Origins

[Battias]

Chapter 60

"Poor, Stupid, Guardian, what did that to your face? A Pure one I presume," Swarr grimaced, turning his head slightly, "Well, now you won't need to worry about it..." The Pure one said, again clenching his talons togeather and striking Swarr on the chest again, for a barn owl, he could hit hard, Swarr coughed as he struck him in the lung, "Now now... tell me everything..." He said slyly, smiling, "How about you shut your beak?" Swarr said, he felt confident, if he was going to die anyways, why not fight back? Swarr lurched forward and wrapped one of his talons halfway around the Pure one's neck, he stumbled back, and a few of his soldiers darted forward and rammed Swarr back into a rock sticking out of the melting snow, causing Swarr to release his grip, "IDIOTIC, FRINKING IDIOTIC!" the Pure one screamed, gasping, "Do you want to die?" Swarr smirked, "You have one last chance before you get hurt... tell me about the king, the queen, your stupid parliment, ANYTHING!" Swarr pushed himself against the wall, and prepared himself, "We're waiting..." he said cooly, Swarr gulped, "You wouldn't want to know any of that stuff, puts a imbecile like you to sleep," the Pure one breathed heavily, then threw himself forward torwards Swarr.

The Pure one slammed straight into Swarr's chest, both talons clenched, Swarr groaned in pain as he felt every breath he took start to hurt, "NOW!" the Pure one screeched, Swarr gagged and looked up, "Now? why not later? are you impatient?" the Pure one brought his talons across Swarr's face, Swarr felt his face start to bleed, his breathing painful, "You have a deathwish, don't you?" Swarr churred silently, "And you have the wish to go to hagsmire," the Pure one smiled, "I will kill you, next time you smart off, don't you have a family? of course you do, you're a Guardian, why ditch that?" Swarr shook his head, "I'm not ditching it, I give you information, you burn the Great tree, my Friends and my child, I am protecting it, Do you seriously think I am stupid enough to destroy what I love?" the Pure one shook his head slowly, "Goodbye, Guardian."

[Battias]

Chapter 61

Swarr blinked rapidly, the commanding Pure one looked torwards his group of six underlings, "You, you, and you, Take off your battle claws, NOW, set them aside, now kill him," The Pure ones looked to eachother, a bit confused, "Yes, Unarmed you idiots!" The Pure ones said in unision "Yes sir!" and flexed their wings. Swarr breathed heavily, Looking up the boulder he was pinned against, he spread his wings and took off and attempted to escape, Swarr felt talons ripping at his back, he spun away, but was slammed down to the ground, as two of the Pure ones dove into him, as he hit the ground, his injured breathing began to be overwhelming, one of the Pure ones kept him pinned the ground, Swarr out of breath and weak was unable to fight, he struggled feebly, he heard silent laughing come from the commander, Swarr closed his eyes, there was a sudden bark, screeching following, Swarr, suprised, shot his eyes opened and looked torwards the sound, two of the Pure ones were fleeing into the distance, another two lay dead on the snow, and a soaking wet wolf fought off the remainders, Swarr, relieved, laid his head in the snow, unable to move from the weakness.

the wolf killed the last Pure ones, and sprinted over to Swarr quickly, Licking him gently, "Swarr?" she said, Swarr breathed heavily, "I seriously didn't expect to be rescued, Misha, thanks," Misha backed away and shook off her wet coat, "I, I smelled your scent, and... blood... while I was on the other side of the Narrows, I was scared for a minute, and began to attempt to hop over several ice flows, well, I failed that and fell in," Swarr pushed himself up, and stood, a little wobbly, "How's everyone else?" Misha paced around, looking around up in the sky, "Mother is fine, my brother... he was attacked by a diseased wolf, you can guess the rest," Swarr nodded, coughing, saddened by the news, "How are you doing, other than being attacked?" Swarr churred silently, "I've lost a few friends, gained a few friends, raising an egg, yeah..." Misha nodded, looking around, Swarr noticed how big she grew since he last saw her, "Will you be okay? to fly back?" Swarr shrugged, shifting his wings afterwards, "Maybe in a few, Just need to rest a while," Misha nodded again, panting and turning around, "Well, i'll stay until you do!"

[Battias]

Chapter 62

Swarr opened his eyes and saw his vision shaking, everything spinning, Misha slept protectively in front of him, he inspected the area with his shakey vision, he could barely make out that they were in a large alcove under a boulder, he groaned silently, closing his eyes, he felt weak, and his breath quivering, he passed out soon after. Swarr found himself back at the tree, in the medical hollow with mosses around him, and the tracking chaw Ryb speaking to someone else, just out of view, he closed his eyes and sighed again, wondering how he got there, his head started to clear up, but he was still feeling lightheaded, he heard the Tracking ryb say, "I heard barking and thought, 'Whats a wolf doing this far from the beyond?', went to investigate and led me to him, you better check him out, his breathing sounds unnatural," Swarr blinked his eyes shut and propped his wing up, "He's been out for a day and a half, the wolf said, Luckily I knew he went out, after he was gone for such a long while I had to bring the search and rescue chaw with me," Swarr coughed suddenly, bringing a member of the healing chaw to him quickly, he sighed raspily, and opened his eyes, "Swarr, how do you feel?" Swarr shook his head, "Well, I've lost alot of blood after being slashed and beat by them Pure ones, so lightheaded, weak, sore..." The healing chaw member hushed him and said, "Take deep breaths,"

