Family

//So, you flew all the way out here just to visit us? The family will be very pleased,// Seth said. //As am I, of course. So, do we hug or…?//

I held out my wing, and he awkwardly ‘shook’ it. //How many of the family are here?// I asked, as we watched the Spearwives, whom they had called over, to cut up the Dragon. Then they brought up the head and some of the organs and Seth stood there while I ate them. I suppose it wasn’t ‘polite’, but I wasn’t’ a Farmer, I didn’t have to worry about their rules… did I?

//All of them, really. Even Greg and his wife and children.//

I looked at him,//Greg has a wife and…// well, of course he did. What was I thinking of? We had been born the same year. His kids were probably ready to have kids.

//How many children does he have?// I asked.

//Only eight,// he said. //He lost a couple in a Dragon attack three years ago, and a third was severely injured, and still has problems walking. But whenever we go out he transforms to a Horseman, and he has no handicap there. But, they’re all right over that hill there, waiting for us. I sent a messenger back when I saw it was you.//

I took off over the woods to the path realizing, almost as I landed, that I had left without saying ‘goodbye’. My Eagle manners were going to make me unpopular. I kept leaving people and just flying off… oh. Like I had left that Elf who was studying me. Poor chap. Now he would have to travel all the way across the continent, and arrive just about when I would be ready to leave!

//Uncle Jonathon!// A boy said, running up to me, //they said you might come!//

The boy was followed by a dozen or so other children who all came up and stopped, with the usual awkwardness over how to greet me. A couple of the girls, however, solved this with a group hug with me at the center.

//They have just recently been Fisherkids,// my sister in law said, coming up. I think they would have been a little more reluctant to greet their Uncle the Eagle other wise. Did you have a nice trip over?
//Oh, it was wonderful. I enjoy sea travel… the wind, the fish… especially the fish.//

//I like fishing, especially as a Fisherboy!// my nephew said, the one who had greeted me at first. //Did you fish as a Fisherboy?//

//No, dear, he has to stay an Eagle, remember?//

//Oh, yeah, I forgot. Do you like being an Eagle?//

//Can you take me for a ride?// a smaller copy asked.

//No, no I can’t,// I said, //I’m not big enough to carry people.//

//Did you help kill the Dragon?//

//He killed the Dragon all by himself,// Seth said, coming up from behind us. //And we need to keep moving, I’m afraid, if we are to get to the next inn before dark. I suppose you will want to fly, Jonathon?//

//Yes. I won’t need an inn, either. But I will meet you there, if I can. I need to hunt.//

//What are you going to hunt for?//

//I won’t know till I see it,// I said, and launched myself into the air. That went better, I thought to myself. I sort of said goodbye.

Hunting went well. There wasn’t much large game, but plenty of smaller stuff. I guess no one has had an opportunity to hunt much here. My poetry club buddies would love it here! I got done in plenty of time to be waiting (in a tree) for my brother and his kids and grandkids.

//Jonathon!// the one cousin, the boy, said, yelling at me. I would have to learn all their names, but they were all born after me.

//Jonathon,// Seth said. //Shall we talk? I’ll have Caleb here (the boy) build us a fire. Up on the hill, Caleb, on that rise there. Then, Jonathon there has eaten but I haven’t, so if someone could bring me something.//

No one said anything, but an older girl grinned and ran off into the inn.

//That really was impressive, you know,//Seth said once we were seated.

//What was?//

//The way you took out that Dragon. I was very impressed.//

//Well, it was harder than some prey, but easier than others. I saw it coming from a long ways away.//

//Flying has that advantage, I suppose. But I meant your technique. You are a lot smaller than he was and you seemed to have killed him almost immediately… or, at least, disabled him.//

//It wasn’t that hard, pretty much any of us could have done that. It was a bit tricky deciding where to hit him, being so big and strong. But, eventually I decided that the wings were really their weak point. I know the ghosts go for the neck, but that is hard for me, when they’re flying. They can move them all about easily, you know. So it was obvious that I had to hit him in the wing. It was kind of tricky once I got him on the ground…//

//We can help with that,// he said.

//What?// I said.

//We can help you with that part, if you can get them down.//

//Get what down?// I asked him.

//The Dragons,// he said. //You go up and knock them down, and we can handle them on the ground.//

//When?//

//Well, we would have to get you up to the front lines. You got one here today, but it is actually kind of rare. They know that we have these paths, and they do like to attack us on them, but they don’t come that often. We’d have a lot better luck up on the front lines.//

//You want me to go up there? To the front lines? But I’m just a kid!//

He laughed. //You are as old as my oldest son, who has several children of his own. But I know what you mean. Still, you handled that one Eagle well, what makes you think you won’t be able to do as well next time?//

//But… but you mean I should…//

//Yeah. Why not?//

Why not? Because I had never dreamed of it? Because I was an Eagle not a Ghost? Because…

//I guess so,// I said. //I can try, anyway. Do you want me to go now?//

//Now?! Heavens no. We’ll spend the night here, then a couple of days more to get to the Dwarf capital city, then a couple of days to arrange the expedition… no, it will be at least a week. You can wait a week, no?//

//Oh, oh, yes.//

//Great,// he said. //So, this is my grandson Caleb…//

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Von