“Shiny! Shiny, shiny! Was so shiny, shiny crekrkrkre…”

Clenching her eyes painfully as she laid on her stomach, Abby groaned softly as she felt a painful feeling in her gut. Opening her eyes slowly as she started to regain consciousness, the brunette lifted her head up weakly as her eyes spun around. She felt really dizzy… or more, disoriented… what the hell just happened to her?

“Shiny… where is shiny? Shiny? Huh… SHINY?!”

Hearing a strange voice above her as the ground she was on… or more, brush, shook gently from the unknown creature’s movements, Abby laid still and silent as she tried to take in her surroundings. She was on top of some kind of bed of sticks. It looked like it was made of wood, foliage, leaves and just about any number of other shrubberies she had seen before.

But, that wasn’t the only thing surrounding her. As far as her eyes could see… there were dozens, of odds and ends… all glimmering a silver or golden hue. But, it wasn’t coins or jewelry… well, most of it at least. It was just… garbage. Broken chunks of metal, bent or rusting silverware… Hell, she could even see some polished metal fence wire draped around the rim of whatever it was she was laying in.

‘What the hell is this place?’

“No, no, no! Not shiny! Am… Ama… I want… where new shiny! Shiny? Shiny, shiny?!” Gulping as the voice continued to repeat itself behind her, the brunette eventually found the courage to turn her head as she tried to determine just what this creature was. It was a girl… and a young one from the sound of her voice… but, she wanted to know for sure.

As her eyes landed on the being however it soon became apparent just what it was that had taken her. Crouching on a pair of talons, the girl’s legs were scaly up to the end of her thighs before she took on the form of a human there up. However, where her arms should have been a large pair of black bird-like wings were in place as replacements. Dressed in simple rags, enough to cover her crotch and her chest but not much more the girl showed little care for her personal appearance as evident by her unruly black locks that ended at her neck.

She knew know, that this creature was a Harpy. That was for certain. Though, beyond that… she knew nothing else. ‘C-class Monsters capable of flying at high altitudes and at unimaginable speeds… wow…’ She had never seen one before… well, that was true for most Hominal, but Harpies especially. They were very rare in this region of Ireland and tended to stick closer to the more mountainous terrain instead of the coast. Hearing more franticness in the child's tone… she assumed, the creature gently hopped around on what now appeared to be a large birds nest as her feathered arms riffled through random piles of glimmering objects as she searched for something.

‘What are you looking for?’ Wondering for a moment whether or not to talk to the strange girl, Abby soon began to crawl backward. One thing was for certain amongst this haze of caprice. She had been taken by force by this stranger… She had to find the Twins so she could get back to someone she knew.

Nodding her head as she decided not to take any chances with this new girl, Abby quietly rose to her feet as her shaky legs tried to support her. She felt very disoriented after being taken into the air. Though, now she knew how it happened. But it did beg the question why this Harpy had taken her in the first place.

Making her way towards the edge of the nest as she ducked under an empty silver chalice for some cover, the diminutive girl pulled herself up in an effort to climb before peeking her head over the side of the large bird's nest… however… what she saw next made her stomach drop.

Gawking as she stared into an abyss, Abby was mute as her eyes looked at the large chasm before her. SHE WAS UP ON THE MIDDLE OF A CLIFF! Gulping as she felt a strange and foreign fear of heights suddenly surface from within her, the brunette quietly crawled back down before flopping against the shrubbery she was on in a panic.

Cupping her chest as her heart began to beat rapidly, the teenager breathed steadily as she tried to calm down. ‘A-Alright Abby… don’t panic. I-I’m just on a large nest… a-above a hole, and with a strange Hominal.’ She had been in worse situations before… right?

Ebon came to mind but she chose to disregard that. Licking her lips as her eyes darted around, the Brunette peered above the glimmering cup she was hiding behind as she still saw the Harpy whispering to herself and chittering in a strange tone. No, it sounded more like clicking. It was somewhat like what the Twins did when they were happy but she could tell by the tone and her frantic movements she was anything but.

Kneeling back down, Abby closed her eyes before focusing intently. ‘E-Eve… if you can hear me… I’m, stuck. Are you awake yet? Can you hear me?’ Waiting for a response back, the smaller human was soon crestfallen as she heard nothing but her own thoughts in her mind. She was on her own it seemed…

“Shiny, shiny, shiny! Where is shiny, shiny?! Am… A… Where is it! Crekrkrkrk!” Looking back at the Harpy as she saw the panicked expression she wore, Abby soon had to frown. She looked visibly upset by whatever it was she lost. Weighing the pros and cons of what she was about to do, Abby soon nodded her head before ducking back under the chalice she had been behind before making herself known to the unknown girl. She might be the only one who could get her off of this… thing…

“E-Excuse me… Is there something I can help you find? What are you looking for?” Stiffening up, the Harpy’s head shot up in alert before she began twisting it around in confusion. “Who there?! Who, who?! Who… owl?” Furrowing her brow from the strange way this girl talked, Abby simply shook her head.

“D-Down here!” Blinking, the creature soon looked down before her cerulean eyes met with the shrunken girl before her. Looking back at one another at a standstill for a few seconds, the younger girl soon furrowed her brow before turning her head.

“Who is you…?” Laughing dryly as she forced a smile onto her face, Abby simply waved as she saw a look of true confusion written over the child’s features. ‘You brought me up here and you don’t even recognize me?’ Or… did that mean there was more than one?!

Paling at the thought, Abby gulped before cupping her hands together gently. “M-My name’s Abby… I, I don’t think we’ve properly met before. What’s your name?” Continuing to stare down at the smaller girl before her, the Harpy’s brow furrowed once more before she turned her head the other way.