Swarr did as told, a little hesitantly, and the healing chaw member, a female barred owl, said, "Sounds like your lung is bruised, I'm guessing? I'm going to have to get the Ryb to determine, I'll be right back with herbs," Finally, the tracking chaw ryb walked over, he was called Illan, "So, did you find Levi, Swarr?" Swarr nodded, "Yes..." Illan cut him off before he finished, "Where is he, why didn't he return for help, or stay with you?!" Swarr wilfed suddenly, "He's Dead! buried under the sea is where he is right now, and guess why? Pure ones, of course," Illan nodded, breathing rapidly and shakily, "Sorry for sounding demanding, but uh... now we don't have a singer... I'm... I'm going to go tell Parliment, okay?" Swarr nodded, stretching his wings, the barred owl returned, "Here, take this, it should relieve some of the pain and help steady your lung, your lung should heal in a few weeks, maybe two to three months, but nothing is TOO serious," Swarr sighed, relieved, "So could I return to my hollow? And better yet, am I allowed to fly?" the barred owl thought for a bit before saying, "Right now, probably not a good idea, but in a week, definantly, but you might run out of breath quickly, and it may hurt, but definantly, and you can return to your hollow now, I'll come by tomorrow to give you more herbs," Swarr nodded, and stood, he grunted, and wobbled over to the entrance, and made his way to his hollow, the egg still in place.

[Battias]

Chapter 63

"I know it wasn't my fault, or yours either, but I feel guilty," Tobias said to Swarr soon after he returned, "Levi? Why do you feel guilty? You weren't there." Swarr peered out of his hollow, the sun just set, it was about a week after he returned, the egg sat in the corner of the Room, Petras slept softly, making a soft wheezing sound. "I just do, I kind of ignored him these past few weeks, I didn't really talk to him much, whenever he tried to start conversation, I would end it as quickly as possible," Swarr shook his head, "I understand, but there's nothing you can do to change it, just remember him," Swarr said stretching his aching wings, his breathing still a little sore, "Uh, when is the egg suppose to hatch?" he asked, Swarr shook his head, "When it wants to!" Swarr said churring a little, Tobias smiled and looked down, "Ryben has gone off, went to learn a tecnique or two from a Rogue smith, he said," Swarr nodded, they both talked silently for a long while before Tobias departed, and Swarr fell asleep.

Two days later, Swarr was disrupted while scanning through a book, he was hoping to send his chaw to do something without him, as he couldn't attend, but Petras hissed, "Get over here! it's time!" Swarr rushed over a bit wobbly, "What?" he said confused, he looked at the egg, an egg tooth sticking through the surface. His eyes opened up, He watched concentrating, not taking his eyes off, when the featherless chick emerged, Petras hissed silently, and excitedly, "It's a girl, Swarr," Swarr coughed, thinking, he thought back to when he and Alysa first met, their first little training exercise, Tracking, the Lilacs... "Lilac... Lilac will be her name," Swarr said confidently. Swarr watched the days flow by, one moment later her first downy feathers sprouted, then first insect ceremony, a couple weeks later the other ceremonies followed, one recent memory Swarr remembers is when Lilac asked about her mother, Swarr answered truthfully, and rather sadily, her primaries and secondaries growing were gray, like her parents, unlike his brown feathers. The next moment, she was in a chaw. Her personality has taken shape fairly well, Swarr felt complete.

END

[Battias]

Part II
Ryth's struggles

[Battias]

Chapter 1

A new beginning, shall we say, one where the tainted bloodline will be corrected, all impurities clensed, I caused these impurities, I was stupid, I still am, but the young one won't be, Urax thought, flying through the forest, heading in the general direction of the Beaks, the eggs his stupid mate laid moons ago, the older one was almost ready, he sighed, looking directly forward, the moonlit night streamed down onto the tops of the trees, but below all was dark except for some rifts in the canopy of the conifers. Urax was caught by suprise as he was given a sudden push torwards the ground, no, something slammed into him. He looked torwards the attacker, his head spinning around quickly, "Far enough!" the Pure one said, his helmet shining, "Apologies! I... I wish to ask a question!" the Pure one shifted his wings, "What?!" Urax breathed heavily, "Can, can the Tupsi ceremony be carried out on an egg?" The Pure one bobbed his head quickly, "Is it aged, or newly laid?" Urax swallowed heavily, "A...aged one is weeks older than my other, the older egg will join me," The Pure one pulled his head back, Jumped off of Urax and let him get up, "Ugh, Why not? Come back when it's ready," Urax nodded quickly, and took off torwards his hollow


"Urax, here it comes!" His mate screeched, he sighed silently, annoyed, he hated his mate, but she would be gone, until then he had to pretend he loved her, all he needed her for was to raise the owlet, he watched impatiently as the egg hatched, it hatched fairly quickly, it was a girl, he was about to suggest a name, something Pure, something that matched, but his mate blurted out, "I know the perfect name, Hessity!" Urax wilfed at the name, "H... Why not something else dear, why not..." His mate cut him off, making him more annoyed, "No honey, Hessity, It's just perfect!" Urax nodded slowly, giving in to his annoying mate, when she performed her Tupsi, her name would change, something Pure, He watched 'Hessity' develop, she was strong, she would correct his deeds.

