Gryphon

Griff stood just in front of the princess's unconscious body, completely naked, his fists raised as he watched her assailant steady himself from the blow he had just taken. Griff watched the blade the man was holding wearily, knowing that it would strike out at him at any moment, knowing he needed to be ready to dodge its bite, for he had nothing to protect his skin from its sharp edge. The assailant eyed him back angrily, the hatred and bitterness evident in his eyes. "She was supposed to be mine!" he called out. "I was here first! I asked for her hand first, I gave her gifts first! But then you came along and ruined everything!"

"Maybe you should have tried to actually know her, rather than just throwing what little you had at her blindly," Griff replied coolly. He was the princess's personal bodyguard, and though it had been unintentional and he had not done much to court her, the two had ended up falling in love, prompting her to cut ties with the foreign princes who had for months been trying to woo her, much to her dismay. While most had reluctantly withdrawn and taken it for what it was, Dem had not been so wise or kind. He had hired assassins to try and kill Griff, and when that had failed, he had tried to assault the princess herself, so as to knock her out and take her away.

Prince Dem let out a roar of anger as he launched himself forward, knife flashing through the air, but Griff was no longer standing in that position. In an instant his body had transformed from that of a human to that of a gryphon, still large and powerful, but much shorter and longer in form. The knife flew over his head, cutting nothing but air, and Dem staggered as the weight threw him off balance, just enough for Griff to slam against him and send him sprawling away from the princess.

He launched after the prince, pouncing on top of him and dragging him across the floor. When Dem had regathered enough of his focus to strike back, Griff was once more a man, standing back where his hind legs had been as a gryphon, far away from the sting of Dem's blade. Dem didn't have the time to react before Griff's foot was being planted straight in his gut, knocking the air out of him completely.

Griff pulled back, knowing that the assailant would continue to be stunned for a good while more. As a shapeshifter, he was far stronger than any normal human. But in his human form, he was still much weaker than a gryphon. And lighter. So as he saw the assailant beginning to regain his composure, he leapt through the air, changing form once more as he soared, and crushed the prince under his massively heavy body.