The Sentinels tristesse

for @Emaleth

their eyes were opened, and they looked to the heavens with a wonderment. while they could not go out-of-doors just yet, lasher was determined to bring the natural world to them until such a time as they could wander as they would. today he had found a beautiful bough of pine, and he shook his head vigorously until all the snow had flown from the deep green of the needles. carrying it high, lasher brought it to the den; he lay down and pushed the bough toward his playing children.

crushed beneath his jaws, several of the needles began to give off their rich and wintry scent. lasher was still, waiting to see what his daughters would make of this new object in their small world.