It’s been more than two winters since I hatched, and though it isn’t much, I have managed to figure out the whole “baby hatched from an egg” thing I couldn’t make sense of for a while.

I figured out the egg part pretty quick. There were pieces still stuck to me for hours after hatching, and so my first thought was ‘bird’ of course. Couldn't really see the first week or so, but when you hear hoofbeats you think of horses not zebras, and when you hatch out of an egg and have feathers, you think "bird". But I’ve seen my clutch-mates and our people with functioning eyes since my first theory, and even with the mental capacity of a child I could tell we were not birds. But we were definitely 'bird-like'. At over two Springs we were still chicks, flightless. Where even the largest birds would have left the nest they hatched to by now, we weren't expected to face our first winters alone.

My clutch-mates and I were very much smaller, fluffier, versions of the winged people that the adults were. Most of our torsos, limbs, and nearly the entirety of our faces were fleshy and unadorned. Feathers covered the rest. Our 'bird-like' feet end in three vicious talons with a fourth opposed, and our otherwise human hands end in five less vicious claws. But no, I am not a [Harpy]. [Harpy] was one of those words that tasted strangely on my lips, and I did have lips, not a beak. I only vaguely knew what a [Harpy] was, it was 'bird-like' and 'human-like', but I knew what those two things were. I was not a [Harpy] though, there's no such thing. I was Hesht. To be specific, a young Hesht child.

Today we were leaving the only home we've had, the hatchery cleverly named Hatchome. Our destination wasn’t far, we were moving to a new house, and on the way we got our first real look at our village. When we exited the hatchery, we found we were situated on a large flat section of land overlooking the river that sustained the village. Even now Hesht could be seen fishing from it, swooping in from above with talons or spear. The river that ran through the canyon curved around the inside edge giving the village a roughly crescent shape as it took the long way around the bend. The walls that rode from the valley floor were dotted with constructions housing the village population and smaller establishments like eateries that didn't need much of a footprint. Each building was at least half embedded in the canyon walls, and extended out with a front porch-cum-landing pad. Between these canyon-side buildings and the ground of the valley itself people were taking off and landing, generally going about their day. Hanging above the canyon walls, the midday sun lit nearly the entire valley surface and it warmed the mid-spring day.

Our destination was a flat section of ground well above the water line and tucked in against the canyon walls. A residential area of sorts for the Hesht fledglings, and sure enough the area we'd be living in had several buildings that could certainly support an average sized clutch of fledglings. Considering our young have much more curiosity than a bird of the same age with not even a fraction of the ability to fly, keeping fledglings close to the ground and away from the currents just made sense. Hatchome was one of the largest buildings in the valley, and it served not just as a hatchery and nursery, but also places where the sick and injured could go for help. It also had facilities and quarters for the denmothers on rotation. Better for all the village charges to be kept on the ground, no risk of falling off the walls and into the canyon. The main attraction of the village’s ground level consisted of a main thoroughfare that followed the bends of the river. The road and river were responsible for all of the hustle and a fair bit of the town's bustle. During the highest seasonal levels, the river would come nearly to the road itself. It's been a few days since rain so it was at a lower level now, but platforms and stairs were built below the road allowing access to and from the water route.

Outside the main road were the quieter areas where you could get away without going far. There were worn down paths and patches where people walked or the flightless played. One of the larger patches included a couple hooks on the end of long poles. Some of the older kids looked like they were playing a game throwing wooden rings at the hooks, or trying to stop their opponents.

Eventually we arrived. We stood outside the simple wooden construction tucked off to the side of the canyon floor, unsure what to do with ourselves. It was quieter than the main street, more secluded than where the fledglings were playing, but the sounds of fauna kept the area feeling alive and peaceful rather than secluded and lonely. The denmother escort ushered us inside, bringing supplies and belongings with them. The building wasn’t huge, but was plenty spacious to fit us all inside, comfortably even considering how small eight of the occupants were. It was a roughly oval common room with a kitchen and sitting area, and three smaller rooms separated from the main room by curtains. There was also a door built into the floor leading to storage.

I bet the houses up on the walls don't get basements. I wonder if anyone ever tried and carved through the roof of their neighbors.

We sat on small cushions around the table at the center of the common room, buzzing with energy remembering the sights of the village as the denmothers went about getting us settled. Sen was spinning her head this way and that, taking in the details of the building we now found ourselves in. It was amusing, but I was worried she would hurt her neck if she didn't calm down a little. Kelz and Cee were grooming each other, while Inir looked on personifying the definition of "third wheel". Reyna and Ber were being forced back to their seats by a couple denmothers, though not without putting up a resistance. The only one without an excess of energy was Ghisé who was sitting quietly and subtly scooching her cushion closer to mine.

