The strong odour of the wet leaves covering the log's floor, and the dense humidity wrapped over her as she sunk into her own little world. She shut her eyes tightly as she felt the phantom hug of the cold autumn breeze, hoping that it was now her turn to follow on her mother , and all of her other family members, footseps. Maera wished to be locked in a permanent slumber, because she had learned that it was only in her dreams where she could see all of her family together.
Unfortunately for her troubled heart, her eyes were not yet meant to be closed forever. She could not hold back the violent sobs and whines erupting from her chest, but she could strive keep the fire in her heart alive -- it was all on her now. Though it was undeniable that the situation she found herself if was more than any four month old should ever handle, it was her reality, and in one way or another she would have to react to it. Now she could choose to lay here in her one-member clubhouse and breathe in her defeat, or she could rise through the ashes left by her mother's departure.
She had what it took to make it. Against all odds, Maera could rise again -- she just needed a sign to show her that not everything was lost, that if she happened to burn out someone would care. That would be her salvation.
And then, as if the stars and the fairies had heard her pleas, a gentle voice cut through the gloom, shaking off the darkness Maera was enthralled in and bringing her little head to rise. "I can't" she rasped, feeling that all of her energy had been drained off when she had wished to be gone for ever. "There is nothing there I want" she whined while making her best effort to push herself closer to the edge, so Arabella could at least stretch her neck and pull her out; though in reality she wished she couldn't because if she did, she would just take her back to the ruins of the Glacier -- to an empty bed Maera did not want to return to.
![[Image: girl_gang.png]](https://image.ibb.co/b82KNa/girl_gang.png)