Flight of the Golden Harpy

by Susan Klaus

  Waters folded his arms and sighed. “That creates a problem. Our water is gone, and several men were ready to leave for far wells and to repair the circuit breakers. They won’t hold a charge and either were damaged or jammed by the beetles.”

  “Your men shall die to bring the water,” Shail said. “Can one do as you say?”

  Ted step up. “I can fix the breakers.”

  Shail glanced at Ted. “He shall do. He is not so large I cannot lift him if I must.”

  “All right,” Waters said.

  Ted ran and got the tools and new breakers. He returned quickly and stepped out the doors with Shail. In darkness they walked across the giant landing strip almost vacant of ships. With the coming swarms, most worthy spacecrafts had left. Hampton harbor also sat empty with many humans seeking the ocean for refuge.

  “Do you know if Kari is all right?” Ted asked while they moved in the dark.

  “She is well,” Shail answered and sensed Ted’s mind. The man had deep feelings for his mate and wondered how Shail knew about Kari’s welfare. She was in the mountains, and harpies didn’t use communicators. “I know she is well. We sense one another in our dreams.”

  “Really? She sure loves you.”

  “And I her.”

  Ted distanced himself from Shail, and Shail sensed the man’s fear. Ted had recalled Shail’s jealousy at the auction, and had seen Shail in action with the deadly hand-to-hand combat with Simpson. Ted swallowed and kept walking.

  “You need not fear of me,” Shail said quietly. “My mate cares for you and would be displeased if I hurt you. And I am glateful you helped her while I was caged.”

  “Man, you’re spooky,” Ted said. “The way you read my mind is freaking me out.”

  They reached the well, and Shail leaned against a water tank. “I am sorry it…” Shail mustered, “freaks you out. I still learn of humans and their unsure ways.”

  Ted turned on a light and began to fix the damaged connections and replace the circuit breakers. “I guess you know how much Kari means to me.” Ted glanced up, but Shail ignored him and peered out into the darkness.

  “We must go,” Shail said. “There is no more time.”

  Ted looked in the same direction. “I don’t see anything, and I’m almost done. Just another minute,” he said, and snapped in the new breaker.

  “My sight does not warn me,” Shail said. “It is the sound.”

  Ted tightened the new part. “I don’t hear anything, either.”

  Shail couldn’t waste more time with the stupid man. He grabbed Ted under his arms and jerked him to his feet. “Drop the metal things,” he ordered, and furiously flapped his wings. Ted released his tools and was lifted into the air. Still lying by the well, the solar light went dark, covered by a huge shadow. Shail frantically flew across the expansive lot with the heavy load twice his weight.

  Reaching the port doors, Shail released Ted. The beetles dropped around the man’s feet and hit Shail’s extended wings. Ted slid open the doors and jumped inside, and Shail flew sideways over the threshold. Ted slammed the doors shut and heard the full force of the swarm smash into the outside doors. Like heavy raindrops on a tin roof, the constant popping told their numbers.

  “Jesus, that was close!” Ted exclaimed as Shail fluttered and landed beside him. “Sure glad you have good ears.”

  Shail tossed his hair back and ruffled his feathers. It had been close. The extra weight had nearly cost Shail and Ted their lives. He wearily leaned against the doors, trapped among the humans. He was exhausted and wished for a cool stream to bathe and a soft nest to sleep. Leaving the port wasn’t an option until the swarm settled and stopped its attack.

  Waters rushed to the doors. “Are you two okay?”

  “Yeah, but they almost got us,” Ted said. “Shail heard them and picked me up. He saved my life.” Ted good-naturedly put his hand on the harpy’s shoulder.

  Shail seethed, showing he didn’t like to be handled, and Ted jerked his hand away and shrugged. “Do you have the water?” Shail asked.

  “Yes, it came on, and then we heard the swarms strike the port,” said Waters.

  “Until the beetles lie down, I must stay,” said Shail. “I cannot fly out without them flying in.” He went back to the doors and curled up on the floor.

  “Give him some space,” Waters told the nearby people. Everyone stared at the harpy and could tell he wasn’t happy with confinement.

