Fan Works
This was an order: "You are more familiar with their culture than most. Explain that particular portion of failure."
"There are no griffon orphans. Not for more than a day." No amount of chill in the room was preventing him from sweating. "Their culture states that to bring a child into the world is to take responsibility for raising it to adulthood. And should the parents be lost, someone else must always take that responsibility. If other members of the family survive, the children are taken in. Should there be no one left above them in the bloodline, an aerie will always open. Every time, no exceptions. They regard attacks against children as the highest of crimes. Even —" and he stopped. It was part of history, a part most ponies never learned, one which had given him long thoughts for weeks after he'd first seen it.
Luna slowly nodded. "Even the children of enemies. We have had our wars with Protocera." The formal name of the Griffon Republic. "More than a few. Some during Equestria's formative years, others during my — abeyance. And there was always a single constant. During those wars, the griffons would attack to kill us. Unsurprising: that feeling hardly went one way. But never a child. Should pony parents be lost to battle, an entire settled zone wiped out, the foals would be untouched. For you see, in killing us during what was then seen as justified battle, they had taken away our chance to fulfill the responsibility. So someone would have to take over. And the griffons would gently hold the children between their paws — and fly them to their new home."
"There are no griffon orphans. Not for more than a day." No amount of chill in the room was preventing him from sweating. "Their culture states that to bring a child into the world is to take responsibility for raising it to adulthood. And should the parents be lost, someone else must always take that responsibility. If other members of the family survive, the children are taken in. Should there be no one left above them in the bloodline, an aerie will always open. Every time, no exceptions. They regard attacks against children as the highest of crimes. Even —" and he stopped. It was part of history, a part most ponies never learned, one which had given him long thoughts for weeks after he'd first seen it.
Luna slowly nodded. "Even the children of enemies. We have had our wars with Protocera." The formal name of the Griffon Republic. "More than a few. Some during Equestria's formative years, others during my — abeyance. And there was always a single constant. During those wars, the griffons would attack to kill us. Unsurprising: that feeling hardly went one way. But never a child. Should pony parents be lost to battle, an entire settled zone wiped out, the foals would be untouched. For you see, in killing us during what was then seen as justified battle, they had taken away our chance to fulfill the responsibility. So someone would have to take over. And the griffons would gently hold the children between their paws — and fly them to their new home."
Video Games
Altena: My apologies, Father... but I have an urgent question to ask you. Are you my father? Or was my father really King Quan?!
Travant: Feh... I see you've found out at last. Well, I suppose it was only a matter of time before this day came. It's true. Quan did indeed sire you, but what difference does that make now? It doesn't change that it is I who raised you.
Altena: So you... You murdered my parents, Father...
Travant: Heh heh... I suppose I did. Quan and Ethlyn died at my hand. Do you take issue with that? War is hell, Altena. War claims lives. Worrying now won't change a thing.
Altena: Gah... How dare you! How dare you mislead me all these years, Father! Er, no... Travant!
Travant: Feh... I see you've found out at last. Well, I suppose it was only a matter of time before this day came. It's true. Quan did indeed sire you, but what difference does that make now? It doesn't change that it is I who raised you.
Altena: So you... You murdered my parents, Father...
Travant: Heh heh... I suppose I did. Quan and Ethlyn died at my hand. Do you take issue with that? War is hell, Altena. War claims lives. Worrying now won't change a thing.
Altena: Gah... How dare you! How dare you mislead me all these years, Father! Er, no... Travant!
