[Trade] Strangers to join the game

Fern and Spice hatched from a pair of eggs in the same nest, though they knew they weren’t siblings, the attentive Utahraptors who had claimed their eggs treated them as such. Fern and Spice were currently exploring along the outer part of their denning area, the wind whistling in the grass, Fern’s darker yellow feathers blended in best (in her opinion), to the grass as the pair played a rough game of ‘what is the most interesting thing you can find’.

Spice, whose reddish feathers blended more with the muddy banks of the stream or the dirt after a heavy storming rainfall in their plains like nest area, had located a colorful lizard and was crouched in front of it, “I think this is FAR more interesting then that white rock you find.” She said smugly, her crest standing up as she looked back at her sibling.

Fern’s blue eyes rolled in irritation before she huffed, “Fine, ok that's far more interesting… but… I have ummmm..” She looked around suddenly desperate to find something more interesting than her nest mates. Spice had won this game twice already and she was getting fed up with it. There was movement along the opposite side of the creek, black and muddy feathers. Fern’s feathers stood up, almost making her look as crested like her nest mate, before she leaped towards the newcomer with excitement, “THIS, OUR NEW FRIEND!” She declared.

Khonsu barely had time to look up before he had a wing thrown around his shoulders, “H-hey?” He yelped in surprise, staring at the weird raptor, he tried to free himself but she latched on, whispering hurriedly, “You're our new friend, this means I win the game!”

The other hatchling utahraptor stared at her in confusion, his feathers puffing in surprise, before that childlike curiosity got the better of him and he tentatively tilted his head, pale purple eyes studying Fern more quietly. Spice marched over, her red crest standing up, "That's not fair, thats not a THING, that's a RAPTOR!” She argued, shaking her head, “It doesn’t count.”

Fern and Spice began to bicker, all the while Khonsu’s head kept getting tugged every time Fern’s wing jostled over his neck. Finally he pulled himself free and squawked in indignation, “Hold on, hold on,” He shook himself while the two female raptors glanced at him, their eyes narrowed, “What is this game?” He asked desperately, already trying to solve the fight his new ‘friends’ were having before it got any worse.

Fern’s eyes widened as she realized suddenly with this third little raptor, she had a tie breaker. Someone who give thoughts (for her to win, obviously), Spice seemed to have the same idea, as she reacted faster, Spice grabbed his wings in her own and pulled him across the stream, splashing excitedly, “Ok so we’re playing a game, its called ‘what is the most interesting thing you can find’, and whoever finds that thing, they win the game.” Her tone was decisive as she lead him over to the rock where she’d found her lizard,

“Fern, who is a very sore loser,” “HEY!” Fern shouted as she followed them, her feathers flattening, but Spice continued, “Fern found a bright white rock, with glittery bits in the sun, but I found this very pretty lizard with blue stripes in its…” Spice trailed off as she let go of the pale tan and black raptors hands and began to look all around for her lizard. Her eyebrows furrowed as she huffed, “Hey where did it…”

Fern puffed in excitement as she realized her sister couldn’t find the object of their argument, “It must’ve run off.” She said quickly, stamping her feet as she pretended to help her nest mate look for it (though in reality she was desperately trying to further scare off the lizard so she could win. Khonsu even began to look around to help the two sisters.

After the all searched along the nesting area, they regrouped in the middle, Khonsu’s eyes scanned a last time before he huffed, “I don’t think you’re going to find the lizard, so I guess by that logic, it means Fern wins.” He scratched his chin.
Spice puffed up immediately, her eyes narrowing, “Thats not fair! I didn’t know the lizard would-”
Khonsu cut her off, clearing his throat sharply, “Hold on, I think it calls for a new round though, since now obviously I’M here too! An you said I don’t count as a found object.” He tapped his growing killer claw on the ground.
Fern puffed up in offense, “But you just said I won,” she huffed. Spice glanced back and forth before she nodded her head, “Actually I’m with….” she trailed off, before the sisters realized they hadn’t asked his name.

Their eyes locked on him curiously, “What do they call you?” they asked almost in unison before busting into chuckling, Khonsu smiled a little bit, sharp young fangs gleaming as he did so, “I’m Khonsu, and from what you guys said, I’m guessing the yellowish one is Fern,” he said thoughtfully, raising a claw to his chin thoughtfully, Fern gave a flourishing stance, being tall like a guardian, just like she’d seen her parents do when greeting strangers passing through, “Yeah!”

