Gabriel finally sobers up and struggles to say something for a moment. Finally he begins to talk, but his voice is sorrowful and full of regret.

“Then tell her that I love her, and always will. And that she should continue. Her mother betrayed us all.”

“Wai…” Ipzitch begins but it is too late, as Gabriel leaps and jumps into our campfire, immolating himself.

“No!” screeched Lucinda and she flew away.

“Wait, what just happened?” Linton asks, torn between confusion and grief.

“Gabriel was driven by rage. They were once pure southerners, but his wife, fueled by hatred, turned. Believing she and Lucinda were killed by us, he turned as well.”

I fly up to a sobbing Lucinda.

“Your father just wanted you to know, he loved you. Your mother betrayed you all.”

She nodded.

“She took me away from father. I thought he was the evil one, ever since I saw him lead the attack on Ice Caverns.”

Ice Caverns. The name resonates in my head.

“It's the battle Ipzitch almost died in. The one where…”

“Metal Flier revealed himself to the world.”

We pause.

“Am I… evil?” she asks uncertainty.

“Everyone can see it. Why can’t you?” I reply warmly. “You're not evil.”

“But my family…”

“Your mother doesn’t deserve that name. She is not your mother.”

When she continues to look depressed, I relent.

“My mother was the warmest and greatest chef I have ever known. My father was the commander of the Forest United Army. Until it came crashing down.”

“They survived. Your entire family. Except for your father and older sister.”

“How do you know?”

“I overheard my mother speaking about them. I overhear a lot.”

“What else?”

“That my mother is an idiot.”

We share moments of laughter and smile at each other.

“You're definitely not an evil owl.” I say.

“A definitely not an evil owl.” she repeats.

We both fly back to camp, to see a freshly dug grave with a rough gravestone.

“Are you ok?” Tristan asks tentatively.

“Yes.” she replies.

“That's like the first time Tristain hasn’t been a dark, dark owl.” Huey whispered.

“I know.” Duey replied. “It's the first time he’s ever said anything other than nodding or saying ‘on it’.”

“Honestly, just admit you're shipping him with her.” Louie whispered.

“I’m pretty sure it's one-sided. And plus. She can hear us.” Duey replies nodding to me.

I overhear Linton talking to Ethan about their orbs.

“You were extremely quick.”

“Quick? You should have seen Amelia’s reaction to that lower cut. Faster than me!”

I smile. My real family might be out there, but I have one right here. But I promise to myself to find them. And one day, tell Linton how I really feel about him.

“Alright, settle down.” Ipzitch says. “Now sadly, (he gestured to Lucinda) or happily, you lads and ladies have managed to eliminate the witnesses.”

“So what now?” Duey asks.

“I suggest we move towards the stronghold where the commanders are. Without them, the system will crumble, including the prison system.” Louie says.

“So the prison structure will fall apart!” says an overenthusiastic Brandon. His eyes are wide.

“He hasn’t said a word since killing that owl.” mouths Linton to me.

“That would cause the prisoners to rebel as well as the POWs!” Huey deduces.

“Where is it?” I ask.

That's it. I’ve stumped everyone.

“That's the thing. Lucindia never mentioned it.” Lucindia replies, leaving out mother. “She didn’t want anyone overhearing it.”

“We did find this map at the camp though.” Tristan replies. “Perhaps Lucinda can translate this Southern Language?”

He hands it to Lucinda. Her eyes widen with the sight of her language.

“News?” I ask.

“We’ve barely scratched the surface of it.” she replies grimly.

“I suggest we all get some sleep.” Ipzitch announces. “We’ll move out tomorrow night.”

“Goodnight.”

The next morning I woke up to a foggy, overcast sky and went over to Lucinda, Louie and Tristain poring over the map.

“So where are we headed next?”

“I’m pretty sure they don’t know.” Tristan replied, smiling.

“Amelia!” Lucinda says in surprise.

“If we keep heading north, we’ll be there in around a week. However…”

“Yes?”

“We’ll be flying head first into the barracks. There is a route we can take.”

“As long as it’s not the scenic route.”

“We’ll take out these command posts along the way.”

“What’s our plan for when we actually get there?” Lucinda asks.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.” Ipzitch replies.

Later on in the night, we packed up completely and started flying towards the next mountain range.

“According to this map, this camp has a population of about 60 owls and a few slaves. However, this is an orb training camp.”

“We can capture it and train there then.” Ipzitch replies.

“That's the issue.” I reply, catching on. “They’ll have orbs.”

“That's why we have a team. Everyone here has an orb.”

“Except Lucinda.”

“Don’t worry. Orbs will find you. You’ll know when you see it.”

We continue flying until the mountain ranges come into view.

“There she is. The Trily Mountains of the West. You see that tower?” Louie asks.

I nod.

“That was a post. Part of a line of towers made against the south. Your father might have been to one of these towers.”

“Where’s there a fire going on there?”

“What?”