Whitefish River such fleeting beauty

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Oh how tragic it was, the see the life drain from the beautiful petals of something the child loved. How sad it was to see them wilt and diminish, soon they would all be gone. The child knew plucking them shortened their life, she had seen her mother taking those that she gifted her weeks prior to the river. It was to male room for new ones but it did not make the little girl less sad that her flowers never seemed to last.

The child stared at a few strands of stubborn lavender, calmed and soothed by a scent she could hardly smell. Their gentle color meant royalty, something of elegance. Their meaning perfectly clear. Silence and serenity, devotion and calm, grace and purity. She would simply stare at the dying flowers all day, they were beauty, they were her most treasured thing.

The healer came upon the little girl as she was making her way back to her own children. She was hunched over some wilted lavender, her despair apparent to the Chamberlain. Speedy slowed to a stop and altered her direction, trotting over to the sad pup. She wondered what could be wrong and wanted more than anything to help make her feel better about whatever was bothering her. 

Speedy took a seat next to the girl. Sweetie, what's wrong? She looked down at the lavender, its muted scent wafting up as she inhaled—she loved the smell of lavender, but she could not enjoy it right now, not while the young pup seemed so sad.

Couldn't help myself! <3

Perhaps she hadn't been aware, but Malila had been following her mother at a distance. More and more, her curiosity grew. She yearned to know where it was she went each day and what she did. And why so often, she came back smelling of fresh dirt and blossoms. The scent had an effect on her, pulling at her with a desire even stronger than that of meat.

A ways ahead, her mother had stopped by a lone figure. Another child, darker than either of them. She recognized Shiloh only by sight and scent. Approaching her mother and the other flower maiden to be, her ears fell in dismay at seeing the girl looking so upset. Having little care for the personal space of others, Malila eased in and gently nudged her cheek with a whine. Then her bi-colored eyes saw them. The wilted lavender. Her gaze widened with shock. "Oh no...this is...awful." A pleading look to her mama, as if she could somehow fix this tragedy.

The monotone child watched the gentle sway of the wilted flower, it's pretty color darkening with death. She had not noticed the other approach but she did give a slight sound of surpirse when a voice came to ask her what was wrong.  Her spring green eyes widdened when she saw the woman or milk chocolate but she relaxed at the touch of the girl she knew as Malila, she leaned into the affection before she nodded to her dismay. It seemed the girl understood more of her woes than her mother, her eyes holding back tears for the dying plant.

"It's dying.. I," she gave a soft hiccup sound as she had to breath from her mouth more sure the messed up nostrils. "I don't want it to die." Her eyes watered as she leaned her side into the girl of cream and coffee,  why did it have to die?

Her daughter joined them, apparently having followed her on her trip from the den. Malila was curious, she knew, and she never really scolded her for venturing out as long as she remained close and didn't leave the borders. Speedy was glad she had such a need to know the world around her. 

She couldn't exactly tell if they already knew each other—Malila was friendly and affection by nature and seemed to want to help others as much as the healer did. A future healer in the making most likely, which warmed Speedy's heart. 

She watched the two girls fret over the wilted plant and realized what the problem was when Shiloh spoke again. She brushed her chin over the child's head to comfort her. I'm sorry, sweetie, she said gently. That's what happens to all flowers eventually, the healer explained. More will grow in the spring, she promised. But these still have a job to do. Wilted didn't mean they weren't useful anymore. We can hang them to dry and use them to help someone. Maybe that would lift the girls' spirits.