It's a Revolution, I Suppose

[Deleted]

Dimitri stood alone in his hollow, feverishly writing with a quill, a slightly tremble in his left wing irritating him to no end. It had been four days since he had presented his offer to Thalia: assist him in removing Tytus from the position of High Tyto and she could live happily with Sentes. He had thus spent the last few days, awaiting her ultimate decision, though he was getting a feeling that she would be revealing her answer soon. In the meantime, he had been hard a work on his manifesto against Tytus, which he would present to the entirety of the Pure Ones as reasonable grounds for the immediate removal of Tytus. By himself he knew he'd be considered just an old owl who had gone yoinks. But with the backing of Thalia, he would have more than enough followers to usurp the throne and finally put the Pure Ones back on track.

Even now his mind still flashed back to Nyra, to the Pure Ones he had grown up with, before she herself had went yoinks. It would be a return to those values, to that way of life that would return the Pure Ones to greatness. But to do so, he had to purge the current group of all the negative influences, starting right with Tytus. This was a project he had spent much of his time on, ever since he had first abdicated the position years ago. But as he was sidelines for younger officers and the policies Tytus enacted turned away from what was good for the Pure Ones, he knew he had to do something. It had all just been a matter of opportunity...

[Felidae]

Coryn fluffed out his feathers against the cold breeze blowing around him. Normally, at this time, he would be out bossing about the younger owls which would take up most of his afternoon if he had nothing to do, which he barely ever did. At the moment, though, he was sat perched up on a rock in the Pure One's headquarters, out of the way of other owls.

Lately, the male Grass owl hadn't felt the need to be as controlling as he normally was, which confused him considerably. He had always found joy in the torment of others but, since feeling the need fade away, he had felt completely lost. Other owls had avoided him when he had tried to talk, thinking he would abuse them verbally or possibly even physically and so he hadn't spoken to another owl of his confused state.

Letting his mind drift away again to Glaux knows where, Coryn turned his gaze to the sky, his jumbled feelings still swirling around inside him.

[Gabjas]

(@greathorned, this takes place a tad before her little snuggle with Sentes.)

Thalia sighed wearily, pacing within her chambers. The clack of her talons against the shale floor resonated through the hollowed cavern, accompanied only by the faint dripping of stalactites and stalagmites forming. Many had speculated on her peculiar behaviour of late, she had closed herself into her room, cooped up for hours in a cocoon of solitude. Her feathers were ragged with lack of sleep and her eyes glazed.

None the less, she had not failed to provide for her subjects. If anything, she had gone overboard with her tasks as if in an attempt to redeem herself from her recent dishonesty. Thalia strutted over to her mirror, a shard of reflective glass that had once belonged to the mysterious Others. Peering into it, she groaned at her own haggard visage.

She did not want Tytus to be de-throned, he deserved everything he had gained, but part of her was whispering in her ear slit, telling her to take care of him as Dimitri had suggested. It was for the best, right?

Of course, she would have to pay the price, but if it meant her royalty was preserved, was it not worth it? Dimitri had told her he was not fit to rule as she was, so truly they were doing the Pure Ones a favour. Eliminating the tainted blood from the veins of the Pure One kingdom forever. It would be glorious. She nodded to herself, muttering as she strolled to her writing desk. Taking a quill in her talons, she wet the tip with ink and began to scribble down her decision.

Dear Dimitri,

I have decided that for the best of the Pure Ones, I shall give my full support in this matter. I would like to ask you to form a list of all whom approve of this revolutionary action. Please report to me in due time, I shall check up within two nights.

If you are in need of discussion, meet me on the hidden ledge outside my chambers at dawn and be sure that you are not followed.

Sincerely,
Thalia

Ruffling her feathers, a new sense of calm settled upon her mind, Thalia made her way to where Sentes lay and sidled in beside him. The burden of the decision now lifted from her shoulders, her beauty was restored; her obsidian eyes gleamed with an elegant intensity and her feathers were no longer splayed out in a display of stress. Lying with her back turned towards him, she allowed Sentes to preen her feathers, soothing her.

