[Child of the 7th Age]

Owl fumed and fussed, dismayed that he hadn't been careful enough to keep his presence hidden from Wren. Worse than that, the small bird now seemed determined to follow the reindeer and the woman! For one instant, Owl considered ordering Wren to go back to the Inn, while he continued chsing after the fleeing party. But one look at Wren's perky eye and cheeky demeanor told him this wasn't likely to work. Determined to prove his worth, Wren would sneak back, and no one at the Inn would have the slightest idea what was going on. Owl decided to give in, but not without a getting in a shot or two.

"I don't like this. I don't like it at all, Wren. You shouldn't have left without my permission. And now you've put us in a very hard place. Yes, indeed. Someone should fly back to the Inn.....someone responsible who is articulate and aware of the gravity of the situation, someone who can impress upon the two-leggeds how they must help. Presumably that someone is me. You must follow these silly creatures, and not let them out of your sight. But you had best stay well hidden. No one is to see you, and you are absolutely not to speak with anyone, or it will go very poorly with you when you return to the Inn. Do you understand me?"

Owl drew himself up to his full height and spread out his wings, taking off in the direction of the Inn. It was not long before he saw the outline of the Green Man Free House. Coming into the courtyard, he alit on the window ledge and again banged strenuously on the pane, calling out loudly. "Mori, Stamo, where are you two? We are in grave danger. We need your help. Wren is out in the woods, taking on the whole world by himself. He's managed to find Mara and the deer fleeing northwards some distance from here."

Owl quick reported on where the women were and exactly what direction they were going. "Please come quickly," he pleaded. "You can follow me. Just give me one minute to arouse that rascal Tevildo. I promised to tell him if I found anthing unusual. I don't suppose I could persuade one of you to let him ride on your shoulder? I know that puffball doesn't like to admit this, but he's really a bit small and out of shape. Still, he seems to know a lot about things that go about in the shadows." Owl looked over at the two-leggeds, waiting for a reply.