Author's Note: I still own nothing and still hate everything. Take the thing.
Toby looked at Walter, smothering his laughter enough to respond, "Ah, we're accusing ravens or teaming up with coyotes. Or is it just those two?" Nodding sagely, he stroked an imaginary goatee, "I as a certified professional, should tell you that ascribing human abilities and malice to a bird is only marginally better than talking to it.
"They're intelligent animals and I was suffering from blood loss." Walter was firmly not looking at Toby, focused on his work.
"If that's the case, I'll eat my hat. You were hoping Mother Nature wouldn't screw you over and the bird would stay." A pause followed as the he waited, before Walter glanced over, a hint of a smirk playing over his face.
"Mother Nature is a personification of nature in humanity's pitiful attempts to comfort themselves over the cold, impartial reality of survival.
Falling back in his chair, Toby threw his hands up, "Ah ha! There's the 197 we all know and love. Tell me something, does it ever get tiring? Always denying your, admittedly lacking, emotions; denial is no way to live my friend." Although his tone was playful, there was an undercurrent of seriousness that had Walter half closing his computer.
"No. The others' are getting lunch and bringing something back, if I'd known you wanted to talk, I would have insisted you go with them. So don't." His expression was shuttered, dismissal obvious as he reopened his computer and resumed typing.
Eyebrows furrowing, Toby studied Walter reading the waves of agitation and stubborn focus on his computer screen and the information that was doubtlessly passing by with nauseating swiftness. He opened his mouth, about to force the conversation when the sound of a car pulling into the garage interrupted him. "You got away this time," he hissed, shaking a finger as he rose to greet the lunch-bringers. "But don't think this Talk isn't going to happen."
Watching Toby's retreated back, Walter muttered under this breath, fingers finally still, "Not if I can help it."