Remus backwinged, landing on the skinny branch with smooth confidence. He had been out on his patrols, something he did every morning, and had spotted a nice big mouse. The hunt had been swift and expertly controlled and now his belly was full. Having intended to find another for his mate he had taken to the wing a second time but as he flew another thought entered his mind. One that if he were honest with himself, had not been far from it for a while now. As such he had started to look for a bigger, more impressive target, something that would impress and prove his worthiness. Not that he thought Rosa didn’t already appreciate him, he knew she did. No, it was instinct that drove him now, the need to prove himself as both a male and as a provider.
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Back at the nest, Rosanna was restless. More so than usual, though she had been feeling off balance for a while. Shifting around in the well-padded nest she huffed and shivered, resettling her already immaculate feathers before plucking irritably at a twig that stuck out wrong. After a few moments of vicious redecorating she made herself stop. What the heck was she doing? She was acting like her Remus had a few days ago!
“…..Oh.”
Realising just what exactly was happening she laughed softly, an embarrassed sound. She could only be grateful that her mate hadn’t been near by to witness her behaviour. Apparently, this was what being ‘broody’ felt like. Rolling her eyes at herself she settled back down, feathers ruffling as she struggled to resist the urge to peck at the nest lining again.
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Having taken to the wing once more he flew a loose zigzag through the trees, green eyes searching relentlessly for a suitable offering. Finally he spotted a large hare and with all his skill he adjusted his glide to come up silently behind the creature. Dipping his wings he banked into a steep dive, feet snapping forwards and talons stretching. A moment later the impact shook his body as sharp claws clamped down tightly. Puffs of fluff raising to obscure his vision briefly before, with several massively powerful beats of straining wings, he was again air born. The unfortunate prey squirming and screaming in his grip weighing him down.
With heavy wing beats he made it to a thick tree limb where he pinned the hare and made quick work of silencing it. After adjusting his grip and cleaning a talon he took off once again, winging his way carefully back towards his nest, and Rosanna.
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Yawning heavily the sleek black raven shifted once again, fidgeting on the soft moss covered nest. She hadn’t been able to quell her instinct and had finally left the nest earlier to gather fresh moss and new, bendy twigs. She had then spent the next little while weaving the new twigs into the nest and attaching the moss lining with care. As a result the bedding was softer than it had ever been and she was sat a little higher up, having packed more moss and lichen in than was probably necessary. But her instinctual drive had calmed slightly with the activity and she was intensely grateful as she hated feeling out of sorts, even for a good a reason as this.
Not long after she had finally settled she heard the thump of familiar wing beats. Grinning to herself she shifted over in the nest and craned her head back, letting out a surprised chirp as she narrowly avoided getting buried under a lump of fluffy brown fur. Startled she peered round the massive mound of fuzz at her mate. At first stunned by the gift of hare but quickly taking in his proud expression. And along with the puffed out chest and tall stance she quickly clued into the game.
It was the game of courting.
Chirruping softly she turned her attention from her intently watching mate and set about studying his gift. First just eyeing it then pecking at it with her beak, testing the firm weight of it, the softness of the fur which would shortly be used as yet more padding in their home. Finally she hopped round until she was stood next to him and settled down, tearing into the carcass with enthusiasm.
Satisfied his gift had been well received Remus let her eat for a while, for the hare was too big even for them both to eat in a single meal, but finally he joined in. Not from hunger, but as an act of bonding. Together they stripped the hare of its best meat and, once her hunger was sated, she settled down to stripping it of all its remaining fur and started re-arranging the nest lining for the third time that day.
Later that evening the pair of them were settled together, the hare meat stashed in their tree-top larder for another time, and the soft brown and pale cream fur of the unfortunate mammal making a warm and cosy bed. She knew that at last they were ready. This was the place where they could finally raise a family of their own. A warmth filled her at the prospect. They had won. The Borgia had failed, even if they never knew it. The assassins lived on in this new place, a secret place.
Tipping her head she gazed up at her mate, at her beloved Remus. “You know, it’s time.” Turning his head he looked back at her, green eyes warming at her words. “I know.” He flashed her a rare smile, his expression unusually soft and loving. Hopping to the edge of their nest she stretched her wings and flicked a cheeky smile back at her husband.
With a playful chirrup and the flash of black and white feathers, the two birds soured high, vanishing into the evening shadows. Soon enough there would be balls of feathers playing with the balls of fur that were the assassin cubs. Both families would now be guaranteed a new generation.
(word count = 1,015)