A/N:
I know there are probably a ton of stories already uploaded about how Soren and Pelli came to be, but what the heck, here's another...
I was bored and in pain from my tooth extraction surgery, so I decided to write this.
*Disclaimer: I am not gifted enough to own any of the characters and places in this story, so don't think that I wish I did!*
Theme song: Stay In My Memory, by Bim.
I have a really outlandish story in the works right now, so I will be busy finishing that this week!
Please review, and if you absolutely have to flame, go ahead...
Till my next upload,
Wolf Out!
Prologue: It was early summer following the Guardians' attack on The Pure Ones in the St. Aegolius canyons.
It was a time of peace for the owl world, and particularly to the Guardians Of Ga'Hoole.
Soren has been a Guardian for some time now, and has had many experiences since that distant night.
But recently, he has felt a strange longing nagging at his spirit, a void yearning to be filled.
He has said little of his afflictions, even to the other members of the Band, and they are worried deeply about him.
Little does he know, an unexpected discovery in the midst of a conflagration will turn out to be a meeting he will never forget, in more ways than one.
Chapter 1: Something In The Flames
Soren was sitting next to his friends in the Chaw Of Chaws in the dining hollow, slowly munching on a stuffed mouse. Digger looked up from his mouse and noticed him hanging over his food, his expression one of sadness.
"Hey, Soren, are you okay?"
He had to speak forcefully to be heard over the cacophony of chatter from the dozens of other owls in the hollow. Soren turned slowly towards him, fixing him with a suddenly alert look.
"Yeah, Digger, I'm fine. Why do you ask?"
The Burrowing Owl could tell that he was hiding something, which was very unlike him. Gylfie heard the exchange and turned to Soren, who was sitting next to her.
"But you don't look fine, Soren. You have hardly touched your mouse..."
He looked down at the little Elf Owl and replied edgily, "Gylfie, not now. Can we talk about it later?"
"If that is what you want, Soren, then I guess we can wait."
Ruby downed her cup of milkberry tea and exclaimed, "I am so full! Let's go see Ezylryb. It's almost time for Colliering class!"
Soren let the others pass before he followed them out, his talons dragging on the wooden floor. Gylfie turned around and saw him lagging behind.
"Come on, Soren! Maybe Ezylryb can get your mind off of whatever is bothering you."
He walked slightly faster and muttered very softly, "I doubt it..."
The seven owls crowded into the Colliering hollow, but Ezylryb was nowhere in sight. Soren found a spot in the corner, away from the other owls, and motioned with a quick sweep of his luminous wing for Gylfie and Digger to come over.
They trotted up to him and asked in unison, "What is the matter? You look like you have a case of the gollymopes."
"I-I feel like something is missing inside me, like something is not complete. It started bothering me a moon cycle ago. I just don't know what to do..."
Digger tilted his head a few times, and then spoke.
"Maybe it is because you are longing for something greater than friendship."
"What does that mean, Digger? Please explain."
Digger was keen about going beyond the superficial meanings behind mysteries, uncovering the hidden truths and emotions, as his name suggested.
"What I mean is that maybe your spirit is craving love, and I think you are feeling a drive to find a mate to satisfy that craving..."
Gylfie felt her gizzard twitch in agreement as Digger spoke.
"I think Digger has put a talon on your problem, if I may put it that way. Maybe you need to find a mate."
"Is that what you think it is, Digger? Well, if you are right, how can I even begin to find one? I haven't seen any female Barn Owls around, and even if I did, I would probably be too nervous to approach them."
Soren gazed mournfully at the ground with a sigh.
"Digger and I can start a search for females, if you want. We will do anything to help you, Soren, you know that."
"I don't know, guys. Let me try to figure this one out on my own first. Thanks for the offer, though."
They happily replied, "Okay, but if you change your mind, we will be ready!"
Just then, a Great Gray peered into the hollow, and he was twitching with excitement.
"Let's go, lads! There is a nice, strong fire burning over in Ambala. I'll bet on my gizzard it is full of bonk embers and plenty of rough winds!"
He turned and glided from the port, all of the owls' faces lighting up in anticipation. They dashed from the opening into a moonless night, but one still faintly illuminated by the countless pinpricks of stars above.
Soren flew behind Elvanryb on his starboard side, and as the Hoolemere Sea rushed on by beneath them, they flew towards a flickering glow off in the distance, seeming to reach up into the obsidian sky like some sort of fiery beast.
The strange void in the Barn Owl's gizzard was slowly morphing into a different feeling.
Why is my gizzard acting so strange? He wondered silently. It feels as though this fire is holding something, something important. My gizzard has never acted this way on any other fire trip...
The Colliering Chaw flew on, and as they reached the border of Ambala and alighted on a small hill, they could see the fire's extent clearly. Most of the trees to the north and east of them were in some stage of being consumed by the scorching sea of orange below.