“Name? Am… I… I am… Ama… Ama…” She mumbled before clenching her eyes. ‘Ama…?’ What was up with this girl? “Is, it Ama?” Watching as the feathered girl shook her head furiously, a few of said feathers falling off her in the process, the raven-haired Hominal moved her arm up to her face before tapping her forehead, a sharp pair of talons now revealed to her towards the tip of her wings she seemed to be using as thumbs.

“Am… Am… Am… Am… Am… Am-y? Crekrkrk? Amy… Am Amy!” She squealed before looking down at Abby with excitement in her eyes. Looking back at the child with a blank expression, the teenager took a deep breath before nodding. “Nice to meet you… Amy.” This girl was crazy!

She had to get off this nest as soon as possible. ‘Anytime now Eve, please say something…’ Scowling as her mind remained void of whispers, Abby began smiling once again. “Well, Amy, that’s a lovely name. It’s nice to meet you. I don’t suppose you could take me back to my friends, could you? You see… I think we had a mix-up or something and you brought me here by accident. Would… would that be ok with you?” The smaller girl whispered with trepidation evident in her voice.

Furrowing her brow as she lowered her face down in front of the shrunken human now, the Harpy now known as Amy squinted her eyes before turning her head to the side once more. “Does Amy know you?” Scratching her cheek sheepishly, Abby simply shook her head.

“N-Not really, no. You just… kind of took me from my friends. Do you remember Emma and Ella? I was with them. Their Imps… ring a bell? At all? Any of this…?” Frowning as she saw the younger girls face remaining neutral and blank to her statements, Abby was left to sigh as she turned around.

‘This is crazy, this is crazy, this is crazy! How can she not remember any of this!? It had only been one of the more traumatic things to happen to her since she arrived here!’ “SHINY! AMY FOUND SHINY!” Blinking, Abby turned back to the Harpy as she saw the excited look she wore… suddenly disappear.

“Crekrkrrkkrkrk?! SHINY! COME BACK SHINY, WHERE YOU GO!” Looking around in confusion, Abby tried to figure out what the Harpy had seen… but, she didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. But, apparently, the Hominal had as she began stomping her clawed foot.

“SHINY COME BACK! PLEASE SHINY WHERE YOU GO! COME BACK TO AM… AM… am…” “Amy?” “YES! COME BACK TO AMY!” Pressing against the bridge of her nose, Abby sighed before pacing away. ‘This really is a waste of time.’ This girl clearly had something wrong with her head. She’d just have to wait until Eve woke up again before she could get hel- “SHINY!”

Attempting to turn around, Abby suddenly screeched as she was knocked onto her stomach and pinned down. Paling in horror as she saw a claw sink into the nest in front of her, the brunette turned her head in terror as she saw the delighted eyes the Harpy wore.

“SHINY, AMY FOUND SHINY! SHINY IS SHINY! PRETTY!” Hearing more and more of the gleeful screams above her, the smaller girl screamed herself as she started to thrash beneath the Harpy’s clawed talons. “A-A-AMY, LET ME GO! S-STOP!” Feeling the pressure on her back increase, Abby whined in pain as she felt her stomach being forced harder into the nest beneath her.

“Shiny is pretty! So shiny, shiny, crekrkrkr!” Feeling the pressure leave her as the creatures foot was removed, Abby attempted to stand but she was soon pulled upwards as she felt herself being lifted into the air by the bow around her dress.

“Shiny, shiny, shiny~!” Hearing more and more of the younger girls chant, Abby, craned her neck fearfully before it all started to click for her. Resting between the Harpies feathered digits, the very ones she was suspended from right now… was a coin. The coin Eve had used to bind her clothing together. SHE WANTED THE COIN!

Thinking quickly, Abby moved her hands down to her waist before tugging hard on the end of the ribbons strings. Feeling the knot come undone from her efforts, Abby cried out as she fell out from her bindings and back down into the spongy nest beneath her.

Panting in fear as she stared back up at the Harpy, the teen was mute as she watched the girl above her. Seemingly oblivious to the fact she was now missing from her fingers… feathers, Amy worked around the cloth string, as she soon pulled the blue fabric away to better see her newest acquisition.

“Ahhhhhh, shiny! Shiny, shiny, shiny, shiny~ hehehe crekrkrkrk~.” Closing her eyes as she panted, Abby smiled before her head flopped back into the nest beneath her. ‘S-She just wanted the coin…’ Thank god. Was this why she was taken away from Emma and Ella?! It was all because of a silly accessory?!

Crawling backward slowly as she tried to make some distance between them the brunette made it a few feet before feeling a twig beneath her hand snap from the pressure she had put on it. Almost as if a switch had been flipped, Amy’s eyes hardened as her neck shot down to look at Abby, the teenager squealing in surprise as she once again faced to face with the bizarre feathery girl.

Glaring down at Abby for a long moment, the raven-haired child soon pulled the coin she held to her chest before huffing. “Amy’s shiny…” “Y-YOU CAN HAVE THE FREAKING COIN!” She wasn’t even asking for it back! Watching as the switch flipped back around, the Hominal’s eyes lit up happily before she began chanting her favorite word once more and rubbing her newest possession against her cheek affectionately.

“Shi-ny, shi-ny,-shi-ny-ny-ny! Crekrkrk!” Resting exhaustedly in the bird girl’s nest, Abby soon leaned up as she tried to figure out what to do. ‘This girl’s going to get me killed…’ If it wasn’t enough she was clueless, she was also bipolar too! Rubbing her tired eyes, the brunette looked back at the feathered girl before taking a deep breath and sighing. She couldn't think like this... even if the situation was a strange as it was now.

This was just another child in the end. One she needed to learn to communicate properly with. “Amy… Now that you have your shiny, can you take me back to my friends?” Pausing her joyous chant, the Harpy looked down in confusion before tilting her head.