  “He’s probably thirsty,” said a woman and walked toward the harpy with a newly poured bottle of water. She sat down next to Shail. “Can I give you a drink and thank you for saving my life?”

  Shail took the bottle from Mollie. “You also kept me alive.” Taking a sip, he sat up, holding his knees and resting his chin on them. His wings floated in front and around him and the feathered tips joined at his feet. He detected Mollie’s desire to caress him as she once had when he was caged and helpless. She no longer saw him as an animal, but like a man she deeply loved.

  “Can you forgive me?” she asked. “I betrayed you because Bill threatened to kill me.”

  Shail took her hand, brought it to his face, and nuzzled it. “Then there is nothing to forgive,” he said softly. “We share a memory of misery at the range. One I long to forget.”

  The thumps of beetles on the door ended with the swarm settling, and Shail stood up to leave. He glanced down at her. “You are a good human, Mollie, but do not waste your love on a dream. Find a worthy man who can give you happiness.”

  * * *

  There was a sharp rap on the port door, and a man carefully slid open the doors a crack. The beetles were gone, but several harpies stood in their place. Shail stepped outside. “I am well, Aron.”

  Aron seethed at Shail. “I had a harpy watch over you, and he has told of the reckless attempt to flee a swarm while carrying the weight of a man. You are the one and only golden ruler and should not take such risks. Perhaps you are the last because all other goldens had the same death wish.”

  Shail was accustomed to Aron’s ranting, and how he often treated him like a rash younger brother. “You disrespect me?” Shail glared and his wings arched. “You spy on me and question my decisions? Do you wish to challenge my rule?” Shail’s eye brightened, conveying insincerity.

  Aron played along for the benefit of the other harpies and submissively lowered his head. “Forgive me, Master. I dare not challenge you. My worry for you causes me to lose my place.”

  Waters left the port and stepped into the ring of harpies. He nervously saw that the beetles were only ten feet away, held back by the harpies’ repellent green sap. “I just wanted to thank you, Shail, for restoring the water and saving us from the swarms. I hope we’ll become good friends, and you’ll trust me like you trusted Mr. Turner.”

  “Honor our truce, and the friendship shall come,” Shail said and saw a little girl inside the port. “You have water, but what of food?”

  Waters raised his eyebrows. “We don’t have much, but we will survive until the swarms are gone.”

  “Your young should not suffer the hunger.” Shail placed his hand on Aron’s shoulder. “He is called Aron, and he acts bold enough to bring jungle food to your humans. A good shall come when you learn of one another.”

  Shail knew the other harpies believed Aron was being punished for his lack of respect toward the golden male. All harpies would gladly rather face deadly swarms than go among the cruel humans with an unpredictable nature.

  The harpies left the port and returned to the mansion. Shail stayed with them rather than go to his mother in the building. Finding a moss-covered tree limb, he coiled up and reluctantly closed his eyes, knowing he must seek Kari and give her the bad news about her father.

  Their minds merged in his dream, and he found Kari waiting in the fantasy jungle. She ran to him and jumped into his arms. “I can hardly wait until I really hold you,” she said. Shail kissed her cheek and didn’t respond. She pulled back and looked up at him. “I feel sad
ness in you. What has happened, Shail?”

  Shail looked down and shuffled the dirt around with his foot. “Your father has died.”

  Kari’s face showed panic, and in an instant her image vanished before his eyes. The dream had become a nightmare and woke her.

  Inside the cave, Kari sat up in the moss nest and could barely catch her breath. She stared blankly at the dark walls and cried.

  Charlie went to her nest. “What’s wrong, Kari?”

  “Dad is dead.”

  Charlie sat down and held her while his own tears coursed down his wrinkled cheeks, his worst fears coming true.

  * * *

  The dawn broke displaying a golden clear sky, and Shail slowly stirred in the branches. He stretched his wings and felt stiffness in his muscles. He hopped to the ground, knowing the minor irritation would fade.

  The harpies moved out of his way, giving the blond ruler plenty of space. He casually strolled through the gathering of meekly lowered heads, and sensed their awe.

