[Gift] Tormenting the sky rat

     A thick fog hangs low in the desolate city, the crumbling remnants of stone and glass casted in the pink hue of pre-dawn light. Here two shadows skulk, slinking from alleyway to alleyway, scrambling over fallen debris or beneath it- a light thud quickly turns into a cacophony of echoes as one of them slides a bit too fast below a large vehicle. “Shush,” the brown python spotted neuquenraptor hisses, she snaps her jaws suddenly creating a hard sound. Her companion halts right before her, the green neuquenraptor hiss softly back her eyes narrowed. “Oh calm down Corvette, it was an accident.” the neuquenraptor says pushing past Corvette and onto the other side of the rusted metal contraption.
    Corvette doesn’t care to respond and instead shakes herself before trailing after the black and green neuquenraptor. “We’re almost there anyhow and I don’t think we’ll be so quiet once we get there, so what’s the point of all this sneaking about?” Corvette’s companion complains softly using a taloned foot to kick away a small piece of debris. “In case there are others around here Malinois, you know that.” Corvette says. She restrains a sigh as the green neuquenraptor grumbles below her breath in a mocking fashion. “I would think you would like to avoid others finding our super secret and special fishing spot.” Corvette presses, thankfully this reasoning works with Malinois as her grumbling ceases and she begins looking about thoughtfully. “Hmm, perhaps.” Malinois muses as the two jump deftly over a fallen lamppost and zip around a corner back into the shadows. “It doesn’t matter now though- we’re here.” Malinois declares excitedly as the two hop through a hole within a collapsed wall.
    Surrounded in a cocoon of collapsed walls and various oddities a pool of water sits. Broken floors upon floors, long since open to the sky, stretch above. A constant stream of trickling water can be heard in the otherwise quiet oasis and beneath the calm blue-ish surface the flash of silvery scales can be seen zipping this way and that. Malinois can barely contain herself upon seeing the fish, her body vibrates with energy and drool drips from a corner of her mouth. Corvette watches her companion with a slight smile, her growling stomach presses her to join Malinois at the pond's edge. “Let's be careful not to overhunt them this time.” Corvette whispers watching the fish in case they spooked. Malinois doesn’t even respond as she and Corvette expertly circle the pond’s edge, taking care that their shadows don’t cast onto the surface of the pond. Despite it’s small size the both of them know that this pond goes very, very deep and connects to larger water ways below ground. The last thing either of them want is for the fish to spook and flee to safer depths. Not that the pair couldn’t still catch them, but it would be a lot more work. More than Corvette wants this early in the morning, though she feels confident that Malinois would jump at the opportunity to burn some of her constant energy.
    Patience is key when it comes to fishing, the two are well aware of this. Quietly they wait, eyes instinctually locked onto a fish of their choice as it swims to and fro. Malinois taps her hooked toe once, twice, and on the third she lunges, jaws snapping into the water cutting through the liquid surface like it was nothing. Her curved teeth find its target and with a tight snap of her jaws and a swift yank backward the dawn light dances off the fish’s scales as its ripped from its home. The fish flops helplessly on the stoney ground, Malinois wastes no time digging her talons into it just as Corvette expertly snags her own fish and drags it to shore. Malinois beams as she catches sight of Corvette’s muddy-scaled snack. “Guess I win, again.” a throaty, purr light sound emanates from her throat as she watches Corvette who for a second sends a glare Malinois’ way. She pauses, catches herself, and shrugs. “Not a contest,” she says, dropping her fish to the ground and placing her foot upon the flopping creature. “Everything is a contest.” Malinois counters a triumphant gleam in her eyes.
    “You know if you’re unhappy with that morsel of yours I can surely clean it up for you.” A new voice joins the banter, a squawkey unexpected voice that encompasses both neuquenraptor’s attentions. Their heads unnervingly snap upward and their eyes lock onto a winged form. The green and brown tapejara clacks his beak in amusement as he hops from one collapsed upper floor to a slightly lower one, high enough to be out of reach of the neuquenraptors should they try for him. His head tilts to an odd angle as his vision flicks between the two raptors and their breakfast. Corvette catches Malinois licking her lips from the corner of her eye. “You know… we could have more than just fish.” the words are hardly a whisper, Malinois breathes it out so quietly that at first Corvette though she misheard. Corvette knows Malinois though, she is confident in what she heard. “Don’t you dare- Delgado did not give us permission. He said we can go fishing then return.” Corvette hisses back, her eyes briefly leaving the tapejara to send daggers at Malinois daring her to try. Malinois growls. “Fine, fine… but we can at least fuck with him ya?” Corvette gives a toothy grin at those words and that’s all Malinois needs for confirmation.
    “Fish? You want our fish?” Malinois calls up to the tapejara hopping side ways as she drags the fish a little further away from the pond and towards a small metal table turned on its side. The tapejara locks his attention onto Malinois, head tilting this way and that. “There are many fish in that little pond of yours, many you can spare.” The tapejara calls down as he hops to another lower floor, this time resting on an exposed metal rod that sticks out of the rock. “True… It gives us more of an excuse to keep fishing.” Corvette chimes in, feigning consideration as she circles the pond slowly. “What’s your name?” Malinois asks with a voice full of curiosity. Corvette can easily see from where she was the unbridled excitement threatening to boil over from Malinois control as the two move further into position. “Aerodynamic,” the tapejara replies, puffing his feather crest in pride. The two neuquenraptors share a bizarre look but say nothing.
    “Well Aerodynamic I don’t see why we can’t share, so long as you promise not to take more than we can give.” Corvette reasons, her eyes drifting towards Malinois who has now positioned herself beside the metal table. Aerodynamic watches the two for a minute, but his excited beak clacking tells the truth of his emotions. He appears to be rather pleased with this. “I can promise that, raptor friends. I only wish for some food to help carry me on the wind. I have many places to be.” Aerodynamic boldly hops down close enough to be a good run and jump from Corvette’s jaws. Malinois rolls her eyes at the tapejara’s words but restrains herself. “Well then feel free to have this fish. I’m itching to catch another.” Malinois graciously offers her catch as she strolls back towards the pond, turning her back to the tapejara and her catch.
    Aerodynamic chitters muttering words of gratitude as he, at first cautiously, lands on the frame of the table before reaching down to pluck the fish from the ground. This is when their plan takes action. Corvette, who stalked further and further around the pond lunges at the tapejara. She purposefully misses, aiming for the leg of the table she snatches it in her jaws and with full body shakes violently rattles the metal. Aerodynamic screeches in fright as he clumsily drops, catches, and drops the fish again all while jumping off the rim of the table to take flight. His wings flap frantically to gain air as Malinois takes the opportunity to dash towards a pile of rubble, scaling it in a matter of seconds and with a hard pivot carries her momentum into a lunge as she jumps into the air right into Aerodynamic’s path. He panics using his arms to thrust him backward as Malinois’ teeth snap itches from one of his outstretched wings. The fish, now forgotten, falls to the ground and Aerodynamic climbs higher into the air, panicked squawks filling the chamber along with uncontrollable, high-pitched laughter from Corvette and Malinois. “Now that was worth it.” Malinois grins devilishly as she listens to Aerodynamic escape back into the open sky. “Very,” Corvette agrees, coming to Malinois’ side. Her teeth ache from the metal of the table and she licks them appraisingly. No harm has come to them so she lets the dull ache subside in the back of her mind. “Now let's eat, and maybe catch a few more fish. That wet my appetite.” Malinois nods. “You said it.