The Delivery (Complete)

[Felidae]

Felia listened intently to the reasons of why these Owls were here. Taking particular interest in Prue's reason, she stated her own,
"I have come here searching for my forgotten past... I think I hatched around here and was tended to by another Owl, although, unfortunately, I do not remember who this Owl was," Turning to Prue, Feliah studied the Owl with intrest in her hazel-blue eyes,
"You said you were a... Flamereader? If I may ask, what was in the vision you saw?"

Deep down, Feliah hoped this vision had something to do with her past... But knowing her luck it wasn't likely.

[Gabjas]

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[bg=6a2100] "My vision was not anything remarkable; what left an imprint in my gizzard was the dream I had following my vision." Prue began, searching her mind to remember the abhorrent dream. "I was surrounded by a thick fog, unaware of my surroundings. I felt as if I were flying, despite my position planted firmly on the icy ground - icy, as if I were in the Northern Kingdoms." Prue paused and glanced at each of the owls. "I heard a voice, soft and auspicious, just like my mother's sweet tone. She called out to me in recognition, inviting me into her open wings. I heard another owl speak beside my 'mother', he sounded so much like my father. Without a thought, I flung myself into their wings; I had thought that maybe, just maybe, it might've been true, maybe they hadn't been killed by the Pure Ones - maybe, they hadn't died." Prue closed her eyes, stifling tears that had collected in her eyes. "My so-called 'parents' began to morph - my mother became the ghastly figure of Nyra, the previous authoritarian of the Pure Ones army. My father began an abnormal transformation, he became a creature far beyond the extents of any normal creature." Prue halted her explanation, providing time for the others to process all they had heard. "I believe," Prue breathed. "This creature was a Shriek."

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[Cleef]

Cleef gave a little gasp of surprise as the white barn owl standing in the cave with him mentioned dreaming about a shriek. Cleef had never met a shriek before, therefore, he didn't know whether they where friendly or not.

Cleef could see the struggle Prue was going through to complete her story. He got a little closer to her and put his wing around the white owl. He wanted to say something, something comforting, but couldn't think quickly enough to get out the words. Instead he focused on comforting her physically with his one winged embrace. Hoping that maybe it would also comfort her mentally, at least just a little bit.

[Felidae]

Feliah blinked, taking in the story. This Owl obviously had a special talent... A very special one indeed. It could be useful... If Feliah was to stick with these Owls.

Suddenly, a thought occured to Feliah... What if these visions could help her find what happened to her parents and learn more about her past?

Opening her beak to ask Prue the question, she could see that the Owl's mood had suddenly changed. Deciding now was not the time, Feliah closed her beak and glanced at the other Owls, pruning her feathers yet again as they still seemed ruffled and unkept.

[Sompom]

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[bg=040707] Tinker fidgeted. It was unfair, he mused, that the others had feathers to tend to. Most of his had been held in place by the Pure One's armour, and the rest he couldn't reach because of it's rigidity. It gave them something to do in the occult silence that was filling the small cave. Tinker knew nothing about Shrieks, but judging from Prue's fear of the word and Cleef's response, they were not something he would like to meet. He glanced up and outside. Hopefully the weather would calm soon. He hated sitting and twiddling his claws.

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[Gabjas]

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[bg=6a2100] Cleef placed a wing on Prue's shoulder, calming her so that she could continue her recollection of her dream. Tinker and Feliah both went about with their own activities, although they listened intently to what she had to say. "Shrieks are truly horrid creatures, enough to make your gizzard wilf. I believe I remember a verse from the Lore of the Shrieks, it described their vile stature." Prue continued to explain the Shrieks' features with immense detail, reciting the description with as much accuracy as she could muster. Prue completed, pausing for a breath, and glanced at the gathering of owls. She watched with intent as their expressions changed to looks of bewilderment and disgust. "I woke up, knowing in my gizzard that I had to journey to the Hrath'ghar Glacier and meet with the owls that I had seen in my vision." Prue construed. "I considered the fact that the trip could be dangerous or, in fact, the vision and dream could be nothing but a pile of rac- oops. Pardon." Prue churred, stopping herself before she could cuss. "I could either trust my head, or I could trust my gizzard - thank Glaux I trusted my gizzard." Prue finished her tale, adding a soft "And now, here I am."

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[Cleef]

There was a distant look in Cleef's eyes. What Prue had just said rang a bell in his head. "Not all of them," he blurted before anyone else broke the silence. Most have become savage, but, if I remember right, the elders of the shrieks remain civilized. I can remember a few whispers that I picked up during my travels that these elders forged an alliance with Ga'hoole. The elder's goal, if I remember right, is to save their brethren that have forgotten their ways."

[Sompom]

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[bg=040707] Tinker kept his beak shut. It was a strange story Prue had to tell was strange enough, but Cleef's knowledge of these... Shreiks was downright unnerving. How would an alliance with Ga'Hoole help with their cultural upheaval, and why had nothing been heard outside before?

