Next phase, old haze

***

The next night Noctis sat between the dense foliage of a tall tree, along with the youngest of the family, trying their best not to get wet from the shower overhead.

The family was separated and was sent into different directions by the parents, while they sat at a tall ridge cliff, perhaps for the next phase of training into the owlets maturity and eventual independence.

The older siblings were let out alone while he accompanied the smallest, perhaps sensing his superior intellect than his peers.

The plan was foiled however as the soft shower transformed into a raging storm in a moment's notice as soon as the sun completely left the horizon, leaving Noctis and the owlet to scurry into a hiding place.

Now they sat, seperated for quite some time from the parents huddled into a canopy hoping to persevere through the downpour.

The rain however only got worse as droplets leaked upon the white feathers and hairs of the two siblings.

The owlet, perhaps a little sacred as more and more time went on, started whistling and chirping towards the sky.

"Hey calm down. They won't hear you in this rain."

Noctis tried in a slow voice but was unable to pacify the little bird even after much pleading and thus just started looking around in case it attracted any unlikely predators.

There was little chance of the parents hearing and finding them at the moment.

He hoped the heavy rain would also deter anyone from being out at this hour and scenario.

His hopes were dashed yet again as he noticed a long slim branch slowly squirming its way towards them.

More precisely a snake made its way slowly but surely at their position.

Swallowing his saliva, Noctis debated his next moves. He could just slam the snake out with a little manipulation of the branch but the memories of the numerous times he used his energy in the absence of the giant bird haunted him into stillness.

The snake unbothered by his dilemma proudly stalked its way towards them, proud of his camouflage in the dark rainy night.

Finally as the snake closed the distance enough to just lunge at the bird, Noctis firmed himself and striked the branch that the snake sat upon, breaking it and sending it down to the forest floor.

Knowing the measure was merely stalking, Noctis looked for a way to get rid of the snake before it slithered up to them.

He tore another branch, thin and long hoping to whip the snake away but didn't notice it coming back.

Perhaps it had been deterred away to try such folly again, thought Noctis as he relaxed somewhat and went towards the little anxious critter.

Soon as he put his hand over the critter's head he felt an alarming feeling at his back sending a shiver down his spine, and tiny bumps pricking along his arms like bamboo shoots in a field.

Taking the bird in his hands Noctis jumped straight up with all the strength he could muster up.

Up in the rainy air, drenching and battering, Noctis' eyes fell down to see the tree that he occupied once, getting decimated by a giant cylindrical object.

Upon landing he saw the giant cylinder getting up with a serpentine grace, its ruby red slits staring at him.

"You gotta be fucking kidding me here."

The once normal snake glared down with its now towering height at the erring elf as the elf dreaded the coming onslaught.

"Try escaping before it's too late, bud."

Krrrrrrrr~

"What now? Yeah no let's take it up later okay? Get to safety first."

Feeling a strange defiance from the owl somehow Noctis cooed it a bit more before launching it in the other direction.

Before the snake could react to the escaping owl Noctis jumped up once again, towards the mow of the beast this time concentrating all his energy into his hands.

Before he jumped however, he manipulated his energy as many roots shot out of the nearby trees towards the opening mouth of the beast.

Distracted from the elf jumping towards it, the roots successfully captured the jaws of the beasts, closing it just enough for Noctis to land and blast his punch on the snake's head.

With it he also added to his dread another foreboding danger, proven true the next second as some howls went up some distance away from his position.

With the snake down with a loud hiss Noctis made a run for the ridge without looking elsewhere.

Just as he had taken the first step he heard a faint whistle a little to the side of him, freezing his steps as well as his thought as he failed to reconcile just how the little critter was still in the vicinity of the snake.

Immediately ditching the plan, Noctis moved towards the position from whence he had heard the kroak to find an owl with drenched white fur peeking from a tree branch.

"Why are you still here?"

Krrr~

A soft whimper came the reply as Noctis tilted his head in confusion.

Rather than making any further sound, the owl once again took flight… or at least tried to as Noctis watched with an increasingly pained head as the not so silent flight crashed after just a couple strides.

It was today that he learned, owls couldn't fly too well with wet wings.