HOME | DD

Description
One week from hibernation, Vito watched as his brother follow Alpha to morph into a true flyer. Vito wished he could come along to help with his sibling's soaring, flapping and, generally, flying skills. But Tanith had to teach Vito to hunt before the hibernation journey comes. Hunting is one of the most important skills all owlets need to survive, other than flying, of course.
"Good luck," Vito called after Ugo.
"You too," he cried over his shoulder.
"My little boys," Mama muttered under her breath. "Now," she turned to her son, "are you ready to hunt your first kill, my sweet?" she asked nudging her chick.
Vito nodded. Mother and son dove off the ledge peeling away from the ground. Soaring through the launching window into the cold, nipping autumn air, he scanned the orange and yellow leaved trees watching a couple squirrels stored a few nuts and berries into their hollow. His mouth started to water and droll spilled out the sides of his beak. Mother slowed her pace gliding beside Vito and nuzzled his neck as he sucked the saliva back down into his gullet.
"Not them!" she said reading his mind like a book, "They're stringy, and tasteless." She spoke in a disgusted tone of voice. "Squirrels are horrible going down, and even worst coming up and out. It makes your pellets turn into mud."
Vito snapped out of eating a rodent like that, and looked for a more delightful kill to track and take down. "Now if you want to search for your meal I can wait here while you track your kill so you'll be able to use those silent wings of yours."
Vito nodded and dove into the bushes and weeds. He passed through the shrubs and saw a small male fox with gleaming grey fur including a long, puffy tail the length of his wing. Vito landing on a stump of a tree that was chewed down by beavers; they were also tasty, to Water-eyes anyway. He observed the fox with a sense of sorry for the little fluffy creature as he dug down into the dirt and mulch. Probably looking for something, he turned around caring blueberries and insects and mice in his small claw like hands when he spotted Vito sitting on the stump. He dropped his load and ran toward what used to be a tree.
"What're you doing, senior?" he asked, not the least bit scared of the large bird of prey but more frightened as to why he was standing on this stump which Vito found odd.
"Lookin' for eats," He explained.
"I see, I see. You are?" he asked in a thick Spanish accent Vito had never heard before.
"Vito, Moon-eye," he answered.
"Ah Si, Si!" he said excitedly. "My name, it is, Rico." He said it as though it did in fact roll off his tongue. Not long, or too short but just enough to see his words roll off the little pink muscle. "And you my friend, is ah, sitting on my hollow."
Vito was stunned! Why would an animal live here? It would be so damp and cold in the winter, foxes didn't usually hibernate. They did not have wings like Vito and his colony. But there were some that did in fact run to little warmer places. But foxes didn't hibernate often, and it would be warmer in a tree hollow, but why in an underground hollow? It still would be chilling even when covered in a thick layer fur.
"Oh sorry," he apologized stepping down from his perch. Just then, a female fox with a thick coat of shimmering copper fur popped out of a hole in the ground that was large enough to fit Phoenix through. On her sides, stood two young ones, one blonde and the other crisp brown with mittens of copper like her mother Vito presumed. They were frightened by the large bird and snuggled closer, tangled within their mama's long fur.
"Rico, why is there an owl in our yard, senior?" she asked leaning on her hands that were supported by her long, slender arms as she hide her feet and paws with a cloud like tail.
"Mama cheeky baby, I see you've met Vito the Moon-eye owl."
"Your name is very long?" Vito couldn't help but blurt out. But the copper female just giggled and blinked her narrow, low eyelid pale green eyes slowly smiling.
"That is not my name, cheek-o."
"It… it's not?" he stammered a little embarrassed.
"No, of course not, baby, it's Cha-Cha. Like the dance, you know?" she asked. Vito did hear about dances and even some birds that dance for mates, but never had he heard of the cha-cha before. "My other brothers, Rumba and Limbo are also named after dances, even my son," she gestured to the brown, copper socked male young one, "his name is Mumbo, one of my favourites, and this is Bay-ba, my daughter." Cha-Cha pushed her daughter out in front so Vito could see her.
She had a flicker of fear in her eyes then began to speak in the same accent both Cha-Cha and Rico spoke with, "You are very large bird, you won't eat us will you, senior?"
Vito didn't know how to respond to her question. He did need a creature of some kind to feast on, but not the foxes, they were to kind and Vito enjoyed when their words rolled off their tongues like a dew drop sliding off a leaf's presence in the heat of the burning, golden sun. But Ma was still hovering in the sky waiting, and surely Vito won't want Mother ploughing through the crowd, snapping up the foxes. They had souls, hearts and feelings, knowledge that Vito would love to learn, and Mama would kill them all. He simply said, "Well, no, never you, but I am hungry and would love to eat something."