[Battias]

Chapter 2

Urax quickly returned to his hollow, he agreed with his mate that they would each go out hunting, go their seperate ways for a while, he lied, he returned after he left as he always did to lead his daughter to the right direction. He entered, and approached his daugher, Hessity stood slowly and stood in a statue-like form, as if a salute, "No, stop, don't do that, I'm not a high ranking officer of the Pure one's, I'm your father, and a disgrace, it is good that you are learning though," Hessity settled down, "Father, why do you always say you are a disgrace?" Urax shook his head quickly, "Because I AM! I hesitated to complete my Tupsi, I... I was suppose to kill my aunt during the ceremony, but... she DIED BEFORE I COULD EVEN DRAW BLOOD FROM HER, she died from fright, just like that, and why? Because I was too slow, when she died, they saw I didn't kill her, and said to wait with the other recruits, I could have my Tupsi some other time, but me, I was also a coward, and I had trust issues, I thought they would kill me, so I flew away, but I learned I was wrong, they wouldn't kill me, but it was too late... now I am trying to redeem myself," Hessiy nodded slowly, a little annoyed by his father's ranting, he did it all the time her mother wasn't home, but he was trying to lead her to be strong, she understood.


"Hessity... I want to prepare you for the future... Don't get too attached to your mother or the egg..." Hessity stepped back, asking, "Wh...What?" Urax shook his head quickly, "If you start saying a word, always finish it, never repeat it, Anyways I can't tell you why, but It will be important later on," Hessity nodded, not showing much emotion, "Yes father," Urax Headed torwards the hollow entrance, "Hessity, Do you like your name?" Hessity drew her head back, "Excuse me, Fater?" Urax repeated, "Do you like your name? do you think it suits you?" Hessity shook her head slowly, "I think it's awkward..." His father nodded, flying out before she could add anything else.

[Battias]

Chapter 3

Hessity branched from branch to branch, her new feathers making her ready to fly, Urax watched from the ground, "It's a miracle that I got your mother to let me teach you alone," he muttered under his breath, but Hessity was close, so she heard, she started to dislike her mother, she realizes why her father is annoyed by her, she's demanding and bossy, and desperate. Urax Looked up to her, "Once you make it down here, I shall teach you how your grandfather taught me, he was better than me, he was a lietenant, but better yet, your Uncle was a colonel, he lead a small skillful squad," Urax waited patiently, his daughter made it quickly, "Let's begin," Urax said, looking at the moon in the distance setting. Hours passed and the sun was beginning to rise, Urax noticed that Hessity was skillful, she was fast and agile, but she fumbled every now and then, some further teaching would fix that. She would meet the Pure ones soon. Urax looked at Hessity, "You're ready, let's go," Hessity nodded, a little nervousness building up inside of her, but it was overcome by eagerness, she wanted to become a Pure one, the stories of the Guardians her mother spoke of she ignored, she forgot them purposefully. Hessity flew on, and noticed the land below started to rise, into rocky hills and cliffs. Suddenly a screech broke out, Urax noticed, and screeched back, "Stop! We... we want to be recruited!" The Pure one darting out of the brush stopped, he stared at Hessity, he sighed and nodded, "Follow me, No tricks or you will be killed."


Hessity stared long and hard at the ground, until a shape began to appear, a well camoflagued ruin, It was amazing, a thickness of short pines secluded it, the vines and mosses growing on it gave it the green appearance of the dull grass, Urax seemed intrigued as well, They landed along a cliff behind the ruin, and a high ranking tyto appeared from inside the ruin, coming to greet, "You are looking to be recruited?" Hessity nodded, Urax followed, a little hesitantly, as if he was more nervous than she was, "Very well, You shall recieve training and tests to prove what you are useful for, then your Tupsi ceremony will follow. Once your Tupsi is recieved, you will recieve some extra combat training, then move on to training for your designated branch, If you can handle this, you can join, If not, then leave now and never return," Urax stood shaking, Hessity nodded unhesitantly, Urax followed, quietly and slowly. "Welcome, recruits."

[Battias]

Chapter 4

Hessity was split up from her father who was in a differant room, she was alone, but she didn't feel alone, she felt at home. An instructor stepped up, quite aged, and looked down upon the recruits, while rain dripped through the gaps in the ceiling of the old fortress. He stood silently, looking intensely upon them, everyone was in a line, standing tall, looking forward, there wasn't many of them, sixteen recruits, she heard that they usually took up to thirty recruits at a time, but it didn't matter, perhaps they were weakening, they were... that's why they needed to plan, thats why she would fight while they sit back and think... "Now! I notice some of you look physically weak, that can be fixed, but if it can't, you can just give up your hopes of ascending the ranks! Grab a pair of training claws from the crate in the corner! Stay in a line!" Hessity turned with everyone else, but noticed they were hesitant, or slow, they grabbed a pair, Hessity noticed these claws were very old, rust tainting their surface, and they were so blunt that they probably had no hope of being sharpened, these wouldn't hurt much to be hit with, they would probably snap in half. Ryth slipped on the claws and faced the instructor in her original spot, "Now, if you notice, your claw's leather is differantly colored," Everybody looked down at their claws, Hessity noticed they weren't the usual dark brown she saw when passing the armory, these had a red taint to them, the owl next to her had a green taint to his, "Now, Fight only owls with the opposite coloring, GO!" Hessity's eyes widened as the owl next to her immediately pounced on her, before the instructor even said go.


