A Perfect Storm (Greathorned)

[Rylan]

Kygoe sighed, tired of this one's attitude. "Aye, you do have full autonomy, which is why we're having this mission. And I am well aware of your birth and raising. I'm not trifiling with you, I'm just seeing if you want these books or not. And though you have the strength and cunning of a dozen others, the Guardians have hundreds. And together they can certainly defeat you. You might have taken a few with you to wherever you'd go, be it Glaux or Hagsmire, but in the end you'd be dead, the books un-captured, and with them all of the knowledge."

He took a deep breath and continued. "No, I do not believe you a traitor, and many of the enlightened officers do not, but some who still cling to the old ways do. They believe you to be an abomination, but I do not. My little whisperers know better. And only power crazed officers like Dimitri aim to take control of you. Dimitri tries to control everyone."

He sighed. "These two owls have no guarantee of effectivness but for their actions. They shall perform for themselves. You don't need to trust them, nor will they trust you, but you will need to use them to carry away the tomes. And you'll live to regret it, but you'll live nonetheless, and you'll have your precious tomes."

He watched as Aerion told him to leave. Kygoe had been mocked by many an owl, and the words hardly fazed him. "I shall leave you to prepare," he said simply, not rising to the bait. Slowly creeping along on his mangled talons, he departed the hollow. "Oh, and one other thing," he said as he turned his head.

"Don't talk to Dimitri. He'll want to take over more control."

((OOC: Now, Aerion's mission to the Tree begins! Time lapse. GH, your turn.))

[Deleted]

Dimitri stood perched on the leafless husk of the tree, watching the cliff below as the owls that had been chosen to partake in this mission began to assemble. He had personally chosen these owls for their particular ferocity. Victory was not a goal for this mission, instead they simply needed time; but he did hope to inflict as much pain upon the Guardians as he possibly could. He was mostly unconcerned by the infiltration mission, he felt it was mostly a waste of time, but he was willing to go along with it in order to send a message to the Guardians. He wanted to show them that there was no place the Pure Ones weren't willing to fly to, that not even the Great Tree itself would provide refuge against their march towards conquest.

Before tonight, most talks about attacking the tree were met with ridicule and were quickly dismissed. Most of the other officers and even Tytus himself did not feel that the Pure Ones had the strength to launch an assault on the Great Tree. Despite the fact that he had knowledge of their tactics, based on failed attacks in the past, he was never able to convince them to attack. Then, out of the blue, Tytus changes his mind, all because of some random Barn Owl they had encountered some time ago. Dimitri didn't know much about him, nor did he care to, but he was disgusted by the fact that this outsider could easily be trusted while his years of petitioning continued to fall flat. So, again, despite his years of service to the Pure Ones, again he is demeaned and disrespected by the High Tyto and his officers. Dimitri was loosing patience, he was a former High Tyto himself, he deserved much better than this...

[Rylan]

Katara stood on the flight ledge of her chambers, the white marble sparkling beneath her silver clad talons. Sunset coloured flames illuminated her room, casting flickering shadows across the walls. Katara's feathers glowed a white silver, her eyes a shiny teak.

She looked out into the last light of the disappearing dusk, waiting for the light to finally fade. As the final rays cast their beauty over the canyons, the dark won. Katara extended her ivory wings and leapt from the ledge, the only sound the swoosh of her feathers as the carried her higher.

As the air reached up to caress her, she dipped downwards then surged upward. She felt the tang of a storm brewing on the wind, the electricity levels high. She felt the vibes of something great to come. Not good or bad, but great. She turned to the direction of the brewing storm, and flew from the canyon until she was merely a speck of white on the canvas of midnight.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kygoe escorted the two owls to Aerion's chamber. The two were huge, strong specimens, with rippling muscles visible beneath their soot grey feathers. Leather packs clung to their backs, strapped with chords of sinew. They were empty, awaiting the books soon to fill them.

Eerie silence filled the air, the tension so thick that you could taste it. In the low torchlight, the owls faces were obscured. They were scarred from battle, with rips in their feathers.

Kygoe knocked with a gnarled talon on the door, then waited for Aerion to appear. "I have the two pack-owls," he called through the door.

"They await your orders."

