Alex jumped slightly at the touch. He looked up and groaned. "Crow!" he called.
He looked down, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "My pet Church Griffin. He must have gotten out, or finally figured out how to unlock the window, or--" Or the mice let him out, he finished silently. He'd have to have a talk with the mice later. They knew better than to be bullied by Crow, especially since they could probably take him in a fight if it really came down to that. "Sorry if he scared you. Crow!"
Above them, the Church Griffin continued circling, most likely pretending not to have heard his name being called.