"My love." she whispered to him, and that was all she said, a quiet claim that this owl was hers for eternity. That this Barn owl would one day be her rightful mate, and no longer be scorned for his rank, for he would soon tower over them as the new king. And she being his loving queen.

[Deleted]

Sentes gently hummed as he delicately and lovingly preened the feathers of Thalia, mostly trying to keep himself calm and collected. He still could not believe that Dimitri, of all owls, was planning a coup against Tytus. The old owl had requested Thalia's assistance and now both he and Sentes were eager to learn what decision she had made. For all his respect of Dimitri, he had cautioned Thalia not to go through with this. There was no way this was going to better the Pure Ones, it would just divide and tear them apart. But, as much as he disagreed with it, he also promised Thalia that no matter what her decision was, he would not leave her side, period. He would be a loyal mate to her, no matter what path that may lead to.

Dimitri had never seemed like an owl to take such drastic action, he always appeared to be content with the role he now played. Many young owls knew him as father, at least those who had no parents of their own. Sentes himself had learned his art of trickery and deceit from Sentes, which now made him wonder. All this time, had Dimitri been practicing deceit of his own? Pretending to be content while a white-hot anger raged inside him? Or had the old owl finally snapped after year of mental scarring from his experiences with the fall of the Pure Ones before? While the old owl never talked about his experiences much, few would deny they saw the signs. Horrible nightmares, insomnia, migraines... Dimitri had suffered through a number of ailments often assumed to be connected to the trauma of the destruction he had lived through. "So, I take it that you have reached a decision?" Sentes asked Thalia, knowing how much she had mulled over her decision.

((Alright, then I'll move Sentes' part from the opening post to down here.))

[spice]

Katara flew through the air, the thermals pushing through her creamy white feathers. Sweat coated her skin under her feathers, and exhaustion emanated from her. Yet she flew on. She flew harder and faster then she had ever flown, desperate to get back to her Tytoness.

As she neared the canyons, she heaved a sigh of relief. She faltered in her flight, her wings buckling from exhaustion. She forced her wings to go on, to get to the Pure One's hq. She needed to see Thalia.

Later…

Katara swooped into Thalia's bedchambers, taking care to go through the secret entrance. She paused at the sight of Sentes with Thalia, but she decided it was more important to report then to respect their privacy. "Tytoness!" she said as she saluted, out of breath. "Someone's told some of the officers. There's a plot to over throw you and Tytus!" she said hurriedly.

(OOC: 1) I am not in a creative mood right now 2) I wanted to get the plot moving! 3) I know the plot, but someone (Thalia) explain to Katara. Thanks!)

[Gabjas]

A startled Thalia peered up from the face of her lover only to see the commander, a worried frown fixed onto her beak as she addressed her news. Thalia stood from her perch, preening a feather into place before churring. "You must stop sneaking up on us like that."

The High Tytoness raised her head and peered down at the Barn owl before her, "You needn't worry, Katara. It is all a misunderstanding you see, I have a plan." So, inviting her friend to take a seat beside her, Thalia explained her plot.

She explained Dimitri's idea and their alliance. She explained everything her and the old owl had planned, their rebellion of sorts. But at the end, she breathed a sigh, a breath of courage. There was something Dimitri was not planning on. "You see, Katara..." she trailed off, turning her head to where Sentes was.

"You may want to listen too, Sentes. This concerns you in a great way." Clearing her throat, Thalia pressed on. "Katara, ever since the dawn of my reign you have been a faithful friend and a loyal Pure One. Your diligence and wit has proven to be a strong as your courage and might in battle."

"And a few nights ago I had an idea to fake my own death."

Thalia took a breath, allowing her words to simmer. She turned to Sentes with a passionate trill. "Sentes and I will escape with your help to Silverveil and hopefully live out the rest of our days together in peace. And you, Katara..."

