[center][h1]Springtime Bliss[/h1][/center] [hr] Teefeen was running. The tall grasses tickled her belly, ever widening the smile on her face. She spread her arms out, feeling the soft foliage swish over her skin. The stars shown bright, the birds were chirping and the day held a wondrous warmth that made her feel radiant. Then she was tackled from behind. “I got you now Teefee!” Toffeen laughed as they rolled in the grass. Right! They were playing catch-the-tail. “No fair Toffee! Teef- I wasn’t paying attention!” She said with no real accusation in her voice. Toffee had pinned her by this point and the all too familiar weight of her larger sister pushed down on her chest. Honey brown locks of Toffee’s hair cascaded down her face like a curtain, blocking the outside world from view. Face to face now, her sister’s gleaming yellow eyes held a smugness to them that Teefee was all too familiar with. “Head stuck in the clouds again? Tsk tsk, sister. One of these days you’ll focus and you might just escape me.” Toffee smiled before getting up. She extended her hand to Teefee and she gladly took it. With a powerful pull, Teefee was on her feet in a moment. She gave a slight hiss at the jerk and rubbed her shoulder though. “Oh sorry Teefs. Sometimes I forget my own strength.” Toffee then flexed like some of the men they had seen in the village. It was very exaggerated and Teefee couldn’t help but laugh before she shoved Toffee and sprinted off towards the village laughing all the way. They arrived with Teefee in a firm headlock, Toffee tussling her hair as she looked around, unbothered. Teefee escaped her sibling with a careful tickle in the side and half sprinted, half jogged back to their tent. As they passed their tribespeople, pleasantries were exchanged, words of advice were given and promises were made. Life was never dull in the Hillgrass home but there was a certain sort of urgency in the air. Only Toffee caught onto it and when the two entered their fur lined tent, their mother, Ina, was busying herself. She was a middle-aged woman, with lean features and plaited brown hair, just beginning to streak with grey. Her eyes were a large dark brown. Teefee walked over to their mother, still shorter than her and gave her a hug. Ina stopped what she was doing and returned it before giving her a kiss on the forehead. Toffee studied their mother’s face as she walked over to her. “Out playing again my loves?” she asked them. “Oh yes!” Teefee exclaimed. “The sky was so pretty today mama.” Ina ruffled Teefee’s hair as she pulled Toffee into a hug with her free arm. “And what did you see today, Toffee?” “I saw… An urgency. Something’s going on, isn’t it?” Ina gave her a knowing smile and kissed her brow. “Come, help me with the evening meal while we wait for your brother.” “And where is the troublemaker?’ Teefee asked. Ina just sighed. [hr] The blow landed squarely in Tad’s gut, leaving him wheezing as he crumpled. He was lifted back up and though his vision was beginning to fade at the edges he could still see Malac’s sneer. Tad couldn’t help but smirk, it had taken three of them to subdue him and he had managed to land a few blows on Ruk and Gerp before they had bested him. Of course, Malac had stayed back, preferring to leave his cohorts to do his dirty work. Tad tried to spit in his face but the blow to his cheek from earlier made opening his mouth difficult and his spittle drizzled out of his mouth. Malac just laughed, the sound like a wild ass. “I hope you’ve learned your lesson, tramp.” Malac crouched down, his expression now grim. “You lay a hand upon my sister again and I’ll be sure to skin you alive mutt.” He made it sound like Olive hadn’t been all too willing to be touched. But Tad supposed it was because of what Malac viewed him as, a mutt, a tramp, a halfbreed. Or maybe it was just because he bested him when it came to the hunt. One could never tell with Malac’s type. “Luckily, you won’t have the chance to ever try again.” Malac said and Tad finally began to listen to what the man was telling him. “Huh?” Tad said, his voice a little sloven. “You heard me mutt. We won’t have to deal with you or your ilk anymore and we’ll be glad of it.” Malac bragged. “Come on, let’s get out of here before we catch sick.” Malac gave him one last parting shot, just enough to make Tad wheeze. His inability to ask questions, just