Toss a Coin ? THE WITCHER ONESHOTS

"How is this bad? Someone else did the hard part, let's just take its head and get the coin." Geralt stated, reaching for his knife. You grabbed his arm, stopping him in his tracks. "What-?"

"Shut up for a second." You ordered. "Stand still, keep your eyes fucking alert."

Geralt wore a confused expression, but did as you said. He could tell from your tone that you weren't messing with him, something was seriously wrong. He watched intently as you carefully stepped around the griffin, inspecting its body and the nest.

"Fuck." You cursed, waving Geralt over. "It was a mother." You pointed towards the eggs that laid smashed near the griffin's belly. The smaller stature and dull coloring of the beast informed you that it was a female.

Geralt still seemed confused. "So?"

"So these bastards mate for life. She's got an angry husband out there raising hell, probably because his mate and babies were killed. I wager some soldiers stumbled upon her, killed her, then smashed up the eggs thinking the solved their problem."

"But they've only made it worse by leaving one behind.." Geralt finally concluded, understanding what you were getting at.

"We need to go, this son of a bitch'll be fierce as hell if he catches us in his nest."

***

Sitting in the tavern with a pint of ale, you mulled over the best strategy for dealing with the male griffin.

"Well, Geralt. Got a challenge for you." You finally stated.

He quirked an eyebrow at you, setting down his tankard. "Mm? And what's that?"

"Gonna need ya to find buckthorn. Should be able to find it at the bottom of the river and-"

"And it'll smell like carcass. Guessing that's our bait?"

You nodded. "Catching on little witcher."

"Knock that off." Geralt rolled his eyes. You merely chuckled in response. "Fine. I'll find it. You should pick a spot for us to lure it out."

"Of course, I wasn't going to make you do all of the work."

Geralt shot you a glare that screamed "bullshit" before he stood up and made his way out of the tavern in search of buckthorn. You downed the last of your ale before making your way towards the door as well.

***

"Shit, smelled ya from a mile away." You teased as Geralt approached you outside the tavern.

"Find a spot?"

"Of course I did. This way." You led him towards an open field where you laid out a fresh pig carcass. "Put the buckthorn on it. Wretched scent will draw it in from fuckin' Novigrad."

Geralt spread the buckthorn around the pig, returning to the bush where you were squatting shortly after. "Now we wait."

It didn't take long for the griffin to become curious of the foul stench of the buckthorn. It swooped in, landing on the pig in a flurry of wind and feathers as it pecked at the flesh.

"Don't let the damn thing get you." You warned Geralt. "They like to play with their food."

You loaded an arrow into the crossbow you carried on your waist, aiming it at the griffin's head. The string snapped when you pulled the trigger, launching the arrow and burying it in the griffin's front shoulder. You burst out of the bush, silver sword in hand as you quickly approached the griffin. It turned to you with a deafening screech, lurching into the sky. You watched it fly in a circle, coming straight towards you.