What are you doing here!? (Complete)

[Sompom]

Tinker remained silent as the matron relayed the story to Cleef. Though the tale was short, the Matron was able to continue speaking for quite awhile. Tinker was glad that he was not tasked with explaining. He had never been good at retelling stories, and in his rattled condition he would be even more ineloquent.

As the matron neared the end of her story Tinker slipped out the entrance. It was too dangerous to stay here any longer.

(OOC: You shouldn't move other's owls. For any other reason, you played Tinker's response wrong. Tinker wouldn't have stuttered, but would have asked quietly or shakily. Nor would he have felt guilty, in his opinion, terrible things just happen. If someone had pointed out that he had lead the attacker to the tree it probably would have gnawed at him although since everything came out all right it probably wouldn't bother him for long.)

[Cleef]

Cleef listened as the Matron told him how the Pure One had clocked him on the head and how he had been saved by the quick wits of a Sooty owl, who had carried him away from the Pure One. Cleef nodded after the story was finished, and held still as the Matron studied his wound.

Cleef had regained most of his wits and noticed that there was another owl present, it was a Tyto, but was smaller than the one that attacked him. "Hello," Cleef said, "You're a new face. Sorry we couldn't meet under better circumstances. My name's Cleef."

The matron finished her inspection and told Cleef that he should be fine physically, but as a quick check she had him count to ten to make sure there was no brain damage. Cleef counted to ten as he normally would, confirming that there would be no lasting effects besides a bump that would heal.

[Gabjas]

(OOC: Sorry, Sompom. I'm still getting used to the rules of roleplaying - I fixed the post a bit. Sorry about that. Tinker still spoke, if that's alright with you... )

[Gabjas]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,400,true]

[bg=6a2100] "Pleased to make your acquaintance, Cleef." Prue said, extending her port wing in a friendly gesture. "My name is Prue." She paused, glancing around the room - realizing that Tinker was abscond. "I wonder where Tinker went off to?" Prue wondered aloud, eyeing the exit from the Infirmary with a suspicious gaze.

[/blockquote][/td][/tr][tr][td][/td][/tr][/table]

[Sompom]

Tinker strode quickly down the hall, not fast enough to attract significant suspicion but fast enough to, hopefully, escape before being questioned. He was really in a sticky situation either way. Surely the other barn owl following him had not acted on his own, so if the barn owl failed to return, Tinker would fall under immediate suspicion. It would, of course, be even worse for him if the barn owl did return at this point.
"Oh well." He thought. "I've survived similar storms before. Just have to keep my head down for a few months is all." Not that he didn't always have to keep his head down.

[Cleef]

Cleef blinked, he at least thought he knew where Tinker was going. He was leaving. The matron excused Cleef from the infirmary, he went down the exit Prue had been eying while saying, "Follow me, Prue. I think I might know where he is going."

Cleef hurried through the corridor, his long legs carrying him briskly along the tree's inner labyrinth. He hoped he could catch Tinker in time, he didn't want him being caught without someone confirming that he was a friend.

[Gabjas]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,400,true]

[bg=6a2100] Prue gave the Matron a thankful nod and quickly followed Cleef - carefully navigating through the passageways of the Tree, trying her best to keep up with Burrowing owl ahead of her. "You're very swift on your talons, I see." she called out to Cleef with a grin, staggering over her own oafish legs. She heard Cleef reply, but she couldn't determine what he was saying to her as he had disapeared around a corner, his voice growing faint as he progressed.

[/blockquote][/td][/tr][tr][td][/td][/tr][/table]

[Sompom]

Tinker kept moving quickly. He had always hoped to visit the Great Tree and he was sad that he had to leave it before he had a chance to enjoy it.
The only entrance he knew was in Cleef's guest hollow, near the middle of the tree: a long way from the infirmary. There were certainly other, more prestigious exits, but he didn't want to waste time poking his beak around to find them.
He came to a fork in the path, one through which he did not remember traveling. He looked up and around, trying to guess which way he had come. None of his surroundings looked familiar, not even where he was standing.
Glaux! He was lost! He wheeled around and started hurrying back down the passage through which he had come, hoping to regain his bearings.