“Why is Abby here?” “Because you brought me up here when you tried to take my coin.” “AMY’S SHINY, AMYS! CREKRKRKR!” Wincing as the Harpy grew defensive, the teenager nodded before raising her hands in a calming way. “Y-Yes… it is yours now… but, it was attached to me… hence, why I’m here. You can keep the coin Amy... but, please, take me back down now…” Abby whispered.

She really needed to go find the others. Looking down at the coin slowly the Harpy grew quiet for a moment before looking back at Abby. “Abby give Amy shiny?” Nodding her head, Abby soon had to stop herself from screaming once more as she was suddenly scooped up in the younger girls… hands?

“Abby is nice face! Nice face, nice face! Amy like you!” She cried happily before hugging the smaller girl into her. Sputtering as she was shoved into the ragged clothes the child wore, Abby pushed against the Hominal as she tried to regain control of the situation.

“T-T-Thank you, but please, s-stop that!” It was almost like she was trying to suffocate her! Pulling away slowly, the Harpy looked back down at Abby before smiling happily.  “Abby has nice face, Amy will take good care of Abby. Amy promises!” Gulping as she heard the not so threatening remark but more the way she phrased it, Abby glanced over her shoulder as she peered down at the chasm below.

“A-Amy… I-I appreciate that… but, I really need to go back to my friends. They’re probably looking for me right now. Do you know where anyone else is?” Turning her head sideways once more, the feathered girl chittered thoughtfully before nodding.

“Amy knows where others are.” Smiling happily as she finally made some ground, the smaller girl nodded before the feathered girl continued. “Does the nice face want Amy to take you to scaly nice face?” Paling in an instant, Abby shuddered momentarily before shaking her head. 'S-Scaly... n-nice face...?' Did she mean Ebon?!

“N-N-No… not that person Amy. M-Maybe Eve, err, Eveline… or Casey… or Kari or Brook…?” Hell, she’d take the Nya or Poppy at this point. Anyone was better than… Ebon. Tilting her head from side to side, the feathered girls face soon turned sour before she shook her head.

“Nope.” Blinking once, then twice, Abby soon had to speak. “No what?” “Nope. Amy will keep you safe from mean face's.” Mimicking the younger girls face now, the teenager soon scowled. “Amy… listen to me. It’s very important that I get back to Kari’s domain. You know Najia right? Well, I’m here to treat her. She saved you or did something for you in the past, didn’t she? Well, she needs me now so if you can take me to her then I’d be really grateful.” Abby muttered, her voice soft and tender as she tried to make this easy and clear for the younger girl to understand.

Her intelligence might be called into question, but she knew that the Hominal had to know who Najia was. Turning her head repeatedly as the name of the Kitsune soon caught her attention, Abby quietly smiled as she saw the Harpy mimicking her. “The nice face knows momma?”

Blinking once, then twice once more, Abby’s eyes suddenly shot open. “Y-Y-Your M-Mom?! Wait, what?!” Hopping backward's a couple feet from the loud screech below her, the raven-haired child turned her head once more, now in confusion as she saw the startled expression Abby wore.

‘H-H-Her mother?!’ How did… Why did… was that even… Wait, what?! Looking back up at the Harpy in utter confusion, Abby was mute as she saw her looking back down at her curiously. “Y-Your… your m-mother… Is Najia…?” Nodding her head happily, Amy soon giggled before craning her neck back down so she could be eye level with the smaller girl.

“Uh huh! Momma’s really nice! Sort of like nice face. Momma gives Amy shiny, shiny’s all the time! Crekekeke~. Abby wants to help Momma right? Right? Is that why nice face is here?” Amy chirped excitedly, her feathers ruffling as she shook in enthusiasm.

Staring the child down speechlessly, Abby could do little more than shake her head. She couldn’t actually be Najia’s daughter… right? She was a Kitsune! How did a fox woman have a bird daughter?! It didn’t even make sense! Frankly, she didn’t understand how Hominal had children with humans, to begin with since they were different species but this made even less sense!

But, the look on Amy’s face told her otherwise. ‘Does, she actually believe she’s your child Najia…?’ Almost hoping the Kitsune could somehow contact her in a way Eve did, Abby simply shook her head. This was unreal. But, there could always be a chance she was telling the truth. For all she knew, Hominal could crossbreed with each other…

Who was she to say what made sense and what didn’t? Casey had shown her the error of her ways in believing these girls were anything like humans when it came to their biology. Taking a deep breath as their silence drug on a little too long, the brunette smiled softly before nodding her head.

“Yes Amy, I’m here to help… your mother. But, how… exactly is Najia your mother? Was your father a Harpy like you? And she and Najia…” Trailing off as she saw the confusion written on the younger girls face, Abby simply raised her hands. She didn’t know what she was getting at either at this point. She was probably more curious now than the larger girl was.

Tilting her head sideways as it rested on her nest, Amy slowly began to scowl. “Amy doesn’t have daddy… what is nice face Abby talking about?” Crossing her arms quietly, the teenager frowned as she mulled over that statement.

“Amy… if you don’t have a dad, then how is Najia your mother?” Chattering as she listened to the shrunken woman’s explanation, Amy quietly leaned up before tilting her head the other way and setting it back down on the nest. Why did she keep doing that?! It was starting to unnerve her…

“Momma hatched Amy herself. Amy has no daddy… Does Amy need one? Crekrkrkr?” Feeling a certain sense of understanding slowly beginning to set in now, Abby’s expression never shifted as she wore it with trouble. ‘She… she was hatched?’ Like an actual bird… This, sort of made sense now.

