A/N: After a WONDERFULLY inspiring review, I have been able to come up with this next chapter. Not that the other reviews weren't inspiring as well, but this one just tickled my inspiration to read. Enjoy! :)

I only own all fifteen of the wonderful books.

Chapter 3: Trust

Pelli was feeling much more at home at the Great Tree. She now sat with Soren and his friends at Mrs. P during meals. However, as much as she enjoyed being at the Great Tree, she missed Ambala . . . and the friend she had left behind there. Hortense would have loved being here. When Soren introduced her to Twilight, Pelli found herself awash with homesickness. Hortense adored the tales of Twilight of the Great Tree. Pelli could almost picture her friend nearly jumping out of her feathers from the 'honor' of meeting the legendary Great Grey.

Though she'd had two other lessons since that first lesson in the Library, she was so distracted by the frightening old Whiskered Screech and her homesickness, that she found herself mixing up letters and reading became only more frustrating than fun.

And Soren was definitely noticing that she wasn't focusing.

"Pelli, I thought you wanted to read, not memorize what Ezylryb looked like." Soren whispered, bringing the distracted Barn Owl out of her spacing. Her eye had been drawn to the old owl's foot that was missing one talon, and her thoughts again went to her friend, wondering what the Spotted Owl's reaction would have been to see the other.

She blinked and then turned her sight back to the book. "Sorry Soren. I . . . I'm a little distracted today."

"You've been distracted for a few days. You didn't even notice when I tried to talk to you during free flight." Soren said, frowning softly.

Pelli blinked and looked up, eyes wide. "Oh Soren! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. Really. It's just . . . I . . . I left a friend behind . . . the night of that fire." She said and sighed. "She'd love being here."

"What's her name?" Soren asked, tilting his head to the side slightly.

"Hortense." Pelli tilted her own head confusedly as Soren's eyes widened.

"What's wrong Soren?" she queried.

Soren smiled a little. "I . . . I have a friend who was called Hortense."

Pelli smiled a little in return. "Well, I'm not completely surprised. Nearly every owl in Ambala is named Hortense."

Soren's smile turned a little more knowing. "What's your friend like?" he asked, not delving much deeper into the name of Hortense.

And so Pelli told Soren of the friend she left behind, how they were the best of friends after Pelli came to Ambala to escape the Pure One's in Tyto. Soren churred as Pelli told him of her friend's admiration of 'The Legend of Twilight.'

Pelli wilfed a little as she finished with the night of the fire. "I wonder if she knows I'm alive or not . . ." she murmured.

Soren gained a thoughtful look in his eyes. "Well, I don't see why you can't fly back to Ambala and see her again." He said and then looked to Ezylryb. "Otulissa says that the barometric pressure coming from over around Ambala is dropping. You think we could take an extra owl with us when the weathering chaw heads out?"

Pelli's eyes widened. "Oh no! I don't . . .want to be any trouble or . . ."

Ezylryb's squinty-eyed stare silenced any further protesting from Pelli's beak. He then looked to Soren, who didn't seem to mind at all the deformities the old owl had. "As long as that one owl can follow directions and understand that staring is rude." He grumbled and crunched on one of the dried caterpillars that he had in a pile.

Pelli wilfed. He'd seen her staring. How embarrassing.

"I . . . I should go back to my hollow." She muttered and quickly fled the library, feeling like a fool. As she flew through the night sky, around the Great Tree, she heard the nearly silent sound of wing beats.

Turning her head all the way around on her shoulders, as owls are capable of doing, Pelli could see that Soren was following her. She slowed her flight a bit to allow him to catch up with her.

"You know, I used to be uncomfortable around Ezylryb too." He said, a small smile on his face.

Pelli could hardly believe what she was hearing. "But you're so comfortable around him!" she said, startled by his confession.

Soren churred. "Just fly with him once. That's all it takes."

Pelli sighed. "Well . . . I trust you Soren."

"As opposed to trying to rip my eyes out when we first met." Soren said, amusement in his eyes.

Pelli huffed. "And I'll try again if you ever get on my bad side."

Soren churred. "You have a bad side? Who could have guessed."

"Soren!" Pelli churred, flying over and giving him a light cuff with her wing.

"Ouch. Right. Bad side. I'll be sure to avoid it." He said, happy that Pelli seemed less uncomfortable than before. "So you'll fly with us?"

Pelli sighed. "Alright. I'll fly with you guys. But you can't do me any more favors after this!"

Soren just smiled. "No promises."

To Be Continued . . .

A/N: Okay, with any luck I'll be able to wrap up this story in two more chapters. Man, I had major writer's block with the last bit of dialogue. It feels like Soren's harder to keep in character. Next chapter they go to Ambala! . . . hopefully. XP