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Post by otulissa on Jan 11, 2013 6:34:26 GMT -6
Lyra followed Prue back into the sky, strapping in her weapon. She was silent, disgusted with herself. She had enjoyed killing the owls. How could she have? I'm not a Pure One! she thought, horrified. "Come on!" called Prue. "There's thermals! Easy flying." Lyra blinked away her doubt and soared to ride the warm currents.
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Post by Gabjas on Jan 11, 2013 9:30:18 GMT -6
[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,400,true] | [bg=6ba900]Prue's wings ached as she struggled to beat her exhausted wings in one more not-so-graceful motion. They had flown for hours and Prue sensed that both their bodies were in dire need of rest. Night was slipping from the sky and she could see the colors of dawn beginning to dance onto the horizon.
The rugged and desolate terrain below them had given way to a vast cluster of trees. The pure exasperation that she held had blurred her senses and the Barn owl could not seem to find the name of this kingdom in her thoughts though she felt it on the tip of her tongue. Whatever it was, this forest rang with a peculiar familiarity.
"We're getting closer, but we should take a rest now." Prue called back to Lyra. She tilted her wings and took a slanted dive beneath the dense canopy. With Lyra close at her tail, Prue swerved into a particularly attractive hollow. Her gizzard wavered uneasily as she surveyed the abandoned hollow. Everything was familiar to her, even the patches of moss that ran in vertical streaks along the bark. The carvings in the wood depicting the battles of Ga'Hoole.
"No." Prue whispered in disbelief. She ambled towards one of the pictures and traced her talon along each rigged detail. "This hollow..." she gasped. "Was mine. We're in Ambala. Of course."
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Post by otulissa on Jan 12, 2013 15:38:55 GMT -6
Lyra peered in, taking in the carefully parted moss, the elegantly arranged nests that obviously hadn't been slept in for a good long time and the massive cutting of owls in battle claws, swooping on barn owls eager to kill. Lyra half expected the picture to start moving, so lifelike it was.
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Post by Gabjas on Jan 12, 2013 18:01:43 GMT -6
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| [bg=6ba900] Memories. They flooded back to the Barn owl in chronological waves from her first memories of her ma and da to the last time she layed eyes on her unhatched brother. Her chest heaved with a sigh as she fought back imminent tears.
"The Battle of the Ice Claws," Prue began. "That was my da's favorite story." she breathed. Prue shook her head and managed a weak smile for Lyra. She pointed her talon to one of the abandoned nests.
"You can sleep here if you'd like." she took a moment to rearrange the soft moss in a more comfortable position for her new-found family. She quietly settled into her old nest, pausing to remove a pebble that lay beneath her.
Twilight had faded to dawn and Prue was greeted by a lullaby of songbirds singing their sweet serenades and the sounds of animals awakening. Good light, Lyra. she thought and with a yawn she was asleep.
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Post by otulissa on Jan 12, 2013 18:14:05 GMT -6
"Good light." replied Lyra. She closed her eyes as bright light flashed into the west-facing hollow.
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Post by Gabjas on Jan 12, 2013 18:31:47 GMT -6
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| [bg=6ba900] Prue peered out of the hollow at the forest beyond her, the stars gleaming and dancing on the horizon. She had been awake for some time but felt she should allow her cousin more time to rest as she would need it for the journey ahead. She remembered how she would always gaze out from her little hollow as an owlet with her mother and father close at her side.
The time had arrived for their departure, and rather reluctantly, Prue awoke Lyra and the two embarked on their flight. She used to hate returning to Ambala and had avoided it at all costs for moons. But this time was different. She wasn't afraid anymore.
The forest of Ambala yielded over time to another extension of barren wasteland beneath them as they flew over the hours of the night. Eventually the Barn owl could see the vast stretch of sea spread out before them. She took a sharp inhale as they hovered near the waves that lapped against the shore, crashing against boulders and washing over the sand.
"Are you ready?"
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Post by otulissa on Jan 12, 2013 18:42:17 GMT -6
Lyra inhaled. "Who is the Blacksmith? Reckon he'll take apprentices?" she asked her cousin.
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Post by Gabjas on Jan 12, 2013 22:50:34 GMT -6
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| [bg=6ba900] "You may be surprised, but ever since the previous one passed on there has not been a resident Black Smith. I might take up the position but truthfully I am hoping to become the Colliering ryb." the Tyto explained. A thick mist was quickly approaching them like a veil cloaking the island of Ga'Hoole. "I think you would make a remarkable young Black Smith."
The first time Prue ever came to the Great Tree many moons ago, she had feared that because she would be lost in this fog because of her past. Yet as she had entered she had felt a stirring in her gizzard that somehow told her where to go and soon led her to the isle. But as the fog stood in front of her like a wall blocking her path, she felt as if she was needed elsewhere.
"Lyra," Prue began hesitantly. "I need to make a slight detour, you have the choice whether or not to follow." She took a pause and from deep within her gizzard she felt a voice whisper. To the Spirit Woods.
With a breath of uncertainty, she nodded faintly and fixed her gaze on her cousin. "To the Spirit Woods."
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Post by otulissa on Jan 13, 2013 1:11:54 GMT -6
Lyra shivered for a moment, then nodded. They cut off to the west, the direction of the spirit woods.
