Okay, you've probably heard this what-if before and had your own speculations on it. Well now you're going to read mine. Premise as always; What if Eglantine hadn't dropped Nyra's first egg? Short story.

I own nothing. Guardians of Ga'Hoole belongs to Kathryn Lasky. I don't own the cover image either.

Enjoy the story!

It was a split-second reaction. Her talons shot out and grasped the egg, putting it in a firmer hold before it slipped out and fell onto the flame-surrounded ground. She heard the screech of her own kind somewhere else in the wildfire, but she remained focused on getting herself out of there along with Primrose.

"Eglantine," she heard a voice call out and instantly she was swept up into an updraft that sped her out of the fire. She let out a sigh of relief when she felt cool winds soothe her overheated body. Her head swiveled backwards to see her big brother wafting his wings up under her's and Primrose's, speeding them out of danger. Her lungs sucked in the fresh air into her aching lungs like it was honey.

"Eglantine," a voice above her called. She swiveled her head up and it met with the pale, heart-shaped one of her brother.

"Soren," she called out, yet her tired body could only form a whisper. "I've got the egg." His eyes widened in shock.

"You've what?"

"The egg, Soren. I've still got it," she replied. slowly lifting up her leg so he could see the soot-smeared, white sphere. He regarded it first in stunned shock, then at her.

"But- but how did you-"

"Soren, if you look back at Eglantine's tail feathers you'll see she's missing one. Perhaps it got shed in the crowning fire and Nyra mistake that for her egg," Otulissa offered, before her bright eyes widened in realization. "Oh my Glaux. Eglantine, you have the egg. You have Nyra's egg in your possession."

"And Kludd's," she whispered back. "I have my-," she paused and she looked like she was straining to say her next word, "...I've got his egg." She paused another moment before a the faint traces of a half-hearted smile appeared on her face. "I'm an aunt," she said, more to herself then anyone else there.

She felt a wing gently brush against hers and she looked back to Soren. "So what now?"

Stunned shock appeared across her face. She looked first down at the egg, then at him, silently pleading him for the answer. His face remained stoic though, giving away no such indications of what she should do. She looked then to Primrose, then Otulissa, but their expressions were the same. One by one she looked at her fellow owls, finally stopping at Ezylryb and Boron, but the silent consensus was unanimous. She would decide the fate of the egg.

Options with different outcome flooded her mind. The first was to dispose of the egg, to get rid of the taint. However, the thought was quickly discarded. Not only was it morally wrong, despite it being the enemy's egg, but the act was highly looked down upon among owls. She would be regarded as a murderer, and that was never a good thing to be looked upon as.

The second option was to find a barn owl family in any of the kingdoms which would be willing to adopt another one into their fold. The idea didn't sit well with her, for the thought of a chick with monstrous parents being adopted into a normal family. Also if the egg did have the same potential as its parents, it was not the best option to leave it in an unguarded environment.

The last and most reasonable option was to bring the chick to be raised at Ga'Hoole. A million questions flashed through her mind. How would it be for a chick of such linage to live amongst such noble owls? What would it be like for them growing up there? Would they be able to have a chance at a decent life there? What would it be like when they were older? Would they question where they came from or who their parents for? How would they react to their origins if they did hear it? Upset? Angry? Sad? Grateful? Would they pursue the path of their parents or would they follow the path they grew up in?

She flinched when she felt her wing being touched again. She shook her head free of the thoughts and looked back at him. Him and everyone else were looking at her, eagerly anticipating for her answer. In a brief moment, she made her decision. First taking a deep breath, she summoned courage aside her and fixated her gaze on all of hem.

"The egg is coming with us."

The thin light coming in from the knothole in the wood fell upon the little white egg nestled in the nest of moss and down feathers. It was the night of the lunar eclipse and according the Nyrolian legends any egg born under such night had the potential in them to be great of spirit or evil of heart.

As the cracks appeared on the smooth surface and grew longer and wider as the seconds passed, two owls watched while also talking with one another. They were the only ones in the hollow and they thought it was best for family members only to watch the egg hatch. Ever since the incident a moon cycle ago, all twenty-owls present had taken a solemn vow now to reveal to anyone the egg's origins. Boron was the only one with the exception, as he felt Barran should know as well.

A chip of the egg shell broke off as the egg tooth pushed it away. Their heads swiveled over to it when they heard the soft screech of the chick struggling to get out. The two began giving light chirps and small words of encouragement in order to further the chick's progress.

Finally, the egg cracked in half and out rolled a slimy, nearly naked, wrinkly creature that looked hardly anything like an owl. Eglantine did a little hop of excitement while Soren managed to give a smile at the new hatchling.

Just then, the light from the eclipse seemed to grow stronger through the whole. The moonlight engulfed the chick in a steady, bright glow. The two huddled around it, staring as if to discern its destined fate.

They flinched back when the click suddenly let out a small sneeze. It began wriggling around, softly calling out to the owls nearby it. A small wave of relief came over the two before Soren nodded at her. Eglantine smiled and leaned in close, crooning softly to it. The chick began responding back in a garbling voice and Eglantine swore that she could see the faint traces of a smile on its face.

"It's a girl," she whispered, before looking back at Soren. "It's a girl. I have a niece. I'm an aunt," she half whispered, half shouted excitedly. He nodded, a bit more enthusiastic this time.

"And I'm an uncle," he replied, before staring fondly at his niece. "So, what are you going to call her?" As she swiveled her head back to him in shock, he sighed. "Eglantine, we've talked about this before. If the egg hatches and we have a feeling that they are going to be great of spirit, you have to name them. so, what's our little niece going to be called?"

Her head tilted and she put on a thinking expression for a moment. He rolled his eyes in exasperated amusement when he heard a hum emerge from her throat. It lasted for a few moments before she turned towards her niece and smiled.

"Hope. Her name will be Hope."

"Hope," he repeated, letting the name roll off his beak. He then came over and wrapped a wing around her shoulders. "It's perfect."

The two siblings then leaned in close towards the chick, letting her know that they were there and watching over her.

"Welcome to Ga'Hoole, Hope."

Let me know if you guys want another chapter where Hope is growing up at the Great Tree or later when her younger brother comes and they meet. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the story. Please leave a review and feel free to check out some of my other stories. Sincerely, v.t.7