“I’m Spice,” the reddish raptor postured herself lower, head ducked low in a protective movement, the two raptors had very clearly practiced this a lot, and Khonsu couldn’t help but chuckle slightly, his eyes lighting with a mix of excitement and thought, “Alright, Spice, Fern it's a pleasure to meet you both, I have some thoughts for your game, if you don’t mind some outside perspective.” He smirked, the hatchling raptor had been outsmarting his parents and care takers since the day he hatched, games was his favorite thing.

Fern and Spice both sat down, listening as Khonsu stood tall, his wings spreading, “Instead of ‘everything’ being in the game, we should pick categories, so the most interesting ROCK, and then the most interesting bug, and then the most interesting stick… stuff like that. Instead of persay, you find a rock and your sister locates a whole raptor.” He gestured at himself, “Since those aren’t really fair comparisons.”

Spice puffed up slightly, “I found a lizard, not a rock-” She started to argue but Fern bopped her nose, “Shush! Let him finish!”

Khonsu looked up at the sky, the sun was reaching its peak, his own parents would be back from hunting soon, and they’d be distressed when they figured out he made it all the way out into the territory of another pair of raptors. His pale purple eyes leveled with Fern’s and then drifted to Spice, his lips curling, “My final idea is that we have a timelimit.” He grabbed a stick and shoved it into the ground, before placing a rock off to one side of it, “When the sun hits this rock, the game is over and we have to present what we found.” He said firmly, nodding as he looked back at the other two.

Fern puffed up excitedly, her lips curling as she jumped to her feet, “I think that's a great idea! Then the round doesn’t continue on and on with arguments.” Spice hesitated before she nodded and pushed to her feet, walking forward tentatively, “Yeah, I guess.” She huffed. She was used to winning this game, so the new rules weren’t exactly the best for HER winning streak, but like hell was she going to look like a sore loser.

The three raptors separated quickly, each going a different direction and the next little while was full of muttered words from them, Spice more than the other two, she’d never really gotten the interest in rocks of all things..

Fern was the first to return to the nesting spot, setting down her rock and sitting on it, her feathers puffed proudly as she waited.

Khonsu returned next, his mouth fully closed around his rock, hiding it behind his teeth, when he saw the way Fern had hers hidden he observed it then did the same thing, sitting down, then ducking his head under his tummy feathers, Fern busted into chuckling at the ridiculous position, but quickly cleared her throat when his head came up and he glared at her.

Spice was the final raptor to return, the red raptor had her wing covering her muzzle as she sat down, they formed a half circle. Khonsu waited for Spice to tuck her rock under herself like the other two had before he nodded, “Since Fern got back first, I think she should reveal hers first.”

Fern smiled smugly as she wiggled her tail, her feathers puffing proudly, “So MY rock,” She stood up, revealing the marbled stone, it was surprisingly smooth looking, “was found along the creek bed,” the yellowish raptor walked around it, “and what makes it so cool, is when you tap it, it makes a DING sound!” She proceeded to demonstrate, tapping her killer claw on it.

The other two ooo’d quietly as their eyes widened, head tilting left and right before Khonsu shifted and stood up revealing his gold speckled rock, “I think MINE is cooler, because it has this soft shiny material in it.” He tapped it, “And when you grab it in your teeth, the golden spots flex under them.” He said proudly, his head tilting.

Fern made a surprised sound and tilted her head, sniffing it curiously, it stunk like his breath and her head recoiled, Spice covered her mouth and chuckled, before adjusting, “Well, I think mine is cooler. Because it's like… Multiple rocks in one.”
Both Fern and Khonsu turned their heads, clearly confused by what she meant, until she stood up, revealing the broken quartz rock. Both the other raptors' eyes widened in fascination. Khonsu tilted his head, “...It's like a miniature cave.” He breathed out.
Fern nodded slightly, her eyes dancing over it, Spice puffed proudly while Khonsu huffed out a light breath, “...Alright, I think that one-”

“FERN! SPICE!”

The voices rang out.

Khonsu jumped to his feet, his feathers puffing up, eyes wide before he looked back to the stream, he snorted at himself for losing track of time so easily, “I best go! It was fun! See you two tomorrow!”

Before they could reply,they watched the dark feathered raptor run across the stream like a streak. Fern and Spice huffed as their parents appeared, carrying a carcass between them, the adult raptors sniffed the air, tilting their heads in confusion, “...Was…there a stranger else here?”

Fern looked back at the stream, “...No. Just our new friend.”