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“Eagleclaw?” Bones peered into his brother’s room, finding it empty. He frowned a little, looking around the rest of the flat. “Eagleclaw!?”
“Stop shouting.” Phoenix hissed, looking down at his son. “What about your no-good brother? Did he try to hurt you again?” he reached out to touch Bones’ face.
Eaglebones shook his head, flinching away from his father. “I can’t find him anywhere. Have you seen him today?”
“Actually, no. I was pleasantly surprised by that.” Phoenix snickered.
“Father.” the younger one felt his worry growing. He grabbed his satchel. “I’m gonna go look for him.”
“Whatever. Just, don’t die. And try to not break any bones!” Phoenix called as his youngest son rushed out the door.
Eaglebones’ breath hitched, his expression one of determination as he went to all of Eagleclaw’s favorite places. The park, his favorite tree, the carnival...Alas, it seemed his brother was nowhere to be found.
Bones didn’t give up that easily. He began searching other places, asking around town.
No one seemed to know of Eagleclaw’s whereabouts, and no one really seemed to care much either.
“Eagleclaw? Brother?” Bones peeped tiredly, voice nearly gone. He sipped some water from his bottle, shining a flashlight into some kind of abandoned cavern. Hesitantly, he entered, but all he found was a lot of bats.
These bats were startled and chased him out.
While hurrying out of the cavern, Eaglebones tripped, ankle breaking in the process. He whined in pain, tears brimming his eyes as he moved into a sitting position.
His lip quivered, hand plunging into his satchel where he retrieved an image of his older brother. He wiped his eyes as he got back on his feet, even if his ankle wasn’t quite functioning properly.
“Where did you go?” Bones asked Eagleclaw, as if he could hear him. He placed the picture into his bag before stumbling home as it had gotten late.
“Eaglebones, it’s nearly ten o’clock!” Phoenix scolded as his injured son entered the house.
“I couldn’t find him. Anywhere.” Bones ignored his father’s statement, slamming the door shut and trudging towards his room. “I-I’m gonna look more tomorrow…”
“As long as you’re able to practice for that performance this weekend!”
“Whatever.”
Bones locked his room door, face-planting on his mattress and releasing a sigh. He then rolled over, clutching the sheets on his bed. What if someone kidnapped him? All of the worst scenerios crossed his mind.
He couldn’t sleep. Not when he felt like this.
He tried to get up, but realised the pain in his ankle was worsening. He tucked up his knee, grabbing some bandages from his nightstand drawers as well as a cloth. He shoved the cloth into his mouth, biting down on it before resetting his ankle.
Eaglebones’ scream was muffled, so his father didn’t even hear it. He wrapped up his injury before falling back on his bed.
Luckily, his ankle would be healed by dawn, and that was when his search could continue.
**
It had been over a week. Eaglebones had done nothing but search for his brother.
He had plastered posters everywhere. He had searched high and low.
Nothing.
The young guitarist had recently remembered somewhere he hadn’t looked so thoroughly; And that was his brother’s room.
He entered Eagleclaw’s room, searching for any clues of what had happened. The window was open, curtains full of scratch marks. This could imply that Claw had struggled…
Eaglebones searched the closet. He was surprised to find all of his brother’s clothing was gone. He kept looking around, and that was when he realised all of Claw’s things had dissapeared.
No traces of anyone other than Eagleclaw were found in the room. This was strange, to Bones.
“Father?” the young musician called, approaching the breakfast table. “Eagleclaw...He’s gone. So are his things. Do you think a kidnapper would do that?”
“Eaglebones, sit down.” Phoenix sighed, gesturing to a chair.
“Father, I-”
“Sit down. Right now.” Phoenix spoke in a threatening tone, and Eaglebones knew better than to deny his request. Bones did as he was told. “I don’t think your brother was kidnapped…”
The boy tilted his head to one side. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying he probably ran away. Y’know. As in he chose to leave. Because he hates us.”
That hurt Bones. The idea of his brother abandoning him. “N-no way. He would not do that! He would say something, at least.”
“Your mother didn’t say anything when she left us.” Phoenix clenched one hand into a fist. “Your brother always reminded me of her...Selfish, unkind...foolish.”
“Stop talking about them like that.” Eaglebones spoke through gritted teeth.
“You know it’s true, Eaglebones. You were hardly two when mother left, and you should know how that brother of yours is.”
“His name is Eagleclaw. And he’s your son. My brother and your son. Aren’t you worried? At all?”
“Eaglebones, don’t take that tone with me. That freak was never a son of mine...You’re my son. My pride. So why don’t you just stop worrying about this nonsense and focus on what’s important? Your showcase this weekend, yeah? Your friends will be there.”
“I can’t believe you would say something like that about your son.” Bones’ eyes grew teary. “I don’t care about that stupid showcase! I care about my brother. If I dissapeared would-...”
Phoenix smirked, standing up and leaning over his son. “He would what, Eaglebones?”
A few tears escaped Eaglebones’ eyes as he looked down, biting his cheek; No. He didn’t think Eagleclaw would come looking for him if he was gone. If anything, he felt as if his older sibling would be glad he wasn’t around. He didn’t say another word, too hurt as this realization.
“That’s exactly what I thought.” Phoenix spoke smugly. “Now pull yourself together and be a man. You’ve got practice to do.” he tapped his son’s shoulder a little too hard before stepping outside.
As soon as his dad had left, Bones allowed a bird-like squeak to escape his lips. He cried, hiding his face in his hands. He had lost his brother...And why? Because of Claw’s own selfishness?
The guitarist stood up, hurrying into his room so his father didn’t see him like this.
He grabbed his instrument, hugging it close for comfort as he often did. Tears continued to fall from his eyes. He looked at a few spare posters that were sat on his bedside table, tightening his grip on his guitar.
“Wh-why? Why did you leave!?” he exclaimed, slightly angered. Sadness consumed him. “What did I ever do to you?” he rested his head against the neck of his guitar, sobbing slightly.
It was something he had always wondered. Eagleclaw had never been kind towards him. He didn’t quite understand why. It had been an occurrence since he could remember. Sure, he had tried to stand up for himself at times, but that was hardly rude. Plus, Phoenix (among others) usually spoke for Bones before he could even open his mouth.
Eaglebones sniffled, shifting into a different position so he would be able to play his guitar. He strummed a few notes, soon creating a foriegn melody. He sang softly. “You are my brother...you are my bro. We’ve known each other, since embryo. A realization has occurred to me, that you’ve ran away and left me be. Now it’s just me…" his voice cracked, hands tightening on his guitar as a few tears escaped his eyes.
His feelings grew bitter the more he thought about it. And soon after the song was finished, he locked it away; Along with his own feelings.