  Aron walked up to Shail and handed him a fruit. “Your fearless reputation grows. Not only do you boldly confront many humans, but the flock is also aware you killed four men. It is unheard of, and they are scared of you.”

  Shail took a bite of fruit. “It is good they fear me, for with our new future among humans, I shall ask them to do things normally refused. The dread of me shall build their courage.”

  “This asking includes taking food to humans?”

  “You do not fear me, Aron, but I still ask you to deliver the food. I also ask you to learn their words and muster your voice that has lied dormant in all males.”

  Aron stared at him with disbelief. “You wish I make sound, human sound? Only females do this, and only to blend. It is not a male’s way.”

  “Am I less harpy since making the sound?” Shail asked.

  “You are harpy, but different from the rest of us. You have lost all caution and your passive nature. And this truce with humans…” Aron shook his head. “Your wisdom falls in question.”

  “Only time, not harpies, shall judge me,” Shail said, “and you shall soon see the good behind all I ask. The lack of sound has protected the harpy males from hunters, but that is the past. We must change and embrace human friendship, if the truce is to last. Bringing the food and speaking their words builds trust and knowledge. The peace shall endure if they learn to know us and we them.”

  “You are either very smart or very naïve, my little brother, but I shall do as you say.”

  “Take each finger the number of all in your hands for the harpies needed to bring the food. Pick young and old for the task. Only the fastest males shall seek the swarms with me. I do not want more harpies falling to the sea.”

  Aron picked one hundred males from the flock to help him gather and deliver jungle fruit to the port. Aron’s smaller band departed for the jungle while Shail and his flock of thousands flew south toward the swarms.

  * * *

  Collecting the fruit, roots, and nuts, Aron and the males placed the food in makeshift bags, made from the same material as a male’s sash. The bags soon bulged, and Aron flew to the port, loathing the chore. Setting down by the doors, he saw that Shail and the harpies had removed the swarm that had come in the night. Males holding food bags stood behind Aron when he lightly tapped on the metal openings.

  A man slid the doors open and grinned. “Come in, come in.” He beckoned with his hand.

  Aron peeked inside and saw thousands upon thousands of humans. He had never realized there were so many. He hesitated for a long moment, mustering his courage, and stepped over the threshold. The smiling humans advanced on him, and he lost his nerve. Overwhelmed, he dropped the fruit bag on the floor and jumped outside.

  “Everybody move back,” rang out a man’s voice. “Can’t you see the harpies are scared of us?” Waters stuck his head out the door. “It’s all right, Aron. They won’t hurt you. Just dump the food right here, and thank you.”

  Through telepathy, Aron sensed Waters meaning, but didn’t understand each sound. He stepped back inside, but kept the open door close to his back. “Put the food here,” he relayed to the harpies. Just inside the doors, each male gently dumped out his bag of contents and then scrambled out of the giant human cage and escaped to the sky. Shail truly is brave, Aron thought. He came here alone and faced the huge human mass.

  Governor Waters stood next to Aron and rambled on with human talk, but Aron was too distracted to concentrate on his words or sense their meaning. He fidgeted with apprehension and suspiciously stared into the crowd at the men. How many of them have hunted and killed my harpies? he wondered. And now I must feed and protect them. He wasn’t as forgiving as Shail and had a hard time believing in the bigger picture, a lasting truce.

  Aron forced himself to stay, knowing his presence gave courage to the other males. Without him, they wouldn’t dare approach the port with food. Glancing at Waters, he tried to learn the man’s words, but his mind wouldn’t focus on the impossible task. Kari had taught Shail the human language, Aron thought. For Shail it was fun, an easy game that pleased his female.

  “Perhaps I can also make the learning fun,” relayed a female voice into Aron’s mind.

  Aron quickly looked around and saw her. Her green eyes sparkled in the dim building light and her flowing brown hair hung down to her petite waist. She moved closer, and he detected harpy scent on her delicate body.

  “Why are you among these humans?” Aron asked her.

