A Guide Book to the Great Tree by Kathryn Huang Page A

book on the history of the Northern Kingdoms when she appeared in the study hollow. She was the most beautiful Whiskered Screech I had ever set eyes upon. She had bright yellow eyes—brighter than the petals of the wildflowers that bloomed on the hills in spring. Short streaks of deep mahogany and snowy white ran through her brown feathers. I imagined myself preening them.
    â€œI think the predecessors to the current regime were on the right track. It’ll take strong leadership to unite all these clans. But the Ice Talons are only winning battles, not the minds and hearts of the owls they want to rule.”
    Her voice was melodic and confident. I was so surprised that she was speaking to me, that I barely understood her words.
    â€œUh, pardon?” I said idiotically.
    â€œThe chapter you’re reading”—she pointed at my book with her talon—“on the regime under General Geirleif.”
    â€œYou’re familiar with General Geirleif?” I was pleasantlysurprised. Not many of my classmates read history books these days, most were preoccupied with manuals on weaponry and attack strategies.
    â€œI try to understand some of the basic concepts,” she replied modestly.
    That’s how our nightly discussions began. I had found a kindred spirit in Lil. She was as intelligent as she was beautiful. After our nightly drills and before the sun rose, we would meet in the study hollow and talk. We talked about subjects that other owls, Lyze included, had dismissed as academic frivolity. She opened my mind to so many things, and I like to think that I did the same for her.
    I loved her, of course, but I was a complete mooncalf when it came to courtship. I had no idea where to begin. The very idea of it filled me with a sense of panic a hundred times worse than did any battle. Our relationship remained one of scholarly admiration.
    Soon, Lil and I both graduated. Lyze was promoted to Commander, the youngest ever in the history of the Kielian League. I was assigned to Glauxspeed Artillery Division, just as Lil was, and Lyze had been. But I was in a different unit, stationed far to the south, and rarely saw either of them. I thought of them both often.
    Because we flew so well together, Gragg and I remaineda team. We were thrown into battles immediately. I counted many moments when I thought for sure that my life was about to end. But somehow, Gragg and I always made it through. He was a great tactician, it turned out. In times of danger, he always made the right choice. “On my mark, increase drag, she’ll fly right by us!” he said once as we were being pursued by two armored Snowies. I never would have pulled a move like that without Gragg. I owe my life to his quick thinking.
    It was rare for Lyze and me to have the same night off. When we did, we would perch high in a tree and catch up on what was going on in our lives. At the end of those nights, he became my caring big brother again and I his “Chickpea.”
    On one such occasion, after a lovely late night flight, he told me that he had met a female. The female.
    â€œShe’s fierce, this one! Beautiful, too. Can’t wait for you to meet her.” He beamed with joy. “We went on our first courtship flight a few nights ago. I think I might ask her to be my mate soon.”
    I couldn’t remember ever seeing him this happy. And I was thrilled for him.
    â€œHow ‘bout you, Chickpea?”
    I hadn’t told him about Lil. What was there to tell?That I was woefully inadequate when it came to the courting ritual? That I turned into a gibbering puffin at the very thought? Of course I didn’t want to sound like an immature little owlet to my brother, he would expect me to be plucky and bold. “I don’t know…There might be this one owl that I have my eyes on, but…I don’t know. I’m not sure…”
    I think I must have wilfed out of self-consciousness. Lyze sensed my