Sitting down gently as she pulled her dress over her knee’s, Abby looked back at the Harpy before shaking her head. “No, you don’t need one. I was just trying to understand is all? So… Najia hatched you from your egg… Do you know if she found you herself? Or, did something else happen to you causing her to find your egg?” She didn’t claim to know much about her race but she did know a little about birds. If they were anything the same as their avian counterparts then Harpies wouldn’t just leave their unborn children lying around for someone else to pick up… let alone another Hominal. There had to be more to this tale…

Ruffling her feathers briefly as she shook her wings out, Amy’s face contorted into confusion once more before she began to shake her head.  “Amy’s always been mommas fled… fledy… fledg…” “Fledgling…?” “Yes! Crekrkrkr! Amy as always been momma’s fledgling. Momma calls Amy that all the time!” Amy cheered happily, the trouble look the brunette was giving her lost to her, however.

Resting her chin on her forearms as she let the information sink in, the brunette wondered if it was true or not. It sounded like it was but at the same time, the younger girls mind could be called into question. She was getting a lot of red flags right now from this mother-child relationship dynamic…

Glancing up at the larger child in silence as she continued to sport her happy expression, Abby soon sighed. “Well… regardless, I’m here to take care of your Mother Amy. She’s sick and Kari and I have been tending to her. I need to find my friends so we can continue where we left off. You love your mom, right?”

Deciding to try and play on the child’s feelings now, the brunette smiled as she saw the serious look that Amy now wore. “Uh huh! Uh huh! Amy loves momma! Amy will protect momma too!” Nodding her head, Abby pointed to the abyss below them before slowly standing up once more.

“Alright, then we’re agreed…? If you want to help your momma then you need to take me back to Kari and the others…. J-Just not Ebon… alright?” Screeching as the larger girl suddenly cawed, the teen was taken aback by her enthusiastic cry.

“Ok nice face! Amy understands! Amy will take you to other nice faces! Crekekek!” Smiling as her point was finally made, Abby was about to ask how they would get down before all color drained from her face as she saw the Harpy leaning her face down towards her.

“A-Amy, what are you do-AHHHH!” Screaming as her face was suddenly enveloped by the child’s lips; all sense of direction was lost to the teenager as she was lifted upward by the Harpy's mouth. “A-AMY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING, STOP IT! AMY?! AMY!” Crying out louder as she felt the Hominal’s tongue press against her face, the smaller girl cringed before her eyes widened in horror.

She could feel herself falling downward! Tilting her neck up as she bobbed her head, the raven-haired Harpy coughed briefly as she moved Abby around in her mouth. Her movements were making this difficult for her to swallow.

Pulling the shrunken girl into her maw, the Hominal soon nodded her head before forcing the teenager to the back of her throat much to her terror. “AMY, AMY S-STOP! LET ME OUT! AMY! AMY!” Crying out as she thrashed helplessly, darkness surrounded the brunette as she felt her body slowly descending, gravity taking hold of her… as she slowly began sliding down the back of the child’s throat.

Gulping loudly as she finally got her down, the Harpy shook her head before ruffling her feathers. However, this meant little in the end for Abby as she continued to slide down. Crying in fear all the way through, the now sopping wet teenager soon felt herself hit something as her body was compacted together.

“A-A-AMY! AMY PLEASE LET ME OUT! AMY!” Screaming the younger girl’s name repeatedly as she beat on the spongy walls surrounding her, Abby’s eyes watered as she felt a foreign sense of betrayal overtake her. She hadn’t felt this feeling since her first night with Eve… she felt, fear…

Clutching her arms in the darkness around her, Abby whimpered as she heard the gurgling squelching noises surrounding her as she softly cried. ‘EVE! EVE PLEASE ANSWER ME! EEEEEVE!’ Calling desperately in her mind for the Vampire to come and save her, the shrunken human soon fell against the Harpy's stomach before crying harder.

WHAT HAD HAPPENED?! One minute they had been talking almost as if they were friends then out of nowhere she ate her! She didn’t even know Harpies ate meat… let alone people… Clutching her arms gently as she shivered, the brunette looked around the murky darkness as she tried to see anything.

Any light… and sound other than the inside noises of the younger girl… Anyone calling her name… She wanted something. Anything! Cupping her nose from the foul smell around her, the diminutive girl shuddered as she felt the soggy waters she was in invading her new dress. Why did this keep happening to her clothes! Eve was going to be upset, she just knew it…

‘Funny… that’s what upsets me now…’ Smiling morbidly at the humorous thought, Abby soon shook her head. This was no time to think like that! She had to get out of here. There was no way this was going to happen to her! Something had to have happened to cause Amy do suddenly eat her like she did! She… she wasn’t feral… at least she didn’t look like she was.

Eve and Casey had made it out to be a ravenous hunger that made them act like savages. The younger girl hadn’t shown any of that. So, what was the reason for this then? ‘D-Did… Did I offend her…?’ Did she say something bad about Najia without even realizing it?

That might have been a cause for this but even so… There still had to be-. Feeling her thoughts abruptly halted, Abby’s eyes widened as she heard a loud growling noise all around her. ‘C-C-Crap!’ Her stomach thought she was food! Knowing enough of anatomy to know what was going to happen next, the shrunken teen quickly held her breath… as… nothing happened…?

Pinching her nose as she tried to hold in her air for as long as she could, the smaller girl couldn’t take it very long before she gasped loudly. Panting in the murky darkness, the brunette had to frown now. Something didn’t feel right. ‘When a person’s hungry their stomach releases acids in and out of the intestines to help break down what can’t be broken quick enough in a person’s stomach acids…’ She had thought that was what was about to happen…

But, something was off. Trailing her hands around the slimy walls around her, the brunette had to pause as she felt the base of where she was crammed into. There was a bit of liquid there, but, it wasn’t nearly enough to be this girl’s stomach acid, species aside.

