The Last Ember

Fanfiction made by Duskfeather77

This is not exactly from the books, as I have put my little touch into it. -pokes you.-

This is about Anthera, a misfit in the nest. Though she thinks she's a mess up, she has proven many owls right & wrong. Here is her story. How a owlet turned into a legend...

Characters
Anthera - beautiful, quick-witted, light brown barn owl with dark amber eyes and very faint black and brown speckles on her wings, back and front. She has wobbly but sturdy legs and very powerful, long wings. (Main)

Pure Ones - Usually dark colored owls, trained to kill and murder. They are evil owls.

The Guardians - Complete opposite of the Pure Ones. They help, strengthen and thrive from the Great Tree.

Marel - Anthera's mother, formerly mate of Lanthir. Beautiful barn owl with dark brown eyes and 3 talons. She has a patch over her left eye.

Lanthir - Antheras father. dark brown barn owl, fought in many wars with his mate, Marel. He has pretty powerful wings and oak brown eyes. Mate to Marel.

Andricus - dark brown spotted barn owl with powerful legs and beak. He has deep green eyes and rather sharp talons. He is Antheras brother.

Corrin - very pale light brown barn owl with light brown stripes and long whiskers. He has ray yellow eyes and powerful legs and flies at an odd angle. He is Antheras brother.

Ansiroc - A pale white snowy owl, was a commander of the War Of The Ice Claws  Now resides in the Great Tree as Antheras mentor to flying and battle tatics. She has big round yellow eyes and has a scar down her eye, making herself quite ugly to others. Hides her true identity.

Conneth - Handsome whiskered screech with pale markings and dark forest green eyes, a spy and commander of the Great Tree. He is a great fighter and is quick thinking with his wings and body.

Clisna - Queen of the Great tree. She is a higher snowy owl with beautiful markings that sparkle in the sunlight. She also has bright golden yellow eyes, rimmed with white.

Clide - King of the Great Tree. He is also a higher snowy owl with darker markings and is slightly paler then his mate, Clisna. He has dull yellow eyes and powerful legs.

More Coming Soon

Prologue
Though no owl knows quite where this took place, it all started in Abla forest. A dark pine forest full of dangerous creatures but sturdy trees in which most owls prefer. To be honest, I never thought I'd make it here. To tell you this glorious story about my life, my treasures, my family, but now I stand here. I am writing this book for you all to read, young and old. To this day, I live in the Great Tree, full of plentiful food and comfort. If you have heard the legends about me, I assure you, it is nothing like the story I am about to tell. This is true, I do not lie my friend. I am real, and I stand before you now, telling this story over and again for the little owlets. Before I start, I want to tell you a bit about my family.

I shall start with my mother. She is a very talented barn owl. Can you believe she made my brother, Andricus claws? Of course they had caps on it! You don't think that I'd let that pigeon brained idiot go about attacking random owls with his new claws, did you? My mother is very gentle when it comes to losses, and she acts like it was nothing, which I found harsh when her father, Raske died. But deep inside, I can feel her pain and loss when she loses someone. She is also a great story teller! Though, she isn't as good as da, she tries her best to make her excited little hatchlings smile and gasp. If you ever meet her in Abla forest, you might notice her wing. She flies at an odd angle but surprisingly she manages to fly steadily. She also has a patch over her eye, which blocks her vision from that eye. Though she never tells me how she lost her eye, my da tells me it was an ice splinter. While she was attacking an owl, an ice splinter came out of nowhere and slashed her eyeball. Now, I won't get too graphic, but It is said that Marel lost her eyeball completely. From then on, she has tended more to helping owls in the Great Tree and hardly goes to war since then. I love my mother dearly when it comes to food also, she always gets my favorite! Plump mice or bugs!

Then there's my da. He is quite a show when he wants to be. He is a quite handsome barn owl with his feathery tufts on his legs. Now, my da here could make you smile even if he didn't say anything. He's also a great story teller. My favorite was The War of The Pure Ones and from then on, I knew I wanted to train as a cadet of the academy. He always added something exciting in it, making us gasp and gape at the images flowing through our minds. Now my da here doesn't have many scars and yet he tells tales of when it was owl against owl and everyone had to choose. He is one of the great fliers of the tree and often gets grins or smiles as he passes by, which makes us think that we're important too. Though my father has never exactly favored me, he still treats me like an equal.

Andricus and Corrin, well you never know. I would be spoiling the story wouldn't I? Oh, how I missed my brothers dearly, it was never the same with.. darn, I'm giving it away again. Darn hootin, I've got feathers in my brain! But anyway, Andricus has always been favored by both parents and he's often the funniest one, and has little faith when it comes to tales of legends. Corrin might be his complete opposite! Haha - oh yeah, sorry. Corrin has always been the gentle one, the intelligent one, the quick one.. it's been hard for our brothers this moon. Now, perhaps I should start my story? Oh yes, dear me I have forgotten my dear Auntie Hilta!

