A/N:
I had to update the title, because, as I just found out, periods are omitted from the chapter titles.
For those of you who have this story on your story alert, disregard the bunched-together title from before.
P.S. The reson my updates are so far apart is because I am working on another story concurrently, and thus I have to split my writing time between the two. Just be patient, people!
Enjoy!
Chapter 4:Training Must Be Postponed
Being as they were sleeping inside the sturdiest portion of the Great Tree, there was no sunlight to wake the two macaws. There was, however, plenty of wind to be had.
The tumultuous gale from the previous day had remained to buffet the island, and the sound of the air whipping amongst the roots just outside the trunk created an unnerving whistling sound.
The noise half-shocked, half-frightened Blu and Jewel, and they quickly exited their lovely dream, which had placed them back in Rio with their children. As they peeled their eyes open and took in the spacious, yet disconcerting hollow around them, they sighed disparagingly.
They felt a longing for that dream, despite it being just that, and waking up in the actual world caused them great pain.
"Good...morning, Blu. That dream...I love being a part of it, but I also hate it, because I know it isn't real."
As the two macaws slipped from the nest, Blu said, "I know, honey. But we have to focus on the present and the future, not the past. We will get there, someday.
Do not let your negative emotions get the better of you. We are going to be Guardians one day, remember! We both have to look forward to it, and do whatever it takes to get there."
"Once again, your speeches leave me feeling all...fuzzy inside. No more wallowing in my negative emotions. Got it! Now, what should we do today? I think that storm is still going on out there."
"Let's see if we can find a port hole from one of the hallways. Let's pray that we don't get lost! I will do my best to remember the path we took from here to there, wherever there is!"
The two macaws engaged in a fruitful feather preening session, and they wondered when they had last cleaned and straightened them. They headed out from the hollow and made their way through a random hallway.
They walked along the dimly lit path for some time, and they began to feel nervous that they had indeed become lost. As they rounded a bend in the tunnel, a hearty gust of wind ruffled their feathers.
They noticed an exit hole just a few feet away, and their hearts gave twin beats of happiness. However, that happiness was to be short lived. They marched up to the aperture and stared out, and they were met by another menacing blast of air.
"The storm is still going on? I was looking forward to eating more of those milkberries! Maldição este tempo injusto!"
"So was I, Jewel. But there is no way I would risk flying in a squall like that..."
"Now what are we going to do? Wander the tree all day long, chatting only to each other because no one else is awake?"
"That is actually a decent idea! There is so much of this tree to explore. Perhaps we can find some areas of interest. What do you say?"
Jewel gave a pneumatic snort in response, but she soon realized that there was nothing else to do besides that.
"Whatever, Blu. Might as well get ourselves lost as soon as possible."
"Don't be like that, honey! We will be fine. Maybe we will get lucky and find the library that the monarchs told us about!" "I doubt it..."
The two macaws walked away from the port hole and continued following the pathway that they had started out on. They spent over an hour trudging along the hallway, stopping every so often to peer down an adjacent tunnel for anything interesting.
The familiar, yet no less creepy, echo of scores of sleeping owls slowly grew louder, and the myriad of tunnels all around forced the sound to resonate. They stopped themselves at the junction of several tunnels and set their minds on what to do next.
"Jewel, it looks, or rather sounds, like we made it nearly all the way up the inside of the tree," whispered Blu.
"I never noticed! We spent all this time searching, and guess what: we found nothing to show for it!"
"The only thing we can do is head back down and take a different tunnel. One of them has to lead somewhere important!"
"And what are the odds of that happening? I am getting more and more bored by the minute!"
"Please come on, Jewel. I have this feeling that we will find something on our way back down..."
Blu made his way towards a tunnel directly ahead and disappeared into it. Jewel had no choice but to follow, or she would without a doubt lose sight of her mate. After walking hurriedly down the path, she caught up to him, and he never noticed that she had lagged behind.
After consuming another hour in their trek back down, they came upon a small chamber nestled in front of a large aperture. Many other tunnels fed into the same chamber, and Blu wondered what lay past the moss curtain that draped over the large hole before them.
"I think we found something, Jewel! Let's go inside and take a look around. Primeiro as damas..."
"Let's hope you're right..."
