Errudolon Owls - Night tales

Chapter 1

I shivered in the cool breeze as I stared out of the tree bulb. Stars glimmered overhead as I tried to trace constellations in them. Father will return soon. I thought, fluffing up my down in a pathetic attempt to keep warm. That was the problem with being an owlet - you had no feathers, only ugly patches of grey fluff. Which, unfortunately, also means no flying. I itched to be in the sky, riding the wind. Oh, how amazing it must feel; soaring through the clouds, high above the ground. I stretched my stubby wings, raking the sky with my eyes for father. He was nowhere to be seen. I stepped away from the edge of my home to burrow into the warm moss of my nest.

White feathers gleamed against the night sky and I stretched my neck out eagerly. Father was back, with what looked like a messily-caught vole. It was barely recognisable; he wasn't the cleanest hunter, and the tree bulb shook as he landed with a heavy thud. "Hello, son!" His booming voice echoed on the walls of our home. He began tearing away strips of meat from the mauled prey and tossed them at me. I scarfed it down quickly and turned to him. "Father, you promised to tell me about the Higher circle today! Can we do that now?" I begged, gazing at him with wide eyes. He swallowed the rest of the prey whole. Like me, father didn't have a name yet - owls had to earn their names by some forbidden tradition that owls were not allowed to know before they had fully fledged. "Soon!" He would always tell me. "Soon I'll have a name, and maybe you'll even get one early too! Oh, what an honour that would be. My son, an esteemed member of the Elite force!" He would then sigh happily and daydream for the next few minutes. I had no idea what "elite force" was, of course.

My father pulled me in close with one wing and I stared up at his spotted white face in anticipation. His feathers were gorgeous, and soon I would look like him. A few awkward moments passed before finally, he spoke. "The Higher circle is made up of the most respectable owls in all of Errudolon. The location of this place is unknown to lowly border owls like us until we earn our names and join the ranks of the Lower quadrant - from there, we are expected to climb the ranks and possibly become a quadrant commander or even a king's advisor." He paused to take a breath as I listened with wide eyes.

"King's advisors are the most powerful owls in all of Errudolon, besides the Lord himself. They see all, they know all, and are incredibly dangerous!" His father was very excited about this topic. "I've always told you about the Elite Force, but you've never really known what it is, have you?" I shook my head, and he continued. "Owls that k- earn their names as chicks are considered highly lethal and extremely powerful fighters. They are said to have been blessed by Saturn himself. These special owls are promoted to the Elite force, a unique quadrant mentored by Cliff - mate of the High Lord, and sent into only the fiercest battles."

Father suddenly lowered his head and spread out his wings in a bow. "Hail the king." He whispered, closing his eyes. He remained in that pose for a few seconds and I watched awkwardly. He sprang up suddenly and I was almost knocked out of the tree bulb. "That's enough for tonight, son!" I wailed and begged for more stories but he ushered me into the nest with little effort. I eventually gave up and settled into a sleeping position, wrapped tightly under his wing. "Goodnight, son." He whispered. My eyelids drooped and I fell into a peaceful sleep just as the morning rays painted the night sky a warm golden.