdered him when I was still but a boy.  We were able to banish him from 
our kingdom, but my brother and my former servant went into the world, 
searching for him.  I tried to convince my brother to stay, but he would 
not listen.  He returned a month ago, mortally wounded.  He told me that he
had encountered the sorcerer, and destroyed him.  But not before the 
monster was able to slaughter poor Dennis and cast a spell to curse Delain 
for all time.  That is why we seek to flee."
	Hudson thought about this for a long time.  "I see.  Family is 
important to you, is it then?"
	"Most important.  When I was a boy I saw my mother buried, then my 
father.  Now I’ve had to bury my brother as well."
	"Not a task I would ever want, I’ll admit that.  The truth is, King
Peter, the clan is everything to our kind.  Our clan, and our home.  I can 
understand how hard it must be for ye to leave yours."  He looked out over 
the water, just as another shooting star streaked by.  "If you could have 
one wish, what would it be?"
	"That my people could live in safety," replied Peter without a 
pause.
	Hudson spent a moment in deep thought, then turned to face Peter.  
"Then it shall be so."

			New York, 1997

	"What’s going on?" asked Lexington as he walked onto the parapet.  
	"Shh!" hissed Brooklyn, completely focused on Hudson’s story.
	"It’s all right, lad," said Hudson with a smile.  "Tis getting a 
wee bit frosty out here.  Why don’t we go in?" 
	The two young gargoyles followed Hudson into the castle, where he 
settled into his worn old chair.  "Now then, where was I?"
	"You had just let King Peter build his castle on the cliffs," said 
Lexington.  Hudson raised an eyeridge at him.  
	"And just how long were ye listening in?" he asked.
	"Oh, well, not that long," the olive-green gargoyle replied with a 
sheepish grin.  "I heard you talking and I was interested."
	"Well, let’s see.  The castle."

			Scotland, 932

	Sweet music filled the air as Hudson surveyed the almost-completed 
castle.  In a short time the capstone ceremony would begin, and in the 
meantime his mate was singing to the children in the square to keep them 
entertained.  As it was a special night, most of them had been allowed to 
stay up past their bedtimes.  Hudson closed his eyes and listened to his 
mate’s angelic voice.  Listening to her sing always made him feel at peace,
and he felt more in love with her that he ever had before.
	As her song ran to it’s end, the children began to clap.  His mate 
looked up and saw him smiling.  She ran at him and jumped into his arms. 
"My love!"
	"Hallo, my Angel.  You sang beautifully tunight."
	"Do you think so?  I didn’t have time to warm up.  I was asked to 
keep the children happy at the last moment."
	"Aye, lass, when I heard you, I thought I was listening to the 
Sirens of legends past."
	She looked him in the eye.  "Are you saying that I’ll lead you to 
your doom?" she asked with a smirk.
	"Aye, ye just might!"  Hudson swept her up into an embrace.  They 
were just beginning a kiss when they heard someone clearing his throat 
behind them.  They turned to find Ben, watching them with a broad smile on 
his face.
	"Do you always watch other people with a stupid grin on yuir face?"
asked Hudson.
	"Sorry to interrupt, but the ceremony is ready to begin.  King 
Peter was hoping you’d be there."
	"Well, then.  Let’s be off, my Angel."
	The three of them walked through the crowd to the stage in the 
center of the square.  Peter was waiting for them in his finest clothes.  
His young son was standing next to him, looking anxious to get back to his 
playing.  Ben, his wife Naomi, and the two gargoyles walked onto the stage 
took their places.  Peter cleared his throat and began his speech.
	"My people!  We stand tonight on a great occasion!  Our kingdom has
faced great trials in the past decades.  But now, the time of sorrow has 
ended.  With the completion of this new castle, we shall begin again."  
	The crowd began to cheer, but Peter held up a hand to silence them.
"I’m sure that many of you have been wondering what the name of our new 
home will be.  This castle is a symbol of our victory over out hardships.  
I wish to honor my late father by remembering his greatest victory.  
However, I’ve been informed by...an outside observer..."  He shot a smile 
at Hudson.  "...that Niner would not make a good name for a castle.  So, I 
have decided to name out new home...Castle Wyvern!" 
	The crown burst into screams and cheers as Peter gestured up to the 
tallest parapet.  On cue, the chief stonelayer placed the capstone in 
place.  Peter turned back to the crowd.  "Let the celebration begin!"
	Music began to play loudly as firecrackers popped and fizzed.  
Peter walked over to Hudson.  "Thank you my friend.  None of this would 
have been possible without your help."  They shook, claw in hand.  
	"Tis I who should be thank’n you," said Hudson.  "Before ye came, 
my clan had no purpose.  We simply existed.  Now we have a castle to 
protect."  They shook again, this time in the gargoyle style.  Hudson then 
turned to his mate.  "I think I’ll go for a stroll through our new home.  
Would ye care to go with me?"
	"I’d love to," she replied.  They walked off, arm in arm.  All of a
sudden a small blur shot up and into Hudson’s surprised arms.  "UNCLE 
GARGOYLE!"
	Peter walked over chuckling.  "Now Thomas, you know better than to 
jump up at people."
	Hudson smiled as he held the boy.  "It’s all right, Peter.  I like 
a wee one with spirit.   But I believe it’s past yuir bedtime."  Thomas 
began to pout.  "Now, let’s have none of that.  A big boy like you 
shouln’ne be mope’n about."
	"The leader’s right, Thomas," said Peter.  "It’s time for bed."  He
took the boy from Hudson and walked him back to their rooms, leaving Hudson
and his mate alone to take their walk.
	As they strolled along the battlements, the lovers looked into the 
star-filled sky.  "It’s beautiful, isn’t it?" asked Hudson’s mate.
	"Aye, tis most beautiful," Hudson replied.  "But tis even better 
having you to share it with."  He smiled at his beloved mate.  She ran a 
taloned finger down his cheek.
	"Agreed."
	They walked a bit further, arm in arm.  After a while, his mate 
spoke.
	"I don’t ever want this to end.  Will you be with me forever?"
	"Aye lass, I will."
	"Come, let us check on the eggs in the rookery.  It’s almost time, 
you know."
	She began to walk toward the cave which they used for a rookery 
when Hudson took her arm.
	"That’s what I had been meanin’ to tell ya!,"  he said, snapping 
his fingers.  "King Peter wanted to thank us for letting his people live on
the cliffs with us, so he had a special rookery built right in the castle."
	His mate looked unsure.  "My love, I don’t know...The eggs should 
be kept out of bright light, and they’ll need to be..."
	Hudson shushed her.  "It has all been taken care of.  The new 
rookery is built under the castle, just as I specified.  This way, the 
humans can care for the eggs during the day."
	"Well...all right.  But...let’s allow this batch of eggs to hatch 
in the old rookery.  Then we’ll begin to use the castle"
	"Very well, my love.  And I have a feeling we’ll be glad the new 
rookery is there."