They walked through the moss curtain and hopped down to the floor from a small threshold that was the lip of the hole. Before them was a truly expansive hollow, and its sheer size pleased even Jewel's weary mind.
Dozens of shelf-like outgrowths littered the walls, which were also festooned with gently flickering lamps that cast a rich orange light.
Several banners hung from the ceiling over fifteen feet above, each a different color, and each one bore an artistic symbol cut out of the fabric.
"Wow! This hollow is lovely! This must be where the owls meet to chat and celebrate, if they even engage in such things."
"Maybe we can find the answers to your questions if we ever find the library, Blu! I would like to know what this place is called, first off. Anyways, let's fly around and take a look..."
The two macaws glided back and forth across the room, inspecting every feature that they laid eyes upon. What intrigued them the most was the delicate harp nestled in one corner, yet this was like no harp Blu or Jewel had ever seen.
Blu had an idea of what they were from his former life at Linda's bookstore, but this one blew his mind. Jewel, however, had not an inkling of what a "harp" was, and so she decided to find out.
"What is that?"
"It looks like a...harp, Jewel. A harp is an instrument that humans play to make music. They have scores of strings, and they are quite large. What is odd about this one is that the strings are made of...grass. I don't know how that can be."
Blu raised a talon to scratch his head, for it seemed that his mind was itching for the answer. The strings appeared quite delicate, and Blu had to resist the urge to pluck them. The frame of the harp appeared sturdy in comparison, as it was constructed from a few stiff branches lashed together with vine.
Spaced around the pedestal that the harp sat on were a few more growths, and Blu deduced that those must be the seats for whoever played the harp.
"Can I touch the strings, Blu? I want to hear how it sounds."
"I don't know, Jewel. Those strings look awful thin. What if you break one of them? Who knows what trouble we could get in."
She merely shrugged and replied, "Oh, come on! I will be careful! After all, who is the clumsy one here?"
Blu gave her a harsh glare over her coordination joke.
"Very funny! If you damage the harp, you will be the one face the consequences. If you are going to touch it, then touch it!"
Jewel reached out her right foot and drew her talons across the green strings of the harp. A descending string of notes pealed into the air, and both macaws were mesmerized by the quality.
"Wow! That was gorgeous! That harp is quite an example of avian craftsmanship. Play some more, Jewel!"
"You see. I know what I'm doing!"
She stroked her foot back the other direction, and the symphony of notes now rose steadily in pitch.
"Just imagine how exquisite it could sound when the professionals play it!"
"Just thinking about it sends chills down my spine, Jewel!"
She alighted next to the harp and attempted to play a more complete melody. Halfway through her song, which wasn't much of a song at all, one of her talons caught on a string. She tried to pull it loose, but she only managed to lose her balance and fall from the stand.
The harp came down with her, and Blu rushed over to break his mate's fall and hopefully save the instrument. Jewel cried out for help, and her mate dove down underneath her in the nick of time. Jewel slammed down onto her mate's back mid-fall, and the harp dropped harmlessly across her chest.
"Oh my! Thank you, Blu! I thought the harp and I were goners!"
The added weight of the harp and his mate, in addition to the blow he received from breaking their fall, had driven all of the air from his lungs, and he couldn't draw any back in.
He managed to choke out, "You're...welcome. Could you...get off? Can't...breathe..."
Jewel carefully tilted the harp back in place with her wings and jumped off of Blu's back.
"I am sorry, Blu. Are you okay? Did I hurt you?"
He picked himself up from the floor and inhaled desperately. After allowing the oxygen to flood his body and clear his head, he replied to her queries.
"I...think so. Who's the...clumsy one now? Man, my back..."
"I guess it's me, Blu! Now I know how it feels. Maybe we should get out of here, before I break anything else."
"Why didn't I think of that? Come on, clumsy..."
They trudged from the hollow and jumped back onto the threshold, pausing to get one last glimpse of the mysterious space. They then continued on their way, after picking another path to follow, unsure of where it would lead them.
It seemed to circle around the inside of the trunk, and the two macaws eventually ended up back where they started. They frowned and made a mental note to avoid going down that path again. They chose the hall to its left, and after following it for a few feet, it simply joined up with the circular tunnel from before.
However, as they swiveled around and started to retrace their steps, a brief twinkle of light caught Blu's eye. Another path was leading away from the circular tunnel, and another flash seemed to issue from it as Blu continued to stare. "Jewel, there is something at the end of that tunnel.
