A quiet night goes by in Smorts Indrink, a giant library erected by the owl race once created by the wizard Dekum, it being in charge to bookkeep the sea town of Holfens Port. And a lot could be learned within these walls! Endless halls, filled with bookshelves piling over with books, scrolls and inscriptions these sages had collected over hundreds of years.

But rather than reading and collecting stories today... I woke to strange noises in my room.

Opening my eyes, expecting a hatching egg or another owl minding their business, I found a kobold trying to tiptoe out of my room, eagerly holding my egg in his claws with a sinister grin on his face.

“Hey!” I exclaimed, jumping out of bed, throwing off the sheets. The kobold’s eyes grew wide, and he started to sprint out holding my baby with stretched hands in front of him. I quickly grabbed my spellbook, a thick leather bound tome. In it I had carefully collected all kinds of spells and information important to me, then had it blessed by my husband Fargnau. I shoved it in a travelpack I had made for it and put it on my back.

Luckily the thief seemed to have lost its way through the halls, because I would barely be able to keep up with my short and stubby talons. You couldn’t expect much of your speed as a 3’5” Elf Owl after all, even when you’re a sentient humanoid one!

The kobold was frantically looking for a way out, he was sure he remembered his way around the place, he had snuck in before to snatch from the kitchen. Yet one bad turn and his growling stomach screwed everything up. It all looks the same here! Why did he have to go after an owl’s egg? Why was he being so stupid? Doesn’t matter, he had to get out because he pissed her off really badly and those eyes can’t mean well if they get him! “There!” he thought to himself as he saw the familiar doors, “I found them!”

I woke my son Cebyr, who slept in the room next to me.

“Follow me sweetheart, your little brother or sister was stolen! Get up!

Aeris? Aeris! You wake up too!”

From a room across mine appeared a tall female barn owl, her sleepy eyes looking annoyed at the rude awakening. Her nightgown lay loosely over her body, not that it mattered seeing how she was covered in light brown and white feathers.

“What is it now, Sekti? The sun barely rose.”

I gave her a stern look, grabbing Cebyr by his hand. “A burglar came in! Inform Fargnau at ONCE! Our child has been stolen! Tell him to get here as soon as you get in contact.”

I took after the kobold as I saw him fly by, entering the hallway to the front doors, Cebyr trying his best to keep up. “I have to go after my baby!” I told Aeris at last, moving after the foul beast again.