Happy belated Harvest Festival, everyone! Sorry I couldn't update yesterday, but I didn't think of it. For all you Ga'Hoole fans, I also enjoy marking the owls' holidays. I decided to update my story sooner rather than later, so here it is!
Disclaimer: I don't own the Guardians of Ga'Hoole.
The flight back to the Great Tree was uneventful; Pelli and Bell were trying to ignore each other as much as possible. Sadly, this didn't go as well as they'd planned. They kept glancing at each other awkwardly, neither of them wanting to mention the failed mission.
When they got back to the Great Tree, things seemed to go back to normal. Bell and Pelli forgave each other, and it seemed that all had been resolved. Unfortunately, thing definitely weren't resolved.
On Bell's eighth night back at the Great Tree, she noticed something different. There was a nagging voice inside her head, telling her to do things she shouldn't, and never would've even thought of before. Something in her had kept the voice at bay, but now, it broke lose, whirring non-stop inside her head.
It said, Go ahead. Disobey your parents. We both know that they'll always treat you like a hatchling. You need to show them how mature you are. I'd suggest setting some eggs. You don't see owlets doing that, do you? Anyway, I know Shard wants an egg.
First, eww! Bell thought, appalled by the thought of setting an egg. I don't want an egg, and neither does Shard!
We both know you want to start a family, the voice prodded. You can't hide anything from me. I know all our secrets.
Our? Bell thought. What do you mean our?
I am you from another time, the voice said. We are one, and I know you better than you know yourelf. You want an egg, so have one!
I guess you're right, Bell considered as the voice convinced her.
You can do it! You're two years old!
Yeah, I am! Bell agreed. I'm not an owlet!
You're not an owlet! the voice repeated. You just have to prove it!
Bell agreed with the voice. Yes! I do have to prove it! I'll set an egg!
Then, the voice went silent.
One week later, Bell called an emergency meeting with only Bash and Blythe. It was held in the new private hollow that Bell and Shard shared.
Once Bash and Blythe were there, Bell began, "My dear sisters, I have come to think that you should be the first to know that I think it's about time for me to start a family of my own. So, I've recently set some eggs." She beamed brighter than ever before.
Blythe grinned, but Bash's beak dropped open.
"What!" Bash cried. "Mum and Da will be furious!"
Bell shrugged. "Well, I know that they have to learn that I'm not an owlet any more; and this is the only way."
Blythe kept smiling. "Well, I think it's brilliant."
"Sure!" Bell nodded. She stood up to show them three, white, glistening eggs.
"Oh my Glaux!" squealed Blythe. "They're. So. CUTE!" She bent over and waved one talon at the eggs. "Hi, little guys! It's your Aunty Blythe!"
Bell stretched her wings. "It's been so long since I've been out for night flight. Blythe, could you watch the eggs while I'm gone?"
"I'm on it!" Blythe beamed, settling herself into Bell's nest.
Bash led Bell out of the hollow, then down to the dining hollow.
"How long's it been since you've had a good meal?" Bash asked.
"I dunno," Bell shrugged. "A while."
In the dining hollow, Bell and Bash sat down with Shard, Soren and Pelli. There was an awkward silence.
Pelli cleared her throat. "Um.. So, Bell. Where have you been for the past week?"
"I was sick." Bell shrugged her off.
Bash was shocked. Ball had lied to her own mother! She was eager to change the subject. "Well, Bell and I are going out for night flight now. See you later!"
Once she and Bell were out of earshot, she turned to her sister. "I can't believe you!" Bash cried. "You lied to Mum!"
"Eh?" Who cares?" Bell groaned. "She was really starting to frink me off."
Bash gasped. She was shocked by her sister's coarse vocabulary.
Bell carried on. She didn't care. "You coming?" She called back to Bash as she took off.
Bash noticed that Bell was flying very loudly, and her feathers looked almost… tattered. Bash scolded herself. It must just be because Bell has been cooped up for so long. She shrugged and carried on after her sister.
When they arrived back at the Tree, Shard pulled Bash aside.
"Have you noticed anything different about Bell lately?" he asked.
She nodded. "Yeah. She flew really loudly and it almost looked like her feathers were tattered," Bash paused and thought for a second. "Her personality has changed a lot, too. She lied to our mum, and has developed a coarse vocabulary."