‘But… then that means…’ Pausing her internal monolog, the brunette moved her arms around her tight confinement before scowling. It was wrong… ‘I’m not in her stomach…’ She had been eaten… but, this wasn’t her stomach. So, what was going on then, where was she?

Leaning back into the spongy innards she was pressed against, the brunette took a deep breath before trying to think it through… even if the air around here smelled horrible… As the minutes passed by, however, the teenager slowly began to blink before her eyes shot open.

She hadn’t swallowed her… SHE MUST BE INSIDE HER CROP! ‘Wait, do Harpies have crops…? The crop of a bird was the section right before the avian stomach used to store food in. Most birds tended to use theirs to store up extra food to eat later or carry around for other birds who can’t forage yet. It was strange… but, it made some semblance of sense for Harpies to have similar anatomy as their fowl friends did.

Feeling a small smile made its way to her face now, the brunette had to shake her head. ‘Is this real…?’ If this really was what she thought it was then Amy hadn’t eaten her at all. She was just carrying her! Thumping her head against the base of… whatever it was she was laying on, the teenager chuckled dryly before feeling out the ground beneath her.

Sure enough, in a matter of moments, she soon found it. Pressing gently against a small hole, the teenager cringed as she felt it twitch under her. ‘So I am in her crop…’ This was both fascinating and greatly disturbing… Feeling a bit more at ease now, albeit angry at the younger girl for doing this to her without prior warning, Abby shook her head before waiting. What else could she honestly do at this point…?

Tapping her foot gently as she fidgeted, Abby’s eyes slowly lulled shut as she rested uneasily. Why did things always end up like this? One minute she could be at peace and in a happy place with one of these girls and the next in a situation like this… well, not always like this per say, but enough to be a hassle on her.

Sighing tiredly, the brunette gently pinched the walls around her once more as she wondered. Of all these girls why was it that Amy thought of Najia like her mother and the others didn’t? Or, did they and they just didn’t say it? There were honestly too many questions for her to ask though. Just how many layers were there to these creatures?

‘Hominal and Beastial really are something else.’ At least compared to her race they were. Humans… they had complexities to but, there was a lot of doubt in her mind about how good they were as of now. But, this was a cycle… one that would never end. Good human, good Hominal, good Beastial… bad Human, bad Hominal, bad Bestial…

It wasn’t black and white, at least, not like she once thought it to be. What, others still thought it to be. It was funny… Finding her way here how she did… nursing an injured woman alongside her fellow sisters… Making friends with unexpected people… being hunted like they were by spiteful ones…  Finding… finding, love? She never thought any of this was going to happen to her in a single week let alone in her life.

‘And being swallowed by a Harpy… I might as well chalk that up to…’ Chuckling mirthfully, Abby nodded before smiling, her mood much better now than it had been prior. ‘Hey Eve? Amy’s probably looking for someone right now. If you’re awake yet, can you please help me out.’

Smiling as she relayed her silent message once more, the teenager sighed before lying back against the walls she was prisoner to. It didn’t appear It was time yet. All she could do was just wait till the feathered girl eventually found someone for her…

But, she just prayed it wasn’t Ebon…

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Covering her eyes as the darkness around her slimy confinements were lifted, Abby squinted as she felt her body slowly being massaged as she was lifted upward, or more, pulled downward at a strange angle. Looking down as she heard a quiet choking noise, a pair of teeth soon greeted her before the teenager screeched.

Falling out of Amy’s mouth and onto some rougher stones, the teen cursed under her breath (a bad habit she might have acquired from a certain Dullahan) before lifting her head up and looking around. However, what greeted her field of vision was not what she expected…

“A-Amy…?” Staring forward in wonder, Abby’s eyes shimmered as the reflection of the ocean glittered across her field of vision. She… she was on top of a cliff… Looking across the vast expanse of sea as the sun began to peak out over the horizon, the brunette was speechless as she saw the breathtaking view.

What on earth was she doing here? Hearing the coughing noises stop, the shrunken girl had to tear her eyes away from the stunning view as she watched the larger child soon plop herself down beside her. “Crekekeke… Nice face wasn’t easy to carry around. Shouldn’t poke Am… Amy? Yes! Shouldn’t poke Amy like fish do. Makes hard to swallow, crekrkrk…” She chittered softly as she watched the sun as well.

Looking up at the raven-haired child as she wiggled her feet over the edge of the cliff they were on, the brunette soon licked her lips before speaking. “Amy… why, why are we here? I thought you went to go find someone. And please… I can’t stress this enough. NEVER, do that again without telling me first!” She snapped, her voice cracking a bit towards the end.

Blinking her eyes a few times, the Harpy soon tilted her head sideways before staring back down at the smaller girl. “But the Nice Face said to find other Nice faces. How else would Amy carry you? Crekekek?” Sighing, Abby shook her head. “F-F-Fine lets skip that. Why are we here? We’re outside of the caverns… or, on top of them? Either way, you didn’t bring me to anyone, so, why?”

Lowering her head sheepishly, the feathery girl pouted as she continued to look out over the ocean. “Amy tried to find someone but there weren’t any nice faces in common ground. So… Amy came up perch. Let's watch the big shiny rise! Amy always comes here at this time to watch!” She chirped.

Giving the girl a deadpanned expression, Abby looked across the ocean once more as she saw the sun about halfway up the water now. “Do you mean the sun?” “Crekek? The what?” Palming her face, the teen sighed into her hand before pulling it downward. “Ok… so why come here? Why not drop me back off at your nest first?”

