You Should Listen in

The weather chaw, after a night of spectacular flying in terrible weather, had just come back to the Island of Hoole right before brake light.

"Soren, I have something I would like to tell you, the rest of you, go fly on off to the dining hollow now, and that includes you Poot, but Otulissa, you can stay," he exchanged a look, which spoke volumes with his first mate before he left. Ezylryb lighted down on a spruce tree the two owls shared a confused look as they joined him. There had been a time when Soren would have been terrified, But now he can't even imagine being afraid of his beloved ryb.

"what is it Ezylryb?" the spotted owl asked.

He said nothing until the rest of the chaw was out of earshot. "There's a parliament meeting that I think you, and you and your band and sister would be interested in," he looked at both of the shocked owls.

"Wah- how-" Soren sputtered and Otulissa was, for once, speechless. Both of their feathers went sleek. How can he know about the roots and that we go there to eavesdrop. Great Glaux we're going to be in big trouble." Soren panicked.

Ezylryb let out a great laughing hoot and gently patted the barn owl with his wing tip. Otulissa was perched out of his wingspan.

"You think that you and your friends are the only ones that wondered about the passages of the tree and the desire to know what's going on?"

"D-did you eavesdrop on the parliament!" Soren gasped, somehow putting the pieces together before the spotted owl. The unsaid "too" hung silently in the air.

"Right oh!" there was a twinkle in his eye. "I can't say I'm proud of it, but I too listened in on their meetings until I became a member. And I know that you and your friends do so as well. I periodically check that passageway that leads to the roots for talon marks."

<*i>Racdrops! None of them ever thought about leaving talion marks!<*/i>. Ezylryb continued, "of course, I wasn't completely sure until Otulissa asked for a copy of Fleckasia and Other Disorders of the Gizzard saying Strix Emerilla referenced it. She died before that book was written," he laughed remembering that encounter. "I'm actually amazed that you kept your beak shut, and didn't tell anyone, he chuckled, then continued before she could respond, "now youngins, Matron should be letting owls into the dining hallow now. The meeting will start an hour after first light," with that he flew off leaving the bewildered owls to follow, as their feathers relaxed.

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AN

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