Joss was a male Whiskered Screech Owl, or Megascops trichopsis, who acted as a royal messenger under King H'rath and eventually his son, Hoole during the time of the legends of Ga'Hoole.
History[]
The First Collier []
During Grank's stay in the Beyond, Joss would periodically bring messages to Grank in regards to matters of the Northern Kingdoms. Joss was also the one who brought the message to Grank about Lord Arrin's annual lemming hunt and how negotiations must be made in order to have access to issen blaue, an ice used for making weapons. Joss returned to the Beyond, his wings ragged, to tell Grank that he was needed immediately in the Northern Kingdoms because of treachery and an invasion all led by Lord Arrin. At this time, however, Grank was under the powerful influence of the Ember of Hoole and had already seen the events in the flames but did not act. It took convincing from both Joss and Fengo, a dire wolf, to cause Grank to come out of his stupor.
The Coming of Hoole[]
When Svenka the polar bear returned from her trip to the smee holes with Svarr, she informed Siv that she had overheard that Hoole was in the Beyond and that Lord Arrin planned to lead his forces there to kill him. Upon hearing this, Siv asked Svenka to find Joss who was at the time rumoured to be in the Ice Talons region. She further instructed her to tell him that she and Hoole were alive but in mortal peril and that he needed to gather hireclaws and any other forces that he could. However, to maintain the security of the message, Siv told Svenka to tell Joss that, "The moon bleeds silver. The ice fox comes before the dwenking." He eventually joined Siv and her forces as they made their way to the Beyond to confront Lord Arrin's forces.
To Be a King[]
Joss was once again sent out by Hoole to bring news of the state of the Northern Kingdoms. When he returned, he informed Hoole that Lord Arrin's forces had taken terrible, terrible damage and that many had deserted him such as Ullryck, a famed hagsfiend assassin. She was also rumoured to have started up her own division comprised solely of hagsfiends. Joss also said that a young upstart had appeared from the Firth of Fangs and that Strix Strumajen's daughter, Strix Emerilla, had gone missing in a skirmish over the Ice Fangs. Hoole's plan of action to retake his lost kingdom involved Joss setting up a slipgizzle network in the Northern Kingdoms that included gadfeathers, gizzard resisters and even polar bears. On Hoole's mission in the Southern Kingdoms, Joss met up with the king, Phineas and the Snow Rose and informed them that Grank had received plenty of owls to teach smithing and colliering. New recruits were also coming to the Great Ga'Hoole Tree for the upcoming invasion planned by Hoole. Joss also went to check up with Theo and inquire about the status of his mission in the Northern Kingdoms.