"That's it Venati!"

The excited cry rose through the dust and the sun of the desert land where shadows grew long and dark. In the cloudless skies where birds flew like fish, one in particular had the stallion's attention.
Its feathers were a smoky blue-grey that ruffled in the currents of the wind. Its wings bore the waves of the sky with an elegance its prey could never hope to match. An orange beak cut a path in the unseen resistance, its body dropping like a stone - plummeting, plummeting, plummeting...

Orange talons reached out suddenly and wings begged the body not to die today as they billowed at its side. The shadow grew suddenly large then shrunk to nothing. A veil of sand choked all vision, but the scream of the dying rabbit told the finality of the scene.

Coris grinned.

The storm washed body of the unicorn approached the bird and its catch with a jaunty gait that set all his leather ornaments flopping about his body. He had somewhat a limp still, but whether it was healing more or he ignored the pain in his excitement it was less pronounced today.
"A fine catch," his words stroked the falcon with praise, such was the weight of their glee and warmth. The falcon stepped to the side as Coris neared, one talon still wrapped around the throat of the rabbit which occasionally gave a residual jerk. Coris' head dropped, his horn glancing past Venati who gave an annoyed click of his beak - Coris was often careless when he got excited.

The unicorn paid the raptor no heed, so enraptured was he with this newest canvas. Coris set to inspecting it with the highest of scrutiny, practically glancing at every fiber of hair that coated the unfortunate creature. He noted with great pride that Venati's grip had not punctured the delicate flesh of the rabbit's throat while he choked it out. The force of impact had smashed its face in somewhat which was unfortunate, but there was minimal blood at least. "Fine work indeed," he exclaimed at long last, withdrawing his muzzle.

Venati replied with a screech that seemed to suggest nothing less should have been expected, to which Coris tossed him a knowing grin. The bird set to work then skinning the animal, as he'd learned from the careful instruction of Coris in their seasons together. It was quick work and soon enough the sheet of hide was removed. Coris took it gingerly upon his horn, the tip slipping into the gaping hole that had once framed the left eye. Venati took the raw pink body and fluttered to a nearby tree where he would happily enjoy a full meal for his success. Coris meanwhile moved down towards the oasis to wash his newly acquired pelt.

Saliva was gathering in the corners of his mouth as the anticipation of creating his first leather craft began to overwhelm him. A niggling worm of thought in his mind reminded him he needed to see to the metal wall too, but he brushed that annoyance aside. He had waited a life time for this and he would satisfy his craving for flesh instead of steel for the time being. He could not hope to focus on anything else currently anyway, and he argued, with himself, that since he knew leather work much more intimately he could better piece out the way magic worked by using it. Once he understood, the metal crafting should come easier to him.

Agreeing with himself, head bobbing slightly, Coris knelt down at the Oasis edge and dipped his horn and rabbit into the crisp waters.