It was a pleasingly mild, not to mention picturesque, night in the Time of the Copper-Rose Rain. From the winding rifts of the Canyons of St. Aegolius to the spire-strewn landscape of the Beaks, the effects of autumn's soothing embrace were readily felt, if not observed.

The tangible and visible shifts associated with the change in season were perhaps most apparent on the Island of Hoole.

The Great Tree was actively shedding its leaves in droves, filling the air with countless twirling tawny and golden blades.

Undisturbed by wind, they amassed in piles beside its gnarled roots and formed mounds on the shore. In the latter case, the splashing waves captured hundreds and whisked them away to distant shores.

Within the Great Ga'Hoole Tree itself, daily life had also changed in some ways. One notable example was the creation and introduction of a novel means for owls young and old to take advantage of free time and relieve stress.

Soren and Pelli came up with the idea, which the parliament supported. They pitched said concept to Bubo, who deemed it a pursuit worth realizing.

The grizzled great-horned and several eager blacksmiths-in-training designed and forged a large copper basin one pyte deep in the center and a pyte-and-a-half in width.

Any irregularities on its inner and outer surfaces were ground away; both were then polished to a lustrous sheen. The basin featured a gradually sloping profile, essentially resembling a modestly flattened hemisphere.

A sturdy support consisting of two nickel-alloy rings linked by evenly-spaced vertical struts was fabricated to hold it. The basin was then relocated to the Great Hollow, placed in its cradle, and filled halfway full of rainwater.

A bed of embers was then placed in a shallow pan attached to the cradle beneath it. The water was brought to a boil, purifying it, and the embers were removed.

The water was allowed to cool completely before preheated stones were arranged in the pan. Transmitting their thermal energy to the liquid via conduction, they heated it to a reasonably warm, but not hot, temperature.

Furthermore, the temperature of the liquid was maintained for over an hour, an acceptable span of time.

The monarchs and the entire parliament all got in, confirming that it would not collapse under the added weight and gauging its utility.

Immersing themselves in the comfortably warm water brought them much enjoyment.

A replica basin was swiftly constructed and placed in the Great Hollow. All the Great Tree's inhabitants were free to use them as often as they pleased.

The only stipulations were that no one owl or snake could linger in either basin for more than half an hour, and that those who met or surpassed the allotted time limit had to surrender their spots to others.

Dozens of owls had not had their fill after experiencing their first dip. A first-come, first-serve system was enacted in which owls could request to have a smaller basin built for personal use.

A single important criterion had to be met: the hollow must have sufficient dimensions to accommodate one. Bubo and his students worked hard to fulfill said requests, forging as many as four basins and their supports on good nights.

Over the course of a moon, the backlog was eliminated and all who desired "hot tubs" of their own received them. The owners were responsible for collecting water, delivering stones to Bubo for heating, and carrying said stones to their hollows.

As expected, the senior blacksmith built a basking pool for his king and queen partly out of generosity, and partly as repayment for their endless commitment to their subordinates.

In the wake of tiring chaw activities, challenging exams, and/or drawn-out lectures, Guardians-to-be had the opportunity to soak in a puddle of balmy water, thereby curing aching muscles and purging agitation from their minds.

The inherent difficulties of achieving Guardian status notwithstanding, being a member of such a marvelous society was entirely worthwhile.

The same could be said of those who had become Guardians in the past, as well as the serpents who lived alongside their winged counterparts. In simple terms, life at the Great Ga'Hoole Tree during that transitional phase of the year could not be grander.

Leading the Great Tree and their respective chaws simultaneously meant that Soren and Pelli shouldered a great deal of responsibility. Though their triplet daughters had long since matured and could take care of themselves, the number of obligations they needed to attend to had hardly diminished.

Every night brought with it a set of tasks to complete, some typical, others new. Their workload remained consistently heavy, and at times they wished that the night was twice as long.

They persevered in the face of adversity regardless, boldly fulfilling their duties as monarchs and rybs.

Often, they were forced to remain awake well past dawn, but they had grown accustomed to such developments.

The conclusion of their physically-demanding chaw exercises signaled the completion of the nightly list of tasks assigned to them.

Barring any unforeseen parliament meetings or the emergence of other matters requiring their attention, the rest of the evening was theirs to savor.

They suffered from a moderate amount of mental and physical weariness. An early Breaklight meal was the obvious remedy for their unfavorable situation.