"Let's go see what it is."
"Hopefully not another grass harp..."
Blu chuckled at her remark, before grabbing her wing and pulling her determinedly towards the source of the light. They came to another small chamber, but the opposite side was sealed off with a door. The light Blu had seen had come from an innocent torch mounted on the wall.
Still curious, he wanted to know what lay behind the door. It had to be important if it needed to be hidden behind a door, he thought.
"Let's try to open that door. There could be something worth seeing behind it!"
He made for the door, but Jewel was hesitant to copy him.
"Aren't we going a little overboard with our snooping around? That door is there for a reason, and maybe it's better that we not know what is behind it."
"Chame-o que você quer. Besides, we aren't going to get caught! Not a single owl is awake at this time of day, remember?"
"You know, maybe you are too smart for your own good..." replied Jewel, her voice heavy with disdain.
"That's fine with me. Now give me a hand with this. I mean, give me a wing with this!"
Jewel huffed and tromped over to Blu's side. They tried pushing on the wooden seal, but to no avail. They stopped to rest, and that is when Jewel noticed two handles mounted on the door. They each grabbed a handle with their feet and pulled. The door split down the middle and flew open with ease, tossing the macaws roughly to the floor.
After picking themselves up and straightening their disheveled feathers, Blu and Jewel entered yet another hollow, though not nearly as spacious as the previous one. In the tangerine light of the torches mounted on the walls, they were stunned to see several golden racks sitting on the floor all around them.
On some of the racks were a myriad of different sized objects, and they appeared to be made from polished metal. On the remaining racks were scores of helmets, formed into a plethora of designs, and they varied greatly in size as well.
"Jewel, are you thinking what I am thinking?"
"If you are thinking that these are battle claws, then yes!"
"Look at them! They must have enough here to arm a few hundred owls! They even have different sizes for different species!"
The largest were over five inches long, and the smallest were just over one inch in length. They were all forged from metal, Blu could tell, but what kind of metal he could not deduce. Some were tinted like cold steel, while others were a luminous golden shade.
They were all curved downwards, and their tips culminated in deadly, glistening points. The sharpness to which they had been filed was visible, and the two macaws could only feel the upper surface of the claws.
"Soren and Pelli were right. These things do make them look like savages! But when push comes to shove, what else can they do? They have to defend themselves somehow."
"Yeah. You can't be more right, Blu. But look on the bright side: we will get to wear our own one day!"
"Oh yeah! But, will we get to fight with them? Will we have to...kill with them? The monarchs said that everything has been peaceful in the owl world. Do you want that to change?"
"No, Blu. Of course I don't! I just think it would be nice to use them...somehow."
"I bet that it will be some time before we get to wear our own, honey. These battle claws are not for the faint of heart."
Jewel merely sighed and walked over to one of the helmet racks. The largest would have dwarfed Jewel's head, and they appeared quite hefty. The helmets on the other end of the size scale would have fit nicely on her head, but she refrained from trying one on.
They were all inlaid with various colors and designs and were unexpectedly ornate, despite their purpose.
If you are going to kill, you might as well kill with style...
As Jewel turned to her right, a separate rack was nestled in the far corner, semi-shrouded in darkness.
"Blu! Get over here!"
shouted Jewel. He dashed over to her and skidded to a stop by her side. "O que é isso? Holy..."
The rack contained only two battle-sets, and beneath each of them, words were engraved into the metal rack.
The words beneath the left battle-set read: King of Ga'Hoole.
The script beneath the other battle-set read: Queen of Ga'Hoole.
As Blu and Jewel finished reading the delicate writing, they turned to each other with astonished looks on their faces.
"These belong to Soren and Pelli! Just look at how magnificent and deadly they are! It's like they have their own personalities!"
They studied Soren's first, and they could only imagine how much work had gone into forging it. The polished blue-gray helmet was adorned with several jagged spikes along its upper surface, and they decreased in length from the middle of the helmet towards the sides.
A single large, scarlet jewel was embedded in between the two largest spikes, and the light from the torches caused it to flash occasionally. The helmet was designed to cover everything except for the eyes, and two oval holes served to do just that. Surrounding the holes were inlays of crimson-colored metal, and they provided a menacing contrast to the rest of the helmet.
