Chapter Summary: I want to ride my chocobo all day!
Chocobos, Ignis decided, were an odd sort of creature. Intelligent and friendly, the large flightless birds were very social animals with individual personalities all their own. He watched in a distracted sort of interest as the birds displayed a variety of temperaments in taking to their inexperienced riders, all while making quick work of the mash-filled Duscaen terrain.
They really hadn't had much opportunity to make use of their rental agreement with the Chocobo Post since Deadeye's demise, but with the Regalia missing they were certainly getting well acquainted with the birds now.
"Kweh!"
"Apologies." Ignis resumed scratching the side of Cloud's elongated neck, making the chocobo preen with contentment as she hurried along after the others. He couldn't help the small smile that such behavior brought out of him.
Ignis admitted his introduction to the birds of burden had not gone as well as hoped. The illusion of his human appearance never worked quite so successfully on the perceptions of animals and chocobos were no exception – most proving too skittish to allow him close. The grey feathered female beneath him was the only bird who hadn't shied away from his attentions. In fact, she was quite comfortable in his presence so long as he continued to provide said attention. Prone to warble in protest or even aim a light peck at his shoulder should he neglect to upkeep a steady stream of regard, Cloud was hardly bothered whether he was a dragon, human or toad.
"She's a sweet thing," Wiz, the owner of the Chocobo Post, had said, claiming the bird to be an exemplary match for even the most apprehensive of riders. Ignis suspected that the lady chocobo was simply a bit of an attention hoarder and saw the other chocobos avoiding him as the perfect opportunity to have someone all to herself.
In a few quick strides she pulled up alongside Mello, the most relaxed of the birds. Closer to the traditional yellow coloring, if a bit more orange, Prompto's mount did not startle at the approach as the other birds might. Though a constant outpouring of cheerful reassurances from Prompto no doubt helped.
Ignis suspicioned the blond had not so much as missed the Regalia given how taken he was with the easy going chocobo. Speaking of which, he glanced over Prompto's head to where Noct was beginning to lag behind on Ace. The poor bird seemed to have the lowest stamina of the bunch. "Were you able to get a hold of Cindy?"
"No," Noct huffed as he tried to make his white chocobo keep pace. "Reception's terrible out of here."
"Might as well wait till we report back to Wiz then," Gladio called from up ahead where he was dealing with the opposite problem. Temperamental and impatient, Zora didn't seem too interested in traveling in the close knot of her flock mates regardless of Gladio's instruction. He forcefully pulled back on the reins, making his red chocobo squawk indignantly.
Prompto winced in sympathy for the bird. "Easy there, big guy."
"Darn bird won't slow down," Gladio grumbled in defense. "Still say we oughta just hoof it. We could be saving the gil."
"Dude, don't even joke." Prompto leaned forward to cover Mello's ears, as if the bird were a small child in the presence of vulgar conversation. "Let me have this."
"The birds do negate much of the expense by shaving down our travel time," Ignis reminded, ignoring Prompto's triumphant cheer at the support. "Might I suggest a gentler approach?"
"Yeah, yeah." Gladio scowled, hanging on tightly as Zora began picking up speed again.
"Either way, gonna have to figure it out 'til we hear back from Cindy," Noct spoke up, bringing them back to the more troublesome matters at hand.
They had first paid visit to the Chocobo Post hoping to hold out until receiving news of the Regalia. The chancellor had been positively insufferable during their alleged "rescue", remaining far too close for comfort and refusing to allow them to turn back for their vehicle. Ignis still felt his blood boil at the mere thought of the man and his shameless deceptions. Due to his interference the Regalia was very likely in the hands of the Empire now.
With not much choice they'd turned to taking up hunts and errands from Wiz to bolster their ever diminishing funds as they waited on word from Hammerhead. If anyone stood a chance of catching word of the Regalia's whereabouts it was Cindy, though if their suspicions about the Empire's involvement were correct then there was likely very little she could do.
Still, Ignis hoped they'd hear good news soon. They'd already cleared the Post of most of the bounties within their rank and Wiz had resorted to asking them to checkup on a missing wild chocobo. Apparently the untamed bird had not been seen in some time.
"This is it, last place she was spotted was somewhere around here," Noct pointed out as they approached a familiar outcropping of rock.
"Man," Prompto whined. "Not this place again."
Ignis hadn't imagined they'd be revisiting the Nebulawood so soon himself. "It has been some time since we evicted the last apex predator from the area. Perhaps another has moved in."
"Better to check it out anyway," Gladio reasoned as he dismounted. None of their chocobos seemed too keen of setting foot in the behemoth's old stomping grounds.
Cloud butted her head against Ignis' back as he tried to step away, warbling piteously. He offered her one last parting rub before he headed in after the others.
The Nebulawood looked much the same as how they'd left it, overturned trees and fallen branches all still in the same resting places, and yet the smells had changed.
"What'd ya think, Specs? You picking up anything?" Noct asked as they took in the unchanged scenery.
"Hard to say. It appears the area has received some foot traffic since our last visit." Ignis, though his sense of smell was certainly more sensitive than a human's or even what was considered average for most creatures, was not what he'd classify as an expert tracker. However, that was not to say he'd never relied on his nose before.
