Silva: You know one of my relatives?
Faren: If memory serves me correctly, my buddy Robert Baywest's sister married a man with the surname of Belmonte.
Silva: You are friends with my uncle?
Faren: Aye. Good friends in fact.
Silva: He never spoke of you.
Faren: He's always been a pretty reserved man, eh Silva?
Silva: You're right 'bout that sir. Don't know much of my family either.
Faren: Unfortunately I don't know much of the Belmonte family apart from that.
Silva: (sighs a bit and puts his head down) Ah, okay. (quickly picks his head up) All good, though.
Isra's mother: Well, you boys look exhausted. Let's arrange a nice bed for you to stay the day, Silva.
Silva: Thank you, Mrs. Isra but I have an inn waiting for me.
Isra's mother: Nonsense, you have walked far enough, you'll stay here for the day. And please, call me Layla.
Silva: Uh…. okay. Thank you so much…. Mrs… I mean Layla.
Silva and Isra stay at the Isra household for the day. As everyone is sleeping, a flock of Sacred Owls are flying across Howling Woods with malicious intent. Dozens of them swoop down to the outskirts of the city and a few make their way to the center. Day shift guards quickly leave their posts to investigate the sudden commotion. The Sacred Owls make quick work of the city. The guards start to fend off the aggressive creatures, but the owls escape once a few of the danger bells that surround the city are rung. The city mayor rushes out to find his soldiers laying on the ground.
Owl City Mayor: (irate) What the hell happened here?
Owl City Guard #1: Sir, the Sacred Owls have gone unhinged. They attacked out of nowhere.
Owl City Mayor: (walks intimidatingly close to the guard) Do you take me for a fool?
The Owl City Captain of the guards unit steps forward to ease the tension.
Owl City Captain: Please sir, he's telling the truth.
Owl City Mayor: Captain, do you have any idea what could have transpired from yesterday till now?
Owl City Captain: Unfortunately not, but we are ever so determined to find the truth of this matter.
Owl City Mayor: I want to arrange a town hall meeting immediately!
Owl City Captain: Then it will be done, sir.
The Owl City Captain orders his units to wake the citizens up for a mandatory town hall meeting. Every guard in the city swarms the resident's homes. Faren, Layla, Isra, and Silva are woken up and escorted to the town hall of Owl City (located in the center), just as the other citizens. The large hall is bombarded with the sounds of uneasy discourse of the public.
Owl City Citizen #1: (shouts) What the hell, did ya wake us up for Mr. Mayor?
Owl City Citizen #2: Obviously he wouldn't do this if it wasn't an emergency!
Owl City Citizen #3: Yeah, wasn't the city under attack a few hours ago?!
Owl City Citizen #1: The city still seems in check, a minor attack shouldn't warrant this level of paranoia!
Owl City Citizen #2: Easy for you to say since you don't have any children to worry about!
Owl City Citizen #1: Doesn't make a difference! If the city were really in jeopardy we wouldn't be stuffed in this damn hall like sardines!
Owl City Citizen #4: Hell, yeah! We'd be on the battlefield fighting tooth in nail for our home!
Owl City Citizen #5: Who were the bastards that attacked us?!
Owl City Citizen #6: Senseless violence will get us nowhere.
The Owl City citizens start to bicker which gives an unpleasant amalgamation of sound. Silva and Isra spot Salv and approach him.
Salv: Where the hell, have you been Silva?
Silva: (slightly anxious tone) Sorry man, Isra's mom wouldn't take no for an answer when it came to sleeping the night. Where's Oro by the way?
Salv: Still asleep at the inn.
Silva: Oh good, glad he at least gets rest.
Salv: What do you guys think happened?
Silva: No idea, must've occurred not too long after I went to bed though.
Isra: I have an idea of what happened.
Salv: Don't tell me-
Isra: I fear that you two's encounter with the baby owl stirred up more trouble. Was hoping they weren't going to think it was us. They must've followed our group to the city and waited for everyone to rest to attack.
Silva: Damn they are extremely intelligent then.
Isra: Yes, and now we have to come clean.
