Read Online (GoG Book 07) The Hatchling by Kathryn Lasky - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Kathryn Lasky
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foxes that I would never dare to go after but that taste so good. I am leaving my mum, the hunter. I am leaving my mum, the murderer.
And with that last thought, Nyroc spread his wings and stepped into the air.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Negotiating with Crows
W ake up!” Nyroc shook the Sooty who slept on a stone perch on the far side of the cliff, in one of the less desirable hollows that faced the prevailing wind. Nyroc leaned in close to his friend’s ear slit. “Phillip!” he whispered.
“What? What?” the Sooty Owl was immediately awake. “Oh, hi, Nyroc.” He blinked again. “Nyroc, it’s full morning. What are you doing here? You should be asleep back in your hollow.”
“No. We have to get out, Phillip, right now. I’ll explain later.”
“What?”
“I told you. I can’t explain now.” There was no way that he could explain to Phillip right now what he had seen in the fire. He knew he had to be away, a long way away from his mum. He had to think about things, and he had to ask Phillip a lot of questions that the Sooty might not want to answer while surrounded by Pure Ones. “Just think of thisas a quest, Phillip.” Nyroc paused. “A quest for truth,” he said solemnly. “I need your help.”
Phillip blinked in astonishment. It was one thing waiting attendance on the heir of the Tytonic Union in various ceremonies. But it was quite another being asked to join him as an equal, it seemed, in a quest—a noble quest for truth. Yes, indeed, it sounded quite noble to him.
“But how will we get out of here? There are crows in the daylight.”
“We have no choice,” Nyroc replied.
“During the last great battle against Ga’Hoole, during The Burning, I was posted on the far side of the canyonlands. I know that territory. If we fly out of the Great Horns it will be too easy for them to follow us. Besides, there are always lookouts there. But not on the far side of the canyonlands. But, Nyroc, what is this truth you are in search of and where do you think we should go in search of it?”
Nyroc ignored the question of what truth and stuck to the where of it.
“I am not sure. Maybe The Barrens, maybe the forest kingdom of Ambala.” Nyroc then took a deep breath. “Maybe the Great Ga’Hoole Tree.” Nyroc amazed himself. He had actually said the words “Great Ga’Hoole Tree” out loud.
Phillip was stunned. “The great tree!” he exclaimed. Insane! he thought. But he tried not to betray just how crazy he thought this notion was. He tried to sound reasonable.
“But why, Nyroc? You know all talk of the Great Ga’Hoole Tree is forbidden. You know how awful that place is.”
“No, I don’t know. I want to find out the truth for myself.”
“For yourself,” Phillip repeated in a whisper filled with awe. This sounded peculiar—and dangerous—to the Sooty Owl.
“Why not?”
“Well, first of all, the most direct route to the Island of Hoole takes you right through some terrible currents of air called the Shredders. Real hag winds. The Guardians of Ga’hoole can fly them because they are fantastic fliers. They can fly in any weather.”
“Couldn’t we get to the Island of Hoole some other way?” Nyroc asked.
Phillip blinked at him. Is this owl yoicks or what? He thinks he can simply fly to the Great Ga’Hoole Tree where the Guardians live? He’s the hootin’ image of his mum. We are the enemy of Ga’Hoole. But he couldn’t bear to tell the young owl this. It would be hard enough for him to find a place he could live in peace anywhere in the owl kingdoms. He simply looked too much like Nyra and Kludd and they werefeared and hated everywhere—even though Kludd was dead. There had, in fact, been rumors of his scroom. Phillip had heard Uglamore and Stryker talking about it one night. “Well, Nyroc. We’ll think about that later. You might be able to find a lot of the truth you seek on the way, outside of the canyonlands.”
“Yes, that is exactly what I was thinking. We must
And with that last thought, Nyroc spread his wings and stepped into the air.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Negotiating with Crows
W ake up!” Nyroc shook the Sooty who slept on a stone perch on the far side of the cliff, in one of the less desirable hollows that faced the prevailing wind. Nyroc leaned in close to his friend’s ear slit. “Phillip!” he whispered.
“What? What?” the Sooty Owl was immediately awake. “Oh, hi, Nyroc.” He blinked again. “Nyroc, it’s full morning. What are you doing here? You should be asleep back in your hollow.”
“No. We have to get out, Phillip, right now. I’ll explain later.”
“What?”
“I told you. I can’t explain now.” There was no way that he could explain to Phillip right now what he had seen in the fire. He knew he had to be away, a long way away from his mum. He had to think about things, and he had to ask Phillip a lot of questions that the Sooty might not want to answer while surrounded by Pure Ones. “Just think of thisas a quest, Phillip.” Nyroc paused. “A quest for truth,” he said solemnly. “I need your help.”
Phillip blinked in astonishment. It was one thing waiting attendance on the heir of the Tytonic Union in various ceremonies. But it was quite another being asked to join him as an equal, it seemed, in a quest—a noble quest for truth. Yes, indeed, it sounded quite noble to him.
“But how will we get out of here? There are crows in the daylight.”
“We have no choice,” Nyroc replied.
“During the last great battle against Ga’Hoole, during The Burning, I was posted on the far side of the canyonlands. I know that territory. If we fly out of the Great Horns it will be too easy for them to follow us. Besides, there are always lookouts there. But not on the far side of the canyonlands. But, Nyroc, what is this truth you are in search of and where do you think we should go in search of it?”
Nyroc ignored the question of what truth and stuck to the where of it.
“I am not sure. Maybe The Barrens, maybe the forest kingdom of Ambala.” Nyroc then took a deep breath. “Maybe the Great Ga’Hoole Tree.” Nyroc amazed himself. He had actually said the words “Great Ga’Hoole Tree” out loud.
Phillip was stunned. “The great tree!” he exclaimed. Insane! he thought. But he tried not to betray just how crazy he thought this notion was. He tried to sound reasonable.
“But why, Nyroc? You know all talk of the Great Ga’Hoole Tree is forbidden. You know how awful that place is.”
“No, I don’t know. I want to find out the truth for myself.”
“For yourself,” Phillip repeated in a whisper filled with awe. This sounded peculiar—and dangerous—to the Sooty Owl.
“Why not?”
“Well, first of all, the most direct route to the Island of Hoole takes you right through some terrible currents of air called the Shredders. Real hag winds. The Guardians of Ga’hoole can fly them because they are fantastic fliers. They can fly in any weather.”
“Couldn’t we get to the Island of Hoole some other way?” Nyroc asked.
Phillip blinked at him. Is this owl yoicks or what? He thinks he can simply fly to the Great Ga’Hoole Tree where the Guardians live? He’s the hootin’ image of his mum. We are the enemy of Ga’Hoole. But he couldn’t bear to tell the young owl this. It would be hard enough for him to find a place he could live in peace anywhere in the owl kingdoms. He simply looked too much like Nyra and Kludd and they werefeared and hated everywhere—even though Kludd was dead. There had, in fact, been rumors of his scroom. Phillip had heard Uglamore and Stryker talking about it one night. “Well, Nyroc. We’ll think about that later. You might be able to find a lot of the truth you seek on the way, outside of the canyonlands.”
“Yes, that is exactly what I was thinking. We must
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