Emberflame Ridge we like to run with the wolves from the darker scene

minor pp, please @ me if you want anything changed!
@Buzzard, @Vulture, @Astraeus
12pm, 80F, sunny

honestly, condor was starting to regret his decision.

it would have been so much easier to just...kill the thing. he wouldn't have lost any sleep over it. not like the sleep he was losing RIGHT NOW because there was an obnoxious child following them everywhere and shockingly, he hadn't gotten any less obnoxious even though he was miles away from anything that could be considered safety.

as if he needed more proof of the innate uselessness of wolves. no, everyone had something to say about coyotes, but he'd just stolen a wolf pup out from under his parents' noses and it hadn't even noticed. so who was coming out on top in this little comparison? yes, condor was more secure than ever in that piece of knowledge.

anyways, the trade had seemed like a good idea, he'd just neglected to realize, at the time, that nobody was going to be willing to do anything unless the child was gone for a while. a flaw of his. he just got so caught up in his plans sometimes. he couldn't be blamed, since with his family, the alternative was no plans at all. 

give them time to worry, and then swoop in with the price. yes, that was how to do it. so here he was, stuck with this little idiot and the child in pursuit as he climbed yet another mountain. and to be blunt, he was losing his temper.

and, joy of joys, here was the perfect person to take it out on.

as soon as his paws hit level ground, condor rounded on him, flinty red-pink gaze fixed to the spidery child's face. "darling, you know i don't like to lose my temper, but this is enough. PLEASE tell me you get what is going on here. i won't be happy if i need to spell this out for you."

Buzzard on the other hand was loving this kid’s presence. Alright, maybe loving was a strong word. Little dude was annoying as hell—as all kids are—but they could tolerate him. He was trio’s golden ticket to a god damn smorgasbord. Plus he provided good entertainment. Seeing Condor this annoyed was the funniest shit they’ve ever seen.

This fight hadn’t even started yet and Buzzard was already bursting out laughing. Hey, don’t be mean to Sparky! That’s his name now, cause he always sparked a fire in Condor. Eh?? Good shit right?

Buzzard moves to the boy’s side and slapped a paw on his shoulder. Kid’s dumb but he ain’t stupid. I’m sure he’s caught on by now.

"Darlings!" Vulture was definitely not doing anything grand in these moments. She barely met anyone, only travelling around, moving- doing nothing. She couldn't even sexify anyone when there was only the damnable mountain goats around! It was such a shame, she should've just gone with her siblings. The vixen held deep regret, but obviously, her pride wouldn't let her leave until she had her own story to bring back.

Destiny, seemed to say otherwise, and her delightful siblings came.. With a kid.

"Wait, my math must be wrong, I couldn't have been gone long- surely one of you didn't get knocked up right? Wow, what sluts!"

The willowy silver-piece had went with them so verily, witherward;
Astraeus didn't know what kind of tag this was, but the thrumming of that little pulse in his breast: it wisps, no, no it barks that this is wrong (wrong, wrong, wrong). Win their game, tread to hearthside, away from the rise, find limestone rest, let illusionary wants manifest in the subconscious of his mind, little prince alone in a dreamscape eldritch majesties; becharmed, fantasia. But now he was caught, betwixt twain putrid feinds, and now triple! Just how damned was he? Oh, how he wished it never would be;
all the same, he could not chip off form the trio and dash, as daggertooths that had been flaunted but a hairsbreadth from his withering little crown, and oft he has to reprimand himself when he thinks to scurry away. Little cowbird envies the pearl that did dawn this epithet on him, romping in the familiars of home and melting into the frame of her mother as sleeps, peacefully. Home, I want to go —

“Home,”
is all he pipes, waxen throat melts and dribbles down into lung as petrified lashes widen, viridian globes searching for any kind of answer, features knit solemnly half-fearful and half-demanding, just a sliver of reprieve is all he wishes for, now.