Silva: You shouldn't be a part of this, it was me and Salv's mess to begin with.
Isra: Absolutely not. If they heard it from an outsider, they wouldn't take it as well. Whether I like it or not, it has to be my word.
The pressure of the room weighs heavy on the mayor until his patience wears thin as the arguments continue.
Owl City Mayor: QUIET! All of you have a seat.
His commanding voice silenced the crowd in the blink of an eye. All that could be heard were seats dragging across the floor. There was no one left standing.
Owl City Mayor: Good. Now, I gathered you all here for a damn good reason. There was an attack on our city. Not by ordinary foes, mind you. It was the Sacred Owls that did it. Thankfully no casualties but dozens of my men are injured.
Owl City Citizen #1: (angrily) Do you take us for fools? Who really attacked our village?!
Owl City Mayor: As I stated, the owls are the true culprits. You can choose to believe me or not but the fact of the matter is, the northern section of the city was damaged. Decorated on our walls were owl pellets. This is a warning sign. It seems they were provoked by someone traveling through Howling Woods or within our city. If it was someone within our walls, I want the offender to come forward now.
Painfully awkward silence fills the room for a few minutes.
Owl City Mayor: (raises his eyebrow) So no one here did it? Is that what I am to believe? I will say if you come clean now, your penalty will not be nearly as severe as banishment.
Isra stands up with all eyes locked on him.
Owl City Mayor: Ah, our rising star climber. Don't tell me you're the culprit Roco?
Isra: Afraid so.
Faren and Layla gasp with the rest of the room.
Silva: No wait, I was also involved!
Salv: Me as well.
Isra: Guy's let me handle this, please.
Owl City Mayor: Three offenders?! And who are you two? I've never seen any of you before in my life.
Isra: They are-
Owl City Mayor: I asked them. Not you.
Silva: Silva Belmonte sir.
The Owl City Mayor turns his head to Salv.
Salv: And I am Salv Starrc.
Owl City Mayor: Are you both residents here?
Silva and Salv: No.
Owl City Mayor: Why on earth, did you get involved with our sacred wildlife?
Silva: We didn't know it was-
Owl City Mayor: We have one sacred rule in this city Isra. It is not to mess with the beloved owls here. Since you three seem acquainted, Isra should have taught you both that immediately when you stepped an inch into these woods. As if my signs across the paths of these woods weren't blatant enough for you dopes.
Isra: I did but-
Silva: We went off the beaten path on accident-
Owl City Mayor: Isra, tell me exactly what transpired from the beginning.
Isra: I saw these travelers in danger because they had been attacked by a flock of the Sacred Owls. From what they told me, they had previously injured an infant who stole all of their food. These attacks were the result of this scuffle.
Owl City Mayor: You should've let them figure out the consequences on their own. Ignorant or not, we do not get involved with the owls conflict for the greater protection of the city.
Isra: I understand that but these guys were already injured and exhausted from before the owls attacked them.
Owl City Mayor: But nothing. We do not involve ourselves period.
Isra: (bites his tongue) Apologies, Mr. Mayor.
Owl City Mayor: (facepalms) What a mess, you young men have left us.
Silva: I have an idea Mr. Mayor!
Owl City Mayor: Alright, out with it.
Isra covers Silva's mouth with his hand.
Isra: Suppose we offer a peace offering to the owls at the Great Nest. Just us three.
Owl City Mayor: No. You have caused enough damage thank you very much. The captain and his units will handle negotiations.
Isra: Please, sir. They will leave with weapons. We will only carry the olive branch of peace.
Owl City Mayor: What makes you think they will accept it from you versus the captain?
Isra: If it comes directly from us, they will know it's genuine. Trust me, I will not jeopardize our city.
Owl City Mayor: Very well then. You three will make this right. If things go sour, I want all three of you out of this village never to return again. Understood?
Salv: We understand sir.
Owl City Mayor: Good. Now out! All of you back to your homes!
The tired citizens groan and walk back to their homes. Faren and Layla wish the boys well and head back to their treehouse. Silva and Isra prepare for their excursion to see the owls. Salv returns to the inn to recruit Oro for their delicate mission.