Short stories of Valinor by Aprilertuile

4 - Beware of the swan

This answers the prompt : green, bridge, swan, arch

The group of young elves was gathering in the clearing near the makeshift bridge for their picnic. The hunting didn’t go well, but well, it wasn’t really a surprise, as they Makalaurë and Findaràto had started the day by getting into a song contest.

There was nothing better to 1) distract the rest of the party and 2) warn the animals away.

The serious hunters of the group had had no illusions on the matter, so they didn’t really care either. They’d go on their own soon enough anyway.

However, as they sat down suddenly Makalaurë, who had gotten a bit farther away from them, came back running through the green foliage, toward them, followed by an angry swan.

Makalaurë jumped on a branch over his head, the swan arching his head to look at him with an angry squawk.

“Laurë, what have you done this time? Sighed Maitimo.

-Nothing! I just wanted to see its babies!”

Tyelkormo couldn’t help it and started laughing, even as Maitimo looked like he couldn’t believe the situation.

Brothers sometimes…

That had Findaràto and Artanis giggling like the teenagers they were, and Maitimo look at the nearby riverbed like it held all the answers to life.

Possibly answers like: “how to get away with drowning your siblings for a peaceful uneventful life”