			New York, 1997

	"Wow," murmured Brooklyn.  "If the rookery hadn’t been there, we 
may never have survived the Viking’s attack."
	"Now, none of those thoughts," replied Hudson.  "If not the rookery
in the castle, you would have just been sent to the old cave." 
	"What happened then?" asked Lexington, leaning forward to hear him 
better.
	Hudson smiled.  The young gargoyle always loved to hear his 
stories.  He remembered many times when he had been put in charge of the 
trio when they were much younger for just that reason, and grumbling that 
he had become a nanny.  
	"Well, nothing happened for the next three years.  We lived 
peacefully with the humans, and all were happy.  True, some of them 
mistrusted us, but twas an arrangement that all were secure with.  Probably
the next thing interest’n that happened was the hatching of the next 
generation of the clan."
	Brooklyn perked up.  "You mean Goliath’s generation?"
	"Aye, that’s the one.  In fact, I was there when Goliath hatched.  
If I remember correctly, he was so startled when he came out he cried ‘till 
the sun rose.  Bawled his wee eyes out, he did.  He was the only one to cry
that much."
	Just at that moment, Goliath walked into the room.  Brooklyn and 
Lexington struggled not to laugh, without much success.  Goliath gave the 
two an odd look.  "Have I missed something?"
	The two young gargoyles burst into spasms of laughter.  Goliath 
looked at Hudson with a puzzled expression on his face.  "What is going 
on?"
	"Nothing, lad.  I was just telling them of yuir little crying fit 
when you first hatched."
	"Hudson!" cried Goliath.  "I thought we agreed you wouldn’t tell 
that story!"
	Brooklyn and Lexington had just been getting over their laughing 
fit, but Goliath’s words sent them over the edge again.  Goliath growled at
them.
	"Sorry...sorry..." Brooklyn said between gasps.
	"Yeah," added Lexington.  "It’s just hard to imagine widdow 
Goliath..."
	"Sucking his widdow tail..." threw in Brooklyn jokingly.
	Goliath looked horrified.  He whipped around to face Hudson.  "You 
told them THAT?!"
	Lexington looked up at Goliath.  "You mean you really did..." he 
managed before hysteria overtook him. Brooklyn was in tears right beside 
him, and even Husdon began to chuckle.  Goliath simply grimaced, and 
quickly remembered that he was needed elsewhere in the castle.
	After a few minutes, when the laughter had died down, Hudson was 
able to continue his tale. "Ah, yes," he began.  "The hatching of Goliath."