Hessity shot up avoiding the pounce, and immediately came back down and sliced him with her training claws, his white barn owl feathers wilfing. He was slow, and he was defeated. She moved on and looked around, and noticed a masked owl chasing another owl with red tainted claws, she quickly sped torwards him, he noticed and turned, hessity felt water dripping as she passed under a gap in the ceiling, she locked talons with the masked owl, who quickly pushed Hessity back, Hessity quickly went forward and struck him under the chest before he could think. Suddenly she was hit in the back by the same owl she downed earlier, she fell, but recovered, luckily he rammed her headfirst instead of extending his legs and slicing her, she headed back up and hit the same owl in the back of the head with her claws, suddenly the instructor screeched, "STOP! I have noticed some of you are weak, and some of you are already fit. Those unfit will recieve extra fitness training, while those who are well will go on, I will name a few who will go on," Hessity listened, "Jyrol, Lysen, Harl..." He started, Hessity breathed hard, she fought hard, she tried to assist a fellow Pure one? "...Vicker, Yrnal, Hessity..." Hessity sighed, relieved, he finished by calling two more names, and he finally dismissed them to rest for ten minutes, then continue for their next training exercise.

[Battias]

Chapter 5

Hessity was approached by her father, three minutes before they tested the groups certain skills. Her father sighed, and said "I trust you are doing well?" Hessity nodded, "Very well, father, I passed." Urax shook his head, "I, I'm not too good at fighting," Hessity straightened up, and said to her father, "You taught me to be the best I could be, but you act like this once we are finally on the road to becoming Pure ones? The father I used to know was stronger than this, his expectations were high, even if your pride and honor is low, fix it!" Urax looked up at his daughter, not expecting to hear these kind of words, he raised her right. A screech sounded, "All failing recruits report back to Colonel Tor, Those who pass, come with me!" Hessity looked up, and saw a strong female barn owl above. She was excited, and followed the owl.


"You shall address me as Major Kyraa, I specialize in stealth and tracking, here I test you to see if you are fast, quiet, and strategic. Those who pass showing great skill may even join my divison, in which you will do special tasks such as assassinations, spying on certain target enemies, and importantly, suprise attacks." Kyraa said while landing on a steep hill a long while away from the fortress. "First, I want to test your speed and agility, and to do this, we do a very simple test, Chasing finches," Kyraa pointed a talon out to a forest below, Hessity noticed feint chirps, warning calls from the finches. "Go!" Kyraa screeched. Hessity darted forward and found a target, a small finch, she set out after it, dodging the branches by making swift skillful movements. She heard a large snap as someone ran full force into a branch, Hessity didn't dare turn to look though, she might lose her target. She got closer and closer by using a series of dives, the finch was faster than her, but it was loud with its constant fearful twittering, and she was skilled in finding ways to catch up. She reached out her talons, and with a sudden burst of speed, grabbed the finch, she let out a sigh of success, and returned. "Very well, second to return," Kyraa said. Hessity grew a liking to Kyraa, and hoped to succeed. A few more minutes went on before Kyraa screeched for everyone to halt. Everyone but one owl returned, half of the owls didn't have a finch, "Major Kyraa! We lost a recruit!" another recruit called upon returning, he was shaking, but lightly, he didn't care too much, "Who and how, recruit?" barn owl shook, "Oller, ran into a branch..." Kyraa nodded, "This is a sad loss, but it shouldn't be reflected on too much, Now the next test, stealth," Hessity took a deep breath, and prepared.

[Battias]

Chapter 6

"Alright recruits!" Kyraa screeched as they landed on the border of the forest of Tyto, far from the fortress, "You all will make your way back to the fortress when I say go. It sounds easy, but the twist is, you are hunted, ten of my best trackers and myself, along with a few unskilled soldiers, will be tracking you down, if you arrive at the cliff near the fortress then you are safe, and pass. This will not be easy, you may evade if you are found, but if you are tackled by one of us, it's over for you." Hessity Shivered, this was training? It was intense, it felt right. "GO!" Kyraa screeched, Hessity felt a cool wind follow through, the season of fall was coming down soon, "You have twenty seconds!" Kyraa added, as Hessity heard this, she though, "I should gain distance before they begin hunting, If I go through the forest quickly, I could end up like that other owl, dead from a branch," Hessity whispered to herself. Hessity looked up, the clouds were thick in the moonlit night, Hessity headed up into the clouds and counted slowly to herself, 5.....4.....3.....2....., before quickling darting down into the forest again.


A screech rang out, Hessity was being hunted, she looked forward, determined to be slow and quiet, it was hard when she was suddenly pestered, "Hey, we need to work togeather, I know this area," Hessity shook her head at the idiotic barn owl coming in beside her, and whispered harshly, "No! I know what I'm doing, leave so we BOTH don't get caught," the stranger replied rather loudly, "Come on, You'll need me," Hessity had enough, he was loud and obnoxious, she was going to get rid of him, he would bring her down, "OVER HERE!" Hessity cried out, and with a sudden burst of speed broke off torwards the right. The other Tyto looked torwards where she headed, dumbfounded, Hessity looked back as he was knocked down. She went quickly, not heading straight torwards the fortress but flanking. She decided to slow down as the wind picked up, the massive rustling sound of the branches masking every sound. Hessity Noticed the cliff ahead of her, she burst upward, the several hunters in the area noticed, and made their way torwards her, she quickly landed beside a group of other recruits, who looked at her astonished, "Were you all caught?" Hessity asked, a couple of them shook their heads, others showed obvious signs that they were caugh but didn't answer. Hessity succeeded, and waited for the other recruits to finish to pass the training.

