Crablor: Beach Episode
Back before politics and paranoia had destroyed their family, the House of Fëanor had made frequent summer trips to the beach. It made sense, then, after years of changes - good and terrible - that they would once again pack their bags and descend upon the sandy dunes of Valinor’s shores.
It did not take them long to fall back on old habits: Nerdanel and Fëanor quickly became distracted in a sandcastle building contest, the Ambarussa raced off to go swimming, and Caranthir lost himself in a book, shielded from the sun by a giant umbrella. Maedhros, relaxing for possibly the first time in his life, stretched out on a towel to sleep in the sun like some sort of giant cat.
“You’re going to get burned,” warned Curufin. Like all of them, Maedhros wore only loose, rolled up pants, the rest of his skin bare against the warm light of the sun.
“I will not,” said Maedhros. He started to close his eyes, than sat up in a sudden panic. “Wait, where’s Laurë?”
“Right here,” said Celegorm, holding up their brother. “Caught him trying to scuttle off to the dunes.”
In the past, to pick Maglor off the ground would have caused a ruckus. Yelling, kicking, demanding to be put down. “I am older than you Tyelko, and just because you’re taller than me does not mean that you can carry me like a cat!” Odd that Curufin would look back on such a memory fondly. That he’d miss the sound of Maglor’s rare, ear-piercing temper.
Current day Maglor made no sound. Held firmly in Celegorm’s grasp, he could only kick his six little legs and wave his two claws, one larger than the other, unhappily in the air. Celegorm, the only one who could understand and speak crab, rolled his eyes.
“Yes, yes, this is an outrage,” said Celegorm. “We're stopping you from exploring the sand dune grass for food and we didn’t let you bring your spoon to make music. We are the world’s worst brothers.”
“Give him to me,” said Maedhros.
Maglor, once in Maedhros’ hand, immediately calmed down. He clicked his smaller claw and waved his larger one at Celegorm.
Tattling to Nelyo, thought Curufin. Some things stayed the same, be it as a crab or as an elf.
