Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole

'Between Brothers'

by Shen's General

A/N: Hey there everybody! My name is Shen's General, a new member of this awestrucking site! I've been coming to this site for nearly two years, reading stories from authors such as yourselves. Thanks to encouragement from Master Crane, Charlie B. Barkin, and Humphrey Loves Kate, I found the courage to finally ask my dad for an account on this site, and he said yes…As for the story at hand, I watched Legend of the Guardians (completely, the last two times it was watched, I was busy), and I've instantly fell in love with it. My favorite character if anyone is Kludd, I guess I have soft spots for avian villains (hence whom I serve). I'm also a fan of the pairing of KluddxNyra (I find Nyra really attractive for an owl). Since there rarely a few fics concerning those two, I am making this story. Before I officially begin, I should explain a few things; first of all, in this story, Kludd is already Metalbeak, for those who would wonder why I skipped ahead, it's because I am basing my story as a part of another author's series of LotG: OoG, you people know him as bluecatcinema. He wrote good stories for this movie, from New Beginnings to Ruffled Feathers to Dark Feelings to Worlds Apart to Digging Deep, which was unfortunately his last story for the movie. For my story, it has took place a year after Metalbeak's death, and after all of bluecatcinema's stories, with the exception of Digging Deep, in which in my storyverse, had never took place (meaning Sylvana do not exist, sorry, DiggerxOC fans), for the sake of a certain pairing (read Mic O'Malley 'Skies of Darkness' to find out who). Speaking of who, in this story, there's also a character from his story, who was gruesomely murdered by you-know-who in his story. Well now that I got everything out of the way all I had to do is this:

I do not own Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole, I only wish I did, for I would without hesitation make a sequel.

bluecatcinema owns New Beginnings, Ruffled Feathers, Dark Feelings, and Worlds Apart.

Note: It is heavily recommended to read the abovementioned stories by bluecatcinema in order to understand parts of this story.

FeoranPride (a deviantartist) owns Nix, the grass owl, but Mic O'Malley used it, so he deserved to be mentioned.

I like to dedicate this story and this first chapter to Master Crane, Charlie B. Barkin, and Humphrey Loves Kate for convincing me to get an account, to Crazybird101 for inspiring me to get a gang, and to bluecatcinema and Mic O'Malley for allowing me to use materials from both their stories and to all the others who pm'ed me, and follow/fave me before even posting a story.

Chapter One: The King and His Disloyal Lieutenant

Along the horizons of the craggy peaks of St. Aegolius, the sun sets, making the seemingly forbidden peaks look like a masterpiece. However, forbidden would be the wrong term as the peaks are a current residence of a group of owls known as the Pure Ones, a group reserved for Tytos, a certain breed of owls whom strongly believe that they are above other subspecies of owls. They're also known to be rivals to the legendary Guardians, a group of owls who opposes their view, and believed in mending the broken, and upholding the weak. The Pure Ones fought for dominance and control over the owl kingdoms, while the Guardians fought for order and peace. This war between them had been raged for over centuries and centuries, with causalities on both sides, and the torch of both armies' leaders have been passed on for generations and generations.

Two owls stand out within this history of bloodshed; a Guardian Whiskered Screech Owl known as the Lyze of Keil and a Pure One Sooty Owl whose name had been unknown to this day. In the Battle of the Ice Claws, the battle between those two was so fierce that both of them left a permanent scar on the other. Lyze lost his claw, while the Sooty Owl lost his beak, and had a scarred face. Since that day, the Sooty Owl donned a helm, and dubbed himself Metalbeak, a name that would become one of the most infamous titles in owl history.

It seemed like the reign of Metalbeak would never end, as he had his subjects kidnapped owlets from all over to either have his mate Nyra train them as soldiers to fight the Guardians or have them moon-blinked and make them pickers, slaves forced to pick through pellets to find metal, which would eventually be used to render the Guardians helpless. However, things changed when they kidnapped two Barn Owls from the Forest Kingdom of Tyto, one of them was a firm believer in the Guardians, and was unaffected by the beliefs of the Pure Ones, that same owl would, along with an Elf Owl and the help of one of his captured subjects, escape them and fly off to find the Guardians. However though, the other Barn Owl and brother to that defiler had fallen hard for the ideals of theirs and had, as Nyra would said "exceptional promise", as he and the soldiers were trained, Metalbeak made a deal with one of the Guardians, a Great Gray Owl who sought control over part of the owl kingdom, who went by the name Allomere.

However, unbeknownst to them, the Barn Owl, along with his newfound friends ended up finding The Great Tree of Ga'Hoole and the Guardians and enlists their help in rescuing the owlets that were made slaves. Unfortunately, Allomere, who was dispatched to scout out the area for the owlets, had his comrades killed, and the other Barn Owl gave him two owlets, one of them whom were the brothers' baby sister.

