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This hollow in one of the big trees in Granny’s territory is normally used as a small classroom. Tonight it will have to be a shelter for the storm instead. The opening can be covered with a frame of braided branches and this will hopefully be enough to keep the warmth in and the wind out.

Granny was still wet from the short flight from her big classroom to this one. She had hoped to be able to fly back and forth between the two and keep track of all of the fledglings during the storm, but she feared that her old wings would not allow another trip. Hopefully Osprey and Bumblebee would be all right and stay safe. The bigger classroom was not an ideal shelter, and she hoped they would have the sense to huddle together and not try to go outside.

She had brought Crawly here with the intent to try to move the other fledglings too, but the rapid onset of the storm had foiled her plans.

Bumble's arrival was a huge relief. That meant another young one was accounted for and safe from the storm.

"There, there," she said and preened the little wildtype gently. "I'll put the wind frame on and then we won't have to see the rain."

With a combined effort of beak and Will she managed to get the braided frame in place, shutting most of the wind out.

Bumble was relieved when he saw Granny arrive, he wouldn't have to take this storm alone in here. He shook off his feathers again, and accepted the preening, until he saw another fledgling watching the scene with delight. After Granny had stopped to go put up the frame, he put on his air of toughness, which included puffing out his feathery chest and narrowing his eyes. He shifted his feet, and felt as the wind died down inside the hollow, Granny had gotten the frame up!

Bumble walked on over to the frame, and peered through a small hole in the woodwork, checking out the storm. Still going strong.

Crawly clicked his beak in sheer amusement. Perhaps this whole ordeal would be slightly more amusing than he first anticipated. His ear tuffs raised slightly in pride as the teacher complimented him, although only for a few moments before folding back into their general annoyed position.

At least the old fart's only blind in one eye, the young ghost mused to himself, grinning slightly at his twisted wit. He turned his head to face the wildtype, amused at his attempt to appear larger. Oh this is going to be fun.

"No," he responded, unamused by the antics to create a decent conversation. He could fix this.

"Yeah Bumble," he imitated, hissing slightly in mockery. "If you stand too close to the door, the thunderbird will take you." His tone shifted to a more serious baritone to intensify his next words. "I heard it takes you, chews you up, and feeds you to its chicks…like you are nothing more than a mere mus." He faked a shutter. "And it's angry tonight!" He flailed his wings…ignoring the limited space.

Crawly's flailing wing brushed against Granny, and she gave him a stern stare. She wasn't hurt by the wing beat, but it wouldn't do for the chick to get his primaries damaged if he managed to hit the wall.

"Don't hurt yourself, little one." she said, and preened one of his eartufts a little too roughly. "It can be dangerous to flap too much inside."

Ah... Fledglings. Granny smiled at their bickering and boasting. Crawly usually demanded a lot of attention, and it was good that he got to spend some time with a fledgling that could stand up to him. Out of habit she started to turn their scare tactics into a lesson.

"The Thunderbird might sound strong and frightening," Granny said in her best storytelling voice, "But he will always give more than he takes."

She unfolded her wings just a bit, to give the fledglings room to scoot closer to her body and share her warmth.

"It's too easy to focus on what he might take," Granny said, "And you are both quite right – he can chew you up and spit you out as easy as that, but do you know what gifts he can bring?"

Bumble mumbled under his breath at Crawly's comment, but he devised a come back, keeping his little fledgling voice calm. "Oh perhaps, but why spend time looking for one when ghosts are sooooo much easier to see in the woods!"

He huddled close to Granny and looked up at her. "Whats he bring?" He wouldn't act like this normally, when there were many fledglings about, but it was just he and the Crawly bug. He felt he could deal with the other, but he was metaphorically rubbing his feathers the wrong way.

The wind suddenly picks up, whistling threateningly through the holes in the braided frame that keeps it outside, and seems to make it start to bulge inwards. But this time, instead of impotently falling back after its fierce assault, the wind is boosted by a tremendous gust that tears the frame from the opening and hurls it right into the small huddle of Sentinels. There is no time to escape, as the windbreaker does not really have far to fly.