Rico stepped up, "Would you like a mouse? Plenty of them in our hollow." He suggested. Vito also thought the grey fox's saying would be nice, but Mama wanted Vito to snag something live. Ma would suspect something if I brought back a mouse killed by fox claws. I need to hunt my own or the lives of my new friends are in danger. He reminded himself.
"No, I'm sorry, but I must turn your offer down, wish to kill my own meal, it is part of my training skills."
"To become a Knight-eye?" said the little socked male known as Mumbo.
"Knight-eye?" Vito repeated.
"Si, senior, I heard that when an owl is chosen to become a Knight-eye by Echo they must train to undo the wrong and set the right."
"Really?" Vito was intrigued, not only did this Knight-eye stuff was connected to their queen but that a baby fox knew something an owl didn't that was tied to owl history was bizarre. "What kind of training?" his silver eyes widened.
"Well they learn to read and write and the train to be the best bird fighters."
"Interesting," Vito sighed.
"Oh, just because you can read and write and draw, doesn't mean you know everything 'bout owls!" cried Bay-ba. She mustn't know how to do this 'reading' thing. Vito wondered what 'reading' could be.
"Well, cheek-o," said Cha-Cha, "there are lovely blue-birds in that tree over there." She pointed to an old maple tree not that far away. "The young ones and I need to hit z'e hay, see you 'nother time, night honey." She said crawling back into her hollow followed by her two children.
Vito was still wondering about the little fox's words about the Knight-eyes and 'reading' as he called it. It seemed interesting that a fox knew about owl history. Could an owl like himself really be chosen out of the blue to become a Knight-eye, or did the little one just make it up to get attention. Rico nudged his wing that felt heavy, even dead.
"I will see you later, Vito." He galloped over to his hollow entrance. Vito was about to take off when Rico's accent cut the silence. "If you need anything, just come over and we can know each other better."
"Thanks," he said then leapt into the air. He caught sight of the blue-bird the fox female had said there were, and quickly snatched it into his claws. He broke its neck and watched its life and soul pour out of the black, limp eyes. Vito gulped. It was his first kill in life and the sight of death was unbearable, but he had to get used to the idea and being a witness. He hobbled away clutching the limp blue creature Vito couldn't believe he had killed, to his Ma. Mama was excited and happiness filled her pale silver eyes. But Vito wasn't, he was still devastated that he had murdered a young male with a family worried sick and will never hear his voice again.

Description
One week from hibernation, Vito watched as his brother follow Alpha to morph into a true flyer. Vito wished he could come along to help with his sibling's soaring, flapping and, generally, flying skills. But Tanith had to teach Vito to hunt before the hibernation journey comes. Hunting is one of the most important skills all owlets need to survive, other than flying, of course.
"Good luck," Vito called after Ugo.
"You too," he cried over his shoulder.
"My little boys," Mama muttered under her breath. "Now," she turned to her son, "are you ready to hunt your first kill, my sweet?" she asked nudging her chick.
Vito nodded. Mother and son dove off the ledge peeling away from the ground. Soaring through the launching window into the cold, nipping autumn air, he scanned the orange and yellow leaved trees watching a couple squirrels stored a few nuts and berries into their hollow. His mouth started to water and droll spilled out the sides of his beak. Mother slowed her pace gliding beside Vito and nuzzled his neck as he sucked the saliva back down into his gullet.
"Not them!" she said reading his mind like a book, "They're stringy, and tasteless." She spoke in a disgusted tone of voice. "Squirrels are horrible going down, and even worst coming up and out. It makes your pellets turn into mud."
Vito snapped out of eating a rodent like that, and looked for a more delightful kill to track and take down. "Now if you want to search for your meal I can wait here while you track your kill so you'll be able to use those silent wings of yours."
Vito nodded and dove into the bushes and weeds. He passed through the shrubs and saw a small male fox with gleaming grey fur including a long, puffy tail the length of his wing. Vito landing on a stump of a tree that was chewed down by beavers; they were also tasty, to Water-eyes anyway. He observed the fox with a sense of sorry for the little fluffy creature as he dug down into the dirt and mulch. Probably looking for something, he turned around caring blueberries and insects and mice in his small claw like hands when he spotted Vito sitting on the stump. He dropped his load and ran toward what used to be a tree.
"What're you doing, senior?" he asked, not the least bit scared of the large bird of prey but more frightened as to why he was standing on this stump which Vito found odd.
"Lookin' for eats," He explained.
"I see, I see. You are?" he asked in a thick Spanish accent Vito had never heard before.
"Vito, Moon-eye," he answered.
"Ah Si, Si!" he said excitedly. "My name, it is, Rico." He said it as though it did in fact roll off his tongue. Not long, or too short but just enough to see his words roll off the little pink muscle. "And you my friend, is ah, sitting on my hollow."
