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"Nnnngh! Hrrrgh!"
Soren's strenuous grunting barely got past the invasive cloth in his beak.
Now that he had been left alone, away from the callous eyes of his corrupted brother, the bound and gagged Barn Owl proceeded to struggle and thrash much more heavily to try and free himself from his bonds. He knew that even untied, his escape would be narrow. Those two guards were stationed in the hall, meaning he'd have to take them both down without any weapons, or at least outfly them … and then do the same with any one of the many Pure Ones who spotted him.
The odds looked grim, to say the least. But the Guardian tried regardless.
Soren wrenched his powerful wings fiercely, trying to spread them out just the smallest bit. But they weren't budging a millimeter, remaining welded to his sides practically unmoving. He then tried to pull them even further in, maybe able to make himself narrow enough to get the ropes to slide off of him. But of course, that was why the guard insisted on them being pulled in as much as possible; there was no more room to maneuver them. The ropes just moved with him, as if having a mind of their own. The owl twisted his upper body in various directions, tossing himself up and down in a frenzy. He lunged forward to get some sort of momentum, but that too was ineffectual.
As he struggled, he could feel his tied legs straining against their own ropes and fighting to keep him upright. He wobbled heavily in his efforts, his wings unable to help him in the slightest as he teetered. He even had to resort to lightly hopping around, sometimes requiring several jumps to re-stabilize himself. He could barely shift his legs either; his talons had but the slightest room to lay splayed out on the ground, leaving it only for a second at a time as the bird tried to pull a leg loose. Just like his wings, Soren's long, sleek legs were locked together with no wiggle room or slack. The ropes were just too tight.
Soren's chest heaved in and out, accentuated above where the ropes began, in his tiring attempts to both break free and even breathe properly. Indeed, the foul-tasting rag jammed inside his beak significantly hindered his breathing, as well as forcing it into an increasingly sore position. He habitually bit down on it regularly, the tips of his beak unable to even come together. It had been tied aggressively tightly like his binds, the brown color contrasting the pure-white face that it hugged.
"Rrrrggg," he moaned, growing weary in his struggles but continuing on.
This was the most vulnerable Soren had ever been. His bound wings meant that he couldn't fly. His bound legs meant that he had to hop everywhere and risked tipping over. His stuffed and gagged beak meant that he couldn't speak or make any noise outside of a feeble grunt. And none of it was any closer to being undone than when he was left alone.
And yet the nightmare didn't even stop with his own well-being. Soren still had little clue where his parents were. He didn't know whether his friends were okay. If they did get away, how were they faring without him? And what of the rest of the Guardians? The Pure Ones looked ready to strike, and the owls back at the Tree needed to prepare. The tied-up owl didn't know what felt worse: knowing so little, or being so helpless to act on what he did know.
Just as so much seemed to have been looking up in his life. Soren had established himself as a respected Guardian among the tree, and already got the chance to do so much good for the world. He had most of his family alive and well by his side, and his little sister was so close to her first flight. He had the best friends he could ever ask for who would go to Hagsmire and back for him. He'd met Pelli, a female that he'd grown deep enough feelings for to know he was ready to take their relationship to a new, unknown, wonderful place. They all resided in a location they could have only imagined seeing, much less being a part of.
But just in the course of a few days, all of that seemed to now be in jeopardy.
After a few more minutes of admirable struggling, the captured Guardian let out a muffled, exasperated "Hrrrrnn!", reeling his head back as he finally slumped in his bonds. Soren had to face the truth: he couldn't get free. He was trapped. And he was at the mercy of this army of sick, blood-thirsty monsters posing as the rightful rulers of the owl race. One of them being his own flesh and blood.
Hadn't enough loss been incurred? The soul of his brother, all the other owlets who had been kidnapped and brainwashed into becoming Nyra's slaves … Grimble, the brave, wise owl who had helped him and Gylfie escape St. Aggie's at the cost of his own life. He wanted to become something the fallen Boreal Owl could be proud to have made that sacrifice for.
As he took as deep a breath as he could through his gag, Soren tried his hardest to not get too lost in these depressing thoughts. This looked bad, yes, but it wasn't over. He was still alive; the rest of his band, and his parents, were still out there for all he knew. The tree was in danger, but the owls dwelling in it have stood resiliently for generations even when threat after threat tried to destroy their peace. Now, Soren had to stay resilient. He had to hope that there was some way out of this, for himself and for those he loved.
And the Guardians of Ga'hoole, Glaux willing, would do the same.
Gylfie, Twilight, and Digger flew on with hearts racing and souls deflated.
Once they were far enough away from their pursuers, Twilight finally released Gylfie from his hold. The Elf Owl gave him a cold stare that even made the much larger bird reel back, but they continued on without a single word being said. Only burning thoughts and questions, the answers into which they didn't want to put too much thought.
The sight of their beloved Great Ga'hoole Tree was uncharacteristically bittersweet, as opposed to the unfiltered joy they'd grown used to feeling from it. They were relieved to have sanctuary after their frantic escape, but they also knew that this sanctuary now faced a new danger, one that had seemed to grow stronger since their last major battle against them. In addition, none of them were looking forward to delivering the news of what happened to Soren … or rather, what may have happened.
They're not going to take it well, Gylfie thought. The tree as a whole would be worried, of course, but then there were select individuals who would be particularly upset. Ezylryb nearly sees Soren as a son. Pelli will surely be worried sick to death. And … oh, little Eglantine! I don't know how that poor owlet's heart will be able to take it! It pained her to imagine the sweet, innocent adolescent being told that her dear brother may not ever come back to her.
As the trio got within eyesight of some owls at the tree, their stomachs went uneasy. They knew what it would look like to have only three of the four owls who had left now returning, their leader eerily missing from the tightly-knit group.
