Information

Noemy has a minion!

Kelsy the Glade Puppy

Noemy
Legacy Name: Noemy

The

Arid Noktoa
Owner:

Bass

Age: 8 years, 8 months

Born: August 19th, 2015

Adopted: 8 years, 7 months, 2 days ago

Adopted: September 17th, 2015

Statistics

Level: 8
Strength: 19
Defense: 13
Speed: 12
Health: 12
HP: 10/12
Intelligence: 0
Books Read: 0
Food Eaten: 0
Job: Unemployed

Noemy glided just above the canopy of the primitive coniferous forest that was her home. The owl's wide eyes took in the massive heard of caribou on their annual march to the mating grounds, the flashes of silver reflecting from the scales of the massive fish in the stream and the shudders of a tall pine that gradually gave in to the pressure of gravity brought on by the persistent gnawing of beaver teeth. These trees could be the sisters of the home tree where she'd been born. They had the same nearly symmetrical branches all the way around the trunks and the same comforting scent of pine needles and sap.

If all went according to plan, one of these would be the site of her own first nest.

A familiar canine shape ghosted out of the trees, bursting through a tangle of brush and speeding up as Noemy's shadow came level with her nose. She loosed a howl of pure joy and friendship. Kelsy the wolf pup had been Noemy's foster sister many years before, her only source of comfort among the destruction of her birth nest and the loss of her blood siblings. The two had journeyed together to find this portion of paradise, a section of forest miraculously low on predators where they both could thrive. Kelsy had found her life-mate just two moons before, wasting no time in starting a handsome family that would soon have the loving pair on their way to an impressive pack. The pups weren't far behind their mother, their rapidly growing bodies allowing them to almost match her pace as they shed the last of their fuzzy baby fur in favor of the coarser coats that would protect them from winter's bite.

Noemy screeched and clicked in reply. The two hunt-sisters had developed their own means of communication to overcome those awkward moments when a lack of ears or feathers could lead to serious misunderstandings in body language. There would be time to visit and pay her respects to the valley's alpha pair later. Right now, nothing could distract Noemy from her own vital mission.

She had seen other owls from a distance, taking great care not to interrupt the hunting efforts of a fellow night glider when she sought her own rabbit or vole to feast on. It was the way of her people to maintain a certain cordial coolness toward each other except during those few magical weeks of Spring when caution was thrown to the wind and the most dignified owl could fly in loops and remember the thrill of their first time taking wing.

She'd seen Nikar's territory marks and smelled his strong, confident musk once or twice. Of all the males that crossed the neutral sky near her borders, it was his scent that had caused her to pause though the courting season was still moons away. Somewhere deep in the reaches of her secret heart, she offered a small prayer to the Wing Giver that it would be his call that fell upon her ears and rang with the chords of a life-bond.

To her people, accepting the courtship offerings of a potential suitor was a promise for life, one not to be taken lightly. The penalty for trying to start a family with a rival was banishment from further invitations to the love-dance. Many rival males had destroyed one another over such quarrels. A female that was careless with her choice did not display the wisdom demanded by her people and was expected to suffer the building of empty nests until she lost the ability to lay eggs.

Noemy settled on the center of her chosen tree's best branch and listened for the proper call.

Her first visitor stuttered over the last few notes of his song. The berries he brought as a food-gift were past their prime and half had been eaten already. Noemy had no pity for greedy Vorgel, he of the crooked wings and small beak. She buffeted him with her wings, driving him from her tree with no pity for his panicked hoot of defeat. She would not risk the lives of her children on such a sloppy male!

Two more potential callers found themselves beating a hasty retreat. One had forgotten his food offering and the other nearly clipped Noemy with his wings when he attempted his landing. She ruffled her feathers in irritation, giving each a good, screeching scolding they wouldn't soon forget.

She knew Nikar's presence before she'd even swiveled her head. His landing was flawless, his courting song had every note in place and his offering of plump red berries was readily accepted, for they were sweetly tart without a hint of bitterness, just the way she liked her berries.

They made their vows beneath the moonlight. They toiled together through the golden days of spring to build a nest no predator could ever thwart. Noemy would never suffer the pain her mother had felt at the claws and fangs of a heartless weasel.

Their chicks were beautiful, healthy and strong. Noemy saw it as a sign from the Wing Giver that all five of her eggs hatched into healthy children.

In time, her children would become the hunting companions of the Beaver Valley wolves, reporting on the bedding habits of big prey by night and enjoying the benefit of markers pointing out smaller prey that were scratched into the ground by wolf claws.

For now, they huddled under the protective breast of their mother, looking up at the full moon with sleepy eyes and daydreaming about the day they would take their first flight.

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