Aurelia moved through the darkened forest with ease. Her pointed ears swiveled, picking up the slightest rustling in the underbrush. Her long tail trailed behind her, flicking back and forth as she scanned the trees. She was in her element here, alone and unseen.
It was a surprise, then, when she received a message from the Order of the Phoenix. They needed her help with a mission, and she was to work with a team. Aurelia had always preferred to work alone, relying on her own instincts and abilities. But the Order was not to be ignored, so she reluctantly agreed to meet the team.
She arrived at a clearing in the forest, where a woman with colorful feathers on her arms and legs was waiting for her. Aurelia recognized her immediately as a harpy, a fierce and skilled fighter. The harpy introduced herself as Thalia, and explained that they were to retrieve an important book that had been stolen from the Order's library.
Aurelia felt a twinge of annoyance at the thought of working with someone else, but she kept it to herself. She knew the importance of the task, and she trusted the Order's judgement in choosing Thalia as her partner. As they set off towards the stolen book, Aurelia kept a close eye on Thalia, watching for any signs of weakness or uncertainty. But she couldn't find any. Thalia was confident and strong, and didn't let the fact that Aurelia wasn't really answering her questions bother her.
As they walked, Thalia began to make small talk, trying to get to know Aurelia better. Aurelia was guarded at first, but soon realized was going to have to trust the harpy anyways. The mission would include lots of teamwork. So she began to open up as they talked. Thalia was a good listener, and Aurelia found herself enjoying the conversation. She even began to share some of her past experiences, something she rarely did with anyone.
They walked for hours, until they finally came to a river. Thalia took off her boots and waded in, looking for a safe place to cross. Aurelia hesitated, not sure if she wanted to risk getting her tail wet. Her tail was sensitive and getting it wet isn't a nice feeling. She was not looking forward to walking around with a wet tail for the rest of the day. Thalia noticed her hesitation and offered to carry her across. Aurelia was surprised by the gesture, but she reluctantly accepted. As Thalia lifted her up, Aurelia felt a rush of fear and excitement. It was a feeling she had not experienced in a long time. She thanked Thalia for helping her.
They made it across the river safely, and continued on their journey. As the day wore on, Aurelia found herself enjoying Thalia's company more and more. She was surprised at how much she had started to open up to her, and how much she was starting to trust her. Things she didn't usually do this easy. But Thalia was nice to her, and didn't do anything to make Aurelia not trust her. Maybe working with a team wasn't so bad after all.
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YOU ARE READING
The flight of the harpy and the werefox
FantasyA story about a harpy and a werefox having to work together to retrieve a book that was stolen from The order of the Phoenix. Aurelia prefers to work alone, but what if she realizes working together with the harpy isn't so bad?