"This is why I wish for you to take my place as High Tytoness, to reign and lead the Pure Ones to victory, for I could not achieve the dreams that now live on in you. Will you accept, my dear Katara?"

[Deleted]

Sentes got up with his mate and stood off to the side, listening to Thalia explain the situation to Katara. But she added in much more, a plot to fake her own death, to flee the Pure Ones and live far away, far gone from here. Sentes couldn't believe it, of all the owl he would thought would dare leave the Pure Ones, Thalia was one of the last he would expect this from. "Thalia, are you sure you want to do that? To leave the Pure Ones, forever, after everything you have achieved here?" Sentes asked, a clear hint of anxiety with such a move. The Pure Ones were everything Sentes had ever known, his entire life had been built to serve them. He had no idea what he would do without them, out in the unknown. No assignments, no goals... could he ever live like that? Thalia was different, she had a life before the Pure Ones, but him, he knew nothing but. Sure, he had faked lives outside of the Pure Ones, but it was always to serve the great cause. This... this was far different and there would be no turning back. "Thalia I... I don't know if I can do that... the Pure Ones... what would I do without the Pure Ones?" he asked her, though it was a question he also posed to himself and he shuddered at the thought of living with no directions from the Pure Ones.

((OOC: As Sentes has always lived to serve the Pure Ones, he's going to need some encouragement from Thalia to start thinking and acting on his own.))

[Rylan]

Katara stood rigid in the hollow, her silver clad talons buried into the hard rock. She clenched tightly, willing her emotions to sink into the floor. She could hardly remember the last time she had been so agitated, so paranoid. Her mind was churning, calculating how to cause the rumours to cease, how to protect her Tytoness, and how to hold the Pure Ones together.

For many years now, since rising to her rank of Supreme Commander, Katara had taken it upon herself to hold the Pure Ones together. Though she loved and respected Thalia greatly, she had noticed that Thalia was not the most suited to run an army.

Thalia had always seemed somewhat distracted with herself, and she had hardly the mind for the tedious battle plans that Katara was so enamoured with. Thalia was vain, and had little mind for strategy. She was too self absorbed to care about the minute details that were vital to a plan.

Katara ignored Thalia's invitation to sit, instead remaining upright and tense. Her muscles were tight, tautly strung and ready for action. Her talons clenched tighter to the ground, and Katara opened her beak.

"A plan?" she asked, her voice somewhat cold and calculating. Katara was in commander mode, with no room for kindness or compassion. All that mattered now was figuring out how to deal with the problems at hand.

She loved Thalia dearly, but Katara had little trust for Thalia's plans. Katara had to re-organize and re-plan for Thalia, sometimes completely altering things.

Katara listened, taking in the information. "Dimitri?" she asked, her voice sharp. Katara had little love for the wizened old owl, who seemed untrustworthy to her. Dimitri seemed fatherly to most, but Katara had guessed at his true nature. He seemed very intelligent, and had a cold, calculating mind.

Katara nodded her head slowly, taking in more of the plan. "A rebellion and an alliance with Dimitri… I wonder…" she said, then broke off, calculating in her mind. Dimitri seemed smart enough to seize hold of the situation, and he would manipulate even the High Tytoness if it meant he got what he wanted.

Katara feared that Dimitri had planned this all, and that the Pure Ones might suffer for it. If only there was some way to unbalance him. Some way to throw him for a loop. Then Katara could restore balance to the Pure Ones, and all would be more or less well.

Katara waved Thalia's compliments away, thinking only of how to off balance Dimitri. Suddenly, a solution presented itself to Katara. She stared at Thalia as the words slipped from Thalia's beak. "And a few nights ago I had an idea to fake my own death."

Katara bristled at Thalia's announcement. Fake her death? she thought. Is she yoicks? And who would rule? Of course, Katara knew Thalia truly loved Sentes, and wanted to be able to spend her time with him freely.

