Guardians of Ga'Hoole 02 - The Journey

compared to the heat they had just flown through. Bubo now circled back. He had been flying far out in front. “Good ember beds ahead. Perfect for all of you.”
    So this was it, Soren thought. This was when they became true colliers. Just then, like a shooting star, something red whizzed by.
    “Beautiful catch, Ruby,” shouted Poot.
    “What a natural that Short-eared Owl is!” Elvan gasped in amazement.
    Ruby began to wing off toward the coal buckets that Bubo had set up on the ridge. The small buckets made in his forge, with bits of kindling in the bottom already lit, would keep the coals hot.
    “All right, Martin going in!” Elvan called out the command. The little owl began a tight spiraling plunge to earth. “Cover him, Soren.”
    Soren would fly cover until Martin returned with a beakful of cinders. Elvan actually carried the very small cinder pot in his talons. Martin was supposed to not only collect cinders but report back on the larger coals that Soren and Otulissa were to retrieve.
    Soren hovered above with a careful eye on the little owl. He was getting used to the noise. Indeed, not only was he getting used to it but within the thunderous roar he could seek out smaller sounds, like the sound of Martin’s beating heart, which grew more rapid as he plunged. As Martin’s heartbeat quickened, Soren hoped with all his heart, gizzard, and soul that the little Saw-whet Owl would be all right. He could see now that Martin was on the ground.
    “Play your position, Otulissa,” Elvan rasped. Ruby had just caught another sparking coal.
    “But all the good ones go up there. We never get a chance.”
    “Shut your beak. You want to be sent back to the ridge? You’ll have your chance.”
    But Soren was not paying any attention to them. He must keep his focus on Martin, who was now just a little smudge on the ground. A cloud of smoke temporarily obscured him and Soren flew lower.
    There he was! There he was! Good heavens, he was coming up fast!
    “He’s coming in loaded!” Bubo slid in next to Elvan.
    And then he was there. Cinders poured from his small beak. His face was sooty and smudged but his eyes danced with a light as bright as the fire. “I did it! I did it!”
    “You certainly did, young’un.” Bubo flew up and tousled Martin’s head feathers with his talon.
    “I can’t wait to go back,” Martin shouted.
    “Hold on there,” Elvan said. “First, your report.”
    “Embers about the size of pellets uphill from where I landed.”
    “Excellent,” Elvan said. Elvan then flew off to confer with Bubo and Ezylryb.
    “Soren, there is nothing like it. I can’t tell you. As soonas I got there I just wasn’t frightened at all. And I can’t describe what it’s like to grab the cinders in your beak. It’s…”
    “Intoxicating,” Otulissa broke in. “Yes, I read about it. You must be careful, though. Strix Emerilla wrote that some colliers get so drunk on the cinders that they do not heed weather warnings.”
    “Well, it’s very strange the feeling you get when you grab them and then fly with them. It’s something,” he paused. “Something very powerful.”
    “Now’s the time, Soren. You’re going in!” Elvan ordered.
    “What about me?” Otulissa wailed.
    “Shut your beak, your turn will come,” Bubo yelled.
    Soren pitched into a spiraling downward twist. He felt himself buffeted by a sudden fierce updraft, but he had gathered enough speed to bore through it. Then he was on the ground. It was a strange landscape. Charred skeletons of trees clawed the night, and then scattered about were the coals like hot glowing rocks. They were told to work quickly but at the same time not to rush. A steady pace is the best pace, Bubo had told them. How had Martin, so little, done it and found cinders perfectly sized for his beak? Great Glaux, how embarrassing it would be, Soren thought, if he could not find embers, if he came back empty-beaked. Bubo and Elvan had tried to emphasize that no one should be embarrassed. Oftentimes inthe beginning a young collier did not find a suitable coal. There was no shame in returning empty-beaked. But Soren knew there was.
    Suddenly, Soren heard a terrible cracking sound. The flames turned a stand of trees just in front of him into one immense torch. He looked up and saw the crowns of other trees igniting. Crown fire! Ruby’s worse fear. But Ruby had been worried about the air above and now here he was below. He began to feel a mighty pull on him. Was