[Trade] Iaewen x Seraphine

It was only the beginning of February, so winter should have been at its harshest. However, something had changed on the islands – recently, a warmer, pleasant wind had been blowing, gradually and almost imperceptibly melting the snow and making the newly blooming plants visible again, delighting the eyes of all passers-by.

Hardly anyone complained about it. The archipelago, although composed of many diametrically different areas, mostly resembled a subtropical zone. Most of its inhabitants were accustomed to warm temperatures, so the long, unpleasant winter was a challenge for them.

It was no different for Seraphine and Iaewen. Both females, despite being theoretically equipped to combat low temperatures (their bodies were covered with thick, well-insulating feathers), preferred comfortable warmth. This was one of the reasons why, instead of seeking shelter in the centre of the island, they lived on the coast. The vast beach, bordering the endless, clear ocean, guaranteed them much milder weather conditions – in this idyllic place, the temperature almost always remained within certain fixed, relatively narrow limits.

This time, however, it looked like the two females would leave their safe haven, at least for a moment. Fortunately, this was not due to any higher necessity or anything else that could be considered dangerous or uncomfortable. Quite the contrary- it was supposed to be a pleasant trip.

The females had been partners for a long time and had been through a lot together. They had even raised several litters together, but they did not feel tired of parenthood yet. Both were still quite young (by the standards of their species), so there was nothing to prevent them from having more offspring.

That is why Seraphine planned a little surprise for her partner – a nice walk in the nearby forest, ending with a meal together. Who could pass up such a tempting opportunity?

The crested female presented her plan to Iaewen just after she had finished all the preparations (it was hard for her to wait with revealing her secret even for a few minutes). However, she did not spill everything – she mentioned the first part of her surprise, but kept the finale of the plan to herself.

The very thought of this trip greatly improved the mood of both dinosaurs. After all, what could be better than spending time in each other's company?

They set off almost immediately, walking calmly across the vast beach. They headed towards a place where the forest opened up into a clearing covered with a few trees. It was the perfect place to blend into the forest without having to fight their way through dense vegetation.

The sun climbed higher and higher in the sky, as if it wanted to accompany the females on their journey. Its invisible, warm rays pleasantly warmed their backs, adding charm to an already pleasant walk. They needed nothing else to be happy.

They spent most of the walk along the beach talking. They already knew each other well, too well for Seraphine not to realise what her partner's goal was. Fortunately, the thought of bearing another litter was not at all unpleasant for Iaewen. Both females had a similar approach to the matter. Seraphine's initial stress was quickly alleviated by her partner. Their biggest concern turned out to be what names to give their future offspring.

When they reached the edge of the forest, their mood became even better than before. All the anxiety that accompanied the surprise and the serious conversation they had had between themselves evaporated completely - only positive emotions remained.

They walked shoulder to shoulder, close to each other, occasionally touching each other's bodies. They had to be very careful not to accidentally trip over each other. It wasn't the wisest arrangement - although there were definitely fewer trees in this part of the forest, the path winding between the ancient trunks was still narrow.

Although the females' determination was admirable, after a few dozen metres, when the vegetation became denser and almost overwhelming (living on the beach, they did not often encounter such a landscape), they had to give up their closeness. They could only continue their journey in a line formation.

Seraphine miscalculated the length of the planned walk. She wanted to give them a medium-length hike, one that would allow them to spend quite a bit of time in each other's company. However, she was not skilled at estimating how quickly they would cover the distance - before the emotions of the conversation had subsided and before the two females had had time to appreciate the natural landscape that surrounded them, the walk was almost over.

In fact, there was only one item left on the agenda – a meal together. A few hours earlier, Seraphine had gone hunting, skilfully tracking game that was not part of their typical menu. This time, instead of settling for fish, she wanted something more exquisite and unusual.

She chose an emu. Seraphine had known for a long time that a large flock of these birds lived in the area, and finally the perfect day had come to put this knowledge to use. Choosing this species as prey had another significant advantage. Suchomimus, as is commonly known, fed mainly on fish, and this was not without significance for their physique. Their jaws, long and narrow, were unable to generate much bite force, so fighting large prey was out of the question. Seraphine could forget about hunting deer, wild boar or any other animal that often falls prey to other predators on the island. Despite this, she did not have to lose hope - the long, frail neck of an emu was the perfect target even for someone of her build.

After a successful hunt, the female hid her prey's body among the dense tangle of bushes – one of many such places in this forest. Then, to be sure, she covered the emu's body with broad leaves she found nearby. Such camouflage had to be good enough, right?

Seraphine knew they were close to the spot, for the delicate scent of congealed blood was in the air. Iaewen must have smelled it too, but she was probably trying to ignore the tempting aroma – after all, she had no idea yet that it was coming from their planned meal.

The females confidently entered the thicket of bushes (Seraphine, of course, took the lead). Meanwhile, the crested female explained the last part of her plan to her partner in a few words. Both dinosaurs struggled to contain their growing excitement – they could almost taste the meat in their mouths. Just a few more steps and their desire would be fulfilled.

Seraphine smoothly parted the bushes growing in front of them. She easily found the tangle of slightly bloodstained leaves she had left there. However, something had changed – instead of forming an organised whole, the sheet of leaves was now in complete chaos. The female jumped into the thicket, alarmed by the sight. She violently pushed aside the plants, searching for her prey. Her suspicions were confirmed - the emu's body was gone.

Iaewen approached her partner, touching her shoulder comfortingly. The idea for the surprise was charming, but the ending was predictable. Leaving fresh, blood-scented prey unattended was not the wisest move.

Oh well - on this day, the females would have to settle for just the walk.