Two of the tree's denizens visible to them were a pair of female Barn Owls.
Eglantine and Pelli were currently walking side-by-side along one of the exterior branches of the Great Tree. As Pelli became closer with Soren, she figured it made sense to get to know his sister a bit better. And Eglantine was more than happy to spend time with the female who'd caught her sibling's eye.
"Have you liked being at the Tree?" Eglantine asked cheerily.
"Of course," Pelli replied with equal happiness. "It's even more incredible than I could have imagined in the stories. The things these owls are capable of, what they do for others … and I've already learned so much. I look forward to starting a new life here … though I'll certainly miss my parents," she finished. They hadn't been so lucky to escape the forest fire that had nearly claimed her own life.
Sensing that her new friend's spirits were waning, Eglantine asked, "You learned a lot from my brother, haven't you?" She knowingly nudged the older owl with a wing. She may have still been quite young, but she was no fool.
Pelli let out a light chuckle, slightly turning her head away as her face got a tad warm. "Yes … I certainly have," she said with a dreamy sigh.
As they passed a hollowed-out tunnel and found themselves in a more open part of the Tree, the two Tytos looked out to the star-blessed sky. As gorgeous as Ambala was, the sight of the roaring sea, underneath the light of both the moon and the torches within the Great Tree's many hollows, was something unlike anything at her previous home. Especially when joined by the very first little bits of light in the distance that signaled the morning wasn't too far away.
But then three flying figures entered the view. And the eyes of both Barn Owls widened when they recognized their familiar and distinct forms. It was the band of owls that had been on both Pelli and Eglantine's minds since they left for their search mission earlier that night.
… Except for one. A fourth owl was missing. The one they were the most concerned about.
Gylfie, in turn, could see the two owls perched on one of the nearest branches to them, and once she was close enough she knew that they had seen them too. And when she could make out their identities, she wanted to immediately turn back around. She overheard Digger let out a long, deep sigh of pity and sadness, as he too could see that they were heading straight for Soren's sister and hopeful courter.
The Elf Owl's eyes closed shut for a few seconds. When they reopened, they kept themselves off of the two Barn Owls, desperately wanting to put off seeing their worried white faces for as long as possible.
Soon enough, however, they made their inevitable landing. It was only then that Gylfie brought herself to look at the two females. In their eyes was mostly confusion, but mixed in with fear that something had gone wrong and hope that they were merely getting ahead of themselves.
But one look at the trio, and Pelli knew it was the former. Not only were they not greeting her and Eglantine with the merriment that would be typical of friends returning, but their body language spoke volumes before their words did. Twilight's wings drooped lowly almost as soon as he landed, and Digger's face was aimed directly at the ground. Gylfie, meanwhile, appeared to have needed all her emotional strength to make eye contact with her, and the look on her face confirmed that they were coming back with heavy baggage, at the very least.
"... Guys?" Pelli cautiously asked, with the same trepidation one would have walking on paper-thin ice.
Gylfie just kept staring at the female, forcing herself to not turn away.
"... What ... what's happening?" Pelli pressed. "Where is-"
"Where's my brother?" Eglantine butted in. Rather than Pelli's slow, underlying fear, the owlet was much more upfront and visibly unnerved. "Where are my parents? They're okay, aren't they?"
Gylfie shrank down to what looked like half her already-small size, looking up at the anticipating Barn Owls. Pelli took a few steps towards her, and while Gylfie knew it was non-threatening, she herself backed up anxiously.
"We … we don't know," suddenly Digger responded, sparing Gylfie from saying those three dreadful words. Pelli looked at him incredulously, her head heavily tilted. Eglantine merely gasped, her feathers becoming slightly ruffled.
"We ... we were attacked. The Pure Ones, they ... they have ambushes set up along Cape Glaux, maybe beyond that. Soren got separated from us and we ... we couldn't get to him," the Burrowing Owl's words got lower by the second. "We had to …" he sighed, finally looking the two now-frightened birds in the eye. "We had to retreat."
Pelli felt her heart nearly skip a beat, before accelerating rapidly. While it wasn't the worst thing to hear, it was still within the realm of her deepest fears for what could happen to her love interest on that trip. She hunched over uneasily, talons digging into the bark beneath them. Her eyes bore a look of sickly terror. "... No," she whispered. "Please tell me that-"
"You left him?!" Eglantine suddenly shouted. Everyone jumped in shock of the loud outburst. "You left my brother behind?!"
"Eggy, we had no choice," Twilight rebutted, trying to keep her calm. "We were surrounded, we couldn't go back to find him-"
"You abandoned him!!" the owlet was not calmed; quite the opposite. Her eyes were brimming with tears, beak and voice quivering. "He said you'd look out for each other! And now he's gone!"
"I tried to go back!" Gylfie screeched. "But Twilight stopped me! You think I felt any better about this?!"
"Oh, so now it's my fault?!" Twilight challenged.
"NO, IT'S NOT …" Gylfie nearly exploded again. But now wasn't the time to blame others. Right now, Eglantine needed comforting. So Gylfie took a deep breath and spoke to the Barn Owl, who was falling apart right in front of them.
"Eglantine, I'm so sorry." She walked up to her, ready to reach out a wing in comfort.
But Eglantine backed away, as a tear finally broke free and slid down her white face. "He promised he'd be okay ..."
The distraught owlet then let out a single sob, before turning around and dashing away.
"Eglantine, wait!" Digger called out. But it was no use; she wasn't listening, only continuing to run and hop as far away from them as she could. Digger began to dart after her, but only got a few feet before stopping himself. He hung his head low, knowing that Eglantine couldn't be comforted right now. She needed time to herself before they went to her again.
