A Single Secret (Open!)

[cloudy]

Esther shouldn't have thought a Guardian would turn away from a scream, but she did. In a way, she was relieved to know they were going to go check on the poor creature that had screamed. Giving an agreeing nod, Esther let out a sigh and waited to see where Feliah would go. After seeing her land on a branch below, the gray-splotched owl folded in her wings halfway and went into a steep dive, opening her wings and braking gently to delicatly land on the branch beside Feliah.

"Do you see?" Esther whispered to the white owl, black eyes peering into the barely lit forest and seeing two new forms, one appearing to be another barn owl and a great horned, and a smaller owl she had never seen before. When she looked again to Feliah, she found the Guardian was taking off towards the group, obviously knowing them. Unsure if she should follow, Esther shifted uneasily on the branch she was left on and watched the travelers reunite, tucking her wings in close and ducking her head to make her seem as small as possible, taking this oppurtinity to rest her wings but not daring to close her eyes.

[Cleef]

An owl landed between Cleef and Prue. "Well look at this," Cleef said after he and Prue had greeted their friend, Feliah. "We're all together. Could that mean something's going to happen? It has in the past. Naraky," Cleef said to the Great Horned, "this is Feliah. She's accompanied Prue and I on past adventures. Feliah, this is Naraky."

[Gabjas]

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[bg=6a2100] "Prue, Cleef!" a familiar voice rang, Prue spun around to greet the barn owl who had approached them. Prue beamed in recognition, "Feliah, what a coincidence that we should meet you here. Why, it looks like the old band is back together, that is except for Tinker." Prue grinned as Cleef introduced Naraky and Feliah, Naraky still slightly dazed. Prue happened to glance to the segment of the forest that lay just beyond Feliah and noticed a wilfed owl perching on a branch, surveying them as they reunited. "Hmm," Prue grunted, though she returned her gaze to the group and payed no heed to the owl's presence; perhaps they were simply a resident of the Tyto forest. "Pardon me if I am interrupting your introductions, though I may as well inquire about how we all ended up meeting once more. Perhaps Naraky can tell us a bit about himself, if he so wishes." Prue chimed, delighted to be surrounded once more by her companions, truthfully they were her only friends and she often grew lonely without them.

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[xxxskyfalconxxx]

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[bg=000022] “Feliah, this is Naraky” cleef said as he introduced him. “Feliah, the name from the vision, this is her.” he thought to himself. After meeting yet another new owl, prue asked Naraky if he could tell her a little about himself; “me? um, well..” Naraky started, feeling slightly shy, “I’m a traveller like cleef; been here and there, what else can I say.” He finished, not giving too much away; Naraky liked to keep to himself. He thought back to the vision, “whats the point of even telling anyone about it?” he wondered; “besides there was hardly anything in it to tell them about.” But maybe it wasn’t clues to something, but a message; then it came to him, “maybe it’s telling me to help feliah in some way; however what was the letter then? Maybe I’ll find out later; perhaps she’s looking for it and that’s why it disappeared in my vision to represent it as lost or hidden.” Naraky had never really liked puzzels, but he found he could be quite good with them at times.

[Felidae]

Feliah turned to face the new owl, "Nice to meet you, Naraky," She said cheerfully, "I'm Feliah, as you might know by now,"

Feliah was about to ask everyone else why they were here when she remembered her acquaintance she had met on the way here. "Esther!" She called, looking towards the tree she had flown down from, "You can come down here if you like, these are my friends!"

Feliah turned to her friends as she waited for Esther, "I met another owl on the way here," She explained, "She has dreams of becoming a Guardian and so I agreed to take her back to The Great Tree and let her join our ranks." Feliah turned to the tree once again, watching as the small owl flew down to greet her friends.

[cloudy]

Esther continued to look down at the group from her perch above, bracing against the cold wind and squinting from the light of the rising sun. Her black eyes were heavy with tiredness but she refused to close them. She tried to lean in to hear what the owls below were talking about, but she was just out of range. Heaving a sigh, the gold owl tried her best to settle in an wait out the reunion, drifting off into thoughts of what the next journey might bring and if she would really become a Guardian like Feliah.

The sudden shout of her name made Esther nearly jumped out of her feathers, which were puffed out now instead of wilfed, eyes wide and twinkling. She could already feel body quivering from nervousness, her gizzard trembling and heart fluttering. Obeying the Guardian, Esther opened her wings and glided gently down to th group, landing less than perfectly on an empty space between Feliah and another barn owl that looked exactly like her, though it was missing the pink tint around her black eyes and the stripe of reddish-brown down the 'nose' of her face. These little things seperated Esther from the rest.

She gave a polite bow to the group as she tried to gather her words, feeling flushed when Feliah mentioned about why she was tagging along, barely restraining a smile. "Hello...Are you all Guardians too?"

[Cleef]

"No, not all of us. Naraky, this owl here," Cleef indicated the Great Horned with his wing, "and I are considered travelers. Usually you can find me in almost any kingdom. I travel in search of beneficial ways for owl kind. If you ever need a helping talon, just come to me. I do visit the tree though. My name's Cleef."

