To be a Pure One

Chapter 1 - Praise for License

"Oh, Soldier! You mustn't confuse praise for license—never lie to me." Kludd felt himself shrink when the beautiful Nyra laughed at him, and it was even more demeaning when she encouraged the thought of Soren's worth.

But he kept a straight face as Nyra slowly walked around him, and she spoke again, "For the Lord High Tyto, we need as many strong flyers as we can find. Come, let's tell your brother what rewards there are for those who recognize their true family."

Kludd's eyes wandered in thought at that statement. Could a soft-headed, day dreamer like his brother really see the beauty of the Pure Ones, their motives, their beliefs?

Well, if he was honest, if Soren could believe the silly stories that came out of his Da's beak, then maybe—just maybe—he could believe in the Pure Ones, too.

Not wanting to squander Nyra's liking towards him, Kludd agreed with her plan to find Soren and give him another chance to train to become a Pure One soldier. And if he didn't—well, they had ways of making owls do what they wanted.

Of course, they couldn't fully rely on Moon Blinking, for too much would destroy even the strongest soldier's mind and senses. No, they needed Soren fully aware of the Pure Ones' strength and resolve.

Unfortunately, Soren wasn't in the Pelletorium like they had expected, or like he should have been; Nyra gave Jatt and Jutt a good scolding when they knew it was their fault Soren and, seemingly, another owlet disappeared. But they had managed to hear word from a couple of guards that they saw just the owlet they were looking for with the loyal soldier, Grimble.

Not questioning Grimble's motives, Nyra ordered the guards to lead them to Grimble and the owlets, but by the time Kludd and Nyra entered Grimble's cave, an unwanted surprise was waiting for them.

They overheard Grimble telling Soren and a young Elf Owl about the Guardians of Ga'Hoole, and what's worse is that he tried to tell them which way to go. And when he said he couldn't go with them because of the sentence he earned to protect his family, all hope of escape was finally crushed.

"I'd come with ya—but I still hold out the hope of freeing my family."

"Really?"

Grimble and the two owlets gasped at Nyra's soft yet terrifying voice, and her red glare burned through them all while Kludd and the two soldiers rallied behind her.

"Go," Grimble demanded, unfolding his wings protectively.

"Kludd, come with us!" Soren begged, but all he got in response was a sneer and a disapproving shake.

"Go, now!" Grimble shrieked.

"Get them!" Nyra yelled, and one of the soldiers immediately took flight and extended his battle claws to slice at the old Boreal Owl's throat. And even though Grimble managed to swipe away the soldier's razor sharp claws and tear at his torso, he failed to react to the second soldier in time.

When the Boreal Owl finally noticed him, it was too late. In seconds, Grimble's feathers were stained with even more red, and a gaping hole made its way across his neck and chest. Life quickly slipped away from his eyes, and he soon collapsed to the ground in a raspy, hoarsely-breathing mess.

"Kludd!" As soon as Soren looked back to call out to his dear brother one last time, he immediately regretted it when he saw the motionless body of the kind old owl that attempted to help them, as blood was now pooling all around it.

Soren immediately froze and stopped in his tracks, unable to pull his eyes off of Grimble, and Gylfie nearly slid off of the edge of a loft, which overlooked some of the colorless canyons, when she stopped to look back at her friend.

"Soren?" Gylfie whimpered.

"Take the smaller one back to the Moon Blinking Chamber," Nyra firmly instructed the surviving guard, and he instantly nodded in respect. He flew over to Gylfie with one beat of his giant wings, and grabbed her with his claws in a vice grip.

"No!" Everyone froze when Soren's voice shattered the air, even the guard stopped before flying off again with Gylfie still in his grasp. "Don't hurt her, please! I-I'll do anything!"

Those words slipped off of his tongue by accident, but he knew he really meant them. And a certain Ablah General knew he meant them, too.

"Do you really mean that, Little Tyto?" Nyra inquired with a grin, "Because if you do not come with us peacefully, I assure you, you will never see your patch of felt again."

"Soren," Gylfie's tiny voice quaked, and Soren quickly turned to his tiny friend, "Whatever it is they have planned, don't believe them. Don't do anything. Just run. I'm not worth it."

"No, I won't let you die, or even succumb to Moon Blinking, because of me. You're my friend, and I would do anything for you," Soren sincerely reassured and draped a wing over the Elf Owl, but the guard instantly shrugged it away when the feathers brushed his claws.

"Ugh, I'm gonna yarp," Kludd muttered in disgust, the gooey, touchy moment being too weak for him.

"I will not wait forever. Answer me now, or the Elf Owl is as good as dead." Nyra's warning did not fall on deaf ears. He knew more than anyone that to be a true and noble owl, just like the Guardians in his father's stories, sometimes making an ultimate sacrifice is the only solution.

"I-If I go with you—you promise Gylfie won't be killed or Moon Blinked?"

"She will be our prisoner, but no harm will come to her—so long as you prove yourself to us."

"Then I accept." Again, Soren's response was quick and confident, but he hung his head and closed his eyes in sorrow.

"Take her to the Prison Chamber. Keep her alive," Nyra told the guard, and he instantly nodded and flew off with Gylfie, who stared back at Soren with tears in her eyes.

The tall and beautiful Ablah General then averted her attention back to Kludd's younger brother, "Don't fret, Tyto. Soon, you will learn that the majesty and greatness of the Pure Ones is everything you ever desired."

What will it take to convince Soren to fully believe in the Pure Ones? And how good of a Pure One will he make? Only time will tell.

Until the next chapter, I'm TRikiD, bye-bye!