Legend of the Guardians: Guardians of Ga'Hoole: Storm's Story

Chapter Five: Glauxian Brothers Retreat

Once the Band had returned to the Great Tree and told the parliament what happened in Tyto Forest. But after a few days of rest, they were sent out again on another mission to the Glauxian Brothers Retreat to learn more about these "Flecks" and the dangerous rumors in the Frozen Mountains.
The wind was howling vigorously like a pack of wolves at a full moon as the Band arrived to the Frozen Mountains. Despite the cold weather of the mountains, it's uniquely beautiful around them in Storm's eyes. In the gathering dusk, the icicles glowed like firelight marble, covering most of the snowy forest and the valley. Snow dusted around them and the ground all around them; more crystalline flakes were falling more quickly from the sky. Soon, an incredible mountain range appeared before her after they continued flying through the ice's arch, rivaling the Mountains of Tyto Forest in height and breadth. Its surfaces were frosted with bright snow from the peaks to the bottoms. The snowy landscape was dotted with sheer cliffs and pure blue lakes. Ahead was a valley, and the snow seemed to be piling up from the endless snowing, revealing pine trees and bushes. She saw a huge colony of penguins a fair distance away from one of the lakes, a couple of winter foxes went into the woods, and a pack of seals had slicked across the tundra. But, at the foot of the mountain pass, was a massive frozen lake. The wind was strong, and it pushed the fog towards the mountains and blew the snow around them hard.
"You know." Parzival soon broke the silence. "My ancestor, Strix Coraldo, had once flown a day and a night from the Kiel Bay to the Ice Talon League."
Storm hummed thoughtfully. "It'll sure be interesting if she was here."
"Are you saying I'm not good enough?" Parzival asked her angrily.
"I didn't say that." Storm kept herself ahead of her friends. "I just wonder what it would be like to have her here with us."
"Maybe you could prove it to us with a little race?" Shard challenged Parzival mischievously.
"You're on." At that, the owls and the eagle started flying in the race.
But to everyone's surprise, Storm have managed to surpass Parzival and Shard. Storm flew into the evening sky and flew a few feet away from her friends. She was joyfully aware of the wind in her feathers. She could taste the winter wind and smell the cold, endless sea pulsing and the snowy landscape below her. She heard the rush of the air as it parted to make room for her body.
She was soaring.
She pumped her wings up and down, enjoying the way they pushed the air around, currents tense and smooth as water, the tips of her wings brushing lightly against the sky. She stretched them out to their fullest wingspan, so that she could see the moon lightly shining on the whites and golds of the feathers under her wings.
But she spotted a big rocky house on a cliff and have its roof covered in a fresh powder of snow, in which called off the race with Storm as the winner.
"I knew you were good." Parzival flew alongside Storm as they landed in front of the house. "But I never knew you are that good."
Storm churred softly in laughter. "Well, what did you expect? I am part of a chaw that involves speed and agility." Parzival grumbled underneath his breath, while the rest of their friends laughed at his sourness of losing a race to the female barn owl. But when they gazed at the stone house, their previous cheer and excitement gone as if it had never even existed.
Storm fluttered onto the doorstep and knocked on the door. When nobody answered the door, Storm stole a glance at her friends. Streak shrugged with a worried look. Shard looked concerned. Parzival became confused of the lack of response. Uriah and Athos both exchanged worried glances.
"Hello?" Storm called out. "Anyone home?"
At that, the door have slowly creaked opened and the Band walked inside to be greeted by the warmth of the burning torches that's hung on the walls.
"Hello there." Storm almost jumped back when she heard a chipper, male voice. She soon saw a male brown fish owl. His feathers is dark brown and his amber eyes shone with friendly curiosity. "What can I do for you?"
"We need to speak to the monks," said Storm. "It's urgent."
The owl monk nodded and gestured for Storm to follow him. "Come with me." The monk gazed at Storm's friends. "But you all stay here and rest up by the fireplace."
By that moment, Storm was taken to a meeting room in the stone house. A pair of torches stood on each side of the two doorways. There's a large, round desk made of solid wood with cushions around the table. The walls were covered with tan-colored paint and aflame torches.
Storm soon heard voices in the air and the walking of claws against the wood. She spun around to see four owl monks entering the room.
After introductions have been made, Storm decided to cut to the chase. "Do you know anything about Flecks?"
The monk, a wise old Snowy owl, sighed sadly and met Storm's eyes. "Knowledge of these Flecks was lost when Perrok fell."
Storm felt a wave of hopelessness wash over her. If she and her friends don't know about the Flecks, the Guardians will be flying headfirst into unknown danger made by the Pure Ones. Just as Storm was about to leave, the monk soon spoke again to her.
"There is, however..." Storm spun around and looked at the Snowy owl. "An elderly hermit named Cormac... who dwells in some old ruins not far from here. He once studied at Perrok and might be convinced to help you." Storm's eyes widened and quietly wondered if he also knew her fallen Da. "But be watchful! A group of monks went to visit him weeks ago... and when they did not return... a few of our younger brethren left to investigate. Neither group has been heard from... and high winds at this time of the year have hampered our search efforts." Storm narrowed her eyes, something tells her that the Pure Ones and their terrible alliance is responsible for the missing owls.
"Monks." Storm took a step towards them and met the gazes evenly. "We'll do what we can."