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(Rolled a 20 = Failure)

Kekeovonnai wished his sister was more awake in the daytime. It was quite frustrating to be so awake and full of energy and to not be able to share it with her. Playing with her meant staying up late, which meant being tired, which was not a state of mind that the Orakoir liked to be in.

Tired meant that you didn't get to enjoy the world around you: you just missed too much of it!

But ah, well. Keke knew he just had to live with it. His sister was his sister and she would change when she felt like it and no sooner. But perhaps, just perhaps, she would change a bit faster if he brought her a gift.

Keke liked to play with his hunting skills, making up games in the hours that he played alone. Usually he stalked and pounced imaginary prey, or pretended to chase down abstract concepts. He didn't feel that he could relate well to the other hatchlings in his clan: he was too attached to his sister, first off, and the others didn't have the sort of family stress that he did. Their parents had issues, he supposed, but not to the extent his did.

He didn't know anything about a missing egg – it had just been him and Vazarri when he'd hatched – and he didn't know about lies or treachery. He didn't want anything to do with any of it: it was just too much.

So, he played alone. Hopefully though... he sniffed the air thoughtfully... he would not be alone for much longer.

Keke stalked up to the reeking lair nestled in the crags, noting the scent of feathers and oils and droppings. It was an Alkara nest – he had discovered it only yesterday. That was when he'd had his idea.

He crept orward, looking at the orakoi-sized chicks that napped, soft and downy and restfully, in the nest, and grinned.

His plan was to catch one and tame it and train it, like their father did, except – of course - with his sister. That would be something they could do together, and he always was looking for more of those. Things to keep him up late, things to keep her occupied and not worried about Papa Oblivion, those sorts of things.

An enormous pet bird would do the trick. Stealthily, he leaned over the nest, opening his jaws to pick up – gently – one of the baby birds. He'd have to get a young one, and he'd have to get it home so that Zarri could see it: she wasn't as adventurous as he was, so he'd have to bring it to her.

He was just about to close his jaws around its fluffy body when a loud, shrieking, slap of wind shoved him back. The baby birds began to chirp frantically, and he stumbled away from the nest to avoid their sharp beaks.

Another shriek.

Keke looked up just in time to evade the talons of their mother, scrambling away along the rocks. “Nice birdy!” he yelped, “I'll just be... on my way!” He turned tail and bolted as the Alkara began to chase him, its wings outstretched...

(535/300)