The winds flowing from the firestorm shook the owls, and the unreal heat was drying their eyes out. Elvanryb had sent the other owls out in pairs, one watching for danger from above, while the other gathered the embers tumbling across the ground below. Soren heard him approaching over the roar of the fire, and turned to face him as he hovered in front.
"Soren, lad, you team up with Ruby and look over in the northeast side of the fire for coals."
"Sure, Elvanryb, but where is she?"
An owl with feathers that almost matched the shades of the fire itself flew up and alighted next to him, panting slowly.
"Follow me, Ruby! We are going to head northeast, into an ember bed."
Elvanryb hooted, "Glaux speed, Guardians!" before flying off to the west.
The Barn Owl lifted off with some difficulty, and glided above the tendrils of fire, with Ruby close behind. He scanned the forest floor for any open spaces as they flew, finally seeing one just ahead. He had to screech to be heard over the drone of the flames.
"Down there, Ruby! I will go in first! Yell at the first sign of danger!"
"Got it, Soren!"
He dived steeply, picking up enough speed to cut through the bubbles of hot air erupting from the forest below. He swooped into a clear space between two receding walls of fire, and noticed that the ground was dancing with embers being blown around by the winds.
He began snatching embers as they rolled by, even managing to catch one that had been lifted off the ground and blown by his beak. He flew straight up, almost lifted effortlessly by the rising winds, and flew to Ruby. He dropped the glowing orbs into the tiny bucket she carried, and then grabbed it in his own talons.
He hovered and watched as she pierced the thermals and began plucking up the crazed embers, just as he had done. A resounding crunch rattled in his ears, and as he looked up, he saw the burning husk of a fir tilt towards the clearing.
"Ruby! Get out now!"
He saw the Short-Eared Owl freeze, look over at the plummeting fir, and jet straight up. The air was filled with a storm of glowing shards as the fir slammed the ground, disintegrating like shattering glass.
"That was close, Ruby!"
"Too close, I know! Now let's get back to the cliff!"
She dropped the few embers she had managed to grab into the bucket, and both owls flew steadily to the southwest, towards the rocky cliff painted by the glow from the fire.
They saw many of the teams waiting there as they landed, each of their buckets pouring a reddish light from within.
He walked up to Martin and asked, "Where's Elvanryb?"
"He went out to check if any of our owls were still out there."
Just as he finished, a strange scream resonated in his ears.
"Did you hear that, Ruby?"
She looked at him with a puzzled expression on her ruddy face.
"Hear what? How can you hear anything with this noise!"
He turned to face the fire and began moving his head in a myriad of positions. He heard it again, and it seemed to arrive at his ear slits at the same time, meaning the source lay in front of him.
"I am a Barn Owl, and I can often hear things that others cannot. I keep hearing a noise from out ahead of me. I have to go check it out!"
Martin jumped in front of him and pleaded, "You can't leave, Soren! Elvanryb will be back any minute!"
He lifted into the air above Martin and screeched, "Tell him to wait for me! I will be right back!"
He could barely keep his flight steady as he flew north, having to rise above several curtains of flame and slide between the maze of cooking trees. The shrill sound once again piercing the thunderous noise, seeming to flow down to him from above. He kept going and suddenly noticed the form of a large fir tree surrounded by flames, but untouched the tree was, for now.
He flew around it in circles and spotted a blackened hollow on the far side of the tree. He heard a frantic pulse from inside, and it seemed familiar to him somehow. He landed on a blackened twig off to one side, and another scream erupted from within the hole.
"Help me! Is anybody out there? I don't want to die!"
He stretched and peered around into the hole, locking eyes with a soot stained, but strangely gleaming, Barn Owl.
"I heard your screams. I can get you out of here! Can you fly?"
He received no response from the panicked female, and proceeded to clamber into the ashy hollow.
"Come on! This tree is about to burn! Follow me!"
"Never! I will never join the likes of you! If you are here to recruit me, I would advise you to just leave and let me burn!"
The owl's ferocity stunned him, and suddenly he realized why she was acting like this.
She must think I am a Pure One! I guess they have been trying to recruit lone Tytos since the fall of ! I have to save her. But how?
"I am not a Pure One! Please listen! I can't let you burn!"
He slowly approached her as she pressed herself against the back wall, the flames from outside flashing off of her shining eyes.
"You think I would believe that! Try me, you evil pile of racdrops!"
"Wait, let me exp-"
Soren was winded as the female struck him in the chest with a violent sweep of her tawny wing, throwing him against the opposite wall.
"Before I die, I plan on taking you down with me, Pure One filth!"
He tried to get up, but the blow had momentarily dazed him.
"Are...you...yoicks! We... have to... leave!"
She said nothing, and as he tried to get up again, she raked a talon across his chest, creating three parallel red streaks that burned as hot as the fire just outside. He managed to lift a wing and block her blows, while his brain raced to figure out a solution.
