Pheonix: Hey guys! Hoot hoot! Well, that's it. Start!
"If you can dream it, you can do it. Always remember that this whole thing was started with a dream and a mouse."
— Walt Disney Company
(Elsewhere)
An owl watched as hordes of bats carried blue metal flecks towards one larger one, dumping them on the pile before flying back to get more.
"Once we have amassed enough flecks, we will set a trap. Then it is up to you to lure our enemies into their rightful place: Into our claws."
"And then the Western Kingdoms, and the Tree, those will be mine."
"You have my word." And the other owl took off, looking back at him before flying off.
(With Gylfie, Soren & Luna)
The three were currently walking through a narrow path stuck between two mountains of rock. Gylfie was in front, then Luna, then Soren. Soren walked hypnotically, staring at the patterns that were made on Luna's back with her spots. He bumped into her when they suddenly stopped.
"Sorry." said Soren, embarrassed.
"It's alright." said Luna. How Soren loved to hear that voice. It was like a sweet melody to his ears. He sighed and looked at her dreamily, wondering what she would look like flying.
"Hurry it up." Grimble ordered as he pushed Soren.
"Where are you taking us?" Luna asked.
"Quiet!" Gylfie was too scared to speak.
Finally, when they came to a secluded lit-up cave, Gylfie asked, "What is this place?"
"Get inside. And stop asking questions." As Gylfie jumped over a log, she spotted the bones of an animal over in a corner, and her heart skipped a beat.
"You know, the Pure Ones won't be too happy if you don't let us get back to the Pelletorium." Gylfie said nervously, trying to change his mind.
"No." Grimble said. "And they won't be happy if they find out what I'm going to do to you either." Gylfie held her breath. "I'm gonna teach you to fly." Soren and Luna's eyes went wide.
"Fly?" asked Luna.
"You can breathe now." Gylfie gratefully let out a sigh. Grimble chuckled. "Yeah, it's been getting worse here." He walked farther into the cave as he talked. "I told myself if any came who were smart, and brave enough to resist, I'd help 'em. I guess you three'll have to do."
"But, aren't you a-" Soren began.
"Pure One? No, I hate 'em. Almost as much as I hate what they've turned me into. My feathers weren't always stained with these colors.
(Flashback)
"When the Pure Ones invaded our home, I fought back." Fire was everywhere Grimble looked as he fought against a Pure One soldier, who held him down. When he looked up, the leader of the Pure Ones stared straight into his eyes. "Now, they thought they could use that, so they took my family." Grimble heard the screeches of fear from his little brother and sister, and tried to get a glimpse of his family, before wings encircled them, and he could see no more. "And they promised me if I followed orders, no harm would come to them." Grimble turned his head, unable to bear the sight of his family being taken away. "And I've been doing their dirty work ever since."
(Flashback End)
Grimble flew up to a rock jutting out of the wall. "Now, have you flown at all before?"
"Well, I have been branching." Soren said.
"Well, you don't have the luxury of gliding down from a nest anymore. We need to work on your power skills, starting with what you already know. Show me what you can do. Come on." Luna reluctantly decided to go first, followed by Soren and Gylfie. Luna managed to get a few feet off the ground, before falling back down on her back. Gylfie and Soren flapped their wings, leaning this way and that. "Good, good." said Grimble. The two landed on a nearby tree root.
"Now," said Grimble, "try and feel every muscle, every feather in each stroke." Luna tried it again,flapping her wings harder, and trying to do what Grimble said. She kind of got it, until she collided with Gylfie, who hit Soren, causing them to fall, but Luna landed on her feet this time.
"Ow!" said Soren as Glyfie hit his head. Gylfie spiraled out of control and landed on her back again. She laughed, as did everyone else.
"Alright you three, that's enough." said Grimble. "Come on, back to practice." The three sighed, already out of breath. Grimble chuckled.
(With Kludd)
"Now," said Nyra. "The besy of you, the fittest and most brilliant, I will present to the Lord High Tyto. So let's see how much you've improved." Nyra reached into a cage to pull out a bluejay in her talons. "As fliers, as fighters." And she let is loose. the bluejay flew above the owls' heads, and into another tunnel. They turned to Nyra. "Well?"
They immediately took after it, all of them trying to be the first to catch it. Screeching sounds were made as the owls knocked eachother over for the bird.
Kludd was about to grab the bluejay, when an owl, named Tison, knocked him away and almost grabbed it. Kludd landed on the side of some rocks, but kept going trying to take flight. As he gained altitude, Tison hurled a rock at him from behind him, which Kludd narrowly dodged.
As they flew over a flag, Kludd grabbed onto it with his talons, and with great effort, heaved it towards the other owls. They screeched as they were caught in the flag, but Kludd flew on. He flapped his wings harder and harder to catch up with Tison, until they were neck and neck.
Tison reached for the bluejay, but missed. With a screech, Kludd pushed Tison out of the way, and grabbed the bluejay in his talons. He landed and tried to regain his breath. He heard Nyra land behind him.
"Well done. You've shown exceptional obedience and discipline." She walked in front of him. "My husband will be most pleased by your progress." She looked at the bird. "Hm. Tell me, does your brother have similar potential as a flier?" Kludd let the bird go.
"Soren? No, he fell out of the tree when he was still a hatchling. He's lame." Kludd lied. Then he thought about Luna, and was about to take it back, when Nyra beat him to it.
She laughed a bit. "Oh soldier, you mustn't confuse praise for license." She started walking around him. "Never lie to me. For the Lord High Tyto, we need as many strong fliers as we can find. Come, let's tell your brother what rewards there are for those who recognize their true family."
(With Glyfie, Soren, & Luna)
"No, more flap, deeper flap." said Grimble as the three owlets followed behind him, trying their best to keep up. It was hard for Glylfie because she was small, for Soren because it was so early, but for Luna, she was a natural, and Soren admired that.
