Feathers Of Desire and Armor

Hatching the Future

Sometime later, Nyra laid an egg and started nesting. The hatchling wasn't even born, yet she had this overprotective nature. Afraid something might happen to the egg if she left it for even a second. So she decided to stand guard the whole time. Nyra sat comfortably waiting for her mate, the infamous Metalbeak to arrive at their hollow in the light of the full moon. Their egg was hatching soon, the future of their Pure Ones. A flap of wings entered the hollow and as she turned to find her mate at the entrance.

"Have I missed it?!" He asked worryingly. Despite his harsh reputation, he always wanted an heir to continue his legacy. That and he truly loved Nyra, to him she and their hatchling would purify the Owl Kingdoms. 'Crack, crack, crack.' The eggshell bounced and clicked, signaling their entrance. "No, my lord. You are just in time." A small crack appeared on the top section of the egg as the proud parents stood watching. The egg tilted and fell under the constant tapping. Surtr stroked the egg with his beak and smiled as the egg rolled towards himself.

"Come on little one, time to come out." The tapping increased as did the cracks in the eggshell. Soon a little chick emerged from the egg, still eyes closed and wet in the egg fluid. Surtr automatically pushed the owlet to Nyra and she began cleaning her up from the egg debris. "My lord, we have been gifted with a beautiful daughter. She will surely make us proud." Nyra held a cricket over her daughter's beak, and she immediately began nipping at it trying to reach it. He smiled at his daughter, she was already responding very well for her age. Surtr was surprised as he looked over his daughter's features. The newborn Tyto owl appears as wrinkled, and pink as the sun setting on the horizon. Only a few white fluffy down feathers scattered on her in patches. Her eyes are sealed shut, protecting the developing visual system from exposure to light. Her sensitive beak was already equipped with a sharp hook.

Surtr couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and awe as he gazed upon his daughter. A sense of protectiveness towards his tiny, vulnerable daughter also washed over him. As he gazed at her, he imagined the day when she would grow into a strong and majestic Tyto owl, confident in her skin. In her current state, she was a symbol of innocence and fragility, but Surtr knew that she had a fiercely independent spirit waiting to be unleashed. He felt a deep sense of responsibility to nurture and guide her as she grew and discovered her place in the world. The thought of her one day spreading her wings and soaring through the night sky filled him with a mixture of anticipation and nostalgia. In the cozy nest, with the warmth enveloping her, he knew that she was in the perfect place to grow and thrive, safe from the harsh world outside.

"What should we name her Nyra?" His daughter finally got the cricket leg and began pulling at the cricket, squawking loudly. "My love I personally like Auryon (R-Ri-On), but her name comes down to your choice." Nyra opinionated. Surtr also liked the name, it had the hidden meaning of actually defining his daughter as a huntress from birth.

"Auryon it is. Come here little one." He urged her with his voice. Auryon looked at him, the cricket leg still in her beak. He walked towards both his mate and hatching, carefully and slowly. Trying to not startle his hatching. Auryon slowly got to her two feet and attempted to walk towards her father. The main word is attempted. She kept falling over and often Nyra had to help her. The cricket leg was long forgotten, Auryon kept walking towards her father. Slowly her walking got better, she could take at least five steps before falling. Metalbeak smiled and walked towards his fallen chick and tucked her under his wing.

Nyra's heart swelled with love and pride as she watched their tiny, resilient daughter, Auryon, take her first faltering steps. Despite her clumsy start, there was a determination in her young eyes that mirrored the spirit of her parents. The decision to name her Auryon, with its hidden meaning of a born hunter, felt more fitting with each passing moment. Surtr, ever the patient and attentive father, offered his wing as a steadying support to their little one, his eyes twinkling with both affection and anticipation. As Auryon continued her halting journey towards her father, her efforts only served to strengthen the bond between them.

"She's growing so quickly," Nyra remarked, her gaze never leaving the scene before her. "I can't help but feel a sense of awe at the resilience of our species." Auryon, now under the protective wing of her father, continued her attempt at exploration. Her curiosity piqued, she began to investigate the folds and textures of her father's feathers, her tiny beak nuzzling and preening with an endearing persistence. He chuckled when she began nuzzling and preening his feathers. She sometimes pulled his feathers in the wrong way or just too hard, but to him, she was just learning. Nyra would teach her how to groom herself properly, and she wouldn't let her be preening any males for a long time. Auryon shook her head before squawking loudly underneath her father's wing.

"What is it, little one?" He turned to Nyra hoping she had some idea of why she was making so much noise. "My love, I think she may be hungry. She has not yet eaten. Could you bring her here?" Nyra asked him and he complied. Walking with a new hatching under his wing, he thought it would be hard but she was rather quick on her feet and they easily made it to Nyra and their nest without falling over. Nyra pulled out the remains of the now legless cricket and offered it to bribe Auryon out of her father's grasp. Auryon started stumbling out from her father's wing and out to her mother. She chirped happily and flapped her fluffy wings trying to reach the cricket. Surtr chuckled at the sight, before walking over to his mate and chick. He wrapped his wings around them both. He would give them both everything they could desire, ruling together. Auryon would be given the best hunter, flying, and fighting training he could offer. He looked down at his family and smiled thinking about their future.

Surtr's heart swelled with affection as he watched Auryon's eagerness to claim her much-anticipated meal. There was a certain innocence in her movements, her fluffy wings beating erratically, yet with determination. Every wobbling step, every chirp, painted a vivid picture of her burgeoning spirit, eager to explore and learn. Nyra, with a knowing smile, extended the remains of the legless cricket towards Auryon. Their daughter's eyes widened, her beak watering in anticipation. The sight was a poignant reminder of the cycle of life, the passing of one creature to nourish another. It was a responsibility that Surtr took with solemn gravity, ensuring that Auryon learned not only to hunt but to do so with respect and gratitude.

As they huddled together, a united front against the night, Surtr's thoughts were drawn to the future. He knew that the challenges they faced were far from over, that their enemies would not rest. But the sight of his family, his mate, and his daughter, filled him with an unwavering determination. He vowed to protect them, to provide for them, and to guide them as they navigated the treacherous path ahead.

In the quiet of the hollow, bathed in the soft, comforting glow of the moonlight, Surtr, Nyra, and Auryon were a symbol of resilience, of hope, and of the enduring spirit of the Pure Ones. Within the confines of their sanctuary, they found solace, and from that sanctuary, they drew strength to face whatever trials life had in store for them.