[Gabjas]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,400,true]

[bg=6a2100] Prue and Cleef continued to press on through the passages - Prue had not yet had a chance to explore the nooks of the Tree, therefore, she was completely unfamiliar with any of the routes they had taken. Cleef turned sharply at a corner, vanishing from view. She found herself in the middle of a cross-section, facing the direction that Cleef had gone. Prue gave a startled cry as Tinker appeared from the opposite direction, glancing about in a confused fashion. "Tinker! Thank Glaux I found you - I was so sick of these corridors, I could yarp a pellet!" Prue said jokingly. "Cleef didn't tell me how he knew where to look for you, I just went with it."

[/blockquote][/td][/tr][tr][td][/td][/tr][/table]

[Sompom]

Tinker cleared another passageway fork and nearly barreled into another owl. He looked up and gave a yelp as he realized the owl was a barn owl. He quickly hopped backward and then regained himself. This owl was not a Pure One... Actually, he did recognize her. She had been a Pure One, there was a huge hullabaloo when she had slipped away. Tinker remembered the time well because there had been a week where he had not been bothered by the other higher owls.
He glanced back over his wing. Where had Cleef gone?
"Why were you following me?" He asked, returning his gaze to the barn owl, although instinctively bowing his head. "I need to leave. There's no time to... I can't be caught." Desperation began to enter his voice at the last words.

[Gabjas]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,400,true]

[bg=6a2100] Prue struggled to process the Sooty's despondent words. "I apologize for startling you; Cleef and I followed you because we were curious as to why you had left with notice - Cleef didn't explain why it was such an urgent matter to him." she paused, studying the Sooty's face for a sign or recognition or understanding as to what she was saying, then she continued to speak. "I don't understand what you mean, though." "Who are you hiding from - or what are you hiding from?" Prue demanded.

[/blockquote][/td][/tr][tr][td][/td][/tr][/table]

[Sompom]

Tinker finally got a hold of his mounting panic. Loosing it was not a good way to avoid suspicion.
"I'm not hiding from anyone. I'm just still shaken up, and you look so much like that other barn owl. I was going back to Cleef's room, to investigate the site of the attack. I thought there might be something there which might help us understand why he came and how we can prevent it." He tried to sound reasonable and stop himself from speaking too quickly but he was having a hard time keeping his thoughts under control.

[Gabjas]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,400,true]

[bg=6a2100] Prue gave Tinker a skeptical glance. His story had an untruthful air about, but despite her growing distrust, she thought it best to feign reliance for now. What was truly peculiar, though, was that Prue swore that she recognized this Sooty from memories long since consigned to oblivion - from when she was once deemed 'Pure', such a deceiving title, it was not Purity, it was murder. "You - you're a Pure One, aren't you?" Prue said apprehensively, although her face began to portray her guilt. "I am too." she said in a barely audible whisper. "I've been trying to conceal my true identity ever since I left that Glaux-foresaken place, the Pure Ones headquarters." she explained. "No offense intended." she added, rather sheepishly.

[/blockquote][/td][/tr][tr][td][/td][/tr][/table]

[Cleef]

Cleef stopped for a second. He had gotten ahead of himself. Just like he had gotten ahead with that Pure One. Then again, that Tyto had good reflexes. Cleef's train of thought came to a sudden stop with two things sticking out. Where was Tinker, and where was that Pure One?

"Alright Cleef," the burrowing owl began talking to himself in a low whisper, "think. You've thought through things before and I'm pretty sure you can do it again. That Barn owl is probably already taken care of by the Guardians. From what the matron said, he had slammed into the floor and collapsed. As for Tinker. He's probably trying to find a way out of the tree and avoid trouble." Cleef turned around and noticed that Prue, the Tyto he had just met, was no longer behind him. I must have lost her, thought Cleef, so, do I turn around and find her, or do I look for Tinker? Cleef's decision took a split second. Tinker would probably use his hollow as an exit. There was a slim chance he would take the time to look for another exit. Too many other owls around for him to do that. Cleef turned around, then turned back, then turned around again. "I got ahead of myself," He said as he swiveled his headin one direction, then the other.

[Sompom]

Tinker flinched. Though he was sure their mutual shame would keep this owl from announcing his presence, he was still caught off guard by her realization.
"Yes, I know." He said, also beginning to whisper. "I remember when you left. You gave the rest of the high ones quite a scare." Tinker chuckled.
"Look, you understand now why I need to leave. Do you know where there's an exit?"