Gylfie couldn't recall ever feeling as low as she felt right now. The look on Eglantine's face would surely haunt her for the rest of her days. Seeing her so pained, Twilight went up to drape a heavy wing over the little Elf Owl, gently stroking her back. She only lowered her head, trying to hold back tears of her own.
Meanwhile, Pelli looked on wordlessly. While she was better able to control her emotions, she wasn't too far off from the level of distraught Eglantine was experiencing. She had to resort to clenching her eyes shut to keep herself together, her wings tensed up against her sides.
"I really am sorry, Pelli," Gylfie said, emerging from underneath Twilight's wing. "I know you two were – are, close."
"We don't know what happened," Digger reminded. "We have no reason to assume the worst."
Pelli nodded her head rapidly, blinking away the despair. "I know," she said shakily. "I'm sorry, I know you wouldn't have fled if you didn't have to."
She looked out to the skies, trying to envision that miles from her, the owl she'd fallen for was still out there, fighting to get back home. She had endured great loss in the demise of her parents, and now, just when this brave Guardian swooped in and saved her life in more ways than one, it was unfathomable to think that her future with him could now be destroyed as well.
Gylfie just looked on as the Barn Owl stared out a little longer, before turning back to face the smaller bird.
"Just the thought that they could take him away … take away all of this," she lamented, referring to the Tree and the lives within it. She spread a wing out a bit to highlight her words.
"They haven't," Gylfie stated firmly. She was surprised by the determination in her own voice. "Not yet."
The tension was thick enough to be cut with a knife as Gylfie, Twilight, and Digger told the Ga'hoole Tree's Parliament everything. Initially, they were scolded for not heeding their warnings and taking the risks that they did, which only put an even greater weight on the owls' shoulders. Thankfully, they were more relieved that the losses weren't greater, though they certainly wished the band could still be in one piece. Ezylryb in particular looked downtrodden at the news, but held it in to carry on the session.
This left the issue of what to do now. Most of them could agree that preparations for war needed to begin. The Pure Ones made it clear that they were a renewed threat, and as such the Guardians needed to act quickly. Yet they also needed to be cautious; the enemy currently had the upper hand, not just in their location but also in a lack of knowledge as to where else they may be stationed.
The discussion of plans was delayed, however, when a Great-Horned Owl came rushing into the Parliament hollow.
"Bubo? What has you barging in here so hastily?" Queen Barran asked.
"Your majesties, it's Strix Struma!" Bubo said. "She's returned!"
Gasps flooded the room, owls glancing at each other and murmuring in shock. This was the first time an owl came back after vanishing this past week, and needless to say it was news that they all could greatly use right now.
King Boron triumphantly declared, "That's excellent! Bring her here, then!"
The Great-Horned's face then fell, however. "Well … sir, I'm afraid we can't. She's not in good shape. She passed out shortly after arriving, and was brought to the medical hollow immediately. It's … it's bad, sir."
Bubo wasn't exaggerating. The sight of the proud, powerful Short-Eared Owl in this condition was nothing short of sobering.
Struma currently lay on one of the several makeshift beds in the medical hollow. She was barely moving outside of the ragged rising and falling of her chest, every one looking like a war in and of itself. An eye was wrapped in bandages, and her beak was heavily nicked. Half of her chest and back feathers were gone, and her right foot was missing a talon. The various cuts and bruises across her body further decorated the gruesome image.
But she was alive, much to everyone's relief.
After awakening from unconsciousness, Struma was able to strenuously explain how she had been flying over a kingdom known as The Beaks, when suddenly three Tyto Albas attacked her. She was admirably able to fight them all off, letting out a choked bit of laughter as she recalled her short victories. But when reinforcements came and proved to be too much even for her, she had to retreat. Struma was able to hide away for a few days, trying to plot a way to sneak out. But she was soon discovered, at which point she just made a break for it. That's when the Pure Ones overwhelmed her, seeming desperate to prevent an escape. She would be able to narrowly slip out of their grasps multiple times, but not without an injury, hence the collection she had now. It was through sheer will and strength that she was able to make it back to the tree, just before it was all exhausted and her world went black.
It was a lot to take in for everyone. They were proud of their comrade for her unmatched physical and mental fortitude, yet also broken up to see her like this. Moreover, it illustrated just how far the brutality of these fiendish Tytos went. They would truly stop at nothing to vanquish their enemies, even just one.
After leaving the nurses to continue tending to the wounded owl, the Parliament reconvened, debating their next move. Struma tried to insist she join them, but a nest-maid snake kept her at bay. "Please rest, dearie. You've been through more than enough," she said. She then went off to get the owl something to eat, whatever would be allowed with the Tree's current rationing.
Meanwhile, Gylfie, Twilight, Digger, Pelli, and Otulissa gathered together in the former three's hollow, trying to make some sense of the increasingly disheartening situation.
"Have you tried talking to Eglantine again?" Pelli asked Gylfie.
Gylfie slowly shook her head. "I think it's best we give her a bit more time. I can't say I wouldn't be doing the same thing in her position."
"I know," Pelli said glumly. "Poor thing. To have so much of one's family lost."
"Strix Struma made it back," Otulissa said. She was one of the most overjoyed of anyone over this news. It was clear that she looked up to the older owl as a hero and teacher, and Struma in turn was highly fond of the spirited younger Short-Eared. "That's a good sign of hope."
Pelli nodded, but didn't look any more comforted.
"I say we just get all our forces and go back out there!" Twilight declared, puffing his chest. "Show them what happens when you come after us!"
"Their position gives them the advantage," Digger rebutted. "Any direct strike we make could be easily countered."
