by Alex Rey
In preparation for their food, all the acquainted owlets went from one home to the other. All the while did they remain clustered together in a group—a group which only grew smaller as each made their way to their nest homes. Leyoht thought of it interesting how the collection of little owlets grew smaller and smaller with every home they passed by.
Eventually Leyoht and Roseti were the only ones left of what was once a plentiful group of owlets. By accident did they run into Leyoht’s towering home, watching as it soared up into the sky. Such was an activity Leyoht wished to someday perform.
“Well,” Roseti began, breaking Leyoht out of his trance. “I guess I’m going to leave you here now.”
A moment of hesitation came into play before Leyoht flicked his gaze over on Roseti and responded through a stammer, “O-okay. I’ll see you later!”
“Bye, Leyoht!” she called out, starting herself on her walk home.
As the echoes of his new friend faded out of existence, Leyoht turned over to his home. Now under the tree, he yelled with as much effort as his lungs would allow, “Mother! Father! I’m ready to come back up!”
A moment of silence came into place before Sahemawia’ head was sighted poking its way through the hollow’s exit. Once she took sight of her freezing son standing such a long distance below her, she exclaimed, “Hang on, Leyoht! I’m coming.”
Only a heartbeat of silence occurred before Sahemawia jumped through the hollow’s exit. Leyoht watched as his mother swung her wings downward just before hitting the ground. Before he knew it, her swift talons picked her son up from the icy ground. Feeling as Sahemawia’s talons now wrapped around Leyoht’s chest, Leyoht made his way up into the air until both he and his mother were back inside the hollow.
“Mother—I just met a bunch of new friends today!” Leyoht exclaimed once they were both safely in the hollow.
“Oh—that’s great! What were their names?” Sahemawia asked enthusiastically, shaking some snow from her feathers.
“There were two girls there, one’s name was Roseti, and the other one was Behinlo. There were three boys, one was Ramil, another was Plenot, and the last was Jsaleor.” Through the rest of the day, the excitement to wake up for his next adventure constantly clouded his mind.
Chapter VIII
The Other Side of the World
In a land far beyond Leyoht’s reach, human scientists and adventurers were beginning to wonder about life on Earth; was it bigger than they had once anticipated? The humans’ natural curiosities allowed them to believe in the existence of undiscovered mysteries their world had to offer.
An example of one of the theories by these humans was the idea that the world was set up into a sphere. Another idea the wise ones had thought of was an idea stating how every single object was made up of extremely tiny particles. Each idea the humans had brought forth to their people sparked more and more brilliant minds to come into place.
As these theories spread through the land, a group of wise humans, warriors, and architects set themselves on a quest to turn these theories into fact. The first theory they would test was the theory which stated the world gave a round appearance, instead of flat—as the original theory stated.
Their plan to proving this theory was to set an oceanic vessel off to sea—the likes of which they hoped would make an entire trip around the world. Through many years of being a myriad distance away from home, they would eventually return back home in the exact same spot from where they had sailed off.
Along with the architects, the wise men and warriors played major roles in this secret mission. While the warriors would protect from any enemy soldiers and pirates, the wise men would act like maps for the rest of the crew by looking up at the stars. At the same time, the wise men would make maps of their journey.
For almost a year had these humans spent their time collecting items and preparing for the trip. A large amount of their earnings had been given up to help make their journey a success. Each of them felt as if they would have given up everything they had once owned to better the human race’s knowledge of the world.
There were two reasons for such a journey to be set into place. Obviously, the first reason was to gain scientific evidence based on already-popular theories. However, the second reason was to create a new community on whatever unclaimed lands they would find. This reason gave the architects a major role in the mission.
To prepare for this trip, the group of humans would often have meetings in their leader’s basement late at night. By this time, they had already purchased their oceanic device from a foreign source, preserved a large amount of food—which had already been bathed in salt—and collected a variety of animals. Not a single one of the animals, however, had any idea why the humans had taken them on this trip.
Horses, camels, little owls, chickens, chimpanzees, sheep, and lions were boarded onto the vessel. The humans brought all these animals to test their behaviors to the new landscape in which they would be presented. Whether or not they could adapt to the environment was completely unknown to the humans. Some of these animals, however, were simply brought to be used in farms and ranches.
Although many of the items these humans brought along with them weighed just as much as the humans themselves, the most difficult of the cargo to load onto their vessel were the animals. To slightly silent their animals’ problems, the humans were required to securely muzzle and cuff them. Because the humans came only once every night, it was difficult to feed the animals, as they would often rush out from their cages in hopes for feeling the smallest piece of food to land upon their tongues.
Almost every night would the humans fill whatever goods necessary into the device. Stealth was the most valuable of all skills on these late-night missions—but it was also a skill most of the humans didn’t have.
While carrying crates, cages, and other items, the humans would crouch low to the ground as they scurried into the device. To communicate, they would often speak through the quietest of whispers. Because of this, many of them needed to improve their listening skills.
