A Single Secret (Open!)

[Felidae]

Feliah soared over the many trees that made up the Forest of Tyto. Her armour and battle claws gleamed in the dim light from the silver moon that hung silently in the sky.

She had been travelling for a while, determined to make it to her destination before dawn. She was getting close, she could feel it. To be honest, she wasn't sure where she was going... She just knew when she would be there.

A few days ago a strange letter had arrived for her in a tightly sealed envelope. She had read it and was surprised at the contents of the mysterious letter. It had told her of her past (Only a small bit to Feliah's disappointment) and had said that a single secret would be revealed to her at the end of her journey. Very interested and mystified by the letter, Feliah had decided to go to the one place the letter had mentioned... Tyto Forest.

A cold breeze blew around her as she struggled to fly. Her wings were growing tired from the long flight and she knew she wouldn't be able to go on much longer. But she had to keep going. Deciding to rest after a bit more flying, she carried on the direction she was going.

[Gabjas]

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[bg=6a2100] Prue scanned the grove of trees that sprawled across the land beneath her. Though dawn neared, Prue flew aimlessly though undeterred over the vast expanse of trees that formed the Tyto Forest. She shifted her wings, feeling the wind glide through her primaries as she flexed them. The dense vegetation beneath her fell away to a glen. Prue continued her path, though as her eyes reached away from the glade her gizzard gave a twinge. Uncertainty coursed through her. Prue folded her wings, allowing herself to plummet to the ground beneath, she then gently spread her wings once more and glided to a sizable stone on which she planned to perch upon. Prue and her companions had only recently returned to the island, and she had quietly settled into the routine of the Tree. Yesterday, as the hue of lavender seeped into the night sky, Prue had been unable to sleep. Restless, she had ambled towards her smithing fire, which crackled as if greeting her; she had seated herself and began to stare at the depths of the swirling flame. An image had emerged and began to manifest before her eyes; it showed Felidae unfolding a letter, from which a fragment of a sentence surged from the writing. Tyto Forest. The scene began to curl away, revealing the silhouette of an owl flying from the outer entrance of Felidae's hollow, from it's plumage fell a single feather that drifted to the ground. Prue had turned away from the flame, disgruntled. Prue had felt her gizzard quiver; her firesight only revealed that of which was connected to her, entwined in her own fate. What does it mean? What does this letter have to do with me? These thoughts now rested in her mind as Prue inspected the light of dawn as it colored the horizon.

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[xxxskyfalconxxx]

Naraky was perched in a tree, waiting for the sun to rise and the darkness to disappear into day. Just before he closed his eyes to let blackness enclose his mind, a brush of wind passed through his feathers followed by the familiar and faint smell of ash came through the silent dawn. Naraky quickly looked up and saw a barn owl flying overhead. He usually wouldn’t follow other owls, but this barn owl was very odd, for one her feathers had a murky black tint, an obvious sign she was a collier or rouge smith, who usually are either around volcanoes or in a forge; and there were none close by. He silently dropped from his perch and followed the owl through the forest, flying swiftly between the trees instead of soaring through the clouds to remain hidden. Eventually he followed her to a glen, and to stay hidden, Naraky decided to watch from a tree lining the edge of the forest to the glen; he observed her glide down and take perch on a stone. Naraky thought for a while, deciding whether to approach this owl or not. Eventually he came to a decision and flew out to meet her.

[Cleef]

It was a beautiful night. Not a cloud covered up the stars that formed a background against the moon to which Cleef gazed. He was somewhere in the middle of Tyto Forest, perched atop a tree for a quick break during his travels. He was once more moving through the kingdoms, searching for ways that he could help the greater good of owl kind. The burrowing owl's gaze fell to the trees that stretched out around him, simply scanning what could be seen.

It was nice being able to take these kinds of stops and simply enjoy the beauty of the night and, for at least a brief moment, forget about St. Aggies, the Pure Ones, and whatever other evils there were in this world. If only all of owl kind would do that once in a while, then maybe evil wouldn't be so...evil.

