An Owl's Rise

Once Evelyn had finished showing off her magic items, further cementing herself among the burrowing owls, she commanded their scouts to head back and keep a watch on the ospreys' movements.

They had just killed eight members of the ospreys' flock and Evelyn was certain that some sort of response would come.

And upon the next day, the last they had before the magic spring would become active again, fortune came their way.

With neither of their hunting parties coming back the ospreys sent out a team to locate their missing members.

In the lead of this group was the two remaining high tier awakened rank ospreys followed by eight others for a total of ten.

It was quite a powerful group, especially for the Velinis Desert where the strongest beasts were normally at the mid-tier of the awakened rank unless they had access to something like the magic spring that resided in the burrowing owls' home.

However, Evelyn considered this to be an amazing chance for them to diminish the forces of their enemy and make them far weaker.

"Everyone other than the two guards protecting the lower rank burrowing owls prepare to head out. We will be taking out these ospreys that think they can take your home." Evelyn said to rouse all of the burrowing owls.

She then handed out a number of potions and had them drink them.

Each one of the burrowing owls felt greater power coursing through them as they drank the potions.

Now they were more enthusiastic than ever, and morale was at an all-time high.

Not long after Evelyn led sixteen of the reaming eighteen awakened ranked burrowing owls to attack the group of ospreys that were out searching for their missing comrades.

When they found their targets a blood battle ensued between the two groups of birds and in the end all of the ospreys met their end.

'We lost two low tiers, but we managed to kill all ten of the ospreys. Including the eight we killed yesterday that brings our kill count up to eighteen. Even with a generous estimate I would say the ospreys have around a dozen awakened ranks left. Our forces should be greater now. At least in terms of numbers.' Evelyn thought while coming up with strategies for their raid on the remaining ospreys.

She doubted that in the time that they had left they would get the chance to kill any more of the enemies coming out of the base and would have to defeat the rest when they took the burrowing owls' home back.

Of course, while they likely had greater numbers now, the ospreys still had their aces in two peak awakened ranks

Evelyn and the burrowing owls on the other hand did not have any at the same or greater rank, which would put them at a disadvantage.

'Can I take both of them on at the same time? Perhaps if they are especially weak for their rank, but it is likely they are stronger than that.'

While mulling over how to deal with the two osprey leaders Evelyn felt a presence approaching behind her and found Otis looking at her with a determined expression.

"Lady Evelyn, might I have a moment to speak with you alone?"

Nodding her head Evelyn agreed to talk with Otis and the two of them flew away from the other burrowing owls. Though she was still a bit uncomfortable with how all of the burrowing owls had started calling her Lady Evelyn.

"So, what is it you wanted to discuss?" Evelyn asked once they landed.

For a few moments Otis shuffled around nervously, before finally steeling himself.

"I would like to request that you allow me to fight the ospreys' patriarch. I watched him kill my father who was unable to defend himself while evolving to the tyrant rank and wish to avenge him along with my siblings who died."

"I see. I can understand where you are coming from, but do you think you can honestly win?" Evelyn asked.

Otis was only at the high tier and was likely weaker than the ospreys' patriarch.

Certainly, he was not weak, but he was also not something special like Evelyn was. Only being a bit stronger than the average high tier awakened rank.

"No, I am certain that as I am now, I cannot win. I saw just how strong the two leaders of the ospreys are, and while the patriarch is a bit weaker than their matriarch, I know I am not a match. Still, I am the most powerful burrowing owl left and it is my duty to take on one of them. I cannot make you fight both of our strongest enemies." Otis said, his expression resolute.

"Very well, I was toiling around with what to do about this myself. I am not wholly confident I could beat both of them at the same time. However, you will not fight alone. Pick out the two mid-tier awakened ranks among your people and fight with them. Even if we win it will not mean anything if their leader is not still around."

After receiving Evelyn's permission Otis thanked her and bowed his head before flying off to pick out the other owls he would be fighting with.

…

Come the next day Evelyn and Otis stood at the front of all of the burrowing owls and prepared to take off to attack the remaining ospreys.

Their scouts had kept watch through the day and not since the last group of ospreys left had there been in movement at the entrance to the underground cave system that the burrowing owls had made long before the current generation.

"Today we take back our home. Three weeks ago we were forced to flee from where we were all born and our ancestors have lived for centuries. But thanks in large part to Lady Evelyn, an owl from far away, we have the power to take back what is ours. Now let us go show these ospreys that they cannot push us around. And once we have won, we can repay our benefactors kindness and offer her all we have." Otis said in a rousing speech right before they left for battle.

Cheering hoots escaped all the burrowing owls that were ready to go, and it was clear that their spirits were high.

The moment soon came for them to head out, and right before they did each of the burrowing owls drank three potions and swallowed a pill that Evelyn had prepared for all of them.

One of the potions was a fortification potion which boosted all of their defenses, another was a persistent healing potion that would constantly supply magical healing for the next hour, and the third was an enhanced reflex potion.

Finally, the pill was a long-lasting magical energy replenishment pill and would allow the burrowing owls to really let loose without having to worry about running out of power as quickly.

With everyone now buffed up and ready to go, Otis and Evelyn, taking the lead, shot up into the air and began flying towards the burrowing owls' home that the ospreys had occupied.

When they arrived, they found that a single guard was watching the exit and when she saw the squadron of owls coming turned to flee deeper into the network of burrowers and warn her superiors.