the Will of Calamus
To Be a Harpy
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Chloe and Gawn flew off of the spires, towards her cabin in the forest. She looked back at Gawn. He seemed to be flying just fine. "We should probably stay high- just in case there are any villagers in the woods. It's only a few miles from here."
Gawn squinted as he looked into the distance, "Is that smoke?"
"What?" Chloe asked, looking ahead. "Yea,...
black smoke." Her eyebrows tensed suddenly. "No... wait, that can't be-" she hesitated, looking at the treeline and picking up speed. "Gawn, I think that's my cabin!"
Curling his wings, Gawn dove forward like a bullet, not quite as fast as Chloe as the approached the clearing. The cabin remained in ruins, smoking and mostly collapsed. Gawn landed after circling, then looked around, smelling the wind. "There's a hint of smoke coming from farther north."
"No no no no..." Chloe muttered as she swooped down. Everything she ever knew was in this cabin. Books, photos, clothes, cookware- anything that could remind her of her Father that had passed. It looked as though the cabin had been smoldering for hours. There was nothing left to save by this point.
"I'm sorry little hen," Gawn murmured, keeping his thoughts to himself about how it was unsafe to build a home out of anything that could burn. "We shouldn't linger." The feathers on the back of his neck began to rise, as the smell of smoke grew stronger, and he could swear on Calamus' feathers that he could hear screams.
Chloe's senses weren't as keen as she was overcome with grief. What happened here?! Who could have done this. Ignoring Gawn, Chloe fluttered into the building. The flames weren't deadly, but the embers were still smoldering. Surely there was something left that she could salvage.
A man's yelling brought Gawn to attention, standing on a visible path that lead into the forest. His language was harsh, with a thick accent and the harpy could not understand him. He
could understand the long sword being brandished in front of the human at himself, and the wild arm movements. Clearly, the human had never seen a harpy before and thought he was just a huge bird of some kind.
Chloe was inside of the half standing cabin, rummaging around. "What is that, Gawn?" she called back, digging through the burned down desk.
"Chloe, let's go, there is a human here, he is being aggressive." Gawn hissed at the human, outstretching his wings and crouching slightly. The man didn't seem to understand that Gawn would attack him instead of fly away, and started to walk forward, his face red with anger.
Chloe was too in shock to cry as she looked at all of her precious belongings that were now nothing but ash. "What?" she asked, coming out of the cabin. "Is he who did this?!" Chloe asked loudly, glaring at the man, puffing her wings out a bit.
"I'm... not sure." Gawn's eye narrowed when the human saw her and began yelling even louder, now towards her, still closing the gap between them. Now he was only 20 feet away and not showing any signs of letting up. "Can you understand him?" Gawn's calm attitude was reaching a breaking point, and he hissed again and feinted, trying to see if the human would falter. Pausing, the man stopped walking, but put his waving hand on the lower part of the sword, literally growling.
"That isn't English- I have no idea what he wants." Chloe said, staying behind Gawn a bit. Who was this man and why did he want to attack them? Most importantly, did he burn her house down?
The man suddenly screamed a battle cry and ran forward at Gawn. Leaping up, Gawn avoided his swing easily and swung his spur down, slashing the arm across the top and effectively forcing the human to drop the sword. Startled, the human looked up at the harpy towering over him and paled, grabbing his bloody arm and turning to flee... back towards the village that was now clearly burning.
When the man ran off, Chloe was starting to lose it a bit. Sure it was only a house, but it was the house she was raised in. Tearing up, her knees were quivering. Lowering herself to the grass, Chloe sobbed, covering her face with a wing.
Gawn was unsure of how to comfort her, and tried cooing and wrapping a wing around her form. She easily fit within his span. Preening a wisp of her hair, "There there. Maybe they stole some of it from burning? If we hurry, we can fly and see."
"That cabin...was a-all...all I had." Chloe said between gasps as she sobbed. Where was she supposed to live now? She was homeless and had nothing to remember her father by. It was like he never existed!
Although he was nervous being on the ground, her being in this condition worried him even more. "Come little hen, we must fly." Taking a little bit of a risk, Gawn lowered his face and rubbed her cheek with his own.
Chloe appreciated his consoling gesture, but she was still very upset and probably would be for quite some time. "I- I don't think... I can't l-leave this p-p-place...Wh
at am I going to d-do?!" she said between sobs, a bit frantic. Where would she go now? This had been her home since she was a hatching. She was born in these woods and raised in this house. The thought of just flying away as if it never was made her feel incredibly scared. Her father dying only a few weeks ago was bad enough... now she had nothing to remember him by. Well, except for the small purple ribbon in her hair.
