Anina stared out of the hollow at the setting sun. Time for the owls of the night to come out, she thought. She hooed at her children, as they were still asleep.
Such a wonderful life she had! Five owlets awakened behind her, squeeling as they preened themselves. Alicia, the oldest, finished first, and asked her mother if she could branch.
"Mom, can I branch now?" Alicia asked.
"No, Alicia, you are not fledged enough." Anina responded, too tired to explain why.
Melody was next out, screeching at Harmony behind her.
"No, no, Harmony, not yet! We aren't even close to fledging!" Melody yelled and turned towards Anina. "Mommy, tell her the story, oh please tell her. You know, the one about Soren, who lived in our hollow years ago. Especially if your gonna hunt today."
"Yes, yes, I'll tell the story." Anina thought a bit and began. "Once there was a young barn owl, much like us, named Soren. Soren had a brother, Kludd, and a sister, Eglantine. He also had two wonderful parents. One night Soren's parents went out to hunt, and Soren peered over the edge for their return. Suddenly, he found himself on the ground, because Kludd had pushed him..." The girls gasped.
"Did a racoon get him?" Sara said, wandering out to her mother.
"No," Anina said tensly, "he suffered a fate worse that being found by a racoon, he was captured by St. Aggie's Patrols!"
"Who's that?" Lizi said, hopping out of the hollow.
"St. Aggie's was a 'orphanage' that moonblinked young owlets that they capture." Anina whispered. They gasped again.