			Scotland, 935

	The mottled gray egg rocked back and forth in its bed of hay.  
Hudson watched it eagerly, as did several members of the clan.  They had 
allowed Ben and Peter to attend, an incredible gesture of trust on their 
part.  All of the other eggs had hatched already, and the two humans were 
honored to be allowed to witness the hatching of this, the final baby 
gargoyle.
	The cracks grew more definite along the shell of the egg, and a 
small piece began to push away from the rest of the egg.  Hudson’s mate 
gasped and grabbed his shoulder as a tiny lavender hand pushed the shell 
piece away, then began to grasp around the egg, trying to find a way out.  
Hudson beamed.  "I think the wee one’s earned a bit of help," he said as he
gently cracked the eggshell open.  
	The tiny gargoyle inside was lavender, with a tuft of midnight hair
and dark wings still curled against it’s body.  After a quick check Hudson 
confirmed that it was a male, and began to clean off the remnants of the 
egg’s interior with a soft piece of cloth.  The newly emerged infant opened
it’s eyes for the first time, looked around, and began to bawl.
	Hudson’s mate looked down at the crying infant.  "Oh my love, he’s 
beautiful!" she said.  She kissed him on the cheek.  "He’ll make the clan 
proud, I can tell."
	Hudson cradled the newest member of his clan.  Peter walked up 
alongside him and put his hand on Hudson’s shoulder.  "Congratulations, my 
friend.  He truly is a gift from God."
	"Aye, that he is.  He’s a big one, too.  He’ll make a fine warrior 
someday, mark my words."  Hudson looked at Peter, who was now in his latter
fifties and beginning to show signs of his age.  Peter’s hair and beard 
were streaked with gray, and wrinkles had formed along his eyes, forehead 
and mouth.  "I hope watch’n a hatchling isn’t too hard on an...old timer," 
Hudson said with a grin.
	"Hey, you aren’t one to talk," Peter replied with a smile of his 
own.  Hudson was well over a hundred years old at that point  Although he 
aged at only half the rate of a human, his beard had gone almost completely
gray, and his hair was beginning to thin.  He supported his share of 
wrinkles as well.
	"I suppose two oldsters such as us should be put out to pasture, 
shouldn’t we?"
	Peter laughed.  "Maybe you, but I still have a good number of years
ahead of me."
	Hudson handed the child to another gargoyle.  "Come," he said to 
Peter.  "Let us go for a walk to celebrate."
	"After you, grandpa."
	"Aye, I’ll grandpa you."
	The two old friends left the cave and walked to the castle 
courtyard, taking in the night.  Thomas, now thirteen, was playing ball in 
the distance with his friends.  It was another of those special nights on 
which they were delighted to be allowed to stay up past their bedtimes.  As
Peter and Hudson watched, the gargoyle cleared his throat.  "If ya don’t 
mind me ask’n, Peter, why did ya wait so long to father a child?"
	"Oh, I didn’t wait that long.  My father conceived me when he was 
about my age."
	"But still, I’ve noticed that humans tend to have children when 
they’re still young."
	"Yes, and I would have had Thomas at a much younger age, had I met 
his mother before I did."  A tear began to well in Peter’s eye.  "She was a
wonderful woman.  I still really can’t believe she’s gone."
	Hudson sat down on a bench, and motioned for Peter to do the same.  
"She was a fine lass.  I was very happy for you when ya found her, and just
as sad when ya lost her."
	Peter sighed.  "At  least I still have Thomas.  Whenever I look at 
him, I can still see so much of her.  It warms my heart to see him happy 
like this."
	The two aging friends watched the children play long into the 
night.  After they had gone to bed, Peter brought Hudson to his private 
apartments.  "I have a gift for you,"  he said.  "In congratulations of the
hatching of a full rookery."
	"Peter, you don’t have to go give’n me gifts.  Your friendship is 
gift enough."
	"No, no," Peter insisted as he took out a long box.  "This is 
something I want you to have.  I had it made of the finest materials in the
land.  I’ve always noticed that when you fight off invaders, you do it hand
to hand."
	Hudson raised an eyeridge at Peter.  "Aye, what of it?  Tis our way."
	"Yes, and you have a great many scars to prove it.  No, a leader 
must fight with authority, and to do that he must have a weapon."  Peter 
handed the box to Hudson.  Hudson carefully opened in, and with a smile 
took out the fine sword from within.  It was a scimitar, with a strong 
steel blade and a handle wrapped in leather.
	"Peter, I cannot accept..."
	"You can and you will," Peter interrupted.  "If for no other reason
than to make an old man happy."
	Hudson looked at the gleaming weapon.  "Well, I don’t know about a 
leader need’n a sword such as this, but I am honored to receive it."  
Hudson sheathed the gift under his belt.  "Thank you, my friend."
	"No," said Peter.  "Thank you."
	The castle became a cheery place, with young gargoyles always 
underfoot.  Then, four years later, sadness fell over the castle with the 
death of King Peter.  He had lived proudly into his sixties when he came 
down with a sickness that none of the doctors could cure.  They called it 
‘The Death Sleep’, and true to the name its victims grew more and more 
tired until they simply fell asleep and never awoke.  Although he never 
told and of the humans, Hudson felt it was a noble way to die.  Peter felt 
no pain and stayed in control of all of his faculties.  He simply slipped 
away.
	On his deathbed, Peter called his son Thomas to his side.  Hudson 
stood in the hall, comforting his mate.  After a few minutes, Thomas walked
out of the bedroom, and told Hudson that Peter wanted to see him.  Hudson 
walked into the bedroom with his mate in hand.  They leaned over Peter in 
his bed.  Peter’s voice was faint, but they could hear him.
	"My old friend...you have shared your home with us...you have 
protected my people...I...I..."  Peter’s voice grew faint, and Hudson had 
to lean closer to hear him.  "Thank y..." Peter’s eyes closed and quietly 
died.
	"Goodbye, old friend," Hudson murmured, a tear running down his 
cheek.  His mate put her hands on his shoulders, and the two took each 
other up in a sad embrace.
	The funeral for Peter was held the very next night.  A grand 
funeral pyre was built in the middle of the courtyard, and Peter was laid 
out on top in his finest clothes.  A tearful speech was given by his head 
of state, and per tradition a torch was given to Thomas, now King Thomas.  
The entire kingdom watched him take the torch and turn toward the body of 
his father.  
	The teenager took a few steps toward the pyre before his legs gave 
out from under him and he collapsed in tears.  Hudson’s mate ran up to 
Thomas and took him in her arms, letting him cry it out.  Hudson sadly 
picked up the torch and touched off the pyre.  In moments, the body of one 
of his truest friends was engulfed in flame.
	"Goodbye, my friend," he whispered, and led his clan to the cliffs 
so that the humans could spend some time alone.