She was basically taking her out to a place no one would find here. THIS WAS EVEN WORSE THEN BEING STUCK ON HER BIRD-BED! Shrugging her shoulders sheepishly, Amy simply laughed much too the smaller girls anger. “Nice face looked troubled so Amy came here to make her not troubled. Momma always watched the big shiny fly with me at this time… But… Momma’s not here right now… creee…”

Feeling some of her anger bleed away from the saddened tone she heard, Abby grew quiet before slowly sitting down herself. She sounded… kind of lonely…  “After the sun comes up, can we look again for someone? I really need to find Casey or Eve, its important Amy…”

Looking back down at Abby as her neck tilted the other way, the raven-haired child bobbed her head as she smiled. “Ok nice face!” “It’s Abby…” “Ok nice face Abby!” Rubbing the bridge of her nose, the brunette chose not to correct her this time as she watched the sunrise with the Hominal instead.

Situation aside… it was a beautiful view. Looking out across the sea as more and more sparkles reflected off the surface of the water, the little human smirked before shaking her head. ‘And once again, I’m back to a peaceful moment…’ It was like her life couldn’t decide what it wanted for her at this point.

Glancing up at the Harpy as she kicked her legs out happily, her expression kept changing. One moment it was happiness, the next excitement, and a few seconds later glee, before switching back to happiness. She seemed like a simple-minded creature… but, that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing either.

“Hey, Amy… you said Najia sits with you and watches the sunrise in the mornings… Did you really look for anyone when you ate me or did you just want me to come up here to watch it with you?” She had to know…

Looking back down at Abby now, the younger girl pouted as her feathers began to ruffle. “Amy looked! Amy didn’t lie! All other Nice faces weren’t there! Amy saw Mean faces but not Nice faces!” She defended further confusing the shrunken girl beside her.

“Can… can you tell me who is a *Nice face* and who is a *Mean face*, please? Why do you keep calling the others that? And, me for that matter…” She muttered dryly. Chittering quietly, Amy pointed her winged tip up to her face before tapping her feathers against her cheek softly.

“Look! Amy as Nice face! Nice face Abby knows Amy won’t do mean things, right? Crekrkrk?” Nodding slowly as she listened to the younger girls words, the Harpy giggled happily before continuing. “Amy has Nice face but Mean faces have mean ones! They do mean things like pick on Amy! Mean faced fishy calls Amy squawky! Mean face, Mean face! Nice face witch gives Amy shiny, shiny’s! Nice face, nice face!” Nodding her head as she explained it… or, at least explained it to the best of her ability, Abby soon scowled.

‘So fishy is probably Brook and she’s mean because she calls her names while Kari is nice because she gives her things…’ She kind of got it now. She didn’t know their names… She only recognized them by their faces. She was a crow… Nodding her head slowly as she started to piece it together now, Abby had to frown.

“So you’ll talk to the people you think are nice but not to the ones you think are mean?” Nodding her head in affirmation, Amy soon puffed out her chest. “Amy knows Mean faces will pick on Nice face Abby, so Amy won’t let them see you. Since Nice face Abby doesn’t like Nice face lizard though, Amy will keep you away from her…” She mumbled.

Furrowing her brow as she pondered over her last statement, Abby’s eyes slowly widened. ‘D-Does she mean Ebon?!’ How was she nice! Looking back at the raven-haired Harpy as she started to watch the sunrise once more, the shrunken human couldn’t help but shake her head.

“Amy… how do you know someones mean or not just because of something they said? Brook, the mermaid, right? She called you… squawky? Maybe it was a nickname of sorts and not to make fun of you. You can’t think like this or else you’ll be miserable your whole life. Friends fight from time to time but they also make up and grow even stronger. Don’t you think you’d be happier if you got along with the other… Mean faces, instead of avoiding them?”

Letting her statement hang in the air as the feathered girl continued to watch the view, Abby was about to speak up again before Amy beat her to it. “Amy doesn’t think Mean faces are mean. Amy feels them…” She mumbled. Looking up at the Harpy confused, the teen waited for an explanation, but, it didn’t look like she was going to give her one if she didn’t ask.

“What do you mean you feel them?” Craning her neck down quietly, the younger girl smiled before lifting one of her wings up and stretching it outward. “Thinking too much confuses Amy, so Amy doesn’t think. But when Amy feels something, Amy knows it’s good or bad, like now. Amy feels Nice face sitting with her. Amy knows Nice face Abby is good.” She chirped.

Frowning as she tried to understand the meaning behind the child's words, Abby simply shook her head. “But, what if I’m not? You barely know me, Amy. What if I’m a mean person just acting nice?” “Nope.” “But how do you know for sure?” “Nope.” “A-Amy I’m serious you can’t just feel that I’m not going to do something bad to you later!” “Nope.” “CAN YOU SAY ANYTHING OTHER THEN NO?!” “CAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAW”

Falling backward's a bit in surprise from the loud crowing noise she heard, Abby glared up at the smiling harpy before growling. “THAT’S NOT WHAT I MEANT!” Giggling happily, the younger girl continued to wiggle her taloned feet as the sun finally rose above the sea line.

“Harpies feel for things. We feel what we like, what we hate, what is nice, and what’s not nice. Thinking confuses things, so Harpies don’t think, we feel. Does Nice face Abby feel like Amy wants to hurt her? crekekek?” Staring down the child for a moment, Abby’s eyes slowly shifted away before she sighed.

“No… But that-“Cawing loudly as she silenced the startled girl, Amy shook her head. “Nice face Abby feels I’m also Nice face, recognizes Amy as Nice face, so Nice face Abby knows Amy doesn’t want to hurt Nice face Abby.” She chirped. Biting her lip as she listened to the strange explanation, Abby soon had to frown once more. It made… sense…

She could tell Amy didn’t want to hurt her. Sure she barely knew her but everything about her told her that she didn’t want to do her harm. It was weird, but, it felt… ‘Right…’ Watching as Amy’s foot rose upward, the Harpy soon rested her scaled digits in front of the shrunken girl before grinning.

