Act I
Rip* Thump* Rip* Thump* The sound of blades ripping into stalks of grains, were only separated by the sound of the soft thumping of bundles being thrown into piles.
"How long have they been working?"
A tall figure with a mask of wood and fathers asked a shorter figure next to her. The beaked faced girl looked down, before speaking with a nervous twitch in her voice.
"I, itt. . . It. . . they have been working since first light, dear Warrior."
The Faennar warrior nodded, but before she could say anything else a giant of muscled steaming flesh turned its pale haired head as if hearing the conversation that was occurring more than a hundred meters away.
"Hail! The harvest is bountiful! Praise the Sun!"
The giant spoke, its voice powerful, as it echoed across the fields making the other commoners of the clan cheer. I felt an itch on my beak as I gave the giant a salute of respect.
With my presence noticed, I made my way towards the clan's guest friend ignoring the respectful salutes of the commoners as they made a path for me to thread.
"Friend Merciful Sun, why are you and your companions working in our fields?"
It wasn't the place of a warrior to work the fields, for we would be too busy hunting, herding and protecting the clan lands to do such common work. Atleast the question made the giant pause as he looked down at me, the action made my feathers twitch.
"It would be a short autumn, better to help with the harvest rather than let a grain be wasted."
He said with a smile, his eyes burning with a passion that shouldn't exist. It made me take a step back but then I gilded myself, I am a warrior damn it. I shouldn't show weakness, especially to a male Clan friend.
"Of course, of course. It is a good reason, Friend Merciful Sun, but you and your companions need to prepare yourselves."
With my words, the giant's smile turned serious. As he yelled to his companions, making them gather.
What is it, Dani?*
The cold one spoke their seemingly barbaric tongue, that even the Lore Elder had no idea of its roots.
I think will be meeting the Council soon*
Friend Merciful Sun answered the cold one with the same barbaric tongue, the noise itself coming from a Blessed of the solar pantheon made hot rage burn upon my talons. . . But I controlled myself, it was not my place to judge a Blessed soul.
Finally! It's been months! I love the hot baths and rustic life but come on, you can only survive so much of this. . . also I miss my parents.*
The blind male spoke, as I saw the sweat dripping from his small yet fetching form. It's not like I haven't tasted commoner flesh, I wonder how many of my clutch sisters tasted this foreign hatchling.
Dani, can you talk to this noble girl and tell her will be taking a bath and then meet with the council in the afternoon?*
The dark one spoke, making me feel for the daggers hidden within my feathers. This one had rumors about her that many of my clutch did not like hearing, especially those of her leaving the village during the nights and scaring commoners by hiding in the shadows.
Sure*
Friend Merciful Sun nodded, before turning back to me. His ever present smile was back as he spoke gently.
"Is it the council?"
He asked simply, making me confirm it by tapping my shoulder.
"Yes, the council had decided to gather this afternoon to talk of your request, Friend Merciful Sun. They will meet you and your companions before the Guardian's duty ends."
I gave him the message tasked for me to give, with my task done I gave him a salute before turning back. Making my mount move away from the giant and his friends.
Act II
"How much have you guys learned?"
In a long house with tubs filled with hot water, with steam rising and mixing with the smell of burning herbs. One can see four figures, each one was sitting in their own clay tub.
"I think I understand enough to have a conversation?"
Chara was the one who spoke, which wasn't that surprising. Unlike the girls he stays inside the village, doing light work while listening and talking to the Faennar folks.
"It's similar to Italian in structure but the words and grammatics. . . They're hard to learn."
Chara explained as I curled my brows. I honestly didn't notice, to me they were speaking accented English. . . I just didn't know what accent, but I guess it was Italian.
"No idea, it's all birdnoises for me."
Eclipsa shared as Serphina nodded in agreement.
"I only know the phrase." Bring-a me to the Merciful Sun*
Seraphina chirped a single word, but for me she just sounded Italian. It made Chara smile as I felt confused.
"Everytime I say that phrase, one of the shorter bird folks would lead me to you Dani."
I gave Serphina a look appreciating how fast her body was developing, it wasn't just the months spent here. But also all the combat exercise, hunting, and the regular consumption of soul cores.
Then I looked at my own steam covered flesh, I was a lot thicker now compared to our first day here in the dreaming. My height almost reaching the roof of this bathhouse, whenever I would straighten my back while standing.
[83/100 Purified souls.] I only need 17 more purified souls and I can know what would happen if I reach 100 purified souls. . . That thought made me smile, and then I frowned as a thought came to me.
Hopefully it wouldn't make me a real giant, I'm already around 3 meters and it's already hard for me to go through doors. If I get any bigger I might not even fit inside the larger long houses.
"We have another problem, the beast wave. . . I think it'll start before winter."
Eclipsa spoke, making me look at her. I can't see much but it wasn't hard to notice that much like Seraphina she had developed. I can't compare the Eclipsa that was washing her hair infront of me to the malnourished girl I met months ago.
Still her figure didn't distract from the concern in her voice, nor the slight tremble of her pale red lips.