The king and queen feasted on roasted, seasoned vole sprinkled with ground nooties, consuming one rodent each. They washed their delicious food items down with equally-tasty milkberry tea.

Having satiated their hunger and slaked their thirst, the monarchs retired to their hollow.

Soren sealed the main entrance and the exterior porthole with curtains of moss suspended from metal stands. Their friends and students would no doubt respect their need for privacy and not disturb them.

After being separated for a significant portion of the night, the king and queen craved nothing but alone time. The food and drink in their bellies warmed them from the inside and peace seeped into them from the outside.

To their surprise, a mat of heated stones had already been situated beneath the basin.

"Hm, I wonder who did this polite favor for us?" he inquired.

"I believe it was our daughters," she replied.

"You're most likely correct. We should thank them when we get the chance."

"I agree."

Soren strolled over to the basin and dipped a talon into it.

"The water has been heating up for a while, as it is quite warm."

Pelli gauged the temperature for herself in the same manner. Without hesitation, she clambered into the copper vessel and swiveled her head towards him.

"Care to join me, my dear Soren?" she asked invitingly.

"But of course, my sweet Pelli," he responded in a confident tone.

He perched on the rim and then lowered himself into the bowl alongside her, submerging his tail, legs, and midsection.

"Ahh… this feels nice…"

"Indeed, it does."

He draped his port wing across her upper back and pulled her closer to him.

"Perhaps we should take advantage of these circumstances and bathe one another."

"I concur. Would you like me to go first?"

"Yes, then I shall return the favor."

"Say no more, my love."

Soren started off with her head and worked his way down.

Burying his beak in her feathers, he nibbled each of them diligently, removing any offending bits of debris she'd acquired in flight. She gave a shudder when he commenced his gentle attack on her nape feathers.

Next, he focused on the patch of feathers immediately under her beak. He was especially careful not to inadvertently scratch or poke her.

Electric tingles ran down her spine when he tousled them.

"Are you enjoying this special treatment so far?"

"Certainly. Please continue…"

Eventually he arrived at her breast. Pelli's soft, silky plumage brushed against Soren's facial disk, smothering him delightfully.

She couldn't help but emit a pleasurable sigh as his beak tickled her skin.

Once he'd tidied up every inch of her above-water plumage, he dipped his starboard wing in the liquid, soaking his primaries. He then proceeded to stroke her plumage in a circular motion, dampening it and dislodging any particularly clingy bits of foreign matter.

The way he caressed her breast and belly affectionately infused her gizzard with elation.

"That feels wonderful, Soren…" she stated serenely.

"I imagined it would, Pelli. I can't wait to feel it for myself…"

Ten minutes after it commenced, Soren's thorough purification of his mate's plumage was finished.

As promised, Pelli purified her partner's healthy, if somewhat contaminated, feather coat using techniques similar to the ones he employed.

Delectation welled in his gizzard as she preened and massaged his plumage in tender fashion. Since it happened to be fairly dirty, she spent a quarter hour cleansing it.

"I assume you're finished, my dear?"

She nodded.

"Well then, how do I look?"

"Much better. You are a very handsome king, quite dashing."

Soren smiled.

"You are likewise an attractive, dare I say enthralling, queen. Forgive me for staring…"

Pelli flashed a grin.

"I don't mind. I find it hard to take my eyes off you all the same…"

Their gazes met, neither Tyto uttering a word for several seconds. Ultimately, they fused their beaks and engaged in a passionate kiss.

Their tongues lapped at one another and their salivary secretions intermingled. The mix of flavors of their recent meal still lingered in their oral cavities.

"Mmm… you taste delicious… Soren…"

"As do you… Pelli…"

The Tytos' ardent vocalizations chased away the silence. The monarchs kissed for nearly half a minute before stopping.

A thin strand of saliva linking their beaks snapped as they pulled apart.

The peculiar glimmer in their eyes was a sign that they wished to escalate the intensity of their interactions.

An urge deep within the king's soul, one that had lain dormant since its quelling many moons in the past, reawakened. The queen also registered the rekindling of an identical urge in the depths of her own soul.

The beast hooked its claws into her mind, compelling her to express her lascivious craving.

"Soren…"

"Yes, Pelli?"

"Surrender to your lust… and make sensuous love to me… so that I may feel… your eternal loyalty…" she whispered seductively.

