Guardian's of Ga'hoole: Out of the Ash

Chapter Three

I skidded before having to lean on the other barn owl that I didn't catch the name of. "Watch it!" He snapped while shoving me off. I glared at him.
"Your parents and families have abandoned you. So from now, you'll be classified as orphans." I looked to see that the voice was coming from Grimble. "Horribly tragic, I know. But by the mercy of Glaux... you've been rescued and brought here to St. Aegolius. And, in time, you'll come to be grateful for the kindness shown to you. You'll repay that kindness with labor. Some of you will be pickers." He explained while stopping in front of a gray owlet.
"No, I don't want to be a picker!" The owlet exclaimed. "Some will be soldier. In your ways, all will serve the High Tyto and the Pure Ones." Grimble continued before an uproar started of owlets wishing to go home.
I then heard a loud barn owl screech and a completely white owl with red highlights flew up to a sort of stand with two guards flanking her.
I pushed myself against Soren's relative and was slightly surprised that he didn't push me away this time.
"I am Nyra, Ablah General of St. Aegolius... and mate to the Lord High Tyto. I know right now
you miss your families... but soon enough you will understand the Pure Ones are your new family." The barn owl, Nyra, started but was interrupted.
"The Pure Ones are not our family. Let us go!" The voice sounded like Gylfie. "She's right. Let us go!" I looked around until I spotted Soren and Gylfie.
Nyra then left her perch until she landed in front of them. "What's this? Tyto, don't waste your time. Don't soil your feathers." She said while looking at the two. "You leave her be." Soren said while trying to guard Gylfie with his wing. "Oh, spirited little Tyto. How touching. You and your patch of felt will stay together, then. As pickers!" Nyra announced and a guard came and started top push the two towards an exit.
"Perhaps when you remember your nobility, Tyto, we can make a soldier of you." Nyra said while starting to turn away from the two.
"What about my brother?" Soren called and Nyra stopped. "Oh. Where's he?" She asked while looking around. Soren called to his brother and I glanced at Kludd. Nyra came over to him and I took a tiny step back but not enough to stop feeling Kludd's feathers against my shoulder.
"Owlet, that one says you're his brother. Would you like to join him?" Nyra asked without giving me a second glance. Kludd looked away and I looked at Nyra to see something flicker in her eyes. Soren and Gylfie were then pushed away.
"Now, there's a soldier. And what about you, sooty?" She asked acknowledging me for the first time. I looked into her eyes and glared. "I am a Tyto Alba." I said confidently and I could of sworn I saw a smirk lace on to the barn owl.
"The first black barn owl to walk. We will make a soldier in you indeed." Nyra said with authority. She then turned her back.
I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding as the owls that were sorted out as soldiers were being led into another room.
"Ash, right?" Kludd asked as I had stayed by him. "Kludd, right?" I said, answering his question with another question. He looked like he wanted to snap something at me but he held his tongue by asking another question. "You said you were a Tyto Alba earlier, how?" He asked, looking at my father colored feathers. "It's very rare to see a black barn owl. My da said that it is a one-in-a-million-chance. I learned not to question it." Kludd nodded.
I looked around our group of Tyto owls when my eyes landed on a masked owl that was in the group. He sent a smirk in my directions, and I felt like I swallowed a moth that was still alive. Nyra led us to a room that was sort of opened to the Pelletorium area.