It had been quite some time since Soren, with the help of his friends, brought peace to the owl kingdoms. The Pure Ones were now out of sight, and he and his friends could get back to learning at the tree. Once again he finds himself thinking about the battle... and not the class he is currently in. Class has been going on for nearly an hour and he only has a few minutes until it will be time to turn in the quiz Ezylryb had given to the class on parchment. Soren looks across the hollow as his eye catches movement, and it seems the new student Cleve has been using Otulissa for answers. It erks Soren so much, but he wouldn't want to talk to her about it and get into an argument with someone he can now say is quite a friend. Now he finds himself thinking about how he and Otulissa are merely friends. Somehow he has come to understand that she does not take being a guardian for granted. She is overly intelligent, but unbelievably beautiful. His mind circles back to the fact that Cleve annoys him, and then that he must finish the exam!

His focus payed off, and he managed to finish the exam. Ezylryb called the class, and all turned in their exams. Soren wants so badly to stay until everyone else is gone to inform Lyze of Cleve's wrongdoings. I am better than that; that is petty! Soren actually begins to consider...

He walks across the hollow to Lyze. "Sir?"

"Soren, something you want to ask?"

"Well... how wrong of me would it be to tell you one of my friends was being used for another to pass an exam?" Oh no...

Lyze looked at him briefly, and began laugh some. "Son, are trying to tell me another student is cheating, but you're only doing it because you don't want a 'friend' being treated that way?"

"Em... yes, sir..."

"Well, as far as I'm concerned that would turn out well for you and your friend, basically. I disapprove of the idea, but I have not a choice, now. I guess... I could leave you out of it, for your own sake... Who cheated, now?"

"Er... Cleve. He was getting answers from Otulissa."

"Heheh, 'friend', you say?"

"W- I mean... uh, yes sir."

"Hmm... well, thanks for letting me know and... heh, good luck."

Soren was tempted to ask what he meant by asking that, but knew that was a bonehead question.

Later that night, Cleve was called to Ezylryb's hollow. He was given flintmops after all classes for three nights. As Soren hoped, Cleve bought that Lyze had seen him, not himself. That was quite... devious me, but it did some good for Otulissa, right?... I narced on him, and... who am I kidding? I did it more for my own benefit.Soren couldn't handle this internal conflict he created, but he had not a clue of who he should speak of it with. He considered just going to Otulissa to see how she is handling the idea that Cleve was caught. It doesn't seem like a smart idea; she's probably arguing with herself about how she let herself do this. Mrs. P came to mind, and Soren felt she wouldn't be so rough on him about it all. He left the hollow, leaving no one inside, and flew to the branch of the tree Mrs. P lived near.

She was nowhere to be seen. Soren tried to ask around, but the answer was that she was with some friends, conversating. He didn't want to go to his parents, obviously. He also felt that going to his friends Gylfie, Digger, and Twilight would've been somewhat odd and uncomfortable. His sister was into drama from time to time, but that could be quite awkward, having his younger sister talk about this him. Oh, dear Glaux...

Soren stood on a branch near Otulissa's hollow, hesitating to go in and see her. We haven't spoken in days, now. She couldn't just... be disappointed to see me right now, could she? Soren knocked at the entrance.

Otulissa perched alone at the far end of the hollow, most likely studying. She had her back to him, with designs on her feathers that caught his eye like nothing else in the room; he was mesmerized. Otulissa heard him, and turned to see him simply staring, waiting for a reaction to his presence.

"Hey, it's been so long!", she spoke as she flew across the hollow, smiling. "What brings you here, pal?"

Thrice Soren blinked at that last word... it nearly made him yoicks. "Uh... I just... was wondering how you are right now."

"Oh. I'm fine. Em... you?"

"Yes, I'm doing... well... I... am kind of lost right now."

"Hahaha! How does a future guardian and hero of the tree not know his way around?"

"No, no... I mean in my gizzard, and... those sorts of things."

Otulissa comprehended that statement and became quite interested in what his problem was. "What's been going on lately?"

"I was debating whether I should've come here because... I care and... I guess you liked... um... Cleve." Soren struggled to speak to her about it, fidgeting.

"Oh, um... yeah... him." Her eyes rolled.

"I'm really sorry!"

"Glaux, it's nothing really. No worries! We were just kind of into one another, or at least I thought he was into me. Seems he was really only into my brain. I let someone else take advantage of me." Otulissa spoke in dreadful sadness at that last sentence.

"Well... there's a lot for him to take advantage of... maybe?" WHAT IN THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?

Otulissa put that into mind, and actually giggled at it within a few seconds. "Hmm... thanks, I guess. You really are my friend, Soren."

Oh Glaux, please! "Otulissa... I actually... I..." He turned away so he could no longer see her face. "I'm... weighed down with guilt."

"Why, Soren? Have you done something wrong?"

"I don't kn- well... no... and yes."

"Undecisive are we? What are you saying?"

"I just don't know if something I did was right, because of why I did it." Soren stared at the horizon seeing the light beginning to show signs of the sunrise.

"Doing something right for the wrong reason? Well... in the end... does it even matter?"

"Probably not... I just regret my reasons, even though there haven't been consequences."

"Soren... honestly, I hardly understand what you mean because I don't know what you did. I'm also catching that you feel you shouldn't tell me. You're driving me insane like this."

"My apologies..."

"Whatever it is, I'm still your f-"

"I told on Cleve after class today because... I didn't like seeing him... using you. But..."

She sighed, "Like I just told you, I am still your-"

"I did it out of... jealousy." The hollow remained silent, with Soren unaware of what Otulissa took from him saying that.