The Guardians (and the Lyze of Keil among them, who now went by the name Ezylryb), outraged by the Pure Ones, took flight into battle with them, but little did they know of the trap the Pure Ones had set for them using the metal (known as flecks) that the Pickers had scavenged, which had a magnetic interference with the owls' gizzard. The owls fell for their trap like leaves on an autumn morning, and were left to be killed off by bats that worked with the Pure Ones, and Metalbeak ended up double-crossing Allomere and had him killed by the same creatures.

Fortunately, the Barn Owl, who had figured out Allomere's treachery from his little sister, set off with his friends, the Elf Owl, whom he escaped with, a Burrowing Owl, an eccentric one they met shortly after their escape from St. Aegolius, and a Great Grey Owl, the lute-playing friend of the Burrowing Owl to St. Aegolius to save them. The Barn Owl, by mastering the art of gizzard flying, a technique passed from Ezylryb himself, was able to take a lamp of fire and fling it at the mechanism that held the flecks, thus evening odds between the Guardians and the Pure Ones.

However, the brother of that Barn Owl, who was always overshadowed by his brother, and was envious of the attention his family gave him, charged at him and they ensued into a fight within the burning forest of Beaks. The Barn Owl tried to deter his brother from the path of the Pure Ones, but he wouldn't heed. The fight escalated to the point where the brother broke his wing and was hanging off the Barn Owl (who was holding onto a branch) on a fallen part of a tree overhanging a patch of fire. The brother begged the Barn Owl to help him, who, with his kind heart, was willing to comply; however, this was a ploy by the brother so he could grab and fling him into the fire, but when he struck, he missed and fell into the patch of fire.

Stricken with grief and anger over his brother's 'death', the Barn Owl charged for Metalbeak, with a burning stick in his talon. Metalbeak, during the brother's quarrel, was confronted by Ezylryb and a small fight ensues, however he had an upper-hand-er-talon on Ezylryb, as he was double-teamed by him and his mate Nyra, and was about to be finished off when the Barn Owl came flying and ramming Metalbeak. The Sooty Owl outmatched the young owlet in both strength and speed and instantly had him against a wall. However, the evil king didn't count on the stick the Barn Owl brought with him, and when he charged for the final blow, he was impaled with the stick and was killed.

Upset by her mate's demise, she, along with the remaining soldiers of their army retreated, giving the victory to the Guardians. The Barn Owl and the Guardians returned home with the owlets in tow and the Barn Owl and his friends were dubbed Guardians. However, little did they know that the brother of the Barn Owl had survived the patch of fire with a charred face, and a deeply-angered spirit. That owl would take Metalbeak's old mask, his sign of power, and would become the new leader of the Pure Ones with Nyra as his second-in-command, and the Barn Owl and his brother would, like the ones before them, ensued a fierce rivalry that would go on for years… Kludd was that brother.

Kludd was a Barn Owl who lived with his family in the Forest Kingdom of Tyto until one night, while 'branching' with his brother, known as Soren, fell to the ground and were captured by two Long-Eared Owls known as Jatt and Jutt. They were later taken to St. Aegolius, where Nyra, the mate of Metalbeak told them that their parents abandoned them and that they were their new family. Her speech had lighted a spark within Kludd's heart, who was enamored by her beauty, and by the ideals of the Pure Ones, that were to him, more real than those dreams of the Guardians his brother always gone on about. When one of the owls, an Elf Owl known as Gylfie tried to complain, Nyra approached the owlet, planning on reprimanding her, when Soren stood up for her; a bit peeved by their defiance, she made them both Pickers, and had her soldiers take them away. Soren tried to reach out to his brother, and Nyra asked Kludd if he would like to join him, and Kludd just denied him, saying he didn't know who he was.

He eventually received training, where he proved to be more experienced than any owls, and impressing Nyra and even Metalbeak. However, Nyra, feeling that his brother should reconsider, went to find him, only to see one of their 'forced' members Grimble trying to help him and Gylfie escape. Grimble tried to fend her off while Soren again plead that his brother come with him, but like before, Kludd refused him and distracted Grimble enough to help Nyra get him off and eventually killing him, in which then, Nyra made Kludd a member of the Pure Ones. Then, he offered to get his and Soren's little sister Eglantine to join them, but all she wanted to find Soren and was eventually moon-blinked, and then sent her with Allomere as a decoy to get the Guardians to come.