"sparky?" condor cast his gaze skyward with a heavy sigh. "you know, i do despair for the state of your head sometimes. i understand this complete lack of thought might be some common ground between you, but you're not supposed to name it. i won't be pleased if we take it back and you start getting cold feet."

at which point, their darling sister arrived with all the drama one might expect, bursting from the trees with the most wild accusation she could call up. it was almost offensive that she'd even pretend to assume either of them – even buzzard – would allow someone to knock them up with the possibility of producing this, but she had an admirable dedication to banter, and he'd graciously let it slide.

rearing back in the fashion of a startled horse, condor tossed his head. "darling! you wound me. if i had a child, i assure you, it would turn out smarter than this. and certainly far prettier." he gestured extravagantly with a paw in the boy's direction, unsurprised to see vulture's appearance still hadn't clued him in. "no, we've stolen this one. everything about him is unfortunate, but i believe he'll make a good ransom, as long as we keep him in one piece."

and, at last, the boy spoke.

"ah, he finally gets it." condor turned his attention back to the child, whose wide eyes spoke of a realization that was several hours delayed. "yes, i'm glad to see you've finally caught up. perhaps there's hope for you yet. we'll be taking you home, of course, in our own time. i'm afraid you'll be waiting a while longer."

I will not get cold feet, they shot back. Calling him ‘it’ is boring. If he ain’t gonna give us a name, then imma call him Sparky, and you can’t do anything about it. Even if he did say his name, they’d still call him Sparky cause that was clever as shit. It’s one of the best names they’d ever pulled out their ass. It’s the only name they’d ever pulled out of their ass.

Vulture made a dramatic entrance, because of course she did. It’s like she rehearsed this shit. She came in with a witty reaction and everything.

Their sibling’s back and forth gave them a damn headache. They were almost too exhausted to snicker at Condor’s retort. Smarter and prettier? Ha! Keep dreamin’.

Sparky spoke up soon after. Finally. His silence was getting a little creepy. 

Poor little guy wanted to go home. Well that’s too damn bad! The fun hasn’t even started yet. Yeah kid, you got some work to do. Don’t worry, the pay’s great. Great for the trio at least. Condor probably wouldn’t be on board with sharing the spoils with the kid.

"You sure? You lookin' like you packin' some weight, honey." Vulture gave a run-around stare of his body, cocking a brow and definitely, unpolitely looking at Condor's stomach. Could've been a fling back in the canyon, and only now gave birth. Never knew her siblings as whores, and thought she was the vixen- what a shocker.

"It's callin for home, where'd you get him?"

Did they really kidnap a pup. Sure they steal prey, maybe any other pretty trinkets they may find, but a living being?

Seemed dope.

oh, they would get cold feet. buzzard lived to torment him.

and why would they share the spoils with this brat? he was here for one reason and one reason only, and that was to deliver them a good meal. buzzard wanted to give it right back to him? condor treated his sibling to a pointed side-eye. "please tell me you're joking, darling," he said, and then.

such an insult, and from his sister. not even buzzard, who was at least a mess in every way so he had no need to take a single word out of their mouth seriously. that was it. 

buzzard could deal with their miserable little sparky. condor rounded on vulture with a scowl, which he quickly smoothed away. that wouldn't do just yet. instead, he lifted his chin, teeth bared in a very generous smile.

"from a pack, obviously. i know we can't all have brains, but do try to keep up. now, because you're my sister and i know you're simply jealous," he preened the spotless fur on his shoulder, which was much shinier and prettier than hers, thank you, "i'll give you one chance to take that back."

Violent and perplex blinking sufficed for the triad's only reply;
his stormy olives borderline threatening to well up, the palpations in his chest rattling porcelain ribs. Unawares of crescent teeth ripping away at the skin inside his mouth and his lips, the argent whimpers inferring pay was in fact "pain". “B-But I don't want to hurt! Can we go home now? The game is overrrrr,” the cowbird yips as he quails from the breath of captors.