Cleef's eyes caught movement above the trees. He focused in the direction from which it had come from. He saw the outline of an owl flying above the tree tops. It looked like a barn owl, but Cleef couldn't be for sure. It didn't really matter anyway, this was Tyto Forest. The owl most likely lived around here, that is, if it was a barn owl. Cleef watched the owl fly for a little while, seeing where it was going. It didn't appear to be in a hurry, but it seemed to have determination.

Cleef couldn't help but laugh lightly to himself at his next thought. Maybe the owl had a date with its lover. The burrowing owl sighed. He knew what had sparked that thought. He was beginning to wonder if he'd ever find his special someone. Yes, it could mean that he may have to retire his travels, but, sometimes, he thought that he wouldn't mind that for a girl. Then again, maybe he could find someone who shared his interests in traveling and helping whoever, he could as long as they had good intentions, or were injured.

Cleef's mind began to fantasize about love. Wondering how it was possible that he hadn't found any she burrowing owl during his travels that had caused him to fall head over talons.

[cloudy]

Esther had been perched in the oak tree, looking up at the high moon with her twinkling black eyes. Hope stirred her gizzard, faith kept it rumbling within her, as it did every night. She knew it was going to happen, perhaps it hadn't the night before, or the night after that, but this one held the same flame of hope. And she would keep it fueled until she met what she felt she was destined to follow. A Gaurdian.

A soft sigh escaped her as she allowed herself to indulge in night-dreams, imagining herself rising with the ranks of the noble owls, battle claws shining in the moonlight, ready to do justice, to make strong the weak, to mend the broken. These were the thoughts that kept her going during her abusive childhood. She was older now, but she would never stop believing that one night she would see the shine of armor and an owl from the great tree her mother always speaked of, the night she would go after her destiny. There was no way she was supposed to stay in this all-too familiar forest.

Suddenly, her eyes caught sight of movement in the sky. Her gray and golden feathers fluffed out in excitement and she shifted from foot to foot. Could it be? Great Glaux! It has battle claws, battle claws! It must be a Guardian!! Her heart soared at the sight of a snow white owl flying over the Tyto Forest, holding something in its talons...which were set with battle claws, as discerned by the way the moonlight struck the metal. Esther felt faint, her head rushed, her heart fluttered. She knew this day would come, she had prayed for it, and now here it was!

Without another thought, Esther spread her white dotted wings and rose into the air with steady pumps, using the cold breeze to lift her from the tree without much effort. Her eyes never left the owl going across the sky. Must follow, must meet! This is my chance! Esther thought desperatly. Quickly she moved forward, expertly using the tips of her wings to change her direction and angle to go with the wind, using it to keep her aloft so she could keep her wings more focused on getting speed more than keeping her from plummeting. Though her flight feathers weren't in, she wasn't going to slow, she knew how to use what she had. The Guardians could use that..

Although she was going faster than she ever had flown, she was still losing sight of the supposed Guardian of Ga'hoole. Panic went over her, the golden barn owl knew this was no time for gleeking. "Aye! Guardian! If your a Guardian, please! Wait!" She screeched as loud as she could to the white form, not slowing her pace, desperate to get to the owl. The wind bit at her heart-shaped face and watered her already wet eyes, but she couldn't slow down. This was her time, and she knew in her gizzard another chance would not come.

[Felidae]

Feliah was flying swiftly over the trees when she heard the shout. It sounded as if it had come behind her and so she slowed down a little, allowing the owl to catch up. If they caused any trouble, she could easily defend herself.

When the owl drew up beside her she turned her head to see a young Barn Owl trying her best to keep pace with her. Feliah really needed to keep going, but it was her duty as a Guardian to help whoever needs help and so she slowed down even more to let the young owl catch her breath.

"What do you want?" Feliah asked. It wasn't meant to come out so harsh, but she was impatient to get going again.

[cloudy]

Esther's wings beat frantically as she tried to catch up to the supposed Guardian, the very embodiment of her dreams. It seemed the owl slowed up and so did time as she came closer and closer to the other creature, eyes wide and heart beating like hummingbird wings in her chest. This was it...she had done it...she had found the one thing she had visioned of as an owlet.

