Digging Deep

(Note: This story takes place at the same time as "Worlds Apart.")

Within the great tree of Ga'Hoole, the Guardians of Ga'Hoole lived and worked together. Among their number was the Burrowing Owl Digger. Though not exactly a "great thinker" by any means, as of late, Digger had found himself in an even more greatly befuddled state of mind then usual. This was due to the arrival of a new Guardian-in-training, a very pretty Burrowing Owl named Sylvana. Digger had been smitten with the lovely lady owl from the first moment he laid eyes on her.

At the moment, it was dinner time. All the owls in the tree gathered to feed. Normally, Digger could be relied upon to stuff as many grubs into his beak as he could, but today he hadn't so much as touched his food. He was too busy staring at Sylvana, who was seated across the room. It was within the dining hollow that Digger had first seen her, the very morning before. He was so enamoured by her beauty, he dropped his beakful of grubs all over the table.

So engrossed was he in the object of his affections, Digger failed to notice his friends, Gylfie the Elf Owl and Twilight the Great Grey Owl, joining him at the table.

"Are you feeling alright, Digger?" Gylfie asked. "You haven't touched your food."

"Hmmm?" Digger mumbled, still staring dazedly at Sylvana. Suddenly he realised what was happening. "Oh! Yeah, I'm fine! Couldn't be better!"

"Oh, I get it." Gylfie smirked. "It's that new owl, Sylvana. You like her, don't you?"

"No!" Protested Digger. "Well, okay... I do."

"Good for you, my friend." Twilight smiled. "She seems to be a very lovely lady."

"Have you talked to her yet?" Gylfie asked.

"Not really." Digger admitted.

"Why not?" Asked Twilight.

"Because I can't." Digger sighed.

"Of course you can." Gylfie said encouragingly. "Just go up to her, and-"

"No, I mean I really can't!" Digger blurted out. "Whenever I try, my brain just seems to seize up, and I mumble and stutter like an idiot!"

"It sounds to me like you just require a shot of confidence." Twilight smiled. "I'll teach you verything you need to know about talking to the ladies, my friend!"

"Or you could just ask me." Gylfie butted in. "I am a girl, after all. Or at least I was the last time I looked."

"Gylfie's right, Twilight." Digger agreed. "I mean, have you ever even had a girlfriend before?"

"O-of course I have!" Twilight said, slightly flustered. "Just leave everything to me. I'll show you how to be a true ladies' owl. Before you know it, Sylvana will be swooning all over you!"

Putting his wing around Digger's shoulders, Twilight directed his friend out of the dinner hall. Gylfie rolled her eyes.

"This won't end well." She sighed sagely.

"Poetry is the key to a lady's heart, my friend." Twilight declared. "Sing Sylvana a soulful ballad of love, and she'll be yours forever more."

"Sing?" Digger repeated. "I've never sung in my life!"

"There's nothing to it!" Twilight declared. "Fiendishly simple!"

"I suppose that's true." Digger mused. "You sing, or something close to it..."

"I choose to ignore that..." Twilight growled. "Now, I have the perfect composition to win her over! Repeat after me..."

After several renditions, Digger was able to memorise Twilight's sonnet. The two then laid in wait for Sylvana to pass by.

"There she is!" Twilight spotted her. "Go for it!"

Twilight shoved Digger in Sylvana's direction, almost knocking him into her.

"Oh, hello." Sylvana greeted her fellow burrowing owl. "Um, Digger, right?"

"Right..." Came Digger's strangled reply. Looking over to the side, he saw Twilight frantically motioning for him to put their plan in motion. Clearing his throat, he began the sonnet: "Such beauty, I have never seen before. You are strong of wing, and sharp of claw. Every time I look at you, my heart does soar. Please know that I will love you forever mooooooo..."

'CLICK!'

Digger had opened his beak so wide, that on the last word, it had locked open.

"Aah! Aaah!" Digger groaned.

"Oh, oh dear!" Sylvana gasped. "Are you alright?"

