The Brood Queen

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Borrowing the wings of a harpy, she glided perilously through the thickening thundercloud. With her powerful blue feathered wings she cut through the horizontal rain over a dense tropical forest. She watched the small gleam in the raging sea that confirmed the scouts had seen ships moving in from the Northern Coast.

Hold fast, my son. She instructed the giant sea beast lurking deep beneath the waves. The dense spray of the waves lashing allowed no visibility. Not a sound could be heard over the violent winds. That did not concern the winged woman as she dipped under the canopy of the forest through a rock passage cut out by a wide river.

Instantly the roar of the seaside was damped by the thick vegetation surrounding the river. Instead of a tropical storm spray, the rain fell in spiral waterfalls guided by the trees. The harpy like figure flared her great wings to steady her speed, and start a softer decent to the river banks.

She landed on thick soft moss that grew over black, round rocks that lined the shores of the river. As she steadied herself her clawed feet became human feet. The long, powerful wings shrank into soft human arms. Her fingers remained feathers to the end of her transformation. She held her hand in front of her face, slowing the process down enough to watch in the warm light of the forest flora.

As her eyes adjusted to the dim, but inviting light coming from banks, she noticed small circular shapes bouncing up, and down. It was like the rocks themselves were coming alive.

Small comical squeaks, and honks came from the tiny figures. A lot of them... a whole lot of them... She looked around, and realized nearly everywhere she looked around herself, hoards of them surrounded her.

She felt a fuzzy sensation on her shoulder. She turned her head to see a very angry mousy creature squeaking angrily.

"I'm sorry it's been so long since I've come to visit." she whispered.

The wee creature was not satisfied by her apology. It continued stomping around her shoulder.

"Oh, come now, I missed you all dearly." She coughed.

She smiled down to the group collecting in front of her.

"We will have time to visit soon, I'm sure. There's important manners at hand. I need you to tell me. Have you seen any humans moving in the forest?"

A quiet came over the tiny creatures, for a moment. Then a high pitched squeaking started from a bunch some distance back.

"Do you know where they are?"

The bunch began hopping, and honking feverishly, moving into a neat line heading deeper into the forest.

"Thank you, my friends. I'll return to you soon..."

A disappointed sigh came from the creatures.

"With sweet rolls."

Am enthusiastic squeaking rose.

She smiled warmly as the walked through the dancing puffs.

As she moved along the river bank, led on by the line of forest guides, her smile fell away. It had been nearly 3 centuries since the territories had seen anyone sail from across the oceans. Upon seeing the lights coming from the deeper waters, she brooded over the possible implications of their arrival.