Guardians of Ga'Hoole 10 - The Coming of Hoole

of moonlight. The wolf’s back glinted in the moonlight and bright star-shine that spangled the night. Grank explained that the wolves of the Beyond were not just wolves, but dire wolves—almost three times the size of a normal wolf. As they drew closer, Hoole could see the intense green color of the wolf’s eyes. Grank told him about the color, and that deep in Fengo’s eyes, one could see something that looked like green fire. And then ifHoole looked even deeper into the green fire, he might see something else. “It’s like the reflection of orange flames from the volcanoes but in the center of that flame, lad, there is a glimmer of blue circled by a shimmer of green, the same green as the wolf’s eyes.”
    “What is it?” Hoole asked.
    Grank was evasive. “Oh, maybe nothing. It’s different, I imagine, for every creature who looks into Fengo’s eyes.”
    Hoole found this a very unsatisfactory answer. “Does every dire wolf have it?”
    “Have what?”
    “Have that thing you saw in Fengo’s eyes.”
    “All dire wolves’ eyes are green, but none except Fengo’s have what I saw.”
    “Well, why won’t you tell me what you imagine it to be?”
    “No. That would spoil it for you.”
    “No, it wouldn’t. I promise,” Hoole pleaded.
    Grank had no intention of telling Hoole that what he had seen in Fengo’s eyes so long ago was the ember. The owl ember. Hoole must discover it for himself. Grank had taught Hoole much in the short time he had been on this earth, and the learning would not end, but Grank felt that his role as a teacher was not the same now. He must let Hoole learn things on his own, come to conclusionsthrough his own observations. The time for independent thinking had arrived. Independence would be the best teacher now. So the third or fourth time that Hoole asked the question of what he had seen in Fengo’s eyes, Grank simply replied, “End of discussion. Prepare to land and meet my dear friend Fengo.”
    When his uncle Grank said “end of discussion” he usually meant it. So Hoole kept his beak shut tight.
    Fengo welcomed them both. He insisted that all four of them move into his cave. “There are so few trees here, and what ones there are have the most miserable hollows imaginable. Stay here with me. It’s comfortable.” He gestured to the ledges that protruded from the walls. “Plenty of perches, or if you prefer, nice little owl-sized niches in the walls. That moss on the north wall is very soft.”
    “That is very kind of you. How would you feel if only Hoole lived with you for the time being?” Hoole swiveled his head quickly toward his uncle, but Grank shot him a sharp glance. Fengo seemed somewhat taken aback.
    “Hoole has learned much from me,” Grank continued. “But I think it is time for him to…” He hesitated. “To move on. There are many different ways of thinking, of living, of behaving. I would like him to come to understand the ways of as many kinds of animals as possible.Would you take him on for a spell? Perhaps take him on a caribou hunt?”
    “Caribou hunt!” echoed Hoole. Now, that sounded exciting! But why was his uncle making him stay with Fengo? Why not Phineas or Theo? He had hoped that he and Phineas might share a hollow—just the two of them together so they could whisper into the day. They had become such fast friends.
    After Theo and Phineas and Hoole left to have a quick fly around the ring of volcanoes, Fengo finally found a moment to have a private talk with Grank.
    “Let’s go inside the cave,” Fengo suggested.
    “Not to the ridge?” Grank opened his eyes in surprise. That was usually Fengo’s favorite place to talk.
    “No, too many wolf ears around.”
    “Spies?”
    “Possibly.”
    When they entered the cave they did not go deep into it, but sat close to the opening with Fengo watching the entry. Lowering his voice, he began to speak. “So what is this visit all about, my friend?”
    “Hoole. He’s the son of Queen Siv and King H’rath,” Grank replied quietly.
    “And they are both dead now, I take it?”
    “The king died in a tremendous battle on the H’rathghar glacier. His one-time friend and ally Lord Arrin turned on him. Made an alliance with the hagsfiends and swept in. Queen Siv lived. The egg had just been laid before the battle. She was forced to flee with it. But she knew that she could not keep it with her. It was too dangerous. They were hunting her. They desperately wanted the egg.”
    Fengo got