Her flagrant words funneled into his ear slits, saturating his consciousness with a decidedly primal desire.

"I can't resist this dark temptation… I must gratify you.… and reaffirm our bond of love…"

Soren stood and planted his legs on either side of Pelli's tail, his lower body straddling hers.

"I have waited moons for this…" she stated.

"As have I… but we need not wait any longer…" he answered.

The king locked eyes with his queen. Flexing his legs at their ankle joints, he sank gracefully down onto her.

Shifting his position ever-so-slightly towards the basin's center, his cloaca suddenly came into contact with hers.

A surge of bliss rocketed up his spine, forcing his eyes to close momentarily.

The female gasped and exhaled heavily.

A luscious moan oozed out of the male's beak.

"Oh Pellimore… I've forgotten… how marvelous you feel…"

"I am yours… and you are mine… flood me with pleasure… Soren…"

His wings hanging limply at his sides, he slumped onto her. The ridge of feathers above his beak grazed hers.

He inhaled deeply and rocked his hips forward, then backward. His moist, incredibly-sensitive vent slid across hers in both directions.

Red-hot spikes of pleasure impaled their minds.

"Oh Glaux… you feel so amazing… to me… do it again… please…"

Soren obeyed her request and grinded himself against her a second time. Her heart skipped a beat.

"Oh Soren… I am glad… I chose you… to be my mate…"

He performed three more calculated thrusts, a two second gap in between each.

"Mmm… don't stop… this torment… feels so incredibly good…"

Concentrating his stamina and willpower, he glided his secret flower up and down hers in a consistent rhythm.

"I never imagined… ah… making love to… a female Tyto… mmm… could feel this glorious…"

"Neither did I… mmm… this is a fantasy… brought to life…"

As their metabolic rate rose, their body temperatures increased by about one degree. Oxygen demand and carbon dioxide production increased concomitantly.

Their heart rate and respiration frequency thereby accelerated to compensate.

The Tytos' distinct moans swirled together, spawning a single ardent chorus. Contained within the hollow by the moss curtains, their vocalizations were practically inaudible from outside the cavity.

Temporary fatigue overcame Soren after five minutes of continuous movement. He halted to catch his breath, slumping onto Pelli wearily.

She, too, needed to recuperate from her partner's relentless pounding. Their breasts rose and fell almost twice a second in an offset pattern.

The pair nuzzled one another lightly. Their stamina regenerated enough to continue the intimate ritual in roughly six minutes.

Rather than beseech him to resume pelvic thrusts, Pelli switched tactics. She lowered her starboard wing into the water, probing his underbelly feathers with the end of her longest primary.

Upon locating the orifice between his legs, she stabbed its flexible tip a short distance into his vent. His legs nearly buckled from the mind-blowing jolt.

"Good Glaux… you should warn me… next time…"

She smirked.

"Where's the fun… in spoiling… the surprise?" she countered.

Not one to be upstaged, Soren inserted the tip of his port wing's outermost primary into her rose-colored blossom.

Moving her wing in a reciprocating motion, she plunged the feather shaft in and out of him. His legs gave way.

He had no choice but to subject her to the same brutally blissful treatment.

"Ahh… that's it Pellimore… oh yes…"

"I knew you would… find this technique… appealing… Soren. Oh Glaux… just like that…"

The Tytos' mutual penetration session lasted two solid minutes. Needless to say, they'd driven each other significantly closer to the brink.

They withdrew their wingtips in preparation for the explosive finale. Pelli turned her back to Soren, hanging her wings over the rim of the basin.

She then angled her tail one side, granting Soren unrestricted access to her heavenly flower.

First, he pressed himself firmly against her, his breast and midsection molding to the curved contour of her spinal column.

Next, he wrapped his wings around her, locking her in a snug embrace.

Rarely had he been so close to her; she came to the same conclusion.

"Are you ready, my dear?"

Twisting her head backward, she peered into the lustrous onyx windows to his soul.

"Yes, my love. Be gentle, yet effective…"

"There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you…"

Angling his pelvis forward, he compressed his cloaca firmly against hers. Their mortal shells were now linked in the most symbolic way possible.

He could feel her body heat seeping into him, the warmth radiating throughout his lower body.

He couldn't restrain himself for one more second. He began rocking his hips in a tight circular fashion, doing his best to prevent his vent from pulling away from hers even the slightest amount.

