The Delivery (Complete)

[Cleef]

Cleef gave no struggle against the Kraals delivering them to the dungeon. What good would that do? Schimaters to the throat with only their talons. If Cleef had had reaction time, and the group was somewhere else, he might have been able to hold off the Kraals while the others got away, but they were in the middle of a Kraal city. Taking out a few guards would only bring a horde upon you.

Cleef realized that the owl holding his throat was Noga, the female Great Horned owl that had basically been their main escort. "I suppose the kindness you showed to us was just an act too," he whispered to her. "Cleef, if the stories I here about you are true, you know as well as I do not to make assumptions about other owls too quickly," was her reply. Cleef's beak latched shut as his head kicked into gear. She hadn't answered in a Kraal's accent, which is piratey and drunkish, she had answered in a more Ga'hoolian accent, which is more flowing and proper. Cleef began to think that there was more to this owl than met the eye.

[Felidae]

As soon as the Kraal Kings talons had come in contact with the letter, his attitude changed. He quickly ordered his guards to take the band of Owls to the dungeon.

Feliah was brutally shoved forward, a schimater held against her throat. She let out a shriek of protest but quickly shut her beak as soon as the sharp blade was pressed harder against her wind pipe. Glancing at her companions, she noticed Cleef whisper something to his guard and she replied. Feliah recognised the Owl as Noga, the Owl at the front of their travels to the city.

For some reason, Feliah thought this Owl was a lot different than the other Kraals that lived in the city.

[Gabjas]

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[bg=6a2100] Prue desperately clambered for a grip on something, perhaps a rock that jutted from the ground, so she could free herself from the kraal's tight grasp; yet all she could do was watch in agony as her talons loosely scratched at the icy ground. She and the others were tossed into separate cells, preventing any direct communication or plotting. She rose to her talons, watching in disgust as the kraal churred and spat at her feet before locking her cell and sauntering off. No! She thought as she slunk to the door, grasping the cool metal in her talon. They can't hold us forever. Despite her own pain, what first came to mind was to check on the rest of the small band. "Hello? Is everyone okay?" she called out to the others, which was returned by groans of distress. At least everyone's relatively fine. She sighed, realizing for the first time how famished she truly was, how long ago had they first been captured by the kraals at their make-shift shelter? She threw herself onto the ground in misery, she felt so weak and vulnerable, incapable of escaping. She accepted defeat, laying in a pile of bloodied feathers; the wounds ran down her wings and formed at her shoulders where she had been dragged by that cruel owl. She clenched her eyes shut, in hopes that she would wake up in her own hollow at the Great Tree. In hopes that this daymare was nothing more than a daunting dream, much like those horrific ones that had accompanied her throughout her life. She must've drifted off, as she found herself awakened by a voice. A familiar voice. "Noga?" Prue mumbled, as she eyed the blurred figure of her previous escort, the 'kindly' Great-Horned. She placed a talon to her beak. "Shh. I'm getting you out of here." she whispered, gazing around hesitantly before shoving a metal key into the lock on Prue's cell door. The door fell away with a quiet click.

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[Sompom]

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[bg=040707] Tinker was not surprised when the dread lord ordered them to be taken away. What is surprising is that he didn't just chuck us in there in the first place and come get the letter later. It also surprised Tinker that they were still alive. Why bother will all this fiddly prison garbage? Dead owls can't escape. He assumed it was an act of diplomatic necessity, that he wanted to keep the group as "honoured guests" to avoid provoking the Pure One's anger. Not that there would be any, not even if the king announced that Tinker had had a tragic accident with a scimitar. Such was life at the bottom of a brutal gang. While these thoughts played their course, Tinker and his companions were dragged to a heavily built structure, obviously a prison, and thrown in separate cells. He did not resist more than necessary, there was no point. Tinker continued to try to think through what was going on. If the Kraals knew anything about the Pure Ones, they would have noticed by now that Cleef was not a pure owl - thus there could be absolutely no reason for keeping him alive. Who is fooling whom here? Can the Kraals really be planning to make an alliance with a gang of southern owls about whom they know next to nothing? They're going to get taken to lunch! None of it made any sense. He was a pawn to the Pure Ones. Worthless. Occasionally useful to be traded for something more valueable, such as a foothold in the Northern Kingdoms. In this case, the friendship - if that was what you called something so one-sided - of a group of mindbogglingly stupid owls. Tinker shook his head. It was useless trying to figure out something with only half of the facts. Presently Tinker heard a scuffle outside, then a jingling of keys and the main door to the cell block opening. Have they decided to feed us? How long do they plan to keep us here? He heard a door open, then whispering, then the scratch of a key in the lock to his own door. I wonder what it's going to be. Hopefully something killed in recent memory. The door opened and there stood one of the guards who had escorted them to the secret city in the first place. To Tinker's mild disappointment and rising alarm, she didn't seem to be here to feed them. A whirl of thoughts began, then he saw Prue standing behind and his mind stopped. What is going on?!