[Battias]

Chapter 7

"Keep your weapons and armor ready! If not, your own weapon or armor will fail on important times," Hessity found herself in a boring training exercise, caring for weapons, but she knew it was important. She took a small ball of moss and dipped it into a bowl of oil, and wiped a pair of battle claws with them. Hessity sighed, looking around to see a couple of other recruits messing around, acting like fools. The instructor, Lieutenant Tyllius, stepped over and whacked both of them on the back of the head, and started scolding them. Hessity couldn't hold back a quiet churr, as another owl approached her, he looked at her and cleared his throat, he was a recruit as well. "You seem to know what your doing? Yes?" Hessity nodded, "Yes, why?" she said rather suspiciously, "Oh couldn't help but notice your skill. You succeeded the stealth run back her earlier aswell. Pretty impressive." Hessity nodded, staying silent, he spoke with confidence. "Could I know your name?" Hessity drew set down the battle claws, "Hessity," she replied drawing her head back. He nodded, adding, "I... I'm Ronal," Hessity nodded before a screeched called letting them know that they were dismissed, "Tupsi is next, after this final training," Ronal said, "I know..." Hessity said rather quietly, "I'll be going," Ronal said before taking off. Hessity hung up the battle claws and headed torwards her next training exercise.


"I am High Tyto Kairo, you recruits are close to concluding your training, and becoming useful to us," Hessity stood straight, prepared for anything, she noticed her father in the row in front of her, he stood straight, but she couldn't see his face. The High Tyto called out, which made Hessity Shiver slightly, "Capturing and holding areas is important, we need those who are skilled in defense and offense. Join a team, and be ready!" Hessity joined up randomly, a group building up to the right, Ronal followed her. "We have set up a zone north of here, one team will hold it, one will Attack," The High Tyto exited, and another tyto took his place, "Follow me!" Hessity clicked her talons on the ground, she was excited.

[Battias]

Chapter 8

As they entered the area, Hessity noticed a box of training claws, the trainer motioned all of the recruits to take a pair, "These claws are not specially colored for your team! You must learn to identify your allies and foes!" Hessity took a pair, Ronal immediately took a pair beside her, Hessity looked at him, feeling a little awkward that he is being overly friendly. "This group, right here, you are attacking!" The trainer said to the team Hessity and Ronal were part of. The tyto signaled them to go to a specific location and wait while the defenders organized, "Interested in me, are you? You seem to be following," Ronal sighed, "I shouldn't lie, of course, you seem strong and wise enough to befriend, as allies such as you would be..." Ronal ran out of words, Hessity shook her head, "I understand what you mean," Hessity couldn't help but sigh, she was hoping to be secluded from others, but perhaps there could be exceptions, Hessity finally noticed how confident and strongly built he was, larger for a Barn owl, she was certain he was near her age. "Hmm, Planning is going to be crucial, the defense could be nothing but idiots or they could be very clever, but either way I don't plan on losing, if we do then my chances of getting placed on the stealth division is going to be lessened," Hessity nodded, "You hoping for stealth aswell? With Kyraa?" Ronal nodded, Hessity began metioning a plan, and Ronal listened, a few other owls who were going to attack joined in.


Hessity Spotted a sooty owl, was it on her team? No, she didn't recognize him, he was a scout for the defenders. Hessity was flanking them a long way around, Ronal and another barn owl behind. Hessity was still out of the sooty's sight, so she went in to attack. She attacked quickly, the sooty didn't have time to react, he noticed he was hit and sighed, returning to the trainer. Hessity perched on a branch with Ronal and the other tyto, "Should we signal them to attack now?" Ronal asked, Hessity hushed him, "Lets get behind them before we call, If we do they will be confused and think we're coming behind, they'll turn around to prepare, but get hit from behind," Ronal nodded. They circled around, and when they arrived behind the position the defenders were guarding, Hessity screeched loudly twice, and dove down among the trees with Ronal and the other owl following, "We're going to wait for them to attack before we do, right? if we attack we will be overwhelmed, no matter the skill," Jagen said, the other Tyto following part of their team, he was light and found fighting difficult, but made up for it with his excellent thinking, "Yes, Prepare yourselves!" Hessity responded.

[Battias]

Chapter 9

"No! Stop you idiots!" one of the defenders screeched as most of them turned to look and head torwards Hessity's group's direction, they frantically headed back to their posts, the 'leader' of their group was mean and demanding, he was also prone to lieing, and hated doing things for himself, thats what Hessity heard from Ronal. The attackers didn't have an overall leader, they planned togeather. "It's just one or two scouts trying to draw us away! You three, go check it out!" their pitiful leader demanded, they approached, Hessity and her squad lied low among the leaves, hoping not to be spotted yet. "I have an Idea, Ronal, stay here, Hessity head in the direction," Jagen pointed, "I'll head over here, screech three or four times after me. Make it sound like a battle cry," Hessity thought about this plan, would it work? It might, but they'd be put in danger. Hessity nodded and headed to position, silently and laying low. She made it and heard Jagen screech, she did aswell waiting after Ronal. They screeched several times, noticing the Defenders turning around and showing their backs to the rest of the attacking team, then there was fighting.


