Bounty Of The Harvest

In the days that have passed, much collecting and gathering have occurred and overseeing it all Maize, the Warden of the Autumn Harvest. Along with many crew Mantle who have offered their services in the collecting, a bounty of crops were harvested . From carrots and sweet potatoes to apples and blackberries, Maize oversaw the mount of baskets that were filled to the brim. 

One crop after another, the largest fields were harvested until Maize had come to the humble abode of Wattson and Rezart. Having shared a first meal in the lands with the the day after he arrived, he was happy to join them in harvesting their small crop below the canopy. Amidst the trees, a clearing with perhaps only ten or so rows of crop to harvest and young crew Rezart picking and shucking the bright yellow sweet corn into a basket and placing the husks into a separate pile. Wattson was found picking berries and gingerly placing them in their own basket so as to not squish any of the ripened berries. 

“Seems your Harvest is a good one this year!” Maize called as he approached to which gained the attention of the Mantlebeasts before him. Rezart was first to respond in kind.

“Maize! Welcome back!” He quickly pointed to other baskets as well as picked gourds and greens, “Our vegetables are great this year. All that left is the persimmons, apples and of course the blackberries.” He turned as Tyto Warden, Wattson has stood by the help of his cane and smiled while bringing what he had collected to the nearby bench they had been collectively storing the freshly picked harvest. 

“More than enough to share with our fellow Mantlebeasts. We will eat quite well during the winter.” He smiled to Maize before turning to lean against the bench, “Rezart has been going since the sun peeked through the trees. He’s a good boy.”

“Yes, he was a big help in the Southern fields the other day. The crops were all picked and sent of to their respective families. Rezart told me you were going to be harvesting your crops today. I hadn’t even noticed them all the way down here.” Maize looked up into the trees seeing a large tree house that was the home of Rezart and Wattson. The older Warden nodded as they both watched Rezart return to his tasks of shucking the last of the corn. 

“Your presence brings us great joy Maize.” Wattson breathes softly. 

“Every year as always. Our communities are so great but the bounty of a good harvest surely brings us all together. We share meals and stories from our summers. We appreciate our fellow Mantles and all beasts of this land. From niche to niche we are unique and cherished in our own ways. We create together and grow. The Autumn Harvest is a sign of hope through the bleak winter nights and frost covered grounds.” He looked down at his scythe and  gripped it tightly. His whiskers twitched and his narrowed eyes looked at the trees which held many colors of fall from oranges to red and muted browns and colors one one could ever find in the season of Fall. 

Maize closed his eyes and sighed contently, “The autumn harvest means everything to me... and to everyone. It’s a beautiful time. Here why don’t I help finish picking the apples and persimmons then.” He walked forward towards the outlining trees of the crops and started picking and placing them into baskets. He first started with the apples, picking the largest and ripest of the apples. Taking one for himself to bite I to it’s delicious skin and savor the crisp taste of a shiny golden red hues apple.  Once Rezart had finished shucking the corn, he proceeded to the persimmons, reaching high and picking the trees carefully. Those he could not reach, he climbed the branches and picked the ripest of the round tomato shaped fruits.

At the end of the day, the harvest was picked and the three Mantlebeasts had settled among the harvest, sharing their stories and laughing with a good time. Wattson thanked Maize once more for his help and the Warden of the Autumn Harvest insisted it was his passion and duty. The sun was beginning to set and with a farewell, Maize had disappeared through a portal. Leaving Rezart to cheer in praise of their hard work. 

“Maize is so cool! Look at our Harvest! This is the best one yet!”

“Yes, it seems Maize has blessed us with a good Harvest. Now why don’t we start sorting out  what we’ll keep and send off the rest into our storage for the winter. The Bounty of the Harvest can then be shared with our fellow Beasts come winter.”

“Great idea! I’ll get started right away!”

From the tree tops, Maize was still watching and with a delighted smile, he nodded and leaped into the air. A summersault into another portal, disappearing off to help others collect their own Harvest. The traditions of their kind expand well beyond their lands and as a result, Maize’s job is never done. His niche is constant as the times change and the seasons do. Surely The Warden of the Autumn Harvest will be seen again.