Stone Circle Folk Tales

The lumps have names and faces! Ikki, too, squirms up to Astrid's side, and she's not quite sure what to make of it. Her lip curls upward when the little child shrieks a greeting before decidedly settling back down in a frumpy scowl — a comfortable position was found, so Ikki could sit next to her, she supposed.
Swiftlet and Katla are the titles of the two lumps, and Astrid's blocky puppy head turns in a tilt. Hallo Swiftlet, hallo Katla, she gives each of them a curt greeting before she nudges their tiny faces with the tip of her nose. There weren't always so many other children in Kvarsheim, and while Astrid hardly remembered a time where it was only her and her brothers, some spoiled part of her longed for it back. These puppies are stinky and slimy and drool a lot. But Tauris says one day they'll go on adventures together!
So this was okay. For now.
Tail flippantly waving in a stiff wag behind her, she nods; a story! A good distraction from the horrible sensation of puppy drool, and sound of puppy cries!