Fallen Snow

The first snowfall arrived early, but the signs were there. The dimming of the sky as the grey clouds rolled in, covering the blue sky like a blanket of cotton; the chilly winds that howled through the thicket of trees and bushes that made my spine shiver; and the darting of small creatures to take cover before the frigid cold hits the Great Forest. It becomes the perfect opportunity to hunt, and kind of a must by this point.

I perch on top of a pine tree, carefully watching the world below. The wind blows harder by the minute and I knew that I did not have much time to waste, I have to bring food back or else I’d be called out for not being an efficient hunter and I probably get my hunting privileges revoked and end up in the nursery again. Just the thought of the nursery made me shiver in disgust, the screaming owlets and the constant hooting makes my brain hurt.

Opening my wings, I take off with a powerful flap, adjusting my position and tucking in my claws to make myself more aerodynamic. Thankfully for my plump feathers, it keeps me from the cold and wintry air that is preparing for snowfall.

I circle above, trying to search for food. Just one prey is good enough to contribute to the Owl Tribe. I keep a few things in mind: Avoid the eagles, we don’t mess around with them; when seeing a prey, swoop in and out immediately and get right back to the Great Oak Tree; Do not engage in unnecessary fights etc.

“Finally.” I murmur to myself when I spot a white rabbit scamper across the leafy floor of the forest.

I fold my wings, diving down and flapping my wings here and there to keep myself from barrel rolling in the air. My eyes lock onto the rabbit as I approach it, rearing up and extending my claws unfurling my wings to slow myself down but keeping the momentum going. The rabbit sense my approach and start to dart faster, but it’s too late.

I snatch the rabbit in my powerful claws, my talons digging into its flesh and I smile down at the helpless prey. Before I can take off, however, I feel a tug and I look up into a menacing pair of green eyes flying towards me and before I can maneuver out of the way, I crash onto the forest floor, rolling and covering my head in my wings to prevent head injury.

I groan when I skid to a stop, my wings limping onto the ground as I push myself up and shake the dirt off my feathers that was just cleaned two hours ago. I watch as the rabbit scampers away with my talon marks on it and disappear into the thicket. Great, there goes my contribution to the group meal. I turn my head around, ready to snap at whoever was the perpetrator who made me lost my meal.

Instead, a coil of black appears in front of me and I knew instantly who I was facing. I take a step back, puffing my feathers out to make myself look bigger and slightly positioning my wings in offense mode. The snake uncoils and raises its head, almost coming to my height and hisses.

“You made my food escape,” I said, furrowing my eyebrows.

The snake hisses, “It was running away from me until you swooped down and took it. Of course, I’m going to fight for my food.”

“I need it for my Tribe’s gathering!” I protest.

He replies, “And I need it for the winter, owling. Why are you owls so damn persistent, it’s annoying. You and your so-called knowledge and wisdom. Shouldn’t you already learn not to steal anyone’s food?”

Snake Tribe. They were always troublesome for the Guardians of the Great Forest, or so that’s what my Tribe say to the younger owlings. In this great and majestic forest, all animals balance each other out to keep the forest mystical, and it’s the core power to the magic that resides within the Guardian Tribes.

The Guardians consists of Five Tribes: The loyal Wolf Tribe whose uncanny leadership puts them as the leader of the Guardians, the cunning Snake Tribe with healing as their main source of contribution, the royal Owl Tribe that contribute untestable knowledge to the Guardians and also act as the stealthy sky patrol, the sly yet surprisingly good-intention Fox Tribe who serve as tacticians along with their extensive knowledge of the terrain, and the sharp yet courageous Eagle Tribe who dominates the sky and provide extensive patrol in the sky.

Each Tribe serves a purpose in the Great Forest, keeping the balance within the system and making sure no Tribe is above the other which is why every full moon the leaders gather under the Great Sycamore tree that towers above all the other trees that overlook the forest. Although there have been times where Tribes have come close to war, other Tribes were able to prevent it from ravaging the lands.

And here I am, facing a snake from the Snake Tribe. “Look, I just can’t go home without food.”

“Well, standing here arguing won’t bring the food back will it, owling?” The snake says, slithering towards me and I take a step back. One venom from a black mamba can and will kill me.

The snake does have a point, the food is gone for both of us. Might as well get lectured about how bad of hunters we are. I turn around with a final sigh and depart, heading towards the sunrise where the Eagles will take over the sky patrol by this point.

Upon lifting into the air, I meet up with my best friend Irwin. He holds a dead rat in his beak, his slightly smaller wingspan requires him to beat one-half of his wings more than I do. Then again, we are different species of owls living under the same Tribe. He sees me and tilts his head, “Where’s your kill?”

“Lost it.” I reply as we glide in the rising morning, “Apparently I stole a Snake Tribe kill.”

Irwin sucks in a breath, “Yikes. You know how defensive they are with food.”

I look forward with a boring expression as Irwin continues, “You know your Dad won’t be happy upon knowing you haven’t gotten a kill. You fought him for ages and now you got the chance to hunt and you got absolutely nothing.”

“No need to rub it in my face, Irwin,” I respond in a monotone voice. The Oaktree approaches us and we start our descent, joining the other owls that have returned from their nightly hunt and patrol.

I land in the Hallow, a great hole around a hundred foot above the ground with Irwin and we make our way towards the grand hall where the life of the Owl Tribe resides. I try to avoid the looks the other owls give me since I clearly return with no food, and I have no red patrol paint on so that’s even lovelier. It’s considered somewhat of a disgrace that you can’t even earn one kill. To the Guardians, as much as the differences can lead to a potential war, there is one thing that all Tribes have in common: To contribute to your Tribe and protect the Great Forest.

I pass the nursery, trying to avoid stepping on the fresh batch of owlets who run by in which one of them fell forward and started wailing. I quickly look away and continue on to the feasting site. Irwin chuckles at me when he sees my reaction, “Oh Chase, you still hate owlets don’t you.”

“I always hated them. Oh god, you should’ve seen me when Ry was born. Hell, I almost committed siblicide that day.” I admit, slouching over. Irwin shakes his head, he heard me complain about my younger brother Ry ever since he was born just two moons ago. The scrawny little rascal that took my parents time and effort away from Tribal stuff and more into nursing and caring really put my older sister and me in burden.

I was picked to tend Ry when he was five weeks old when Mom and Dad had to return to their Tribal duties. That’s when I stayed in the nursery, picking food out of the stash of feasting scraps and feeding it to Ry. He got so attached to me, there was a moment of time when he followed me around. Everywhere.

Just the memory made me want to puke. Irwin finally says goodbye to me, taking the right turn towards the feasting ground where he will deposit his food to be either processed for the nursery or for the general Tribe itself.

“Chase? Where is your kill?” A deep raspy voice says behind me.

I instinctively wince and slowly turn around, meeting eye contact with my father, the Head of the Owl Tribe.