Pheonix: Hey guys! Hoot hoot! That was funny! Anyways, enjoy!

Chapter 2

"All journeys eventually end in the same place, home."
— Chris Geiger

"You can't do this!" Soren continued.

"Keep your mouth shut," Said the owl who held Kludd, "or I'll shut it for you." He then flew back to his previous flight level and said, "What'd you think of that Jutt?"

"The 'I'll shut it for you' part?" Asked Jutt. As Soren focused on the owls, he saw that they were unlike any owls he had ever seen. The one that held him was white, with red and black lines that shone against his feathers. The one that held Kludd was white, but mostly covered in brickish red feathers.

"No, not that. My evil stare. I've been working on it for weeks."

"Oh, I missed it. Let's see." Jutt's friend gave him his evil stare, which was complete with a large, staring green eye. "Impressive. You know, your evil stare reminds me of my little 'Intimidator'."

"Yeah?" Said Jatt, Jutt's owl friend.

"I raise one eyebrow, tuck in my chin, and-"

"Who are you?" Soren asked.

"Hey, no questions!" Said Jatt, coming in Soren's personal space. "No 'whos', no 'whats', no 'whys'! You'll see soon enough." He gave Soren the evil stare before flying back up. "What do you think?" He asked Jutt. "Did that evil stare seem forced or natural?"

"Completely natural." Said Jatt.

"Oh, thanks."

"Let me go!" Kludd yelled. He bit Jatt's toe, forcing him to yell "Ow!" and let go. Kludd fell towards the chasm they were flying over, spiraling out of control and screaming.

"Kludd!" Yelled Soren, reaching out his talons as if he could catch him, but Jatt was already diving to catch the young owl. When he came back up, he was once again carried like Soren.

"Strong beak that one." Jatt said.

"Yeah? Asked Jutt. "Well, they'll put that to good use." That caused them both to have a good laugh.

"You know Jutt, if you used your evil stare and combined it with my raised eyebrow look, I get this..."

"What do you call that?"

"The 'Predator'."

"The 'Predator'? Seems a bit silly don't you think?"

(Beginning of Sunrise)

Soren was still awake after the night before, but even so, he was exhausted. But he stayed awake, because more and more owls were gathering, and most of them looked like Jutt and Jatt.

As the day went on, more and more owls began to show up, all of them carrying owlets in their talons. Soren couldn't take it anymore and went to sleep.

(Beginning of Sunset)

"Hey Jatt, look. It's Grimble." Said Jutt.

"Perfect." Said Jatt. "Hit him with the new look."

"With or without raised eyebrow?"

"With raised eyebrow, with raised eyebrow."

Jutt took a deep breath before showing his 'Predator' look. "Greetings Grimble."

"Jutt, Jatt, so nice to see you both."

"Did you, uh, only get half an owl tonight Grimble?"

"No Jatt, it's an Elf Owl. They're very small, but very hard workers."

"To old to carry a full-size one?" That made Jutt and Jatt laugh.

"Yeah, hilarious." Grimble said sarcastically. "Is there something wrong with your face Jutt?"

"Huh? No!" Jutt lost the evil stare.

"You're upset him."

"It's a new look."

"But you gotta work on your come backs."

Soren just tuned them out and turned towards the Elf Owl. "I'm Soren." He whispered.

"I'm Gylfie."

"He said you were an Elf Owl."

"From Kuneer. That's in the desert. Are you a Tyto?"

"Yeah, from Tyto forest."

"Who are these owls? Where are they taking us?"

"Hey! Stop talking!" Ordered Jutt. Suddenly, the stranger owls swooped down low, screeching.

Giant jagged rocks loomed over them all as they flew through a chasm. Soren caught glimpses of owls with glinting red eyes, wearing metal masks. The owls screeched as they dived and maneuvered through and past the rocks with ease. They went through different tunnels that led to different places, some light, some dark, until finally, the owls dropped their live cargo onto a big rock platform, big enough to hold all of the owlets.

