Talons and Tails

Good Morning

Sniff.

Sniff sniff.

Poke.

Two high pitched voices, muffled laughter then-

"GAHHHHGAHHHGAHHHHHH!"

Qibli was up, his tail barb poised to strike at whoever had woken him up. Next to him, Moon grumbled something about it being too early to live, whacking his leg lazily with her wing.

Qibli glared at the two scavengers who were still laughing as he rose to his full height- not that tall next to the average adult dragon, towering compared to these two.

When they still didn't see the annoyed look on his face, he growled with all his teeth, low and soft but terrifying all the same. He didn't intend to hurt them, just scare them a little for waking him up so early. From what he could tell through the leaves, the sun wasn't even close to rising.

"Well? Go annoy someone else you pesky sand-snorting camels!" He said, irritated.

Their small faces fell as he leaned down, teeth bared. They scampered off, screaming into the bushes. Moon looked at him, amused.

"You didn't have to do that, you know. They were just having fun. Until you sent them screaming, that is," Moon said with a sleepy smile.

Qibli shrugged. "And I was sleeping, until they came and screamed in my ear. I think we're even now. How did you sleep?" He asked, turning the conversation around. "I tried to make you comfortable."

"Best sleep I've had in a while. Thank you, Qibli. Now, I'm hungry. Want to help me find some fish or something?" She asked, a smile on her face.

Qibli snorted. "Do you even have to ask? Even after the all-you-can-eat buffet yesterday, I'm somehow still starving," he said, his joke a little strained as he was still on edge from the screaming.

"And while we're at it, we can wake up Winter," Moon said, stretching her back as she stood. This seemed to cheer him up considerably, and together they took off.

Qibli landed, using all of his years of practice and skill to silently sneak up to where Winter was sleeping on a rock in what looked like a very uncomfortable position.

He looked back at Moon, who was covering her snout to keep from laughing. He grinned at her and put his mouth close to Winter's ear.

"THE SCAVENGER!! IT'S DYING!!" He yelled, filling his voice with fear as he stepped back. Winter flopped like a dead fish off the boulder, looking around in sleepy alarm.

"What? Where? What's happening?" He asked, scanning for scavengers being either eaten or killed, finding neither one.

Moon stood in her spot, still snuffling the giggles that threatened to escape. Qibli wasn't even trying, bent over in laughter at the confused and worried look on Winter's face, which soon turned to anger as he realized what had happened.

"Qibli!" He roared, leaping at the Sandwing who nimbly dodged, shoulders still shaking silently as he continued to laugh.

"Stop being so loud and let me sleep, or I promise to kill you both. Honestly, what does it take for a dragon to get some sleep around here?" Peril said, shielding her eyes from the brightening sky.

Winter spluttered. "But- it was his fault. You heard him, he woke me up!"

"Yeah, but it was you who attacked him, frost face! Now stop being mean and help me steal some more of that Rainbow Fruit from yesterday," Kinkajou said from her spot on the stones directly open to the sun.