[Child of the 7th Age]

Owl sat on the topmost branch of the tallest pine that towered over the highest slope of the Iron Hills, gazing out at the rugged fields and heavy thickets. He had finally finished giving each of the animals their particular assignment. Most of the smaller animals as well as the youngest ones had been told to stay hidden in the back courtyard of the Inn, while others were sent out to patrol a particular area, fanning out along the road and over the meadows to hunt for any sign of the shadow Wraith. He had warned each of them to keep their distance from the creature and to return to the Inn immediately if they noticed any signs of the Wraith.

Inside his head, Own checked off the names of each bird and beast that he had given his instructions to. He was nearly finished with his accounting when he suddenly recalled that one name had been missing from his list. He could not remember seeing or speaking with the Wren. It would be just like that brave and headstrong bird to take off on his own without even a word to anyone at the Inn. Owl had spent the next hour anxiously on the wing, gliding about high in the sky while he searched for the young bird.

It wasn't until he'd given up and head back to the Green Man Free House that his efforts met with some success. There, nestled in a small tree, staring down at the bare, snowy ground, was Wren. The little one had reached the outskirts of the village and crossed beyond its wall, but had not yet made it to the outskirts of the deep forest.

Owl hesitated a moment, uncertain what to do. His first instinct was to go up to the bird and scold him thoroughly for taking off on his own without a single word or warning and without the help of a partner. All the other creatures had been instructed to go out in groups of two and three so they would be able to help each other should any danger or difficulty arise. By all rights, he should order the Wren to return to the Inn. Still, he wavered. He remembered a time from his own past. He'd been a young owlet then and had seen the other birds of prey gliding out on patrol to keep watch for a party of particularly virulent two-leggeds. His mother had warned him to stay hidden in the nest, but he had disregarded her admonition and taken off on his own. It had not been the wisest thing to do but he could not live with himself and hide his head when others were going out to perform their duties. And just a little piece of Owl had wanted to accomplish something important and have others recognize what he'd done.

In an instant, Owl made his decision. He would glide high above the little bird and stay behind for some distance, yet close enough that he could keep an eye on things and make sure Wren did not get in serious trouble. Later, when all this was over, he would give the little bird a stern lecture on the importance of not going off on one's own without a single word to anyone.

Although he was tiny, Wren was bright and often noticed things that others did not see. Moreover, he always seemed to drag himself out of whatever trouble he managed to get himself into (and there had been many such episodes). Perhaps that was due to his quick wit, or was simply a matter of luck. In either case, Owl decided to give Wren the freedom to explore under a distant, watchful eye. He hoped he would not come to regret that decision.