Grace

The Pure

A fiery-feathered owl stared into the darkness. His head was covered by a metal mask, his claws were enclosed with a pair of iron claws that could rip an owl to pieces; perhaps knock out a human with a single blow, if enough strength was forced behind them. This was a Pure Owl. This was a leader. The owl standing here was Metal Beak, the new leader of the Pure ones.

That should have brought peace to an owl's mind, to be so high up, so untouchable. Alas, fortune favours those on the 'good' side. That he was not.

Thus he found himself standing inside of the throne room, staring straight ahead blankly, his eyes lit with amber flames as a memory rushed through him.

[ Flashback ]

Owls fighting in scorching fire. Trees burning wildly. The screeches of scared, burned and injured owls echoed through his ears. He fought his hardest, his best. He wanted to show that he belonged. That he was a Pure owl. Then his reddish-amber eyes sensed some movement.

An owl that he knew all too well closed up on him. "Don't do it Kludd, surrender, come to Ga'hoole with us and all will be forgiven," the voice tried, sounding pleading and weak.

That only lit a fire in his gizzard, one that fueled his rage. "No, I am one of the Pure ones now!" anger echoed in his voice, as he denied all of his past, his family.

If his foolish brother realised, there was a war around them, with both on opposing side of the raging battle. He would not be swayed by sentimentality, by a past that had never really been his. The face before him, that desperate expression, did not phase him in the least. The heat may have burned around him, but under his skin, all was cold, even his beating heart. Hatred, he knew was the key to victory. One's anger gave one strength. This is what he had been taught. A lesson he would not forget just because some dreamer insisted upon it.

Kludd tackled his brother first, but Soren was faster. He cursed his brother silently, irritated by this.

Why was his brother always the better one at everything?

Kludd despised his brother right now, craving nothing but to prove himself the stronger owl. He was the elder brother! It was he who should be winning this fight. He punched Soren with his wings.

Yet, it was no use. Soren didn't plan on giving up any more than he was. Around him, Pure owls fell from their high, consumed by the inferno below.

No. This was not happening. Now wasn't the time to give up!

If Kludd had learned something from his Pure brothers, it was that surrender was never an option. His darkest emotions, every last inkling of loathing, envy and rage he felt towards his former nest mate, would become his ally. A high Tyto would never give in, would never give up.

As they fought amidst the trees, the older sibling used all his strength to hit Soren. Too late he realised that something pushed him.

He felt his feathers burning. His wings weighed down and heavy, paralyzed with pain. He couldn't fly any more, unbalanced, searing hot pain crawling up his singed flesh. He fell into the greedy flames, the darkness enclosing him...

[ End of Flashback ]

The masked owl blinked and then opened his eyes to the present. His body shifted, his feathers ruffled, beads of sweat forming beneath his flesh as though the fire was very much real and indeed present within his home. This he knew - he realised - was not true. The air around him was cooler, smoke undetected within the expanses of St. Aegolious. Exhaling sharply, he calmed, his body dropping slightly.