“Where do I put this?” one of them would ask through a whisper.
“Down below,” another would respond.
“What?” the same human would hiss in question.
The crew of humans would often grow hasty if one of them made a mistake as little as releasing the slightest cough. To make things even more difficult, the oceanic vessel’s wood would expel loud squeaks into the air whenever somebody stepped on board.
After a long time of loading cargo onto the device, the humans would make their way back to their leader. After a long time of sneaking around in their own domain, they needed a break from their hardships.
One occurrence which annoyed the busy humans was when another human would see what they were up to. The punishments for this so-called insanity would often result in death—so being the reason why they couldn’t have any other suspects.
Whenever there was the case where somebody else had taken sight of the project, the humans taking part in the project would be forced to take care of the witness. Cruelly enough, one of the project’s warriors would slit their witness’s throats until their witness hadn’t any life in them left. To hide the body, the murderer would simply bury the evidence in the sea of water below their vessel.
--
There soon came the night when an excited little owl named Pesstian hopped his way onto the human’s vessel. As he made his way onto the enormous marvel of human ingenuity, he drew his gaze toward to the gorgeous wood—the likes of which had been sighted at nearly every corner of the vessel.
The son of the legendary warrior Karon, Pesstian had learned many interesting techniques which he could use for defending himself. Even though Karon was able and determined enough to turn the weariest of all owls into independent fighters, Pesstian could never lay a claw on anybody. However much he urge Pesstian to attack all those who opposed him, Karon could never convince his son to harm those that he had known for s
o much as a heartbeat.
Completely and utterly startled by the sight of the human’s vessel, Pesstian halted where he was, forgetting all about the other little owls behind him. He quickly came back to his senses when he felt a sharp beak poke at the back of his head. Stopping a cry of pain from exiting his beak, he turned his neck toward his backside when he mumbled, “Nestak—can you please not peck at my wound?”
“Pesstian—can you please not fester with your wound so it can heal properly?” the little owl named Nestak sneered. Just when these words spilled out into the air, Pesstian heard the sound of laughter spilling out from behind him.
Just when Pesstian was about to make his comeback, the humans behind them gave a great roar. The sound of such a sudden cry sent a shock of fear to flow through Pesstian as he restarted his pace. He let out a sorrowful sigh at the thought of what the human must have thought of him.
As the humans led he and the other little owls through their vessel, Pesstian grew annoyed when at the sensation of an irresistible itch at the back of his head. Nestak’s right, he told himself silently as he urged himself away from the itch. I really should learn to stop festering with my wounds.
Often ridiculed by the little owls surrounding him, Pesstian lived a somewhat sad life. The main reason why he was ridiculed—at least the only reason he could think of—was because of the other owls’ inability to let go of his past deeds. Why can’t they all just forget about it?
Behind his brown-tinged gray and white feathers was his scar-plagued skin. Some of these scars showed their selves on his outside, as he would sometimes scratch enough at his wounds to move the feathers once protecting them.
As his itch continued to ebb at the back of his head, Pesstian begged himself, Just try to ignore it until we finally get inside! He continued to hold onto this thought as he and the other owls were escorted—by the humans—into their vessel.
Passing through poles, crates, and barrels, the owls slowly made their way towards a strange trapdoor. Each of them witnessed as a tall human twisted a small latch just before grabbing the trapdoor’s handle. Just after the human’s fingers wrapped around the handle, he gave a great pull as the door opened up.
Turning to take a look over his shoulder, Pesstian noticed as a human—who he could hear speaking his strange language—as he gently nudged one of the other owls into the trapdoor with his foot.
“Hey!” the owl growled, “Don’t push me!” But it was too late for that little owl—for he was hastily pushed down the trapdoor’s cavern. It was only a heartbeat after when the humans nudged each and every one of the other owls into the dark hole.
As each of the little owls were pushed into the hole, they were forced to slowly float their way toward the floor. When Pesstian had made his way through, the sight of many gray feathers blocked his sight while the sound of hoots filled his ears. The hooting came to an end when one of the humans quickly shut the door in which they had lead the owls through.
As the sound of the closing trapdoor filled his ears, Pesstian took sight of at least ten little owls he either had or hadn’t known before coming to the humans’ aid. Only a few owls he had known made their way onto the human’s vessel while most of them were strangers in his eyes.
Unlike the humans, Pesstian’s face contained two large eyes—which had been adapted for seeing through the blackest of darkness. It was likely he would have died at a young age if his eyes hadn’t held such an adaptation. Thanks to this ability, he was able to tell all the different owls apart in this shadow-blanketed room.
Pesstian continued to observe the activity around him as he slowly stumbled backwards. He continued to do so until he noticed his back pressing up against a wooden wall, his left shoulder brushing against another owl’s feathers.
The feel of the feathers sending a startling shock through his blood, Pesstian flicked his head over to his left side to notice a female little owl. He noticed as she started at him momentarily, a great spark of youth flashing in her eyes.