Hessity took off to join with Ronal and Jagen followed. She realized that she may be interested in Ronal, he had something, skill. Jagen wasn't bad either, Hessity learned Jagen met Ronal during the first training exercise, the fighting, Jagen would possibly be a great ally. Hessity buried her fake claws into several of the unexpecting defenders, tearing out some feathers along the way. She didn't knew her father wasn't with the attackers, and she didn't notice him in the defending owls shamefully flying away... was he held back for additional training, was he not fit to be a soldier? Hessity noticed that they have succeeded, they have captured the zone, almost the entire defending team was taken down on that single oak tree that they based on. Hessity followed the shameful defending team torwards the meeting point. She got in line, awaiting the trainer. He approached and looked at them all. "Attackers. Unless you are freeloaders you will be having your Tupsi ceremony tomorrow. I wish to let you know that you will be placed in some of the honorable divisions, such as our Royal guard, stealth, reconnaissance, and more. Defending team will have one more training exercise divison, and your chance of recieving these types of divisions is scarce, you will most likely be in special weapons, guard, or defense. You all must know that you all aren't the failures, many owls do not have the skill you have, they are usually frontline attackers, and do the most dangerous tasks where death is likely expected." Hessity wilfed slightly, she succeded! But her father?

[Battias]

Chapter 10

Hessity approached her father after returning, "What happened, why are you held back?" Urax had tears drip from his eyes, "I failed a couple of times..." Urax sighed, "I was told I'm... not cut out to be a soldier," Urax looked up at Hessity, "I... I was told I would be a guard, and would perform Tupsi tomorrow with the other higher skilled owls," Hessity shrugged, "Better than nothing?" Urax nodded, "I hope the egg can wait until tomorrow, your sibling hatches very soon, and I was hoping to perform my Tupsi before then," Hessity nodded, "Is mother confused as to why I have left?" Urax shook his head, "No, told her you made your way living in the Beyond, she asked why you wanted to be away from family at such a young age, but knowing her, she is always worrying about a single downy feather out of shape," Hessity looked around the recruit barracks, as it was called, it was home to the recruits, she hoped to move on to the soldier barracks as it was in better shape, with large alcoves in the wall meant to be shared by two soldiers, and the room was much larger, it was underground but a section has caved in to form a hole.


Hessity stood tall, she noticed in front of her was Kyraa, Colonel Tor, and two other higher ranking owls Hessity didn't recognize. The High Tyto himself appeared, gliding down upon the floor in front of the line of recruits. He spoke "Now, you will commence your Tytonic Union Pure Special Initiation, or your so called 'special ceremony'. You will perform an important task, and will be renamed." The high tyto tilted his white head, his scar making Hessity shiver. Several guards rushed forward and planted a pair of battle claws in front of them, "Now, recruits, equip the battle claws, and wait as you will be greeted by a close one, to 'witness' your ceremony," Hessity was confused at first, but suddenly her mother was shoved into the room, a guard tore the egg away from her talons and laid it in front of her father, her mother pushed in front of her, she noticed a very old owl limp torwards Ronal, no hesitation. "Hessity what are you doing here? Aren't you in the Beyond?" The High Tyto screeched, "Now, strike them down with your blades! If you refuse, you will be shamefully put down!" Hessity wilfed, Kill her? Hessity shook the mixed feelings off, this would be her new family, her mother didn't matter, she was annoying and demanding anyways... Hessity pounced on her mother and held her unarmed talons over her face, pinning her down. "HESSITY WHY?" she screeched, crying and begging, "I did something wrong didn't I?" Hessity looked up at the High tyto, her face showed extreme devotion, she took a deep breath and shoved a single battle claw down into her mother's neck.

[Battias]

Chapter 11

Hessity breathed deeply, she heard a slight rininging sound in her ears, apparently her mother whacked her across the head hard, who knew the witch could hit. Hessity closed her eyes, looking around at the other owls, he noticed her father staring intently at the egg, undamaged, DO IT! Hessity screamed in her head, if he was going to refuse, then why even want to be a Pure one in the first place? Hessity noticed the bodies of many other dead owls being carried away, and the owls who refused were forcefully pushed out, who knew where they would go. Hessity shook as her father screeched and smashed the egg into the floor, the chick inside rolling pitifully out. Hessity looked away, Even though her father completed Tupsi, he was going insane, was he having regrets about joining the Pure ones?

The high Tyto was now naming them, going down the line of the remaining owls one by one, Hessity became slightly annoyed by the ringing now. She noticed her father was named Rarn, And Ronal was named Cobrin. Hessity sighed, the time went so slow, her head shot up as she noticed the talons of the High Tyto standing in front of her... "Your name." Hessity straightened herself, and said confidently, "Hessity," The High Tyto looked at her, scanning her, and said rather quickly "You are Ryth from this day forward," Ryth? she thought in her head, it was her new name, it was much better than Hessity. Hessity... now Ryth... breathed slowly as the High Tyto moved down the line. After everyone was finished, the High Tyto adressed them back at his original spot right in front of the line, "You all are ranked now as 'Privates', Impress us and you will be ranked up. Now, you will report to the soldier's quarters and recieve your Divison! Clear out!" Ryth took no time in leaving, the ringing continuing. Upon reaching the quarters, it was empty except for the other owls who 'commited' Tupsi, Ryth approached her father while everyone waited, "Are you okay?" She said rather forcefully, "I was wrong, I was so very wrong... Hessity," Ryth cleared her throat, "I'm Ryth now... It's better than Hessity right? You complained that the name Hessity was Impure?" Her father shook his head, "I don't care anymore..." Suddenly several high ranking owls entered, Ryth turned and straightened up, Kyraa was among them. Kyraa approached Ryth, and inspected her, "You seem fit. You are with us now. Stealth." Ryth gave a quick nod, and Kyraa moved on. Cobrin approached her, "Ryth, I heard? I'm Royal Guard, you?" Ryth looked at him, "Stealth," Cobrin nodded, "Is your father all right? He seems... off If I'm not being too offensive," Ryth shook her head, "I know, I don't feel like I know him any more," Cobrin nodded, Ryth was starting something new, Something huge.

