rad i o a c t ive {open!}

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[bg=703410] He spread his wings in a steady glide, and beyond him spread a wasteland. A vast forest of spiked rocks, reaching like so many fingers up towards the sky, clawing for him, reaching for him, trying to pluck him from the sky. Red pillars, for miles, and an orange owl gliding silently above, the thermals pushing him gently along. Aah, the great talons of the Barrens would try to pluck him from the sky, but Loki laughed at their efforts as he danced in their claws. The sun shone above, beating down onto the baking rocks and reflecting off of them to produce visible currents of air, shifting up or being sucked down into the shadows. There was no food here, no water besides that blasted lake, nothing besides the dust in the atmosphere and himself. Loki didn’t know himself why he was here, or what intrinsic force had summoned him to the scene of such desolation, but he was here now and there wasn’t much he could do about that besides bask in it. When a Pure One is pulled somewhere, they go, and so he had taken flight days ago and journeyed off on his own, much to the chagrin of his superiors. He flexed his claws, the ornate metal of his battle claws flashing in the sun, the careful scrolling on the tips as deadly as it was gorgeous. His pale-gold colors reflected in the surface, changing the silvery surface into a mirror of flashing light and owl-colors. Barn owl colors. The purest color. A laugh burst from his beak, shattering the emptiness of the landscape. What lunacy! An owl, alone, in what might be single handedly most deadly place in all of the Southern Kingdoms, except, of course, for the roost of the Pure Ones themselves. A twitch of a wingtip dropped his flight path slightly, and the great pillars seemed to speed up below him. He knew it was an illusion, of course - his favorite kind of trickery - but he enjoyed it nonetheless. He brought his wings together in a great flap and a cloud of red dust erupted from the tops of the nearest pillars, following him like a jet trail as he rose up again, back into the sky, keeping one sharp eye peeled for anything that might have pulled his gizzard this way. Word Count: 393 Soundtrack: Radioactive | Imagine Dragons Notes: There's no plot to this, unless you'd like to set one up - just a Pure One reveling in his freedom and his lack of commitment. Feel free to jump in any way you see fit.

[Cleef]

Cleef sat on top of a sandy pillar of red, scanning the area around him that was known as the Barrens. It was a very desolate place, rather warm too. The burrowing owl ruffled his feathers a bit to allow some cool air to flow through his plumage. He was an owl of Kuneer, he was born and raised in this kind of hot weather, but he could still feel heat, and a cool breeze was always welcome. Not a cold breeze, a cool breeze.

The brown and speckled owl was in the Barrens because of his usual business, seeing if their were any owls of any sorts who needed help with some good intentioned chore. So far, however, the owl race had eluded him in this desolate land. Cleef was beginning to think that he was the only owl in the Barrens and that he was simply wasting his time.

A glint quickly caught the owl's attention from the corner of his eye. Cleef turned his head and realized that he, in fact, was not the only owl within the boundaries of this area of the Southern Kingdoms. The glint was from the battle claws of which were strapped to what looked to be a Tyto owl of sorts. It seemed to be enjoying itself and its thoughts as it swooped low and skimmed one of the red pillars that were the trees of the Barrens.

Cleef wondered, however, why an owl with battle claws would be roaming the Barrens. Maybe he was a simple hired claw that was returning home or going towards some state of business. Cleef didn't know and it didn't apply to him. He wasn't a snoop, and didn't put his beak in random business unless he thought he could help in anyway.

The burrowing owl stretched his wings, shifted the pouch that was slung around him to a more comfortable position, and fell from the pillar. Allowing himself to fall a few feet, the burrowing owl spread his wings and glided off. Heading to wherever his gizzard would take him. Thus is the life of a good natured traveler whom only wishes to help.

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[bg=040707] Tinker grumbled to himself. What's wrong with these Tyto alba? They're supposed to be the purest of the pure. Why do they slip away all the time? When Loki had run off, there was a general consensus that he need to be followed. But, of course, none of those who thought he should be followed felt like going. So, of course, it's my job. Don't they have anyone else they could send on stupid forays like this? Of course they did but, for whatever reason Tinker seemed the favourite baby-sitter. Regardless, somebody threw a pair of batttleclaws at him and shoved him out the door. Tinker had been sent, and where he was sent he did go. It was a bad idea not to. By the time the idea got around that someone should fly after Loki, he was barely visible on the horizon. Tinker had to fly like a demon to catch up and he had only just begun to draw near. Moreover, the grumbling continued, why can't they ever go somewhere temperate? Somewhere where the sun isn't burning the feathers off your back. But, of course, Tinker's wishes were of no concern to the Pure Ones. Not even the crows were out, it was too hot for them. Tinker watched as the owl he had been sent to look after cackled to himself, then started swooping around. It was shaping up to be a miserable day.

