Looking at this humanoid figure sitting within the large tree in the center of this clearing, Evelyn began to panic.
Her thoughts immediately drifted to this being a trap set up by some humans to lure in a bunch of owls that they could capture.
However, as she looked closer, she noticed that while this figure may have looked human, they were actually quite a bit different.
The most noticeable difference was that on their back they had two large deep blue wings jutting out.
Along with that their ears were pointed outwards, and the irises of their eyes were yellow in color just as many owls had.
'Wait, is she an owl that has taken humanoid form!?'
Seeing this Evelyn could only believe that her conclusion was correct, as this woman who looked to be in her mid-twenties was flanked on either side by the two powerful owls that also sat in the center tree.
It was quite obvious from this positioning that she was the one in charge here, and Evelyn found it unlikely that this many owls would just sit around if an intruder who was not a part of their race had invaded.
Also, as she stared intently, she could feel instinctually that they were most certainly an owl.
She had found this out already, but other owls did not put her on edge as much as other beasts and humans.
There was a certain kinship that they all shared, and while it certainly was not enough to keep them from fighting each other. It did give them a sense of comradery.
'Still, how did they do it. Is it some magic spell that transforms them? But why show that off here, when it would seem to have no purpose? Is it maybe some sort of evolution? Except, I never read anything about this from the books Mason left me.'
Her mind moving at a mile a minute, Evelyn could not figure out how this was possible.
Nothing she had learned since coming to this world would lead her to believe that beasts could somehow get humanoid forms.
Yet, there in front of her was the proof that it was possible, and it added onto the depths of this world she knew nothing about.
However, her thoughts were soon interrupted as another owl landed right next to her.
Looking up she saw the same snowy owl that had helped her before and told her about this place.
Almost immediately she wanted to shirk away. But held herself back from seeming openly rude.
This owl had helped her, and while she did not know what its motives were. She had made it because of him and was willing to at least act cordial for now.
The snowy owl seeing that Evelyn was not going to fly away, began glowing with magical energy and extended a thin strand towards her to communicate as it had before.
This time though it did not make the connection and waited for her approval to do so.
Nodding her head, Evelyn gave her consent, since she had a lot of questions, and wanted to see if this snowy owl could answer them.
'I am glad to see that you made it here. I knew with your powers that even though you are not as advanced as everyone else you would be able to do it.'
Cockings her head to the side, Evelyn was not sure what why snowy owl meant by this, until she took a good look around her feeling numerous sets of eyes watching her.
Of all the other owls here, she was the only one that was at the middle tier of the fiend beast rank.
All of the others were above her. With most being peak fiend beasts, with only a few that were at the high tier.
Then there were also around a dozen owls at the awakened rank which were the ones that were truly a cut above the rest.
This meant that Evelyn was the weakest of the bunch in terms of rank, which was she was receiving quite a bit of glances from the other owls.
They wondered how she had made it this far, since all of the other mid-tier fiend beast owls had either been beaten down or were lost in the fog.
'Yes, it looks like I really am the only one at my level to make it here. Now allow me to give you my thanks for telling me about this place and directing me. I was a bit wary of you at first, but it seems that you are not entirely untrustworthy.'
Of course, as Evelyn said this she lied as easily as she breaths, since she most certainly did not trust this owl in pretty much any capacity.
To her anyone that acted nice that was not a family member wanted something from her and would use her up until there was nothing left.
In both her lives she had been tortured and now she would rather isolate herself from getting close to anyone else than risk being hurt again.
Still, she knew she could not make it on her own, which was why she had come here to join the Owls Roost, and why she was still talking to this snowy owl.
She wanted the information she could get from the other owls and figured she might as well start with this snowy owl.
'So how is it you and all of these other owls knew about this place.' Evelyn asked.
'Oh, that is right, you ended up here by chance. For all of the others I am not exactly sure how they found out, but another owl who already has joined the Roost told me about it. I had recently lost my home, so I figured that this would be a good opportunity to find a new one.'
A slightly sorrowful expression then came over his face as he mentioned his lost home, and for a moment Evelyn felt that she could relate to this guy.
Yet she quickly shook her head to snap herself out of this.
She was not here to try and get closer to anyone and wanted to keep to herself. Feeling sorry for someone that was in a similar situation to was not going to help her in any way.
'Mind if I ask what this trick is you are using to communicate. I have never seen anything like this before.' Evelyn asked, the curiosity plain to see on her face.
However, before the snowy owl could answer, one of the owls in the middle began glowing slightly, and dozens of tiny threads of magical energy shot out of them which connected with all of the owls here,
Then through this connection, this owl said, 'It is time for us to now begin.'