"Our best chance would be a pincer movement," Otulissa said. They all turned to her in confusion, not as well-versed in battle tactics as the scholar. She huffed in mild annoyance and explained. "A stealth fighting maneuver. We'd sneak our way behind the enemy and attack from the back and front, pinching their forces between our own," she said, looking proud to share her knowledge with everyone.
"That's not a bad idea," Pelli said. "I just hope the higher-ups come up with something quickly," Pelli said. "We can't go on too much longer like this, and if they … Gylfie, what are you looking at?"
Pelli saw that the Elf Owl's focus was now directed on the view of the sea that the hollow provided. And she didn't look the least bit happy by what she was looking at, judging by her stiff stance and gaping beak.
"Gylfie?" Twilight echoed.
The rest of the owls' eyes went in the direction she was looking. And they instantly saw what was troubling her.
From the thick fog surrounding the tree, a massive swarm of owls was emerging. They all wore dreadfully familiar masks and carried plenty of weapons and supplies to go around. And as the owls in the hollow looked around, they could see just as many intruders coming in from all directions to the island. It was an entire army, looking close to the amount that had been spotted back at Cape Glaux.
Gylfie shuddered in fear, and could see her friends doing the same thing. The Pure Ones were advancing their siege, moving from securing the western mainland to now about to touch down on the sacred island that so many good owls called home.
For generations, legend said that the fog and mists surrounding the Great Tree kept it hidden from the owl kingdom, with only those "strong of purpose and true of heart" having successfully ventured past it to see the majesty of the legend come true. Unfortunately, it now seemed to have worked against them: keeping their enemies hidden long enough to reach them undetected. How they managed to find the tree was a mystery in itself, but that was now the least of their worries.
Surely enough, the rest of the Guardians weren't long to see the trouble themselves. A few distress calls could be heard from various branches and hollows, and became louder and more widespread by the second. A few owls suddenly swooped past the window of the hollow, and clamoring could be heard above them. Some began scrambling to get their forces and weapons together, probably hastily cooking up some half-baked plan. Others needed to make sure that those unable to fight were kept safe.
"GUARDIANS!! WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!!" Ezylryb screeched from the Parliament hollow. "ALL TALONS ON DECK, NOW!!"
However, once the first set of Pure Ones landed on the elevated terrain of the island, it was clear that whatever the Guardians tried, it was too late. There was no time to mount a proper defense, and they had nowhere to go with the still-increasing number of foes surrounding them.
The Pure Ones had them.
"It's the beginning of the end, brother."
Soren gasped through his gag when a familiar voice entered his cell hollow. His head swiveled to the entrance, where his eyes once again met the brother who had betrayed him.
"Grrnh," he mumbled.
"Our forces are on their way to your precious tree, ready to chip away at your friends day-by-day. Until they wither away to nothing, or die in a foolish attempt to fight back … I'd be fine with either, personally."
On their way to the tree?! How did they find it?!
"Nn!" Soren growled. He tugged his wings in their ropes as his captor approached him. Kludd stood over his bound brother, purposefully stretching his legs to gain height, even though he was already the taller of the two. Soren hopped back awkwardly, legs bent and body low as he looked up at the older owl defensively. His eyes were ablaze with anger and hurt, as the gag forced his beak into a scowl.
"I would take you there to witness your dreams come crashing down for yourself, but perhaps here your imagination can be your own worst enemy." His beak formed a smile that Soren could only describe as sadistic. He followed the younger sibling's movements backwards to keep himself hovered above him. In Kludd's shadow, as Kludd had desired for so long.
Kludd took the moment to really take the visual in. His brother, hide it as he may try, looked so utterly, genuinely scared. His bound legs were trembling, his breathing through his nasal cavities heavy yet rapid. He pulled on his bonds by instinct, wobbling back and forth so pitifully. It was beyond what Kludd had envisioned if he ever got his claws on the Guardian.
But it also reminded Kludd that for as much resentment as he held for his little sibling, Soren never tried to harm him. That much was clear when, even as Kludd was fighting and threatening to kill him, he still somehow was begging for the fight to stop. He didn't want Kludd as his enemy … was he really prepared to forgive him after everything he'd done?
No, Kludd thought. He simply wants the coward's way out. His eyes hardened as he kept glaring down the wriggling Soren, who realized he was out of room to move when his tail feathers brushed up against the back wall. He was turning and twisting himself around, much like how he would try to worm himself out of fighting back.
"Don't give me that look," Kludd scolded. "Your little act is for nothing. You know you can't beat me, and so you think you can get me to succumb to your soft talk."
"Nnnrr nnnnh!!" Soren tried to insist that his love for Kludd was not an act, but the words were lost in the gag. How could he think such a thing?! "Grrnh, nnrmmmynn!!"
He sounded so hurt. Kludd couldn't hear an ounce of deception in the muffled cries. But he couldn't fall for it. Nyra was already beginning to see cracks in his abilities; going soft on a prisoner would only confirm her doubts. Especially not after everything he'd had to do to earn her love … the sacrifices he'd made.
"It matters not what you try to say, brother," he asserted. "Our plan is already underway."
He narrowed his eyes and said, "The siege of Ga'hoole has begun."
The original Guardians of Ga'hoole series was created by Kathryn Lasky. The film Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'hoole and its versions of the characters belong to Warner Bros.
Originally uploaded on April 10, 2020.
As promised, we get a bit more time with Soren as he struggles and ponders over the state of things. And then, in a last-minute decision, a little extra at the end! In between, my biggest hope was that I did well with Pelli and Eglantine learning about what happened. I wanted to get their pain across clearly, while also not wanting to overdo it. A few other developments occurred, and finally capping off their side of the chapter with the Pure Ones' siege reaching the island of the Tree. As Kludd says, the siege of Ga'hoole has begun!
For those who have been following along, thank you for doing so, and read on for more!