But what would Katara do without Thalia? Thalia had always led the Pure Ones, and everything would change. And, truth be told, Katara would miss Thalia. Thalia had been her older sister, her trusted confidante, her best friend.

Katara opened her beak to say something, anything, but Thalia had already started to speak. "This is why I wish for you to take my place as High Tytoness, to reign and lead the Pure Ones to victory, for I could not achieve the dreams that now live on in you. Will you accept, my dear Katara?"

Katara's beak dropped open in amazment. Thalia wanted HER to run the Pure Ones? She wanted Katara, the young army commander, to become the High Tytoness? Katara was astounded.

As Sentes expressed his feelings to Thalia, Katara could not help but agree. "Are you sure that you would leave the Pure Ones, flee to Silverveil, and live your life with no more contact from us?" she asked, her voice shaky and incredulous.

Her thoughts were much the same as Sentes, as were her sentiments. She couldn't believe that Thalia of all owls would leave the Pure Ones, just to chase after some romantic dreams.

Katara had once considered some fantasies like that with Tytus, dreaming of running away. But the Pure Ones had been her duty, her life, and she had been young and foolish. Tytus had never loved Katara, no matter how much Katara had tried to convince herself of that in her youth.

But now, Thalia was in a different place then Katara had been in. Thalia had a lover, and was more mature, and it seemed she had truly thought about this. It seemed to be what Thalia truly wanted, much as she had once wanted to be lovers with Sentes.

Katara sighed, her mind whirling. What should I do? she wondered. Thalia seemed set on it, and it provided a way to keep Dimitri in check. Katara had never wanted the power for herself, but she was merely content to advise and plan for Thalia. She was a good army commander, and she held the Pure Ones together.

But was she ready to be the figurehead of the Pure Ones? Was she ready to be the ruler, the veto power, the head of all of this? The more she thought on this, the more muddled her mind became.

Doubts about her eligibility to be the High Tytoness, about Thalia, worries about Dimitri and worry for the Pure Ones all flooded her. But through the flood, only one thought stood out prominently.

As though the flood had come and swept everything else away, one thing was clear. If this was to happen, Dimitri's plans to take over would be foiled. Thalia and Sentes would have what they wanted, to live a calm, peaceful life. The Pure Ones would benefit, growing strong and large under Katara's direction. The army would flourish, the purity would be established, and order would be held.

This what was best for the Pure Ones,and in an instant Katara decided. Looking at Thalia, her head held high and standing tall, Katara looked like a leader. The leader of the Pure Ones. Opening her beak, her voice came out strong, confident and serious.

"I am ready for this. I shall accept this rule."

[Rylan]

(OOC: Holy Frank's Red Hot, where the heck did THAT come from? O.o)

[Gabjas]

Thalia felt a rush of mixed emotions rise in her chest, as if her very heart were now burdened with the sudden regret and wonderful relief she felt. "I am glad you say that." she nodded. She wrapped her wings gently over Katara, her head resting against her best friend's shoulder in comfort. "I know I can trust you most of all owls to rule this kingdom, they deserve you, Katara." Still keeping her friend in her unforceful grip, Katara leaned away, her eyes aglow with pure joy.

"Sentes and I can live together in peace and harmony, we can still keep in touch, I hope, and you get the job of your dreams - I understand you have held this ambition for quite some time." And despite how much glee Thalia felt for her friend and for her love, she choked on the last words. "Everything will be... just a... happily ever after... for everyone." she sighed, rather sadly.

She turned from her friend and the warm face of her lover, her eyes fixed on the cold stone floor. The barn owl walked aimlessly away, doing her best to avoid their prying eyes, where they could see she was crying. Thalia stopped as she came to a small groove in the stone had collected a little clear pool of water. She peered at her reflection, her eyes locking with the mirror image of a Barn owl she once knew so well. Her reflection was soon distorted by a few small ripples that had formed where her tears now mingled with the pool. "Happily... ever... after."