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[Cleef]

Cleef walked into the hollow cooperatively. Noga closed the door and vanished. The burrowing owl sat there, staring where the great horned at just been. Who was this owl, really? She has spoken, in a low whisper, with a ga'hoolian accent. Not the piratey accent of the kraals.

The helper of others heard Prue call out to see if everyone was okay. Her answer came in the form of groans. Cleef would have answered with a sentence, but a great horned owl walked quickly past his cell towards Prue's. Noga?

Maybe a minute later the great horned was back at his cell, unlocking his door with Prue and Tinker standing behind her. The door's lock gave a click and the door slowly creaked open at Noga's light push.

Cleef stepped out of the cell and followed the great horned along with the two others to Feliah's cell. The burrowing owl couldn't help but have the feeling that things were about to get tense after they unlocked their last companion's cell.

[Felidae]

Feliah was given one final shove that sent her sprawling into her prison cell.

The door was noisily clanged shut behind her and she heard the click of the lock as the Kraal Guards walked away. Getting up and jumping towards the cage door, she viciously attacked it in hope she might be able to break the chain with her sharpened Battle Claws that she still had on from the cramped battle in their make-shift shelter so long ago.

She continued to attack the lock but to no avail. Sighing in frustration she flopped to the floor, only to jump up again when she saw Noga, Prue, Tinker and Cleef all staring at her from the outside of her cell.

"How did you get out?" Feliah exclaimed, making her way towards the door.

"Quiet!" Noga replied as she unlocked the padlock on Feliah's cell.

When the lock came undone and the door was quietly pushed open, Feliah silently stepped out to join her companions in their escape.

[Gabjas]

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[bg=6a2100] Prue eagerly stepped from her cell, following Noga to the other cells. Prue noted a mutual expression of pure befuddlement amongst the group, most likely directed towards Noga's sudden change in behavior. "I don't mean to pry, but what in hagsmire do you plan to do with us?" Prue muttered to Noga, barely audible as to maintain an ulterior stature. Noga smiled, churring softly to herself. "I apologize for not confessing to you of my true identity sooner, I resolved that it was the best possible way to maintain the secrecy of my mission. I will explain more on our way to the Great Tree." She turned the corner, beckoning for them to follow. She led them through a labyrinth of passages that snaked through the hollowed caves of the dungeons. She halted, glancing upwards. "If we fly up there, that should take us to the East quadrant of the palace, from there, we can escape." she took a single talon and etched a small, basic design of the east quadrant into the ice that layered the ground. She added a few dots here and there. "These dots are the guards, they are extremely vigilant, making it near impossible to escape. Fortunately, their physical abilities are far superior to their mental abilities, meaning, they're rather dense... and easily tricked." she glimpsed upwards from her drawing. "We have little time, when the time comes, just follow my lead." Beating her wings, she lofted from the ground and flew through a large opening in the ceiling. Stretching out her wings, Prue quickly followed. The East quadrant opened into a narrow hall, guards were scattered throughout, tentatively guarding their posts. She ambled forward, meeting the first guard. "I be takin' four prisoners ter the king." she said, layering her voice with the trademark accent and slur of a kraal. The Spotted owl turned to the four, nodding in approval. "Aye." Prue approached Noga's side as they continued down the hall. Noga smiled slightly, murmuring a soft "Every thing's going according to plan." They all emerged from the hall, entering a seemingly abandoned room that completely lacked a ceiling. Noga beamed at Prue and the others. "Shall we?" she said as she rose into the air. "I hope everyone is up for a long and tiring flight, at least it will provide me with more than enough time to explain myself." she churred. Prue smiled for what seemed like the first time in days for there had been little reason to be joyful ever since they were captured in the first place. Her original apprehensive attitude towards Noga's sudden gesture had faded and been replaced by trust, and perhaps a modest friendship at that. As the five owls took flight, dusk fast approaching, Noga began to reveal the truth. "Truthfully, I am a slipgizzle for the Guardians. I was sent on a personal mission seven moons ago to collect information on the kraals. It took me some time to adjust to their ways, what with the thick accents and the drunken and cruel tendencies that I was in no way accustomed to. I was eager myself for a chance to return to the Great Tree, I get rather homesick at times." They soon flew far above the quaint city of kraals, preparing to cross over the mountains that bordered it. "That was a cinch!" Noga exclaimed. "Too easy." Prue remarked in return. She swiveled her head around to peer behind her, to her chagrin, the defined forms of three owls were following behind. "Racdrops. Uh.. Noga?" We've got company."

