Guardians of Ga'Hoole #5: The Shattering

It had been three days since Primrose had disappeared. Everyone had different theories. Otulissa was sure that it was an indication that the Pure Ones were active again.

"Why the Pure Ones?" Soren asked. "Why not St. Aggies?"

They were in their hollow having a light snack of dried caterpillars as it would be another hour until tweener.

"I can't imagine then coming this far north," Gylfie said.
"What would they want with Primrose?" Twilight asked.

"I'm not sure, but Primrose is smart. I'd been in the library with her a lot lately. She catches on quick. She was really interested in quadrant theory," Otulissa replied.

"Quadrant theory?" Twilight asked.

"You know, the stuff Ezylryb was telling us about the humors," Otulissa said.

"The Pure Ones don't want to know about quadrant theory," Soren said empathically. "They want to know about flecks. They want to know about how, with higher magnetcis, you can make other things fleck-full, and how, with a dowsing rod, you can find flecks. They want to control all the flecks in the world."

"But don't you see, Soren, it's all connected," Otulissa said. "Remember when we were at St. Aggie's, and they were tucking the flecks into the nests in the eggorium? The Pure Ones were doing that. It's not just flecks they want to control, it's minds - mind control."

Digger suddenly flew in through the sky port. He dropped Otulissa's dowsing rod on the floor of the hollow.

"What are you doing with my dowsing rod?"

"I'm sorry I didn't ask, Otulissa, but I had a hunch."

"Well, I hope it was a good hunch, but I am afraid I have very bad news."

"What?" Soren had a terrible feeling deep within him. His gizzard began to tremble.

"Soren, I had been feeling for a while that something is wrong with Eglantine - more than just summer flux. You know, because Eglantine had once before been imprisoned by the Pure Ones, and her mind had been disturbed then…Well -" Digger hesitated. "I think she is perhaps even more vulnerable."

Soren was so frightened he couldn't even blink.

"You see, I took the dowsing rod into her hollow. Soren, it went crazy when I passed it over her nest. The place where she sleeps - it's loaded with flecks."

Otulissa wilfed suddenly. "The Pure Ones have infiltrated us!" she cried. "And they know more about flecks than we have ever imagined. They know how to shatter. Eglantine has been shattered," she said with horror.

"Elgantine's gone," Digger added.

"Gone?" Soren asked. "Gone where?"

"I don't know. But Ginger is gone, too.