When they did, and were eventually freed by Soren, Kludd confronted Soren but his deeply-pained and angered heart led to his downfall when he fell into the fire, and was presumed dead...but little did they know that Kludd found a patch of water not far from where he fell and manage to survive with his entire body intact... however though, a good part in his heart was not so lucky. With Metalbeak's helm upon his head, he returned to the Pure Ones and Nyra, and was made leader and would lead the Pure Ones into many battles with the Guardians, with his own goal being that he kills his brother with his own two talons…

It was a year since that day Metalbeak died, and at midnight, it would be the one year anniversary of Kludd's coronation as king and leader of the Pure Ones, and the day he undertook the late king's name Metalbeak. Kludd, who was overlooking his domain as well as the sunset, smirked, as he remembered that day…

Flashback start

He walked in the large cavern where the Pure Ones were, after walking all night, while the widow queen Nyra was rallying her troops after the disastrous fight back at St. Aegolius when the others noticed him.

"Who is that?" Asked Jatt, one of the two Long-Eared Owls that kidnapped Soren and Kludd.

"And why is he wearing Metalbeak's helmet? Jutt, Jatt's cousin and partner in crime, added.

Indeed, Kludd had donned the mask of Metalbeak he had found after 'cooling off' from the burn marks he had suffered.

"Blasphemy!" Screeched a grass owl Pure One. "Let's make him pay for such affrontery!"

"Silence!" Yelled Nyra at that Pure One, and then she regains composure as she instantly recognized the masked figure. "Kludd. It is good to see you survived. And now you wear the helmet of Metalbeak."

"Not by choice." Kludd said quietly in a bitter voice. "I wear this helmet because I must, not because I want to. My face was burned when I fell into the fire." His anger boiled a little remembering how that came to be.

"Is that all?" Nyra grinned, as she saw a likeness between him and her late husband, and the fire in his eyes. "Or was it fate?"

"Fate?" Kludd repeated, a little confused.

"Yes." Nyra nodded. "I always knew you had exceptional promise, young one. And seeing you with that helmet, there is no doubt in my mind that you were meant to take Metalbeak's place, as our new leader."

"Leader?" Kludd said again in a bitter voice, although a little shocked

"Him?" Jatt yelled in disbelief.

"He's just a kid!" Jutt added. It was true, Kludd was considered younger than most owls the Pure Ones would have as leaders over the years.

"Fool!" Nyra screeched at Jutt, a little angered by the Long-Eared Owl's view on the idea. "This 'kid' has more to offer our cause than you and your dimwitted cousin put together!"

Both cousins cringed a little by the queen's angry gaze.

Nyra, after regaining her composure again, turned back to Kludd.

"Well, Kludd?" She asked. "Will you consent to becoming our new lord and master?"

Kludd considered it for a moment, if he were to become the Pure Ones' new leader, he would have the means and the know-how to wreak his vengeance upon his younger brother, something he never knew he wanted till he heard Nyra's speech.

"I will." He nodded.

"Excellent." Nyra smiled, deep inside, her partly black heart leapt for joy at his agreement. "Pure Ones, bow to our new leader. All hail the new Metalbeak!"

"Metalbeak! Metalbeak! Metalbeak! Metalbeak!" The Pure Ones started chanting, as they did for their previous leader.

Under his helm, Kludd grin a cold grin as he basked in the greatness he had been seeking ever since his father started ignoring him for his brother, and his dream of killing his brother had a possibility of becoming a reality.

Flashback ends

Kludd was so caught up in his memories that he failed to recognize one of his servants calling out his name.

"Uh…Lord Metalbeak?" the Pure One nervously enquired.

Kludd instantly snapped out of his daze and turned around with a slightly embarrassed, slightly annoyed expression, "Huh? Why are you here?" he asked.

"Well…Lieutenant Nix would like to speak with you." The servant answered.

Kludd slightly snarled when he heard that name, Nix was a grass owl and a fellow trainee when Nyra was training them. They were practically rivals when Nyra sent all of them to chase a little blue bird. Nix would have easily beaten Kludd, hadn't Kludd resort to throwing the Pure Ones' banner in his face. Since then, Kludd and Nix had hated each other almost as much as Kludd hated Soren, in fact, Nix was the same owl who accused him of insulting their leader's memory. And when the Pure Ones started cheering their new leader, Nix just stood there, glaring hatefully at the Barn Owl with malice and envy.

Despite all this, he wondered why Nix wanted to talk with him. "[Sighs] Send him in…" he ordered the servant.

"Right away, sir." He instantly flew off and a few moments later, a grass owl, donning a typical Pure Ones helmet, came in with a spiteful look that matched Kludd's as he entered. They both stood in silence until Kludd broke it.

"Well, what is it that you want, lieutenant?" He asked a little annoyed.

"I am here with a progress report, we are almost done with the preparations for the celebration of their glorious leader's first year." Nix answered, with a bit of mocking in the last few words.

"Almost? Why hadn't you finish yet? Midnight is in a few hours!" Kludd snarled, as his already little patience wearing thin.

"Well, some of them are taking a little time to grieve for their lost king, unlike a certain someone." He muttered with fierce indifference

Kludd was angered by such accusations, he had respected Metalbeak in the short time he had known him, but he believed that he shouldn't dwell in the past.

