The Dilemma of the Sisters Deathly

2

"Natty, get off me before I pluck you bare and roast you along with dinner tonight." The crow upon Dafna's shoulder gave an amused squawk.

"You wouldn't dare, Dafna darlin."

"Oh yeah? Watch me!" The six year old vampire started ripping out her companion's feathers, causing him to take air, turning back into a boy, albeit with ripped clothes, chuckling.

"Perhaps I underestimated you...hm, no, I don't think I did." He strode forward, grabbing the hand she held his feathers in. Naturally, she turned and nailed him in the shoulder, none too gently. He merely laughed, spinning her around, tugging his fangs across the soft skin of her bare shoulder.

"Ow! Who said you could bite me, meanie?!" She knocked his feet out from under him, but he of course, dragged her down with him. Before she could realize what happened, he was on top of her, arms pinned at her sides. She snarled, showing off her double snake fangs, blushing lightly.

"What're you gonna do, Little Bones?" Nathaniel sneered down at Death's oldest daughter, grinning.

"I hate you, Natty."

"You love me." He got off her, laughing. "I win." Dafna got to her feet, brushing herself off.

"You cheated. Now, pick these up, Father would yell if he saw this mess." Daf strode off, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "I'm so glad I'm a spider, crows are so messy, leaving those feathers everywhere." Nathaniel, rather than picking the feathers up, just laughed and ran to catch up to her, throwing an arm around her shoulder. And though she'd never admit, she smiled when he did.

~+-=+=-+~

Thana sat at her father's side, cluelessly peeking up at him as he explained a certain ritual she wouldn't needn't worry about for centuries to come.

"Your brother shall take your mother's place on that fateful day, my dear, and you shall take mine."

"Father, that's unfair." A soon-to-be seven year old spoke up from the doorway. "I am older than she is. Mama says that normally the eldest children in a royal family inherit the throne."

"Dafna." Thanatos' voice was cold, threatening. "Your mother is dead."

"And she lives in the Hall of Spirits like the others. You never said I couldn't go in. Father, really, it is my birthright t-"

Death rose to stare down this bastard child of his, watching her shrink away. "Then we'll just call you 'Little Bones.' Since you listen to your mother so well." A tear ran down the young vampire's cheek, but her eyes were cold.

"That throne will be mine." And she swept out of the room, storming past an impatiently waiting Nathaniel.

Death turned to his younger daughter and kissed her forehead. "That throne will be yours."

".....yes, Father. Mine."

"Good girl. Now, go play. I have a certain spirit to put back in its place." Death's scythe dropped and a portal appeared, which he deftly stepped through. That girl will be the death of me....how ironic.

Thana crawled from the high chair her father had sat her upon and wobbled off after her elder, dejected sister. She did not understand what had just happened, but Dafna was angry, and Thana did not like it when she was angry. It often ended with a boot to Nixie's rib or a scythe to Thana's delicate fingertips. Neither knew to tattle, so it never stopped, no matter how Daf's anger grew. Ah, sisterly love.

By the time Thana made it to Dafna, blood had already been spilled. "Daf...."

Dafna was as quick as a whip to shoot a glare at that little b--

At her little sister. 

"Yes, Thana dear." That was definitely a sneer.

"Let's go play with Kylie and Joice."

"....okay." Now that was definitely a smile.