Sorry I havent updated this in, like, a year... I think. Anyway, here is the second chapter. Next ones should be up relatively soon...ish.

Chapter Two: Hatching Her Plan

Katha's beak opened in a silent shriek. Wings flapped and her eyelids fluttered as her dream turned dark.

She was going yeep over a sea. No, it wasn't a sea. It was Hoolemere... but it was red. Red with blood. The water turned a thicker shade of red as she struggled. There were no waves, despite her struggling. The churring of an unseen owl shook her already rattled body. The talons of another, icy owl raked down her back in chills. She raised her claws, her battle claws. The sea slowly turned to a cloud of masked attackers.

"Get up, Katha! Get up..."

Someone else was shoving her from side to side. Another foe rose from the bloody water to strike her down. Katha raised her wings to shield her now red face from the blow...

"GET UP YOU FRINKING IDIOT!" Ava exclaimed, nearly shoving Katha off her perch with a smack from her foot.

"What..." Katha blinked open her eyes. "Ava?"

"No, its the Lord High Tyto." Ava replied sarcastically "Of course its me!"

"What happened?" Katha asked her friend.

"Well, you nearly woke every owl from here to Kuneer with your screaming!" She exclaimed.

"Sorry," Katha murmured and started preening. She could feel Ava's confused eyes on her as she ran her beak over her secondary feathers, but she didnt. Shaking her head, Ava turned away from her confusing friend. She was obviously getting tired. By the time Katha had reached her coverts, Ava had opted to go back sleep.

She didn't feel like sleeping. Making sure to keep her wings even quieter than usual, Katha flew down to the hidden hollow where she kept her battle claws.

The reflection from the metal shined in her black eyes. The metal claws were beautiful and haunting to the young barn owl. Only a few months ago. she had used them like many owls before her. The shadows created the illusion of blood on the tips.

Katha suddenly felt like yarping up a pellet. Oh Glaux! she thought, Don't let me get sick on my battle claws!

Nudging them away until the the disturbing image was only a memory, she felt content to know these had been on the feet of her mother before her.

Yes, she thought, remembering what the Supreme Tyto had told her, My poor parents. They were such loyal members of the Pure Ones, she told me. How sad they were killed by those...those lying, sprinking Guardians.

Rage destroyed every bit of her that once felt queasy. The yearning for revenge gnawed away at the owl's gizzard. Those faking liars! I'll die before I see them win a battle...

Katha's eyes danced with giddy delight in the thought of death. Blood no longer frightened her as she remembered the terrible things Nyra had said the Guardians had done to her family. A blood-lust too strong for one owl slowly crept into her thoughts.

"I'll destroy you," she muttered to herself, "I'll wait until my last gasp to admit defeat."

Katha flew back to the hollow she and Ava shared, leaving her claws behind, laying on the floor like a shattered owl.

"K-Katha?" Ava said, awoken by the flaps of Katha's wings, "Where..."

"Just...just getting some air," Katha yawned, returning to her perch.

Ava glared at her. "You sure you're okay, Katha?"

Katha nodded against her will. She couldn't admit her desire for revenge to her friend, not yet. She couldn't admit it to anyone. She had arrangements to make.

She had plans to hatch.

FINALLY! FINALLY! FINE! ALL! EE! I managed to get my lazy ass to do another chapter! On the dark side, all I did was edit this one and not write it...

ANYWAY!

I am happy I managed to make myself do it with all the work and packing and shiz I have to do around here. So, dont hate. I have a busy life.

(Update 9/29/2014: I dont know WHEN I actually started on this chapter... . Why must I be lazy? Anyway, with work and school and everything, its not all my fault. Hope you guys enjoy.)