[Gabjas]

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[bg=6a2100] Felidae turned to the forest and called for the owl that had perched there; she spread her wings and glided towards the group, landing in between Felidae and Prue. Felidae explained that the young owl was named Esther and that she hoped to follow Felidae and soon join the ranks of the guardians. Esther bowed in a gesture of respect, "Hello... are you all guardians too?" she inquired tentatively. Cleef explained his and Naraky's shared position as travelers. "Pleasure to meet you, Esther. My name is Prue." she greeted. "I suppose I am a guardian. The great tree is my new home, though I have only been there for a few moons." she added, smiling.

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[xxxskyfalconxxx]

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[bg=000022] With friends united and new ones gained, Naraky wondered why they were all here, but he needed to know more about feliah’s reason most of all. He thought back to what she had said earlier on how she was taking esther back to the ga’hoole tree, “wait, feliah; if you are taking Esther back to the tree, why are you heading further south through tyto?”

[Felidae]

When Esther had joined the small group, Feliah gave her a quick, owlish smile before turning to Naraky to answer his question.

She opened her beak to speak but no words came out. She had only just met this owl, and she was about to tell him about her mission? Well, It wasn't that personal... And maybe having more owls to accompany her wouldn't be such a bad thing.

"I'm on way way to... Find something," Feliah started, "I'm not sure what... I'll just know when I find it," She gestured towards Esther, "I met her only a few minutes ago but this mission was very important so, after a lot of consideration, I decided she could come along," Feliah ruffled her feathers, feeling slightly uncomfortable about telling everyone her seemingly pointless mission, "And when I have finished, I will take Esther back to the Tree."

[cloudy]

Esther smiled an owlish smile and nodded at the smallest owl standing next to the largest. She automatically liked that little one, he was very polite yet had a wildness to him. Once she opened her beak to answer Cleef, the one named Prue introduced herself and that she was new to the tree yet a Guardian herself. The tainted faced owl couldn't help tipping her head to the side in confusion, what all did it take for one to join the Owls of Ga'Hoole's ranks? When the chance came to speak, the young owl seized it.

"It is a pleasure to meet you all. Cleef, Prue, Naraksy." She said quietly to all the newly met ones, though she had just newly met Feliah a few moments ago. The great-horned owls question and the snow-white barn owls response made Esther's gizzard stirr. Feliah didn't look entirely comfortable talking about her 'mission', but despite what she said, Esther found it exciting. She had never been out of Tyto, and this would be her first true adventure. The very idea filled her with fear and excitement.

"Excuse me, Feliah...Where in general are you searching? If it is in Tyto, I know every piece of these woods. Maybe I could assist instead of just tagging along.. She asked respectfully, lowering her black eyes to her talons and raising her wings in a shrug-like motion, really wanting to be helpful instead of just one to watch..

[Cleef]

Feliah's looking for something, I wonder what it could be, thought Cleef, Something about her past maybe? Cleef couldn't help but remember that Feliah had holes in her past. Looks like we all may have really been gathered for a reason. As long as Feliah agrees, we may have ourselves another adventure ahead. There was little chance that, if Feliah would accept it, Cleef would turn away the opportunity to help. He looked to the owl, as did everyone else, waiting for her answer to Esther's question.

[Gabjas]

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[bg=6a2100] Prue gave a slight nod in understanding as Feliah explained her task; she hoped to find something, though she didn't know quite what. Prue knew in her gizzard that what Feliah was searching for somehow entwined with the cryptic vision Prue had received that had urged her to journey to the lush expanse of the Tyto forest. She stood in silence; listening intently as the group conversed. Her gizzard stirred, a haze of anticipation seemed to cloud her thoughts. A vision, a letter, a search; these were the makings of an adventure.

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[Felidae]

Feliah turned to Esther, a grateful look on her face, "Esther, I would be delighted to have you come along with me, any help I can get is much appreciated,"

Feliah then turned to the rest of the group, "And I suppose that means you all can come along too," She gave an owlish smile, "As I said before, any help I will gratefully accept."

She then spread her wings, giving them a stretch, "Shall we head off now? If you're all ready of course."

[xxxskyfalconxxx]

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[bg=000022] “Any friend of Cleef’s is a friend of mine; I’m willing to help you any way I can.” Naraky said to feliah as the group took to the sky. Naraky flew at the back of the flock’s formation, staying silent as he observed the many birds that came out at this time of day; it was like another world had emerged within theirs, which is why Naraky sometimes stayed up past sunrise; he found it extremely interesting and amazing watching the parrots play and the eagles way of gliding. Not long after the 5 owls were soaring among the clouds with the sun blazing onto their wings, Naraky’s started to get the sense that everyone felt exhausted, he himself could feel the energy draining from his body , “umm.. I think we should find a place to roost for the night; suns up and I can imagine were all kinda tired.”