The dark red chocobo stared at Nevin, and Nevin stared back, neither of the two flinching away from their staring contest. The redhead slowly stalked over towards the red bird, his pace measured and slow. The chocobo tilted its head with a curious prek, and kept its eyes on his as he approached it. When he was standing close by, the animal slowly stretched its head out and sniffed at Nevin’s hair, slowly circling Nevin’s head as it did so.
Aphrael let out a short trill of piping notes as she flew off of Nevin’s shoulder, out of the way of the curious chocobo. She perched on Sen’s stall door, huffing and resettling her wings as she watched her human get examined by the large red bird. Suddenly Rai snagged some of Nevin’s hair in his beak and tugged at it, making Nevin yelp and Aphrael let out loud, flute notes of amusement.
“You ruddy bird - yes my hair is real!” Rai snorted, the exhalation washing across Nevin’s neck and shoulder before he pulled his head back. The bird stared down at the man for a moment longer before snorting again and letting out a slight squawk, which made his familiar trill in response.
“Thank you for the translation, Aphrael. Yes. And thank you, Rai.” Another set of piping flute notes from the black and red crow, and Nevin moved to get the reins and saddle for Rai.
Stare’s eyes glowed with joy as she twisted Sen around, the chocobo snorted through his thin nostrils and let out a raw, crraarrkk.
“You ready?” she asked, “I ride fast, I do warn you.”
But her question was really to the air, to no one. For she had no sooner talked than she spun her gracious bird around. Digging her hind claws softly into Sen's flanks she sent him squawking - then picking up his feet and darting direct for the gate. Fast they ran, and it so happened that she had left the gate slightly ajar before. Now, happier than she had been when they came into the house she charged, the wind gloriously rushing through her and Sen’s feathers.
Nevin swung himself up onto Rai’s back, and the bird scree’d loudly before taking off, his feet pelting the earth beneath them as the two sprinted after Stare and Sen. The dark red bird ducked himself down, and began running in a straight line, bolting after the other two. Nevin meanwhile, was clinging on for dear life, his threads wrapping around the reins and the saddle to further anchor himself in place. Apparently Rai did not approve of being left behind.
Through the streets they ran, faint laughter reaching back to Nevin’s ears as they went. Black on black streaked through the streets, followed shortly by a bolt of crimson upon crimson. They came to a shuddering halt outside of a guard house, and Stare turned to wait for Nevin to catch up. When he did, Rai’s sides heaving only slightly as the red chocobo snorted and clawed the ground, Nevin’s threads retracted into his skin and his hands released their death grip on the reins.
