His face lit up and he chirped happily, hopping up and down. He could sing! He was allowed to!
“Come when call! Okay! Okay!”, he chirped happily, hopping off to go explore his tree, wings fluttering. He could use his clawed hands to climb, which got obvious as soon as he reached the trunk, using all his claws on hands and feet to climb up with ease.
He was chirping and trilling happily, singing to his heart’s contents. He sounded just like an excited and happy little bird, singing his songs.
The small harpy stayed quiet, but nodded lightly. He was pretty sure he’d be able to fly again in a year or so, since he’d molt! He did that, and he liked to keep his old feathers for his nest, to make it softer. Though he didn’t have a nest anymore, he supposed.
He looked excited when they were outside, and the half elf was away. “Sing?”, he asked, bouncing in Joshua’s hand. He wanted to sing! Was he allowed to now?
Joshua furrowed his brow, trying to decide if it was trying to saw it liked the name Sing, or if it wanted to sing. When he saw where it was looking it dawned on him and he hummed softly. “You may sing. When we get inside though, no singing until I say so.”
He walked to a tree with some low hanging branches, holding his forearm up to it. “Up.”
He frowned. He wanted to sing! He wasn’t happy not getting to sing for so long, but he also didn’t want to get hurt, so he wouldn’t sing.
He easily hopped onto the branch from Joshua’s arm, ruffling his feathers, before looking down to him. What was he supposed to do? Explore the tree? He could get down somewhat safely on his own, since he could still glide somewhat.
The small harpy stayed quiet, but nodded lightly. He was pretty sure he’d be able to fly again in a year or so, since he’d molt! He did that, and he liked to keep his old feathers for his nest, to make it softer. Though he didn’t have a nest anymore, he supposed.
He looked excited when they were outside, and the half elf was away. “Sing?”, he asked, bouncing in Joshua’s hand. He wanted to sing! Was he allowed to now?
It thought for a moment. It wasn’t even sure if Songbird was its name or not, it was simply what it had been called all the time.
“He?”, it really wasn’t sure. “She? They?”. It all sounded weird, it had always been called an it, hadn’t it?“I don’t know what it is! Some harpy kind?”, it was really the only thing it had heard about itself before.
He sighed softly, cringing as his servant slammed into him. A small sound came from them as they pressed back against the other side. “Shh… it’s okay. No punishment. Accident.”
It squeaked when the half elf slammed into Joshua, claws tightening in the cuff to not fall off. It tried to stay quiet then though, watching the two of them. Punishment? He knew that word! And that one hurt! He didn’t like those.
“Sorry, Master Joshua. There was a rock in the road.” A small, squeaky voice said. “We have cleared it and will be arriving soon.”
–
Joshua hummed, looking at his harpy. “I suppose it will work. Are you hungry? I assume they did not feed you well.”
He almost chirped in reply, before remembering. No chirping with the half elf lady around! “Me want meat please!”, he said instead, ruffling his feathers. He was hungry indeed. “Give it only water and crumbs! Stupid bird doesn’t deserve expensive meat!”, he repeated what he had heard a lot before.
Idiots. He could give the other meat- hell, he could give it a cow and not suffer any. “Live or dead meat?” Of course he would only be fed the lowest of the low- only a bird. Harpy’s were rare, delicate creatures.
“Can’t fly, can’t hunt.”, the little harpy replied. Catching anything alive was very hard for him being unable to fly anymore, though he was used to hunting mice and squirrels, some times even small birds. He didn’t shy away from fighting with bigger animals like cats, though knew winning against them was unlikely.
It thought for a moment. It wasn’t even sure if Songbird was its name or not, it was simply what it had been called all the time.
“He?”, it really wasn’t sure. “She? They?”. It all sounded weird, it had always been called an it, hadn’t it?“I don’t know what it is! Some harpy kind?”, it was really the only thing it had heard about itself before.
He sighed softly, cringing as his servant slammed into him. A small sound came from them as they pressed back against the other side. “Shh… it’s okay. No punishment. Accident.”
It squeaked when the half elf slammed into Joshua, claws tightening in the cuff to not fall off. It tried to stay quiet then though, watching the two of them. Punishment? He knew that word! And that one hurt! He didn’t like those.
“Sorry, Master Joshua. There was a rock in the road.” A small, squeaky voice said. “We have cleared it and will be arriving soon.”
–
Joshua hummed, looking at his harpy. “I suppose it will work. Are you hungry? I assume they did not feed you well.”
He almost chirped in reply, before remembering. No chirping with the half elf lady around! “Me want meat please!”, he said instead, ruffling his feathers. He was hungry indeed. “Give it only water and crumbs! Stupid bird doesn’t deserve expensive meat!”, he repeated what he had heard a lot before.
It thought for a moment. It wasn’t even sure if Songbird was its name or not, it was simply what it had been called all the time.
“He?”, it really wasn’t sure. “She? They?”. It all sounded weird, it had always been called an it, hadn’t it?“I don’t know what it is! Some harpy kind?”, it was really the only thing it had heard about itself before.
He sighed softly, cringing as his servant slammed into him. A small sound came from them as they pressed back against the other side. “Shh… it’s okay. No punishment. Accident.”
It squeaked when the half elf slammed into Joshua, claws tightening in the cuff to not fall off. It tried to stay quiet then though, watching the two of them. Punishment? He knew that word! And that one hurt! He didn’t like those.
It thought for a moment. It wasn’t even sure if Songbird was its name or not, it was simply what it had been called all the time.
“He?”, it really wasn’t sure. “She? They?”. It all sounded weird, it had always been called an it, hadn’t it?
“I don’t know what it is! Some harpy kind?”, it was really the only thing it had heard about itself before.
It hopped around to look at Joshua again. A name? A name!
“Little songbird! Be quiet!”, he replied, the thing it had heard most often in the time it had been owned before. That it was a songbird, and it should stay quiet! It didn’t like being quiet, because it liked to sing, and talk, but it stayed quiet when it needed to!He rose an eyebrow at the second part. Be quiet? What- ah. The seller had said it repeated what it heard so it must have repeated that. “Little Songbird… it is a nice name.” Joshua crooned. “Next question. Are you a boy, girl, or neither?”
It tilted its head. It didn’t understand the question. “Boy, girl, or neither?”, he repeated, unsure what Joshua might mean. He technically understood gender, since he understood reproducing and such for himself, but he didn’t know those words.
It hopped around to look at Joshua again. A name? A name!
“Little songbird! Be quiet!”, he replied, the thing it had heard most often in the time it had been owned before. That it was a songbird, and it should stay quiet! It didn’t like being quiet, because it liked to sing, and talk, but it stayed quiet when it needed to!
It trilled happily, a soft short song showing how happy it was. It carefully hopped from Joshua’s shoulder onto the cuff, curiously picking at it with its hands. It hadn’t seen this before, but it was very curious.
It looked back up to Joshua, chirping happily.
He brought his other hand up, gently stroking the harpy’s back. The feathers were dry and rough, but there was a thin layer of grime that was keeping them from drying out. He would have to bathe it later. The song was high pitched but beautiful, although his servant seemed to be wincing. Elves had very sensitive ears and it must seem very loud to them.
Joshua hummed softly, softly shushing him. “You may sing later, little songbird. Not now.”
It shuddered lightly at the touch, though was enjoying the touch. It was really nice, and probably the kindest touch it had had ever!
It looked surprised by the shushing, before nodding. No singing, stay quiet! It hopped around on the cuff, looking to the elf. It felt bad it made them hurt!
emptynarration 