Lost Tales of Ga'Hoole Read Online Free PDF

off, but your voice isn’t half bad, and I thought I could have gotten rid of you by sending you to the Southern Kingdoms to be a singer. I was going to get rid of both of you without hurting either of you, so don’t blame me when it ends otherwise. You’ve gone and ruined it all. Whatever happens now, it’s your fault!”
    Rodmilla’s eyes glowed a deadly yellow as she took to the air inside the small cave with battle claws extended. Thora stumbled back in shock, not knowing what to do. Rodmilla was almost on top of her.
    “NO!” Sig screamed and threw himself in between Rodmilla and Thora.
    There was a blur of gray and white feathers and the sound of metal tearing into flesh. The next thing Thora knew, Sig was lying in a heap on the cave floor, and Rodmilla was still advancing. Thora reached for the battle claws, the ones that she had made in Orf’s forge. She had never flown with battle claws before, and had no idea how to use them, but they would be better than nothing. As she fumbled, she saw shapes out of the corner of her eye.
    “Get away from my daughter!” It was Berrick, her father, and Brunwella was right behind him. “Brunie, stay back, out of the way,” Berrick shouted.
    Berrick charged at his mate with bare talons outstretched. “You treacherous…”
    “Da!” Brunwella screamed before Berrick could finish the thought.
    The Great Horned Owl who arrived with Rodmilla was in the cave and began slashing at Berrick. Bareclawed, Berrick was no match for him. In a second, his wing was broken.
    It was Rodmilla who delivered the death blow. “Good-bye, my gullible one,” she whispered to her dying mate.
    “Da, no!” Brunwella cried out.
    As she heard her sister’s cry, Thora lifted into the air, now with battle claws strapped firmly to her feet. She had never even fought before, much less fought to kill. But her gizzard took over. She didn’t even have to think. She advanced toward her stepmother without hesitation. Rodmilla was the one on the defensive now, parrying Thora’s blows. She was pinned against the cave wall as Thora’s battle claws lashed out.
    Rodmilla screeched in desperation, “Thora! Did I not try to spare you?”
    As if in a trance, Thora said nothing. Her starboard claw drove deep into Rodmilla’s throat, killing her.
    By now, many Resistance fighters had come to the cave, and it was an all-out battle. The Great Horned turned his attention to fight alongside his two fellow Ice Talons guards, but the three of them were easily outnumbered and defeated.
    In the end, all four Ice Talons, including Rodmilla, were killed. But they had taken with them the lives of the two owls most dear to Thora and Brunwella—Berrick and Sigfried were gone. The sisters collapsed into a heap and cried, holding each other in their wings. They remained in this sad embrace until the sun began to set.
    The next night, Thora, Brunwella, and the owls of the Resistance burned Berrick’s and Sig’s bodies using coals from Orf’s forge. As the fire burned, Brunwella began to sing.

Fly away with me.
Give my loneliness a break.
Fly away with me, so my heart will stop its ache.
Rise into the night ,
Fly away with me.
Fly with me till dawn ,
Hollows we shall leave behind.
Fly with me till dawn, to places they’ll never find.
By the pale moonlight ,
Fly with me till dawn.
Soar over this land ,
In the night sky we’ll find glee.
Soar over this land, see the steam rise from the sea.
Soft winds do invite ,
Soar over this land.
Fly away with me ,
My love, don’t hesitate.
Fly away with me, for I can hardly wait.
Our hearts shall take flight ,
Fly away with me.

    It was the same song she had sung on the night of voice tryouts, which now seemed so long ago.
    Thora listened to the old gadfeather words—“fly away”—and realized it was exactly what she and her sister needed to do. After the ceremony, she told Brunwella.
    “Brunie, I think it’s time we fly away from here.”
    “But where will we go?”