"Quiet!" Yelled Jutt, trying to get the owlets to listen. "Listen to the old one."

"Kludd!" Soren called out as soon as he got his bearings. "Kludd!"

"Silence!" Ordered Grimble. "Your parents and families have abandoned you. So from now on, you'll be classified as orphans." The owlets immediately went into a frenzy, and Grimble had to raise his voice to be heard. "Horribly tragic, I know. But by the mercy of Glaux, you've been rescued, and brought her to St. Aegolius. And in time, you'll come to be grateful for the kindness shown to you. You'll repay that kindness with labor. Some of you will be pickers. (No, I don't want to be a picker!) Some will be soldiers-"

"Gylfie, stay with me." Soren whispered.

"In your own ways, all will serve the High Tyto and the Pure Ones."

"Let us go!" yelled Gylfie

"Silence."

"We don't want to serve the Pure Ones!"

"Who are the Pure Ones?"

"Silence!" Suddenly, an owl screech louder than any other, silenced all the others. Three owls swooped down behind them, and they had to duck, unless they wanted to get hit.

Two of the birds, ones with red and white feathers, landed on either side of the pole stick that was mounted in front of the owlets.

The third owl was large and landed on the highest part of the pole. When she turned around, Kludd was awestruck by her beauty. She was all white, with red tipped wings, and an upside down V, colored red on her forehead. She gazed at the crowd of owlets with dark amber eyes.

"I am Nyra, Ablah General of St. Aegolius, and mate to the Lord High Tyto. I know right now you miss your families, but soon you will understand the Pure Ones are you new family.

"The Pure Ones are not our family!" yelled Gylfie. "Let us go!"

"She's right!" agreed Soren. "Let us go!"

"Hm." Nyra narrowed her eyes at Soren and Gylfie. She glided gracefully and silently down in front of the two. "Tyto, don't waste your time. Don't soil your feathers."

"You leave her be!" Soren said, putting a wing over Gylfie.

"Oh, spirited little Tyto. How touching. You and your patch of felt will stay together then. As pickers."

"Let's go, hurry up." Said Jutt as he herded the two owls toward a cave.

"Wait!" The voice rang out clear against the silence. The owlets turned and parted, until a beautiful owl was shown. She was so amazing, that any male in the area (excluding owlets) couldn't help but stare. She was a little under Soren's height. She has dark cream colored feathers, dotted with light red. Around her head and the tips of her tail feathers were a light cream, and so were her wing tips. She had a light cream stomach with darker spots on her stomach and back. She had pretty light amber eyes that looked like they sparkled with every move.

"So," said Nyra, "you volunteer to go with them Tyto?"

"Yes." Said the owl without hesitation. Without looking at anyone, she walked towards Soren and Gylfie. "Hello." she said. "My name's Luna." Soren just stared with an open mouth and wide eyes.

"I'm Gylfie and this is Soren." said Gylfie. Luna smiled.

"Alright, alright, move along!" said Grimble, who had finally gotten back under control.

"What about my brother?" Soren asked. "Kludd!" Nyra turned towards Kludd.

"Owlet, that one says you're his brother. Would you like to join him?"

Soren looked desperately at his brother, who just hesitantly sighed and turned his head. "No."

"I didn't think so." said Nyra.

"Kludd?" Soren whispered disbelievingly as he was herded away by Grimble.

"Here we go." He said. "Move along, move it along."

"Kludd!" Soren yelled.

"Now there's a soldier." Nyra said, turning to Kludd. But he was hardly listening. He was thinking about the beautiful owl that he had seen moments before. 'Luna.'

(With Soren, Gylfie, and Luna)

Soren, Gylfie, and Luna were in a straight line, followed by others as al three followed the one in front of them. Jutt and Jatt stood off to the side, making sure everyone was in place.