"You can live on the spires..." With me. "You wanted to live among your people, you seek our acceptance... well, live with us." Gawn nuzzled her again, wrapping his other wing around her as well. He wouldn't normally do this for any other female but he felt comfortable with her, more then he had with any other harpy.
Chloe had to get it together. She sniffled and wiped her eyes with the curve of her wing. She let him nuzzle against her...it was the only comfort she had right now and Chloe wasn't about to disregard it. "W-will that be allowed?" she sniffled.
"Of course little hen..." He whispered back, gently leaning back to kiss her on the forehead, then he smiled, looking into her eyes and kissed her cheek.
Chloe's eyes shot forward. Her sobbing had ceased and her vision cleared. Did he just...kiss her? A hug was understandable... but lip to cheek contact? Her face immediately reddened. "Gawn?" she asked in a meek voice, looking up into his eye.
"Yes, Chloe?" His smile faded slightly.
"Uhm...." she began, her confidence faltering, "What was that just now?"
Gawn frowned, "I think... a I like you... kiss." He looked away, "I don't want you to be sad, and I don't wish for anything to hurt you." Gawn closed his eye at that and turned his head, unsure if he should go on or not. "..I could care less about other harpies, females, you treat me with respect and as an equal." He still didn't return his gaze to hers, for if he saw the look of rejection or horror on her face for telling her this... well, he didn't know how he would react. "If you asked me to your home again, I could not refuse."
Chloe blinked wide, not expecting something so forward. At least not so soon. Then again, the two of them have been through a lot in only 24 hours. Chloe would be lying if she said she didn't find him attractive. So massive and powerful, he would be able to keep her safe from anything and everything. "Well.. uhm..." she began, a bit nervous. "How can you say that so surely? We've only met just yesterday." He had basically just accepted her proposal if she were to request it.
"You don't understand, because you haven't grown up with Calamus' guidance," He replied quietly, then turned his intense amber stare back to her gaze, emotion and fervor in his voice. "I've prayed for the last five years for my other half, the other part of my soul. And all I've received are weak, vying females. We cannot be whole alone, there are always two sides to a feather." A tear grew in his eye as his voice went husky, "I've waited five years for an answer to my prayers, and five years Calamus was silent to my pleas." Sighing, the harpy looks away again and rubbed his face on his carpal joint to remove any moisture from his face. "I don't expect you to accept me just on that fact, but... I do hope you would consider it."
Chloe felt her heart jump up into her throat. Only moments ago, she thought she had lost everything...and now, the little harpy was unable to stop smiling. No one had ever confessed a love for her before and it caused her expression to soften. Stepping forward, Chloe nuzzled his breast feathers. "Thank you." she said gently.
Gawn looked down at her, his wings instinctively tightening around her smaller form. "What for, pretty bird?"
"For everything..." she began. "For accepting me for who I am when I arrived on the spires, for showing me around and giving me a place to stay, for coming with me down to Earth, and for... and for protecting me." Her cheeks were still flushed, "You would uhm...I think you would make a fine mate to a female."
He smiled, but didn't reply to that. "I do enjoy you within my wings, but we really must fly. I have a feeling those humans have attacked your village. Can you smell the smoke coming from there now?"
Chloe was still sad about her cabin, but was put at ease by Gawn. Everything seemed as though it would be alright until he spoke. She backed away from him and got a waft of burning wood that carried through the air. "Let's hurry." she said, opening her wings as she took off.
Gawn's face relaxed into a slight frown as he followed her into the air.
A fire was raging within the small village. People were screaming, unable to leave their burning homes. An entire gang of raiders were terrorizing the village, looting anything that could have a price. Some of the younger women were being shuffled onto a cart for transport.
The man that Gawn had injured was in the middle of the small square, surrounded by his fellows. He was cursing and yelling, then flapped his good arm as if to say birds did this to him. Gawn looked over to Chloe, not wanting to get involved, but at the same time knowing he would follow her anywhere.
"We have to help them, Gawn!" Chloe said in a worried voice. This village hadn't really liked her growing up, but it would be wrong to just ignore their screams.
"What about those humans?" He was sure they would react to her saving the others... react violently. Gawn suddenly wished for his dueling armor.
"Disable them... if you can't, kill them if you must." Chloe said quickly as they lowered to the town. "I'll begin to relieve the trapped villagers. Please be careful." she said with utmost sincerity.
By now the men began yelling and pointing upwards. Gawn cursed lightly under his breath, "You be careful as well." With a battle cry that sounded more avian then harpy, Gawn shot forward, aiming for the close knot of humans. He easily distracted them from Chloe, which was what he wanted, as some dove to the ground to avoid him, others yelled and ran to the sides. Turning neatly in the air, Gawn landed in the dirt, his feathers puffed out and his mouth open in a vicious hiss.
