Five, Six, Pickup Sticks

Kea teased Tally, but the only response he got was a glare of annoyance. He sighed, and got to work picking up more sticks. Why couldn’t his sister be more playful? He was just teasing. He gathered a fair few supplies when Tally spoke of the beavers. Describing them as a creature like a squirrel, but with a broad tail. “A den made of sticks?” Perhaps that was why there were so many stripped down and chewed here. They must have been picking up the beavers discarded off cuts.

“You got it, Tal!” He said, offering her a wide grin. “I’ll be careful” not that he was scared of a squirrel that lived in a stick house, anyway. He pulled the bag tighter around his shoulders so it didn’t rattle, and crept off in the direction of the stream.


"Ciaran Carpathius"