Soren's strenuous grunting barely got past the invasive cloth in his beak.
Now that he had been left alone, away from the callous eyes of his corrupted brother, the bound and gagged Barn Owl proceeded to struggle and thrash much more heavily to try and free himself from his bonds. He knew that even untied, his escape would be narrow. Those two guards were stationed in the hall, meaning he'd have to take them both down without any weapons, or at least outfly them … and then do the same with any one of the many Pure Ones who spotted him.
The odds looked grim, to say the least. But the Guardian tried regardless.
Soren wrenched his powerful wings fiercely, trying to spread them out just the smallest bit. But they weren't budging a millimeter, remaining welded to his sides practically unmoving. He then tried to pull them even further in, maybe able to make himself narrow enough to get the ropes to slide off of him. But of course, that was why the guard insisted on them being pulled in as much as possible; there was no more room to maneuver them. The ropes just moved with him, as if having a mind of their own. The owl twisted his upper body in various directions, tossing himself up and down in a frenzy. He lunged forward to get some sort of momentum, but that too was ineffectual.
As he struggled, he could feel his tied legs straining against their own ropes and fighting to keep him upright. He wobbled heavily in his efforts, his wings unable to help him in the slightest as he teetered. He even had to resort to lightly hopping around, sometimes requiring several jumps to re-stabilize himself. He could barely shift his legs either; his talons had but the slightest room to lay splayed out on the ground, leaving it only for a second at a time as the bird tried to pull a leg loose. Just like his wings, Soren's long, sleek legs were locked together with no wiggle room or slack. The ropes were just too tight.
Soren's chest heaved in and out, accentuated above where the ropes began, in his tiring attempts to both break free and even breathe properly. Indeed, the foul-tasting rag jammed inside his beak significantly hindered his breathing, as well as forcing it into an increasingly sore position. He habitually bit down on it regularly, the tips of his beak unable to even come together. It had been tied aggressively tightly like his binds, the brown color contrasting the pure-white face that it hugged.
"Rrrrggg," he moaned, growing weary in his struggles but continuing on.
This was the most vulnerable Soren had ever been. His bound wings meant that he couldn't fly. His bound legs meant that he had to hop everywhere and risked tipping over. His stuffed and gagged beak meant that he couldn't speak or make any noise outside of a feeble grunt. And none of it was any closer to being undone than when he was left alone.
And yet the nightmare didn't even stop with his own well-being. Soren still had little clue where his parents were. He didn't know whether his friends were okay. If they did get away, how were they faring without him? And what of the rest of the Guardians? The Pure Ones looked ready to strike, and the owls back at the Tree needed to prepare. The tied-up owl didn't know what felt worse: knowing so little, or being so helpless to act on what he did know.
Just as so much seemed to have been looking up in his life. Soren had established himself as a respected Guardian among the tree, and already got the chance to do so much good for the world. He had most of his family alive and well by his side, and his little sister was so close to her first flight. He had the best friends he could ever ask for who would go to Hagsmire and back for him. He'd met Pelli, a female that he'd grown deep enough feelings for to know he was ready to take their relationship to a new, unknown, wonderful place. They all resided in a location they could have only imagined seeing, much less being a part of.
But just in the course of a few days, all of that seemed to now be in jeopardy.
After a few more minutes of admirable struggling, the captured Guardian let out a muffled, exasperated "Hrrrrnn!", reeling his head back as he finally slumped in his bonds. Soren had to face the truth: he couldn't get free. He was trapped. And he was at the mercy of this army of sick, blood-thirsty monsters posing as the rightful rulers of the owl race. One of them being his own flesh and blood.
Hadn't enough loss been incurred? The soul of his brother, all the other owlets who had been kidnapped and brainwashed into becoming Nyra's slaves … Grimble, the brave, wise owl who had helped him and Gylfie escape St. Aggie's at the cost of his own life. He wanted to become something the fallen Boreal Owl could be proud to have made that sacrifice for.
As he took as deep a breath as he could through his gag, Soren tried his hardest to not get too lost in these depressing thoughts. This looked bad, yes, but it wasn't over. He was still alive; the rest of his band, and his parents, were still out there for all he knew. The tree was in danger, but the owls dwelling in it have stood resiliently for generations even when threat after threat tried to destroy their peace. Now, Soren had to stay resilient. He had to hope that there was some way out of this, for himself and for those he loved.
And the Guardians of Ga'hoole, Glaux willing, would do the same.
Gylfie, Twilight, and Digger flew on with hearts racing and souls deflated.
Once they were far enough away from their pursuers, Twilight finally released Gylfie from his hold. The Elf Owl gave him a cold stare that even made the much larger bird reel back, but they continued on without a single word being said. Only burning thoughts and questions, the answers into which they didn't want to put too much thought.
The sight of their beloved Great Ga'hoole Tree was uncharacteristically bittersweet, as opposed to the unfiltered joy they'd grown used to feeling from it. They were relieved to have sanctuary after their frantic escape, but they also knew that this sanctuary now faced a new danger, one that had seemed to grow stronger since their last major battle against them. In addition, none of them were looking forward to delivering the news of what happened to Soren … or rather, what may have happened.
They're not going to take it well, Gylfie thought. The tree as a whole would be worried, of course, but then there were select individuals who would be particularly upset. Ezylryb nearly sees Soren as a son. Pelli will surely be worried sick to death. And … oh, little Eglantine! I don't know how that poor owlet's heart will be able to take it! It pained her to imagine the sweet, innocent adolescent being told that her dear brother may not ever come back to her.
As the trio got within eyesight of some owls at the tree, their stomachs went uneasy. They knew what it would look like to have only three of the four owls who had left now returning, their leader eerily missing from the tightly-knit group.
