Disclaimer: I don't own the Owl House!
Title: Longing Cicada Noises
Summary: The owl beast searches for its missing owlet
Warning: Spoilers for Agony of a Witch!
...
There's a moment of dreadful, wonderful calm as the castle door shut with the scrape of stone. Edalyn falls completely still in her bindings, nostrils flaring, as if trying to decide if door hinges were a threat.
"Poor sister," Lilith crooned, reaching out to give her a scritch behind one giant ear. "You made this so hard on yourself. It's no wonder you're so frail."
"I see your reunion is going well." Lilith snatched her hand away as Kikimora walked into view, looking as cryptic as ever. Her eyes slowly traced the owl beast's visage. "I'm starting to see the resemblance."
Normally, Lilith would have been offended. Today was no normal day. "Not even your little remarks can ruin this for me, Kikimora."
"Quite a pity. I suppose I'll just have to try harder next time."
A breath of hot air drew across Lilith's cheek, rancid. Edalyn sniffed and snorked at her curiously, eyes trained on her bright staff.
Kikimora sounded a bit amused. "It hungers for shiny objects."
"You speak beast?"
"I can do many things, Lilith." The assistant took the tip of her staff and pressed it to Eda's flank. "Listen with your magic, not your pitiful ears."
Lilith closed her eyes and focused. The rumbling of Eda's growl sounded like a song; a husky whisper of shiiinnnyyyy, shiiimmmmeeerrryyy, spaaarrrkkllllyyyy. Lilith shifted her staff out of Edalyn's gaze. It wouldn't do either of them any good for her to eat the focuser of Lilith's power. "Pull yourself together, Edalyn. This is no way to greet the Emperor."
"He's heard far worse, Lilith. Believe me."
The light left Eda's line of sight and everything changed. The beast seemed to break out of its trace about the same time as it broke out of its restraints, flinging its heavy body at the gate.
"Eda!" Lilith shrieked, pulling up another spell.
"Let her be," Kikimora advised. "She will be much easier to carry when she's worn herself out."
Sharp claws dug into the stone, over and over again. A hissing, howling roar echoed from the pit of her chest, like cicadas and crunching glass.
"That's horrid," she commented, clutching her ears.
"I think the word pathetic suits it better."
She raised an eyebrow. Kikimora again moved the staff to Eda's feathers. Owlet, she was saying; a low, keening note. Owlet, I found a shiny. Owlet, come play, you run so fast. Owlet, where are you? I miss you.
The human.
Lilith's nails dug into her palms, leaving sharp half-moons. All these years, Eda had hardly seemed to miss her, but ten minutes apart already had her wailing for Luz.
That seemed to make the little gremlin even happier, clasping her claws together with something akin to a grin about her eye. "I thought you'd be pleased, Lilith. Casting a simple Illusion will use far less magic, and keep your monster under control."
Something hot and sick flowed into her stomach at the idea. She couldn't do it. It was one of the only things Lilith just couldn't do. "You know well that I was a Potions witch," Lilith replied tightly.
"Ah, but that was ages ago. Surely, the leader of the Emperor's Coven can do something so simple?"
"I think we both know by now that my skills don't require showmanship, Kiki."
Kikimora tsked, but didn't seem too put out about it. "I suppose I can allow myself to be of service to you this one time. After all, this will serve Emperor Belos quite nicely as well." She drew a small blue circle in the air, and in an instant there stood Luz. Lilith's hands clenched into fists. She didn't know what or who she hated more; Kikimora, for doing this just to get under her skin, or the human, for taking her sister those last few centimeters away from her.
Or Eda, who immediately perked up, letting out an obnoxiously loud coo. Her staff just barely brushed Eda's tail. Missed you! Run! Chase! My little light owlet!
"Pathetic," Lilith agreed, but cracked a smile as Eda ran full-pedal at Kikimora, causing the demon to let out a shriek and dive for the ground. The beast might have been a bit nicer to the Luz-shaped creature, but that didn't make her any less of a beast. Only Belos could see to that.
Just like Lilith would see to it that that little owlet never saw Eda again.
Author's Note: Didja know that in the original script of Zootopia that included the feral concept, they had Nick actually get shot and just cuddle up to Judy bc he recognized her scent? I kind of wish they had done that one, even if it would've made it a bit hard to deal with Bellweather. But, yeah, this is just an Owl House version of that.
I don't think the owl beast is naturally evil. I think it's just a scared beast popping in and out of existence at random, struggling to make sense of its surroundings. And eventually it would come to recognize King and Luz, and might even miss them. So take that little slice of pain after the whole pie of Agony of a Witch lol
-Mandaree1