Soara and the Owls of Ga'Hoole

chapter 12: Trusting Your Gizzard

Soara approached her sister's body ad touched foreheads together.

"Oh, Eglantine," Soara said sadly. She approached her moon-blinekd sister where Mrs. Plithiver was standing. "I'd trade places with you if I could. I really would. You know, I wish it was me lying there instead of you."

"Oh, Soara," Mrs. Plithiver said.

"Because then you could see this place for yourself, Eg. You know, Da's stories, they're true. They're all true. You know, the Guardians, and the Ga'Hoole Tree, and... It's all true! Even Lyze of Kiel. I mean, he's real, Eg. He's real."

Soara turned away from her sister.

"Soara, you promised," Soara heard a familiar voice of a little girl.

"Eg?" Soara asked.

"You promised I could be Lyze on the next go." Eglantine said. Soara was happy. She turned to her sister and hugged her. Mrs. Plithiver cuddled with her girls as well.

"Oh, Eglantine," Soara and Mrs. P muttered.

"Soara? Mrs. P?" asked Eglantine. "We're... we're not at home, are we?"

"We're at the Guardian's Tree, Eg," Soara said. "Look. Look, this is Ga'Hoole."

"No, it can't be. Kludd, he's still..." Eglantine began.

"Kludd was wrong. Da was right. He was right all along, Eg."

No, I mean Kludd was there. With me. He did this to me, Soara. He's one of them."

"He what? No. No, Eg. Look, you must be confused. That can't be. Well, thank Glaux Allomere rescued you."

"I wasn't rescued. Kludd gave me to the owl who brought me here."

"No, Eg, no. That's impossible. I mean, that would mean that Allomere would have to be a... Be a traitor. No, it's a trap."

Soara gathered up the band together again. She told them their situation and they all flew out.

"We'll follow the whale's Fin. It's how they would have gone," said Gylfie.

Unknown to the other band members, Soara wore Ezylryb's old battle claw on her right talons. She really was surprised it fit her. But now, was not the time for that. They had guardians to save.

The band flew overhead and saw that St. Aegolius.

"I see something," Soara said. She saw smoke rising from afar. "There. We should check out that smoke."

"Soara, look," Gylfie said. Before Soara moved, she noticed a familiar blue glow.

Meanwhile, Nyra, Kludd, Metal Beak, and Allomere were sitting above watching the Guardians writhe in pain.

"Oh, Allomere," Nyra cooed. "Is it different when you see the consequences of your betrayal?"

"Must it be bats that bleed them?" he asked.

"Of course," answered Nyra. "They have no gizzards to be impaired by the power of the flecks." She looked at her husband. "Now, my love?"

"It would be cruel to make them wait any longer," the old bird said. "Finish them. "

Nyra screeched as bats came down to where the Guardians were trapped.

"Well, we can't just leave them down there, writhing in pain," Twilight declared. He looked at Soara, Digger and Gylfie. "Can we?"

Soara wasn't paying attention to their conversation. She observed the guardians and the bats. However, she came up with an idea. She looked at the flaming forest and then at a nearby lantern.