Purity: The Story of Salixa

## Author's Note

This is the first of my Guardians fanfictions, about the Sacred Orb, and what if it had survived, and been brought up in the Tree. I find this subject very interesting, and I hope you will too.

## Prologue

In the night sky, two figures, one large and one small, evidently in a horrified hurry, darted through the air. Trailing behind and gaining fast were about twenty other figures. The two figures being chased were flying straight for a forest fire. There truly was no other option. It was either that or turn back into the maddened talons of their pursuers.

Primrose and Eglantine, two Guardians of the Great Ga'Hoole tree, were on the verge of going yeep. Not daring to look back, for fear of seeing the great numbers of their angered pursuers. Eglantine, the larger of the two, a Barn Owl, was holding a egg in her talons. This egg was the Scared Orb, spawn of her evil brother Kludd and his sadistic mate Nyra. The egg was so named that for it's unnatural almost spherical shape. It looked more like a ball than an egg. Currently, Nyra and her death squadron, The Nyra Annihilators, were gaining speed and the young owls were losing distance.

"Get them! I'll tear your gizzard out if you don't!" she screeched at a Grass Owl. He complied, fearing the wrath of not only his current squad leader, but also of The High Tyto himself. Nyra's eyes were bright, and she only thought one thing: "Get! That! Egg!"

Seeing a cloud of smoke, Primrose, the Pygmy Owl, spoke to her friend. Egalantine, if we can get into that and hide somewhere in a place in it, they'll never find us!" she spoke over the roaring flames and screeching enemy.

Her Barn Owl companion called back. "NO! Are you yoicks?! If and when the smoke clears, which it eventually will, they'll find us, and they'll probably take out our eyes!"

Eglantine looked around. "We can dive straight into the fire."

"What?! And you say *I'm*the one who's yoicks?!"

No, we won't really do it! If Nyra sees us do it, she'll go yeep and faint, just like she did when we took the egg. Her mind and gizzard are so fragile now that her precious Orb is gone, that if we even *look*like we're gonna do a suicide move like that, she'll just go yeep. Then her cohorts will be too busy worrying about her to even think about following us." The female Barn Owl then swooped down toward the flames, her small friend following her.

The plan worked. Nyra immediately fell to earth, her thick-headed followers swooping down as if to catch her. They didn't even notice the pair they were chasing a matter of moments ago soar back up into the sky using a thermal updraft.

"It worked!" Primrose exclaimed. However, Eglantine was looking at the egg. It appeared to be quivering. "It looks like it's going to hatch." the Barn Owl said dryly.

"That's impossible! It's far too early! No egg hatched that soon!" the Pygmy Owl stuttered. But she knew that her friend had to be right. No egg ever made movements like that unless it was going to hatch.

"Of course, an egg shaped almost like a sphere may not hatch like one that is egg-shaped."

"We can't make it to the Tree in time. It'll hatch as we fly." Primrose said urgently.

"It won't hatch in the Tree. It'll have to hatch here."

"But what about Nyra? We could defend it as it hatches, but they'll smash right through us."

"I don't know. We'll just have to fight with as much might as we have." Just then, a group of owl-like figures ascended in the distance. They knew it was the Pure Ones.

"That willow tree in the distance. I see a hollow in there. We'll have it hatch in there. We could also use the branches for fire-branches.

"Let's go."

As they lighted down and were about to go in, they noticed it was occupied. A handsome male Short-Eared Owl, with reddish-brown wings and black stripes, was inside.

"Please, it's going to hatch, and we're being followed by the.." Eglantine didn't even get to finish before the stranger silently made a hatching nest, and took a scimitar off a shelf.

"I'll deal with any that come near the hollow. You two just rest." And with that, he was off.

Setting the egg down, the pair faced the nest, watching as the egg quivered and shook almost violently. Finally, a shard of egg broke off. Then a little false beak, or egg-tooth poked out of the hole and pried a good portion of egg off itself. It then picked piece by piece of shell off itself. The two then saw it's eyes. Very beautiful, jet-black ones. A lot like her mother Nyra's.

Eglantine spoke. "It's a girl! See, she focuses on me!" she then approached the blob-like mass, and nuzzled it with her head, and folded the owlet in her wings and down feathers for warmth.

"Primrothe an' Eggleteeth." the chick spoke. Her words had a "th" sound to them because her eggtooth had not come off yet.

"Mommy!" the owlet then snuggled up close to Eglantine, whose eyes watered with joy, and she wiped a tear from her cheek with a talon. Primrose was bawling her eyes out.

"No, dearest, just call me Auntie Eglantine." the female Barn Owl said gently.

"Auntie Eggleteeth." the owlet replied.

"Yes, Auntie Eggleteeth." she said and smiled.

"What should we name her?" Primrose asked, wiping her eyes on a wing.

"I don't know."

Just then, the male Short-Eared Owl lighted down in the hollow. "How about Salixa, for an ancient Krakish word meaning "willow"? After all, she did hatch in here." his scimitar was held over his shoulders.

"What about the Pure Ones?" Eglantine asked, seeing the owlet asleep.

"The only one who really did pose a threat to me was that crazy female. All the others I disarmed and got rid of easily. The name's Micah, by the way. Who's the father?" he asked.

"Thank you, Micah, for helping us this night. We may not have made it without you. And my brother is the father." Eglantine answered

Micah looked at her confused. "I'm not the mother, silly!"

"That crazy female was the mother, and you know who she is. Eglantine's brother is the High Tyto. We're Guardians, they're Pure ones, you see. they wanted this owlet to grow up to be evil, and we want her to be good. That's why we stole her." Primrose explained.

"I see. Besides, you look both far too young to be having owlets anyway." This caused both the females to blush.

Tomorrow evening, you can carry her in a basket of mine to the Tree. I'll guide you all the way there, in case of bad weather or if the Pure Ones get any ideas."

"Th-th-thank you." Eglantine gasped. She was exhausted. She just needed to rest. She saw the sun rising, red, as if it was dipped in blood.

"Salixa. I like that name. Salixa, welcome to the world. Glaux bless." she whispered to the sleeping babe, and fell asleep.