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It's time to get rid of this storm. Someone think of a creative way out!

[Gabjas]

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[bg=6a2100] "Perhaps we should discuss this later; we could all use a decent rest." Prue suggested as she admired the clouds dashed with lavender and fuchsia, escorting the rising sun into view. She shambled towards a suitable nook in their shelter's wall, adjusting herself into a comfortable sleeping position. "Good light, everyone." she managed with a yawn.

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[Felidae]

Feliah listened to Prue's recite of the description of Shrieks. After the Owl finished, a shiver that felt icy cold ran through Felaih. These Shrieks seemed nothing like an ordinary Owl, and she certainly didn't want to meet one.

Noticing the Owls settling down to sleep, Felaih decided to do the same. Finding a small nook in the wall of stone surrounding the Owls, she settled down. Before she could even open her beak to wish the other Owls 'Good light', she feel into a deep sleep.

[Cleef]

Cleef watched as two of the owls in this small group fell asleep. Only he and Tinker where left awake. Cleef looked to his friend, "Do you think that maybe that letter you carry is for a Pure One alliance with the savage side of these creatures? From the stories I hear about these evil ones, that might be bad." Cleef's thoughts started to shoot into the possibilities of this kind of dark alliance. He cut them off nearly as soon as they began. Did he really know enough about Shrieks to be making these kind of scenarios in his head?

[Gabjas]

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[bg=6a2100] Prue found herself kneeling in a dimly-lit ice cavern, staring at the cold ground; she was completely unaware of how she had come to be there. "Ah, Prue," an elderly voice greeted her, "My, my - you have grown so much since I last saw you."Prue jerked her head upwards, studying the cloaked figure before her with awe. How does he know who I am? "I don't suppose you remember me, you were but an owlet when we first met." the hooded figure pressed on, oblivious to Prue's astonishment. "I-I don't mean to be rude, but I may be able to recognize you more easily if you removed your cloak." Prue suggested. He raised his arms, which were also hidden beneath the fabric of the cloak and slowly removed his hood to reveal himself to Prue, then removed his concealment entirely. Prue cringed in horror, the grotesque stature of a Shriek standing before her, he gave a coarse churr at her surprise. "Remember me now?" he smirked, meeting Prue's gaze with a cold glare. "Remember us?" his voice altered from that of a single being, becoming the voice of many individuals speaking in unison. The Shriek's flesh began to blacken and separate from his body, his figure became a mass of vermin; rats and cockroaches began to depart from the mound, quickly advancing on Prue. She tried to loft into the air, failing to command her wings, as they had been lost to the effects of yeep. They began to crawl over her - their combined squeals and shrieks merging to create a constant hum. "Get off of me!" Prue screeched - desperately trying to knock them away with her talons. "Get OFF!" The mass grew, completely obscuring her vision- everything faded into darkness. Prue awoke, despite this, she still continued to thrash about with her eyes closed tightly - muttering owl curse words and screams of panic as she attempted to remove the non-existent vermin. Finally, she ceased her panic, coaxing herself to open her eyes. Feliah had fallen asleep in another niche in the wall across from her, while Cleef and Tinker were still in conversation; apparently, she hadn't been asleep for as long as the daymare had made it seem. Glaux - why must I have these dreams? What do they even mean?

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[Sompom]

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[bg=040707] Tinker shook his head. "You know I don't know anything about this Cleef. I hadn't even heard of a Shreik until Prue mentioned it." Suddenly Prue began tossing and moaning. A bad dream He Thought. No, a terrible dream. Tinker was moving to wake her when her eyes snapped open.

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[Felidae]

Feliah was woken by voices and a lot of moving. She opened her eyes to see Prue looking very distressed. Standing up and fluffing out her feathers, she walked over to Prue, eyeing her carefully.

[Gabjas]

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[bg=6a2100] Aroused by her evident distress, Tinker and Feliah moved to Prue's side. She raised her wing to her aching forehead, her beak agape in pain. "Ugh - Glaux, why must I have these horrific dreams? What do they even mean?" she paused, contemplating her own question. "I was in a cavern, a hooded figure standing before me, speaking to me with recognition; he knew who I was, claiming that we had met when I was a mere owlet. He then removed his cloak at my request, revealing that he was a Shriek." Prue stopped herself, remembering the daunting scene that followed. "The Shriek gave this unearthly churr, and began to literally, fall apart before my eyes. His flesh separated into the bodies of vermin. They began to maul me; rats tore the feathers from my wings and chest, insects burrowed beneath my s-skin." Prue felt herself weaken as she relived the ghastly dream, her eyes tearing up. Eyes wide, she turned to Tinker, then Feliah, then Cleef - their reassuring smiles were her only solace.

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