Once upon a time Noct's favored game to play had been hide-and-seek – after he'd realized that remaining hidden long enough could result in an extended play time. But such was never the case when Ignis was on his trail. Noct's scent was incredibly familiar and easy to pick out. Ignis had similarly learned Gladio's and later Prompto's scents, which became more natural and less tainted by expensive hygiene products the longer they traveled.
He could detect them easily now as he sifted through the mingled scents of various other recent visitors to the wood, though determining if their wayward chocobo was among them was another matter. "We should keep searching to be sure."
Moving further in brought them upon a modest pack of sabertusks. The predators appeared to have been in the midst of stalking something and were less than pleased at the interruption. The pack turned on them at once, flashing sharp fangs in an aggressive display.
The posturing didn't last long. One of the sabertusks lunged from the tall grasses, trying to pin Noct to the ground where his jugular and other prime targets would be within convenient reach. The strategy was a familiar one and Noct easily phased through the attack, spinning with a polearm in hand to bring down on the animal's unguarded flank.
The rest of the pack was similarly cleared out with little fuss. After the Archaean these common beasts hardly proved a challenge, but it was here that Ignis caught a scent resembling that of the birds they'd rented from the Post. "I believe our missing chocobo is close. Or was, at the very least." That much noise would have undoubtedly startled the poor thing.
Prompto glanced nervously around the shadowed forest. "Do you think she was running from those sabertusks?"
"It's a likely possibility," Ignis answered honestly. If he could smell the bird then presumably so could the sabertusks.
"Guess we better make sure she's okay then." Noct dismissed his weapon as they picked up the trail, continuing on from where the sabertusks left off. It didn't take long to catch a glimpse of sunny tail feathers disappearing into the overgrowth ahead.
"Oh, oh! I see her." Prompto quickly pulled his camera from the armiger, his expression one of pure, determined glee.
"How about trying to reign it in before you scare her off?" Gladiolus chided.
Ignis hummed in agreement. "We may have found our chocobo but wrangling a close up might be another matter."
"Don't worry guys, I got this," Prompto reassured in a quieter tone.
They soon found their target anxiously pacing about the next clearing. The wild chocobo appeared in good health from what Ignis was able to parse from the distance. Her movements were quick and unhindered by injury at the very least. Obtaining photographic evidence of that very sentiment, however, proved easier said than done.
A dry stick snapped under Prompto's boot as he crept forward to get a better shot, causing the chocobo to swivel her head in their direction. She warbled in alarm.
"Whoa. Easy, girl. We're not going to hurt you," Prompto tried, making his voice low and soothing.
But the chocobo was having none of it. She dashed off toward the far end of the clearing, where she continued pacing the perimeter.
Ignis considered the nervous bird. "It appears we may be in need of a plan of attack."
"Divide and conquer?" Noct suggested.
Gladio hummed agreeably. "Good a plan as any."
"Oh yeah, let's do this!" Prompto pumped his fist in the air, the chocobo's less than warm reception not having dampened his spirits in the least.
It was Noct who approached the chocobo first, trying to corral her toward Prompto and the camera. But as if wise to the ploy, she turned tail in the opposite direction instead. Luckily, Gladio was already in position. He stepped into the bird's path, shouting and waving his arms in an attempt to startle her into turning back.
The tactic worked for the most part. The chocobo nearly about faced, but instead of turning toward Prompto's hiding place she made a more desperate gamble for the exit to the clearing… which just so happened to be in the corner Ignis has chosen to block off.
When she got close the bird balked, immediately sensing something off about him. She pulled up short, puffing out her feathers as if to make herself appear larger and snapping her sharp beak, getting far too close to his face for comfort. Unlike Cloud's attention-seeking ploys, these were moves to intimidate and ward off a dangerous predator. Ignis supposed he really couldn't blame her for thinking of him as such. "Ah, I should have anticipated this. Perhaps I should leave."
"Don't. She's holding still." Noct stopped him from pulling back from the upset chocobo. "Prompto!"
"I'm on it!"
The flash turned out to be the last straw for the poor chocobo's nerves. She bolted, running full tilt in what was likely her perceived surest route to safety – which just so happened to be straight for their resident photographer. With a concerning lack of regard for the several hundred pounds of chocobo barreling down on his person, Prompto snapped several more photos in quick succession before just managing to roll out of the frantic chocobo's path.
"Perfect! Got the shot," Prompto cheered as if he hadn't nearly been run over.
Noct extended a hand to help his friend to his feet. "You sure you got a proper shot?"
Prompto huffed in faux offense. "Dude. it's me."
"Take any for yourself?" Gladio further prodded.
"Dude. It's me."
Ignis was about to comment when he heard a distant roll of thunder. Glancing up, he noticed several dark clouds forming ominously on the horizon. "We'd best hurry back, a storm looks to be on its way."
Noct paused, also noticing the sky's rapidly deteriorating state. "Weird. It was sunny a minute ago. Race back?"
"Dude, you are so on," Prompto cheered as he and Noct proceeded to shove each other toward the exit.
It was weird, Ignis thought as he and Gladio took in after them. The morning's forecast hadn't called for rain.
After the last two action heavy chapters I just had to take this chance to acquaint the bros with some chocobos before the stormy weather hits, because chocobos! Happy birthday, Iggy! :D