Time Period: Approximately 10 years prior to Destiny and 11 years prior to Niaomi

Location: Alalëa

Characters: Nathan, Niaomi

A/N: So, I decided to add a trivia question at the end of each short story just for the heck of it; answer will be displayed in the next short story, and the first user to comment the correct answer before it's posted gets the chance to earn an awesome prize! Also, become the 600th voter of Destiny, 25th of Niaomi (shout-out to the always amazing KittenCatten who became the 20th!), or my 125th fan (congrats to my 115th and 120th, Kwawryk and XGraceX) to also get the chance to earn a prize! And check out CommonQueen132's "Heroes of Olympus" fan fic On the Way or her other novel Ring Around the Rosy by clicking on her name under the dedication - both seem amazing! (:)

Story:

Nathan rubbed the sticks together, faster and faster, until his hands were full of splinters and his arms felt like they were going to fall off. Plopping down onto his back, he stared up at the eternally bright blue sky and groaned aloud, "Curses!"

"Such language," a voice behind him chided, and he tilted his head backwards to see his sister grinning at him from upside down.

Rolling onto his stomach, he scowled at her and asked crossly, "What do you want?"

"To see if you wanted to visit Queen Elodiâ with Gedwëy. It's visiting day. Whatcha doing, anyways?"

"Nothing."

"Whatcha so mad for?"

"Nothing! Gods, why can't you leave me alone?"

"Cause I'm your big sister," Niaomi told him, her purple silver-specked eyes twinkling at the pout Nate wore on his face.

His own brown irises glared back at her. "Only by a sliver of a candlemark. But since you're not going to stop bothering me, I guess I'll tell you."

Trying not to smile at the reluctance in her brother's voice, Nia walked over and crouched beside him. He sat up, gesturing to the pile of sticks that lay in a messily constructed heap around a ring of stones. "I'm was trying to light a fire, but the sparks keep going out because I don't have any kindling."

"How about you use some of my hair?" she suggested, pulling the knee-length braid of thick black locks around one shoulder. "Mom says I need a hair cut anyways. This way, it'll at least be of use."

"You'd really let me use your hair," Nathan said in shock, fingering his own much shorter curls, "For kindling?"

"Sure." Niaomi crossed her eyes to make him laugh. "Of course I'll help you. That's what big sisters do - even ones that are only older by a sliver."

"Thanks, Nia!" He hugged her round the neck tightly before pulling away with an eager look in his angled eyes. "So, let me find the words - "

"Words?" she interrupted. "Don't you mean scissors?"

"I'm practicing my magic, so I don't need them." Ignoring the worried look on her face, Nate began murmuring, "All right, so I want to add the hair to the fire...hair is hár...fire is brisingr...and add is auka...alright, I think I got it!"

"You think?"

Raising his right hand, he pointed at her head and uttered, "Auka du hár eom du brisingr!"

Nothing happened, and Nia let out a sigh that was two parts relief and one part exasperation. "There's no fire for the hair to be added to, so - "

A blaze suddenly sprang up from the end of her braid, quickly eating its way upwards to her scalp. Shrieking in terror, she ran towards the river, desperately patting at her strands as she jumped into the water with a brief cry of, "Help me, Wayłoêr!"

Gaping, Nathan sat there in shock as his sister plunged underwater with a hiss of steam. It was few moment before she abruptly emerged, her once clean white shirt and light gray breeches now covered completely in mud. His hand clapped over his mouth as she squelched towards him in her muddied boots, trying not to laugh at her vicious violet glare. In a deceptively calm voice, she asked him, "Did you cause this as well?"

He shook his head, and Niaomi huffed before storming off. A giggle escaped him, and she swung around to say through gritted teeth, "Did. You. Say. Something. Nathan."

Frantically shaking his head again, Nate winced as she said his full name, knowing she was truly angered now. But still, the sight of her brown-covered figure with those burnt off hair tips stomping away had him rolling around on the bank and roaring with mirth long after she'd left.

And unbeknownst to him, Nia stood looking out the window and watching before she turned away with a half-smile as she scoffed, "And this is what little brothers do."

* * * * *

Aw, such cuteness! I really like writing about the Five's younger years (which is probably why I spent most of a volume doing so >u<)! But the next short story that's NOT one of the DragonInk entries will be about Eragon's birth. If you have any other ideas, feel free to share them in the comments. Hope you enjoyed this, and make sure to check out Niaomi: The Journey by clicking the external link below for more pre-Destiny action! (:)

Au revoir until then,

Nikkisha16

T.Q. - Who came first: Niaomi Leafësdóttir from Destiny or Niaomi Douglas from Knives Make Lives? (Hint: This question refers to order of creation, not order of story appearance; however, this does not necessarily mean that they're not one in the same)