"It'll be fine, I've talked about it with Elder Swinnet and she said it wasn't the first time those Longhorn Bisons had migrated, she even bragged about seeing it happen three times in her long life."
I explained while I felt calm about the situation, even after I remembered the conversation we had after reaching the Faennar village. About me dying while holding off the beast wave with Seraphina.
But from the descriptions of the visions Chara had, I think we already prevented that future, with Chara getting us kidnapped by the Faennar clan instead of facing the beast wave while still wandering the wilderness.
Act III
"It's not an unheard of request, in our [Story house] there are many stories of our ancestors letting outsiders pray or sacrifice within our sacred houses or shrines."
An older man spoke, as he wrapped himself using the feathers of both his wings and feathered cloak.
"That was generations ago! Even before Lady Faennar led us into these bountiful lands. These foreigners, these 'Humans' haven't even appeared in our tapestries once!"
The one who spoke was a powerfully built bird woman with a curved beaked wooden mask with long feathers covering her hair.
"Even so, they have been wonderful guest-friends to our clan. Especially so to our Friend Merciful Sun, his patron, the [Lightbringer] may be unknown to us divine speakers of the [Guardian Sun], but it does not hide that we share the solar path."
This time an old bird woman with a feathered staff with golden bells spoke calming the well built woman, making her take her seat once again.
"Councilor Talon, as their sponsor for this request, are you hoping to adopt them into your family?"
A tall bird lady seated on a well crafted armchair with a feathered pillow on its seat spoke lightly, as she fiddled with a small gold coin.
"Head Councilor Faennar, it has been generations since a family had adopted outsiders."
Councilor Talon answered cunningly, as she gave the bird lady who was seated in the center of the semi-circle, who she called Head Councilor, a respectful salute. A silence appeared in the circle, broken only by the sound of knocks on the door.
"Come in."
The chieftess called Faennar spoke as the door opened, the one who entered was a giant man that needed to bend down to his hips to barely fit into the double doors of the long house used for the councilors meeting.
After the giant entered, others came in, their figures were less intimidating but all three of them had the air of a clan warrior, especially the females of their group.
"Hail councilors, we have come to speak our case for our request."
The feather folks all turned to see the giant gently speaking as he bowed his head towards all of those seated in the circle of Elders and councilors, his companions followed his lead.
"Seat Friends, we are eager to hear of your reasons for this request."
The one who sat in the middle, the one councilor Talon had called head councilor, spoke as she motioned for the Merciful Sun and his companions to sit.
They did not resist the Head councilor, as they made their way to sit on the empty large feather stuffed animal hide pillows completing the semi-circle. A moment of silence appeared as they sat, but then the Merciful Sun began speaking, breaking the silence.
"We are of a land called Terra, we are adventures, explorers of new lands. We have come to these lands as a test, and the only way we can return home is through the help of the local patrons."
Many of the feather folks reacted to the calm explanation of the young giant, many bristled with their feathers and others only nodding calmly. The Head councilor motioned for Merciful Sun to continue his words.
"Our request is to ask the patrons of the Faennar clan for help, by trying to commune with them using the Temples of the Faennar clan."
With this the giant turned silent as he sat and bowed towards the feather folk that took him and his companions into their homes. Whispers appeared all around the room, as the elders spoke as the Head of the Faennar clan looked down on the bowing giant.
"Friend Merciful Sun, look into my eyes."
The room turned silent, as the giant did what was ordered of him. Orange flames appeared all around the head and chief of the Faennar clan making the elders near her crawl away in fear of getting their feathers burned.
"Will your people bring harm to mine?"
The giant met her fierce orange burning eyes, his own gentle light brown eyes blazed with pale warm flames.
"Some will, others will not. Humanity is large, Head Councilor. I cannot promise peace, but I can promise that I and my companions will not bring harm to the clan that gave us hospitality."
Sincerity dripped with every word, making the fire within the Head councilor lessen but still she burnt of orange flames.
"What do you offer to our clan for us to accept your request?"
The giant paused, as he looked towards his companions and spoke to them in a language unknown to the bird folks. Within moments, the hall turned quiet once again.
"What can we offer that this council will accept as a fair trade for the request we ask?"
The Merciful Sun asked, his tone unsure for the first time in this meeting between foreigners. The hall erupted, the Elders speaking openly of what they would ask, or what was best for the clan.
"Knowledge! They are of a different place, they would have secrets we do not possess."
One elder spoke.
"Service! Let them serve our clan for a year working to help keep our herds safe, they are foreign warriors but even so we always need more capable herders and hunters."
A councilor spoke.
"Magic! They have powerful magic, especially the Merciful Sun, he had already helped a quarter of our warriors to cleanse themselves of the taint of chaos, we have many more tainted."
A powerfully built Faennar clan woman spoke as she looked at the giant with hunger. Making the Merciful Sun shift in his seat, and the others in his group to stiffen.
"Enough!"
Great heat erupted within the room, singeing the feathers and cloaks of those in the hall. As the powerful voice of the Head Councilor Faennar echoed it silenced the arguments within seconds.
"We accept your request, warriors of Terra, we will let our ancestors and Patroness the Guardian Sun decide what is best for our clan and what your party might offer."