"I did grieve...but there is a reason I am king...I don't dwell in the past, I move on, for the sake of the Pure Ones!" He finished with a jab at Nix's chest.

"Oh, please, some of the others and I know why you took the mantle a year ago…" Nix retaliated with a glare that could make any owl nervous, except Kludd, of course, "The only reason you probably even consider taking the crown was because you wanted revenge on a measly Guardian." Then he said in a mocking, childish voice "Oh, look at me, I am Kludd, I have family issues and I am jealous of my wittle brother, boo-hoo!" He finished with another spat.

This pushed Kludd over the line, as he instantly charged at him and pinned him to the ground, shocking and frightening the grass owl, as he looked into Kludd's eyes of mighty fury.

Kludd was moments from ending the grass owl's life, but seeing how he was in no mood to get blood on his feather, he merely said in a shaking tone, trying to contain his anger, "You…are lucky that I don't rip you limb from damn limb."

Nix merely gathered his courage as he then gave a smug smirk, "Oh come on, Kludd, let's face reality, you had done nothing noteworthy for the Pure Ones ever since you became king. Heck, the last time we even dealt with a Guardian was when you apparently were defeated by your 'other self'.

Kludd, still trying to refrain from ripping his guts out, remember with disdain of how one day he ran into his brother patrolling the area, and how he came to meet himself and an evil version of his brother from an alternate world, and how both he and other Soren were both beaten by their counterparts. Of course he kept the part about other him and other Soren a secret, as he didn't want the others, including Nyra, whose opinion he valued most, to think him crazy, but somehow, Nix had found out. Why he hadn't told Nyra was beyond him.

Then with a long exhale, he said, keeping a stern tone, "You and 'the others' get back to work, and be thankful that I don't strip you of your rank or something far worse." He got off Nix and look back to the horizon.

Nix looked at him with a vicious glare and thought to himself "One day, Kludd, it will be you begging for mercy…" as he flew off to continue with his duties.

Kludd saw him leave, and then sighs as he turn back to the disappearing sun; even though his heart had blackened a lot since that battle, he could still enjoy the beauty of the sun reflecting off the black peaks.

Then he said to himself, "I did not take position as leader just to use the Pure Ones for my own reasons…in fact, I did it because I wanted greatness and respect. Now I have it, and I am happy, happy, happy…" He finished with a cold smirk.

"Oh really?" said a voice.

"Yeah, really, creepy snowy owl I had never seen before who somehow gotten into my chamber." He answered, looking back with confidence, then he realized what he just said. He turned about and saw a snowy owl that was much taller than him, and let out a surprised screech.

A/N: Well, that was one real long one for a very first chapter I had made. In case of questions, I will answer ones that would probably be asked…

- Nix is a grass owl from Mic O'Malley's story 'Skies of Darkness', and I believe was the owl that Kludd fought with in that training scene in the movie. However, unlike Mic, Nix will not get the (BLEEP!) gored out of him, and he will play a bigger role in this story, and as you can see from this chapter, Kludd and him will butt heads at points.

- The flashback scene was a scene in bluecatcinema's 'New Beginnings' where Kludd returned to Nyra and co. and eventually became their new leader, of course, I made a few changes to my liking, including an inclusion of Nix.

- The reference to Kludd and Soren's other selves are from bluecatcinema's 'Worlds Apart', a story where Soren meets Kludd from an alternate universe. I'll just leave it at that.

- The snowy owl is my shoutout to Hedwig from Harry Potter, and the last bit where Kludd flatly answered the owl without realizing his sudden appearance was based off a scene in the Looney Tunes Christmas Special 'Bah, Humduck!' where Daffy asked Sylvester a question without realizing him suddenly being there. Also, if you guys are wonderin' what the deal with him, let's say he'll play a role in Kludd and Soren's relationship and by the way, to people who would view this as a movie, I would have this owl voiced by Randall Duk Kim (The same man who voiced Grand Master Oogway in Kung Fu Panda), and Nix would be voiced by Jensen Ackles (the guy who plays Dean in Supernatural.)

And to those disappointed in not seeing Nyra nor KluddxNyra stuff, don't worry, this is just the beginning and there will loads of KluddxNyra along with other pairings. But I did hint at it a little.

Well, I said this, Master Crane and all you awesome people who encouraged me and followed/faved me, I hope this chapter was satisfactory, and don't be afraid to criticize. I'm sorry if this chapter was mostly recap, and if I toned down Kludd's evilness a little, but I am going somewhere with this that could cause an uproar amongst villains fans. Well, time for me to say, READ AND REVIEW AND ALSO FOLLOW AND FAVE IF YOU HADN'T ALREADY! SEE YOU SOON! (and I might answer replies…)

Artworks stuff is appreciated.