Chloe dive bombed to the closest burning building she could find. Curling her wings in, she hit the side of the building and tore through it like a bullet. There was a small family of four huddled in the corner of the room, holding one another close. They all had passed out from the smoke and she wasted no time in scooping them up with her talons carefully and dragging them out as swiftly as she could.
The humans tried everything they could; they couldn't get close enough to him with swords, he simply dodged arrows, and the nets were shredded in an instant. Then one yelled and pointed towards Chloe, dragging a weighted net with them. Gawn paled and growled, trying to get their attention again.
Chloe didn't notice as she finished pulling out the family. They already began to stir and she quickly moved to the next where a woman was sobbing outside. She screamed something about her infant and Chloe quickly barreled through a large, smokey window.
Gawn pushed through the weak humans, frantically stabbing and not caring if they were mortal wounds or not. They were going after Chloe and were waiting for her with nets.
When Chloe emerged, she had a bundle hanging from her mouth. Passing it off to the woman, she didn't notice the struggle Gawn was facing. Chloe's feathers were smoking a bit with embers that had grazed her.
When the small harpy turned, the humans literally rammed her, throwing their nets over her wings so she couldn't fly. Gawn was infuriated and he left a trail of blood behind him until he was mere feet from the raiders that held her hostage. The humans behind him moaned in death, having wiped out their entire group except for the two left.
Chloe screeched and opened her wings. The net forced against her, eventually taking the poor harpy off of her feet and onto her back. She called for Gawn's help, struggling and getting even more caught in the net. One of the bandits took out a long dagger and reached into the net, holding the blade against Chloe's neck. She immediately froze and stared at Gawn who had just approached.
"If you dare harm a feather on her head..." Gawn literally snarled, but was cut short by the man actually speaking. "You vill let us go, bird man." The man's dark eyes narrowed.
"If you kill her I will hunt you down, and find everyone you hold dear." The harpy and the man squared off, black against Gawn's amber. The two men spoke gibberish to each other, then abruptly picked up the small harpy, trapped within the net and tossed her into a flaming window. With the harpy busy, they bolted for the trees.
Chloe let out a screech as her body was sent through a glass window, shattering it into the home. Landing on scorching embers, she tried escaping but the net was entangled in her wings and talons. Her cries were pained and terrified as flames and smoke surrounded her. Seconds passed before her vision blurred and her cries withered to nothing.
An instant later Gawn was inside, grabbing the ropes in his mouth and hauling her to safety. The ropes burned a part the second he was able to put her down, and he moved her cut face to the side with his wing. "Chloe?!" She did not respond. Quickly, he glanced to the woman who's baby she had saved. "Water, where's water?"
"What..?"
"WATER, NOW!"
Scrambling to her feet, the mother ran to the center well, and grabbed a bucket for him. When she reached him, Gawn snagged it from her violently, tossing it on the smoldering harpy. It would both douse her burns and wake her up.
Or so he hoped. The little harpy didn't move yet. Even in those few seconds she was engulfed in flames, the smoke had gotten to her even more quickly.
Gawn didn't panic... not yet anyway. When one learned to take life, he was also taught to give it back. Moving her head up, Gawn bent down and knelt next to her, gently pulling her into his lap. He listened for her heart for a moment and when he didn't hear it tears slid down his cheeks. Placing his lips over hers, Gawn gave her his life, his breath. He did this several times and listened for her heart again.
Nothing happened at first, but then, then there was a weak beat. Then another... her heart had kicked on again. Although it was weak, it slowly progressed to a normal one. Chloe turned her head and coughed, her cheeks and chin covered in soot and ash. Limp in his arms, she opened her eyes a little and stared up at him. With the sun behind Gawn's head, there was a heavenly glow about his figure, causing a small smile to form on her lips.
"How I have missed you," Gawn whispered, his brow furrowing as tears continued to drip down his bloody cheeks.
Chloe turned and coughed again, gasping for clean air. She opened her mouth to speak, but winced a bit. It still hurt to talk, Chloe only hoped her eyes told Gawn how thankful she was. Her wings had taken to some damage however. The fire had licked at her feathers, singeing quite a few of them off completely. The area on the back of her neck and places on her feet were also a bit reddened and burned.
The human was torn by thankfulness that her baby was saved by Chloe, but also by horror of these two... creatures. The male was massive compared to her. Unsure of what to really say, the mother instead cautiously entered a smoking house and exited with what looked like a medical kit. Setting her baby down, "Here... let me help."
"Gawn..." Chloe began, still a bit breathless. "There are still houses burn-" Her words were cut off by a violent cough. Apparently the smoke hadn't cleared her lungs yet.
Several of them collapsed right as she spoke, and Gawn surveyed the last ones standing and shook his head, "It is too dangerous little bird."
