CHAPTER ONE

The Last Examination

"He's a free spirit, Tzu. Surely, being his father, you know this more than us. You cannot simply tie him down to look after that little brother of his." There were sounds of agreement among the other owls throughout the branches of a large sycamore tree.

"I know, I know. But my interest lies in our family as a whole, and Nix needs an older brother to help look after him for the time being. And, well, Sid is that older brother." Tzu nodded his head as he spoke.

"Cannot his sister look after him?"

"As I said, my interest lies in our family as a whole. I wouldn't want to burden Zoe."

While the community council members discussed their matters, I lighted down adjacent to the sycamore. It was a warm and comfortable evening in Ambala, the stars and moon shining ever so brightly. I tried to admire the sky before submitting myself to the often ridiculous talk of the council across the way. They're voices would pierce long into the morning, discussing empty matters for the sake of using their voices.

"He's quite frail, that one. Do you think he'll manage? He has yet to fledge a single golden feather. A Grass Owl, is he not?" Gail continued as she combed her own feathers with her talons. She was a middle aged Spotted Owl with scruffy ends to her feathers. She seemed to always be trying to straighten them out.

For Glaux's sake, "You're talking about him again." I spoke in defense while gliding over from my perch. "Nix is only an owlet. You've no right to judge him now."

"Yes, my dear. But-"

"We were all his age once," I stated "-and I find this discussion completely irrelevant. What of this dry season and preparations for managing the inevitable fires?" I tried to speak in their language and tone. There was yet another humming of agreement from the small congregation of owls. I fancied myself as quite the negotiator, though it was short lived.

"Yes. Well, I suppose you're right." Gail sighed and held out a wing. "I do think he ought to be a bit bigger, though. It is a rather strange case, I know enough about young Grass Owls to be one myself. He seems rather small for his age."

"That's just a temporary thing, I assure you." I tilted my head in thought, "I feel like I have to force him to eat more than he would, but he's getting there."

A smile came as I imagined my little brother's beak full of rat meat, trying to explain in mumbled words that he simply couldn't swallow another bite.

"Bring him forth." The deep and earthly voice seemed to vibrate the leaves of the tree. An old Grass Owl, probably the oldest, held the name of Radley. He perched himself on the centermost branch, running his dark eyes over me in as cold a manner as always.

With a quiet groan of defiance, I looked to my father for reassurance. He nodded in a solemn manner, "Go on."

"You're doing it all wrong," Sid declared as he pushed Nix aside. "First the sticks, then the grass, and then the leaves." He quickly rearranged the crudely made fort into his liking. Nix stood by, taking note of how his older brother leaned the small sticks against the base of the tree for support.

"There," Sid scratched his foot with the other, admiring the new hiding place.

"Do you think it'll stand up against the wind?" Nix, who was much younger and smaller than Sid, jumped up and down eagerly.

"Relax. Any breeze will come from the sea to the northeast, which is blocked by this tree."

Nix, in his excitement, rushed under the coverings of sticks and grasses. The side of his tail brushed up against the main support and the entire structure collapsed on top of him.

"Quite a fine job there, bright one." With a sigh, Sid shook his head in irritation. "You're going to have to figure it out on your own. I have a gathering."

"But…wait!" Nix's voice was muffled under the sticks and foliage, "You promised you'd help me make it strong before my friends-" Nix broke through the covering to witness Sid flying away though the night sky. It sent emotions of anger and sadness, but Nix was used to it at this point. There, his eyes remained until Sid was out of sight. Though his silhouette was soon replaced by another Grass Owl, and her calls were recognizable to Nix.

"Good Glaux, what happened to you?" I asked as I folded my wings. My talons brushed over Nix's head, combing out bits of grass. "It's not very healthy to wear what we are called. This grass will irritate your feathers after awhile." In a somewhat obvious effort, I chuckled.

"I…uh..." Nix pulled himself out and shook everything he could move, "Well, it all broke on top of me. Sid made it wrong."

Holding out a wing, I drew Nix closer. "Indeed. I'm glad this is all that is broken." The smile quickly disappeared as I continued. "You're not going to like where I have to take you."

"Now?" He looked up at me with large yellow eyes of surprise.

"Yes. It seems the council wants to have another look at you."

The heavy weight of dread enclosed Nix as he lowered himself, shrinking even smaller in size. The last time he was examined, he didn't at all like what was being said. It made him feel small in a number of ways. "Oh no, please!"