[Deleted]

Aerion stepped out of his hollow with his owl pack strapped around his chest. He immediately examined the two owls, who while were fairly large for Barn Owls, still didn't rival him his size. They were extremely rugged, with bodies covered in ugly scars that gave them more of a moth-eaten appearance. "Both as ugly as a scroom, ugh, but let me guess, they both have winning personalities!" He turned and looked at the other owl, the one who had spoken with him yesterday. "Tell me something, Pure Ones, what's the deal with this 'Dimitri' you spoke of? You don't seem to hold him in any esteem, that's quite clear, but I am curious as to what would drive an owl to feel as such. Are you not all Pure Ones, driven by one singular vision for the world? Doesn't the actions of one still promote the advancement of all?" Aerion knew very little about the Pure Ones, mostly because he couldn't be bothered to care about them. He pledged no loyalty to them, he was an employee of them, they paid him, he did something in return. It was a simple relationship, one that Aerion saw no need in furthering. But, seeing as how he would be working in cooperation with one of their officers, in particular the one the other owl didn't seem to respect, he thought he might as well know something about who he would be dealing with.

[Rylan]

Kygoe nodded at Aerion's assessment of the two pack owls. "As ugly as scrooms, aye, and as silent. They have no tongues." he said. As if to prove Kygoe's point, one of the owls opened his beak and waggled around a stump of a tongue. Looking at the mangled stump would cause even the bravest owl to shudder. Kygoe liked them for that reason among others.

Kygoe gave an exasperated look at the mention of Dimitri. "Dimitri's just an old owl living in the past," he said. "He's lost to his memories." Kygoe didn't want to go into detail with this other owl about his and Dimitri's relationship. Kygoe didn't trust Aerion, and would never divulge anything personal to him.

"There is a basic goal for the Pure Ones, a fundamental one." he explained. "But there are many ways to get to one cause. Many ways from point A to B. And Dimitri takes the old way." Kygoe sighed.

"Now, away with you. The owls are ready to fly, and know the way. Fly with them or lead them there, they won't care. Enter the Tree, using this path," he said as he pointed with a talon to one secret entrance. He tapped the book then handed it to Aerion. "Here's the book of maps into the Tree. If one doesn't work, try another." he said. He patted Aerion on the back, then indicated the door. The two pack owls started out, but Kygoe turned to Aerion again. "But whatever you do," he began,

"Don't get caught, or you won't live to tell the tale."

[Deleted]

Aerion had to hold down a pellet after seeing the severed tongues of the two owls, in all he's travels he'd never seen something so.. horrendous. He regained his composure by the time the other owl finished, but he now had a rather strange feeling up against his spine. He usually found other owls useless and annoying, but these two, that just creeped him out, something that had never happened before. "yes, well, I can assure you, I have been in my fair share of tight spots, and I have found that a generous greasing of a fellow owls ego is enough to get one of out most situations." Aerion gently ran a talon through the feathers on his face.

"Now, as for you two, you will be flying without me. I would much rather do this myself, the more owls involved the greater chance one of you will screw something up. You will wait for me on the eastern side of the island, away from the commotion caused by the Pure Ones. Once you hear my miraculous voice, you will meet me down at the entrances among the tree's roots and hI will hand off to you what I have retrieved." Aerion explained, gesturing with a talon to the spots he spoke of on the map. "Once they are secure, you leave the island and return here."

((I want to ask, you you mind if I have Aerion initially lean more in Dimitri's favor? He sees Dimitri as an owl who will do whatever he can to get what he wants, something he can relate to and respect since he too works only for his own self-enrichment.))

[Rylan]

((OOC: I think that Aerion would definately trust Dimitri more, as nobody except Katara and stupid owls trust Kygoe. I don't think that Aerion would trust Dimitri either, as Aerion is distrustful by nature, and he wouldn't divulge his plans to Dimitri. But I agree.

Also, the two pack owls are for you to roleplay as of now. That way they'll do exaxctly as you need. I'll roleplay Katara while you go between Dimitri and Aerion, so you don't need to do huge RP posts.))

Kygoe smirked as he watched Aerion squirm in discomfort. He had learned to read owls at an early age, after experiencing older owls feed him kind lies then embarass and tease him mercilessly. He had decided that he wouild never fall the fool to another owl's fake output. Never again would he be taunted like that. Instead he had decided to lead them into a trap of his own, while faking an innocence. Owls had never really taunted him to his face again, and if they did they had regretted it.

The two pack mule owls he had were tongueless and were easily able to unnerve almost everyone. Their disfigurment had never bothered Kygoe, as he had had to stare at his own personal disfigurment since he could see. They did work well for scaring others however.

The two owls nodded silently, finally hiding their maimed tongue stumps. They shared a look and seemed to roll their eyes at Aerion's vanity, but without Aerion's notice. They shifted their packs and saluted to Aerion, then walked out the door. Kygoe nodded to Aerion and melted away into the corridor.