Suspended beneath it was a five inch long, double-bladed dagger, with both blades side by side on one side of the hilt. Blu could tell that it had been forged from the same cold, blue steel as the helmet. The smooth hilt was adorned with three beautiful sapphire crystals, and the handle bore indentions for Soren's talons to grip. The outside edges of each blade bore regularly spaced teeth, and they were aptly facing backwards for increased lethality.
Perched beneath them on the lowest rack was a pair of battle claws. They carried a deadly curve, and along the cutting surfaces were several rear-facing projections. Their coloration was identical to the rest of Soren's armor, and they lent a sort of completeness to the two former pieces of Soren's battle-set.
They were held together by metal hinges, and they seemed to be under tension. Blu carefully tapped the left one with his foot, and it sprung open in an instant, with an audible clicking sound. Blu and Jewel leaped back in shock, and they noticed that the claws were extended towards them in attack position.
Jewel gave her mate a condescending shove with her wing.
"Did you have to touch it? That thing could have cut you open if you were any closer!"
Blu regained his composure after nearly stumbling from Jewel's shove.
"I didn't know that they were designed to do that! Just be thankful that I wasn't cut open!"
"Just be careful next time! Like you said, 'battle claws are not for the faint of heart.'"
Blu marched back to the extended talons and carefully forced them back to their former position.
They switched their gaze over to Pelli's weaponry, and it brandished a distinctly feminine design. Her helmet was tinted exactly like what humans would call rose gold, and just like Soren's, had been polished to a mirror finish.
A graceful filigree design of curved silver lines flowed out from the eye holes and around the sides. The upper surface bore three sturdy silver flowers that Blu could not identify. In their centers glistened three sizable emerald-like jewels.
Her dagger was the same length as Soren's, but unlike his, it carried only a single blade.
Five diamonds were arranged in a neat line down the center of the blade, flashing as only diamonds can.
Her blade was augmented by three half-moon shaped projections on each side of the blade, and they were facing towards the ceiling, rather than the floor.
Finally, her pair of battle claws were exact copies of Soren's, except for their rose gold tint.
The combination of grace and lethality imbued in the weaponry gave Blu and Jewel pause.
"Who knew that these owls were capable of such...such...art? And yet, it is art with a purpose...a purpose most dire..."
"You couldn't have put it any more perfectly, Blu. This is so amazing! The only thing that could surpass it is to see them wearing it..."
They two macaws took in the beauty of the monarchs' armor for a few more minutes before turning back to explore the rest of the weaponry once more. Their stay ate up nearly two hours out of their day, and they opted to vacate themselves from the armory.
They carefully and resolutely shut the double doors and settled down for a short rest. They then retraced their steps back out of the circular hollow and wandered along the halls some more. They found themselves at another moss-covered opening, and they were shocked to hear quiet scratching sounds coming from within.
They hesitantly entered, and they noticed an owl with brown and white feathers behind a desk. They realized that they had found the library, taking in the rows and rows of bookshelves, but their entrance had not stirred the apparently very focused owl.
Blu sidled up to the desk and whispered, "Uh, is your name...Otulissa, by any chance? And why are you up at this time of day?"
"Why yes, It is. I-"
The female drew her gaze from the desk towards Blu, and a hint of shock, followed by admiration, crossed her face.
"Oh my! Are you Blu? And is that Jewel?"
"You are correct."
"Soren has told me quite a wealth of information about you. Needless to say, I am astounded and intrigued by the events that transpired to bring you here. However, I am in the dark as to the how and the why, and I am conducting research to try and find out the answers.
I know that it is strange for an owl to be up during the daytime, but my work keeps me very busy, and this is one way I cut down on it. Now, why have you come here?"
"We were just wandering the tree in hopes of finding the library, which it seems we have. I would like to read up on the Southern kingdoms."
"A lovely choice. And as for you, Jewel?"
"I can't really think of anything, so I will just read what my mate reads!"
"Alright, Jewel. Let me find a fitting book..."
Otulissa emerged from behind the desk and walked slowly along the bookshelves, her gaze scanning the hundreds of spines for their requested tome. She stopped suddenly and plucked a navy blue book from a lower shelf.
"Ah, here we are! You can set it on that stand over there and read to your heart's content!"