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Post by Gabjas on Jan 13, 2013 10:08:27 GMT -6
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| [bg=6ba900] Prue was oddly relieved that Lyra had decided to join her. She supposed it was because the very thought of the Spirit Woods had always given her the creelies and any company was much appreciated.
The two swerved from the fog and began to fly past Cape Glaux that branched out from Silverveil. After an hour's time, the Barn owl approached the land enshrouded in a black mist; the land of gnarled and barren trees and where light never dared to cast it's gaze, though that was no problem for an owl.
Prue landed gracefully on one of the twisted branches and began to survey the mold-coated ground beneath for a sign of something. Anything. For what she had come for and she had known in her gizzard that she would find here. "Lyra, may I have a moment alone please?" she asked kindly.
Prue now perched in silence, each breeze that wavered the branches sent chills straight to her bones. A fog quickly consumed her vision and from the thick blankness that held strong around her appeared a wispy silhouette. A scroom.
Prue gulped. "Ma...?"
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Post by otulissa on Jan 14, 2013 0:12:41 GMT -6
"Huh? Who's there?" asked Lyra. Then she froze. "Holy sprinkin' glaux..." she muttered. Normally she wouldn't swear, but most owls would if their dead sister father was flying up to them.
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Post by Gabjas on Jan 14, 2013 8:40:44 GMT -6
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| [bg=6ba900] Prue wilfed slightly as the scroom's wing came to embrace her cheek. Prue. The sounds was resonating within her mind, her mother's soft voice crooning to her. Her mother smiled and a single ghostly tear formed in her eyes at the sight of her daughter. "Look at you. You're all grown up!" her mother said breathlessly. "You are safe."
Before the Barn owl's eyes; she could see pieces of her mother were beginning to turn to dust. The dust churned upwards by the wind from talons up. "Ma?" she screamed. Her mother just gave her a sad smile. And once again the voice appeared only in her head. Prue, as a young mother I vowed that in life and in death I would watch over my children until I know that they don't need me anymore. And with that, her mother vanished entirely. Prue stared at the ground where her mother had been. Gone forever. She was in a better place.
Beside where her ma had stood, two silhouettes formed before her. Her father. And her brother. "Da!" Prue cried and flung herself into his arms. He churred as he always had. "Prue! he beamed. I only wished that I could see you again. His voice speaking into her thoughts. And now I have.
Prue watched as her little brother, only a few moons old and still had most of his downy feathers over him, his large blue eyes peering up at her tentatively. "P-P-Prue?" he stammered. She nodded, smiling, choking back tears. He ran towards her and hugged her side. "You're my sister!"he exclaimed and buried his face in her feathers.
Her father motioned for him to follow and the two waved a final goodbye before they too turned to dust and vanished before her eyes. "Lyra?" Prue said quietly. "We should go now. Unless there is someone you want to speak with."
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Post by otulissa on Jan 15, 2013 3:12:37 GMT -6
Lyra was riveted on the misty figures of her sister and father. Da? Sis? she thought. Yes, darling Lyra. It is me. I've missed you so much. You're a smith now, by the looks. And a darn good one, too. Lyra smiled and held out her sai. What do you think? The handle is a little crooked, but it's otherwise great. He suddenly twisted hi head to the moon. We must go. It has been a pleasure. Lyra reached out, but her talon passed through the smoky owls. they smiled and dissipated into the air. "Let's go." she said to Prue
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Post by Gabjas on Jan 15, 2013 8:40:06 GMT -6
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Prue nodded and feeling a weight long held in her hear had been finally lifted, she took of from the damp ground and soared towards the veil of mist once more. Throughout this entire journey, only in this moment had she truly enjoyed her flight, concentrated on the pure ecstasy of flying; the wind sifting through her primaries, wings outstretched in the cool night air and the salty spray of seawater against her feathers.
Prue beat her wings and hovered just before the thick fog and with a deep breath dove in. "Follow your gizzard." she called back to Lyra. "It will take you there." She tilted her wings slightly to the left and made a slight dip before swerving back upwards. There.
The Great Tree of Ga'Hoole loomed over her; the main thick branches reached out in all directions like welcoming talons, warm torch-light flickered in the hollows and various owls were going about their chaws; whether it was gazing out at the stars on the Fairweather branches or whether the owlets were being taught how to identify any species with a single feathers. The tree was a marvel to behold and above all it was her home. Her real home. She waited patiently for Lyra to emerge from the fog behind her and see the Great Tree for the first time.
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Post by otulissa on Feb 1, 2013 4:35:51 GMT -6
Lyra gasped as the truly immense tree seemed to materialise out of the fog. Owls of every shape and size swooped and soared, screeching and silent, upwards or downwards. Lyra fumbled in amazement and dropped her sai. she let the ocean claim it and soared straight down towards the abandoned, soot-streaked forge. She shrieked in delight at the perfectly maintained forge, with its perfectly shaped fire pit, coal-hole, as smiths called it, claw hooks, shelves for other inventions and a few well-stocked booksheleves. She turned to Prue. "I would do anything to become the resident smith here. This is amazing!" she hooted in joy. Prue smiled. "I'll think about it... nah, It's the monarch's decision. Come on, we should go see them." Before they left, Lyra jumped in the ashes of the last fire the forge had produced, swiing the black coal dut into the air and coating herself in it. She jumped up and down, squeaking in happiness as she felt the welcome layer of the fire's dust. Prue looked at the now-grey owl. "I can see why the Pure Ones thought you were a Sooty." she replied, holding back a grin.
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