Chapter Ten: Hide and Seek

Rapunzel saw everyone enjoying the meals and desserts, except she kept thinking about her friend back in the infirmary. And so she told Soren she needed a ride to the infirmary. The young barn owl nodded. Rapunzel wrap up the piece of nootie cake with a cloth, climbed on Soren's back and the two fly to the infirmary. They saw the young boreal owl still lying on the nest resting. The two went towards her as she open her eyes.

"Hi, Caren, I've brought you a piece of nootie cake," said Rapunzel. She unwrap the cloth and gave the cake to the young boreal owl.

The young boreal owl took a bite of the cake and said "Yum, it's delicious. Thank you." Rapunzel smiled. After Caren finish eating the cake, she closed her eyes and went fast asleep.

"Let her rest, Rapunzel," Soren whispered. "You'll visit her some other time."

"Right," said Rapunzel looking at her friend and walking away. The two went out of the infirmary. Soren took Rapunzel back to Madame Plonk. Doing harp music lessons with the students who are singing in chorus. Rapunzel visited the young boreal owl again. Every night she visited Caren until she got better, her wing and waist were healed. The matron said she can leave. Caren got up, out of the nest and thanked the matron. Then the matron wanted to check Rapunzel's arm. Rapunzel pulled out her arm and let the matron unwrap the bandage to see. The matron said her arm is healed. She began to unstitch the strings out of the flesh, though it has a scar which is permanent. Rapunzel didn't mind that she has healing power to fix the scar. But it's best to not to use it for now.

The young boreal owl flies down with Rapunzel riding on her back and landed on the bridge, walked around until they heard a laugher.

Caren turned her head and said "Ooh, Rapunzel. It looks like they're seemed to be following us."

"What?"

"Look behind you."

Rapunzel turned her head and sees little owlets. Those were the owlets from the sleeping hollows who wanted to hear Rapunzel a story. "Why, hello children. Can I help you all?"

"Oh, we were wondering," said the burrowing owlet. "If you can tell us the story."

"Uh, I don't' know," said Rapunzel.

The owlets wanted to hear the story and started begging.

"They're not giving up," said the young boreal owl "In a matter of fact, I want to hear your story as well."

"All right," said Rapunzel "I tell you all."

"Yippee," said the owlets cheerfully.

Rapunzel, Caren and all the owlets walked to the grass close to the Tree. Rapunzel sat down on the root, the young boreal owl perched next to her on the right side and all the owlets gather around to hear the story. Rapunzel told them the story of her first time being in the outside world and had amazing adventure, the owlets were excited of the tale and can't wait to hear what happen next. But then Caren stops her by covering Rapunzel's mouth with her talons and took her far away from the little owlets so their ears won't hear what they are saying. In the beachside, the young boreal owl said to Rapunzel that she almost say a bad word and explained in a serious tone of her voice. Rapunzel didn't know what the bad word is like racdrop and sprink which are the worst of any owl would say, though she was not an owl. But it's not good to say it, not in front of the children. Rapunzel apologized for that and never say it again. So did the young boreal owl of talking like a grownup. Caren was concerned about the barn owl which Rapunzel speaks of. With red glowing eyes and saying dreadful language didn't sound like a good owl. But she didn't what to tell her friend so she kept it to herself for now. Then the young boreal owl carry Rapunzel back to the owlets still waiting for them.

"Sorry, everyone. There was something me and my friend have to talk about, nothing serious. Now let's continue." And Rapunzel did, when she finished all the owlets were amazed of Rapunzel's story. They come to love it and wanted to hear it again. Rapunzel couldn't refuse the owlets, so she told the story again.

"Whatever happened to the other Tyto?" said the sooty owlet.

"Um… well, I don't know exactly, what happen to the Tyto" Rapunzel replied. "He's out there somewhere. Probably still being grumpy."

Then the pygmy owlet said "More stories."

Rapunzel didn't have much adventures expect being in this mystical Tree. The owlets were disappointed. Rapunzel didn't want them to be sad so she try a different way and said if they wanted to play a game. The owlets look at one another with puzzled looks on their faces. Then one of them said "What kind of the game?"

"Uh, well," said Rapunzel figuring out "any game like Battle of the Ice Claws or play hide and seek."

The owlets know pretty well playing of hide and seek, the Battle of the Ice Claws will do after the game. They agreed to play. Rapunzel will be a seeker and starts counting one to one hundred. The owlets scattered out hiding everywhere around the Great Tree. When Rapunzel counted to one hundred she then said out loud "Ready or not here I come." She searched and searched it's seem tough to find the owlets. She didn't know how she will ever pull this off. But all of sudden she heard laugher, shushing noises and whispering. Once she hear it, Rapunzel follow the sound where they are. Then when she went to the hollows and hear laughter, she plays acting "Oh, dear. Where did these owlets go?" The owlets thought she was serious and that she'll never find them in here. Suddenly Rapunzel pop her head inside one of the hollow and found thirteen owlets. They came out, she went on searching the others.

Strix Struma and her students went to the parliament to study the navigation when they saw five owlets who weren't supposed to be in here and escorted them out. The five owlets were caught by Rapunzel. She heard an owlet laugh and was hiding behind a grownup spotted owl. The spotted owl move aside, the owlet laughs aware he was found. Rapunzel pointed and said "Ah-ha, got you!" The owlet behind make him scream out in terror. The game was over Rapunzel have fun. Then they play Battle of the Ice Claws and other games. The owlets have a lot of fun playing with Rapunzel and want to do it again. Their parents came flew down to get them.

Twixt time came, the owlets' parents took them to their hollows. It was their bedtime.

"Goodlight," said Caren. The young boreal owl flew to the sleeping quarter.

Soren returned from his chaw and gets Rapunzel. The two went up to the sleeping hollow and everyone rested asleep expect Rapunzel. She couldn't help but thinking about the Tyto and began to worried. "Oh, I hope nothing bad has happen to him. Even if he is a grouch." Rapunzel's thought.