Two of the tree's denizens visible to them were a pair of female Barn Owls.
Eglantine and Pelli were currently walking side-by-side along one of the exterior branches of the Great Tree. As Pelli became closer with Soren, she figured it made sense to get to know his sister a bit better. And Eglantine was more than happy to spend time with the female who'd caught her sibling's eye.
"Have you liked being at the Tree?" Eglantine asked cheerily.
"Of course," Pelli replied with equal happiness. "It's even more incredible than I could have imagined in the stories. The things these owls are capable of, what they do for others … and I've already learned so much. I look forward to starting a new life here … though I'll certainly miss my parents," she finished. They hadn't been so lucky to escape the forest fire that had nearly claimed her own life.
Sensing that her new friend's spirits were waning, Eglantine asked, "You learned a lot from my brother, haven't you?" She knowingly nudged the older owl with a wing. She may have still been quite young, but she was no fool.
Pelli let out a light chuckle, slightly turning her head away as her face got a tad warm. "Yes … I certainly have," she said with a dreamy sigh.
As they passed a hollowed-out tunnel and found themselves in a more open part of the Tree, the two Tytos looked out to the star-blessed sky. As gorgeous as Ambala was, the sight of the roaring sea, underneath the light of both the moon and the torches within the Great Tree's many hollows, was something unlike anything at her previous home. Especially when joined by the very first little bits of light in the distance that signaled the morning wasn't too far away.
But then three flying figures entered the view. And the eyes of both Barn Owls widened when they recognized their familiar and distinct forms. It was the band of owls that had been on both Pelli and Eglantine's minds since they left for their search mission earlier that night.
… Except for one. A fourth owl was missing. The one they were the most concerned about.
Gylfie, in turn, could see the two owls perched on one of the nearest branches to them, and once she was close enough she knew that they had seen them too. And when she could make out their identities, she wanted to immediately turn back around. She overheard Digger let out a long, deep sigh of pity and sadness, as he too could see that they were heading straight for Soren's sister and hopeful courter.
The Elf Owl's eyes closed shut for a few seconds. When they reopened, they kept themselves off of the two Barn Owls, desperately wanting to put off seeing their worried white faces for as long as possible.
Soon enough, however, they made their inevitable landing. It was only then that Gylfie brought herself to look at the two females. In their eyes was mostly confusion, but mixed in with fear that something had gone wrong and hope that they were merely getting ahead of themselves.
But one look at the trio, and Pelli knew it was the former. Not only were they not greeting her and Eglantine with the merriment that would be typical of friends returning, but their body language spoke volumes before their words did. Twilight's wings drooped lowly almost as soon as he landed, and Digger's face was aimed directly at the ground. Gylfie, meanwhile, appeared to have needed all her emotional strength to make eye contact with her, and the look on her face confirmed that they were coming back with heavy baggage, at the very least.
"... Guys?" Pelli cautiously asked, with the same trepidation one would have walking on paper-thin ice.
Gylfie just kept staring at the female, forcing herself to not turn away.
"... What ... what's happening?" Pelli pressed. "Where is-"
"Where's my brother?" Eglantine butted in. Rather than Pelli's slow, underlying fear, the owlet was much more upfront and visibly unnerved. "Where are my parents? They're okay, aren't they?"
Gylfie shrank down to what looked like half her already-small size, looking up at the anticipating Barn Owls. Pelli took a few steps towards her, and while Gylfie knew it was non-threatening, she herself backed up anxiously.
"We … we don't know," suddenly Digger responded, sparing Gylfie from saying those three dreadful words. Pelli looked at him incredulously, her head heavily tilted. Eglantine merely gasped, her feathers becoming slightly ruffled.
"We ... we were attacked. The Pure Ones, they ... they have ambushes set up along Cape Glaux, maybe beyond that. Soren got separated from us and we ... we couldn't get to him," the Burrowing Owl's words got lower by the second. "We had to …" he sighed, finally looking the two now-frightened birds in the eye. "We had to retreat."
Pelli felt her heart nearly skip a beat, before accelerating rapidly. While it wasn't the worst thing to hear, it was still within the realm of her deepest fears for what could happen to her love interest on that trip. She hunched over uneasily, talons digging into the bark beneath them. Her eyes bore a look of sickly terror. "... No," she whispered. "Please tell me that-"
"You left him?!" Eglantine suddenly shouted. Everyone jumped in shock of the loud outburst. "You left my brother behind?!"
"Eggy, we had no choice," Twilight rebutted, trying to keep her calm. "We were surrounded, we couldn't go back to find him-"
"You abandoned him!!" the owlet was not calmed; quite the opposite. Her eyes were brimming with tears, beak and voice quivering. "He said you'd look out for each other! And now he's gone!"
"I tried to go back!" Gylfie screeched. "But Twilight stopped me! You think I felt any better about this?!"
"Oh, so now it's my fault?!" Twilight challenged.
"NO, IT'S NOT …" Gylfie nearly exploded again. But now wasn't the time to blame others. Right now, Eglantine needed comforting. So Gylfie took a deep breath and spoke to the Barn Owl, who was falling apart right in front of them.
"Eglantine, I'm so sorry." She walked up to her, ready to reach out a wing in comfort.
But Eglantine backed away, as a tear finally broke free and slid down her white face. "He promised he'd be okay ..."
The distraught owlet then let out a single sob, before turning around and dashing away.
"Eglantine, wait!" Digger called out. But it was no use; she wasn't listening, only continuing to run and hop as far away from them as she could. Digger began to dart after her, but only got a few feet before stopping himself. He hung his head low, knowing that Eglantine couldn't be comforted right now. She needed time to herself before they went to her again.
