Read Online (GoG Book 02) The Journey by Kathryn Lasky - Free Book Online

sleeping, others for study of some sort, some for stores and supplies. Soren peeked into one and saw stacks and stacks of the strange flickering things that Boron said were called candles. Sometimes Matron led them through a passage to the very end, where there might be a hole from which they would fly to another level of the tree, then reenter through another opening and resume their interior trail through the trunk of the tree. As best as Soren could figure out, the sleeping quarters were closer to the top of the tree, meeting hollows for large and smaller congregations of owls seemed to be below, along with a hollowthat was called a kitchen, from which very good smells issued. There were places along the way where small groups of owls gathered to socialize. These seemed to be near the points where some of the larger branches of the tree joined the trunk. There were good-sized openings at these points so that owls could either sit inside on specially constructed perches or outside on the branches themselves.
    “Now, I want you young’uns to stay out of the way. We’ve got some wounded owls coming in and I have to arrange for their care.” They were flying up through the branches, following the Short-eared Owl to the hollow that would be theirs.
    “Matron, we’re going to need moss and down. Search-and-rescue’s coming in with two more little ones. Nest decimation.” Another Short-eared Owl flew by with a wad of something fluffy in her talons.
    “Oh, no! Poor little things.”
    “Nest decimation. What’s that?” Soren asked.
    “Accidental destruction of nests.” A young Spotted Owl flew up as they landed on a branch midway up the tree.
    “Otulissa, thank goodness. Can you show these new arrivals to that hollow we cleaned out yesterday?”
    “Certainly, Matron.”
    “And see if Cook has any tea or cakes left over. They look half starved.”
    “Certainly.”
    The Spotted Owl named Otulissa showed them to their hollow. “What is going on here?” Twilight asked her.
    “Oh, there’ve been some skirmishes up in the borderlands, nothing too serious.”
    “Is it St. Aggie’s?” Soren asked. “We know all about St. Aggie’s. Gylfie and I escaped.” Otulissa blinked.
    “And we killed their top two lieutenants when they came after Digger here. So we’re ready to fight,” Twilight added. The Spotted Owl blinked again. “I mean, we’re in the right place, aren’t we? The Great Ga’Hoole Tree?” Twilight had stepped closer to the owl to ask his question.
    “Where each night the order of knightly owls rises to perform noble deeds,” Soren offered in a softer voice. An uncertain feeling that was not quite a doubt, yet not a real belief, began to stir in Soren’s gizzard. “This is the place?” his voice quavered.
    “Of course it’s the place,” the Spotted Owl replied.
    “Then get us some battle claws—we’re ready!” Twilight stomped one talon impatiently.
    “You’re ready!” Otulissa gasped. “You think just becauseyou escaped and killed two rattlebrained owls, you’re ready?”
    “And the bobcat,” Soren said.
    “And the crows,” Digger piped up. “Well, not exactly killed them, but drove them off.”
    Gylfie was very still, however. She had said nothing. But now the Elf Owl stepped forward. “Are you trying to tell us we are not ready…that…that it takes more?”
    “Indeed. There is nothing that noble about slaughtering two bad owls in the desert.” The Spotted Owl rose up to her full height and looked down her beak at Gylfie. In a very haughty voice she said, “You have not been tempered by battle yet. Nor do you know the first thing about strategy. You probably don’t even know how to fly with battle claws. I have been here much longer than you and still have not yet become a member of a chaw.”
    “What’s a chaw?” Soren said.
    “You are selected to join a chaw—a small team of owls—and you will learn a skill that is helpful.”
    “In battle?” Twilight