What do you want?

The gray and gold owl tried not to flinch at the harsh tone of the simple question. She hadn't expected a Guardian to be so blunt...But she is carrying something that looks like a message. I may have interrupted some official buisness.. That reasoning was enough to brush off the words.

Esther's wings now beat slowly and strongly, even soaring once in awhile with help of the frigid wind, now she could really look at the female. Almost completely white feathers with streaks of black...and she was a barn owl! As if they weren't wide already, Esthers black eyes widened to the size of the moon.

What was she going to say? Here was her chance and she was speechless. A few moments of silence passed, flutings breaking the wind up over her feathers. "Uh...Hello. Thank you for waiting..." She began unsurely, feeling like an owlet fresh out of the egg. "..My name is Esther. I-I've been looking for a Guardian since I was just an owlet. My mother used to tell me of them all the time, and it became my dream to find one soaring infront of the moon above Tyto and follow them back to their great tree...I wish to join your ranks...if you are a Guardian.."

[Gabjas]

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[bg=6a2100] Prue spun around, startled as a male Great-Horned approached her. She regained her composure, and took a moment to size him up; he was a few moons younger than herself (OOC: I am aware that Prue's bio says that she is only 17 moons, but I spoke with Ayama and asked her to change it, she just hasn't gotten around to it. Prue's correct age is 28 moons.) and appeared to be of good-intent. She cleared her throat, greeting him with an uncertain smile. "Hello, my name is Prue." As Prue completed her sentence, a faint noise disturbed the silence of the crisp morning air; voices. Prue listened intently as an air of familiarity rang in one of the two female voices. Felidae? She recognized her tone immediately, though the other voice appeared to be a complete stranger. Hmm, Prue thought, perhaps I will fly out to meet her once I have spoken to this owl.

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[xxxskyfalconxxx]

After Prue greeted Naraky, she seemed to quickly focus her concentration onto something else. Naraky noticed that she moved her head to focus her facial disk; he could obviously tell that she was hearing something. “I’m Naraky. Do you need help with.... anything?” he asked her while thinking of reasons why she would be in Tyto. Suddenly a sharp, agonising pain went through naraky’s mind as he shierked in pain and everything went black as he collapsed.

From within the darkness, a single letter emerged. It drew closer and closer towards Naraky that he could hold it, but when he tried to clutch it within his talons, it melted away like a cloud. Naraky was surrounded by nothingness again as he watched the last of the letters particles disappear. Suddenly a high pierced screech echoing “feliah” killed the silence within the vision.

Naraky awoke with a throbbing headache. He only had visions like these if they were important, otherwise he would normally just stair with a plank expression, as if he were just night dreaming. Naraky enjoyed and hated his gift; at times it could be useful, at others it was annoying and dangerous due to the visions coming at any time and anyplace; such as now.

[Felidae]

Feliah studied the young owl flying next to her. She wanted to join the Guardians? Sure, if she took her back they would take her in... But Feliah had only just started this journey and was in no mood to put it on hold for the long trip back to The Tree. Maybe if she brought her along for this trip then she could take her back to the Guardians... But she was hoping to fly this trip alone.

Deciding that she would hate to crush this owls dreams, she could come along, "Nice to meet you Esther, I'm Feliah," She gave her a smile (If owls can smile.), "I'm on some important business, but I suppose you can come along..." Feliah looked forward to see the sun rising as dawn approached. She hadn't made it as far as she wanted to, but she had gotten far enough.

[Cleef]

Cleef started at a sudden screech that pierced the night, snapping him out of his thoughts. He looked to where he had seen the other owl. It suddenly dived into the trees. Had it gone yeep? Was it being attacked by an unseen enemy? Was it the attacker? There was only one way to find out, and Cleef was usually drawn to screams anyways. The burrowing owl dove off his tree, allowing himself to fall just above the trees under him before he snapped his wings out and glided over their tops. His course was set and he was soon to where he had seen the other owl just a moment before.

Cleef flew around over the tree tops for a bit before he finally spotted the owl again. It was a female barn owl. He only saw the back of her head, but her size, helm, and battle claws looked rather familiar. She was hovering over a Great Horned Owl that was lying face down in the grass.

