WITCH - The Queen

Bonus 3

Marko ran after his older brothers, laughing. They played Wolfball, a game in which two teams tried to chase a ball from each other. Marko, the youngest of six children, was smaller and slower than his brothers. But he was determined to steal the ball from Noah. His eldest brother Noah, like Marko, was an alpha wolf and might one day take over the pack. This was very likely since Noah was nine years older than Marko. His other brothers, Arthur, Valdemar, Aaren, and Balder, had all been born without rank. They were not alpha wolves.

Marko growled. Wolfball was played in wolf form, and the little wolf pounced on Noah. But at the same time, Marko's team (Arthur and Aaren) lost their ball to the other team and they lost. Sighing, he let go of his brother and snorted. The boys turned back and quickly put on the clothes that lay at the edge of their designated playing field.

"Next time I'll make it!" Five-year-old Marko stuck his tongue out at Noah.

"Sure, little one!", he replied. The other boys laughed.

"You'll see!", scolded Marko. "I can do it!" Noah bustled lovingly through his curly hair.

"I'm hungry!" Nine-year-old Valdemar rubbed his stomach. "Let's go home, yes?"

"Already?" Balder, who was only a year older than Marko, shook his head decisively. "No. I don't want to, yet! Let's play a round of catch, yes?"

"But it's already getting dark!" Aaren pointed to the sky. The sun was just setting. "Mom said we should come home at sunrise." The eight-year-old rubbed his head thoughtfully.

Marko yawned. His stomach growled too. "I also want something to eat. Do you think there is chocolate cake?"

"Not for dinner!" Arthur laughed in amusement. The twelve-year-old gave Noah a brotherly push. "Maybe there will be chicken today! What do you think? Chicken wings would be amazing now."

Noah agreed.

"But I want chocolate cake!", Marko grumbled and sat down on the floor offended. "Chocolate cake is much better than chicken. There's chocolate in there! If there's no chocolate cake, I don't want to go home! Just like that!"

Noah rolled his eyes, then grabbed Marko and threw him over his shoulder.

"Hey!" Marko laughed.

"You're still outside, boys?" Svea, a friend of Beta Elodie, approached them. Svea's wolf ears were as dark as her skin. The skin of her two sons was slightly lighter. She was carrying her four-year-old son Levi, who had fallen asleep on her shoulder. Levi would one day be the beta wolf of the pack. The seven-year-old Abbe walked next to his mother and looked at their two balls with interest. He, too, was born without rank.

"Can I play along?", asked Abbe. "You're playing Wolfball, aren't you?"

"No. We'll play, let your little brother dangle!", grumbled Marko, hanging upside down his brother's back. "And this little brother wants to get down!"

"Also good!" Abbe shrugged his shoulders with a grin, while Noah chanted "Rejected!" at the same time. Marko snorted offendedly.

Abbe's mother shook her head. "No, Abbe. You won't play that. Boys? Shouldn't you go home now? The sun is already setting. I'm sure your parents are waiting for you."

"We were just about to go", Noah replied.

"Good. Greet your parents from me, yes?" Svea took Abbe by the hand and the three continued on their way. Levi snored quietly and contentedly.

The brothers also made their way home. Marko dangled upside down all the way and laughed happily. Which he would later deny.

(c: sasi)