Gylfie couldn't recall ever feeling as low as she felt right now. The look on Eglantine's face would surely haunt her for the rest of her days. Seeing her so pained, Twilight went up to drape a heavy wing over the little Elf Owl, gently stroking her back. She only lowered her head, trying to hold back tears of her own.
Meanwhile, Pelli looked on wordlessly. While she was better able to control her emotions, she wasn't too far off from the level of distraught Eglantine was experiencing. She had to resort to clenching her eyes shut to keep herself together, her wings tensed up against her sides.
"I really am sorry, Pelli," Gylfie said, emerging from underneath Twilight's wing. "I know you two were – are, close."
"We don't know what happened," Digger reminded. "We have no reason to assume the worst."
Pelli nodded her head rapidly, blinking away the despair. "I know," she said shakily. "I'm sorry, I know you wouldn't have fled if you didn't have to."
She looked out to the skies, trying to envision that miles from her, the owl she'd fallen for was still out there, fighting to get back home. She had endured great loss in the demise of her parents, and now, just when this brave Guardian swooped in and saved her life in more ways than one, it was unfathomable to think that her future with him could now be destroyed as well.
Gylfie just looked on as the Barn Owl stared out a little longer, before turning back to face the smaller bird.
"Just the thought that they could take him away … take away all of this," she lamented, referring to the Tree and the lives within it. She spread a wing out a bit to highlight her words.
"They haven't," Gylfie stated firmly. She was surprised by the determination in her own voice. "Not yet."
The tension was thick enough to be cut with a knife as Gylfie, Twilight, and Digger told the Ga'hoole Tree's Parliament everything. Initially, they were scolded for not heeding their warnings and taking the risks that they did, which only put an even greater weight on the owls' shoulders. Thankfully, they were more relieved that the losses weren't greater, though they certainly wished the band could still be in one piece. Ezylryb in particular looked downtrodden at the news, but held it in to carry on the session.
This left the issue of what to do now. Most of them could agree that preparations for war needed to begin. The Pure Ones made it clear that they were a renewed threat, and as such the Guardians needed to act quickly. Yet they also needed to be cautious; the enemy currently had the upper hand, not just in their location but also in a lack of knowledge as to where else they may be stationed.
The discussion of plans was delayed, however, when a Great-Horned Owl came rushing into the Parliament hollow.
"Bubo? What has you barging in here so hastily?" Queen Barran asked.
"Your majesties, it's Strix Struma!" Bubo said. "She's returned!"
Gasps flooded the room, owls glancing at each other and murmuring in shock. This was the first time an owl came back after vanishing this past week, and needless to say it was news that they all could greatly use right now.
King Boron triumphantly declared, "That's excellent! Bring her here, then!"
The Great-Horned's face then fell, however. "Well … sir, I'm afraid we can't. She's not in good shape. She passed out shortly after arriving, and was brought to the medical hollow immediately. It's … it's bad, sir."
Bubo wasn't exaggerating. The sight of the proud, powerful Short-Eared Owl in this condition was nothing short of sobering.
Struma currently lay on one of the several makeshift beds in the medical hollow. She was barely moving outside of the ragged rising and falling of her chest, every one looking like a war in and of itself. An eye was wrapped in bandages, and her beak was heavily nicked. Half of her chest and back feathers were gone, and her right foot was missing a talon. The various cuts and bruises across her body further decorated the gruesome image.
But she was alive, much to everyone's relief.
After awakening from unconsciousness, Struma was able to strenuously explain how she had been flying over a kingdom known as The Beaks, when suddenly three Tyto Albas attacked her. She was admirably able to fight them all off, letting out a choked bit of laughter as she recalled her short victories. But when reinforcements came and proved to be too much even for her, she had to retreat. Struma was able to hide away for a few days, trying to plot a way to sneak out. But she was soon discovered, at which point she just made a break for it. That's when the Pure Ones overwhelmed her, seeming desperate to prevent an escape. She would be able to narrowly slip out of their grasps multiple times, but not without an injury, hence the collection she had now. It was through sheer will and strength that she was able to make it back to the tree, just before it was all exhausted and her world went black.
It was a lot to take in for everyone. They were proud of their comrade for her unmatched physical and mental fortitude, yet also broken up to see her like this. Moreover, it illustrated just how far the brutality of these fiendish Tytos went. They would truly stop at nothing to vanquish their enemies, even just one.
After leaving the nurses to continue tending to the wounded owl, the Parliament reconvened, debating their next move. Struma tried to insist she join them, but a nest-maid snake kept her at bay. "Please rest, dearie. You've been through more than enough," she said. She then went off to get the owl something to eat, whatever would be allowed with the Tree's current rationing.
Meanwhile, Gylfie, Twilight, Digger, Pelli, and Otulissa gathered together in the former three's hollow, trying to make some sense of the increasingly disheartening situation.
"Have you tried talking to Eglantine again?" Pelli asked Gylfie.
Gylfie slowly shook her head. "I think it's best we give her a bit more time. I can't say I wouldn't be doing the same thing in her position."
"I know," Pelli said glumly. "Poor thing. To have so much of one's family lost."
"Strix Struma made it back," Otulissa said. She was one of the most overjoyed of anyone over this news. It was clear that she looked up to the older owl as a hero and teacher, and Struma in turn was highly fond of the spirited younger Short-Eared. "That's a good sign of hope."
Pelli nodded, but didn't look any more comforted.
"I say we just get all our forces and go back out there!" Twilight declared, puffing his chest. "Show them what happens when you come after us!"
"Their position gives them the advantage," Digger rebutted. "Any direct strike we make could be easily countered."
"Our best chance would be a pincer movement," Otulissa said. They all turned to her in confusion, not as well-versed in battle tactics as the scholar. She huffed in mild annoyance and explained. "A stealth fighting maneuver. We'd sneak our way behind the enemy and attack from the back and front, pinching their forces between our own," she said, looking proud to share her knowledge with everyone.
