az: Well, I finished the fifteen books. And a part of me had always wanted to write something about Soren and Coryn but only manage to use half of the muse. Perhaps another time. Here's to writing more fanfics while still having other WIPs from the rest of my fandoms~

Edited some parts though I preferred to not edit them too much. I tend to get a bit too wordy. Edited again to properly set the time.

Reminiscence, for the fallen

Written by Izzu alias honou-no-izzu

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It has been several days since the war, yet again... this night, Soren continued pearching on the highest branch of the Great Tree to stare at the night's sky. Still deep in thoughts.

"Yes, you shall miss us... but do not mourn us."

Having lost his parents many years ago—though only seeing their scrooms and never knowing what had caused their deaths, nor knowing where their remain lies—Soren was no stranger to losing the owls dearest to him. There was Grimble, and there was Hortense, when they used to think she had been dead—to which, even if they had known each other briefly, it seemed as if he and Gylfie had known them forever. Those two owls had been dear friends, during their plight of trying to escape the horrors of St. Aggies. Losing them, felt as painful as losing his own parents.

He had missed them, yet not allowing himself to grieve for them for he knew those owls would not want him or any other owl dearest to them to continue wallowing in sadness.

It was the same feelings that he had bore for the dearly departed monarchs, Boron and Barran; his predecessors. And also of dear Ezylryb, who had taken him in as his ward and taught him many things—who indeed had been as much a father to him as Noctus could be, his mentor... his hero.

When Barran had said those words Soren kept it in his heart always since then. The many owls that he had met and whom had departed before him, in many ways had shaped him into who he is. He would not mourn their loss but would always remember them. Without those owls, the Soren that had perched on this one branch of this great tree would have never have existed. He, who was now the current monarch of the Great Tree of Ga'Hoole.

How strange. Years ago, when he was but a young hatchling—he could never imagine that one day he would become the one who would continue leading the noble owls of the great tree, as its monarch.

Never... could he have imagined...

Yet, a part of him cannot help but wanting to mourn. At least, for the one owl that had been his only nephew. Coryn, son of Kludd and Nyra. Even if Kludd had done many hurtful things to him, to Eglantine and to his parents, he was still his older brother. Even if Kludd did not care about his as a brother, he had loved Coryn as his own son. How sad, it had been such a short period of knowing him. A part of him had wished for that period to be at least much longer than it had been.

Coryn was still a young owl, there was still many things for him to see and feel. Especially now, when Nyra was no longer around. But Soren knew that this was no time for regrets. Coryn had fought and died bravely. In a way, his death was inevitable. Wasn't it written in the legends, that before he died—King Hoole had sensed his time was coming thus returned to Beyond the Beyonds to put back the ember into one of the volcanoes of the Sacred Ring? Wouldn't it be the same for Coryn, when he had returned the ember back into the volcanoes?

Soren's gizzard ached slightly as he continued eyeing the sky. Even though the new constellation that had risen into the night sky after Coryn's death could barely be seen from here, he still see it clearly in his mind's eye.

He would miss him dreadfully, he knew. If he and Pelli would get another chick, a male—they would have named him Coryn yet it would not have been able replace the owl that had been his nephew. He was one of many owls, whose presence would be irreplaceable.

Soren felt the branch he had perched on shook as he turned his head to find Pelli beside him. Neither of them spoke, there was no need for words. Pelli had turned her glance towards the sky as she sighed.

"Everyone would miss him."

"Yes, indeed."

Pelli stole a glance at Soren as she sensed that he was about to speak. And he did.

"Isn't it a wonder, that not long ago... both of us, as well as dear old Ezyl and Octavia had been waiting here for Coryn to arrive? It seemed as if... it had only been yesterday when that happened."

He had not told anyone, no one had known about it save for Pelli. Several nights prior to that day, he had a dream. Like all the other dreams he had, he did not remember about it after that until the moment the event occur. In that dream, he had heard someone calling for him from far away. No matter where he looked, he could not somehow pinpoint to where had the voice originated from. Yet he could still hear it, and then he saw a glimmer of something from afar that had prompted him to fly towards it. There were silhouettes of something coming towards him, yet the more he tried to get nearer it seemed something would always prevent him from doing so. Even then he knew that this incoming presence was nothing malicious. Despite not knowing who was it that called for him, he had sensed something familiar about it.

Thinking back, could that time he had foreseen Coryn's arrival through his starsight? He had thought nothing that time, when he had realized that the young Barn Owl flying towards him was his nephew; of that dream he had. When he saw the glint of the ember from still so far away, a part of him had told him to immediately greet the arriving owls. No thoughts about the dream occurred as usually, just a feeling that it was what he was supposed to do. It was all gizzuition, as what Ezylryb always said. Could there be something more to it? Could it be that from that moment he had already known that he would become what he had come to be now? That time, when Coryn had asked him to be his advisor... as well as to also hold the bucket that held the ember of Hoole. He had thought nothing about it, that the very action held any significance in the future. Yet when Namara, Otulissa and the others had told him that his time had come; a part of him felt as if he had known that he was destined to be the great tree's monarch since forever. Soren frowned at the thought.

Pelli sighed as she saw light beginning to seep through the night sky. Twixt time would come soon.

"Somehow now, I wonder if Ezylryb knew..."

Soren turned towards Pelli abruptly. "What did you mean, dear?"

Pelli cocked her head towards him.

"That time, Ezylryb had stopped me from following when you had flown to greet Coryn. I hadn't been able to see the glint of the ember as it was still too far, so I did not know why you had abruptly left the perch. Ezylryb had stopped me, saying that you were supposed to greet them. That it was fitting that you should do it, since you were the first to see the glimmer of the ember. That you should have been able to see it."

Soren's eyes widened as Pelli spoke the last few words, before turning his glance towards the gradually brightening sky.

Perhaps the old ryb did knew. Ezylryb had always been able to see through him and knowing about things that he himself might not have noticed at first. The old ryb after all already had his eyes on him from the very first time he had arrived to the great tree with the rest of the Band. Gizzuition was something one could not explain... and the world worked in its mysterious way.

Was it writ that Coryn's destiny as the second embered king to be this way and for him to continue on as the monarch in Coryn's place? He had felt awkward to be succeeding Coryn's position as the King of Ga'Hoole in this manner. But perhaps, it was meant to be...

Soren churred to himself softly.

"Perhaps I would be able to become a decent king for the Great Tree after all. As well as for the guardians."

Soren and Pelli exchanged glances. Pelli had sensed that Soren was still doubtful that he could lead everyone in Coryn's place as the monarch, but now that doubt was no more. The sorrow of losing Coryn was still there but not so much that he would fall into gollymopes. It seemed Soren had accepted his new position as the new king of the Great Tree of Ga'hoole.

Soren churred again.

"Pelli dear, I'm still a bit new in this role I've now gotten myself into. I still had a lot to learn. Only time would tell if I could really be able to lead the Great Tree into a new age of flourish."

It was Pelli's turn to laugh as she ushered her mate towards their hollow. "Indeed it would be. But for now, it was time for you to be nothing else but the owl you are. The three B's would be wondering why their Mum and Da did not return to the hollow in time for breaklight."

"Then I suppose, we should not let them wait any longer!" said Soren as the pair of Barn Owls swooped down towards their hollow. Indeed there would be another time for him to ponder about his new responsibilities. Yet, Soren knew that he had nothing to worry. Since right now he was not alone. He had the Guardians by his side, both of the present and the future as well as the wisdom of the ones before him. Together, they would protect the values that all of them had cherished and hold dear.