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Harpy Shinko

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The exit to the mountain area was a big relief to Shinko, having made her escape from the goblin lair. At such high altitudes, the world was no more than a speck below her. Clouds were at eye-level, and the dense feeling of fog and cold was everywhere. Shinko continued her journey up the mountain, feeling a shortness of breath as she walked.
“Being this high up in the mountains sure gives one a run for their money… or in my case, AIR.” She sounded exasperated. “All this walking better prove to be worth it… I wanted to go on this journey for so long, and if I come to find it empty handed, I am going to be so peed off…”
She gave a sigh, and rubbed her forehead, pausing for a while as she rested against a large boulder. The mountains were pretty tall, and it would take days just to reach the other end of the mountains… If only life were easy, just like in The Lord of The Rings.
“I’d kill for an eagle about now… It’d get me over these dreadful steep climbs I keep having to crawl over…”
“Mind if I help?” A voice called over to her. The voice was apparently female, but it didn’t sound too hostile. Still, it was enough to catch Shinko off her guard, and caused her to spin towards the voice to her right. Before her stood a woman, naked, with wings for arms and talons for feet. Feathers stemmed from behind her, while a fluffy tuft of plumage grew from where her ears would have been. It was a harpy, winged humans with strong resemblances to birds.
Shinko stared at the creature, surprised at her luck and misfortune. “A harpy…?” She gasped.
The harpy nodded at her, “Hello young one. Off travelling in the mountains?”
Shinko nodded. She had heard mixed tales about harpies, but had learned to keep her guard down in case of an encounter. Harpies were known to be vicious if tempted or insulted. She certainly didn’t want to insult this one…
“Where are you off to?” The harpy insisted.
“I’m—… I need to get across the mountains.” She sighed.
“To what destination, child?” The harpy cooed.
Shinko shrugged, “These mountains wear me out. I’m headed on a personal, um… soul searching journey.” She lied. She really had no ideas what to say at a time like this. The talons of the harpy looked intimidating, and she wasn’t too sure how well the harpy would take to a little fib.
The harpy simply nodded her head to her, and bowed, “My child… Humans do not normally walk upon these grounds as the harpies here manifest themselves deep within the cracks and crevasses in search of lone travelers such as yourself. You’d make a good meal for any harpy’s chick, I hope you know.”
“Yes, I—… kind of had a feeling about that…” Shinko shuddered.
The harpy shook her head, “I’m afraid you don’t, or else you would know not to climb up here. You came from the goblin’s lair, did you not?”
“Yes… and I—“
“And the goblins attempted to rob you? I’m surprised. Normally nobody would make it out without losing at least a trinket or something. What is that large thing you carry?”
“It’s… a flask.” Shinko muttered. She had no time for chatty harpies. “I carry it with me like a haversack. It contains my—… medicine.” She lied indirectly. Technically it wasn’t medicine, but it did help her in dire times of need.
The harpy thought about this, then nodded, “Well, let’s see what we can do, hm? I’ll just carry you with me, and we’ll travel to the end of the mountains together. It ought not take too long, I’m a fairly fast flyer, and you seem pretty skinny.”
Shinko blushed, “Um--… thanks.” She muttered.
The harpy took flight, then used her large talons to grab a hold of Shinko by the shoulders. The talons were strong and hard, making Shinko’s shoulders hurt from all the pressure. Still, it was better to have safety than to fall from lack of protection. She felt herself become lifted off the ground, butterflies in her stomach as the harpy flew her over the mountains. The surreal feeling of weightlessness built upon her consciousness, drawing her farther away from the world she once knew. In her ears, she could hear the song of the harpy singing to her… The harpy sang in strange trills and chirps, somewhat similar to a chickadee at times, but at others hard and low like an eagle or a falcon. Sharp shrills and squawks filled her ears, and Shinko began to feel herself changing…
The harpy was calling to her…
Calling to her…
The harpy shook her…
She could not hear her calls…
Then—…
The weightlessness returned… The rushing of the wind around her as she began to fall…
Shinko opened her eyes to find herself surprised. Above her, the clothes she once wore were falling slowly from the sky. Around her, the world was zipping by quickly as she was sky diving from an incredible height. She only had the chance to scream before opening her arms out wide. In a sudden instant, the feeling of weightlessness became replaced with the feeling of suspension, as a pair of wings appeared from her sides.
Shinko opened her eyes, surprised to find herself in the air. Her eyes widened, and she gasped at the sight of dark brown wings protruding from her sides. Dark feathers sprouted from her elbows, and her hands became extensions of the wings.
“I’m flying… I’m flying!!” Shinko shouted. She found herself gliding with her wings spread wide. Off in the distance, she spied the harpy flying away, carrying the flask with her. The harpy wanted what was inside of her flask! She knew that there was a catch to this whole flying business…!
“That harpy tricked me…! I knew it!” She squawked. She gasped, and bit her lip. “M-my voice too!? Krrrawww!” Her voice was bird-like and squawky. It was no wonder that birds had such a strange vocal range. She shook her head, it was no time to be thinking about her squawky voice. That bird woman had stolen an important object from her, and she had to take it back!
Shinko practiced flapping her wings a few times, then took off flying after the harpy. The harpy flew over tall mountaintops, leading Shinko on an aerial adventure she had never anticipated. Down through valleys, up past tree tops, beyond rivers and waterfalls the harpy flew… and then—…
“CRUNCH!!”
The harpy dropped the flask, causing it to jam between two larger rocks. The harpy had been intercepted by another winged creature, swiftly flying off with the harpy in flight. A dragon! The harpy was quickly able to maneuver its wings, but the dragon was faster at flying. Off in the distance, Shinko observed the dragon chasing down the harpy… off into the horizon…
Shinko landed by the flask, and sighed. Her heart was beating rapidly, but fortunately she didn’t have to worry about that now. Now she had tracked down the flask, and had gotten it in her grasp.
“I wish I could find a victim for myself… It looks like it might even be fun~” She said to herself. “Travelers would be so easy to find, if it were not for these wings secluding me here.” She blinked, then shook her head. “No no no—what am I saying…? If I think that way, I’ll soon end up as a harpy forever, and then I’ll never get out…! No—I have to do this… I have to get out of here…!” She took the flask in her talons, grabbing it by the cork. She took flight, and wriggled her talons, working the tip of the flask off. The bottle opened with a loud “POP!” before Shinko was able to rest beside it. Moments passed, and soon her wings began to fade away. Her clothes magically appeared back on her body, and she found herself just the way she was.
Shinko opened her eyes and blinked, smiling. At least one good thing had come of all of this! She was no longer trapped on the other side of the mountain! She had made it clear to the other side, and now she could resume her journey! She stood back up on her feet, adjusting the hem of her skirt, and giggled. “Now I know what it feels like to be a bird for a day! At least now I don’t have to wonder what it would be like flying!” Grabbing her flask, Shinko set off again for another journey. The harpy off in the distance gave a screech, and she shuddered, but shook her head and smiled. She began to sing a tune for herself, something that she liked… And that, she knew, would not drive any creature birdy!
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Comments10
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Etelet's avatar
Biutifull artwork and great storry XD i like to read how she ended chaned into various mythologicall (or not) creatures. Altrought after playing gothic i really disliked harpies (they were more irritating that dangerous) but to her i felt much more symphaty X3