"That's not a bad idea," Pelli said. "I just hope the higher-ups come up with something quickly," Pelli said. "We can't go on too much longer like this, and if they … Gylfie, what are you looking at?"
Pelli saw that the Elf Owl's focus was now directed on the view of the sea that the hollow provided. And she didn't look the least bit happy by what she was looking at, judging by her stiff stance and gaping beak.
"Gylfie?" Twilight echoed.
The rest of the owls' eyes went in the direction she was looking. And they instantly saw what was troubling her.
From the thick fog surrounding the tree, a massive swarm of owls was emerging. They all wore dreadfully familiar masks and carried plenty of weapons and supplies to go around. And as the owls in the hollow looked around, they could see just as many intruders coming in from all directions to the island. It was an entire army, looking close to the amount that had been spotted back at Cape Glaux.
Gylfie shuddered in fear, and could see her friends doing the same thing. The Pure Ones were advancing their siege, moving from securing the western mainland to now about to touch down on the sacred island that so many good owls called home.
For generations, legend said that the fog and mists surrounding the Great Tree kept it hidden from the owl kingdom, with only those "strong of purpose and true of heart" having successfully ventured past it to see the majesty of the legend come true. Unfortunately, it now seemed to have worked against them: keeping their enemies hidden long enough to reach them undetected. How they managed to find the tree was a mystery in itself, but that was now the least of their worries.
Surely enough, the rest of the Guardians weren't long to see the trouble themselves. A few distress calls could be heard from various branches and hollows, and became louder and more widespread by the second. A few owls suddenly swooped past the window of the hollow, and clamoring could be heard above them. Some began scrambling to get their forces and weapons together, probably hastily cooking up some half-baked plan. Others needed to make sure that those unable to fight were kept safe.
"GUARDIANS!! WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!!" Ezylryb screeched from the Parliament hollow. "ALL TALONS ON DECK, NOW!!"
However, once the first set of Pure Ones landed on the elevated terrain of the island, it was clear that whatever the Guardians tried, it was too late. There was no time to mount a proper defense, and they had nowhere to go with the still-increasing number of foes surrounding them.
The Pure Ones had them.
"It's the beginning of the end, brother."
Soren gasped through his gag when a familiar voice entered his cell hollow. His head swiveled to the entrance, where his eyes once again met the brother who had betrayed him.
"Grrnh," he mumbled.
"Our forces are on their way to your precious tree, ready to chip away at your friends day-by-day. Until they wither away to nothing, or die in a foolish attempt to fight back … I'd be fine with either, personally."
On their way to the tree?! How did they find it?!
"Nn!" Soren growled. He tugged his wings in their ropes as his captor approached him. Kludd stood over his bound brother, purposefully stretching his legs to gain height, even though he was already the taller of the two. Soren hopped back awkwardly, legs bent and body low as he looked up at the older owl defensively. His eyes were ablaze with anger and hurt, as the gag forced his beak into a scowl.
"I would take you there to witness your dreams come crashing down for yourself, but perhaps here your imagination can be your own worst enemy." His beak formed a smile that Soren could only describe as sadistic. He followed the younger sibling's movements backwards to keep himself hovered above him. In Kludd's shadow, as Kludd had desired for so long.
Kludd took the moment to really take the visual in. His brother, hide it as he may try, looked so utterly, genuinely scared. His bound legs were trembling, his breathing through his nasal cavities heavy yet rapid. He pulled on his bonds by instinct, wobbling back and forth so pitifully. It was beyond what Kludd had envisioned if he ever got his claws on the Guardian.
But it also reminded Kludd that for as much resentment as he held for his little sibling, Soren never tried to harm him. That much was clear when, even as Kludd was fighting and threatening to kill him, he still somehow was begging for the fight to stop. He didn't want Kludd as his enemy … was he really prepared to forgive him after everything he'd done?
No, Kludd thought. He simply wants the coward's way out. His eyes hardened as he kept glaring down the wriggling Soren, who realized he was out of room to move when his tail feathers brushed up against the back wall. He was turning and twisting himself around, much like how he would try to worm himself out of fighting back.
"Don't give me that look," Kludd scolded. "Your little act is for nothing. You know you can't beat me, and so you think you can get me to succumb to your soft talk."
"Nnnrr nnnnh!!" Soren tried to insist that his love for Kludd was not an act, but the words were lost in the gag. How could he think such a thing?! "Grrnh, nnrmmmynn!!"
He sounded so hurt. Kludd couldn't hear an ounce of deception in the muffled cries. But he couldn't fall for it. Nyra was already beginning to see cracks in his abilities; going soft on a prisoner would only confirm her doubts. Especially not after everything he'd had to do to earn her love … the sacrifices he'd made.
"It matters not what you try to say, brother," he asserted. "Our plan is already underway."
He narrowed his eyes and said, "The siege of Ga'hoole has begun."
The original Guardians of Ga'hoole series was created by Kathryn Lasky. The film Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'hoole and its versions of the characters belong to Warner Bros.
Originally uploaded on April 10, 2020.
As promised, we get a bit more time with Soren as he struggles and ponders over the state of things. And then, in a last-minute decision, a little extra at the end! In between, my biggest hope was that I did well with Pelli and Eglantine learning about what happened. I wanted to get their pain across clearly, while also not wanting to overdo it. A few other developments occurred, and finally capping off their side of the chapter with the Pure Ones' siege reaching the island of the Tree. As Kludd says, the siege of Ga'hoole has begun!
For those who have been following along, thank you for doing so, and read on for more!
Category Story / Bondage
Species Owl
Size 990 x 720px
File Size 1.05 MB
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