Collecting Duckies

Öre and Ära had gotten a great idea. But they had the small problem that they didn’t really know how to execute the idea without Åra figuring it out. Åra, the dark grey raptor, had not only let the two of them stay at her warehouse but she had also gone out of her way to fix a big bed for Ära who is a Suchomimus and quite a lot bigger than a raptor. They needed to find some way to repay Åra’s kindness. With a gift.
When they had the chance they both went out for a walk. Åra was in the middle of rearranging her ducks and while she offered to go with them they told her they understood how important it was for her to do her own things. It was her warehouse after all they assured her. Ära mostly nodded in the background, trying to keep himself from visually laughing in excitement.
The both of them knew what they were after. It was a squishy duck. They had seen it, just barely through the dusty window, but they knew what it was and neither Ära or Öre could believe their luck. That Åra hadn’t found it yet? It seemed too amazing to believe.
Åra wouldn’t focus too much on them leaving. She was home and happily indulged in her work while the two grey dinosaurs walked slowly into the city.
Ära walked behind Öre. At first glance it may seem as a way to protect the smaller dinosaur but he was actually quite scared. The Suchomimus was not a brave one. Not if he could describe himself. He often felt cowardly and the city had a way of bringing that out of him. Öre was braver than him. Smaller, but braver. He looked up to her. Ironically.
They slowly made their way into the city. They had tried and remembered the way to the store. They both wished they would have grabbed the duckie when they first saw it but that would’ve been hard to explain to Åra without giving it all away.
But now they had the perfect opportunity to surprise her. And it would be easy.
“She’s gonna be so surprised!” Öre jumped into the air slightly as she spoke with glee.
Ära gestured with his hands as they walked. It was a special wave that essentially meant that he too was excited. He couldn’t jump quite like the two raptors did when they were excited. He had to express it some other way.

It didn’t take them long to reach the store. It didn’t look like much to the outside world. Maybe in its heyday the small window had been filled with eye-catching stuff, but now it was covered in a layer of dust and the window was barely able to see through. Öre immediately checked the front door. It was open but the issue was that it was too small for Ära to actually walk through, all he could manage was getting his head inside as he followed Öre with his gaze. She walked through the store carefully. Every moment with her tail flinging up dust particles. They danced in the limited sunlight between them.
Öre walked around the store. Taking it in until Ära knocked his knuckle against the nearest part of the door he could reach.
“Yes yes. I know. Time.” Öre said while she kept looking around. She just wanted to take the store in for a bit. Ära knocked again before shaking his head and exiting out of the shop. Öre gave him a lingering gaze before sneezing.
“I understand what you mean. But there’s no need to hurry.” She yelled after him before she exhaled. She looked at the squishy duck. It had a sailor outfit on it and it was as big as her head. Åra would absolutely love it. Öre tried to slap it with her feathered tail a few times before grabbing it carefully off the shelf. It looked so beautiful, alone on a pedestal. It must have been someone's prized possession and soon it would be again.
The walk back to Åra’s Warehouse seemed to take less time than the walk to the store. They traded off holding the Duckie as they walked.
“She’ll be so excited.” Öre jumped as she talked, unable to keep her excitement inside. Ära, who was holding the Duckie in his hands, squeezed it happily which left a trail of dust behind them as they walked. Sooner than later they had arrived at the warehouse. No Åra outside of the building. Not too weird. She was probably still inside the building. Making sure everything was picture perfect with her collection of Ducks. Öre and Ära looked at each other with grins as they walked to the backside of the warehouse where the big door that the Suchomimus could fit through was. They were both practically shaking as they walked. The excitement leaked out as they prepared to hand over the gift they had collected to their friend.
“Åra! We’re back!” Öre yelled out into the warehouse. It echoed through the halls. Ära squeezed the Duckie a couple of times in excitement as they made their way through the big door and into the warehouse’s big hall. They could hear the tapping of claws on the hard floor as Åra arrived to greet them. Before she could say anything to them Ära was shaking the squishy duckie as much as he could. Åra stopped in her tracks. Her eyes became big as she looked at the Duckie in her sailor clothing.
“SURPRISE!” Öre yelled out loud enough for both her and Ära. She had to compensate. Ära clapped his jaw instead.
Åra slowly walked up to them. Not letting the Duckie out of her sight for even a moment. Her silence scared them for a bit before she let out a squeal.
“Where did you find it?” She grabbed it from Ära as quickly as she could and squeezed it tightly. Ära began moving his arms up and down to try and tell her.
“In the city.” Öre said proudly. “It’s from both of us. We thought you might like it.”
“Like it? I love it!” Åra jumped as she ran into the warehouse hall. She looked around the room trying to figure out where to put it. The room was quite full as it was. But she was adamant that there was always a place for new ducks. Öre and Ära watched as she moved some duckies around and made a special palace for the new duck. It stood out among the ducks that lacked clothes. But it still fits into the room.
“Thank you both. I love it so much.” Her tail whipped behind her as she watched her new duck. Her eyes seemed to sparkle as she watched the gift. She didn’t want to stop watching it. Ära and Öre smiled big as they, for a while, stood behind her and watched her glee. She loved their gift. They felt as if they had succeeded.
“We wanted to show you how much we appreciate you letting us stay here. It has helped us.” Öre said as Ära nodded his head in agreement.
“Of course. You both can stay however long you want.”