What is there to say? Auntie has always been the weirdo in the family with a nose for trouble. You should of heard her sing for the little owlets during my ceremony. My da said they could probably hear her from the Southern Kingdoms! She tries to help out though, and sometimes I feel quite sorry for her. Especially when it comes to males. I feel embarrassed every time my auntie sings, lots of times I'm given disgusted looks, even some owls fly outside the Great Tree until Auntie leaves to her hollow. Guilt usually crashes over me once it's over and I stay quiet until the next day.

Last, but not least, Conneth and Koristel. My two best friends since owlethood. Stuck to my sides ever since we escaped the Pure Ones. Conneth and Koristel have been inseparable ever since I met the both of them..always been loyal..they are my true friends. Koristel has the mind of a blacksmith while Conneth worked on battle tactics. They have always had my back, telling me anything that was useful in stopping the Pure Ones plans. How we escaped, Galuax knows..just be thankful we made it out alive.

Next is myself, Anthera. Now guardian of the tree, I am called Arethryb after Lyze Of Kiel. Though he is gone, my name is fully respected. I now shall begin my story, about how I rose to become a legend. I am Arethryb, guardian of the Great Tree, commander of the Storm Fliers unit. Here is my story... here is my legend...

Song Of Arethryb
Come ye'owlet

Gather round

And I'll tell you of a tale

That's not been found

Her name is Arethryb

Legend of all

She flies with grace

And never falls

She can kill a hagsfiend

She can kill an army

of a thousand itty 

pestery bodies

Watch her dive

Watch her flight

Watch as the day turns to night

Her name, her name

Legends above

Her name is Arethryb

She is the one..

The Legend Of Arethryb
"Move over Casier!" A young owlet shoved his brother over, staring at their father, Donisk.

"Continue da!" Casier popped up and down excitedly, waiting to hear the story.

"As I was saying, Arethryb never dared to go to battle anymore, she spent more time with her family then-"

"No da, tell about the war!" Bonadik squeaked loudly, looking disapointed.

Donisk smiled and gave a low hoot, "Okay, okay. It was the battle for The Ember...- Arethryb was young, full so of spirit. She was flying in the front, next to Clisna and Clide, talons raised as she nodded to her group and she commanded them, darned hootin' she did! The first female commander since time. She changed it history so that females could be commanders along with the males. Back then, females usually didn't--"

"Da!" The three small owlets screeched together. "We want to know what happened in the war, not about females!" At this, Kelley gave her brothers a scowl but said nothing.

"Yes, I know, sorry. Anyway, Arethryb was fantastic, she dove upward, at least 5 great greys, 7 barn owls and a few snowies and elf owls followed upward into the clouds. She disappeared like mist and then-... She dove downward, above the wretched Pure Ones and her unit followed, engaging combat with them. Arethryb knew her owls well and caught herself, slamming into Metal Claw causing him to spin near the sea. Metal Claw was the leader, a huge sooty owl with the most deadly claws of all. Metal Claw dove upward, spun around and faced her with deadly force..He flew straight towards her, aiming at her head. Arethryb ducked, then sliced his back tail feathers as he attacked. That's when he doubled back, grabbing one elf owl of her unit and smirking at her. "Estel, noo!" Arethryb dived up like a bomb and dove down again, she raised her talons and aimed it at Metal Claws face but he was to fast and he ducked. Rage bubbled up inside Arethryb and stupidly dived at him, hoping to slam him again but Metal Claw knew..he dropped the elf owl into the sea. "No!" Arethryb stopped in mid flight and tried to locate where her friend was. She knew Estel wouldn't be coming back to the tree. This is when Metal Claw attacked, slicing a scar from her eye to her chest. Arethryb began to go yeep..everything seemed lost until...-"

"Til what da?" Kelley hooted gently, eyes wide at the images flowing through her mind.

"Honestly Kelley, I need to tell this story. Anyways, Arethryb was wounded badly, but she found strength and dove at him unexpectedly, aiming right at his face, feathers flew as Metal Claws face was badly scarred and the Pure Ones screeched in alarm. Metal Claw retreated, blood smeared on his face. They had lost only a few unlucky owls, thank Galaux. Koristel, Arethrybs friend saved her from exhaustion, catching Arethryb before she touched the sea. Many Pure Ones were retreating, only some stayed to show their strength but they were dead by sunset. Arethryb loss many that day, I forgot his name..hmmm.. Arethryb now lives in the Great Tree, rarely fights battles anymore but it's said that her picture is in the sky. Her attacking Metal Claw.. says you can see it to this day.."

"Really?!" All the owlets crammed out onto the tree, glancing up at the sky. "I don't see it," said Casier sadly, hanging his head. "Can we hear the story again?" But soon, the owlets ran back inside and nestled close to each other. "I wish we were related to her, she's awesome!"

"Arethryb is actually my mother dear owlets...." But by that time, they were asleep..

Chapter 1
"Mom, da, look!"

The two parents turned their heads to look at Corrin, their eyes full of pride as they watched their youngest son branch. He had already fledged, just like me and Andricus. At this, my father hopped over, shaking his head as Corrin tried to stand on it with one leg and he nearly toppled over but my mother righted him with her wing.

"Great Galaux, Corrin! How many times have I told you to not stand on one leg?" My mother questioned, controlling her tone.

"Sorry, but it's fun!" Corrin moved back towards the hollow, hopping about like a young rabbit.