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[Sompom]

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[bg=040707] A slipgizzle? That was highly convenient. Why had she bothered to rescue him? The Pure Ones and the Guardians were in a pseudo-war. It was rare for one side to attack the other but scuffles did occasionally break out. Tinker looked back when Prue called. He spotted the owls then turned his head back to where he was going. His plan would be to try to outrun and ambush but he would wait to see what the other members of the group would suggest.

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[Cleef]

A slipgizzle. When times are dark, there's always hope Cleef supposed. He looked behind himself when Prue called out. Three owls were quickly gaining on them. Noga's words rang back into Cleef's head, "Their physical abilities are far greater than their mental abilities."

Cleef looked up to the rest of the group, slowly falling behind in flight. "You three keep going, I'll keep them busy." With that, the burrowing owl looped around in flight and began to fly towards the three owls. A slight white noise could be heard as Cleef inhaled the breath of qui. Suddenly, a blur shot through the sky."Hey, big guys, how about a game of tag? You're it," he said while nailing the middle kraal. Naturally, that same kraal began to chase after Cleef while saying, "Get the others, this one es mine."

[Felidae]

Feliah felt a glimmer of hope. A slipgizzle was very convenient indeed. Turning after hearing Prue call out, she spotted three Owls after them. Before she could open her beak, she saw a blur shoot past her. It was Cleef. He shot forward to the first Kraal and got him right in the middle of the head. The same Owl then proceeded to follow him, but the others still followed the small band of Owls.

One was quickly gaining of Feliah so she spun around, catching the Kraal in her claws and flinging him to the ground with such force that he could not regain his balance and hit the ground with a thud. For a second Feliah thought she had thrown him a bit too hard, but when he rolled over and attempted to get up she knew that he was okay.

She sped forward again to catch up with the rest of the group.

[Gabjas]

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[bg=6a2100] Cleef flew swiftly towards one of the Kraals, managing a staggering blow; which he cunningly used to his advantage as bait that any Kraal couldn't refuse, a childish game of tag. Feliah caught on quickly and dealt such a clout buffet, it send the owl tumbling to the ground, though he recovered quickly. One still remained, though he remained undeterred by the idiocy of his companions and flew with confidence towards the band, Prue soon detected a slight stagger in the Kraal's flight which he had neglected to mask. "Noga; this one has an injury on his port wing. I need you to distract him on his strong side while I ambush him from the left." Prue whispered to Noga. Noga nodded and slanted off, advancing on his starboard with talons outstretched. Prue let her altitude drop, positioning herself slightly beneath the Kraal. Noga clashed into the kraal, engaging in a fierce skirmish. "Hehe. Ye fight well, fer a girly." the kraal churred. Noga narrowed her eyes, letting them dart towards Prue briefly in a signal to attack. Prue rushed upwards and spun down upon the Kraal, her talons colliding with the now flailing owl. The kraal fell from her talons and began a sharp and involuntary descent to the ground beneath them. As he plummeted to the rocks beneath, Noga called out to him. "You fight well, for a kraal."