[Deleted]

((I am going to say this now, I've had some time to think, but I am really uncomfortable playing those pack owls since you created them. I know they are supposed to be completely unimportant background characters, but I just can't seem to bring myself to rp as them. Would you mind playing them just when they are needed? You don't need to post often, just when I bring them up.))

[Rylan]

(OOC: Sure, I don't mind but don't hesitate to godmodding with them, as they aren't real characters. And really, all you need to say is that they do whatever Aerion says. They don't really think, nor can they speak.)

[Deleted]

Aerion looked at the two owls, shaking his head in frustration. "Alright, since I have to put up with the lot of you, I expect you to at least follow my lead. We will continue under my plan as followed, you two will leave immediately and make for the eastern shore of the island of Hoole. I will fly for the island shortly after, once I have... take care of some business here first." Despite the fact that the other owl had warned against he, he planned to speak with this 'Dimitri' immediately. If this owl was as old as some have suggested, he might have some knowledge about the tree that could be of use to him. In addition, he also planned to alert him to the changes in command. With his diminished workforce, Aerion now needed more time, he didn't know how long Dimitri had initially planned his diversion for, but he now needed to squeeze just a little more time out of it. he also needed to make sure they drove the Guardians towards the western shores of the island, so his two pack owls can remain undetected and he can fly in with as few problems as possible. "I have nothing more to add, so leave at once and make sure you've position yourself where I've directed."

[Rylan]

((OOC: The posts I make for the two pack owls aren't going to be that descriptive, as they are just background characters.))

The two pack owls saluted to Aerion and left the headquarters, flying through the night air. Their mouse leather packs clung tightly to their backs, the straps taut over their torsos. The tang of the night's breeze met them, and despite their thick plumage the two shivered. They could not feel the tension in the air, the beginnings of a storm. No owl could yet feel the storm brewing, save one owl.

And she was flying towards the area.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Katara's wings furled out like sails from her torso, the feathers flapping slightly in the breeze. Katara whirled around and around, diving and spinning.

A look of ecstasy was in her eyes, and a smile held her beak captive. She felt truly happy here, beginning to feel the storm's birthing. The tension in the air send waves of electricity through her blood, her veins singing with pure joy.

The moon hid behind clouds of inky grey, bursting through the thin clouds and creating a mirage of silver-grey patches on the sky. The wind whipped fiercely then diminished to nothing, then threw it's full force against anyone who came near. The storm was only that strong where Katara flew, but soon the whole entirety of the sky would be aflame with the storm's fury.

She gave a cry of happiness and dove into the fierce wind, pinning her wings to her sides. She slitted her eyes and dove into where the wind was the fiercest, then let it carry her. She tumbled and spun, then threw out her wings to catch herself. She soared upwards towards Glaumora, then as soon as the wind died she spiralled back towards the earth. She soon danced her way up again, and it was apparent to anyone who could have seen her that she was aptly named.

She was the Stormdancer.

[Deleted]

Aerion watched as the two pack owls took off, and once they were out of sight, he took off himself. He flew on over to where the other force had begun gathering and landed down among the crowd. Overlooking the gathered owls was who he assumed was Dimitri, who was responsible for leading the distraction. He could easily tell that owl was old, the way he carried himself, the way he moved, it showed an owl that had years of burdens on his back. But he also carried himself with pride and arrogance, which was particularly noticeable whenever he spoke with another owl. You could tell he didn't think much of other owls, which Aerion couldn't really argue with.

Aerion flew up and perched next to Dimitri, immediately drawing the old owl's attention. "Pardon my intrusion, but I felt it necessary to speak to you before the operation commenced." Aerion said, giving an uncharacteristic bow to the owl. While Aerion normally did not do such, as he felt no owl deserved to be bowed by another, he did at least know how to use an owl ego against them and was willing to stoke another's ego if that meant the would be able to get what he would need.

Dimitri turned and looked at the owl. He gave it a look of annoyance, he was not fond at all of being interrupted, especially by owls who had no right to be speaking with him. But today he was at least a little more tolerant, he was, after all, going to be striking at the Guardians again for the first time in years. "Who are you and why should I care?"

((Just for the sake of preventing massive posts, I will break up scene like these into smaller, individual posts.))

[Rylan]

((OOC: I believe we agreed that Aerion would not be trustworthy of Dimitri and share his plans, but that he would lean Dimitri's way over Kygoe. Are you going to have him spill his plans?))

[Deleted]

((He's just going to reveal that he was put in charge of the retrieval and that he needs Dimitri to buy him more time then initially planned out.))

[Rylan]

(Oh, my bad. Carry on please.)