One PISSED snake-girl.

You're surprised to see an arm grab hold at the entrance, pulling past it to reveal none other than Rits.

She scans the area until she sees you, then continues looking for something else. She finds her target in the green harpy she watched pick you up and carry you away.

She starts slithering over to Tucson's **** body with the maddest expression you've ever seen on her.

This could get out of hand fast.

"Hey, Rits!"

She ignores you as she keeps moving, eventually reaching Tucson and picking her up roughly with her giant tail, not stopping as she gets closer and closer to the cliff's edge.

"Hu- WAH!"

Tucson is as startled by this as you are, as you slide out from under Peoria and start running over to her before this gets worse.

"Rits, what are you doing?"

Rits doesn't say anything as she drags Tucson closer to the ledge. You get the idea that she means to throw her off.

Normally, it would only be a minor annoyance for any other harpy, but Tucson is already weak on a good day, and now she's dead tired from today's events. She would be unable to even start gliding, and would impact the ground in a fatal blow.

"Rits, don't!"

The commotion seems to be stirring Azusa and Simi, which isn't going to help anything, but you know you aren't strong enough to stop Rits on your own. They say Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, and if that's true, then it must go double for a woman who can bend iron with her tail.

Rits has reached the ledge and dangles Tucson in open air.

A fast flap of wings approach as Azusa and Simi both land on their feet behind Rits, cornering her.

"Put my sister down, you fuckin' snake."

Azusa speaks in obvious anger, her normal coarse attitude multiplied when her family is in danger.

"Oh? Poor choice of words, bird bitch."

Rits slowly loosens her grip on Tucson, threatening to drop her completely.

You guess that was all either side was willing to negotiate, since Azusa and Simi take to the air and prepare to launch themselves at Rits, razor-sharp talons ready to strike. Rits prepares her own short but sharpened nails for close quarters combat. She's at an obvious 2-1 disadvantage already, but since her best defense, her tail, is already occupied, this could turn into a bloodbath fast unless you get involved.

You're able to reach the fight just as they all move in for the kill, throwing yourself between Rits and the harpies as a human shield. Azusa's talons only graze your back as she immediately bugs off, still leaving some bleeding wounds in the process.

"Ack!"

"John! Are you alright?"

Azusa and Simi return to Earth and watch Rits carefully, apparently unwilling to hurt you in the scuffle. Rits, obviously, doesn't want to hurt her husband either.

You plan your next words carefully to disarm the situation.

You lean past Rits to speak to the girl being held in her tail.

"Tucsooooon...?" you ask the limp figure still held in Rits' grasp.

"Mmmhmmm?" she answers, probably not even aware of the danger she's in.

"Can you say 'sorry' to Rits for stealing me and then almost killing me?"

"Who?"

"Rits, my wife."

"Ohhhhh.... sowwwwy Riiiiits..."

"Thank you Tucson. Good girl."

Tucson purrs a bit at your words before promptly going back to sleep, unaware of the danger she was just in.

Rits herself looks more confused by the whole situation than anything now.

You turn your attention back to her and speak in the same reassuring voice you used on Tucson.

"There, Rits, she said sorry, now... would you kindly put her down?"

Rits just stares blankly for a second before slowly swinging her tail back over land, depositing Tucson closest to her sisters.

"There... thank you." you say.

Azusa and Simi still look wary, the situation not entirely handled yet, as there's now a stranger in their home with far more strength than you.

"I think you've already met Tucson..." you say, pointing to the green girl.

"That's Azusa..." you point to the purple girl.

"And that's Simi..." finally pointing to the red girl.

"And over there, that's their mother Peoria."

Not looking at Rits, you hear her say "Their... mother..."

You turn around and are surprised to see tears welling in her eyes, her hands balled into fists by her side.

"I'm... sorry...

I..."

You walk up to her and hug her softly, as she just cries quietly in your arms. You don't ask about why, but you come to a realization later that she was probably reminded of a situation in her own life when people she loved were put in danger, only now finding herself in the role of the wolfpack.

Azusa and Simi are fully disarmed now, even looking a bit sad themselves. They walk over and Azusa gently puts one wing on Rits' back, Simi doing the same soon after.

"Sorry... I'm so sorry..."

As you four listen to Rits apologize, the silence is broken by Peoria, who is just waking up now.

"*Yawwwwnnnn*... oh my, do we have a guest?"

Azusa and Simi chuckle a bit in embarrassment at their mom's clumsy comment of the situation, Rits cracking a small smile too.

"Yes... you do..." Rits answers.

"Well you chose quite a day to drop by. I just gave birth to four children this morning."

She points to the pile of eggs and straw near her.

Azusa and Simi both look surprised, now noticing her mom is significantly thinner than they remember.

"Mom! You gave birth?" Azusa asks.

"Clearly, dear. They didn't just grow legs and walk out on their own, although I wouldn't complain if that happened."

Azusa and Simi run over to their newborn sisters, marveling at the sight of fresh eggs and the miracle of life.