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[Gabjas]

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[bg=6ba900] Prue felt the heat beat against her wings as she spread them over the crimson-dusted terrain of the barrens for the first time in her life. She had found herself exasperated by the routine she now led, though content with her life, she had felt it a sublime idea to travel to this desolate landscape, with nothing but the wind embracing her feathers and the crisp sounds of nothing. It pleased her to finally have some time to herself, though she thoroughly enjoyed the companionship of the owls at the Great Tree. At least Prue had assumed she was alone, but now she could clearly make out a figure traveling a few miles beyond her. Prue folded her wings slightly allowing herself to drop a few feet in altitude to avoid any unwanted greetings if they so happened to pass each other. Prue nearly laughed, in spite of herself. She had never been so anti-social before and it shocked her to think that she was actually avoiding other owls. Slightly embarrassed, though no one was about but her, she beat her wings against the sky, sending a spray of scarlet dust scattering in the air beneath her. She was now level with the owl, who was venturing along, occasionally soaring upwards with a cry of glee. Prue could make out his feather pattern to be some subspecies of Tyto, perhaps a Brazilian. She swerved upwards once more and lighted down on a red pillar that jutted from the ground, allowing her a clear view of the Barrens. Beneath her, the owl continued his aimless path. She squinted to make out the features of his face. "Loki," she gasped. "Loki!" She recognized him immediately, the two had been somewhat of companions before she had abandoned the Pure Ones. At first, Prue felt delighted to once again see her old friend, but soon a wave of dread washed over her, consumed her. He was still a Pure One.

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[bg=703410] A flicker of movement caught his eye and Loki kneaded his talons. Out there, against the horizon - a small owl with something tied to its back. He couldn’t quite make it out from here, but as it approached he realized with a jolt that he knew this owl - it was the same owl that had eaten a tarantula in front of him. How... dirty. He flicked his beak up in disgust and brought his wings forward in an excessively dramatic wingstroke, powering himself towards the owl. When he was close enough to avoid yelling - how undignified - he called out to the smaller owl. ”Interesting to see you this far away from your little hovel, isn’t it?” His voice was rich with a Portuguese purr and he shifted his talons up closer to his body, hiding their armaments against his stomach. He opened his beak to shout something else vaguely insulting when he heard something on the dead desert air - a name. His name? It was enough to throw him off his game and he threw on the brakes, hovering there in midair and quickly scoping out his surroundings. Nothing there besides himself and this smaller filthy owl, it seemed, so then what-- There. On that pillar, just barely visible from his angle, was the unmistakable wave of feathers. Brown feathers. He pumped his wings a few times to gain altitude, his battle-claws clicking into place, and as he came up over the edge of the column he felt his gizzard fall to the dusty ground. A lesser-composed owl would have gone yeep. The sheer shock that came over his face probably would have earned him death at the talons of another pure one. He had to clack his beak a few times before his words came back to him, and his eyes narrowed. ”Prue,” he stated blankly,, dropping his talons back down with a metallic clink. He hadn’t seen her in-- How long had it been now? It had to have been several seasons, anyways. She was every inch the same gorgeous owl that Loki remembered, her dark barring contrasting sharply against moon-pale feathers. Still breathtaking. Still a traitor. He was torn, though, between killing her then and there or letting her live; his heart spoke one thing while his mind spoke another. Pure Ones weren’t supposed to be this conflicted. This was supposed to be a simple life. He glanced back at the steadily approaching burrowing owl before looking back down to Prue. His voice became a sharp hiss - he was sure that they had sent someone after to him to watch, to monitor. No one went anywhere without some disgusting half-pure owl trailing silently behind. ”What are you doing? I thought that you’d died!” Word Count: 470 Soundtrack: -- Notes: --

[Cleef]

Cleef had flown a substantial amount of meters from the pillar, which he had rested on, before he heard a familiar voice call out a question to him. The burrowing owl turned around, all the while hearing another familiar voice call out a familiar name. Cleef's eyes rested first on the hovering Tyto in front of him, who's name was Loki.

The burrowing owl smiled to himself. He had met this owl once or twice before. One of those times being in the Desert of Kuneer. He knew that Loki was a Pure One. Many things had pointed to that conclusion in Kuneer. What was he doing out in the Barrens though, Cleef wondered.

The Athene Cunicularia's eyes then rested on the second owl, who's voice he had recognized. It was Prue. An owl whom had accompanied him on various adventures in the past.

Cleef flew up to Loki, but not too close, respecting the Pure One's belief of burrowing owls being one of the "dirtiest" species. Having not heard Loki's hissing question to Prue, Cleef answered the question the Tyto had called to him. "Honestly, I'm not entirely sure what I'm doing here. Guess it's my usual business of traveling and looking for ways I can lend a helping talon. As long as the motives for the chore are neutral or good.

