Guardians of Ga'hoole:Rising Flames

Chapter 11:The Solar Trade

As Riyu and Rose traced their wings through the sky, they heard whoops and shouts from owls on the ground. Many started to fly around them, whispering and giggling.

One young owl that seemed to be an early flier, seemingly that of a barn owl chick, flapped up to Riyu. "Sir, where's your lamp at?" They asked curiously.

"We don't carry lamps. What do you mean, kid?" Riyu said skeptically. What was this barn owl talking about? Had they mistaken him for another owl?

"But aren't you here for the, uh, Solar Trade? It's tonight I think." They said as a male barn owl flew beside the owlet, accompanied by a seemingly friend Burrowing Owl.

"Sweetie, I'm sure they're just travelers. They might not know of what you speak." The barn owl said, with the Burrowing wol nodding. The young barn owl, presumably female, turned her head back to Riyu. "I'm sorry sir."

"Oh, that's fine!" Riyu said. "I actually don't know about this Solar Trade."

The male barn owl nodded. "Well, after the invention of vendor tents and spreading of lamps, a group of all different kinds of owls gathered in Kuneer to trade. Many owls have joined them. Yearly, their groups scatter in places, but they are all called together for a few days and nights."

Riyu nodded, understanding a bit. The advancements after the books must have been great. He hoped to see what was in store for him at the Beyond and at the Tree.

"Would you like to accompany us to the first night? That's how we met Mace." The male barn owl asked, pointing to the Burrowing owl. Mace smiled, nodding vigorously.

"Certaintly!" Rose chirped in excitement. Riyu nodded his head yes, landing beside Mace and the barn owls.

The little barn owl extended her wing. "I'm Silverclaw. My da's name is Frin." Riyu nodded as Silverclaw introduced herself and her father Frin.

As the five owls talked and introduced themselves, the moon rose high in the sky. Then, right at the first strike of midnight, wild untamed hoots like the howl of a wolf broke through the sky. A large group of owls carrying lamps and tents setups blazed across the moon.

"The Solar Traders!" Silverclaw shouted in joy. "This'll be my first time seeing them. Da said him and Mace first met here. Mace is part of them and he has his own lantern. Now I get to meet his sister!"

Riyu smiled as the owls touched down. He hoped this would be a nice distraction from the journey and to relax, explore the stands with Silverclaw, Frin, and Mace.

Perhaps Silverclaw was even the owl in the fire. She was small, and she could have gone with a nest maid snake. Often barn owls had those, and maybe some helped out here in the Desert of Kuneer. They most likely had some, even just a few.