May 29, 2019

Almost. Almost...

Osage darted forward from the tree, hands outstretched, wings pinned back. The fish was gone in a flash and he hit the water hard with a gasp. Feathers flew in a wild tangle, wings thrashing the pond's surface and Osage sighed in exasperation. "This is all your fault," he snapped.

Silvery laughter answered him and he glared over his shoulder. Destiny leaned out of her hiding place in the tree, bright teeth glowing white in her dark face. "I did nothing," she sniffed playfully.

"You think I don't know you talk to fish!?" He slapped the surface of the pond with his wings and waded out, still grumbling. "It's going to take an hour to dry out now and I've got nothing to show for it. All your fault."

Destiny dropped out of the tree and settled her long wings, bright green primary feathers crossed just behind her bare ankles. "You are such a whiner, Sage." She stood on her toes and kissed his chin while he crossed his arms over his chest, refusing to look at her. "It's not like you need to eat."

"But I like fish," he shot back and blushed when he heard the whine in his own voice. "It was a trout, too."

"Whiner," Destiny repeated and fanned her wings before she took off into the air. "Race you home!"

"No fair!" Osage hammered his wings against the ground until he managed to chase his sister above the trees. "I'm still waterlogged."

"Guess I'll win," she jeered and darted off to head for the limestone aerie their flock called home.

Word count: 267