"Thank you." said Gylfie to Soren, who was behind her. Luna was in front. "Also, to you Luna." Luna turned her head and gave Gylfie a friendly smile. Gylfie smiled back and turned to Soren.

"Yeah, thanks." Soren said to Luna. He too got a smile. Gylfie didn't know why, but she felt just a twinge of jealousy, but brushed it off.

"Soren," she said, "you know, you don't have to be here with me. You should be with your brother."

"No Gylfie, I could never be with those Tytos. I don't know why Kludd would even think-" Another owl bumped into him. He had gray and dirty white feathers, but the weirdest thing about him were his eyes. They were as gray as the moon.

"Hey!" said Soren. When he didn't respond, he asked, "What's wrong with him?"

"He looks like he's been moon-"

"Alright you owlets!" said Jatt. "Move it in, move it in, come on!"

"Do exactly as he says," threatened Jutt, "or you'll never see the light of dawn."

"Nice on Jutt."

"Felt a little forced actually."

"It was awesome."

"Thank you Jatt."

When Soren, Gylfie, and Luna stepped out of the long cave they were walking through, they came out to solid rock ground, with pillars of rocks surrounding it. One had a guard owl with a metal mask and red glinting eyes.

"So tonight," Jatt said, "we want you to- What was it again Jutt?"

"To rest."

"To rest."

"So lean back, put your beaks up, and turn your faces to the light of the glorious full moon."

"And sleep." They both said.

Gylfie, who was shivering with fear, said, "Soren, Luna, we mustn't fall asleep. I think they're trying to moonblink us."

"Moonblink?" asked Luna.

"Sometimes in the desert, owls would get exhausted an collapse under it." Soren gulped as he turned to look at all the other owlets, who were yawning. "When they woke up, they just weren't the same. As if they forgotten who they were.

"Luna, Gylfie, we're going to get out of here." Gylfie looked up at the sky.

"I know these stars. I could get us away from here, but the only way out is to fly and we can't."

"Not yet we can't." said Luna.

"We're gonna learn how." said Soren. "Whenever they're not watching, every chance we get we're gonna stretch our wings-" He froze as he heard Grimble growl, and quickly acted like he was sleeping, with his head up and his beak pointed towards the moon. Good thing too, because Grimble had inspected Soren, then Gylfie, who had done the same, and Luna, a bit longer than the others. He then went back to patrolling.

When he was out of hearing range, Gylfie whispered, "Do you guys really think that we can make it?" Luna opened her eyes and smiled.

"I'm up for anything." she whispered back.

"Together, we'll get away. I promise." said Soren.

"I'm cold." said Gylfie. She was indeed cold, for she was used to the desert heat, but not to the cold nights. Soren took her under his wing.

"Together." He whispered.

(Sunrise)

The trio had stayed awake all night, despite how exhausted they were.

"Alright my lovely little owlets." said Jutt. "That's enough beauty rest."

"Wakey wakey rise and shine. It's another glorious day..."

Soren tuned them out as he looked to the owlet next to him. He was looking dead ahead, unblinking. He waved his wing in front of the owlet's face, but got no response. "Oh no."

"Soren." Gylfie whispered. The crowd of owlets were moving, and the trio got separated. "Where are we going?"

"Gylfie, we need to act moonblinked." Gylfie nodded and passed the message onto Luna.

For acting moonblinked, Soren looked straight ahead with wide eyes and beak open. Gylfie walked with her wings out a little, taking big, dramatic steps, had wide eyes, and looked straight ahead. Luna did a little of what Soren did, but more zombie-like, like the moonblinked owlets.

Grimble looked at the three of them in suspicion, and "Hmm." -ed.

"Come on!" ushed Jutt.

"Shuffle those talons!" said Jatt.

"The sooner you start the sooner we finish. Let's go!" Jutt pushed Soren.

"Keep moving, no dawdling."

"And welcome to, the Peletorium."

"It's a great place for the rest of your lives."