“Does the Nice face trust Amy not to hurt her?” Feeling her breath hitch as she stared down at the large pair of talons with uncertainty, Abby soon gulped before closing her eyes. “Yes, Amy… I trust you…” “Then hold on!” Opening her eyes back up, the brunette was about to ask what she meant before stiffening as the feathery girl suddenly grabbed her with her foot.

“A-A-Amy…?” Screaming immediately as she was pulled off the cliff, the brunette felt her stomach drop as she began to free fall with the Harpy, what was going on?! Hearing a loud fit of laughter from the child, the captive human continued to scream as she saw the water and rocks beneath them getting closer! They were going to hit them!

However, as they neared the fatal water, the feathery girl’s wings shot out at her sides before she glided across the top of the water, taking Abby with her. Crying hysterically as she watched the water hovering just inches below her feet as she shot down the channel of ocean, the brunette gripped the pair of claws currently holding her shoulders in place as they both flew!

SHE WAS F-FLYING! Shuddering uncontrollably in fear, the teenager felt her voice failing her after her minute-long wailing session before it inevitably died off. Panting softly as she heard more and more laughter above her, the shrunken human was left mute by what she was witnessing.

‘W-We’re flying…’ She was actually flying. Letting go of Amy’s toes as she let herself be carried properly, Abby’s eyes drank in the site as she saw sparkles of water flashing by her in a blur as they flew across the ocean together. This… this was breathtaking…

Almost as if a switch was flipped inside of her now, the smaller girl couldn’t help but grin. THIS WAS AMAZING! She was actually flying! She couldn’t believe it! But, it seemed the exuberant girl wasn’t going to settle with hovering over the water for long.

Flapping her wings down as she almost all but froze in the air, the younger child grinned before shooting into the sky, the smaller girl’s screams following after her giggling, though, she was screaming for a different reason this time.

Crying out in laughter herself as she watched them go higher into the sky, Abby’s eyes watered from the pressure she felt but she didn’t care. This was the coolest thing that she had ever experienced! She was the first human to ever fly!

Spinning in the air as she swung her passenger around, Amy’s laughter was contagious apparently as she heard her newly acquired friend laughing alongside her. Adjusting her wings as she took her decent, the Harpy soon proved she wasn’t finished as she began to fly along the side of the large mountain they were next to.

Looking out across the sea and land as she watched the shapes of stone pass her by, Abby was left speechless as she grinned wider. ‘So this is their home…’ It was smaller than she imagined it was. On the outside, it didn’t look like more than a small rock formation but that’s why it was so deceiving. It was an actual underground cave system.

Smiling as more knowledge was given to her, Abby yipped as they began to descend to the water again. Sputtering as her feet hung over the water, the teenager looked up now as she saw Amy giggling back at her. Letting out quiet cries as her feet actually began touching the water, Abby soon realized what was going on before she planted her feet in a way that made them glide across the surface.

They were still playing! Laughing now as she danced across the sea, both girls continued this flight for a while longer before Amy soon began to ascend once more. Panting as she felt all her breath taken from her, Abby’s lips hurt from how much she had been smiling. This… this was wonderful…

Flapping gently over the spot they had once been perched upon, Amy’s leg landed gently as she held Abby in her spare before letting the smaller girl fall gently to the ground beside her. Smiling as she fell into the dirt, Abby’s face was flushed as she continued to pant, her breath coming out rugged now as she felt one of the best sensations of her life. Her whole body, she felt, exhilarated!

“A-A-Amy… That… that was… god…” Chuckling as she tried to find words to even remotely describe the feeling of flight for the first time, the Harpy cawed loudly as she extended her wings. “It felt good! Felt free! Nice face Abby felt free like Amy!” She cried excitedly. Nodding her head in amusement, the brunette giggled as well.

She was right… she did feel free. It was, almost liberating to be in the air. Like gravity held no purpose over her anymore. Was this what Harpies always felt like? What about other Hominal that flew? It… it was amazing! Falling on her back as she stared up at the blue skies above her, the smaller girl grinned goofily as she remembered the feeling.

The wind in her hair… the salty smell of the ocean as she rushed by it… her feet, gliding over the water as they raced past the sea… It was beautiful… “Hey Amy… I think I get it now… I think I understand what you meant about feeling things...” Looking back down at the smaller girl as she laid there tiredly, the Harpy simply smiled back at her, before Abby spoke up once more.

“C-Can we do it again…?”

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“BIG SIIIIIIIS! BIG SIIIIIIIS! WHERE ARE YOU?!”

“P-PLEASE COME OUT BIG SIS YOU WIN! STOP HIDING! BIG SIIIIIIS!”

“KNOCK IT OFF YA EEJIT’S! SHE AIN’T HIDIN SHE WAS TAKEN!”

Storming down the commons in a fouler mood than usual, Casey shook her head angrily as both Emma and Ella sat on one of her shoulders screaming the brunette’s name. After losing her they had been so panicked that they ended up coming to her in the end. Had this been any other situation however she’d be damned to let these blights touch her…

This was rite pissing her off it was. Looking around for a certain girl, in particular, the redhead ground her teeth back and forth as she tried to find any clues as to where her smaller companion could be. “You two screw-ups are dead if anythin happens to her… I hope you realize that!” The Dullahan snapped, causing the two crying imps to cower on her shoulders.

“B-B-BUT IT WASN’T OUR FAULT!” “YEAH, YEAH! WE WERE TAKING HER BACK TO KK WHEN SHE WAS STOLEN!” “WE NEED TO SAVE HER!!!” “WE NEED TO SAVE BIG SIIIIIIS!!!” Screeching as their faces were clutched in both of the redhead's hands, Casey continued to growl as she shut them up. Their whining was grating on her nerves, and she already had enough problems to deal with herself.