[Battias]

Chapter 12

Ryth stood in front of Kyraa, nervous but hiding it very well. Kyraa paced around in the large stone room. "As you know, private, you will get a mission, but you are going to do it alone, watched by a higher ranking Pure One. I see greatness in you, our division is small, this is because most of our members died in the last big battle a couple moons ago, and most other recruits don't have much talent to be among us. Now first. Your name!" Ryth said aloud, showing no emotion, "Ryth! Ma'am!" Kyraa nodded, "You are quite strong, are you?" Rytn thought, she wasn't as strong as most of the other recruits... "N...No Ma'am! I make up in agility and speed!" Kyraa nodded, "I understand. This division is not exactly all about fighting up front like in battles. We are made to 'disable', 'sabatoge', the enemy. In battles we may be near the back, flanking. You are to eliminate a blacksmith." Kyraa tossed a pair of battleclaws in front of Ryth, the real deal, "He is a rogue smith, but he is important because he is a slipgizzle. He is a Great grey living on the opposite corner of the Beaks. He blends with the boulders, he can get within a range close enough to hear delicate info. Kill him." Ryth nodded, the wind whistling through the cracks.


Ryth was being trailed by Anatoly, a large barn owl who was her 'overwatch' during the mission, he wasn't to help, but observe. Ryth arrived at the forge of the smith, she approached the entrance, Anatoly landed a distance away, Ryth turned to Anatoly and nodded, stepping into the forge. The Great grey stood in the middle beside his small coal pit, a rack of various weapons on the wall and a seperate room that Ryth couldn't make out ahead of the pit. Tools scattered the corner and a thin black dust covered the floor. Ryth quickly backed out, not making a sound, and found a large rock. She took it and flew a distance away, Anatoly followed, silently asking "What are you doing private? He's back there!" Ryth whispered back, wind picking up, "I have a plan, sir!" She took the rock and slammed it into one of her pairs of battle claws, cracking one and severely bending another. She approached the forge again and faked panting, "Smith! I... I need a repair," The great grey turned around, "What do you need?" Ryth took a deep breath and said, "My battle claws are broken and Pure ones are near my hollow. I can't fight with broken ones," The great grey looked wide eyed, "Do you need help? I could get the Guardians for you," Ryth shook her head, "There's only a small number, I trained with an old warrior," The smith looked into the weapon rack and grabbed new battleclaws, "Take these for now. Come back in a few days and I should have these fixed," Ryth put them on, feeling the cold metal, "Thank you!" Ryth said, sounding relieved, she quickly and suddenly took the new battleclaws and put them on, then without hesitation shoved them into the Great gray's throat. He looked at her in horror, unable to speak. His eyes closed and he went limp. Ryth left shaking her head at the pitiful corpse, Anatoly approached and nodded, "Excellent."

[Battias]

Chapter 13

Anatoly escorted Ryth to Kyraa's room as the rising sun peeked through the cracks, makeing the room dimly lit. Kyraa approached from the near center of the room, facing Anatoly, "Her performance?" Anatoly nodded, silent for a few minutes before answering, as if he thought hard about it, "Excellent in planning and action," Kyraa responded, "You may leave," Anatoly looked at Ryth with a blank, forceful stare, Ryth though of weather this would be good or bad. Kyraa said faced Ryth, who was still standing tall in front of her commander, "You seem promising, Keep this up and you will be on my good side. You are dismissed," Kyraa said, but Ryth noticed something different, when dismissing Anatoly she gave him a determined stare, but when dismissing Ryth, a tiny smile could be seen. Ryth nodded quickly, "Yes, Major Kyraa!" Ryth left at a medium pace, when leaving she was immediately stopped by Anatoly, "Ryth, is it? You impressed me, and I think you impressed Major Kyraa aswell, just to put that out there. Only a few have impressed Kyraa," Ryth responded rather slowly, "Thank you, sir," Anatoly tilted his head signaling her to move on her way.

Ryth finally noticed how much she has grown in the last few months. She was a little larger than her father, but for one main reason. "What is your problem? You have let yourself go, why? Isn't this what you wanted?" She whispered harshly at her father, who was smaller from his lack of eating, "It was what I wanted, but... Hessity..." Ryth cringed, "Hessity is not my frinking name! it's Ryth! You suddenly don't want to follow your own father like you did before?" She whispered harshly again. Her father had a gloomy, depressed look on his face, "I... I guess, I don't know why, I just feel like I've done something I shouldn't have," Ryth felt a surge of betrayal, she prodded one of her talons into his chest, "What do you expect to do? I'm not going to follow you, I'm more important here. If you leave then you have lied..." Ryth stopped her accusing of her father suddenly when Cobrin approached, "How did it go Ryth?" Ryth shook her head, a little upset about her father, she walked along with Cobrin, away from her father who's expressionless face glared in their direction. "It went, well, way better than I expected." Cobrin nudged her with his wing, "Well no failures? I did well on my first mission escorting," Ryth took a breath, "Assassination for me," Cobrin looked at her wide eyed, "Are you serious? Assassinations already? You're still only a private?" Ryth shook her head in disagreement, "Not for long if I impress my superiors." Cobrin sighed, taking a deep breath and seeming a little worried, she wondered why he acted this way, wouldn't he atleast show support? "Well, uhh, I'll talk to you tonight, I'm sleeping so I can move on with some training," Ryth nodded leaving him to take off torwards his sleeping area.