At that moment, Pesstian half-expected this stranger to put an expression of annoyance on her face. To his surprise, she hurriedly apologized, “Oh—sorry!”
As a short pause of silence came into place, Pesstian broke the silence by responding, “It’s alright; I’m too excited to be angry at anybody, anyway.”
“Me too,” the female owl chuckled in response. “I’ve been wondering what the humans have been doing for a long time. I just wanted to do something exciting for once in a while. Life at home’s grown boring. But do you have any idea what they’re going to do with us?”
“I have no idea,” Pesstian admitted with a sigh. “My best guess is that they’re going to turn us into humans—if that’s even possible. It seems to me like—if they could make homes for their selves—then they could do anything.”
Laughing at the thought, the female owl replied, “I’ll have to agree with you. The humans will probably give me one of their weird names if I were turned into one of them.”
“What is your name, anyway?” Pesstian blurted, a pang of curiosity escaping from his throat.
A pause of silence came into place before the female owl broke the silence by responding, “Leyai. The humans would probably call me by one of their strange names—like—” Another pause of silence came into place as she seemed to struggle for a name. “They would probably call me Lazara; I think that’s how you say it.”
“I wish I could tell you whether or not you’re right or wrong. I would be able to tell you if the humans didn’t talk so weird!” At the sound of these words, both Pesstian and Leyai released heavy bouts of laughter into their little room. “Maybe then,” Pesstian continued, “We’d be the ones making homes for ourselves.”
“Instead of Pesstian, my name would probably Pinkal—if that’s even a name!” Pesstian chuckled.
As her laughter came to an end, Leyai peered toward Pesstian’s face, noticing as his chuckling came to share the same fate as Leyai’s laughter. It was then when she mumbled to herself, “Pesstian—where have I heard that name before?”
In confusion, Pesstian put a look of awe on his face when he asked, “Do you know Karon?”
With a nod, Leyai replied, “Of course I know him. One of my old friends used to be trained by him.”
“He’s my father,” Pesstian explained, as sending a shock of surprise to trickle down Leyai’s spine.
“I knew you looked like him!” Leyai explained as a picture of Karon’s face formed in her head. “I think my friend has told me about somebody named Pesstian, but I would’ve never guessed that was you!”
Yet another pause of silence came into place; Pesstian changed the subject when he asked, “Do you know why these kinds of human devices are always on the water?”
“Maybe they don’t work on land,” Leyai shrugged. “Haven’t you ever seen them move across the water?”
“I think I’ve seen them do that at least once,” Pesstian muttered, partially to himself. “Are the humans—are they controlling them?”
“If they are controlling them, I think the humans are using them to go to other places.” As these words escaped from her beak, she began to think of the times when she had witnessed the humans splashing around in the water. She could remember seeing as they swam in the oceans without the need for their oceanic vessel.
As these pictures came into her head, she murmured in question, “I don’t see why they would need them, though. Humans already know how to swim; that should be enough for them to get through the water.”
It was after letting out an exhausted yawn when the sound of footsteps—each of which emanated from the ceiling—caused his heart to leap. He allowed an irritable growl escape from his beak when he complained, “How am I supposed to sleep if the humans won’t stop being so noisy?”
“Why do you want to sleep?” Leyai asked, a confused look crossing her face. “I thought you were excited.”
“I am excited,” Pesstian yawned in response. “But the humans ha
ve been using me for their own purposes—like they do with everything. I’ve been passed around from one human to another for days, and now I don’t wanna stay up anymore. I just want to sleep for a while.”
Giving a blink of slight disapproval, Leyai shrugged when she murmured, “Well—okay, then. I guess I should leave you in peace.”
With these words, Leyai strode away from the tired owl as her lovely, dark-gray plumage blurred away from Pesstian’s sight. As his eyelids grew heavier with every passing heartbeat, Pesstian thought to himself, At least I’ve found somebody to talk to on this thing. With this thought in mind, he knew his time on this human vessel wouldn’t have turned out to be a slight waste of time—as he had first theorized.
His thoughts slowly fading from his mind, Pesstian quickly found himself asleep in a matter of moments. The only hope he had was that neither the humans nor owls would make a break in his peace.
--
Through what seemed to be only a short period of sleep, Pesstian’s mind spilled out many thoughts of what the outcome would have been of this journey. These overnight thoughts came in the form of questionable dreams—dreams which had taunted him to believe whether or not his choice to help the humans was the right thing for him to have done.
Before these thoughts could have even settled peacefully in his head, the sound of rushing water splashing against lumber woke Pesstian up from his sleep. It was only a matter of heartbeats later when he soon discovered how the humans’ vessel was surfing its way through the sea. At the same time, he noticed how the entire room seemed to be pushing and pulling each of the little owls away and toward each other.
While he gave a slight struggle to keep his stance at a perfect balance, Pesstian nearly released a huff of laughter when he took sight of the others owls struggling. He noticed as a small fraction of the owls tried to fly from their problems—only to hit their heads on the ceiling.