"I...I can do it." Chloe said stubbornly, looking at the last ones standing. She winced and rolled onto her feet, trying to stand and move to help.
"No. No you can't. You've done enough for them." Gawn kept her down with the weight of his wings alone.
"But... but...." Chloe stuttered, not satisfied with his answer. Sure, they weren't of her species, but she thought it wrong that these innocents had to die like this. Her eyes started to water, looking up at Gawn like an infant unable to move on her own.
"If I die in those fires... how will I protect you?" Gawn frowned, and looked to the buildings again and another one collapsed into burning embers.
Chloe lifted her head and looked around. Gawn was right..there was nothing worth saving anymore. She had done all she could and so had he. "Okay... I'm sorry..." she bowed her head, and coughed a bit more.
Gawn held her close, and glanced to the human that was currently wiping some of her feathers clean of ash. The human was being really cautious, and kept trying to stay as far away from Gawn as possible. He didn't know how he was going to get her back to the spires.
Chloe winced and laid back for a moment to catch her breath. She watched the smoke and ash rise up into the clouds. Finally, she grit her teeth and rolled over. "I'm fine. Come on, we should get moving... I'm sorry about this Gawn. I was reckless."
The woman leapt back, slightly startled by Chloe's movements. Gawn however did not budge, his eye looking over all her wounds, "It does not matter, what is done, is done. You did what you felt you needed to do, and indeed you did save innocent lives. Are you fit to fly?"
"I think so-" she said in a weak voice, trying to stretch her wings out. Before they extended fully, Chloe winced and drew them back in. "I'll be ok- I just need a little bit. Uhm... can we go to a stream or something. I should put cold water on my feet." Her skin wasn't too burned, but several feathers had been lost and were useless.
Holding up the bucket, "Will this do?" The human asked, holding out the water. "I need to get you to Jenna..." Gawn murmured quietly.
"Very much, thank you." Chloe said, shuffling over to the woman to take the bucket from her. "I will be fine, please tend to your child." she said upon hearing the infant crying. Glancing to Gawn, she coughed a bit and said, "Just a little sore and some burned feathers." Chloe really didn't want him to worry about her.
But there was no way he couldn't worry about her now. It was just something he could not help. He felt vulnerable here, on the earth, and with humans so near... His neck feathers rose involuntary as he glared into the underbrush. Gawn stepped closer to Chloe, looking as if he was guarding her. "You could have died, don't make light of this, you could have been seriously hurt. It would be safer for you if we managed to get back to the spires as soon as you can."
"I could-" she began, trying her best to resist coughing. Her voice was weak and tired from the pain. "I could try to fly?" Chloe stayed near Gawn and muttered, "Can we.. get out of here?"
"Only if you can fly." Gawn replied firmly. If she couldn't, he didn't want her to hurt herself further by trying.
Chloe carefully lifted one of her feet, dipping it into the bucket of cold water. There was instant relief and it was clear on her face. "I'll try in a moment." She couldn't help but feel a wave of guilt. "I'm sorry about all this." she said again. "We shouldn't have come down here..."
"Stop apologizing..." Gawn whispered, leaning in and preening some of her neck feathers, his lips grazing her cheek before he leaned back again and smiled, "It's alright, you are safe, that is all that matters to me."
Chloe smiled bashfully after he gave her a little peck on the cheek. "Thanks. Still- maybe we should take some cover in the woods just in case those guys come back." she advised, a bit worried actually. A bird that couldn't fly was a dead one and the same went for harpies.
He nodded, "Why don't you douse your other leg and we'll see if you can fly."
"It would have been a lot worse had you not gotten me out of there so soon." she explained, dipping her other foot. She let out a long breath, enjoying the coolness of the water on her other leg. A short while passed before Chloe stepped away from the bucket. Wincing, she slowly opened up her wings. She moved them up and down, forward and back, seeing how far she could extend them. Finally, Chloe went to flap. Her feet were lifted off of the ground for a moment before quickly landing again. It really hurt to do THAT much.
Gawn immediately cooed and went to her, putting a wing around her carefully. "Come, let us retreat to what is left of your cabin, we'll see if we can find something that can be saved." Leading her away carefully, Gawn looked over his shoulder at the woman, a silent thank you passing between them as they disappeared into the forest.
Chloe's walking slowed tremendously towards the end of their hike. Her feet and begun hurting and she needed to rest their burns. When they arrived, Chloe felt her heart sink when she saw the rubble that was once her childhood home.
It was at this moment that Gawn almost wished he had arms, so that he could scoop her up and take her away from the pain she was feeling. Almost. He wrinkled his nose at the thought of not being able to fly. "Is there a stream nearby? Maybe you can rest in there."
Stumble!