The Owls of Ga'Hoole rose at dusk to prepare for the attack on the Pure One's Main Base. Tweener in the dining hollow started out as normal, but then Boron looked around the area to find that the young Barn Owl who had come to the Tree just days ago was absent.

"Has anyone seen Ginger?" he asked everyone inside at once.

Nobody responded, but just remained silent and exchanged glances among each other.

"I guess not. I'll go see what she's up to," he announced as he flew off to Ginger's hollow, only to find it empty upon his arrival.

She's been acting strangely as of late. he said to himself. I wonder-Oh? What's this?

The Snowy Owl spied a partially rolled-up piece of parchment in Ginger's nest that appeared to have some sort of writing on it.

A scroll. Is this a letter to me telling me of her whereabouts?

He picked it up in his talons, unfurled it a bit more, then began to read it. He only read the first sentence before ripping the scroll to shreds in a raging fit.

"That scheming little PILE OF RACDROPS SPRINKING YEEPISH WET POOPER! GLAUX BLOOD ON HER GIZZARD!"

The otherwise sophisticated king of Ga'Hoole began uttering the worst curses an owl could lay upon another at the top of his lungs the moment he pieced together that Ginger was a Pure One and had most likely informed the rest of her kin on their plans to destroy the Tytonic Union. After blowing out every ounce of anger in him by tearing apart everything inside the hollow, including her nest, he shot back to the dining hollow with the news of Ginger's slipgizzling.

"WE'VE BEEN INFILTRATED!" he screamed. "Grab your gear! Bubo, sharpen the battleclaws! We're executing the mission to the Beaks EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY!"

"Why, sir? What's the-"

"DON'T QUESTION ME OR I'LL HAVE YOU GUILLOTINED WITH YOUR OWN BLADES!"

"Y-yes, sir! Right away, your majesty!" the terrified Great Horned Owl stammered as he scurried out of the dining hollow to his forge.

"Take action, soldiers! Allomere! Grab all of the owls in your Chaw, even the trainees! We'll need all the owls we can get!"

"Yes sir!" He tried to sound as convincing as possible.

"Take my place of finishing off Metal Beak! I may have wanted to kill him myself originally, but...I HAVE A NEW TARGET TO TAKE DOWN..."


...


"Your Pureness!" a Pure One lieutenant shouted to the Monarchs, who were perched on the top of the Main Bases peak. "I see Ginger and Valdimore coming this way on the horizon!"

Kludd and the other trainees overheard the announcement.

"She-she's alright...SHE'S BACK!" the copper Barn Owl shreed. "She did it! She saved the Beaks!"

By now, the two spies were approaching the crop of the peak and making ready to land, which they did in a very orderly fashion. The minute their talons touched the ground, they were warmly welcomed by hundreds of soldiers in black iron helms with shining specs bedded in them.

"Welcome back!"

"How'd the mission go?"

"You sly dogs! Sure did a good job of fooling them out there!"

these were only a few of the greetings Ginger and Valdimore received.

"Alright, settle down, soldiers," Nyra told the swarm of owls around the heroes, which then scattered.

"Ginger, Valdimore...It's time. You've both greatly exceeded our expectations in your feat, and the both of you shall be repaid for your valiance."

They gazed at Nyra, joy in their eyes.

"However, not is not the time to celebrate," Metal Beak added as he slumped to Nyra's side. "The Guardians are most likely on their way here as we speak, and we have defenses to set up, am I right?"

"Yes, your Pureness!" Valdimore said as he raised his port foot as a Tytonic salute.

"Ginger, you are to be a part of the attack squadron."

"Me?"

"We could probably make something good out of that lead-away strategy you made when you were battling the crows in the last Trainee outing."

"Hm...Perhaps I'll see what I can do with it on the battlefield."

"Go grab your helm and battleclaws, Ginger," Metal Beak ordered. "You may not know it, but save for the aluminum alloy spikes on the front, it is made entirely out of mu metal, so should the Guardians send any fleck carriers your way, you should have no trouble with them."

"Ai ai, sir."

"Valdimore, try to take out one of the bigger owls so you can done their mask to blend in, then when they least expect it, launch an attack."

"Affirmative, your Pureness!"

"Go, soldiers! There isn't a moment to waste!"

The two owls parted. When Ginger got to her hollow to grab her gear, she looked around at the comfortingly familiar space.

Ah, my old hollow, how I've missed you...But I better not worry about you now. I have a Union to save!

The Barn Owl snatched the helmet and battleclaws off of the pegs on her wall, then put the helm over her face, slipped her talons into her mu battleclaws, pulled the strings on each of them and snapped them shut. She was ready for what could turn out to be be one of the most dangerous fights of her life. Once she stepped back outside, she saw her fellow trainees standing right by the entrance, fully armed just like her.

"We're ready for any order you give us, ma'am!" Vaygar told her.

"Wow. You guys sure are reliable."

"We wouldn't defy you for the world," Kludd assured her.

"That's comforting. Now...Let's get ready to kick some tail."