"Is he all right?" asked Cleef. The Barn Owl started and whirled around at him. Cleef knew why the owl had looked familiar. It was Prue. A Guardian who had accompanied him in past adventures.

Before Prue could answer, the Great Horned Owl sat up and looked to them. Cleef landed and walked up to the owl. "You all right?" he asked.

[Gabjas]

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[bg=6a2100] The Great Horned introduced himself as Naraky and kindly offered her assistance. "Thank you, Naraky. I -" Prue began with a smile, though she was interrupted as Naraky shrieked in sudden agony and fell to the ground in pain. As he thrashed about beneath her, Prue frantically searched her mind for some way to aid him. "Is he alright?" a familiar voice sounded, she pivoted on her talon to the face the owl that had spoke. Prue was relieved to find Cleef, a Burrowing owl whom she had accompanied through the Hrath'ghar Glacier only a few weeks ago. "Cleef!" Prue exclaimed, "I don't know what to do!" Naraky's cried ceased, Prue lighted down at his side. "Naraky, are you all right?" she asked, gently guiding him to rest propped against the very stone she had been perching on when she had met this owl. "What happened?"

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[cloudy]

Esther continued forward, keeping pace with the Guardian, gently rising and falling with the breeze flowing continually under their wings. A small smile traced upon her face as she kept looking upon the white barn owl, her words much more kind, much more concerned and understanding than before. It was refreshing and relieving to know she hadn't made the one named Feliah angered. But she couldn't help feeling a shard of guilt poke at her heart.

"Oh, I see. It's nice to m-meet you too, Feliah." Esther thought it correct to give the willing owl a respectful nod, all she could manage in flight. "I'm sorry...I disturbed your buisness-mission...thing. I was just...I wasn't sure if I would ever see another owl in gleaming armor again." Her black eyes looked down at the trees and valleys passing underneath them, then the sudden flicker of peeking light over the horizon caught her eye. Great Glaux, it's almost morning! Esther wasn't sure if Feliah wanted to continue on through the day, but the young gray and gold owl wasn't trained to endure long flights, already feeling the stiffness in her almost fully fledged wings from a night of searching. She couldn't keep up with the Guardian to her destination no matter how badly she wished to.

"F-Feliah? I would be honored to come along with you...but I don't think I can go on for much longer. If you want, you can come stay in my hollow. Unless you want to continue through the day. Though that would be a little yoicks." Esther murmured and then snapped to attention whens she realized what she said and how it could be taken. A wave of guilt and panic set over her and she tried her best not to wilf. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to--" Her hasty apology was interrupted by a terrible screich, and this time it wasn't hers. It came from somewhere down below and behind them. Tipping her head slightly from side to side, the way barn owls did to detect sound through their ear-holes, she tried to place its position but the wind was whistling by and eventually the sound died away.

"Did you hear that?"

[xxxskyfalconxxx]

Narakys hearing and vision were blurred as he regained consciousness and slowly got to his talons, “...ou alright?!” were the first words that he was able to decipher. As his sight became clearer, he was able to see prue with a worried look on her face, along with a familiar owl by her side, “cleef!?’ Naraky said slightly shocked. Cleef and Naraky had met before, infact he was one of his best friends and the first owl to greet him at the ga’hoole tree. “what happened?” Prue asked sounding anxious; “I’m... ok, it happens to me every now and again; it’s nothing.” Naraky lied. He looked over towards cleef, he could see in his eyes that he knew what had happened; the burrowing owl was one of very few who knew about Naraky’s strange gift.

[Felidae]

Feliah was about to reply when a shriek ripped through the crisp morning air. Stopping suddenly, Feliah turned to Esther, "I think we should go investigate," She said, swooping down towards the source of the sound.

She landed on a tree branch and surveyed the area. Three owls stood in a clearing, one looking a bit dazed. Feliah almost immediately recognised two of them, Prue and Cleef. Taking off from her branch again she landed beside her two friends, "Prue! Cleef!" She exclaimed, "It's good to see you again!"