Lissbet the flower girl looked up from picking daisies in the meadow, as the huge, dark shape momentarily blotted out the sun. “Again!” she exclaimed, watching the steel-grey harpy flap awkwardly across the sky, a great bough clutched in her talons. “Whatever is that disgusting creature doing?”

A few moments later, the harpy appeared again, without its heavy load. Lissbet crouched low in the grass, hoping not to be spotted. But, this harpy was not hunting for food, not today. Today was all about preparation, to ensure the clutch of eggs she would soon lay had a safe and study home.

A little later, she returned, dragging yet another branch through the sky. Lissbet waited until the feathered beast had gone, and fled in the direction of her grandfather’s sheep farm. Grandfather would know what the harpy was doing, wouldn’t he?

“A large harpy? Steel blue? Dragging tree branches?” repeated her grandfather, sucking on his pipe.

“No, this is not good at all. That is the elder harpy, Saliva. She normally lives in the Blighted Grove. And the only thing she can possibly be doing with those branches is building a nest! We do not need her offspring flying around here! Just think of the sheep! Look after the farm, Lissbet. I must travel to Britain. The king must know of this!”