One
The night was silent. The moon was only a sliver in the night sky. Everything was silent, no movement. Thora peered out of her hollow. The night sky was clear. Down below she heard the scampering of a mouse but she didn't plunge down unexpectedly. She was waiting. She had starsight. She had a sudden dream of about one hundred barn owls flying. One was wearing a mask. "It's Metalbeak's mask!" She whispered to herself. Even though Metalbeak and Nyra died many moon cycles ago, some of the Pure ones still hung around. The Pure ones were once again ignored, like before Metalbeak joined.
Thora soon heard the wing beats of the Pure ones. She lofted off with battle claws on her talons. She was big for a spotted owl, but she stayed close to the ground. She noticed that many of them did not carry with them battle claws. Earlier in her younger days she had learned the art of blacksmithing. She sped up ahead of the Pure ones and soon came to her forge. She lit the fire and through some ashes on herself. She had moved into the old forge of the Rogue Smith of Silverveil. Shortly after she had been murdered by haggish Nyra of the Pure Ones.
She quickly got out some things she found in the cellar of the old garden and lay them out as if she just made them. She hovered over the fire to build it up, make it bigger. Once it was big enough she started to blow the smoke upward. Then she got out her hammer and tongs and started to make something random. It started to look like a beak but then she quickly form it into a whirly glass that Madame Plonk likes and decorates her hollow with. She heard the haggish wing beats of the Pure Ones coming into a slow dive. She pretended not to notice.
"You!" One landed beside her. "Make me some battle claws."
"How many sir?" Thora asked in a kindly voice then put the whirly glass down and got some of the heaviest metal she could find in her box.
"I would like five pairs. Make it snappy we got places to go and certain owls to see!" He flew to four other owls that had followed him. Thora started to melt the metal and form claws in record speed.
"I was planning to go on a trip to the Great Ga'Hoole Tree!" Thora said making a swirly design on one battle claw.
"Oh really? The new Rogue smith of Silverveil going to the Great Tree? Aren't you scared that some one might steal your things?" He flew down and picked up a battle claw that just hardened.
"No. I am going to set up my things there and sell some stuff like this," Thora held up the whirly glass she just made out of silver that had been dipped half in pink paint and the other in red. "Madame Plonk likes these things you know." Thora paused and carved a T in one battle claw, "Where are you going?" She looked at the barn owl.
"Unless you want to come none of your business!" He squinted his eyes at her as she finished the first pair of battle claws.
"Hurry up! We don't want to be late." He flew to the other owls. She could here them saying stuff about rogue smiths and slow and selfish. Selfish? I'm making you dummies battle claws! She almost screamed at them but clamped her beak shut. She was in the middle of making the third pair, when just for fun she carved and heart into one battle claw, dipped her talon in paint and coloured it in with hot pink. She soon finished all of them and put them in a tree bark box filled with mouse paw moss. The battle claws were covered in the moss.
"Here you go! I invented this box. Its called a Moss Box. It carries stuff when there it too many to carry. Oh and there is moss in there which helps prevent damage." Thora handed them the box cheerfully. Then she felt her gizzard twist.
"I have to start packing for my trip. I hope yours is a great one!" Thora picked up another Moss Box and started filling it up with her things. Just in case she made an extra pair of battle claws. She invented a new pair called Killer Claws. They had poison in the tips and when something is struck with them, poison comes out. It took her a while to figure out how to do that but she finally did. She put the claws in, and a bottle of poison just in case they ran out. She packed up all of her things, and even made some clear whirly glasses and mini Moss Boxes to sell.
The Great Tree was appearing in the distance. She started flying faster. A few minutes later she was setting down her things. Soren, the new monarch of the tree came out to greet Thora.
"Welcome!" He flew down and looked at her three boxes with, in green letters said, "Moss Box!"
"What are these?" He gestured with his left wing toward the boxes.
"Moss Boxes. I invented them. They are tree bark boxes with mouse paw moss inside so you can carry delicate things in them." He opened one box and saw several whirly glasses and a disk with pink and red roses along the sides. He lifted up the disk.
"This looks neat! Are you trading these like trader mags?"
"Actually yes! But I came for another reason."
"And what is the other reason?" He put down the disk and closed the box.
"It's not very good news really." Thora looked at her talons.
"Oh..." Soren seemed to suddenly forget about the merchandise.
"Well... The Pure Ones were brought together again and they got a new leader!" Soren wilfed. Thora had never actually seen a king wilf, yet alone a real king.
"Well that is bad news."
"That's not it... They are also coming to the Great Tree according to their direction."
"You saw them!" Soren wilfed even more.
"Well you see, I am a rogue smith. I have my forge in Silverveil where the old Rogue Smith of Silverveil lived. They came to my forge but... I wanted them to come because... Well I made them battle claws and ruined the battle claws but they don't know that." Soren stared at Thora for a while then squinted his eyes.
"Norlan! Come here!" Soren turned his head toward a long eared owl on a high post.
"Yes King?" He flew over.
"Send a message to all of the fighting forces in the tree and tell them this." Soren turned back to Thora.
"There is going to be a battle. Get the weapons ready."
"Yes Sir." The long eared owl was off in a flash.
"Oh and sir?" Thora said.
"Yes?" Soren looked at her.
"I invented a new weapon, you might need." Soren stared at her. Thora walked over to a box and opened it. She pulled out some battle claws and a bottle. Thora brought them over to Soren and placed them in front of him.
"What is this?" He asked looking at the battle claws then at Thora.
"This is my invention. They are called, 'Kill Claws'."
"Do they do what the name says they do?"
"Yes. But these aren't normal everyday battle claws. They kill faster then any other battle claws."
"Tell me how they can kill faster." Soren picked up the claws and studied them.
"They have poison in them."