  “I came to the city seeking a human mate. Although I prefer a male harpy, most have females,” she relayed. “When the swarms came, I sought shelter in the port.”

  Aron was no longer aware of Waters or the giant room of people. The gorgeous female captivated him. “For you, the search for a mate should be short.”

  She blushed. “Shall I teach you the human words?”

  “If it pleases you,” Aron relayed. “I, too, have no mate, but never sought one. I am a flock leader, and we do not have a long life. I feared my female’s death would follow mine, and I could not bear the loss of my fledglings to hunters, so I chose the loneliness of an empty nest rather than face my fears.”

  “Our ruler has brought peace to the harpies, and your fears shall fade.”

  “You believe in the golden ruler and the truce?” Aron asked.

  “My belief is unimportant, but I’ve been among these humans, and they believe in the protective laws and treaty. They have grown to love our young blond ruler.”

  Lowering his guard and using telepathy, Aron scanned the faces in the crowd. The women stared at him and thought he was exquisite and handsome, and the men saw him as a worthy equal, not an animal, but all were grateful and sought his friendship. Shail had been right about everything.

  The female harpy walked to Waters. “Governor, my name is Starla, and I’m a harpy. I would gladly translate your words to our males, since they don’t understand all their meaning.”

  “That would be great,” said Waters. “Aron, is this okay with you?”

  Starla translated the governor’s words. Aron swallowed hard and forced his unused vocal cords. “Yes,” he said with a whisper, speaking for the first time.

  * * *

  Like the previous day, Shail and the large flock confronted swarms, taking them out to the ocean to die. Numerous individual swarms had converged on Hampton, making it easy to locate them and their queens. At sundown Shail halted the attack. He and the harpies were worn out, not from flying, but from the nerve-wracking timing and agility required to summon the beetles to their death. The city stood swarm-free, but as the black blanket was lifted, the death and destruction was revealed. Many human skeletons sat in demolished vehicles and the twisted building metal. Not all humans had made it safely to the port.

  After sending his flock back to the mansion, Shail wandered alone up the streets that once held tall buildings. The powerful civilization was crippled and sat in rubble.

  With his hate gone, he
felt the sickness of guilt. He could have prevented so many deaths. Although the flocks were few, they still could have stopped the beetle growth two seasons ago, but he chose to release the swarms and drive out the humans. Aron accused him of lacking caution. If he had been careful, he wouldn’t have been captured, and he and his harpies could have slowed the swarms and allowed the humans to escape.

  He bent over and placed his hand on a small skull. He had killed the child as surely as if he had snapped its neck. Feeling great remorse, he took Anna’s tiny pink flower from his sash and smelled its sweet scent. There was no gratification, no joy in this victory. His revenge had left him, and Shail was a harpy again, a protector of all life.

  * * *

  At dusk Shail spread his wings and slowly flew to the domed port. Governor Waters greeted him and explained they were thankful for the food.

  Shail nodded. “The swarms have been removed from your city, and you may leave the shelter.”

  “All the swarms are gone?” Waters asked.

  “No, there are still many in the west. It shall take two round moons before we lower the numbers, but we do not seek to destroy all. Like us, the beetles served the land. Some creatures rely on them for food, and when a swarm eats the large trees, light and space comes to the ground. New trees appear, and the zel and other animals feast on their shoots and tender leaves. Without human hunters, my flock shall grow, and it shall be easier to control the beetle numbers, for we also are jungle creatures that play a role in nature. In time, all shall be balanced again.” Shail gazed across the wasteland.

  “I talked to Mollie, the woman handler at the hunting range. She told me how terribly you were assaulted and tortured by those men. After something like that, why did you bother to save us, Shail?”

  Shail turned toward him. “Harpies value all life, but after the range, I was willing to let you die. I had to put aside my bitterness, for I rule and am the guardian of my flock. Different types of jungle animals dwell together because of a need. This need came to the humans and harpies. Your humans are many, and my harpies are few. Even if your humans died, other humans would come from the stars and kill us. Eventually only the ghosts of a forgotten winged race would drift through the trees. We both needed to be saved.”