January 9th 2013
9:12 AM
Passing Time By Rewriting My Old Ga'hoolian Fanfic.
Pray to Glaux This Does Not Bomb Badly
"Percy, I have some of your time for a moment? There is something that we need to discuss."
I turned to see Bess gesture for me with her wing, her beak clicking somewhat urgently. Something in my gut/gizzard told me I was NOT going to be happy about whatever Bess had in store. I shoved that thought off my mind as paranoid delusions on my part, thinking it was just my anxiety acting up again.
Despite that though, my mind couldn't help but be troubled by the scenarios that my imagination was conjuring up.
"Calm down Percy, you're just overreacting. Just take a few deep breaths and relax. All Bess needs you for is probably just some chitchat about some Other script or something like that. Your paranoia is only going to stress you out. Just relax man." A voice in my head told me, downplaying the fear as just the usual stress on my part.
"And what if I'm right? Who knows how Bess will react if she finds out my identity?"
Another voice fired back, with yet another argument with myself coming up for probably the eleventh time or so that day.
"Do you honestly think the chances of that happening are actually plausible? Please, anyone who even thinks that you are an Other, or rather a human to be more accurate, would be labeled as a bird gone completely yoicks out of their mind. And even if they did find out, you could probably explain yourself, and you know that the repercussion will honestly be that bad. What's the worst that could happen, the Tree Council condemning you as a wanted criminal?"
"Oh sure, just pass off the Tree going completely out of their mind when that Striga turned that tree into a complete police state, or when some Owls decided that the Ember is to be worshiped, and that anyone who criticized them is to be jailed on the crimes of blasphemy."
"PAS!"
Blinking, I faced eye to eye with the Snowy Owl. For whatever reason, I felt her piercing yellow eyes digging into my soul, penetrating my heart and revealing memories close and dear to me, with every dirty secret out into the open.
"Hey, you alright in there? Something seems to have you troubled."
"Ehehe, its nothing Bess. Just spaced out there for a minute, I was just deep in thought." I said sheepishly. Bess didn't appeared to be entirely convinced, fixing me with a stare for a few seconds before sighing, dropping the topic.
"If you insist Percy. Just know that I am here for you if you ever need a wing to lean on. We're soulmates now, and we have to care for each other, which means that we have to tell each other when there is something wrong. I don't want my future to be mate to be vexed."
"Noted.. So, what is so important that you require my direct assistance, other than the usual? You seem a bit more jittery than a barn owl gone yeep." I teased, fixing a crow's version of what could be called a smile to my beak.
"I need you to come with me to the Other's library. I require your help in translating some texts from some of their codex books. I found a few things that are particularly intriguing that might shed more light on their species., along with even something that might aid us in furthering the future of our kind." She said nonchalantly, eyes drooped to mid-level to tell me just how much she appreciated my deadpan wit.
"Oh, really?" I asked, half feigning curiosity. While I was indeed curious as to what further discoveries Bess has made, I felt something sink like a rock in my gut. If she had gotten her talons on some form of history books, then I would be hard pressed to keep my beak shut on the matter, what with being a history buff. I already had enough trouble trying to keep my identity undercover, what with having to be careful on selecting what words I used carefully, along with keeping myself from revealing too much detail on the topic to avoid arousing suspicion.
"Well, it can't be helped. Just keep on a brave face Percy, and we'll be out of the eye of the storm before sundown. Besides, perhaps there might be something actually worth reading down there."
"Alright Bess, why didn't you say so? Lead the way, those books aren't going to translate themselves. Dust or rats, those books shall be read!"
"Being a little dramatic aren't we, my little gadfeather?" Bess said with a smirk, churring lowly.
"What? I like to act! Nothing wrong with that, is there?" I asked in mock panic, feigning an offended tone."
"No, but I have already checked the area. No rats, not even a bit of dust. Now come on hero, those books aren't going to read themselves." She paused as she stood at the base of the stairwell. "By the way, there is something down there that you might want to look at. Besides, I do have something to talk to you about as well." She said, winking. "And I think you are going to be more than pleasantly surprised as to what I found." She said in a sultry tone, stroking a wing off of my feathers. If I didn't have my feathers, I swear I would have looked pinker than a flamingo.
"... Did she just imply something more than..."
"... Nah, just you Percy, just get going." With the aura of that encounter still on my mind, we went deeper into the catacombs of the University. I went at an even pace, my thoughts up in a storm trying to figure out what Bess's motives were exactly. There seemed to be more than a couple things that she wanted to do than just summon me for translation, though I didn't dare to think beyond that otherwise.
"By the way, I need to fetch a few things from the Study Area for our inquiry. You just keep following that stairwell down until you reach the bottom, then you'll find a hole leading down to what appears to be this place's burrow. I'll be right with you soon."
Before I could even question her, she flew off.
"... Well, better see what's down there. It can't be THAT bad." Shrugging, I hopped downstairs.
Little did Percy know, a Great Grey was watching him from the shadows, well concealed high above the rafters. Slowly, it began to make a stealthy pursuit from behind the crow, who was unaware that Bess wasn't the only one here, nor as to just how important these intruders were.
Shifting Perspective
Bess POV
Bess flew down the hall and up to the Bell Tower outside. Waiting for her were two barn owls, one of whom had a scar running across their eye, accompanied by two smaller birds, a pygmy and burrowing owl respectively, the pygmy looking at one of the barn owls with concern in her eyes, while the other down in deep thought. The older looking barn owl was scanning through a journal with both great interest and concern along with his nephew, while a spotted owl was gazing off into the distance, troubled by recent developments.
As Bess landed, she caught the eyes of the spotted one.
"She's here." She said as Bess landed.
All present looked up and to Bess, then back to the senior barn owl as he walked up to meet Bess face to face.
"It is good to see you again Bess." He greeted, extending a wing. Bess did not return the gesture, scowling as she stared back at the black dots of the one in front of her.
"Charmed. But I don't approve of this deceit one bit. Why don't we simply confront him here and now?"
"Bess, we don't know who this crow is, nor he doesn't seem to be who he claims to be, especially if this journal of his is anything to prove that otherwise."
"... Soren, I've known you for a long time now, and I can understand being cautious in trending into this matter, but even you should know he isn't a threat."
"Perhaps," Soren spoke, looking back at the journal of this supposed "gadfeather".
"-but even so, we can't risk it. Not when the Pure Ones are still out in large. And you said it yourself, he seems to have something to hide. What if he is a slipgate? Or worse?"
"... Just don't you dare hurt him. If you even so much as even lay a feather on him..." Bess trailed off, hinting just what could potentially happen if Soren crossed that line.
"Mark my words Bess, if everything goes to plan, then we should all come out of this relatively unscathed."
Without any further words, the flock of owls went and flew down to the catacombs.