"Tell me about it!" Shard nodded. "She was really eager to lay the eggs. Before she seemed almost… embarrassed, even just to talk about that kind of stuff. Now, I sorta wish she still was." He shuddered. "You should've seen her. She just walked up to me, and was like, 'So, Shard, think it's about time I laid some eggs.' so I just nodded, then asked, 'Who's the father gonna be?' and she giggled and said, 'You, silly!'. At first, I thought she was joking, then she seemed serious. I was all, 'Bell. We're so young!' then she gets all sciencey and said, 'Barn Owls are fully matured at 18 moon cycles. I just stared at her."
Just then, Blythe flew in. "Hey , you'll never guess what I just found!" she cried. "Look at this!"
Bash and Shard leaned in. "Is this… a black feather?"
Blythe nodded. "I found it in Bell's nest.
Bash glanced at Shard. "Something is defiantly different about Bell."
Blythe continued, "I think we should tell Mum and Da. How about Shard'll volunteer to sit on the eggs, Bash'll go out flying with Bell again, and while you're gone, I'll tell Mum, and show her the eggs!"
"Oh, brilliant!" Shard exclaimed.
Blythe snapped her talons. "Places, every one!"
"So, Bell," Bash suggested. "Why don't you come on a calming flight with me?"
Bell wildly shook her head. "I need to stay with my eggs."
Bash walked over and grabbed her sister's wing. "Come on, Bell."
Bell ripped her wing away and hissed. She glared at Bash. "No!" she cried. Her voice sounded hoarse, and crackly. "Who'd want to fly over so much… open water!" She shivered when she said the words 'open water'.
Just then, Shard walked in, right on cue. When his eyes fell onto Bell, he screamed. "Aaah! You look terri-"
Bash glared at him. Shard continued, "Good. Looking good, actually. If I'm honest."
But the last thing he was being was honest. Bell's feathers were dirty and tattered. One of her eyes was turning yellow, and the other was developing a squint. Her size had been increasing. Two horrifying little tufts had sprouted on top of her head. Shard shuddered.
"So, we're off with the plan, right?" Shard guessed.
"Big time," Bash replied.
"What plan?" Bell demanded. "The plan to drown me?"
"No… no, Bell, you misunderstood." Bash tried to calm her down.
"Then what's the plan!" Bell snapped.
Bash avoided eye contact. She couldn't tell Bell the plan, but she didn't want to lie to her sister! "Uh…"
Before she could say another thing, Blythe entered with Pelli.
"…And she has eggs!" Blythe was saying.
Pelli just stared at the creature that everyone said was Bell. "Uh, Bell…" she nervously said. "Is something wrong?"
Bell completely ignored her mum's question, and demanded, "Why'd you blab on me?"
"It was for your own good!" Blythe humphed.
"Well, sprink on you!" Bell snapped.
Pelli gasped. "Belletha Margery Rose Alba! Did you just say the 'S' word?"
Bell shrugged. "I guess. But it's only because I'm the only one in this sprinkin' world that isn't stark raving YOICKS!"
When Bell stood up for emphasis, Pelli noticed the eggs that she'd been sitting on.
"Great Glaux!" Pelli gasped. "Um… Bell, could I have a word with your sisters?"
Bell ignored her question and sat back down on her eggs. Pelli pulled the rest of them out.
"So, what else has changed in her?" Pelli asked.
"Well," Bash began, "Her feathers are becoming darker and shaggier, she's getting bigger, one eye is turning yellow, she's been really mad recently, she now loves to swear, and now she's afraid to fly over open water. Plus, she only laid the eggs to prove to you that she's not an owlet."
Pelli gasped. "When did she start acting like this?"
Blythe shrugged. "About fifteen nights ago."
"That's just after we got back from the Northern Kingdoms!" Pelli exclaimed. "And I did think that I saw a hagsfiend. Perhaps he's the one who did this!"
Shard just stared at her. "Uh, Pelli, what would a hagsfiends have to do with this?"
Pelli rolled her eyes. "Oh, for Glaux's sake. I think Bell's becoming a hagsfiend!"
There was an awkward silence, then the three younger owls burst out churring. "A hagsfiend?" Shard churred. "How would Bell become a hagsfiend.?"
"They had the Book of Kreeth!" Pelli cried. "And she has all the signs; black feathers, ear tufts, yellow eyes, fear of water and impressive size."
The three owlets pondered this for a moment. "I guess you're right." Shard said. "But that means that... my mate is a hagsfiend!"