After she handed it to Blu, Jewel replied, "Thank you very much, Otulissa! Before we start, may I ask what you are doing?" "I am just working on evaluating who to tap for the Weather Interpretation chaw, who I am the ryb of."
"I see. What is a 'ryb?'"
"A ryb is essentially a teacher, and every chaw has their own. Once you begin your Guardian training, you will get to meet many other rybs, just like me! You will also meet many other owls, and I hope that you will be able to make good friends with most of them.
They will remain with you after you are tapped, and even when you become Guardians! Those friendships are vital, and you must forge them if you are to make your training more enjoyable, and at other times, bearable."
Her words gave them pause as they remembered the prophecy, and they did not know if she had realized what she just said.
"It looks we have our work cut out for us then!"
"Indeed, Jewel! Now I will go back to my work, so you can read."
They nodded and watched as the owl regained her place behind the desk, resuming her scribblings with a ink-coated feather. Blu set the navy-colored book on the stand and peeled it open to the title page. The title was a string of fancy symbols, and Blu guessed that this was the written language of the owls.
As he turned to the first page, the symbols showed up once again, and he did not have the slightest clue as to what letters they signified.
He turned away from the book and muttered, "Pardon me, Otulissa, but Jewel and I can't read a single page of this book! It is covered in strange symbols..."
"Oh, Glaux! I forgot that most of the new books in this library are written in Hoolian! I could assist you with increasing your comprehension of our language, but it will take some time, perhaps one or two weeks. Are you sure that you can handle it?"
Blu flashed a glance at his mate, and she nodded energetically. He swiveled back around to the Spotted Owl and exclaimed, "We can handle it, Otulissa!"
She smiled widely and replied, "Let's get started then!"
Otulissa walked over to her desk and pulled out a symbol chart. She returned to the bookstand and slowly deciphered the symbols one by one for the two macaws. They had grown drowsy by the time they had reached the second chapter, and their heads had fallen uncontrollably onto the open book.
In the midst of a pleasant dream, they were awoken by an amused chuckle from Otulissa.
"Wake up, you two! It is getting late! Well, late for you at least!"
They roused themselves from the book and shook away the drowsiness, thankful that they had not drooled on the pages.
"Really? Wow! We must have been tired! It wasn't because we were bored with your lesson, though!"
"Don't worry, I understand! Your bodies are merely responding to their inner clocks that regulate your sleep cycles. Anyways, you did well for your first lesson. Actually, you did better than I would have expected. You seem to be a pair of very intelligent birds!"
"Thank you, Otulissa! That really makes us feel good! We appreciate your support."
"You are most welcome! Now run along, you two. Go get some rest!"
Blu and Jewel yawned and made for the exit. Otulissa grabbed the book and returned it to its proper place, and after doing so, something clicked in her head, and she yelled for her two visitors to wait.
"Blu! Jewel! I have to tell you something!"
They stopped abruptly and walked over to Otulissa's desk.
"What is it?" queried Blu.
"The news of your presence has already been spread around the tree, and everyone is talking about you!"
"When did you find out?"
"Yesterday, in the Dining Hollow. Some of the owls wanted to meet you, but others were not so inclined. They were talking about the Parliament's decision to keep you here, and many of them were visibly upset.
I would watch my tail-feathers, if you understand what I am trying to imply. I hope your Guardian training begins soon, because you are going to need it.
You have to show them that you can perform as well as they, and you have to earn your respect. Accomplish that, and they will most likely come to respect you, whether they like you or not."
"Wise words, Otulissa. We will be sure to heed your advice. Oh, can you show us to Soren's hollow? We still can't quite remember the way!"
"My pleasure. Follow me!"
The Spotted Owl brushed past them and nonchalantly ambled down one of the paths leading away from the library. After a brisk walk down towards the base of the tree, they arrived at their destination, and Otulissa bid them farewell. She did not have the time to talk with Soren, she told them, because she still had much more work to do.
The two macaws clambered cheerfully into the hollow and were greeted by their two favorite Barn Owls. After Blu and Jewel carefully detailed to them how they had passed the time, Soren cleared his throat and spoke.
"I now have some news to tell you. The Parliament has already spread the word regarding their decision, and they have informed the rybs that they will be receiving two new students in a few days. You will follow a set schedule each day, and you will be attending seven classes in total.
