"Klona, look. I know you want a bird. I know you've wanted a bird ever since you were a baby. Sko knows you want a bird, too. We know. We know."
Orvar gave Skogund a pleading look, but the wicked-looking lion offered no help from his place in a thick, gnarled branch high off the ground. Orvar turned his attention back to his pale relative and tried to shush her just a little.
"Klona has wanted a bird for so very long, Orvar. Skogund says he will catch for Klona a bird, and yet he never does."
She gave her brother a furious look before turning back to Orvar.
"Finna has a bird. Klona thinks. It does not matter, because Klona wishes for a bird and why can't Klona have a bird?!"
She stomped her pale foot on the ground, which didn't really make any noise whatsoever considering the thick underbrush in which she stood. A muffled sound came from Skogund, and when Klona glared up at him he didn't look away.
Instead he smiled lazily, "I caught a bird but then I ate it, Klona."
Orvar sent the dark lion a horrified look and immediately tried to pacify Klona, who looked very nearly like she might burst into sobs any moment.
"He didn't eat a bird, Klona, you know how lazy he is, he's too lazy to do anything but laze around all day in the trees like some sort of stupid ape."
Orvar was lying. Skogund was as graceful as a shadow in the heights of the trees he loved; he spent more time in the trees than he did on the ground, and it maddened Herryk to such a degree that he'd given up hope of ever having normal offspring. Orvar felt bad for his half-uncle.
The only lion he felt more sorry for was himself, at this very moment in time.
"Klona knows Skogund is not clumsy in the trees, Orvar," Klona sniffed softly to herself before sitting down quite primly. "Klona also thinks that Skogund is afraid of birds, which is why he will not help his sister with finding one or five."
She was silent for a split second, just long enough for Skogund to let out a snort of laughter.
"Klona would say that Burz might help Klona find a bird. A beautiful bird, because Burz is the better brother - but Klona has not asked Burz, because Skogund has already promised to help Klona."
Her tone was accusatory, but she didn't look at Sko. It was probably a good thing, because the black lion was grinning like an idiot at his sister's words. He knew that Klona loved him, and she knew that he loved her, as well. Skogund would do anything for his family, no matter how their ties brought them together; half-brother, half-aunt, it did not give Skogund cause to falter when it came to protecting his family.
...it was just hilarious to upset his sister, and then to watch Orvar attempt to pacify her only added to the humor.
"Skogund, come on," Orvar's voice dripped with unending patience. "Lets find your sister a bird. I think it would be a nice present," and then she'll stop talking about birds all the time, and maybe then we can just take a nap and that will be the end of it.
"I don't know," Sko's voice was dark, but he spoke around a deep laugh that threatened to break free. "Klona is being a little difficult." He sniffed softly. "And kind of mean, too, don't you think, Orvar?"
Klona stomped her foot and glared at her brother again, going so far as to rise to her feet so that she could attempt to pull herself into the tree. This was met with an outright laugh from Skogund, who didn't even bother to rise to his feet in an attempt to escape.
"You told papa you would help catch a bird! There is no bird for Klona, or two birds for Klona, or even three birds for Klona!! Skogund is a liar!!"
Orvar stilled and slowly lifted his gaze to watch Skogund carefully. If there was one thing that Skogund took great pride in, it was the fact that he was always honest and truthful with his family. He did not lie, not about anything; he was a perpetual jokester, always kidding and making fun - but he did not lie.
Klona looked immediately contrite, and Sko's expression grew stoic. He pulled himself up to his full height (which was rather impressive, but not nearly impressive as Orvar's much larger frame) and moved to leap from one tree to the next. His muscles pulled and tightened beneath his midnight pelt, and Klona followed slowly on the ground, watching Skogund with concerned eyes.
"That wasn't very nice," Orvar whispered beneath his breath to Klona, and she shot him a horrible look.
"Klona knows," she replied softly, lifting her voice to call out, "and Klona is sorry for saying such things to her brother, Skogund! It was not a nice thing to say!"
"No, it wasn't," Sko growled down at his family members, moving higher in the lofty tree.
Klona rolled her eyes and made another attempt to climb the tree. She didn't get far before tumbling back to the ground, leaves and twigs sticking out of her fur at odd intervals.
"Klona does not even want a bird anymore," she lied blithely, shooting a look at Orvar that demanded he help her climb the tree. The dark lion moved forward and butted up against her, offering his back should she want to climb up him. "Birds are dumb and also silly, and Klona does not even need one."
She paused.
"It would be nice to have a bird, though," Klona added quickly, as though to assure both Orvar and Skogund that she would not object to having a bird, should they ever find one.
"What would you even do with a bird, Klona, honestly."
Skogund made himself comfortable on his new, higher branch and peered down at his sister and his half-cousin.
Klona opened her mouth to answer her brother, but Orvar spoke first.
"She just wants one, Sko. It's okay to want things. Come on, Klona. I'll catch you a bird. Maybe not today, but I promise to do my very best to catch you a bird. Deal?"
Klona gave Skogund a last, final glance before dropping to all fours once more.
"Can Klona have an orange bird, cousin? Like papa's fur. Klona will even name the bird Herryk after Klona's papa. Won't that be nice, cousin? And Skogund will never be allowed to touch Klona's bird."
She followed after Orvar, very aware that her brother followed them from the treetops. Every now and again a leaf would fall, or a twig, or a fruit. It was a constant reminder that Skogund was there, and despite the fact that she felt safe with Orvar, she always felt safer knowing that her brother was nearby.
"Klona can have whatever kind of bird I catch, okay? I can't make any promises that it might be orange, or whatever, but you can name it anything you want. Even Herryk, I guess, if that's what you really want to do. I mean, I wouldn't name a bird after my lion, but whatever you want to do, Klona."
There was a rustle from above.
"You should name it Skogund, Klona. After me. Your favorite brother." Skogund laughed when Klona snorted.
"Klona's second bird will be named Orvar, after Klona's strong and very handsome cousin. The very best cousin," she assured Orvar with a small smile.
Orvar gave Klona a small smile, then shot Skogund a dark look. Sometimes he wasn't sure why he spent so much time with the two. They were maddening, and it was frustrating, but they were also funny to be around at times - despite their near-constant bickering.
"I would like that," Orvar said very graciously to Klona, and his words were met with an even larger smile.
Skogund snorted, loudly, which sent something rustling in the brush ahead of the trio.
Immediately Orvar was between the noise and Klona, who had dropped to the ground. They were raised to always worry about those who might want to do them harm; Herryk was a dutiful father and uncle, and all of his family was very important to him - especially after their father's exile.
When a waterbuck proved to be the source of the interruption, Orvar glanced up at Skogund, who looked prepared to decimate whatever dared surprise them. Klona made a soft noise before rising to her feet.
"Klona thought it might be a bird."
She sounded incredibly disappointed.
Skogund and Orvar both laughed, Orvar shaking his head as he led Klona onward.
"Come on. Lets head back home. We'll go out bird-hunting again tomorrow, I promise. Skogund will help too," it wasn't a question, but the thinly veiled order was taken with a good-natured chuckle.
(wc 1504)