Rits is still sniffling and wiping the last tears from her eyes when you turn to her.

"Want to join them? Go see what awaits you later?"

You give her stomach a little pat.

"Yeah... I'd like that..."

You slither over while Azusa and Simi are beaming with pride at their mom's accomplishment, Peoria herself looking just a bit smug.

Rits lowers down to get a closer look.

"Wow... did it... hurt?" she asks Peoria.

"Just a bit, dear. But it was all worth it."

"I wonder if mine will be as big..."

"Yours?"

Rits' face flushes a bit red.

"Yes... well, mine and his." she points over her shoulder to you, standing behind her.

Peoria lights up.

"Awwww! Congratulations!"

Azusa scoffs nearby.

"Big deal, she's pregnant from him, so are all of us."

……

…

Uh oh.

You expect to be the next one Rits throws off the cliff, but surprisingly she just says "Is that true?" in a normal tone of voice.

"Uh... yes..."

"Oh, alright."

That's it? That's all she has to say?

"Um... you aren't... mad?"

"Mad? Why would I be, Darling?"

"Because I... uh... had sex with all of them?"

Peoria butts in again.

"Even me, dear! Who would've thought I'd be having children again at my age?"

Azusa and Simi smile at the news and congratulate their mom with pride, your focus still on your wife.

Rits looks at you for a moment.

"No, that's fine. You can reproduce with any girl that wants to. I kinda realized early on that we were gonna run into some fertile girls eventually, I just didn't expect them to drop out of the sky and take you so soon.

Huh. Rules of nature, I guess. The female doesn't care if the male spreads his seed around, as long as she gets hers.

"But..."

She looks serious now.

"Your heart is mine."

She almost sounds like she's threatening you, as Peoria chimes in again.

"Ah, to be young and in love!"

It's about this time that you notice you haven't seen a single man around here.

"If you don't mind me asking... where's, uh, their father?"

Peoria looks at you.

"Oh, who knows? He got taken by some spider right after he knocked me up with these three little gifts."

1. That sucks. I guess the three girls never knew their father.

2. Spider??? You'll have to keep an eye out for that.

"Oh, sorry to hear."

"Don't be. As long as I know my daughters are safe, that's all I need, dear."

Free as a bird, they say.

"Then... where did those eggs come from?" you point to the pile sitting on the ground.

"Oh, nobody said I couldn't still visit him, dear! Spinne is quite the nice girl once you get to know her."

Peoria laughs at her own joke that you don't fully understand, while Azusa scolds her mom for not taking her along that day.

Rits looks a tad bit ashamed, realizing she almost broke up this happy family. You decide to say something quick to get her mind off of it.

"Rits, you hungry? You haven't eaten since this morning."

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I guess..."

"Well you're gonna eat something, I don't want my big girl going hungry."

She giggles a bit.

"Alright, big man, let's go eat."

Peoria interrupts.

"Leaving so soon? You should at least stay the night, dear."

Before you can answers, Rits obliges.

"That sounds lovely! Thank you."

"Well, it's the least I can do to thank your husband for giving me grandchildren."

Rits laughs,

"Yes, he's quite the virile young man."

She leans in closer to Peoria.

"Although between us, he snores pretty loudly afterwards."

Peoria puts a hand up to her mouth and stifles a mature chuckle.

"Hm?" you ask at their shared secret.

"Oh, nothing dear. Just girl talk. Go on your way now, we'll see you in a bit."

With that, Rits grabs your hand as you both head towards the exit, down the path and into the woods. You're able to use your sling to kill two squirrels, but sadly that's not even enough to feed yourself, much less five beast women.

You worries are put to rest when Rits returns with a deer in tow, apparently having snuck up on it and snapped its neck like a chicken's with her tail.

Returning to the girls, you find them waiting under a natural overhang of rocks forming a small shelter that they rest under at night. They seem ready to dig in at the raw deer, but you keep them at bay while you skin it and prepare a fire to cook over. All the girls (minus Rits) seem very curious about this new phenomena, but quickly back off when Tucson almost sets her wing on fire.

With that, the harpies seem content enough to just tear chunks out of the raw deer with their talons, bring them up to their mouths in a stunning display of athleticism. You guess their legs are naturally much stronger and more flexible to make up for the lack of hands.

Meanwhile you just stick some squares of the meat on the end of your knife and roast them over the flames. Rits copies you by stabbing one of your now-useless arrows into a chunk and holding it out over the fire. She seems to really like her first experience with cooked meat, as she asks you to cut off chunks of fresh meat for her faster than you can cook and eat your own.

Azusa asks your name at one point, to which you give it. Tucson really likes the sound of it, as she repeated it like a songbird between mouthfuls of deer.

By the time the sun is setting, you're all satisfied as you and Rits strictly ate just the venison, while the harpies made quick work of the rest of the animal, offal and all. You would almost be surprised at their brutality, but you can't really judge them for acting like animals when they are half animal and half human. Picky eating doesn't help you survive out here.

You all rest around the fire as you ready your journal again to ask Peoria a few questions about harpies.