Jade Fern Grove everything costs

They travelled through the mainland. At one point, Everett had still been able to catch backward glimpses of light against water, small fragments of the ocean’s great expanse between snow strewn hills. But his visions retreated to the confines of memory the further Tybault led them away from the sea.

Tybault. Everett’s lips twitched, though he knew Vander would have frowned if he’d been around to see. But Evander was somewhere in the South, and Tybault somewhere in the West, and alone in this dark and moss bedded forest, well, what did they matter? Good riddance to them.

The thought stung him as his claws tore a score in the moss at his feet.

No.

He breathed in.

No.

He breathed out.

This wasn’t right.

But who was Tybault to usurp the lead from them? This was their search as much as his! And what more had he found than them? They had travelled just as far, and had lost their sister as much as he had — if not, even more.

Everett closed his eyes. No. Stop it! His heart beat quick again, that same rabbit race. Cool air filled the emptiness around him where he once might have heard Rose’s soft, familiar hum. Crickets strummed instead. And out of the silence and steadying breaths, he sang.

I saw upon some distant shore
a wand’rer clad in gold,
her paws alight upon the earth
her paws, for dancing formed.

She spun as golden field grass once
would sway upon the plains,
the plains of wildflowers and the
plains of wild rain.

The sand now moved beneath her feet
as if he’d always known,
this dancer would come dance with him
with paws, for dancing formed.

@Reverie