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[Sompom]

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[bg=040707] Tinker watched, with a mixture of admiration and fear, as Cleef charged off the confront the Kralls. It's good for him that only one followed Tinker reflected Otherwise he would have been in a sticky situation. First one then another of the group rushed off to confront the band of attacking Kralls. Tinker watched to assure himself that the combat would end favourably. There are only three, after all. Now's my chance. Tinker turned his back to the skirmish. It was high time he left, his companions would be fine and this was easier than excusing himself from them. He beat his wings quickly, veering off their previous course as soon as he entered the foothills. He hoped the combat would last long enough for him to be long gone.

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[Cleef]

Cleef was flying towards an icy wall. The Kraal flew with such concentration behind him that Cleef was sure this trick would work. The burrowing owl flew right up towards the wall and pulled up at the last possible moment, his talons chest skimmed the wall has he looped over the Kraal who, since he had been so concentrated on Cleef's tale, slammed into the ice with such a great force that he was knocked unconscious.

Cleef caught the falling owl and gently laid him on an out stretching ledge of ice. He would survive for another day. The burrowing owl then turned around to survey his friends. He saw that they had all taken out a Kraal of their own. All except Tinker, that is, who was no where in sight. He probably didn't want the others to know, thought Cleef understandingly. The burrowing owl flew up to the group-minus-one.

[Felidae]

Feliah watched as the rest of the Owls confronted a Kraal. Soon enough, all three Kraals had been defeated and the group swiftly joined back together.

Surveying the group, Feliah noticed Tinker had disappeared. Confused and slightly worried she started to think of reasons why and where he had gone. She soon gave up though when she realised that no one else in the group seemed the slightest bit worried as to where he had got to.

[Gabjas]

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[bg=6a2100] The group had easily brought the trio of Kraals to their knees; and as they formed together to return on their venture, they quickly noted Tinker's sudden absence. This came as no surprise, Prue was quite aware of Tinker's task and understood his urge to take his leave quietly. She felt this feeling was mutual amongst Cleef, though Felidae had not been informed of his back story, nor Prue's. Noga and the rest continued their flight path, and over the course of time, they had flown through an elaborate route; across the Everwinter Sea, through the Ice Narrows and eventually they were led through the mists that enveloped the island on which rested the Great Tree. Prue hooted exuberantly as the silhouette of the tree came into view, relieved to once again regard the familiar sights and smells, such as young owlets attending to their chaws (Prue herself attended the Colliering chaw every once in a while, though she was the eldest student and often simply stepped in to take a few notes before vanishing into her hollow once more to study) and the faint aroma of milkberry tea and dried caterpillars that greeted her nostrils. Prue swerved down, low enough that her feathers nearly caressed the waves that lapped against the island. Indeed, the Tree appeared as if nothing had changed in the week or so they had been gone, the leaves still remained the pleasant golden hue it took on in this season. A step into the main hall revealed several familiar faces, which greeted her warmly. Amongst them was the elderly Wood Owl that currently taught the Colliering Chaw ambled towards her. "Prue, welcome back. The young'uns missed you in your absence, why, they wouldn't stop asking about you!" he churred, a wizened smile settled on his beak. "You must remind me sometime soon to speak with you in my hollow, perhaps over a good cup of tea, I have a few things I want to speak to you about." he then flitted off to speak with another student, a young Spotted owl. Prue spun around to Noga and the others. "I should probably be getting off to my hollow to sort a few things out. Bye." with her quiet farewell, Prue set off to her hollow. "Wait. Are you forgetting something?" Noga called, letting Prue's botkin slump off her shoulders to the ground. "Thanks." Prue smiled as she took her botkin in her talons. She stepped into her hollow, once again greeted by several familiarities; a book she had been reading still lay beside her nest, open to the exact page she had been skimming through the night she had first departed on her journey, and a pair of smithing tongs hung from the wooded wall, swaying over an extinguished fire. Prue placed her belongings in their places and, overcome with hunger, made her way to the Dining Hollow.

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