Firefly Glen foraging

@Hakumele

the field stretched before Kalyska in a stark, frozen silence, the snow blanketing the earth in a pristine white that masked the life hidden beneath. her paws pressed into the icy ground, leaving faint impressions as she moved with deliberate care. the cold nipped at her nose and ears, but she ignored it, her hazel eyes scanning the barren landscape for what she sought.  

winter was unforgiving, and the herbs she needed were scarce, but Kalyska had learned to find them where others might not look. her nose twitched as she caught a faint, familiar scent—sharp and green, even beneath the frost. she followed it, weaving through frost-covered ferns until she came to the base of an old tree, its gnarled roots clawing at the earth like skeletal fingers.  

she crouched low, her paws brushing aside a thin layer of snow to reveal the jagged leaves of yarrow, stubbornly clinging to life in the bitter cold. a small, triumphant smile ghosted across her face as she began to carefully nip the leaves free, gathering them between her jaws. they would do well for treating infections—valuable in the harsh season when wounds healed slowly, if at all.  

Kalyska paused, her ears swiveling at the faint crackle of ice underfoot. the sound was distant, but distinct—a reminder that she was not alone in the wilderness. she straightened, the bundle of herbs held gently in her mouth, her body tense as she scanned the treeline. the north was no place to let one’s guard down, not even for a moment.  

when the field fell silent again, she let out a quiet breath and continued her work, gathering what she could before the light faded entirely. the chill bit deeper as the day wore on, but Kalyska pressed forward, determined. she would endure, just as the stubborn herbs beneath the snow did, finding strength in the cold’s unrelenting grip.