"Owwww…"

The wet shape on the sandy ground shifted painfully and opened two large amber eyes. Damp feathers stuck to the small body, and the wings twitched once.

Realization flickered back into Lutta's mind and she jerked up. Slowly her eyes focused and she stared at the land around her.

The last thing she remembered was seeing the Great Ga'hoole Tree ahead of her, and thinking of Strix Strumajen, the crazy Spotted Owl who had almost killed her. Then a gust of air had knocked her sharply out of the sky, and she had tumbled down, into the water.

So she had been washed up onto this island. And now that tree was right ahead of her, waiting, berries glistening on its branches. The limbs stretched up and up, and small hollows showed where the owls slept until night.

Night. How close was it? Lutta looked up to see bright yellows, reds, oranges and purples. Sunset. Sure enough, the sun was sinking in the sky; one by one the stars began to appear.

A loud whoo sound made Lutta snap back to the island. She glanced up to see numerous shapes swooping from the Tree, and groups of owls were forming. Great Glaux, I need to hide. Stiffly she crept forward, to a shelter under some bushes. A mouse scurried away from her as she dragged herself to the hiding spot.

The owl groups all swerved into different directions. Some seemed to be studying the weather, while others went to the roots of the Tree. With a jolt of fear Lutta noticed that some of the birds were hunting for prey, and they were flying dangerously close to her shelter.

Suddenly the mouse that had run from her moved again, slipping through the undergrowth. An owl hooted, swerved after it. Lutta looked through gaps between the branches to see what was happening. Then she saw a glimpse of the owl's face, and she felt like she was going yeep although she wasn't actually flying.

Strix Strumajen.

Lutta cowered back, pressing into the twigs. The Spotted Owl reached for the mouse with sharp talons, and caught the prey. The shapeshifter squeaked in fright.

The owl stiffened, then cocked her head. "Is anyone there?" She peered into the bush shelter.

Lutta covered her face with a wing. She faintly heard Strix Strumajen stepping towards her. Then a caw. "Hoole! Come here! There's an owl here!"

Hoole!

"Come on out, you don't have to be scared." Strix Strumajen spoke soothingly. Of course! Lutta had forgotten that she was still in the form of a Great Gray. Slowly she inched forward, not once looking into Strix Strumajen's face.

A sound came closer. Beating wings, talons clicking on the ground. A new voice. "An owl? Where did she come from?" Unmistakably Hoole! Lutta felt something twinge inside of her – a gizzard?

"I don't know, she hasn't spoken yet."

"She's wet." Lutta tensed. Emerilla! She itched to lash out with her talons at the Spotted Owl. "Bet she got blown here in a storm or something. I'm surprised the weather chaw didn't find her, with all of the storm watching that they're doing."

"Yes." That was Hoole. "Let's try to get her to the Tree. Jyilen can help her." The young king stepped towards Lutta. "Hi, we can help you. Where are you from? Are you hurt?"

Lutta's wing stung slightly, but not much. She shook her head. "I'm – I'm from… um…where am I now?" She stalled for time. Where could say she was from?

"The Great Ga'Hoole Tree!" exclaimed Emerilla proudly. "All owls are safe here."

"Safe," Lutta echoed. "I haven't heard of it."

"It's fairly new, but all owls are welcome here. The Tree grew really fast once it was a sprout. That's why it's so big although it's young."

"Oh."

"So, where are you from?" asked Strix Strumajen.

"I'm from… from… Tygreth." Lutta made up a random name.

The three owls stared at her. "Where?"

"It's part of the Southern Kingdoms – really far south. At the bottom."

"Oh. Okay." They seemed to accept this. "How did you get to be here?"

Racdrops. "Er… I was flying a message to a member of my family who lives close to the Ice Narrows. But when I got there, she was gone. So I was flying back home, but a storm came and I got blown off course. I landed in the water. When I woke up, I was here, and owls were flying overhead. I was scared, so I hid under here." There. I deserve an award for that. I should become a gadfeather or something.

"Do you want to go back home?" asked Hoole. "I can get some owls to help you to get there."

"No, it's fine. I… um… well, my family is moving to another part of the Southern Kingdoms. I'm not sure where. They won't wait for me, so I won't be able to find them again." Lutta rustled her feathers.

"That's so sad," hooted Emerilla gently. "They should wait for you."

"Yes, yes," Lutta stammered. She tried her best to look depressed.

"You can stay at the Ga'hoole Tree for as long as you want," promised Hoole. "You can even live here. I'll find which chaw to put you in."

"Chaw?" Lutta repeated the strange word.

"Class. So you can develop your skills."

"Okay." Lutta stumbled forward, carefully avoiding Strix Strumajen's gaze, as well as Emerilla's. "I'll stay here."

Hoole smiled. "Good." He turned to Emerilla. Tell Jyilen that a new owl is here." He looked back at Lutta. "What's your name?"

"Lut – um, Thyme. My name is Thyme."

"All right, Thyme. Jyilen is a healer. He can help you calm down." Hoole guided her from the bush shelter. "Over this way."

"Come on," Strix Strumajen hooted. Her voice was kind. Lutta glared at her when she wasn't looking. No doubt if she revealed who she really was the Spotted Owl would be on her in a heartbeat with talons extended. Shrugging, she followed the owls to the Great Ga'Hoole Tree. If you knew. If only you knew…