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[bg=040707] Tinker looked away and suddenly the muttering stopped. There, next to Loki, he saw another owl, much smaller. Cleef sure has a good sense of trouble. While he was watching and trying to identify Cleef, another flicker of movement caught his eye. a bright, amber-white. Prue is here too? This might get 'interesting' fast. Tinker kept flying closer, he was still too far out to make out any detail of what was going on.

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[Gabjas]

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[bg=6ba900] Prue took a ginger step backwards, as if inviting Loki to perch on the spacious pillar beside her. She struggled to form a response to his remark as she peered at her old friend; admiring his striking feathers that held a strong resemblance to the sunlight that met her eyes at dawn, a contrast to his charming eyes that shone like the night sky. It was shocking how much he had changed since she had last seen him, many moons had passed, they were no longer owlets at play. "I missed you." Prue blurted out. Oh Glaux. She thought as she wilfed with embarrassment, glancing away slightly as her cheeks grew hot. "I mean, it's been a long time."

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[bg=703410] Loki tore his gaze away from the smaller owl and settled his eyes on Cleef. ”No chores today,” he purred, face contorted in a strange smile. ”You could, however, go keep the rat or rats that followed me busy.” The barn glanced pointedly over his shoulder - he knew that someone or ones had followed him, even if he didn’t know how many or who. Glaux, if it was a barn or one of those brutish speckly-looking ones then it would probably kill the little flappy spider-eating thing. Orders given, Loki stretched his talons down and gently set himself down on the pillar across from Prue. He was hesitant to approach, for fear or being attacked or the sudden arrival of some other nonsense - the last thing he wanted to do was kill her, for the time being at least. He was quiet for a long time, simply watching her with half a mind for her to turn into dust and blow away. ”They told us,” he began cautiously, ”That you had been kidnapped by the Guardians, and that they had killed you. That we should forget you. But you’re here now, and alive, and I should kill you.” He paced against the edge of the pillar, following its curve. ”I don’t want to do that.” He came nearly halfway around the circumference of the circle before he lifted his head up and looked at Prue again. His normally diamond-sharp eyes were terrified and wide - but only for a moment, and he swallowed and his expression restored itself. Drawing himself up tall, he adjusted his wings and rapped his talons against the surface of the pillar. “A dilemma,” he stated, his tone suddenly nearly bored. Word Count: 300 Soundtrack: -- Notes: --

[Cleef]

"Only a dilemma for a Pure One," said Cleef, hoping that he didn't sound too much like he was segregating the Pure Ones. His gaze kept to the sky. Watching to see if any other, more aggressive, Pure Ones were flying around like this owl said they would be.

"Honestly, Loki, you don't have to do anything........negative." The little burrowing owl, with satchel, winked at the Tyto after saying his last word. Cleef was beginning to pick up clues that these two had been friends, and maybe even more, when they had both been Pure Ones.

Cleef's gaze returned to the sky, wondering if that had just been a glint of metal or a trick of the light.

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[bg=040707] Tinker was getting closer, but the wind blotted out most of what was said. He saw Loki sidle around Prue, situating himself with Cleef firmly to his tail. Unfortunately Cleef, ever helpful, didn't seem to get the hint. Move you moron! Tinker mentally screamed. It was obvious Loki wanted a moment alone with Prue. He had seen them associating before Prue had fled, was there something going on between them? Maybe this was why Loki took so many sudden flights. Speculation aside, Cleef was probably going to get swatted out of the air if Tinker wasn't able to drag him away in time. His wings already felt like they were about to come off, but he tried to keep up his speed.

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[Gabjas]

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[bg=6ba900] Loki instructed Cleef to distract the other owls that he was sure were sent to follow him, to keep an eye on him in his travels. Prue shot a quick welcoming smile at the small Burrowing owl that hovered just off the pillar before returning her attention to Loki. "I expected as much." she breathed. "They don't want other Pure Ones getting any ideas that there is a life outside that hagsmire." She swallowed hard. Don't push it, Prue. She riffled her feathers slightly against a soft breeze and eyed the owl with distrust. "And what is stopping you?" she whispered. "From killing me?" Her voice seemed hollow, it reverberated in her mind like an echo; a ghost of the words she had spoken. Her gizzard wilted slightly as she peered at her old friend with evident uncertainty gleaming in her widened eyes. There is nothing stopping him. Prue gulped, taking a slight step towards the owl, followed by another and another until she was facing him, gazing into his entrancing black eyes. Her breath wavered and she pulled away. "And if there is nothing, then so be it."

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