You won't be having them all in one day, of course! I know that this sounds a bit vague right now, but everything will become much clearer once you begin. Are you ready?"
"Yes, Soren. But there is just one problem: we still haven't adjusted our sleeping habits yet."
Blu and Jewel's statement earned them a blank look from Soren, which persisted from several seconds.
His mate stepped up to him and said, "It seems you have forgotten about that, dear! You have to give them time to switch over! Perhaps I should take them to Hannah and see what she can do."
"Oh Glaux. How silly of me! Forgive me, Blu, Jewel!
" Blu and Jewel nodded resolutely, and Soren then turned to face his mate.
"Splendid idea, Pelli! I will accompany you. Let's get going, shall we?"
The group of five birds set out towards the infirmary, with the king and queen in the lead. Blu and Jewel were still unfamiliar with navigating the tree, and they hoped that their Guardian training would, in one way or another, help them combat it.
They arrived at the infirmary after a surprisingly short walk, and they could feel the drowsiness from before creeping back into their minds. They had found the Burrowing Owl called Hannah dusting the rows of beds, all of which were empty.
She looked up and caught sight of the monarchs, and she quickly trotted over to them.
"Hello, Your Majesty! Hello, Your Highness! How may I assist you?"
"Hello, Hannah. These two macaws have a problem that needs to be addressed if they are to begin their Guardian training."
Hannah turned to face them, and her once jovial expression was now serious.
"What sort of problem is that?"
"Well, we need to switch our sleeping habits. We usually are awake in the day, and we fall asleep at night. We need to reverse that."
A studious gaze now crossed her face, and her white eyebrows furrowed in concentration.
"I think I have just the cure. Wait right here..."
She dashed off on her spindly legs to the opposite end of the room and vanished around a corner. They turned around to see Soren and Pelli smiling warmly.
"We are going now. We have much to do for tonight, including informing the rybs that their two new students' training must be postponed! Hannah will take great care of you, so don't worry. This is definitely odd for an owl to be saying, but good night, you two! Sleep well!"
"Have a good day, Soren and Pelli! Or is it have a good night? Oh, just forget it!"
The Barn Owls chuckled and walked back out the way they had came, leaving Blu and Jewel enfolded in a soothing silence. Hannah returned moments later with two small nut cups clutched in her right talon. Although they could not see their contents, they knew that whatever they contained could not be good.
"What...is inside those things? Are you going to make us drink it?"
"You are correct, Blu. Inside these nut cups is a sleeping potion for owls who are...mortally wounded. It helps to ease their pain and allow them to pass on as peacefully as possible..."
Blu and Jewel instantly grew nervous, and Hannah picked up on it.
"Do not fret, my dears! A small dose will only help you relax and fall asleep. You will most likely have to take this for at least two weeks straight. How do plan to reverse your sleep cycle?"
Blu chased away the fear from earlier and replied, "We will have to fall asleep earlier and earlier each day, and I think that your medicine will help immensely."
"Oh, I see! Well, lie down, you two. Let's get this started."
Blu and Jewel hopped onto the beds, and the feel of the soft leaves on their backs was incredibly soothing. The Burrowing Owl handed each of them a tiny nut cup and motioned for them to drink. They popped the lids off and slowly tipped the nut cups towards their beaks, allowing the liquid to fall into their mouths.
The slimy fluid ran down their throats, and they had to resist the urge to throw it back up.
They handed the empty cups back to Hannah, and she said, "Sleep well, you two. I will be checking on you periodically during the night. Thanks to you two, I have something to keep me busy. Cleaning these beds all day long isn't as fun as it seems."
Hannah vanished back into the adjoining chamber to put way the cups, and she returned with a small ember. She dropped it into the torch on the wall that faced the two macaws, and a lovely orange glow bathed the room. She whispered good night to them one more time before vanishing back into the adjoining chamber.
A strange sensation began to steal over the two macaws, and their heads swam with weariness for a few seconds.
Blu tilted his head towards his mate, his eyes half closed, and mumbled, "Sweet dreams, my everything. I love you..."
"I...love you too..."
The two macaws fell silent as the liquid took effect, and the only sound that could be heard was their steady, content breathing.
A/N:
Maldição este tempo injusto!=Curse this unfair weather!
Primeiro as damas...=Ladies first...
O que é isso?=What is that?
