Northstar Vale appleflowers

maybe @Zulema? <3

the snow softly fell.

beneath it, tamar was digging to and fro upon the earth. she wanted to unearth one of the little acorns she had seen a squirrel leave here.

were such things edible? she would put it back if not.

ofc! <3

❝What're you looking for?❞ She chimed to her mother.

While Zulema wasn't particularly happy about the snow, her attitude had gotten better as her body adjusted. The only promise of this season being the cold wasn't something she liked. Stepping beside Tamar, she only watched as she pawed through the snow, ears perked and eager for an explanation. Her mother had an explanation for everything, Zulema had thought. She viewed her mother highly, a wise and beautiful woman in little Zulema's eyes. The mystery of this world that came with her youth was always made clear with Tamar.

her daughter came through the snow.

and tamar was struck by how much she had grown. "i am looking for acorns," she explained. "animals leave them in the ground, under the snow. i want to know if we can also eat them."

epoch had a strong balance of young and adult. but in the spring, she, towhee, and perhaps even keyni would be mothers again. it was good to know that they could consume more than meat if necessary. "ah, look," she told zulema, exposing a cold, dirt-stained acorn in the small hole she had dug.

Zulema's brows furrowed. Acorns? She listened quietly nonetheless, but decided to herself that she preferred meat to whatever her mother was digging for.

❝Can I try it?❞ She glanced at her mother for a brief moment before sniffing at the acorn.

She wondered why they would eat such a small thing that they had to scour the ground for. Maybe it tasted good? Zulema couldn't yet understand Tamar's reasoning for trying this new thing, but with time she would.

tamar began to nod.

and then she paused.

"the tops here, they can make your belly sick." she reached in to take the acorn, using her side-teeth to chip off its little cap.

"try it now. bite with your back teeth, not your front."

She listened and watched intently, before nodding with a smile.

❝Gotcha, back teeth.❞ The girl mumbled mainly to herself, but she was more than happy to try this new thing, though she did not know if she would like it.

It smelled like dirt and she decided she still preferred meat in that moment. Regardless of this, she still went to bite on the acorn, the bitter and gritty flavor making her cringe. Zulema pulled her head up, continuing to chew with a grimace on her face before swallowing and looking to her mother with a quirked brow.

she laughed.

zulema's face was a study! "sometimes there is no prey to be found. it is good to know that we have other things to eat, even if they do not taste good."

her eyes glowed. "zulema. what do you think of — more sisters and brothers, next year?"

Zulema fought a groan as her mother explained this may be something she'd have to eat regularly. Her immediate thought was to tell her mother how'd she'd become such a good hunter that she wouldn't have to eat acorns, but Tamar continued to speak.

❝More?❞ Zulema's ears perked.

She was rather fond of her siblings, as odd as that could be. They got along well.

❝I guess that could be cool.❞ She responded shortly after a moment of silence while sitting down and looking to her mother.

tamar smiled widely.

"remember how i told you and antigone about the circle of seasons? well, when it is warm and the flowers come back, i think you will have new sisters and brothers."

family, renewed. she was joyed for that time to arrive.

Zulema remembered, staring at her mother in silence until something else came to mind.

❝I'd like that.❞ She gave a short answer, her tail stirring the ground under her with a small wag.

The sun would be back, and even more siblings. It was then Zulema had really understood her mother's description of a circle. The leaves would grow, then fall, and the snow would come shortly after. Each change bringing more with it. She would still continue to ask what would follow after each new thing, wanting to understand why things happened, but it was this moment where Tamar's words seemed clear.

shall we fade these older ones for a new thread? :D

tamar smiled brightly.

"you will be a very good big sister," she declared to zulema.

"now. show me your favorite tree in all of epoch," she urged, hoping to inspire the other's safer wandering.

of course! thank you for the lovely thread <3

Her chest swelled with pride at her mother's praise. The girl looked at her mother for a moment longer, a warm smile on her face, before the opportunity to walk the vale with registered in her mind. Zulema's tail stirred again faster, before she sprung up.

❝The spring is pretty right now, especially the trees.❞ She rambled while pulling herself up.

Turning around after a few steps in the direction of the spring she gazed back at her mother expectantly, excited to show her as if the golden furred woman had not seen the spring in winter time. Zulema was struck by the way the spring had changed with winter, everything a pleasant white. The way the snow and ice clung to the descending branches offered a wonderful feeling whenever she walked beneath them. While her mind was picturing the spring, the thought of what came in the following months did not leave.