Crows Like Shiny Things (Hinakage)

Caught in the Act

This chapter is going to be quite long~ 1.5× times as much as I normally write, so enjoy!

Kiyoko climbed up the last steps before swinging herself onto the platform. It was crudely formed, held together by selfmade ropes of grass and fur of captures animals, and the planks were broken off piece by piece.
She felt pretty high up at this point and weirdly, seemed a little more uncomfortable than when she was on Bokuto's back.

Kiyoko backed a step away, pressing for a second against a wall of dried mud, wood and leaves.

"Bokuto-san...!" she whispered, earning a small chirp in response a few inches further.
"What do you propose we do? If we wake them up, we will have them at our throats instantly...!"
Bokuto paused, then shrugged to himself. His wings did a cute little flap as he used the guiding rope to reach Kiyoko's platform.

"I dunno but I gotta be back by dawn. Can't cross your village in daylight."
Kiyoko fell silent. Finally, her eyes lit up.
"If we can find Hinata, Kageyama or Nishinoya in this village, they might be able to soften the immediate chaos."
She threw a warning glance at Bokuto.
"Look through the nests. But be quiet...! If you see a human like me, let me know."
With that, Kiyoko stepped onto the rope leading to the next platform and held onto the upper rope, shimmying across as graceful as she could.

Bokuto watched her for a moment, concerned she might fall, but quickly convinced by her own balance. He instead flew off of the platform, starting on the one furthest away with his search.

***

"...mhm... 'yama... sleep..."
Hinata let out a quiet whine, tugging a little at Kageyama's arm to get the setter back into a lying position- currently, he was sitting up, staring into the black abyss outside.
"Something's not right." he muttered, glaring at the entrance.
"I... think I heard something."
" 's probably 'ne of the 'dults... sleep..."
Kageyama pulled free from Hinata's arms and stood up, shaking the dried grass and a few of Hinata's feathers off of himself, before carefully stepping towards the entrance. Grabbing one of the sharp stones he used to cut plants with, he quietly peeked around the corner.

"...Hinata there's someone."
The lad threw a glance at his parents, then sighed and sat up.
"I am telling you baka it's one of the adults."
Slowly, a large shadow began to spread over Kageyama, growing taller. Said one swallowed.
"Hinata...!" he whispered, "This is not one of the adults...!!!"

The shadow was looming over Kageyama at this point, before finally, the shadow began to speak- strong hands falling onto Kageyama's shoulders.
"Ha! Human! Gotcha! Kiyoko I win!"
Kageyama flinched, staring pricelessly into the stinging eyes and goofy grin of a boy.
"L-let go of me please."
"Ah! My bad!" He let go. "Kiyoookoooo!! Hurry up!"
"SHHHH!!!!" came from across the platform and finally, Hinata got up to stand next to Kageyama, more than surprised.

"...you're not with us." Hinata blurted out, and as soon as Bokuto laid eyes on him, he gasped.
"You're real! You're here! We have neighbors!! I'm Bokuto!!!"
He grabbed Hinata at his hands and twirled him around, earning a startled but excited chirp.
"Shouyou what's the ruckus...?!" Hinata's father called from inside the nest and Kiyoko facepalmed. They were done for.
"We got visitors." Kageyama calmly threw back, and rustling came from the nest as the three birds moved to get up.
"Visitors...? What are you talking about Tobio, it's the middle of the-"

Hinata's father cut himself off as he saw the giant grey wings, and the human on his platform.

That about a good night's sleep.

***

Kiyoko looked somewhat intimidated, making herself as small as possible sitting crosslegged next to Kageyama on the community platform, surrounded by the elders of this village.
"Another human." one of them sighed, eying Kiyoko up from head to toe.
"That is indeed news," another one of the elders mused, eying Bokuto instead. "I was not aware of a tribe living so close nearby."