Duck Lake nothing left to lose

Ira watched with disdain, not caring enough to even attempt to hide it as Lecter plucked feathers from the duck’s breast and spit them towards him. They were not sitting close enough for the feathers to initially touch him, but the wind picked up and the downy feathers began drifting towards his paws. Despite Ira’s urge to cringe away from them in reaction he stood taunt and still, instead, not wanting to show weakness in front of Lecter, and not wanting to look stupid because of feathers. He had a small collection of them in the den he shared with Jinx (except they weren’t duck feathers - as far as he was aware at any rate). Lecter’s reaction to Ira’s words had not been what the Princeling had expected and so, instead, he just continued to stare at Lecter, attempting and failing once more, to understand what Jinx saw in him (little did he know they were secret mates - or going to be). “I was here first.” Ira said in refusal to Lecter’s attempts to shoo him away. In truth, Ira wasn’t sure that it was particularly true but he didn’t care at that moment. “Besides, I don’t have to listen to you.” The only creature he actually listened too remained Jinx and her alone, it didn’t matter what Lecter was to his guardian, neither did rank or age because Ira in the frankest way possible, didn’t care. He only cared about himself (and Jinx but mostly himself) and it was simpler that way.