I have to use a legend, just like I did back in the moon blaze chamber at St. Aggies! The Fire Cycle is the one I remember the most. Here. Goes. Nothing!
He lowered his wing and received another strike on his breast, the sting searing through his body. He managed to open his beak through the miasma of pain and repeated the legend as best as he could.
"It was in the time of the endless volcanoes. For years and years in the land known as Beyond the Beyond, flames had scraped the sky, turning clouds the color of glowing embers both day and night. The volcanoes that had been dormant for years had begun to erupt. Ash and dust blew across the land and, although it was thought to be a curse from Great Glaux on high, it was something else. For this was the time when Grank, the first collier, was hatched. This was the time when a few special owls discovered that fire could be tamed!"
He slowly peeled open his eyes, blurry from his tears of pain, and saw that the female had backed away from him. He staggered to his talons and gasped as he felt trickles of blood running through his feathers.
"Do you know... how much... this hurts! Y-you could have killed-"
"Hmmm. The Fire Cycle. Quite an appropriate choice, considering the situation we're in."
Her lovely face grew into a smirk.
"I guess you aren't a Pure One after all. They would never dare to learn such a powerful story..."
"N-now do you believe m-me?"
Soren struggled to breathe, for every rise of his chest caused a burst of throbbing pain.
"I guess we should be leaving now. I will follow your lead. And I am deeply sorry about...those. I wasn't going to take any chances."
"I hope... I hope I can fly with these cuts all over me!"
He lofted from the hollow and managed to work the roiling air to his advantage. He looked slowly back and saw the tree behind the female suddenly burst into flames.
She followed his gaze, and she felt her gizzard jump at the sight, imagining what could have happened had they not fled. He called out instructions as he navigated the fiery atmosphere, and she had to admit he flew exceedingly well, despite the wounds she had inflicted.
He led her to a small outcropping, and she noticed several owls seemed to be pacing rapidly upon the dusty surface. He landed and called out, "Elvanryb. I am back. I-I rescued this owl from the fire."
A horrid looking owl flew up, and his good eye widened at what he saw.
"Way to run off like that, lad. We were all worried sick! And what in Glaux's name happened to you?"
Soren's voice ached with pain as he spoke.
"I-I will explain later. Just check to see if she is okay. I am f-fine."
The large owl turned to her, looked her over, and said, "Are you in good shape? No burns, cuts, or sprains?"
"No, sir. I am fine. This owl rescued me, and I owe him my life. He had to do a little convincing, however. I thought he was a Pure One, and I tried to drive him off. I hope I didn't hurt him too bad..."
"Don't worry, young Tyto. We will get him checked out at the Great Ga'Hoole Tree. Do you mind telling me your name?"
"Pellimore, sir. But I am accustomed to just plain Pelli."
Soren managed to catch the conversation between the two.
Pelli...It sounds so smooth, so bold... he thought.
He was torn from his revel as Otulissa and Martin rushed up to him, shocked by the scarlet web that laced his chest, in addition to the red cuts on the edges of his wings.
"Great Glaux, Soren! Are you alright?"
"Y-yes. I saved that owl over there, but she thought...she thought I was a Pure One. You can probably guess what happened next."
"Shame on her! How could she do this to you! I should go have a talk with-"
"No, Otulissa, it's fine. She apologized. I think I can make it back to the tree. It's not as bad as it looks."
The Spotted Owl appeared unconvinced, and although she felt that Barn Owl needed a good talking to, she reluctantly submitted to Soren's wishes. Elvanryb rounded up the owls and they lifted off back towards home, the softly glowing buckets like small lanterns in the shadowy night.
Digger flew ahead of Soren to ease his flight. The pain had lessened considerably, and it seemed to be replaced with a soft warmth, like the glow of the embers they carried. He spied Pelli flying next to the Great Gray, towards the front of the formation.
He heard her asking many questions about Ga'Hoole, and even admitting she had always wanted to go, but never could work up the courage to fly across the Sea. He felt her gizzard quivering from all the way at the back, where he flew.
The group of owls soon reached the tree, and one by one, began dropping their buckets off in Bubo's warm forge. They then headed to their hollows for a hard earned sleep, for the sky was changing from a deep black to a lovely azure shade.
Soren walked wearily to the infirmary and received some worms for the multitude of lacerations on his body. He settled himself into one of the mossy beds in the dimly lit room. It was empty, save for himself and the nurse, an efficient and kind Barred Owl named Hannah.
She gingerly placed the wriggling creatures on his chest, and he breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thank you, Hannah. That feels wonderful."
"Anytime, dearie. I will be checking on you now and then, so don't worry. Those cuts should be healed by morning. Now, please try to sleep."
He watched as she disappeared into a passage leading from the infirmary. He gazed slowly up at the ceiling, which was painted by the wavering forms of the flames from the torch mounted on the wall nearby. He grew drowsy watching the orange shapes play in a silent dance, and the last one he remembered seeing was that of the silhouette of a Barn Owl...