Fatigue was setting in. Scowling as she felt her body tiring from her earlier activities the redhead tried to be calm about this but it was hard! From what the twats had said something flew away with Abby so that only really left two options for what could have done it, and she had a feeling Ebon wasn’t the one who had.

She wouldn’t have put as much effort into flying away so much as simply batting the Imp’s around before taking her. At least, she hoped that was the case. ‘Abby, you better be alive or so help me…’ Clenching her hands tighter, a loud squealing noise soon brought the Hominal out of her troubling thoughts as she felt the two Imp’s she was clutching struggling frantically. She almost forgot about them…

Letting go of their heads as she ignored their newfound cries of anger, the older girl simply paced around as she looked at the ceiling of their caverns. She didn’t know where Amary was personally but she always made her nest in the highest alcoves when they traveled. The same was probably true here too.

However, it seemed she was finally granted a break that morning as she heard something coming towards her in the distance. Pausing her walk as her ears focused, Casey narrowed her eyes as she tried to discern it or not before she nodded. It was her all right.

Watching in surprise as the Harpy she had been looking for suddenly flew down towards them, the raven-haired child flapped her wings gently before squatting down in front of Casey startling all three of them. She just landed in front of them...? Meeting eyes with one another, the Dullahan scowled as she waited. Amary wouldn’t be here for no reason meaning that if anyone had taken Abby it had to have been her.

“Well? Where is she you feathered fuck…” “YEAH, YEAH! GIVE US BIG SIS!” “GIVE HER BACK YOU THEIF!” “SHUT IT!” Watching as the Harpy suddenly hopped backward in fear, Casey ground her teeth. “AMARY! DAMN IT, JUST GIVE HER BACK, WE KNOW YOU HAVE HER!” “Casey! Stop yelling at her!”

Blinking in surprise, the Dullahan had to pause as she heard Abby’s voice… coming from the Harpy's mouth…? “Huh?! A-Abby…?” Fidgeting, around as she looked at the three of them, Amy cringed as her lips opened briefly as she began turning her head back and forth.

“Its fine Amy, Casey’s my friend. She’s a Nice face… sometimes… You can trust her, I promise.” Closing her mouth silently, the feathery girl frowned before nodding her head. Hopping back over towards the puzzled Hominal, the younger girl soon tilted her face down before opening her mouth above the ground.

Watching in confusion, all sense of calm left Casey as she watched Abby slide out from between the Harpy’s lips causing her to grow enraged. SHE WAS IN HER MOUTH?! Growing angry immediately, the Dullahan’s shadow slowly began to rise before Abby’s voice silenced her.

“CASEY! Stop! Amy was just bringing me back to someone! She didn’t do anything to me! So stop it, you’re scaring her!” Abby barked. Looking down at the teen as she inspected her, Casey’s brow furrowed in confusion before her eyes drifted to the cowering bird girl. What the actual fuck was this morning...?

“A-Abby… Are, are ya alright?” Nodding her head, the brunette smiled before looking back up at Amy. “I’m perfectly fine… although I might need a bath… Amy didn’t mean to take me from the twins... She… kind of didn’t even know I was what she took…”The brunette laughed dryly.

Looking back and forth between the child and her Abby, Casey finally sighed before nodding. “Alright, yer off the hook bird brain. Just don’t go-“ “Mean face…” “THE HELL DID YA SAY?!” Smirking as she saw Amy hopping backward's as she glared back at the redhead, Abby couldn’t help but smile.

“Like I said… sometimes. Thank you for taking good care of me Amy, I really appreciate you taking me back to Casey as well.” Smiling back at her new found friend, the younger girl nodded happily before chittering. “Nice face Abby is Amy’s friend. Amy will always take care of friends. Just like Momma does!” Nodding happily, the teenager chuckled before looking back up at Casey.

“Try to be nice to her. She’s not a bad girl Casey. Same goes for you two, don’t think I don’t see you hiding…” Abby deadpanned, a dual whined cry echoing out behind the redhead. Poking their heads out, both Emma and Ella whimpered as they saw their big sister scowling back at them.

“WE’RE SORRY!!!!!”

“WE’RE SORRY!!!!!”

Smiling mirthfully, Abby’s eyes soon widened as she felt her body being lifted upward. Looking down at the shadow that cradled her now, the brunette grinned before she slid down the black tendril and into Casey’s waiting hands. “Sheesh… ya gave me a scare ya did. Glad to see yer alright though…” Casey mumbled sheepishly.

Smirking from the feigning tone she heard, Abby couldn’t help but chuckle. She missed her. Waving goodbye to Amy as the Harpy began to flap her wings, both girls shared a quiet grin before the Hominal took off leaving Abby now once again with her friends.

“Are you really alright Big Sis?” “Yeah, yeah? She didn’t do anything to you, did she? Birdys not really that smart…” Giving the Imp siblings another deadpanned expression, the teen simply sighed. “It’s like the pot callin the kettle black, ain’t it? Heh…” The Dullahan chuckled dryly.  Looking up at Casey once more, Abby soon smiled.

“Hey, Casey… thanks for looking for me.” Blushing, the younger girl smiled weakly before nodding. “What? Did ya think I stopped lookin for ya? Sheesh, I ain’t that kinda lass, you shoulda known that by now.” Nodding, Abby smiled once more, before her lips curled into a grin.

“Hey Casey, you have something on your face…” Blinking in Confusion, the Dullahan moved her hands upwards before stiffening as she felt Abby moving forward… before pressing her face against her lips. Pulling the teenager away as she sputtered, Casey’s face lit up in surprise as she looked down at the smiling human.

“W-W-WHAT THE HELL?! W-WHAT WAS THAT F-FOR?! She just kissed her! Blushing a bit herself now, Abby’s smile never faded as she felt her small gesture of appreciation received about as well as she expected it to be.

“I don’t know… I just kind of, felt like it.”

To be continued.