another detriment to his current situation. But when they were well and truly gone, Tad was able to lay in peace for a time and recover his wits. His stomach throbbed. His face hurt and a dash of his pride wouldn’t be able to be recovered until he had his revenge upon Malac. But that could wait. He had a different beast to tackle before the night was done. And that was his mother and sisters. He couldn’t wait. [hr] Toffee was pestling some herbs when her brother came stumbling into the tent. All three women looked up from what they were doing at the spectacle. There was a moment of silence before Teefee began to giggle, then Toffee lips broke into a smile. Only their mother was the one who wasn’t pleased. She stood up, hand upon her hips and said, “Tab, by the ancestors, you best not be hitting the sap again. You know how dangerous it is!” It was only when Tad looked up did they go silent again. Even though their brother gave a goofy smile, they could tell he had been in a fight. Dried blood ran down his nose, his cheek was puffy and his eyes held deep bags from exhaustion. Ina only sighed and began barking orders. “Teefee, fresh water to a boil. Toffee, help me with him.” As Toffee grabbed her brother, Tad tensed and tried to shove them off but failed to do so. Toffee let out a hiss. “Stupid man! What did you do this time?” The accused as they helped him to sit next to the fire. “Toffee!” Their mother’s voice made her flinch, her ears folding flat. She backed up as Ina came to sit beside Tad. “Explain.” their mother demanded. All was quiet now as they looked upon the bruised Tad. His smirk had faded, replaced with a frown of contemplation. Even now he was thinking about what to say instead of just saying it. That was unlike him, Toffee knew, so there had to be more to this. Teefee handed Ina a damp bit of cloth and their Mother began to fuss over her only son. He protested with a small hiss as she cleaned his cheek. “It was Malac and his friends. Just a bit of a disagreement, nothing more.” he finally said. Ina raised an eyebrow. “The chieftess’s son should know to act better. I will go to her and have words.” “No!” Tad snapped his eyes flashing with something… before he calmed himself. “That isn’t necessary, mother. It was handled. No need to involve her.” “Are you hiding something from me, boy?” Ina asked with a gentle voice. Like a viper waiting to strike. Toffee’s air stood up and when she glanced at Teefee, her sister’s hair was also raised slightly. One did not go against mother when she used that voice. Tad knew this and all sense of bravado escaped him. He deflated and Toffee could see just how tired he was. “Misha… She wanted to talk at the grove and Malac found out.” Now it was Toffee who couldn’t help but smirk at that but she quickly hid her face by turning to look at a very interesting spot on the floor. “Is she with child?” Ina asked, her voice now worried. Teefee audibly gasped at that and Toffee spun back to look at him with wide eyes. “No!” Tad said immediately. “No it isn’t like that! By the ancestors' mother!” Ina sighed with relief, then smiled as she went back to cleaning him. “I believe you, my son. So then why did Malac attack you?” “You know why.” He murmured, eyes downcast. Toffee knew. She hoped Teefee didn’t but it was difficult to avoid the stares from those who had never liked them. Those that whispered behind their backs. Who said cruel words with their cruel hearts. Ina nodded with sad realization. “Mother, he also said he wouldn’t have to deal with us anymore. What’s going on?” Tad asked, a hand upon his mother’s wrist. Toffee furrowed her brow. Ina sighed again. “I am sorry, my children. All my life since you’ve arrived I’ve wanted to keep you safe. For you to be happy. I have achieved this to a small amount. But now, the wind is changing.” “What do you mean, mama?” Teefee asked. Ina’s shoulder’s slumped. “I was going to tell you tonight, either way. My children,” She looked at each of them before saying, “It has been decided by the elders that this land has grown too small for all of us. Game is harder to find. Foraging comes back with less and less each season. Our tribe has grown too large. And so, the Hillgrass tribe is disbanding. We and others are being cast out. I am sorry.” She said, tears in her eyes. It was funny how life could change just like that, Toffee thought.