Chapter Text
Hizashi lowers himself on the floor and waits for Hitoshi to follow his lead. They’re trying their best, but Hizashi can already tell they’re leaning too much of their weight on their front limbs, their wings still in resting position instead of held against their sides.
Hitoshi and he stalk toward their prey, his young a lot more noisy than himself. Hizashi quells the urge to coo; their eyes squinting in intense concentration, their clumsy attempts at staying silent, it’s all so cute! His little hunter really is growing up.
The click click of their talons against the rock already revealed them to Shouta, but his mate makes a very commendable effort at not reacting, pretending to be unaware. The only hint that gives him away are his swivelling ears, alongside the way his eyes jerk away so he’s not caught staring at them. Hitoshi doesn’t notice that Shouta can see them from the corner of his eye though, which is the only important thing.
Hitoshi has snuck up behind his mate, sending him small looks. When Hizashi judges they’re close enough, about a jump away, he forces an exhale and Hitoshi pounces, landing on Shouta’s back, nipping lightly at their feathers and play-clawing them, a tiny rumbly squawk erupting from their chest.
Shouta pretends to be wounded, whining and dragging his wings while trying to lightly shake Hitoshi off, to make him used to bucking prey. They hang on, wings spread out to keep themselves from falling.
Hizashi sees the moment his mate grows tired of playing prey, carefully rolling Hitoshi off him so he could catch them before they make contact with the ground, not letting them recover as he pins them under his talons with a teasing huff. They puff up in surprise at their predicament before settling with gnawing at Shouta’s paws, calling for Hizashi to come help them, they're stuck!
Shouta doesn’t have the time to react, having forgotten he's part of the game. His mistake. Hizashi tackles his side, and they go tumbling on the ground, pulling and pushing each other. Shouta recovers fast though, and while Hizashi’s legs are stronger and he has the advantage of being in an enclosed space, Shouta's keeping up by slipping from his grasp like an eel, using his bigger wings to block his vision and whack him. He’s losing his advantage when Hitoshi, who had been shaking his feathers to realign them, jumps to join them with an ecstatic cry, forcing Shouta to let go of him to soften their young’s landing.
Hitoshi, oblivious to the fact that they sealed Hizashi’s victory, starts tussling and batting at whoever’s tail and ears they can reach, just happy they can join the fun.
Against his and Hitoshi’s combined forces—and Shouta’s unwillingness to put more force into the roughhousing when Hitoshi is participating—his mate finds himself on his back under their weight, putting up an act about losing while Hitoshi tugs at feathers lining his neck, right where Shouta's carotid rest. Hizashi's so excited for his fledgling's first hunt.
He wants to keep the image of Shouta’s offended look when Hitoshi licks his feathers as they tell him they'll go easier on him next time because they know he's old.