Sun Mote Copse You start to wonder why you're here not there

There was a communication breakdown somewhere, Wildfire realized with a huffed laugh that sent a burst of warm water vapor from her jaws. She tilted her head, wondering what she might have said to mislead Kiwi. She peered at her daughter, a considering expression on her face. Misapprehensions aside, she was very intrigued by what Kiwi was saying. As much as she liked the copse, the idea of relocating here hadn't even crossed Wildfire's mind... until now.

"Are you thinking we'll stay?" Sequoia wanted to know. When Wildfire's chestnut eyes drifted to the younger girl's face, she saw the puzzlement there. She didn't answer right away. Her lips pressed together at the subsequent inquiry, then parted as her thoughts suddenly started churning. Her gaze now roved upward, combing over the silvered boughs of the naked trees, back-lit by moon and stars. It then wandered earthward again, peering at her daughter and niece standing still against a backdrop of peaceful, snowy forest.

"No, I wasn't," the mother belatedly admitted, smiling almost secretively as she stepped closer to Kiwi and nuzzled the youngster's cheek. "But now Kiwi's gone and planted a seed in my head. Hmmm..." She strode away from the two juveniles again, drawing in a deep breath of wintry air. She trapped it in her lungs until it burned, then released it in another, longer stream of wispy white.

"This could be a safe space," she murmured, mostly to herself, then added louder, "In any case, I'd really like to explore it. How about we split up, each of us going in a different direction, then meet back here in an hour and share the most interest thing we found. Sound like a plan?"