Sun Mote Copse Miss Smilla Feeling for Snow

The Sovereign's sudden appearance made Sugar start, though a smile quickly stole over her face as she padded closer to Wraen. She dipped her head politely, tail fanning slowly to and fro. It would be impossible for her colorless eyes to brighten, per se, but there was a shine to those black depths at the leader's question.

"Her fever's gone," Sugar reported, "and so's the infection. Eljay told me I don't need to put herbs on her wound anymore and, anyway, it looks a lot better. There was a big scab, now it's more or less skin." She paused, wondering if that was too much information or, at the least, too much detail. Wraen probably didn't want to know all about the nitty gritty.

Although making conversation was the polite thing to do, it was genuine curiosity that made Sugar say next, "All the color's gone," as she recollected their long day spent together among the splendors of autumn, "except the green. They stayed, just like you said." And her eyes roved to the nearest evergreen, which happened to be a cedar, before she directed a sort of conspiratorial smile at Wraen.