With each new bout of snowfall, the dragoness wondered if spring might ever greet her; northern lineage, however minute, kept her coat thick and body warm but she would always prefer the liveliness of spring. With the warmth came the flora of the wilds, various plants to admire and herbs to collect. And although she knew the winter was a necessary part of life’s cycles, she wished it to be shorter—even though she knew said wish was one never to be answered.

Although much of the greenery would not sprout until later in the season, there were still ample supplies to be harvested—as long as one knew where to look. Kaori, taught well by her mother, knew that these new lands held a secret to them—one that stood out clearly, obvious to the eye. Steering away from the stream, she moved past each birch tree in order to inspect the aspens. From there, she moved from tree-to-tree, seeking out any curls in the bark so that she might pluck strips from their trunks.