"And so, Boron…" Taylor swallowed hard. She didn't know how to announce the next part to the Snowy monarch of the Great Ga'Hoole Tree. He would definitely be disappointed. Taylor and another citizen named Ursula, who is in the Search and Rescue Chaw, were sent on a mission to retrieve numerous lost little owlets and children, probably moon blinked. Some have spotted them wandering through Silverveil and the Forest Kingdom of Tyto. Since the reports described their eyes as blank and unseeing, Boron and Barran immediately suspected it to be the works of St. Aggie's. Their goal was to bring the children back to the Great Tree and reverse the effects of moon blinking so the chicks and youngsters would at least have a good life serving as a Guardian. But the quest had ended in disaster. The St. Aggie's owls were so persistent that they had spent days searching for the group. So when Taylor and Ursula arrived at the site, they were attacked by St. Aggie's. Well, Ursula was. She blocked off all attacks from Taylor and Taylor tried to fight back, but there were just too many owls. Ursula told her to go back, and Taylor had no choice but to flee. She was with at least five owlets and one baby, the most she could carry. Guilt still clawed at Taylor for abandoning Ursula there. Was she still alive? Did the St. Aggie's patrol kill her? Or did they kidnap her and take her to where they moon blink humans? Then that would mean she was serving Skench, leader of St. Aggie's, now. Taylor felt as if she might be sick after she said the next part.

"Ursula's location and status is unknown, and we were not able to rescue any more than what I've brought back. I am deeply sorry…" A loud hoot interrupted her.

"I told ya we should've sent another Search and Rescue owl with them!"

"Quiet, Bubo!" boomed Boron. He looked at Taylor. "Are you positive that those were St. Aggie's patrols? Not the Pure Ones?" She nodded gravely.

"Yes, there were all sorts of owls there: Screech, Snowy, Short-Eared, and even Hawk Owls— there were at least fifty of them."

"Fifty!" gasped a Burrowing Owl perched on a branch beside Bubo. "Their troops are rising at a faster rate than we expected."

"Yes, Sylvanaryb." Taylor looked down in shame. "I apologize, again, about our letdown in this." There was a soft fluttering and Ezylryb landed beside her.

"Now there, lassie. There's nothin' to be ashamed of. You were greatly outnumbered, and there ain't anything you can do about that. We all understand." Taylor was surprised. It was rare when Ezylryb showed his soft side.

"Thank you, Ezylryb." Barran, the other Snowy monarch, now spoke. "We now have two deadly enemies: St. Aegolius Academy for Orphaned Owls and the Pure Ones." Boron continued her speech.

"The owl kingdoms are in more danger than they have ever been before. There are two forces threatening to conquer our world. But for that reason, we will expect a war between the Pure Ones and St. Aggie's for control over us. And we can also expect a war coming for us, for they know that we will do anything to stop them." He turned to Taylor and fixed her with his yellow gaze. "You have heard from Taylor that the mission miserably—" Taylor flinched at the word— "failed. We were not able to save any more of the people in the owl kingdoms. But, this situation need not scare us. For now, you are all dismissed. But we will need to meet back here again." Boron and Barran flew off, as did all the other owls. Taylor didn't feel like flying with her black wristband. It allowed humans to glide through the air at their own will so they could fly like birds. She pushed all thoughts of Ursula away from her mind. But she could not get rid of the terrible sight she had witnessed: a whole squadron of St. Aggie's owls zooming towards her in full battle gear, battle claws and everything. There were a couple humans included in the mob with small daggers. Taylor had nearly fainted. It was Ursula who had protected her, allowing her to snatch some of the children before the St. Aggie's owls could get to them.

"Go! Get out of here! I'll be fine, Taylor. You need to go back!"

"No! I'm not leaving without you! We promised each other that we would not separate. We're best friends!"

"I'm begging you, Taylor. You must get back to the Great Tree with those owlets."

She's begging of me. She's begging me to leave her here to die.

From the moment Taylor had escaped, she knew that Ursula was lying. They both knew that she would indeed not be fine. Taylor walked ever so slowly to the dining hollow. Since it was getting cold at night now, most people ate inside the hollow, where it was always warm, besides the large, gaping hole in the ceiling where sunlight and moonlight would pour in. It was quite a beautiful sight. It even warmed Taylor's heart when she set eyes upon the shine.

"Hey, Taylor!" called Carrie. She beckoned for Taylor to come eat with her, Sean, and Ilene.

"Why do you look so down?" asked Sean.

"Long story…" she replied meekly. Carrie shot a look at him.

"Well I didn't know!" he spat. The black Asian rice cake sat on Taylor's plate, along with some other food. She chewed chronologically, the memory of her mission still haunting her.

"…Where's Ursula?" asked a boy sitting behind Carrie. Taylor flinched again.

"Oh my god, what happened?" asked Ilene.

"I…had to leave her behind." Everyone stared at her.

"W-what?" said Sean. Everyone knew of her important mission that she and Ursula were assigned. It was hard to think that they would fail.

"There were too many owls to fight off! And she wanted me to leave…"

"What do you mean she 'wanted?'" demanded Sean.

"She kept telling me to leave her there, to get back home. And I had to."

"Oh, come on. You could've taken those nasty owls on!"

"Uh huh. I really doubt only two people could take on fifty owls wearing sharpened battle claws."

"…Sorry."

"Yeah, you should be."

"I'm sure Ursula is fine, Taylor," assured Carrie. "Don't worry. A person like her wouldn't let herself be defeated that easily." Taylor didn't say anything. She was in the Battle Chaw, and Ursula was in the Search and Rescue Chaw. Taylor was supposed to be like Ursula, strong and determined. But she was a coward on the mission, and she blew it. Does that mean she was not meant to be in the Battle Chaw? She remembered her tapping for the chaws, when she found a pair of stone battle claws on her bed. It meant that she had been chosen to serve in the Battle Chaw. She had been so happy. She had done so well in the lessons with the wooden swords and the wrestling. Even though she had been in the Battle Chaw for two months now, she had not been permitted to wear battle claws yet. The battle claws for human hands were invented by Maya, who worked in Bubo's forge at the Great Ga'Hoole Tree. Taylor was only good at fighting. But, if she was not supposed to be in the Battle Chaw in the first place, what use could she be at the Great Ga'Hoole Tree?