Rapturous bliss inundated her mortal shells.

"I love the way… you make me feel… Pellimore. I can't imagine… my life without you…"

"I share your sentiments… oh Soren… you mustn't stop…"

Poisoned by dizzying euphoria, the Tytos grew heedless of the entire world around them. Their strange mental state was a testament to the intensity of their passionate reverie.

As the wheel of time continued to turn, they slid inexorably towards the point of no return. More and more sexual tension built up, yearning to be released.

Their pulses and breaths quickened.

Their muscles hardened.

Their gizzards trembled in anticipation of what was to come.

Seven sumptuous minutes of uninterrupted cloacal kissing pushed them to the edge. Eager to devour them, the abyss of ecstasy parted its massive maw.

They clung desperately to their sanity, fighting to stave off their orgasms as long as possible.

Resisting proved to be a tall order. The urge to relieve the pressure was borderline unbearable.

The queen spun her head 180 degrees, boring fiercely into the king's glistening obsidian marbles.

"Unleash the flames… of your passion… your obsession… my love. Engulf me… scorch me… take me…"

"Your wish… is my command…"

He pulled away from her ever-so-slightly, steeling his will. Sharply contracting his muscles in unison, he slammed into her from behind.

The impact sent them careening into the yawning abyss. A cascade of neural impulses swept from their brains to their tails.

Their sexual infernos burst forth with the ferocity and majesty of a volcanic eruption.

Their talons clenched, scraping the floor of the basin.

The king's back arched, yet somehow, he managed to keep his gaze trained on his mate. A series of powerful muscular contractions commenced in their loins and traveled up their bodies.

The explosion of ecstasy drowned them in delirium.

"Oh Glaux… I can't take it… Soren… I love you… more than words… can ever express…"

"I… oh… I love you too… Pellimore… we were always… meant to be…"

Their extraordinarily-fervent orgasms subsided almost as swiftly as they commenced. Afflicted with exhaustion-induced paralysis, the Tytos went limp.

Their breasts heaved up and down to purge the excess waste gases in their systems and supply an influx of pacifying oxygen. They could do nothing but speak, yet even that was not easy.

"Without you… I would have ceased… to exist. I am eternally thankful… that Glaux… sent you… to save me…"

"And without you… my life… would lose all meaning…"

Basking in the euphoric afterglow, the Tytos said nothing, lightly caressing one another with their wings. Beneath the water, their secret flowers remained glued together.

With substantial effort, Pelli straightened her starboard leg, pointing her toes upward. Soren grasped them with his starboard digits and the monarchs locked talons.

The silence that infiltrated the hollow spoke volumes about the significance of the ritual they'd performed.

No children would be conceived as a result of their union, but it was of no consequence. They merely aspired to rekindle their smoldering adoration and avoid the obligation of additional offspring.

Little by little their strength returned, but they were not inclined to move regardless.

The king unfurled his sopping wet wings and draped them over those of his mate. He rested his head on her cushioned nape.

The lively thumping of her heart reminded him of the thunder spawned by a storm over the Tyto Forest in the Time of the Golden Rain.

Conversely, his hushed breaths reminded her of the sound made by the wind as it threaded through the branches of her former abode in Ambala.

"You have my gratitude, Soren, for being my mate… and granting me hope… and a family…"

"No need to thank me, Pellimore. I would rather spend one lifetime with you than endure an eternity of solitude…"

"I love you, my charming king…"

"And I love you, my exquisite queen…"

"Ahh… I shall never tire of hearing your confessions."

"You aren't the only one…"

Romantic tranquility enveloped the Tytos in the wake of their tumultuous exhibition.

Though tired, their proximity to one another acted as an aegis, warding off the tendrils of unconsciousness.

The Ga'Hoolian rulers exchanged sweet nothings to pass the time.

They were still awake when the daylight orb reclaimed its dominion over the S'yrthghar.

Its brilliant radiance usurped the night. Peach and tangerine rays spilled forth, their pastel hues dappling every corner of the land.

At long last Soren and Pelli heeded slumber's ancient call, willingly sinking into unconsciousness.

Bewitched by each other's presence, the Tytos slept peacefully, dreamless and perfectly content.

Their hearts beat as one and their gizzards hummed in mellow harmony.

Some might deem it impossible, but one remarkable observation could be drawn from their relationship: the ravishing heat of their devotion burned hotter and brighter than the sun itself.