Vito was stunned! Why would an animal live here? It would be so damp and cold in the winter, foxes didn't usually hibernate. They did not have wings like Vito and his colony. But there were some that did in fact run to little warmer places. But foxes didn't hibernate often, and it would be warmer in a tree hollow, but why in an underground hollow? It still would be chilling even when covered in a thick layer fur.
"Oh sorry," he apologized stepping down from his perch. Just then, a female fox with a thick coat of shimmering copper fur popped out of a hole in the ground that was large enough to fit Phoenix through. On her sides, stood two young ones, one blonde and the other crisp brown with mittens of copper like her mother Vito presumed. They were frightened by the large bird and snuggled closer, tangled within their mama's long fur.
"Rico, why is there an owl in our yard, senior?" she asked leaning on her hands that were supported by her long, slender arms as she hide her feet and paws with a cloud like tail.
"Mama cheeky baby, I see you've met Vito the Moon-eye owl."
"Your name is very long?" Vito couldn't help but blurt out. But the copper female just giggled and blinked her narrow, low eyelid pale green eyes slowly smiling.
"That is not my name, cheek-o."
"It… it's not?" he stammered a little embarrassed.
"No, of course not, baby, it's Cha-Cha. Like the dance, you know?" she asked. Vito did hear about dances and even some birds that dance for mates, but never had he heard of the cha-cha before. "My other brothers, Rumba and Limbo are also named after dances, even my son," she gestured to the brown, copper socked male young one, "his name is Mumbo, one of my favourites, and this is Bay-ba, my daughter." Cha-Cha pushed her daughter out in front so Vito could see her.
She had a flicker of fear in her eyes then began to speak in the same accent both Cha-Cha and Rico spoke with, "You are very large bird, you won't eat us will you, senior?"
Vito didn't know how to respond to her question. He did need a creature of some kind to feast on, but not the foxes, they were to kind and Vito enjoyed when their words rolled off their tongues like a dew drop sliding off a leaf's presence in the heat of the burning, golden sun. But Ma was still hovering in the sky waiting, and surely Vito won't want Mother ploughing through the crowd, snapping up the foxes. They had souls, hearts and feelings, knowledge that Vito would love to learn, and Mama would kill them all. He simply said, "Well, no, never you, but I am hungry and would love to eat something."
Rico stepped up, "Would you like a mouse? Plenty of them in our hollow." He suggested. Vito also thought the grey fox's saying would be nice, but Mama wanted Vito to snag something live. Ma would suspect something if I brought back a mouse killed by fox claws. I need to hunt my own or the lives of my new friends are in danger. He reminded himself.
"No, I'm sorry, but I must turn your offer down, wish to kill my own meal, it is part of my training skills."
"To become a Knight-eye?" said the little socked male known as Mumbo.
"Knight-eye?" Vito repeated.
"Si, senior, I heard that when an owl is chosen to become a Knight-eye by Echo they must train to undo the wrong and set the right."
"Really?" Vito was intrigued, not only did this Knight-eye stuff was connected to their queen but that a baby fox knew something an owl didn't that was tied to owl history was bizarre. "What kind of training?" his silver eyes widened.
"Well they learn to read and write and the train to be the best bird fighters."
"Interesting," Vito sighed.
"Oh, just because you can read and write and draw, doesn't mean you know everything 'bout owls!" cried Bay-ba. She mustn't know how to do this 'reading' thing. Vito wondered what 'reading' could be.
"Well, cheek-o," said Cha-Cha, "there are lovely blue-birds in that tree over there." She pointed to an old maple tree not that far away. "The young ones and I need to hit z'e hay, see you 'nother time, night honey." She said crawling back into her hollow followed by her two children.
Vito was still wondering about the little fox's words about the Knight-eyes and 'reading' as he called it. It seemed interesting that a fox knew about owl history. Could an owl like himself really be chosen out of the blue to become a Knight-eye, or did the little one just make it up to get attention. Rico nudged his wing that felt heavy, even dead.
"I will see you later, Vito." He galloped over to his hollow entrance. Vito was about to take off when Rico's accent cut the silence. "If you need anything, just come over and we can know each other better."
"Thanks," he said then leapt into the air. He caught sight of the blue-bird the fox female had said there were, and quickly snatched it into his claws. He broke its neck and watched its life and soul pour out of the black, limp eyes. Vito gulped. It was his first kill in life and the sight of death was unbearable, but he had to get used to the idea and being a witness. He hobbled away clutching the limp blue creature Vito couldn't believe he had killed, to his Ma. Mama was excited and happiness filled her pale silver eyes. But Vito wasn't, he was still devastated that he had murdered a young male with a family worried sick and will never hear his voice again.