This was her home, where she belonged. Never since she was a wee owlet had she stepped talon out of the Pure Ones headquarters for anything but war and raids. Now she would have to embark, Sentes and her alone, against a world filled with impure scum that hated her guts. She was truly happy here, but she was also truly happy with Sentes. Home was where the heart was, right?

"For ... everyone."

(OOC: Despite her uncertainty, Thalia will come around and tackle her emotions about leaving. Their plans to escape are still a go.)

[Deleted]

Sentes watched Thalia, the way her voice wavered with those last words immediately alerted him. He had been trained to read owls, so it was more obvious to him that Thalia, despite all her talk, had her own conflicting emotions about leaving. Though, that could be said about this entire situation, her heart and her head were basically at war with each other, telling her to do one thing or another. He knew how that felt, his own heart and mind were at war too, even now he could not stop himself from thinking like a simple tool, conditioned to do only one thing: follow orders. To imagine a life without orders, without missions or assignment, it was difficult to comprehend. The same could be said for Thalia here, it was unthinkable to live a life outside the Pure Ones, the only real family she had had over the years.

Sentes took a deep breath and he walked over to Thalia... to his lover and draped his wing across her back. "If you need to cry, do it, we don't think any lesser of you for it," he told her, hoping she would let her emotions go. It was not good to just bottles such things up, an owl could go yoinks trying to hide their emotions if they hadn't been trained to do so, like Sentes had. "I know what you are thinking... how can we just leave everything we've known? I feel the same way... all my life I have been nothing but a tool for the Pure Ones to use... I don't think I remember a time I ever thought of myself as an actual living, breathing owl... Goals, passions, desires, hobbies... they were all forbidden to me, I was to follow orders and that was it. You were the first once who saw something more in this owl, you knew I was more than that, and I think if it's possible for a Queen like yourself to find love in such an owl... then I think there's nothing we can't overcome as long as we are with each other," he gently said to her, placing a talon over her and softly he started to twitter her. It was the sound of courtship, something that Sentes had never been taught, but instead was pure instinct, something that had come from inside.

[Rylan]

(Shall I duck out now, so you both have a little time to convince each other about this? I may post later.)

[Gabjas]

(Since it has been so darn long since I posted, my memory of what's going on right now is foggy. If I make a mistake, just let me know. Ugh, this post is gonna seriously suck cause my writing is SO rusty.)

Thalia sniffed, a weak smile curved on her pale beige beak. She felt the tears leave her entrancing obsidian eyes, retreating as she composed herself from the mess she had become. Just think of how glorious the return of our Tytonic army shall be! And perhaps they will accept another helping talon to fight the great war - the one that I have dreamed of since hatching.

The knot in her gut loosened as her gaze lingered upon her lover and her best friend, two impeccable specimens of the purest of species. She approached Katara, wrapping her wings around the sleek body of her loyal companion. "I have every ounce of faith in you, my friend. May you carry the crippled legacy of our legion from these broken talons." she gave a salute with her wing.

"I have one wish though, before I 'die'..." the Barn owl cooed in her regal yet icy voice, famed for striking fear into the hearts of many a brave Guardian. She folding her perfectly-groomed wings behind her back and sauntered over to the stone outcropping that overlooked the canyons. She turned her beak up to the steadily climbing crescent moon, basking in its glorious light.

She had been the third generation of High Tyto, the succession of Pure One leaders that had risen from the ashes of Nyra's ways to take hold of this new era. Thalia spoke the truth: she had great faith in her number one assistant, that she could carry these burning ambitions to a new-found glory. "That you will take care of my first owlet and train them to be High Tyto. They shall take the throne after your reign. Is this clear?"

[Deleted]

((Considering it has been a month since the last story post in this thread, I think you did a good job pulling something together. Now we just wait for Rylan.))

[Gabjas]

(OOC: I am certain Rylan would not mind if Sentes posted out of turn. If you would like, Sentes can say a few things...)