GU PREPARING THE TREE

[Vivosaurus]

Jehan flew off from Parliament as soon as he could so he could more or less commandeer as many volunteers as the Guardians could spare: the Ga'Hoolology chaw, his nestmaid snake and the friends she gathered that have any sort of weaving ability or boast of particularly sharp sensitivities, burrowing owls or owls with any sort of digging talents, and others wanting to protect the tree. Many of those that have to stay behind for some reason will probably be enlisted in his groups (voluntarily or not).

Jehan flew around ferociously in the outer branches, barking orders. He did not look very friendly - even less so than normal - and not even Esmie was going to try to calm him down. She didn't look scared, but still retained a distance between them. After all these years, she knew how to put up with his agitated states. "Go to the looms - you remember how I told you to make snares?" he asked, and she nodded. Jehan had been preparing her and his chaw for war for a long time. It was part of their duty, as the Ga'Hoolology chaw, to know how to do these things. "Some of my chaw will be going with you. Make sure they don't slack off. And where are the other nestmaid snakes you said were coming?" He needed lookouts not only for the messengers the Guardians would be sending back, but also to alert the snare operators if the enemy was coming.

"They're on their way," she hissed. "The Tree is in chaos, Jehan, I think they are just caught in the confusion."

There was a near-growl from Jehan. "Just make sure they come soon!" Esmie didn't say anything, just made a slight nod and slithered off, but Jehan would be getting a stern lecture from her when this was all over. When this is all over. What if it isn't? Jehan couldn't think like that, but it was hard not to. War was exciting, war boiled his blood and brought his ancestors' stories to life, but war was also horrible. War meant casualties. But I'll make sure we're ready.

"Kall!" he was calling for his co-ryb, his right-hand owl. He assumed the owl was near by, so he went right ahead with his instructions. "Borrow... I mean, find some diggers for the cache holes - we need supplies, in case this turns into a siege. And we need to design the other traps - if these Remnants are smart enough, they might be expecting the snares. And we need to get some more owls to collect more milkberry vines for the snares, and for our lookout points, and to make a small squadron in case we are attacked... Did you get all that, Kall? This didn't appear to be Jehan's first war - even though it technically was. His father had been preparing him and his brothers for this since they were young owlets, not even branching yet. "I need numbers, Kall. I need to know how many we have here at the Tree at our disposal. And make sure the Ga'Hoolology chaw gathers here first."

[ooc; Anyone in this thread is free to NPC the nestmaid snakes.]

[Fin]

Kall was fritting around the library, lifting books and parchments, looking for his regalia. It had been so long since he had last used it - wait when had he ever used it? Finally, he discovered the old helmet underneath the Ga'hoology 'desk' perch, accompanied by his battle claws. Placing his helmet hurridly on his head, he ignored the strap and put his battle claws on, flying out to where he had been called for. If the ryb wasn't already annoyed with his co-ryb being late, he would be now.

Flying up, Kall landed with the least amount of grace an owl could, hopping along the branch like kangaroo to stand next to his ryb as he was called, "Ja, sir!" He hooted enthusiastically. His helmet was falling into a slant on the little owl's head, but he couldn't do anything about it. He had seen Jehan normally, but there was something different about the owl... was it confidence, or fear? Kall assumed it was the first, as he looked up to his leader as much as any trainee.

"Ten Burrowing owls have already stayed behind, I asked before they left. They're already working on the supply caches with a few young trainees." Kall was glad he had - finally, he'd actually helped in the war efforts! "Design... new traps, sir?" Kall questioned what had been asked of him, thinking hard. How would they come up with a new trap in such a short amount of time? Flicking his head and causing his helmet to tilt to the other side, he almost saluted with his wing, diving sideways off the branch and swooping down. With a loud hoot, he summoned the Ga'hoology chaw. Where could they be?

Slithering from the highest hollow in the tree right along one of the thicker branches and onwards until she reached Jehan came Rose, the King's nestmaid. Flicking her tongue out, she recognised the Ryb and coiled around the thinner branch. "Jehanryb, Rossss-e here for duty. Wha twill you have me do?"

[bushy]

Cerda watched all the activity from her family's hollow. Her brothers had gone off to help somewhere or other already, and her parents were among those who would be in the battle. The young owl couldn't help but feel a twinge of fear for their safety, but she knew how well the Guardians were trained. Even against Remnants her parents would be alright. She didn't allow herself to think about it anymore. Kall was calling for the Gahoology chaw. Seeing him fly by Cerda took off and fell in next to and slightly behind him. As a trainee she had no regalia, no weapons or armor to worry about finding or putting on. If she had she would probably have been already wearing it, just waiting for someone to tell her what to do. "I'm here. What do I have to do?" She said as she followed the co-ryb on his flight, gathering more Gahoology owls as they went. Today was a proud day, a day where she could really do some good for the Tree by helping to defend it. In her gizzard Cerda felt a thrill of excitement at the prospect of being part of the defenders. Whatever she was ordered to do, she would do it, no matter what. It was her duty as a trainee of the Tree. She just hoped that she would actually be of help wherever Kall sent her to work.

[Fin]

Deep in his gizzard, the little owl could sense the storm in the faraway Beaks. He was fearful, but not for himself. No, for his King, for his fellow owls... well, for his family. He didn't have a true family, but the Guardians meant more to him than anything. If the Remnants some how got through... then Kall would be on the front-line, not stopping until the last breath escaped his lungs. This tree was so beautiful, so amazing, but yet she couldn't protect herself. It was the owls job.

Flitting around the place with his wings flapping wildly, he hadn't noticed Cerda behind him until she spoke out. The sound spooked him, sending him spinning with his helmet tilting again. He landed harshly onto a branch causing it to shake. "Oft - hello, Cerda." He hooted shakily, shaking his ruffled feathers in an attempt to calm them. The bravery he felt a few moments ago deep in his gizzard had been overtaken by a little scare. Kall was nervous, anyone could tell.

"J-Jehan has asked me to gather the Ga'hoology students to retrieve the milkberry vines. We need them for snares." He informed her, shifting into a more comfortable standing position. Looking around, he hooted "I think I saw Madidus around. We need everyone to help. Come on, I'll get you started." Kall took off, hoping she would follow. It was difficult for him to give out orders as he always knew that was Jehan's job, so the tone was a little foreign. Still, he thought he'd done a good job so far.

Lighting down on a branch near the top of the tree, he hopped along until a hanging vine came into reach. It was in a hammock shape, perfect for a snare. "Now, here's what you do." He flitted onto the branch above, pecked at the vine a few times before it sluggishly fell down, swinging loosely. Hopping over to the other side, Kall hooted a warning for her to catch, and began pecking. A few heartbeats later, it fell down onto the branch. Jumping down with a few flaps of his wings, he took the vine from Cerda and gently wrapped it around the branch for later retreival.

"Up there, do you see it? An easy vine, one peck should do it!" Kall hooted, pointing his wing to one higher above.