The Eagle Feather - one

Her soulmate sits by himself, preening and cleaning his feathers. Presentation is important to predators. He sits in a worn, wooden cage, handcrafted by the village’s best. Straw lines the bottom, a half eaten mouse hidden amongst the dry grass. Entrails are slipping out of the flimsy skin, shreds of it peeling away to reveal the soft innards. It is not forgotten, simply saved for later. The fatty back legs and soft underbelly are already wasting away in the eagle’s small stomach. He knows the mouse will keep until he is hungry again. He can smell it. 

Impatient, he begins to chatter. The sun has already risen, she should wake. He shift his weight between his two clawed feet, and her eyes flutter open. She stirs, stretching and yawning. He copies her in a sardonic manner, making fun of her. She ignores him. Slipping around beneath her soft, cool sheets, she enjoys the feeling of the linen on her naked body. She enjoys simply laying there. But, she knows that soon she will have to get up and face the day. The bird pecking at his wooden cage, splintering the varnished wood, is not the only animal that craves her attention.

‘Aline. Aline!’ An older woman’s voice calls. Aline sits up in bed. ‘Mama.’ She replies, rubbing her eyes. She bites her lip when she realises her mistake. Her bedroom door opens and a similar looking woman peers in, her expression pained. ‘Not Mama. Just me, Aline.’ Aline’s sister presses her lips together. Her skin is pale and washed out, and a tired air surrounds her. The pregnancy is taking its toll. All she wants is to sit. ‘Sorry, Sabra.’ Aline mutters, but she isn’t sorry at all, because she knows it’s not her fault. A moment passes. ‘You need to get up. The chickens are hungry, and so are the cows and pigs and horses and sheep, and you need to help Jin when you’ve finished. He’s got need for you and your helping hands.’ Sabra sighs and pats her bulging stomach. ‘Lords know I can’t do it.’ She smiles fondly down at the baby bump that has grown past the budding stage. Sabra is now so heavily pregnant, that the baby could arrive any given moment. ‘I know. I’ll have a minute to dress.’ ‘I’ll get some curra ready, and some bread.’ Aline’s sister smiled, still patting her stomach. ‘Don’t keep him waiting, he’s foul in the morning.’ ‘I won’t.’ Aline sighed. She never did.

Once dressed in her best, but still well-stained farming tunic, Aline wrapped a thick brown apron around her waist. She stuffed some small carrots for the horses in the pocket. Aline grabbed the steaming mug of curra and began to swig it down, careful to avoid the spiked, curly leaf floating in the water. In truth, Aline hated the stuff. She found it much too watery, and a sickly sweet that reminded her of flower pollen. Aline much preferred angya, but it made her very drunk, and very quickly. Curra was much more suited to daily drinking. Chewing her last mouthful of freshly baked bread, Aline whistled. Kaul, the bird, had been let out of his cage, but had yet to come down the stairs. Swooping down the stair well at a speed that made Aline clench her teeth, Kaul did a quick circle of the room, and then settled on Aline’s shoulder. Aline slipped outside into the glaring sunshine. Instantly, she felt Kaul push away from her shoulder and fly out and up, into the sky. Sighing, Aline set to work. First was the chickens, who all had to be woken, the eggs collected, and then feed scattered in their outside pen. Aline didn’t begrudge the work, she simply regretted the speed she had to do it at. She much preferred to take her time, examine the animals for any health changes, and selfishly, for her own enjoyment. She felt a special connection to all animals, and though she wouldn’t admit it, she felt a kind of… tether to them. As if that connection was reciprocated. Sometimes, if Aline concentrated, she could tell the colour of the tether, its thickness, and how this affected the relationship between them. Aline neglected to ponder on it now. Once the chickens were happily clucking and squawking and scratching at the feed on the ground, Aline made her way to the pigs. Usually, she would take them outside so they could enjoy the sunshine, but all five of the adult male pigs were much too large for Aline to push outside. An uneasy feeling twisted in her stomach, because she knew they were at the right size to be culled and taken to market. Ghe would keep one for the family, and one would be divided up between the workers on the farm, but the other three would make him a lot of money. Aline instead focused her attention on the two female pigs. One was heavily pregnant, and the other had given birth to nine piglets a week ago. Aline noticed with an inordinate amount of sadness that they had already been seen to, most likely by Ghe. She watched them for a few seconds, feeling that the mother was half asleep and very grouchy. Turning away, Aline made her way to the horses and goats. She glanced over at the field of sheep. Ghe shepherded them himself, with some aid from a local village boy who wanted to be a sheep farmer. Aline smiled at their bleating, relaxed forms. The tether vibrated with happiness, but she pushed it aside. Opening the door to the barn, Aline smiled broadly. The four horses greeted her in a similar fashion, but the goats were too busy moaning. They were hungry. Once the goats were content again, Aline refilled the water troughs for each of the horses, and stuffed more hay in the nets that hung on the walls. The stables had been cleaned the night before, so Aline could cross that off her mental list. All she had to do was lead the horses out to pasture and feed them their carrots. When she returned to close one of the barn doors, Aline nearly stumbled at the sudden shock of the tether between Kaul and herself. She could feel him on the roof of the barn, though she hadn’t seen or heard him land. She felt his apprehension, and when he squawked in warning, Aline swung round. Her heart jumped into her throat, and Aline tried to calm herself. ‘Lords, Jin. I had no idea you were there.’ Aline managed to gasp. ‘Aye, sounds about right. Too busy with yer bloody animals.’ Jin spat on the ground, and Aline resisted the urge to physically recoil. ‘Sorry. I was then on my way over.’ ‘No, yer weren’t.’ Jin shook his head. ‘No matter. I’ve got need for ya. We’re all ready to plant, so you follow me.’ Obediently, Aline solemnly followed Jin to the fields. Kaul circled overhead, his shadow dancing on the hot ground. Aline wished she could get out of work that easily.