"Ahem," Denmother Terese cleared her throat purposely to draw our attention. "Today is the day you are considered Hesht Fledglings. All of you will gain your first flight feathers this year, but no one should expect to fly for a few Springs." I got the feeling she's given this warning before. "Some of you might already have your first flight feathers," She looked pointedly at KelzCee, "But that doesn't mean you will be the first in the clutch to fly, or that you will be talented." Kelz and Cee didn't even seem to notice they were being warned. They'd already established a reputation for the way they (and by extension Inir) carried themselves, as better simply for developing a little quicker than the rest of us. I didn't hate them, our clutch was our family, but I didn't like them much either. They were bullies. I realized I had never liked girls like that. They weren't the only ones in the clutch to start growing flight feathers, but they were the first, and they still hadn't let us get over it.

Terese continued in an even tone, "As you all are too old for Hatchome, and this year's new clutch has been laid, this will be your new home from now on," she gestured at the scene around her. She nodded to the other denmothers that were helping with the transition. They nodded in return, gave their goodbye words and hugs to the clutch their had raised since hatching, and departed. Terese stayed behind. "This room," she pointed to the curtain in the center of the wall behind her, "Is mine. You can call me Henmother Therese, the Matron of our home. Now, go and get settled in your rooms, I'll call for dinner when it's ready. Cee, Sen, Talivi, Kelz on the left. Ghisé, Reyna, Inir, Ber on the right," she rattled off the assignments and excused herself, disappearing behind the curtain to her room.

The look on her face told me Ghisé felt the same way about being split up as I did. She wasn't happy about being in a different room from me and obviously, same! We always nested near each other in Hatchome. I wasn't as dependent on Ghisé as much as she was on me, but she was still my best friend. Worse yet, I’m in a room with Kelz and Cee. Inir looked quite put out as well, the hanger on having been assigned to the opposite room with Ghisé. Kelz and Cee looked [pleased as punch] walking into the shared room, of course.

Why do they get to stay together while Ghisé and I don't? That's not fair. I found myself getting worked up. I wasn't a crybaby, I just felt my emotions very strongly, and sometimes I let them get to me. This isn't one of those times, I'm just letting her know it isn't fair, then I'll go to my room like a big girl. Ignoring everyone else filing into the two shared rooms, I pushed through the curtain to Terese’s room instead. It was already partially furnished and the shades were drawn. There were trunks open with clothing spilling out and Terese sat on a stool rubbing her eyes. She looked up once she noticed my presence, and annoyance played across her brow at being needed already.

She quickly composed herself. “Yes, errr," she took a look at me then her notes, "Tavili, Is something the matter?” She asked.

She looks tired, I sh... Tavili? It's Talivi! I had been holding it together, but hearing my name gotten wrong was threatening to change that. I felt like I had been jabbed in a wound I didn't know I had. I tried to compose myself, gather my thoughts, and present them to the henmother. I’m sure she’ll understand once I present things clearly.

Talivi, Talivi. I let the name slide around in my head till it found a nice cozy spot to settle in. Talivi breatheee. If Cee and Kelz can still nest together, then Ghisé and I should be able to too, right? Maybe Terese didn’t know my name w... ah-! ...Didn't know that Ghisé and I were as close as Cee and Kelz? Also, Inir would want to be with them, I’m sure of it. We can trade. Everyone will be happier and happy is good, so this is good. I’ll just have to explain it to her so everyone can be happy.

Once my mouth was open, my carefully prepared argument and meticulously constructed demeanor crumbled instantly. I choked through sobs, “Why? Kelz and Cee <unintelligible> together. I- Inir <unintelligible>. Stay with Ghisé! No fair!”

Henmother’s stunned expression told me my proposal didn’t quite have the effect I was hoping for. Any patience she had mustered before melted away to reveal her true feelings at my outburst. She wasn't happy about her new assignment either, and was more than happy to tell a brat to suck it up.

“Now listen here princess!”

...

As I entered my new room fresh of a good scolding, the other three had already gotten comfy with the place. Kelz and Cee were snickering to each other and shooting me furtive looks, while Sen was sitting on her bed looking at nothing in particular. It looked like she was finally giving her neck a break and choosing to look at only one thing at a time now, her latest target was me. Clearly my tantrum was heard, and already I dreaded showing my face to Ghisé later, embarrassed as I was. After a long moment of staring I never felt uncomfortable with, she walked up to me and wrapped her wings around in a hug until my breathing settled. When it had, she pulled away, and shot me a bright smile. Sen didn't even whisper, but her gesture carried the words as if she spoke loud and clear. She was saying, “It’s going to be okay, we're all together. Sisters?”

[Today I Learned]: "Sisters"

 

You can choose your friends, but you can't choose your family, unless you're a god of course. But why fix the deck and take out all the fun?