[Trade] Musical Morning

It had been late and awfully stormy when the three friends sought shelter. The storm had rolled down from the mountain out of nowhere, crashing and sending them scrambling for shelter. Agatha had panicked in the noise and darkness, keeping her snout pressed to Drift's glowing tail for guidance as Abaddon kept a level head and lead them through the dark and thunder to a little rocky outcrop. It was too loud to speak and too dark to see, leaving the little group huddled under the rocks, calming each other until they all found sleep, waiting for the storm to pass.

 

Abaddon woke first to the birdsong, raising their dark head and yawning. He scanned their surroundings, feeling the others shift near him as they woke. The storm had past, revealing the beautiful clearing outside of their refuge. Not all of the rushing water sound from last night had been the rain, a small waterfall running down the rocks nearby where a few colorful, fat little birds were drinking their fill. Water dripped from the overhang, soft little drops hitting the stone. The grass outside shimmered with dew caught on the flowers and grass tips, the sun just peaking over the trees lighting the drops with little prisms, almost brighter than the colorful mix of wildflowers. It was almost enough to take the stoic carnotaurus' breath away. 

 

"The storm's passed." He said quietly, nudging Drift's flank and bumping Agatha's side with the tip of his tail.

 

"Oh..." Agatha jerked awake, a bit on edge after last night's panic. Her gaze caught a small bird sitting right out side their cave, singing a little tune directly at them. She had to blink a few times. "What a lovely morning!" She couldn't help but smile and relax, slowly clambering to her feet. She was awfully heavy and waterlogged after the storm, more of a wet mop than a dinosaur.

 

"Hmm?" Drift rolled onto her side with a heavy flop. She squinted at the sun. "Morning already?" She yawned, stretching both legs out far to the side before going limp again. A little bird hopped onto one of her toes and sang a little tune before fluttering back to a branch. She looked up just in time to see its retreat. "Oh lovely little friends!" She grinned, her carnivore teeth not seeming to deter the musical little flock.

 

Agatha was the first to make her way out and into the field, far enough away from her friends that she could vigorously shake out her long wet feathers, sending a shower in every direction. She felt lighter after, bouncing a bit at the lost weight. "Storms do bring such nice mornings after them! Not a cloud in the sky!" She did a little spin, kicking up some flower petals and leaving a clear track through the grass where the dew had been knocked away.

 

Abaddon stood and stretched out his sore joints, joining her to work out the remaining soreness. The birds seemed to see him as a perfectly fit perch, about five of them lining along his back and singing a little song.

 

The motion and music and light pulled Drift out of the cave as well, leaning down to scoop a flower from the ground, carefully tucking it in Agatha's long feathers. The other carno giggled and preened, puffing up proudly at her new accessory. "We have a whole little chorus here for us! Shall we dance for them?" Drift asked playfully, giving a little twirl.

 

Agatha eagerly nodded, circling her as they danced together. There wasn't much rhythm in the rushing of the waterfall, the dripping of last night's rain down the rocks and the bird song but two friends enjoying each other's company didn't need rhythm.

 

"Come on Abaddon!" Drift wiggled one of her little arms, gesturing for him to join. A few of the song birds had landed on her back, curious about her glowing markings, tiny beaks pecking out them inquisitively. They were so small she hardly felt them through her plating and heavy feathers. 

 

"With no beat?" He said uncertainly, moving over to join his friends anyway, giving his leg a few faint taps as he tried to find one. 

 

"Just have fun silly!" Agatha said, moving to their side and starting to sway, guiding him until he couldn't help but smile as well, getting into the dance as well.

 

Flower petals flew up in the air around them as the large carnivores danced, the little birds swirling in the air and singing joyfully as they all enjoyed the spring morning. The sun warmed and dried their feathers and washed away the darkness of the night before, the spring storm bringing the land to life.

 

They danced and danced until they were out of breath, all settling in the grass and laughing about how silly they must have looked dancing together to bird song. 

 

"You lost your flower!" Drift said to Agatha, nosing through her thick feathers in search of the lost bloom.

 

"Oh," She looked to where it had been, a bit sad. "Well... We were moving around a lot. No helping that I guess." 

 

"Well..." Abaddon started, trailing off before Drift took over.

 

"There are plenty more! We could have you looking like a flower field yourself!" Drift said excitedly, starting to pluck a few carefully with her razor teeth.

 

"Well it cant be just me." Agatha said, sticking a pink bloom between Drift's horn and plating, right above her eye. The two giggled and chattered, decorating each other's plates and feathers with the bounty of spring while little birds hopped around, still singing their song.

 

Abaddon watched the two fondly, enjoying the warm sun heating his black scales. It was wonderfully peaceful, the chatter of his friends soothing him to close his eyes and tilt his head back to the sky, soaking it all in. He nearly drifted off to the sweet musical ambiance before he felt a brush along his crest. He opened his eyes to see Agatha, setting something behind his horn. 

 

"Don't think you are getting off easy mister!" She smiled brightly, picking up another flower and setting it beside the first. "Not many places they will stick on you but..." She mused, putting one on the other side. "I'll find a way." 

 

He rumbled softly, bowing his head and closing his eyes again as he submitted to her decorating. Working together the two girls managed to weave a crude necklace of flowers, draping it around his neck. It was just sturdy enough to hold and was bright with various colored petals. 

 

"I don't think an oviraptor or any of those with big fingers could have done better." She boasted, looking back at her work.

 

Abaddon couldn't help but rumble in agreement, admiring the necklace. "Its lovely."

 

"We should get going though..." Agatha sighed, looking up at the sun, far above the treetops now. She hesitated, watching the little birds swirling in the air. "Wait, I want to give our little friends a gift before we go." She stood, going to the tree line and gathering a few pinecones in her mouth, carrying them over to the rocks. She stepped on them, cracking open the hard exterior that the little song birds didn't have a hope to get through and revealing the seeds inside. She spread the bounty out over the rocks with her snout, giving enough room for the whole flock of tiny singers to gather and eat.

 

"Aww..." Drift smiled. "Bye little friends." She called as the group started to head back into the forest. "As lovely as that all was... lets hope for no more storms." She said laughing with Agatha.

 

"No more storms." Abaddon echoed solemnly as they went on their way.