"The Peletorium was a giant cave with circular holes in the ceiling for light to get through. Up above them, on a rock, was Nyra, Kludd, and a few other owls looking down at them.

(With Kludd)

"You mustn't feel sorry for them down there." said Nyra. "As lower species, they are fortunate to serve a higher cause. As Tyto owls, their natural superiors, you too are part of that plan. One that will soon bring order to all the owl kingdoms, when the Pure Ones will rule." She turned towards the owls, all of which were males. " A new and noble era will dawn. Now, prove your greatness, and rise." All the owls, most being Barn Owls, flapped their wings to get off the ground. "Higher! Higher!"

(The Soren, Gylfie, and Luna)

With the trio, they stood side by side, Gylfie in the far left, Luna in the middle, and Soren on the far right. In front of them was a moonblinked owlet, tossing pellets to them from a basket.

"Come on, let's get this party started." said Jutt.

"Let's get picking!" said Jatt. "That's right, think of the joy. Pellets."

"We love 'em." They both said.

"Ugh," said Gylfie, "other owls' pellets."

"Well, it can't be that bad, can it?" Luna asked nervously.

"You know, maybe it would have been better if we were moonblinked." said Soren.

"Oh, 'ere we go." said Jatt.

"Eureka."

"Great job number 857," Jatt grabbed the owlet by the face, turning it this way and that. "Whatever."

"Alright everyone, gather around! Hey! You with the blank expression!"

"That's all of them."

"Oh. Pay attention. He's talking."

"Now, this is the kind of pellet you're picking for." Jatt held up a mouse pellet in his talons for all to see. "Mouse fur, mouse bones, that's all standard."

"But the secret ingredient in this one is what Mr. Mouse ate: A me'al fleck."

"A me'al fleck." Jutt put the fleck close to Soren's face, who was acting moonblinked. "Now I'm very perceptive."

"He is."

"I am. And I'm detecting... you."

"Nicely done." Jatt said as Jutt lodged the blue metal fleck into Soren's beak. "Take this fleck, to where all the flecks belong." He then pushed Soren forward. He pointed to where a blue, glowing light was coming from beyond the stone steps.

"You all watching? Hm?"

"Come on." Jutt pushed him again, causing Soren's feathers to become in disarray as he walked fearfully towards the steps. Gylfie and Luna looked on, fearful for Soren.

When Soren made it to the stop of the steps, he saw what was glowing.

Blue glowing tendrils were curling and moving around a giant pile of the blue metal flecks that Jutt and Jatt had talked about. As Soren got close, the tendrils reached out towards the metal fleck he had in his beak. It pulled, but he was too scared to let go. Another tendril shot itself into his gizzard, causing his energy to go away.

"Soren." Both Gylfie and Luna whispered worriedly.

Grunting, Soren was being pulled towards the pile of metal flecks. A small bat flew nimbly to the ground in front of Soren. The blue tendrils didn't even try to get him. As soon as the bat was sure that Soren couldn't bite it, it snatched the metal fleck and put it on the pile. It screeched, and another bat, but bigger, swooped down from a hole in the roof. It carried the pile of metal flecks, and flew out with it. As it left, the blue tendrils tried to hold onto Soren, but he resisted, and it was gone.

"Ha ha. Alright," said Jatt. "More baskets to fill back to work."

Soren went back over to his place beside Luna, gasping.

"Soren, what happened?" She asked.

"Listen guys (gasp), these birds are doing something terribly wrong. We have to find Kludd and we have to get out of here."

"And exactly what do you think you're doing?" Grimble's deep voice scared the three owls out of their gizzards. "Eh?"

Pheonix: End. Oh, and by the way, it's not going to end with just this story. I'm gonna make a continuation when this one is through. I couldn't update as fast as I wanted because I lost my notebook, which I wrote the story down in, but I found it! Yay! Right on the computer desk! I know, I suck. Well, see ya next time. Hoot hoot!