Hushed Willows Don't be long, for the end is nigh

For @Dusty Rose! Some powerplay of Petal and Everett just for this first post

So do not think about it.

Reverie lived by these words. Grief was an ugly, grasping thing, something that could twist you to unrecognizable tendrils of blind longing and sadness. It was important not to let it grasp you at all. If there was anything she'd learned in her life, it was that.

And she learned more each day. She learned that after didn't need to be such a scary word; it didn't need to be tears withheld and silent mornings. There was still brightness in the world. She could still taste the rain and feel the sun shining on her face, she could still hear her children's laughter and the song of birds. She could still dance.

@Petal and Foxglove had shown some interest in dancing already. They mimicked her often enough that Reverie had thought to start teaching them. She'd spent the morning teaching Petal, until the girl was tired and wanted a nap. So she'd sent her back up the hill to the den on her own, watching from afar all the while. @Everett would be there, she knew, with her other daughters.

It began to rain lightly as Petal disappeared into the den. Reverie glanced up, caught by the urge to dance again — just for herself this time. But her leg ached, and her hips were a bit sore, so she decided against it. Adulthood sucked.