"Sestra... Sestra!" The silver-bell voice called from outside the house, urgency and tears mingled in with the sound. A small girl ran out through the door, her braided silver bun bobbing lightly as she rushed. Outside, she saw the little girl running towards her, the pretty blue dress and tattered bow on her head gracing her beautiful face.
"Natalia? What is wrong?" She asked out fo breath, wiping the tears from the girls pink cheeks.
"Big brother is stuck on a tree, sestra! He climbed after an owl... And he can't get down!" The girl hiccuped from the tears, before shurgging her face from her sister's hands.
"Alright, let's go get him." She said, smiling reassuringly at her sister's care for their brother.
They walked to him, hand in hand, Natalia huddling to herself to keep warm in her dress. She wished Ivan were with her, so she could curl up with the scarf that Katyusha had given him. As they approached the tree that Ivan was stuck in, Katyusha heard him frantically yelling for someone to get him down. What she thgouth was adorable was how he kept yelling for his big sister. She smiled as she climbed the tree, trying to tie loose his scarf that was keeping him stuck to the branches. She looked down and saw Belarus lifting her arms up to him, trying to grab him to pull him down to her so he wouldn't fall to the ground.
Natalia reached her small limbs up to him, trying to be reassuring by holding onto his hands. She looked at him, and she saw the tears gathering in his eyes. She felt a pang of sorrow in her chest. Why wasn't Katyusha done getting him down yet? As soon as the thought crossed her mind, he plumped on top of her, both laying in the snow. He jumped up quickly, grabbing her and wiping the snow off his face with frantic apoligies. She looked at him for a moment, her eyes watery and brightm before wrapping her arms around his neck and digging her face into his scarf.
"I was so worried, big brother..."