"The still air as no shape to use." continued Grimble. "You gotta compensate with your downstroke. Make your wing-tips almost meet, if you can, without stalling." Luna, Glyfie, and Soren had landed.
"I can't curl my feathers enough, Grimble." said Gylfie. "My wings are too short."
"Ah, well, they said Lyze of Kiel's wings were short." He landed in front of the three owlets. "And that didn't stop him. And you're gonna need to fly a long way to get to the Guardians."
"The Guardians of Ga'Hoole?" asked Soren.
"Yeah."
"But how will we know where to go?"
"Well, you have to get to the Sea of Hoolemere, yeah, where he Tree is shrouded in ancient mists-"
"'which keep it hidden from all but the strong of purpose and the true of heart.'"
"Yeah, exactly. I'd come with you, bit I still hold out the hope of freeing my family."
"Really?" As much as no one wanted to believe it, it was true. Blocking the entrance was Nyra, Kludd, and two soldiers.
"Go!" Grimble said to the owlets.
"Kludd come with us!" Soren pleaded.
"Go! Now!"
"Get them!" Nyra said to the soldiers. Gylfie and Soren turned around to run, but Luna stayed.
"Kludd, please." Kludd thought about it, hard. If he went with his brother, there's a chance that he can be with Luna. If not, there'll be a chance with Nyra. He decided to follow.
"Soldier! Get back here!" Nyra yelled in aguish. She had tried taking off after them, but Grimble had cut her off. He grabbed her and threw her towards the wall among some books. A soldier tackled him and locked talons with him, Grimble flipped them over until the soldier was on his back and Grimble in front of him, wings out threateningly.
"Come on, hurry!" Luna shouted to Kludd.
"You're little owlets won't get away." said Nyra, who by now was on her feet.
The now four owlets had stopped running when they reached a cliff.
"We have to fly!" said Soren. Nyra, Grimble, and the soldiers were in arial combat as the four panicked.
"Soren! What do we do?" Gylfie asked.
Nyra screeched as Grimble clawed her face and pushed her back. She fell back to the ground as she was hit multiple times, landing on her back. Grimble grabbed her throat.
"Guys, we have to go." said Luna.
"Wait," Soren said. He turned to the fight. "Grimble, come with us!" Before he could answer, Nyra pushed him off her and threw him across the floor, breaking his wing and making him cry out.
"Would you wound your queen Grimble?" Nyra asked.
"You're not my queen!" Grimble charged at her again. Instead of aiming at her however, he aimed at a lit candle and knocked it over, making a column of fire between them. Nyra screeched and flew over the fire and at the owlets, but Grimble intercepted her. Nyra kept going, but the weight of Grimble was too much, and she rolled towards the owlets, forcing them to jump. They screamed and screeched as they fell, flapping their wings and trying to fly.
"Come on guys! Flap! Flap your wings!" Soren yelled as they plummeted faster and faster towards the ground. Grimble and Nyra were still in intense combat, also falling. Two soldiers saw what was happening and flew in and joined the fight.
Soren, Kludd, and Luna slid on the rock as they desperately flapped their wings. Then there was just air, but they all managed to stay in the air, flapping their wings to gain altitude.
As the soldiers came to help fight Grimble off, Nyra yelled, "No! Follow the owlets!" She was interupted when Grimble headbutted her, but she continued. "Go you fools!"
"Go!" yelled Grimble after the four owlets. "Tell the Guardians!" When Grimble saw them disappear behind the giant rock pillar, he let go. He lost conciousness as he fell to the rocky ground, his life ebbing away. But Nyra hadn't given up the chase yet. She and the other two soldiers continued after them, Nyra's eyes flashing red.
The four owlets were panting and breathing hard as they flew on towards a narrow cave, Nyra and the soldiers quickly catching up.
"Look! There! I see a way!" said Soren. Gylfie didn't see it at first.
"Where? Aah!" One of the soldiers caught up to her and scraped her right leg trying to grab her. It caused a lot of pain, but only flapped harder.
"Gylfie! Come on!" Luna yelled. They rounded a corner where there was a bright light, the way out. Time seemed to slow down as they four of them tried to go as fast as they could without hitting eachother. The first one who was out, was Kludd, then Luna, then Soren. All three of them had to fold their wings to get through. Gylfie was last, and barely made it as a talon shot out to try and get her, but she made it out in time.
As soon as they were out, they were met with a cool mist that cooled them down, allowing them to fly farther.
"Faster Gylfie!" Soren said. He noticed that Gylfie was lagging behind. "Come on, faster!"
"I can't Soren, I just can't. I have to rest." She almost hurtled out of control when a sudden gust of wind hit her, then Soren and the others.
They were all silent for a while, until Soren realized something. "Hey, wait. I think they're gone."
"What?" asked Luna. "Are you sure?"
"I think so." Soren then looked at his outstretched wings, and came to a sudden realization. "Hey, you know what? We're flying!" Then he laughed with joy, and so did the others, including Kludd, but it was more of a chuckle.
They did little tricks through the air, laughing all the while and flying around eachother.
"Does it feel the way you thought it would?" Soren asked as he watched Luna do a loop-de-loop through the clouds.
"No," replied Gylfie. "It feels much better."
"What are we gonna do now Soren?" Luna asked as she came beside him.
"We're gonna find the Guardians of Ga'Hoole." he replied. She laughed, then did a spin in the air and flew off in front of them, Kludd chasing after her with a smile on his face. Pretty soon it turned into a game of hide-and-seek in the clouds as the sun came up.
Pheonix: Wasn't that fantastico? I put a little twist in the story! Kludd is coming with them! But who will take his place? Find out next time! Hoot hoot!
