As led the way through the forest, growing evermore populated by thin trees as they grew closer. As continued looking straight ahead, while Wayne kept his head down in search of branches and bumps he could trip over.

  “There’s a clearing! You can see the entrance from here!” As cheered. An owl stood next to the double doors guarding it, and to As, they looked strangely familiar. The guard must have heard them even from far away, for he turned his head in their direction.

  “Who goes there?” The guard shouted. It was more audible to As than to Wayne.

  “Hello!!” As replied back, crunching more leaves closer and closer. Now, the two were almost to an open clearing, where the trees abruptly ended, and the large hill that was the underground sanctuary began. As started again, “I used to live here! In Owarr! My name is As! This is my friend, Wayne!” He shouted. They broke through to the other side, with the doors and the owl unobstructed.

  The guard was an assortment of browns, whites, and blacks, speckled all over. His Great Horned appearance was clear from his dark tipped ear tufts, and his talons were a fleshy pink. He donned a thick leather breastplate, along with thigh protectors, and knee and elbow pads. His yellow eyes grew noticeably wide.

  “As?”

  “Yes! I-” As looked him dead in the face, “I’m sorry...” He stared for a moment, “You wouldn’t happen to be... Fay, would you?”

  “That’s my name.” Fay gave a smug look, “I remember you, As.” Then, Fay chuckled, before the two rushed towards each other and hugged.

  “What are the odds I’d see you?! How did you become a guard?!”

  “Training.” Fay chuckled, and As smiled more. This was the answer he had expected from him. As began to pour out how much he had missed this place, and how much he had missed all of his old friends. “Hey! It’s alright! You needed a break... I’m glad you’re back. Your Mother’s been worried sick about you!”

  Realization hit As like a bombshell. “My Mother...?”

  “Yes...?”

  “She- She was kidnapped!”

  “She’s been here for years, As... She esca-” As didn’t listen to him, running to a door and flinging it open. He dashed inside. It had been unlocked this whole time.

  Wayne stood, befuddled and awkwardly. He didn’t know what to say, “Hello, I’m with As...”

Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work!

  Fay’s smile faded from genuine to sheepish now alone, “Hello.” He nodded back, “I’m... sure you have many questions. You don’t look like an owl.”

  Wayne chuckled, “No, I’m not.” Really, Wayne only had one question on his mind, “You guys live underground?”

  “Was it a castle you were expecting?”

  “Well, yeah!”

  Fay burst out an almost stifled laughing fit, “So As never told you? He was a child friend of mine. If he’s with you, I’m sure you two must be inseparable... given what happened before he left all those years ago... Would you like me to show you around?”

  As’ memories came flooding back to him of the kingdom’s layout and humble streets. The almost metropolitan ordainment of commodities and homeliness that still lined the inner workings, all still remained. Owlets still played in the center, just as he remembered, and he now wished he had been one of them. The lights from the chandeliers overhead still glistened onto the bricks on the ground, and they seemed to be cleaner than he envisioned all those years, though it was as if nothing had changed. He looked around, almost frantically, searching for the quiet row he remembered his mother residing in. Clockwise, from the fountain, he counted. That’s it—the fourth side street, branching out from the middle. And he remembered she lived. She always left her door unlocked for him.

  He made it to her brick-lain doorstep, and the big red door that he remembered was much smaller now. It took all of his strength not to barge in, using his politeness she had taught him. He gave a three-stop knock. No answer. He knocked again, but still, there wasn’t a sound. His adult talons carefully wrapped around the doorknob, and he opened the door.

  As was very hesitant in entering, but it paled in comparison to the exhilaration he could have the chance of feeling. Peeking in, he couldn’t help but notice: the furnishings had been moved around, and they only accommodated one person. The wooden chair with its green upholstery, which had been made for his mother down the street by the old woodworker, now sat in the corner facing towards the door, and the cushions no longer had their plump appearance, and they were sunken in. The small picture frames which captured himself as a child hung on the wall, but they had some dust on them, and the colorful rug that used to line the floor was now rolled up and propped against a corner. The coffee table in the center looked unscathed, having not one trace of misuse or coffee rings, with the square coasters stacked neatly on the edge. But the final one to complete them sat in front of the old, thick brown couch. The thin curtains that hung over the window in the living space was more dull, as if it had been sun bleached somehow, and the wood adorning the walls almost seemed to warp, not lying flat, like if they were trying to tell whoever was in the room something.

  As closed the door and sat down in front of the table, admiring the house without touching anything, like a time capsule. As wondered if his mother kept any of his childhood drawings of her. Surely, she had... He knew Fay, always being the honest one when they were owlets. He wouldn’t lie to him about his mother being home. There of course was no point in lying. All As could do was to wait and imagine.

  As closed his eyes and relaxed, picturing the way the home used to be, running around on his tiny legs, almost bumping into the counter in the next room where they always ate breakfast. Mother would get food from the farmers market near the square, fresh vegetables and fruit, half of which he didn’t like, opting to fill his stomach with bread instead. His mother sighed, kindly forcing him to eat healthier. While Father was away, they played games outside, other kids laughing at him for having a fun time with his mother and not them.

  As’ memories were sharply interrupted from the door clicking and opening. The beautiful female owl stood, with groceries in her arms. She spotted the figure, silently sitting, waiting, and gave a startled gasp.

  The two locked eyes. And there was joy.

----------------------------------------

The sun rises

Over my head

In the morning

When I rise

Hold me dear

Into the night

Sun, it will rise

Soon enough

The sun rising

Dangling there

Golden and fair

In the sky