[Battias]

Chapter 14

The Guardian activity has dropped that day, and St. Aggie's activity was rising, but the Pure ones were more trained than those marauders, so not as many soldiers were needed. Ryth was one of those along with her father and Cobrin. Ryth stood in the corner of the hollow shared by the privates and corporals, It was mostly empty with all the other owls on duty, with the exception of a few owls who were either lucky or unlucky enough to get a small rest. Ryth stood beside her father, staring at him while he looked down. Cobrin was on the opposite side of the room, sleeping in. "There's something you aren't telling me." Urax nodded, "You used to lead me, put ideas into my mind, be stronger than me. Now you're... this," Ryth said angrily. Her father never answered, and after a moment of silence with the Fall wind seeping through the cracks. Ryth gave up and Left him, and walked over to Cobrin, "Wake up, You'll become lazy with this sleeping in," Cobrin woke up and yawned, "Fine, I'll get up," Ryth looked torwards the exit of the room, "Want to head out?" Cobrin shrugged, "Sure, why not,"

"Don't you think it's a little intense having to kill somebody on your first mission?" Ryth shrugged, "I'll be doing it in the future anyways, what else would I be needed for when I am perfect for these tasks?" Cobrin sighed, "I... I have a..." Cobrin stopped suddenly, not saying anything, "What?" Cobrin sighed, "... Uh... Your an amazing friend Ryth, I feel as if we will be togeather for a long while," Ryth Nodded slowly, she could tell he wanted to say something else, but he changed it, it was obvious from his tone of voice, "I feel the same," Cobrin sighed, "Oh no, not them!" Ryth looked ahead, "It's those idiots, they can't do anything right, they mess around during training and one of them failed their first mission. I don't know their names, but I do know they are as stupid as puffins," Ryth saw two Pure ones flying a distance ahead, away from them, they weren't doing anything but flying, "It's strange because they aren't goofing around now, I want to follow them and see what they're up to," Ryth took off ahead of Cobrin, "Well why not?" They caught up to the two owls, they landed after a while and just stood, Ryth and Cobrin landed in a nearby tree and watched silently. "Why do I have to be here?" Ryth heard one ask, the other responded, "Because, this is important," a masked owl landed nearby to them, "You wanted me?" The one Pure one nodded, the masked owl was not a pure one, "Show me what you have," The 'Obnoxious' Pure one pulled out of a nearby bush a whole stash of battle claws, they were the ones from the armory! Cobrin obviously was annoyed, and Ryth couldn't take it. Ryth flew down and confronted them, "YOU! Leave now or you will get hurt!" Ryth screeched at the Masked owl whose eyes shot open in fear, and stumbled away in a rocky flight. "And where did you get these!" She screeched at the two owls.

[Battias]

Chapter 15

Ryth followed a higher ranking officer to an underground room of the bunker, one she hasn't seen before, Cobrin followed behind trying to look past the thick vines, the officer pushing the two traitors ahead. They entered a room, smaller seperate rooms blocked off by old rusty bars, an owl as big as a tyto could of fit through the bars with no trouble, but the bars were reinforced with timber, not even a saw whet could squeeze through. Ryth noticed... the owls who failed to complete their Tupsi, they stared hungrily at them along with other unknown owls, possibly prisoners of war or other traitors, "What you see down here is not the worst. They have forsaken our cause and thus must lay hungry in a horrid prison. These owls are the ones who are rarely fed, they have no use to us, no information. The next room is where we keep captured slipgizzles or better, Guardians, who we will interrogate until their time comes. These scum are lucky," The officer said as they walked into the next room, there was a young great horned owl staring angrily at the passing group, "Come to question me again? You'll get nothing!" An owl yelled across the room, a Guard hiding above on a large tree root bashed his battle claws on the bars. The officer threw the two owls into a cell, "You two, you are no longer needed as you explained everything earlier. I will put in a good word to your overseers! Off now!"

"You fine group in front of me, we prepare for a small infiltration," Ryth stood with four other Pure ones in front of Kyraa, two days after her turning in the smugglers, "The St. Aegolious rogues think they're strong, they close in a few yards every single day. We show them that WE are the boss, we break through and stir up a fight, and leave quickly. We are a small team, but if we do this right we will be powerful! Lets go!" Ryth followed along as they took off from the cliff they stood on, entering the canyonlands. They snuck past the lazy guards, the moonlight stretching their shadows. They landed above a large pit, at the bottom was something horrible, a group of owlets, staring up at the moon, sleeping during the night? They continued on, finally making it behind the pit's guard, and finally causing havoc. Ryth killed the pit guard, the rest of the group spread out, Kyraa killed two more guards while the rest of the group began slaying owlets, Ryth found this a disturbing act, Kyraa screeched, calling off the raid, and they left, heading home.