A/N: This is my first story, so I apologize if it's not that good. I've been a member here for a grand total of 2 days! So any suggestions are welcome.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Guardians of Ga'hoole series. I do, on the other hand, claim Baron Marshal and Corey as my own!

The Owl

The wind howled through the trees. The tent shook violently and made a constant whipping noise. I huddled next to a kerosine lantern, bundled up in my sleeping bag to fight the cold.

The storm had come out of no where. One moment the sky was clear and bright; The next, not so much. What had started out as an average backpacking trip quickly turned into a fight to keep dry. I had barely been able to pitch the tent as the wind was constantly trying to tear down my shelter. Once inside though, the light of the lantern seemed the most welcoming it had ever been.

My name is Baron Marshal. When my story began, I was seventeen years old, and loved the outdoors. Hunting, fishing, camping, you name it! Summer break was in full swing, and I was outside everyday. I lived on 100 acres of land in the Texas hill country, so it wasn't that hard. On hot days, I would sometimes sit on the dock in our tank and watch the Perch probe the surface of the water for bugs. Occasionally, I would admire my reflection in the surface of the water. I was about 6'2" and sported a beard that could only be defined as awesome. The blond hair stretched from one sideburn to the other, but not going around my mouth. It was kind of like those beards that you see on Amish guys, only trimmed close to my face. I was well muscled, but in a trim, fit kind of way. The only thing that seemed off was that I wasn't nearly as tan as one would think for someone who spent as much time outside as I did.

I always enjoyed a backpacking trip. Nothing beats the feeling of living out of your own pack. Just knowing that, should the situation arise, I could provide for myself was a very satisfying feeling. My parents never minded. They knew I was safe and didn't take any unnecessary risks. The trips were usually only two days or so. I picked a spot on our land and hiked there, pitched a tent, and spent the night. Then the next morning, I packed up and headed home.

But this trip, I was going to do something different. Me and my best friend Corey were planning a trip to Oklahoma to hike the Ouachita trail (Pronounced: Wash-i-tah). It was going to be a whole week, and we were ready.

Well, almost.

I got a phone call from Corey two days before we were set to leave. He had gotten Mono. I was about to ask him what date we should reschedule to, when he said that I should just go without him. I denied at first, but when he persisted, arguing that this was going to be the last week of good weather before a line of summer storms set in, I surrendered. I mean really, It was the Ozarks.

So two days later I was off. I checked the weather before I left. Clear skies to Wisconsin. It was going to be beautiful!

The first day went off without a hitch. I hiked twelve miles, then set up camp for the night. But I couldn't focus of the brilliance I was seeing all around me. I felt bad that Corey couldn't come. The next day wasn't much better. That night, I decided I would head back the next morning. At dawn, I loaded up my pack and began the hike home.

And that brings you to the part where I'm sitting in a tent, freezing my butt off, waiting for the storm to pass. Luckily, I was prepared. I had brought along the fourth book in the Guardians of Ga'hoole series. Yeah, I know it's a children's book, but hey, it's a good read. Plus, it's light. And every ounce counts when you carry everything you need on your back.

The book was enthralling. I witnessed great trials and tribulations as the group was sent on a secret mission into the dark confines of Saint Aegolius. I sat, enraptured, as they had to fight their way out of evil canyon after they were discovered, and how no matter how bravely they fought, they did not escape without injury. The Realization that Soren was dying from his wound hit me like a fist in the gut.

So fascinated was I that at first I didn't hear the rustle of wings in front of my tent. Finally, a sharp screech pulled me from my mesmerized state. I was resistant at first, not wanting to let any more moisture into the tent than there already was. But finally curiosity got the best of me. I slowly unzipped the tent flap and peered out into the darkness. What confronted me was the saddest sight I had ever seen. A rather wet, rather unhappy looking, Barred owl sat outside my tent staring in. The bird looked up at me and then walked unassertively into my tent.

That's strange, I thought, I don't think I've ever heard of that happening before.

He walked to the middle of my tent, turned around and just sat there, staring at me. His gaze was piercing. I don't know exactly how I knew it was a he, I'm not what you would call an expert in owl anatomy, but I just knew. We sat like that for a while, just looking at each other. When I made an attempt to move closer to him, he stayed still as before. So I moved a bit closer.

When I was within arms reach of him, however, he did move. I didn't see it until it was too late. The owl gave a violent flap of his wings and with his razor sharp talons, slashed two gashes in my face, both starting at my right ear and ending at my chin. I fell back from him, holding my hands to my face. Already, blood began staining the front of my shirt. When I finally found something to stop the bleeding, I looked back to the owl, who was still sitting there, staring at me.

"Get out of here, you little turd!" I shouted at the owl. But he just continued staring at me, his yellow eyes seeming to glare into my soul.

I made a lunge for him, but a sudden and intense heat engulfed my entire body, and I ended up on the ground, moaning. I looked up at the owl and saw that he was still staring at me as my world slowly faded into darkness.

I woke up to a sound like roaring waves mixed with the occasional high pitched squealing sound. My whole body felt horribly sunburned. Every time I moved, I felt like I was going to get sick.

I tried to pick myself up, but my arms refused to cooperate. They felt like they had gained twenty pounds. My legs felt strange, too. I could at least feel them, but I could't bend my knees.

What happened? I thought to myself. And what is that noise?

It took me a minute to place it. The roaring sound was coming from all around me. It didn't sound like waves, as I had originally thought, but the sound of a fire.

Fire!

I suddenly lifted my head and began looking around frantically. I was in the middle of a huge forest fire! Flames were everywhere. Burning limbs were crashing all around me. I tried to get up and run, but my arms gave out beneath me.

I looked down at my hands, only to find that I didn't have any hands.

I had wings.

Panic overtook me. I had no idea where I was or how I got there.

Suddenly, I heard another high pitch screech. of course that's what it was, the squealing noise was a bird call. In particularly, an owl. I craned my neck back farther than I was ever able to before and saw a Boreal owl descending towards me at a rapid rate.

No sooner did he land than he started yelling to me over the roar of the flame.

"Can you fly?" he asked

"No. Where am I? Wh-wait, did you just talk?"

But he wasn't paying attention.

"Ezyl, we've got a live one." Then he looked back at me, "We're gonna get you out of here!"

"Wh-what happened. Where am I? Did you just say Ezyl?"

"I'll answer all your questions later. just suffice to say that your in the middle of one of the worst fires that the kingdom of Silverveil has ever seen.

Just then, a battle-scarred Horned owl appeared out of the smoke

"Poot, what's the situation"

I couldn't believe my eyes. "Ezylryb? Are you really Ezylryb?"

"Yes. and you are the bird that is in big trouble. Poot, get the gurney."

"Yes sir." he said, and was off. He returned a few moments later with the gurney. They rolled me on, much to my discomfort, as their sharp feet were like burning knives on my still sensitive skin.

Then they grabbed both handles with their talons and flew me away. I fought to stay conscious, but the shock of those past few minutes finally caught up with me. I watched the world sail by as I slowly succumbed to the welcoming darkness.

Alrighty then. You know what to do, read and review (Wow that rhymed so well it sounded gay).