This is a weird place, thought Ursula as she was led through a narrow passageway between two canyon walls. There was a line of children and teenagers in front of her, and the leader was a rather thin man with no expression on his face. He had removed Ursula's black wristband, so she couldn't fly out of here. But he had also taken something else from her. Why would they want such an unimportant item?

"This is the glaucidium," said the man as the people stepped out into a wide clearing. There were other splits in the walls where children were walking in.

"What do you do here?" asked Ursula glumly. The man flinched.

"Don't ask questions!" he barked. "Questions are never allowed here and have severe consequences. They are a thought of lower nobility. I don't want to hear another word outta you, 96-17."

96-17. They call that a name around here? And what is with them and questions? It's only a question! Ursula glared at the man. This is ridiculous. What kind of place uses numbers as names and forbids questions? A teenage boy standing next to Ursula saw the look on her face.

"You might wanna consider smiling a little," he whispered. "Or they're gonna think you're a haggard."

"Who are you? What's a haggard?"

"My name is Tim, but they gave me the name 88-3. What's yours?"

"I'm Ursula. My number is 96-17."

"Well, unless we want to get in trouble, I guess I should call you by your number. A haggard to them is someone who is resistant to their ways."

"What will they do to us if we ask questions?"

"I'm not sure…But I heard once that this Barn Owl chick asked a question, and he was plucked." Ursula gasped.

"Plucked! You mean they ripped out all his feathers?"

"They plucked only the downy feathers on his wings. But if they can do that to an owlet, then they'll do something worse to us."

"Quiet back there!" bellowed the man. Tim and Ursula immediately silenced. She looked around at the glaucidium. The sun still shone high and the light beat down on her face. She had been sure that the St. Aggie's patrol would kill her after Taylor flew away, but they brought her here instead. What did they want from her? What was so special about her?

"Here you go. Each person takes one." The man was passing out neckbands. Ursula took one and saw that they had little pockets filled to the brim with sparkly stuff.

Flecks! Her brain screamed. She now understood what these St. Aggie's thugs were trying to do. They're trying to moon blink us. Everyone lined up along the edge of the glaucidium, near the walls. A woman's voice boomed throughout the clearing.

"All right, people! The sleep march will now begin. You will march around the glaucidium (and be sure to get a lot of sunlight,) repeating your real name over and over again. Not your number, but your current name. When the alarm sounds for you to stop, look up at the sun and go to sleep. Be sure your face is tipped so that it receives direct light while you sleep. Do not sleep in any other way. Make sure your neckbands are fastened tightly around your neck, and we begin…NOW!" A loud buzz sounded, and then the whole glaucidium was filled with the sounds of people saying their names.

"Ursula, Ursula…" Ursula looked around her. She spotted a short little girl trembling as she said her name. A stern looking man strode over to her and yelled in her ear, "GET A GRIP!" The girl instantly straightened up and continued to repeat her name.

"Ursula!" called a voice. Ursula swiveled her head around and saw Tim walking a few feet behind her. "Don't fall asleep!" The buzz came again and everyone stopped abruptly.

"SLEEP!" screeched the woman. They all obediently looked up indirectly at the sun and closed their eyes. "77-7, stop shaking and follow orders!"

She must be talking to the little girl, thought Ursula. When she closed her eyes to sleep, a strange vibration took over her brain. She opened her eyes. The vibrating continued.

"What's happening?" She felt the neckband.

I get it. Even if humans are forced to sleep at day, they don't get moon blinked. But with flecks near them, it increases the chance of them getting moon blinked. I gotta get this off…

But as Ursula reached for her neckband, the man who had led her group to the glaucidium seized her hand.

"Don't worry. We have a special place for you to sleep…"

Taylor sat in the dining hollow, staring into nothingness. Tonight was the night when she would be leaving for the Pure Ones. She chewed her food tastelessly. Carrie noticed her nervousness.

"What's wrong, Taylor?"

"Huh? Oh, uh…nothing. Just a little bummed about a chaw test today."

"A writing test or a fighting test?"

"A writing test. Ha! If it was a fighting test, I bet I'd get an A+!" Taylor cleared her plate and an owl picked it up in her talons and flew off. "Where's Ilene?"

"I don't know. She's usually up really early."

"Well, I'm sure she'll join us soon," said Sean, biting into his omelet. Taylor ran out of the hollow at full speed and skidded to a stop in front of the entrance to Ilene's hollow. She was lying on her bed, sound asleep.

"Meh, she'll wake up soon." Ilene's roommates were Jacob and Simon, the two Asian brothers. Only a few hollows had three people in them.

"Taylor," someone sang. It was Emily. "Ezylryb wants to see you!" Taylor groaned and flew off toward his hollow.

"You wanted to see me, sir?"

"Yes. As you know, tonight is the big night. You do not need to pack anything, but you must be sure that you have that amber with you at all times. And you will need to conceal your wristband when you get there, or they will know that you are from the Great Ga'Hoole Tree."

"Yes sir."

"At St. Aggie's, think about the Great Ga'Hoole Tree. Think about the stories that you have heard about us. That will help you resist moon blinking, but it will not be the only thing that will help you. Try to find Ursula if she is still, you know…around. After that, I want you to sneak into the library of St. Aggie's. It will allow easy escape for you."

"But what if they recognize me?"

"They won't. And besides, it's the owl patrol that attacked you, not the human patrol. Take this…" Ezylryb dropped a compass into her hand. "This will guide you. St. Aggie's is southwest, but from your position takeoff from here, you'll be flying northeast. The Pure Ones are settled in a castle in the Forest Kingdom of Ambala, not hard to spot. I wish you luck tonight and please do be careful of flecks."