"Molly Brandybuck, you come back here right now or I'll ... I'll ... well, or you'll be sorry!" Hiking up her skirts more than was most likely proper, Meli ran after Molly, who was already far across the sunlit field, her laughter trailing behind her on the summer breeze.
Two curly heads popped up from behind a gooseberry bush as the pair of hobbit lasses raced past at top speed. Fair hair and dark shook in unison, the scene before them a familiar sight.
"What do you suppose Lark did now?" Sammy asked around a mouthful of ripe berries.
Daisy grinned, laughing as Molly dodged out of Meli's grasp, skipping back their way again. "Well, whatever it was, it must have been something good. Lookit how Sparrow is chasing her!"
Meli was indeed chasing Molly with her best effort, but everytime the Took lass would get close enough to grab hold of an apron string, Molly would change direction, giggling as she pranced over the grass. Sammy and Daisy stood from behind the bush, munching absently on gooseberries as they watched, matching amused expressions on their sticky faces.
Growing tired and frustrated, Meli sprung at Molly as she skipped passed. But Molly had seen the look in her younger cousin's eyes before she had jumped, and managed to get out of the way, falling back in the tall grass with a laugh.
Meli lay where she landed, face down and unmoving, and after a momnet of not seeing any change, Molly crawled over, concern creasing her sweaty brow.
"Sparrow?" Molly shook Meli's shoulder once, then harder when she didn't get a response. "Sparrow? Meli? Meli!" Sammy and Daisy ran over, hearing Molly's cry, and watched as Molly turned the other lass over, both of them holding their breaths.
Meli lay still for a moment, then leapt up, grabbing a very startled Molly, and pinning her to the ground with a triumphant laugh.
"Tup it all, Sparrow, that wasn't funny!" Molly pouted beneath her cousin, but the pout turned into a smile as Meil leaned over, giving Molly a sweet kiss on the mouth.
"Sparrow, what did Lark do anyway?" Sammy asked when Meli sat up again.
"I kissed her, Crow." Molly answered, smiling.
"Then why did she chase you like that?" Sammy was completely befuddled.
Meli laughed, grinning down at Molly. "Because she didn't let me kiss her back. Now she owes me two." And Meli leaned over Molly again, taking her second kiss with no complaints.
Fair hair and dark shook in unison, the scene before them a familiar sight.
~