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Opportunist and Hunted were two sides of the same coin. Consumption and betrayal, two rules of nature that could not be denied. They couldn’t be more different from each other, however—with Hunted’s more feral nature and Opportunist presenting as more civilized. Unfortunately for Opportunist, though, being on the other side of the coin didn’t make him not be a part of that coin.
He had a thousand masks, a thousand different personalities and stances he could pull at a moment’s notice to present and pass off as himself.
There was one mask that Opportunist never used, at least not in good company. It was a mask that sauntered between dark trees, peering between trunks with glowing eyes, taking what it could and eating its fill so it could see another day. No, Opportunist could never let the flock see that mask. He’d die of embarrassment if they knew of his base urges, even if it sometimes hurt to keep it inside.
No. It was better that it was kept hidden from his flock.
Opportunist’s claws scratched at the bark of a fallen tree, quickly hefting himself over it as he crashed through the undergrowth of the forest, breathing hard and fast through his mouth. His ears remained pricked, trained onto the sound of hooves cracking twigs and kicking up dirt. The smell of the deer was filling his head, feathers rising in excitement as he saw flashes of its hide in the scant moonlight.
This was good. This was where he was meant to be, right now, right here. No worries about presenting himself as sophisticated, no pondering his next carefully crafted sentence—no. For right now, he could be unburdened and only worry about making this catch.
Opportunist made a sharp turn as the deer did, paws kicking off of tree roots, strides widening into bounds as he began to close the distance. He drifted to the side, wary of the deers back hooves as he drew closer. His claws itched, beak already snapping at the air when another scent drew closer, paired with the rustle of leaf litter.
Rabbit. Too small for him, not as rewarding as the deer. A rabbit was safer, but smaller—Opportunist didn’t want such small prey. The deer was risky but so worth it.
Then there was another scent, this one more familiar. Earthy, a little like damp grass, and… basil? Wait, hang on, what—
There was nothing to hang onto though, as a rabbit came barreling out of the undergrowth next to him, followed soon after by a larger figure, who ran headfirst into his side. Opportunist screeched as he lost his balance, the side of his face grinding into the forest floor. He spat out a nasty series of hisses and growls, twisting his body and snagging his talons around the ribcage and side of the other creature that’d collided with him.
The other creature let out a sharp yelp, hissing and kicking at his arms before it realized he was far, far bigger than it. It went limp in his talons as he pressed it into the leaf litter and dirt, and Opportunist took it as a moment to get a handle on his surroundings again. In between his panting, he could tell the forest was completely quiet. The deer was long gone. He had lost what was certain to be his meal.
Opportunist’s feathers bristled as a low growl rumbled in his chest, and he rounded in on the stupid little thing that had cost him his catch. He had used all of that energy for nothing. But it was fine—well, not really—but it was fine, because Opportunist knew when to seize something when it was right in front of him. He had a meal right here, caught between his talons. This would suffice, even if it was—
The thing he held in his talons looked at him with a familiar, slitted eye. “Opportunist?” Hunted chirped, and Opportunist immediately lurched backward in shock.
“I-I-” Opportunist stammered, voice still a raspy growl as he let go of the smaller dragon, backing off a few paces. He forced his feathers to lay flat, even though the mask he currently bore still huffed and stomped about the lost prey. “My friend! I apologize for that rough treatment. Y-you startled me, is all.” He cleared his throat, willing the rasp away and beginning to slip on another mask.
Hunted could not know.
Hunted sat up, setting his ruffled, spotted feathers back into place with a few quick movements of his beak. “You didn’t hurt me.” The smaller dragon reassured him, before blinking wide, curious eyes. “You were acting strange, though. Do you feel well?”
Opportunist grinned, a mix of both aggression and attempted placation. “What? No, no, of course I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be feeling well?” His back arched slightly, tail flicking in the dirt.
“You’re quadrupedal.” Hunted pointed out without a moment of hesitation.
A thousand different thoughts ran through Opportunist’s head immediately at that moment.
You can kill him, one frantically whispered, clinging to him like a leech, nobody will know it was you.
No, dumbass! Another snapped, We can come back from death, remember? He’ll just distrust us after that!
Can we blackmail him so he won’t tell? Another sniffed.
Another scoffed. With what? There’s nothing Hunted is ashamed of. I’m not sure he can feel ashamed.
A tiny one, as small and soft as a baby bird, sighed in the corner. It’s no use. He’s going to tell all of them, and then the flock will know how much of an awful, animalistic freak we are.
Opportunist was left with one option.
“Please, please don’t tell anyone!” He whined, already on the verge of hysteria. Opportunist lowered himself onto the ground until his belly fur brushed against the leaf litter, plumicorns folding against his skull as he tucked his tail between his legs. “The others will never let me live it down if they find out. I’ll die! I’ll have to go into hiding!”
Hunted blinked, staring silently at him, and Opportunist took it as his cue to get even more desperate. He flopped over onto his side, quickly rolling onto his back, belly exposed. “Please.” His instincts screamed how bad of an idea this was, that he was left vulnerable in such a position, that Hunted could sink his teeth and claws in and he’d be done for. Everything in him wanted to roll onto his feet and run for the hills. But he didn’t.
Hunted watched him for a moment, before his expression softened and he gently nuzzled Opportunist’s flank with the side of his face. He turned and began to trot away, leaving the larger dragon to roll back onto his side, breathing slowly coming back under his control. Opportunist pondered whether or not to stay and find another meal, or if it’d be better to go home and lick at his ego’s wounds.
“I can still smell the deer,” came Hunted’s muffled voice, his beak pressed close to the forest floor. He looked back up at Opportunist, one talon raised in the air expectantly. He twitched the tip of his tail in a silent invitation, adding on a soft trill when the other dragon hesitated.
Opportunist thought about it for a moment. The deer could still be nearby. It could still be a meal that was worth his time… and with a partner, it shouldn’t be that hard to take down. He let out a pleased chuff, getting up and padding over to his newfound companion.
This… could work. One member of his flock could know about this side of him. Opportunist could live with that.