Lilac

"do you really think this is a good idea?"
"Lilac, its fine, I've told you a million times. she won't even notice one missing, she's a total airhead."
"I guess we don't want airheaded parents..."

Ifai shook his head, leaves and tiny branches falling out of his curly mane. "Aurora's a real idiot, she didn't even realize her son was gone for weeks til he came home. though... whats that saying? uh-"
"don't count your eggs before they hatch?" Lilac helpfully interjected.
"yes! exactly." he paused, looking up at the massive tree before them. "it's mid-afternoon. she's asleep with everyone else, in the canopy. as long as you're quiet, she won't catch you."
his younger cousin stepped forward. "I thought we were going in together...? Ifai, I don't think I can do this on my own..."

Ifai growled in annoyance, glaring sidelong at Lilac, who shrank and looked to the floor. "sorry," she muttered. "I've just never gone and broken in on my own. I'm scared." after a prolonged sigh, Ifai bumped her shoulder with his own- a gesture of reassurance. "you're going to do fine. now, get going before they wake up. we didn't come here for nothing. oh! and don't forget, let gold stay. market value's been dropping lately."

after a few deep breaths, Lilac squared her shoulders and scampered her way up the giant hackberry, sliding into the first open window. "where would i put them..." she muttered, looking around. it seemed like she'd wandered into a child's bedroom, though said child must have been napping in the sun with it's mother. making sure not to disturb anything, Lilac opened the door to the hallway.

Lilac hummed thoughtfully. "maybe downstairs...? no, upstairs first. then I can go by them when I come back down." she puffed out her chest, sure that Ifai would be proud of her. so, up the stairs she climbed, carefully lifting her tail so as not to make any thumping noises.

she struck gold on the second door she opened. opening her first padded bag, she carefully took a single egg out of the fabric nest and deposited it inside. she did the same with another egg, going into the pouch on her left side. she roughed up the surface of the nest, making sure there was no imprint- even an idiot can see such obvious signs of theft.

the eggs weighed her down more than she expected. she stumbled when she tried to stand, grunting and muttering something about how wind eggs look so much lighter while just sitting there... no matter, though. she cracked open the window, and after checking for onlookers, jumped out. her wings sprung open from against her body, the extra pair helping to control her direction- she hovered, and looked to find where she'd come from. Ifai was combing his mane, and didn't notice her til she'd landed next to him.

"Lilac! got the goods?"
"y- yeah, I- it went great! I can't believe I did it all on my own! it was amazing, I can't wait to do it again!" Ifai laughed, rolling his eyes.
"okay, don't get too ahead of yourself. this was like, the easiest joint ever. I let you do it cause there was no chance of screwing up unless you were monumentally stupid."
she deflated immediately.
"not to say you didn't do good! you did great! you got both eggs, that's awesome!" he stumbled over his words, hastily trying to walk back his put-down. thankfully, Lilac took it to heart, standing taller. "yeah! I did great, didn't I? I even remembered to leave everything be in the room I came in from, just like you told me!"

Ifai just chuckled, patting her arm. "yes yes, you did great Lilac. we should get going though; we don't want to get caught, right?" she nodded, and trotted off into the forest at his side, happily remarking that they'd be eating good tonight.

hundreds of feet above them, a pale gray skydancer stretches, nuzzling her newest chick. he squeaks and opens his bleary eyes, gently grabbing at his mother's beak. Aurora chuckles, and murmurs that she's going to pick up her son, and they can check on the new eggs- they got six this time! no more weggs for this mama. she's going to raise the biggest, happiest family that their village has ever seen!

a horrific scream tears apart the peace of Ashdawn's sunny late afternoon. two eggs, lost. Aurora's shaking claws set her crying baby son aside as she frantically searches for what she hopes are early hatchlings. she finds not even a scrap of shell among the cloth nest.

four babies left. four beautiful eggs. two lost, a black mark left where she splattered paint across the mural of her new children.

the nest would remain empty next season.