Young Harpy

This pic is an update to the old one I uploaded long ago here


As my art has improved, I decided to give these girls a new go. Particularly after seeing some harpy art pop up here and there.

As an added extra to the stories, the harpies were also the main predators of the lake serpents, the vikads. These serpents were among the monsters that harpies hunted the most. They are poisonous and their flesh is toxic as well. The hide of these serpents is also useless outside water and these eat almost anything they can encounter. These serpents became an invasive species back when the harpies became targets of poaching. The harpy happens to be among the few species immune to the toxins in the vikads.

That cute set of feathers on the head is what poachers went after. The feathers are sharp as a bone cleaver, strong as steel, yet flexible and very colorful. They are pricey. Under the right hands, powerful blades can be forged out of them. This practice as well as their sale became illegal when they became a protected species in Kattia.

The young harpy in this picture was photographed from a distance so the camera's clic is what got her attention.

One more note on them... when a harpy stretches out her wings and puts a foot in front of you, don't make any sudden movements and just look away or down. They will leave eventually, once they see you are not a threat. Such encounters are rare and they don't feel threatened unless protecting their nests.