[Trade] Seri x Rei

The sun woke up lazily, slowly climbing into the sky, as if it were very annoyed that it had to perform its function. It had to get used to its daily, responsible work – with the coming of spring, the sun would begin its shift much earlier than in recent months.

The first warm rays that enveloped the archipelago were a sign to all birds that the day had begun. A variety of colourful songbirds poked their heads out of their nests and then flew into the air in their intriguing, spectacular dance. Their melodious songs echoed through the forest.

It was these pleasant sounds that reached Seri's ears, slowly waking him from his sleep. The male, still not quite awake, initially shook his head, trying to chase away this unwanted alarm clock. To no avail. After a few moments, he was forced to lazily open his eyes.

The volcanic parasaurolophus raised his head and looked around, heroically fighting his still sleepy and drooping eyelids. He found the same sight that greeted him every day - Rei was nestled in his shoulder, and Rosethorn was sleeping next to them, always in some slightly questionable position.

He wasn't too happy at the thought of waking either of the females, but he really had no choice in the matter - he wanted to get up, and that would certainly disturb his companions' sleep. Well, it's better to rip off the band-aid quickly.

The male stood up and stretched, loosening his limbs stiff from the night. With a nimble movement, he slipped out of the depths of the cave, approaching the sun-drenched entrance. Rosethorn was still fast asleep (she didn't even move!), but Rei, as expected, began to blink lazily, slowly regaining consciousness.

This arrangement was perfect - Seri had certain plans for that morning. Plans that definitely did not require Rosethorn's presence.

Rose was getting older, and her adoptive parents were not getting any younger either. Soon, the young female would probably leave the family nest in search of new adventures, her own place to live or a partner. And the pair of parasaurolophus would be alone again. Seri enjoyed being a father. The thought that his role would soon come to an end filled him with anxiety.

That was why he wanted to convince Rei to have another clutch. It was true that they had aged since their last litter, but they could still be parents. So why not try?

When the female finally opened her eyes, Seri looked at her meaningfully and then moved towards the cave exit. The female understood the signal - she got up, somewhat sluggishly, still sleepy, and then yawned deeply, following her partner's footsteps.

They both went outside, feeling the pleasantly warm rays of the sun on their backs. The female stretched, extending her front limbs in front of her. She had a hunch as to why Seri had been seeking her company more and more lately. The male, despite all his mysteriousness, was not very good at keeping secrets.
Truth be told, any courtship rituals Seri could come up with were unnecessary anyway. The piebald female had been thinking about the same thing for a long time - she also missed everything that came with the beginnings of parenthood. Building a nest, caring for eggs, raising young, absurdly tiny hatchlings... All of this, despite the difficulties it caused, definitely had its charms.

Nevertheless, when the male suggested a morning walk, she did not intend to refuse. Spending time in his company always improved her mood.

They set off along a path through the forest, which meandered among the trees growing at the edge. Although there were still traces of winter in the area (most of the ground was covered with a thin layer of snow, sometimes piling up much more, mainly in shadowy places), the forest was a deep, dark green colour, consisting mainly of pine trees.

Although the route of the walk seemed random, determined only by the natural boundary between the forest and the clearing, Seri had a specific destination in mind. Talking about having children was one thing, but he wasn't going to try to convince Rei with empty words. He had a better plan to impress her.

For several days, he had been secretly slipping away from his partner's watchful eyes, using trivial excuses - once he needed a moment of solitude, another time he wanted to get some exercise before breakfast... Each time, he had the same goal - to go to the nearby forest and search its areas for materials needed to build a nest.

Of course, there was already something in the cave where they lived that could be considered a nest – a jumble of various vegetation, mainly leaves, dried grass and small twigs, which they treated as a kind of mattress. However, this type of construction was only suitable for older individuals. Something else was needed for the eggs being incubated and the young, newly hatched chicks.

Rei quickened her pace a little, realising where the walk had taken them. Seri had chosen a truly perfect spot – a secluded, small clearing on the edge of the forest, bathed in sunlight despite the prevailing winter. A clearing where they had spent a lot of time, especially at the beginning of their relationship.

In the middle of a small meadow that evoked warm memories, laid everything that the male had gathered in recent days. Various types of branches and leaves, moss and tufts of soft grass, and even a real rarity – scraps of human materials, varying in size and texture. The icing on the cake were two slightly worn plushies – beige teddy bears sitting next to each other with smiles on their faces. The perfect gift for newborn, curious hatchlings.

Rei shyly approached her partner's work, smiling. She carefully examined every item lying in front of her. The male's experience and common sense were immediately apparent in his choice of materials - even though he had put them together himself, he had done so perfectly.

After a moment of admiration, the female stepped back, catching up with Seri, who was standing at the very edge of the clearing. When their eyes met, a shy smile appeared on the male's muzzle. The female nudged him affectionately with her muzzle on his shoulder, cuddling up to his side.

‘Well, Seri...’ she said, feeling the pleasant, relaxing warmth of his body. ‘We might be getting old, but we're going to be good parents.’

Seri laughed loudly - much louder than he usually did.

‘Again!’ he added, already imagining their new offspring hatching from their eggs - as clearly, as if it was happening right in front of his eyes.