[PAYMENT] Nocturnal Squabbles

The two small cryos find themselves stumbling through the dark night within their forest home, squabbling between each other on who was to blame for oversleeping after their post-lunch nap. Mocker snapping at Tumbler, blaming the other for their current predicament, Tumbler in turn snapping back and blaming Mocker for it being his fault. Whoever's fault it was, it couldn't be dealt with now, the two had to find dinner and a place to hunker back down for the night safely --- wary eyes skimming the tree line and the dense brush to ensure no other eyes peer beneath the dark night to try hunting them instead. Sure as predators, they had more of an advantage within the shadow of night, but they were highly inexperienced as rather young cryos. Didn't quite have a guardian to teach them, learning from the distant older cryos they caught sight of while hiding and through their own trial and error. They had minimal success, sometimes having to just scavenge off scraps or steal from smaller predators to get a meal in their bellies --- Mocker taking the mantle on distraction, and Tumbler to swoop in and steal what he could grab and race off to their hiding spot.

 

Mocker soon paused in his bickering, words dying on his maw as the familiar sound of the skittering and buzzing of night bugs --- a good enough prey for the two to try and catch by themselves, not too filling but they were plentiful and should be easy enough to catch. It'll let them sleep the night without empty bellies, and power them through the morning to find some new meal --- hopefully not having to steal it once more. Don't think they'll have the energy to hatch up some plan after their last failed steal the night before, Mocker almost got his tail bit off by an angry utah they were trying to steal off of. Tumbler had to give up his own part of the plan to nip at the utah's ankle and make a run for it with Mocker by his side, the raptor quick to run after them and yelling at the younger cryos for trying to steal off them. The two brothers dashing off into the underbrush and hiding within a small hole they found under some tree roots --- lucky that the adult raptor couldn't follow them in, just too big to make it past the tight squeeze like the younger two had been able to do. Something that was rather lucky for them, especially as the hole didn't lead any further down like they hoped, not an abandoned den of some other dinosaur or weird critter. No offshoot of tunnels to escape through, some veil of hope they'd lead to another hole somewhere else to crawl out from and escape their pursuer, but in the end, they were safe at least. The memory faded off as Mocker dashed off to try and leap and catch the large dragonflies zipping around the shallow pond they were near --- Tumbler grumbling to himself, still mad at being blamed for the reason they were stuck hunting in the pitch dark night, but glad they found food at the very least. How successful they will be is unknown to either, but they were bound to catch just enough to fill their bellies for the night.

 

Mocker leaped and dashed around in swirling and dizzying circles, ever so close to catching a winged critter within his maw before they slipped out in the last second. Grumbled anger falling from the pale grey cryo, snorting out in annoyance before starting back up to try and leap up once more. Growling and chirping out in frustration as he leapt and twirled within the air, even dancing around in the shallow bank of the pond as he tried chasing them further. Stepping over pebbles and various roots of the plants growing within the water, claws sinking into the barely hidden mud under the dark water. Feathers sure to be heavy with the water he was splashing around into the air, not to mention the mud that'll cake his clawed feet, will be a pain to groom off. But not to worry about it now, he had dinner to catch for the moment!

 

Tumbler in turn had just been watching, sitting back to catch onto the patterns the flying critters flew in --- swooping figure eights, opposite to the turns Mocker was taking to try and catch them, just always out of his reach despite the determination he had within those leaps and snaps of sharp teeth. A snort falls from the lighter grey cryo at the sight, shaking out his feathered body and starting to charge forward to join in on trying to catch the crowding of dragonflies within the night air. Leaping off a rock on the bank of the pond, able to snatch a smaller dragonfly within his maw, the familiar crunch of the exoskeleton and wings giving under his sharp teeth was nice. A proud series of chirps falling from him as he looked to Mocker who had just slipped and fell right into the mud of the pond. Another snort fell from the paler cryo, quick to chew and swallow the small insect within his maw before trudging forward to help his clutch mate back up --- listening to Mocker's cries of anger and curses to the dragonflies for taunting him. They weren't, simply flying around to escape the tiny predators and reform within their grouping in the cold night air. 

 

The paler helped Mocker up, pulling at the scruff of his neck and steadying him onto his mud caked feet, huffing in amusement as Mocker complained about being drenched in water and covered in mud. Some injustice to the young cryo in his mind, Tumbler shaking his head at the reaction, a smart brother he was, but boy was Mocker a complainer...should have been named Whiner if anything, but alas, they chose their own names, not like their non-existent parent could rename Mocker now -- and said cryo wouldn't take kindly to the attempt of renaming him, sure to bite and growl at Tumbler for daring to mock his name, ironically enough. Still didn't quite get why Mocker would name himself such a thing, but then again Tumbler named himself an equally odd name --- couldn't complain really or argue how stupid one name was in comparison to an equally just as dumb name between the two young cryos. 

 

Mocker elected to quit at trying to catch dragonflies, determined that the grubs hidden under rocks would be far easier to catch and more worth his time than those stupid fliers were. Hadn't seen Tumbler catch one previously, and truthfully wouldn't have believed his brother anyways without proof --- those things were tough to catch and a nuisance to them! Mocker couldn't believe others ate them, must be lying, how could anyone catch those speedsters with their stupid aerial shows and flaunting off their speed. If they had less mass surely they'd be just as fast, couldn't be their inexperience in hunting, not to Mocker! 

 

Tumbler simply shook his head in both annoyance and amusement at his brother's complaints and rambling, let the frustrated cryo stomp off to a gathering of rocks and hollow logs to go hunt for whatever ground insects they could find. Himself turning to head back into the flurry of wings and chaos, leaping into the air and twirling around within the same pattern he saw the dragonflies followed themselves --- twisting clockwise and leaping into a swarm, a mouthful of the insects victim to the hungry cryo. A gleeful chitter falling from him, quick to chew up the crunchy bugs before he could drop any, nothing to waste with this difficult dinner! But in his eyes, he was having a far easier time than Mocker, hearing his brother squabble and argue with whatever he found within the rocks and logs --- even scared by a tiny lizard skittering out and running away with a roach in mouth. Mocker quick to yell in frustration and take chase, Tumbler watching him run face first into a tree he surely should have seen, but blinded by anger and hunger he ran right into it. Going stock still as the pain shot through his nose and up his skull, it hurt! Cries quickly falling from the tiny cryo, Tumbler giving a long sigh before quickly leaping up to grab a rather big dragonfly. Now armed with a peace offering, he trots off to go console his crying brother and gift him some food...looks like he'll be the one hunting at night for the two if they ever find themselves back in this sort of situation.