Guardians Of Ga'Hoole

Purity

Chapter 3 ~ Flying Again

I woke with a start, I heard horrible noises like screams and crying, I shook myself awake and walked out of the hollow, I looked to the left and right then stepped out, I peered over the edge of the ledge and saw several owls flying, carry bundles of feathers, I looked at one owl being carried and stared at him, he looked strange, I suddenly heard wings beating behind me, I turned to see Nyra landing behind me

"Zara, what are you doing out of the hollow" she asked

"I'm sorry mother, I saw owls and I wondered what was happening outside" I walked up to her

"Don't worry my child, just tell me next time when you're going out, since you can't fly yet I wouldn't want you falling over the edge" she put her wing over my body Don't worry mother, I CAN fly

"Ok Mother" I nuzzled into her warm body "So when I can fly, can I come with you to where you go every night?"

"Of Course" she said "But I'm afraid I can't teach you tonight Zara, I have to have a meeting with some owls"

"But, I thought you was going to teach me!" I said as I stepped back

"I'm sorry Zara" she preened my head feathers then moved over to the edge of the ledge, she stretched out her wings and turned her head around "But I have to go now Zara, go back to sleep" she slipped off of the ledge elegantly and flew off in the same direction the owls carrying owlets went

"Ok Mother" I said, I turned and walked back to my hollow So I'm alone! Finally, I can try out my flying now! I stretched out my wings and looked up, I scanned the ceiling and saw a crack There! I flapped hard again, trying to feel each beat in my muscles, I flapped my wings two times each heartbeat, then I felt the floor underneath my talons disappear, I saw the ground getting further away from me, then I looked up again at the crack, then tried to fly as fast as I could to the ceiling, I felt the cool air ruffle my feathers, I got closer and closer to the roof of the hollow, Wait! How do I stop! I panicked and I thrust my legs towards the ceiling, my talons took the impact and I gripped to the ceiling, my talons dug into the ceiling, I hung there for a moment that seemed like forever, Great job Zara! I twisted my body around and let go of the ceiling, I let my wings stretch out and I slowly floated to the ground, my legs trembled and I fell on the floor on my stomach, I lay there for a few minutes I did it! I knew I could fly! Then when mother teaches me tomorrow, I can show her how strong I am! I got up and cleaned my feathers to make them look presentable, I stepped back and moved some down together in a circle, I then grew tired and fell asleep

I woke to see Nyra cuddled up to me, her feathers were warm, I looked out of the hollow and saw Metalbeak taking off, when the sounds of beating wings had trailed off, Nyra woke, she stood up and fluffed out her feathers then started preening herself

"Goodnight mother!" I piped up "How are you?"

"Goodmorning Zara, I'm fine thank you, How are you my little one?" she turned to face me What? It's morning?

"Good, Mother why are we up this early?" I asked

"Well it is this morning that I will teach you how to fly" she said and with those words my feathers quivered even though I already knew how to fly, flying with my mother would be the best thing ever in my life!

"I can't wait!" I squealed with excitement

"Hush now, don't let the High Tyto act like that, it is very unowlish" she said to me seriously but she was smiling "Now come, I will be teaching you soon but we must train over the Pelletorium" she said as she walked out of the hollow Pelletorium? Oh was Grimble going to tell me earlier! I followed and she looked at me "Are you ready?"

"Since I was born!" I said with excitement

"Then we shall go" she flapped her brilliant white wings and within a heartbeat, she had grabbed me within my talons, and we were travelling across the entire St Aegolius, over canyons and more rocky pillars, until Mother hovered over some rock, she dropped me down gently and then landed infront of me, she smiled as I looked dazed and stood up "Enjoy that?"

"That was... Amazing!" I squealed almost, even though I had flown, each time I felt the breeze in my feathers I felt excited every time

"Good" she chuckled "Now follow" she opened and closed her right wing and turned, she started walking into the rocky cavern, I followed quickly and opened my wings slightly and flew for a heartbeat to catch up to her, but she didn't notice, once I was only a tail length away from her, I regulated my pace "We will train over the Pelletorium" she turned her head and saw my confused look "It's where the lower species work for us, and they pick pellets for tiny objects, I will tell you more about this later" she turned her head and carried on walking, we walked until we reached a hole in the floor and a ledge on the other side of it that stretched out to the middle of the hole, I walked over to the edge of the hole and Nyra stood next to me, I looked down and saw thousands and thousands of owls! It seemed so, interesting, I was looking at the owls and there were brown, white, grey and black, all different colours, I saw two loud owls and they were huge! One was a red colour and one was white, I looked back up at Nyra "This is the Pelletorium" then she had walked off to the edge of the room near a tunnel that had a hint of a red glow "Now you stay there, while I get the others" she said as she turned her head to the tunnel

"Wait Mother, others?" I asked I thought it was just me and mother! She turned her head back at me

"Yes, I will be training you and some other owlets that are also in need of training with the way we live here" I sighed at that moment Others? I just wanted it to be me and mother... "You will be my perfect student" she added

"Really?" I asked enthusiastically

"Yes, all of the other students will look up to you and want to be as good as you" she encouraged me "Now I must go and get them" she smiled then walked down the tunnel, I looked over the edge and watched, These are the lower species? So this means that they aren't as important as my species! It feels good to be me! I felt my feathers quiver, I heard some talking and turned my head to the Tunnel, I stood up straight as soon as I saw Nyra, Then I saw other owlets behind her walking in a straight line, they walked over to me and all stood in a line across the edge of the ledge, then Nyra flew over to the ledge stuck out in the middle, she stood tall and let the sun shine on her white feathers

"You have been selected specially, to serve the Pure Ones, we are a brilliant family, Tytos are always the higher species, Tytos are always the strong and the strong will rule the weak and you selected few, will be my and the High tyto's royal soldiers" Nyra said, as she spoke I could feel, something like a little glow rise within me, I was stood next to another Tyto, his feathers were normal, he had reddish brown feathers across his neck and back, I'll be honest the first time I saw him I didn't think much of him, other than he'll be looking up to me.