"Nuh! Nuh!" Digger mumbled.

"Here, let me take you to matron!" Sylvana offered.

Taking Digger by the wing, Sylvana took the hapless owl off for medical attention.

From his hiding place, Twilight buried his face in his wings.

"Well, that could have gone better." He said to himself.

Shortly afterward, Twilight and Gylfie encountered a despondant Digger.

"So, what happened?" Gylfie asked.

"Well, we went to see matron, and she fixed my beak." Digger explained. "Then there was just me and Sylvana, and this big awward silence, and I just... left."

"Poor Digger." Gylfie sighed, patting him consolingly on the shoulder.

"A mere setback." Twilight said brightly. "Next time, we-"

"Next time?" Digger repeated increduously. "I was humiliated enough the last time, thank you so very much!"

"I'm not surprised." Gylfie said bluntly. "Digger, if you want Sylvana to like you, you should just be yourself."

"Bad idea." Twilight shook his head.

"Who asked you?" Digger spat back. "I wish Soren was here. Considering he has an actual girlfriend, he might be able to give me some pointers."

"I'm telling you, Digger, the best way to get a girl is to be yourself." Gylfie continued. "My ma once told me that was how she and my dad became mates."

"Really?" Digger asked.

"Really." Smiled Gylfie. "Next time you see Sylvana, tell her one of your classic owl jokes to break the ice, then tell her how you feel."

"Tell her?" Digger gasped. "Just like that?"

"If you really care so much about Sylvana, then you're going to have to dig deep, and pluck up the courage to admit that to her." Gylfie told him.

"It's worth a try." Digger admitted. "What have I got to lose?"

"Your remaining shred of dignity?" Twilight said drolly.

Luckily, it wasn't long before Digger and Sylvana's pathes crossed again.

"Hello, again." Sylvana smiled. "How's your beak?"

"Fine, fine." Digger nodded. "Do you like jokes, Sylvana?"

"Yes, I do." Sylvana admitted.

"Well, then: Knock, knock." Digger started.

"Who's there?" Sylvana inquired, playing along.

"Owls." Said Digger.

"Owls who?" Sylvana asked.

"That's right, they do!" Declared Digger.

Sylvana burst out laughing.

"Good one!" She sniggered. "You're funny."

"Thanks." Smiled Digger. "Sylvana, I have something to tell you. I really like you."

"You do?" Sylvana angled her head.

"Yeah." Confirmed Digger. "Since I first saw you, in fact. You're the most beautiful owl I've ever seen in my entire life."

"Thank you." Sylvana blushed. "You're very sweet."

"Well..." Digger lowered his head bashfully.

"And I must admit, when I first saw you, I thought you were cute." Sylvana confessed.

"You did?" Digger gasped hopefully.

"Yes." Sylvana nodded. "But when you came at me earlier with that strange song, I thought you were a little... odd."

"Chalk that one up to some bad advice I received." Digger grimaced. "I wanted to impress you so badly, I was willing to try anything."

"But now, I know what kind of sweet, funny owl you really are." Sylvana nuzzled against him as she said this. "Consider me impressed."

"Oh, wow..." Digger sighed, as Sylvana's soft feathers rubbed against his own.

"Now, what do you say we go to dinner together?" Sylvana asked as she removed herself from Digger's chest.

"Okay." Sighed Digger. "But I feel I must warn you, my table manners are not the best."

"I know." Sylvana grinned. "I saw you gulping down grubs yesterday."

"You saw that?" Digger cringed, embarrassed.

"Yeah, but don't worry." Sylvana winked at him. "I like an owl with a healthy appetite."

"Well, then." Digger smiled offering his wing. "Shall we, m'lady?"

Gladly taking Digger's wing, Sylvana walked with him toward the dining hollow, passing Twilight and Gylfie, who had hidden themselves around a corner, and had heard everything.

"Told you." Gylfie smirked at Twilight, whose beak was hanging open in shock.

The End.

(Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole and all associated characters are the property of Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow Pictures.)