			New York, 1997

	"Yes, I remember that."
	Hudson and the younger gargoyles turned to Goliath, who was 
standing in the doorway.  "It was a sad time for all."
	"Aye, it was.  But his son was a good king, and ruled fairly."
	"Thomas was Malcom’s father, wasn’t he?" asked Brooklyn.
	"Yes," answered Goliath.  "And Hudson is correct, King Thomas was a
fair and just king."
	"It was a fine time for you and yuir brothers to grow up, Goliath,"
added Hudson.
	"Did King Thomas help raise the hatchlings?" Lexington asked.
	"Yes, he did," said Goliath.  "He was loved by all of us.  The only
time he angered me was when he tried to teach me to fly, his way."
	"What’d he do?" piped in Brooklyn.
	Hudson began to laugh.  "Thomas threw him off the parapet.  He felt
that if birds learned to fly that way, a gargoyle could too.  I was there 
to catch him."
	"Why did you let him?"
	"I thought I’d let him try his brilliant idea.  And it worked.  
That was the first time you ever glided successfully, Goliath."
	"Well..." rumbled the lavender gargoyle.
	"Although the landing was a bit rough," Hudson added with a 
chuckle.  "Don’t knock what works, lad."
	"I suppose," finished Goliath as he sat down in a nearby chair.  
"But please, don’t let me interrupt your story."
	"Yeah, Hudson," said Brooklyn.  "You started this story to tell me 
about your mate."
	Hudson’s eyes once again glazed over with sadness.  "Aye, I suppose
I did.  She died about seven years after Peter."

