Gradon Valley: A Human Myth Side Story by arlj11 | World Anvil Manuscripts | World Anvil

First Harvest

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Linee leads her daughters and a group of women up to the Harpies nesting site. The day has come. Over a dozen Harpy chicks need their hatching down removed. A few women start climbing up to the nest and take the chick from the nest to start combing the feathers to remove the down. They return the chick once they are done. Many of the chicks panic at being handled by someone other than their mothers, but the mothers know that it is the best way to get the down off after seeing New Mother’s chick get combed. The women then stuff a bag with the down feathers and drop it down to someone waiting at the bottom.

Linee stands proudly as she watches the work get done. But she soon hears a racket outside the crevice and then a group of Harpies come in and start attacking the nesting Harpies. The Goatfolk women quickly flee down to the floor as the attacking Harpies move further in. Linee gathers the women back as Grandma lands on her outcropping.

Grandma lets out a yell towards the attacking Harpies. One of the attacking Harpies flies up and lets out a similar yell. Grandma launches at the Harpy as she dives for Grandma. They meet midair and crash to the ground. They start fighting with each other.

 

Glato is in the woods readying a kill shot when his hunting Harpies look back and then leave squawking “Danger!” Glato double-takes then runs after them. He sees the crevice is being attacked by another flock of Harpies. He quickly pulls out his alert horn and gives it a hard blow. He then starts spinning the target for Boar Killer.

 

Glee hears the horn and sees the attack. He yells to his farmhands “Pass the alarm on and get to the Harpies! We have women in there!” The farmhands drop what they are doing and run to the bottom of the crevice.

 

Linee has all the women in one area as the attack continues around them. Soon she sees a chick on the floor trying to get away from an attacking Harpy. Linee’s youngest daughter grabs a stick and runs out to the chick. She starts swinging away at the attacking Harpy, emphasizing her word with each strike “LEAVE…THAT…CHICK…A…LONE!!!” her last strike knocking the attacking Harpy silly. The chick quickly grabs hold of the girl’s dress and climbs up to her back. Linee’s daughter then starts moving back to the group.

Linee looks at the other women then yells while pointing to the battle “DEFEND THE CHICKS!!!” All the women let out a battle cry and grab sticks as they run into the fray.

The two elder chicks sense the landwalkers intent and start yelling to the flock. The mother Harpies reluctantly push their chick out of their nest. The chicks roll down the side and into a waiting Goatfolk’s arms. The women beat back any Harpy that attacks them or a chick.

 

The farmhands have gathered at the bottom of the cliff waving and shouting to try and scare the other Harpies away. Some even try throwing rocks in the air to see if that gets them to leave. A few of the local Harpies land among the men which force their attacker to back off or even get hit by the men.

 

The Harpy Eagle is flying along the forest looking for a boar to feed her chick when she hears the alert horn behind her. She turns around and starts flying towards it. She follows the trail of landwalkers as she looks for the boar. She starts getting confused as she starts running out of forest line. She then sees her mate spinning his target. He throws it towards where her lesser kin nest. She looks up and sees they are being attacked by a rival flock. She quickly climbs in the air and dives towards the crevice opening. She tries grabbing a rival Harpy as she passes, but misses. There is a sudden cry of panic after she passes by. The Harpy Eagle realizes she doesn’t need to attack, she just has to make her presence known. She starts flying over the crevice quickly and makes very tight turns to make it look likes there is more than one of her kind in the area. She soon hears her chick crying and looks to see what’s going on. She sees some of the rival Harpies attacking it but ignores the attack and goes back to her flying.

 

The Harpy Eagle’s chick isn’t crying in pain but in hunger. She is at the stage where if she isn’t asleep, she’s hungry. She finally gets tired of the harpies not giving her food soon she decides to get some herself. She stands up revealing to the Harpies that she is as big as they are and pounces on the one nearest to her. She sinks her claws into Harpy's chest breaking ribs in the process and starts biting the helpless Harpy. The other Harpies flee the moment they realize what’s happening to their flock mate.

 

Linee has been giving cover to the women as they retreat with the chicks. Soon they have the chicks in a corner and beat back any harpy that comes near. Linee had been startled one time after Boar Killer flew overhead. Many of the attacking Harpies jump at Boar Killer’s passes, giving the established flock an opening to attack back with most of the mothers now on the offensive with their chick safe.

Linee sees Grandma is still fighting hard but looks to be losing. Linee runs up and smacks the attacking Harpy to knock her off Grandma. Grandma gets up and yells at Linee and goes back to attacking her target.

 

Grandma is fighting the leader of the rival flock and knows if she can hurt her enough, she’ll call for a retreat. Grandma doesn’t have any really good teeth left, but she is still able to use her claws. Soon the rival leader pushes Grandma off of her and pulls back to try attacking Grandma. The Great Sky Hunter does a quick flyover causing the rival leader to look up and around. She sees the established flock fighting back and the chicks being protected by landwalkers. She realizes that with a Great Sky Hunter in the area along with the odd actions of the landwalkers that her flock won’t last long here. She starts calling out to her flock as she makes her way to the ledge and takes off. The rival flock starts pulling out and following their leader.

Grandma gets back on top of her outcropping and lets out a yell that the other Harpies join in. Linee and the other women join in as well. The rival flock starts getting chased by the Harpy Eagle and a few of the flock.

Grandma raises up after finishing her yell, but she then collapses to the floor. Linee, Elder Mother, New Mother, and their chicks gather around Grandma. Grandma looks around at everyone with a smile. She then closes her eyes and then stops breathing.

 

The Harpies nearest to Grandma let out a sorrowful cry that the others soon join in.

Everyone can hear the cry across the fields. The Harpies chasing the rival flock away break off and start heading back with the Harpy Eagle soon following.

Please read the main story.

Human Myth: Vol 1

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