"It's okay, little kaipo." I tried my best to sound reassuring, "It'll be over soon enough. Besides, what's this I see?" Playfully, I poked his beak and then brushed my foot against Nix's chest.

"What? What is what?" Nix looked at me in trust and wonder.

"There are some golden feathers beginning to show here."

"For real?" Nix jumped back and tried to look at himself, sending a burst of small feathers all around. For his age, Nix should have already had a second down of gold. But to the concern of many, he remained a faint white.

"You think it'll be long before I can fly?" Nix, with gleaming eyes, admired the sky up above. Its sight brought a sense of excitement and wonder to his gizzard, the freedoms that came with flight being his doorway into a better existence.

"Oh no. Not long at all, I believe." Lifting into the air, I carried my brother to be taken before judging eyes once again.

Nix stood centermost before the council, their expressions unreadable and accompanied by a still silence. Radley's wings stirred as he shifted his position, sending his strong and recognizable stare down to us. It obviously bothered Nix for he wasn't aware of his presence until this moment. Nix disliked this owl for his lack of courtesy, but particularly for his coldness. Growing up, Nix always felt his presence in the back of his mind as his judging eyes bore into him. It was he who pushed for delaying Nix's lessons in flight and denied any sort of rights. Nix felt is if he was intentionally being held back to allow the other owl families of Ambala a head start or some pride, despite his inability to fledge and grow strong flight feathers. But this, or even how his father could allow such treatment, was beyond his comprehension.

Beside Nix was me, breathing more calmly than he was. Nix noticed his eye-line compared to my body. The last time he stood here to be examined, his height barely reached my upper leg. Now, his level eye landed on my chest and the top of my shoulder. Spotting our parents, Nix smiled at them in his feeling of encouragement. Mia, our mother, returned a smile. Though, it seemed rather strained.

"It has been almost a month." Gail cleared her throat after her voice squeaked, continuing to fiddle with her feathers. "He shows growth in size. However, the delay of his first branching lessons must continue."

"What?" Nix and I spoke in unison.

Radley pointed a talon and said directly, "Stretch out your wings." Nix did as he was told while the old Grass Owl lighted down on the branch next to him. He glanced under Nix's left, "Primaries seem a little frail. Short, too. You have rather long wings, but not the feathers to support them or you."

Nix felt like closing his wing over Radley's ugly face. He thought better of it and tried to remain still while avoiding eye contact.

"Secondary feathers," Radley continued in his forward tone as he grazed Nix's inner wing "feel quite frail at this time. There's no way these will get you off the ground."

"Can I not glide for now?" Nix had had enough and folded his wings. "I know I'm ready for this, I feel it strongly." His voice came out shaken but loud enough to surprise Radley.

With a deep chuckle, Radley focused his eyes on the significantly smaller owl. "If you're so sure of your ability to hold any air, then be my guest."

"No!" I held my wing over Nix as gasps rained from the council. A short period of silence followed. I caught even myself off guard with my own reaction, shaking in a hesitant manner. "-I mean…"

"Your sister knows this truth. You're simply not ready." Gail stated, solemnly.

Nix felt a sense of betrayal as he pushed my wing away from him. Despite his best attempts, he couldn't hold back and pointed his face to the branch below.

"Nix, dearest." It overwhelmed me to see the obvious pain my little brother was in. He shook and kept his back to me. Pull yourself together! Nix had told himself. He decided that he despised crowds, especially their attention. The council's eyes burning into him like focused sunlight. It felt as if it were a test, always. A strong desire burned inside to prove himself. It was an awful itch that needed to be scratched, consuming his vision and mind so heavily that he suddenly jumped. With a flick of his wings, he dove from the top of the incredibly tall sycamore tree, leaving behind cries of surprise and horror from all of us.

The wind coursed through the feathers on Nix's face, howling past his ears as he picked up speed. It was a euphoric feeling, one that only a bird can describe as he feels the sensation of flight for the first time. Nix moved his tail feathers up and down to control his dive while flapping his wings furiously to dodge the incoming tree branches. Eventually, the entire world was a blur. He couldn't steady himself well enough and had no room to establish any lift. The ground below was coming up much quicker than Nix expected and he flapped his wings hard in a panic, all to suddenly be yanked back from his plunge by a force unknown to him.