			Scotland, 942

	Now!"
	With a heave, Thomas threw the screaming young gargoyle off the top
of the parapet.
	"Glide, lad!" Hudson cried as he circled below.  "Open yuir wings!"
	The wind rushed in the young gargoyle’s eyes, tearing them, as he 
desperately tried to open his wings.  The ground raced up to meet him, when 
suddenly it pulled away.  The gargoyle looked up, and saw only the moon 
above his lavender wings.  He was gliding!  The gargoyle let loose a 
victory cry as he swooped down to the ground.  As he came in for a landing,
he realized that he was moving too fast and tried to stop himself.  He 
landed with a thud and flipped into a strong pair of arms.  The young 
gargoyle looked up to see Hudson’s mate smiling down at him.
	"Well done, young one," she complimented.
	"Aye," added Hudson as he landed next to them, " ‘Twas a fine first
glide’n.  You should be proud of yuirself."
	"But...I didn’t land right..." the young one insisted.
	"None of that.  It was yuir first time.  If you’d like, you can try
again tommara.  Now, go play with the others."
	As the young gargoyle ran off, Hudson and his mate looked at each 
other proudly.
	"You see?" yelled Thomas as he ran down the parapet stairs.  "I 
told you it would work!"
	"Congratulations, Thomas," said Hudson, slapping the human on the 
back.  "You’ve found a new way to terrify youngsters."
	"Oh, come on.  He wasn’t that scared.  Did you hear that victory 
cry when he caught the wind?"
	"I know, I know, but I think we’ll stick to the old ways of teach’n 
the young ones how to glide."
	"All right, all right," Thomas said in feigned anger.  He stormed 
off, continuing his speech about how his good ideas were never listened to.
Hudson chuckled.
	"If he’s anythin’, he’s dramatic."
	"LOOK AT ME!"
	Hudson and his mate looked up to the source of the sound.  On the 
far wall, just overlooking the edge of the cliff the castle rested on, was 
a small child.  "What the devil is he still doi’n up?" mused Hudson.  His 
eyes widened in horror, not at the fact that the child spread his arms like
wings, pretending to be a gargoyle, but at the loose stone the child was 
standing on.  It was one of many from a recent Viking attack that hadn’t 
been resecured.  "LOOK OUT!" he cried as he and his mate began to run, but 
it was too late.  The stone shifted and the child fell screaming toward the
bottom of the cliff. 
	The two gargoyles reached the edge just as the child swept by.  As 
they jumped over the edge, Hudson noticed out of the corner of his eye that 
the stone the boy was standing had also begun to fall.  He yelled a warning
to his mate, but the wind was strong and he wasn’t sure if she had heard.
	His mate pressed her wings against her body and swooped down, 
catching up to the boy.  She grabbed his outstretched hand and opened her 
wings to try to slow their fall, but the child was too heavy for her.  
Hudson caught up to them and took the child.  As he began to pull up, the 
stone that had fallen fell past him and hit his mate.  She screamed as the 
sharp edge of the stone tore through the membrane of her wing and pulled her 
down.
	"NO!" screamed Hudson as he changed course to try to catch up to 
her.  He raced down after her, but the child he was carrying kept him from 
going into a dive.  He heard his mate land with a sickening thud.  As he 
swept down to the ground, he could see that she had been pinned under the 
rock, her body broken.  
	Hudson dropped the child and ran to his mate’s side.  Her back was 
covered with blood, and her eyes were rolled up into the back of her head.  
He felt for a pulse, but there was none.  Hysteria began to set in at the 
knowledge that there was nothing he could do to help her.  She was beyond 
help.  Tears squeezed through Hudson’s closed eyelids as he roared in pain,
sorrow, and loss.

			New York, 1997

	"Wow," Brooklyn said quietly.  I had no idea that she died so 
heroically." 
	"Aye," said Hudson as a tear streamed down his face.  "She died 
proudly, as she lived.  I miss her so much sometimes."
	"But you remember her," said Elisa from the doorway.  "So in a way, 
she’s not really gone."
	Hudson smiled.  "Am I attract’n everyone in this blasted castle?"
	"No, I think Broadway and Angela are downstairs watching a movie," 
Lexington said helpfully.  
	"Oh, good.  That makes me feel much better," Hudson said with his 
eyes to the floor.  After a moment’s silence, he began to chuckle.  The 
feeling was contagious, and soon they were all smiling.
	"I know I don’t talk of such things often," said Hudson.  "I just 
don’t like to relive them.  It hurts too much."
	"We are always here for you, old friend," said Goliath, resting a 
hand on Hudson’s shoulder.
	"Aye, and I appreciate it.  Likewise, I’ll always be here for 
you."
	The group sat in the room for many hours, reliving events from 
their past.  Some of the memories were happier, some not.  But all were 
remembered with a sense of respect for the past.  As the night sky 
stretched overhead, a shooting star streaked through the heavens as a 
silent reminder of a midnight lost.

			     THE END