Aftermath

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Linee gives the Harpies a moment to morn. Linee then calls for Speaker. Speaker makes a rough landing near Linee. Linee can see Speaker has been roughed up, but can still fly. Linee says to Speaker “are you alright?”

Speaker says “Can still fly.”

The Harpy Eagle lands on top of the crevice and looks down at the Harpies.

Linee says to Speaker “I hate to ask this, but what will you do with Grandma’s body?”

Speaker says “We would get rid of it. It will attract bad things. We could give it to the Great Sky Hunter to eat?” Speaker and the other Harpies look up at the Harpy Eagle.

 

The Harpy Eagle realizes what they want her to do. But she turns her back to her lesser kin. She has a great deal of respect for Grandma and that eating her would be an insult to Grandma.

 

Speaker looks back a Linee and says “I guess we will just move it out of the area.”

Linee hears some of the men calling to her from down below the cliff saying “Is everything alright up there?”

Linee looks around and then says to one of her daughters “Tell the men we need funeral warps and to get a wagon.”

Her daughter nods and runs to the edge. She yells down to the men “We need a wagon and funeral warps! Grandma has died!” a few of the men take off their hats for a moment then get to work.

Linee says to Speaker “Do you think you can make it to my place?”

Speaker says “I think so.”

Linee says “Then tell the Harpies that can fly to head to my place. When you get there say to Glee, my mate, that you need healers. Got that.”

Speaker says “yes, but what about harpies that can’t fly?”

Linee says “Have them come to me and we will carry them to my place.” Linee looks to the other women, who seem to wordlessly agree with her.

Speaker goes about doing what Linee asked of her.

Soon Harpies are gathering near the Goatfolk as others start flying towards the farm.

Several men come up with a large sheet and warp Grandma’s body up before tying it to a wooden board. A few of the men host her body on their shoulders and start walking out. Linee says to the other men “Help us get the Harpies back to the house.”

 

Glee has been waiting anxiously for word when he hears Speaker calling to him as she approaches the house. Speaker says to him “Need healers!” as she and the other Harpies come in for a landing. Many of the men nearby run to catch the Harpies as they make rough landings.

Glee says to one of the runners that have come from the other farms “You heard her! Run to town and get the healers here NOW!” He turns to the other farmhands and says “Clear out the storehouse. We use it as a ward for the Harpies.”

 

Linee leads a line of people with Harpies on their backs down the path. She soon sees the wagon and says to everyone “Put the young in the wagon.” The men carrying Grandma’s body walk right by without a word and continue to the farmhouse. Linee has her youngest daughter ride with the chicks including the two elder chicks in the wagon as they pull it back to the farmhouse.

 

Glee rushes to Linee when he sees her approaching. He then sees the men with a body in funeral warps. Glee looks to Linee and without him saying a thing, Linee says “Grandma.” Glee takes off his hat.

All the men take off their hats and bow their heads as Grandma’s body passes by them. The men holding her body keep walking without saying a word until they have passed everyone, then they stop to wait for further instructions. Glee says to them “Put her in the house.” Then men wordlessly start walking again.

Linee says to a few of the men “Go check the nest for any other bodies and be prepared to find their young.” Linee hopes they don’t find any.

 

Soon the Harpies are in a makeshift nest in the storage house and the healers are checking them over. The men have reported back that there were no more bodies. Linee is relieved to know no chick was orphaned and she has no grieving mothers.

But chicks are still in the back of the wagon and are calling for their mother. Linee had them put the wagon near the Harpies, which means that the mothers can hear their chicks and are trying to get to them. The healers have to almost fight the Harpies to keep them in their beds. Linee speaks to Speaker saying to her “Can you calm them down?”

Speaker says “They know chicks are safe, but still worry about them.”

Linee can see that the healers are starting to get overwhelmed by the Harpies. She goes out and gets some of the men to push the wagon for her.

Linee opens the doors to the storehouse and has the men push the wagon in so the Harpies can see the chicks. The noise is almost too much when the Harpies see their chicks. Linee then has the men pull the wagon back out. She then grabs the first chick and holds it up to the Harpies. All but one settles down. Speaker says “She is the mother.” Linee walks over with the chick and places it in the bed with the mother. The healers look the chick over and then just let it be.

The Harpies settle down as Linee goes through the long process of reuniting chicks with their mother. The Harpies know that this is the only way Linee can do it. Linee’s daughters also finish removing the hatchling down from any chick that still has it.

 

Soon the sun starts to set and Linee just has the two elder chicks left. Her daughters are with them. Her youngest says to her mother “Can they stay with us. I mean their mothers are inside getting cared for. They would just be in the way.”

Linee looks to Elder Mother and New Mother. They seem to understand what’s going on and give a nod. Linee turns back to her daughter saying “I guess it won’t hurt to take care of them while their mothers heal.” The girls let out a delightful glee. Linee quickly adds “They are not pets and we are not keeping them.”

 

Linee follows her daughters into the house as they run in and lead the young Harpies upstairs to their bedroom. Linee can hear them settling in and just showing the chicks around.

 

Linee heads to the back of the house. Grandma’s body lays on a table still warped. Glee and Glato have been watching over it. Linee says to her husband “We will be hosting the two elder chicks until their mothers heal.”

Glee says “I don’t mind that right now. I’m just wondering what to do with Grandma’s body.”

Linee says “Harpies don’t seem to have any funeral rights. They just get rid of the body. But I think it would be a sin to put a creature that lives in the air in the ground.”

Glee says “I still don’t know what to do with her.”

Glato has been staring at the body the whole time says without taking his eyes off it “Burn her. Burn her to ash.”

Linee says “I think that’s a good idea Glato. I’ll ask the Harpies if that’s all right.” Glee seems to agree with her. Linee looks outside and adds “But we should ask them in the morning.”

Glee says “Agreed. Let’s get some sleep.”

Linee can hear her daughters talking upstairs as she enters the main area. Linee yells up the stairs “Bedtime girls! We have work to do in the morning!”

Linee hears her daughters say in unison “Yes mother!” She then hears two additional voices say “Yes…mother!” with her girls congratulating them afterward. Linee stops upon hearing the additional voices but soon goes to bed.

Please read the main story.

Human Myth: Vol 1

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