Crystals

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he family garden looked sparse this time of year, but Willow continued to visit dutifully each day, even as the daylight grew shorter and winter was almost there. She could feel it in the air with each day just a little less warm and cozy than the previous one. The plants had wilted, but they would return with the spring. The bare branches of the surrounding reached for the gray skies like boney fingers, and the soft gusts of wind that blew were very cold that day.

She liked to visit the garden early in the morning, just like all the songbirds who warbled their ancient tunes at dawn. A tiny speck, easily mistaken to be a bug to a less watchful eye, flittered before her wondering view. This first flake was followed by another. She gasped at the sight of it, though the bits were so small, they had melted before they could even touch the earth. But Willow was enraptured: ”Snow?” It was snow… barely, but after one landed on the tip of her ebony nose and she saw it melting from up close, she was certain.

”Snow! Mama, it’s snowing!” The young girl hurried back over the worn path that connected the garden and their home, tongue lolling out of her mouth in her excitement to deliver this news. ”First snow! And it’s snowing sooo much, Mama!” Her head darted back toward the open space, where a light dusting of snow was beginning to stick to the ground, hoping that all of her noise would rouse Nephele’s attention and draw her out into the wintry morning. After all, the first snow of the season was a very important thing, as far as Willow was concerned. She just had to share it with her mother.

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Nephele Fritz

The excited yipping and racing around of her daughter roused Nephele from her slumber. She didn’t know how early it was yet, but Willow was so excitable that it could still be dawn and she would be ready to start the day. She shook out her mussed up bed fur, jaws parting to let out a squeaky yawn as she stepped outside to answer her daughter’s summons. The frosty flakes settled on her ears and soft features and she realised why Willow was so ecstatic. It was snowing! Nephele was suddenly vibrant and full of the same infectious energy that had filled her child. Maybe taking the day off for a ‘snow day’ wouldn’t be a bad idea.

”Oh! This is wonderful!” she exclaimed, settling her tiny form besides Willow, jaws parting in a big grin. It wasn’t wonderful for their garden and they would have to work extra hard to keep the hardier herbs alive when the snow settled. It was a small price to pay to share such a magical experience with her pup. She remembered her first experience with the snow, her being around the same age as Willow at the time, she had been frightened of it at first. It seemed so silly now, but her brother had insistently nudged her until she stepped out into the cold mushy wetness on the ground. It was one of the few times when she didn’t fear for her life and truly enjoyed herself despite her reluctance at first. Callister had shown her how to make little balls of it with her paws and make shapes in the snow.

Nephele held out her tongue, waiting for a snowflake to settle upon the tip. She felt the cold quickly melting in the warmth of her mouth and laughed. ”Catch them, Willow!” she encouraged her daughter, rear end wiggling playfully.

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aturally, Mama’s enthusiasm only made the occasion all the more fun and memorable. The tiny flakes that landed upon her mother’s beautiful facade produced a giggle from Willow, as it stood out in such stark contrast to the elder she-wolf’s dark mask. ”Snow is the best,” she chirped her declaration. She would, perhaps, feel quite differently when the true depths of winter were upon them. The pup tried to catch the flakes on her tongue, really, she tried her best… but no amount of maneuvering her head erratically seemed to help, and she watched her mother tasting the snow, even though she couldn’t even see them! Willow made a thoughtful hmm sound. ”I’m trying! They are very tricky, but you’re good at this, Mama.”

As the small wolfess settled beside the pup, the girl instinctively leaned closer to Nephele to place the side of her head against Nephele’s small chest. Thump thump, thump thump. The gentle rhythm of her mother’s heart was soothing, producing a feeling of peacefulness and a big smile on her muzzle, just as it had been when she was much littler. The gentle movement of breathing in, breathing out. It reminded her of being just a tiny pup, which felt like a long time ago to someone so young. Being close was especially cozy as the weather seemed to grow even colder as the snowflakes began to fall more swiftly. "Oh, it's -- I'm pretty sure it's a blizzard out here!" It was nowhere near a blizzard, but her young mind knew no better. She peered upward to see that her mother was alright.

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

Nephele Fritz

The giddiness of her pup made the mother hum with vibrant energy, lips stretching out into a broad smile. There was nothing sweeter than hearing the sound of her child’s joyful giggles and she couldn’t help joining in with her own. Warmth spread like wings of love in her chest and Nephele felt truly blessed to call Willow, Luca and Anthe her own. Each day was full of smiles, laughter and lots of love. Like she had told Kylar there was nothing more she could wish for. Her ears stood erect as she listened to Willow chattering happily as she tried to catch the flakes. She didn’t need to see her daughter to feel amused by the sound of her struggles. “You’re moving too much,” she laughed, planting a kiss on Willow’s fluffy cheek when she settled beside her.

She felt the tickle of an ear against her chest and then the warmth of a cheek against her breast. The tiny pup she had held close to her chest and cradled within her arms was becoming a woman. She could feel the broadness of her shoulder with her nose and how long her legs were when they brushed against her side. Already Willow was much taller than her tiny mother, perhaps closer to Kylar in size, but without standing beside them with a paw to feel the differences she could not say. “If you stand still and stick your tongue out. They’ll settle on it,” she explained, teaching her daughter the ultimate trick to catching snowflakes. Still chasing them was much more fun, she imagined, to an energetic pup like Willow.

“Is it covering the ground?” she asked when Willow informed her that soft snowfall was becoming a blizzard. The wind and the falling snow didn’t feel too strong to Nephele, but she trusted her daughter's eyes.

@Willow

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ollowing her mother’s instructions, Willow’s wild wiggling ceased as she rest against her mother, jade eyes crossing as she tried to watch the snow land on her outstretched tongue. Within seconds, Nephele’s method proved quite successful, earning a burst of laughter from the child. ”Yeah, it worked! Mama, you’re so smart.”


For a moment, Willow is quiet in her contemplation for this brand new experience. It was magic to her young mind, the way the seasons turned, and each one that came was good for its own reason. She knew her mother had never seen such a sight, one that Willow found so immersive and lovely and strange, and her smile faltered. If only Mama could see it, too. But, by now the pup was old enough to know that no miracle would return the eyesight of her Mama. And so, Willow did the next best thing. She would try to describe what she saw. Her lips pursed pensively.


Her voice was gentle as a lullaby when again she spoke aloud: ”I can still see a wee bit of the garden and the earth, but it’s going fast! It’s… well, the snow looks kinda like it feels. Cold and almost like looking at nothing. Except, Mama, it’s very lovely, even though it looks so blank. The whole garden is covered in it now! It looks just like a blanket over everything. And the trees, they look different, too.” She paused, pulling back to observe her mother’s delicate two-toned features, hoping her words helped to paint a picture within a mind who had never been able to lay eyes upon the nature she lived for. By now, the two wolves were nearly covered in snow themselves, procuring another round of giggles from Willow. "We're turning into snow wolves now!"


@Nephele

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

Nephele Fritz

It delighted her to hear Willow enjoying the snow. There was something so pure and precious about experiencing winter for the first or second time with someone. Nephele’s experience with snow was almost as limited since her first few years had been spent secluded with her family that rarely let their prized sacrifices out of their sight. The one time she had managed to sneak off and play in the snow with Callister they had been punished. It was one of her few good memories of her childhood, but it was still tainted by trauma. She was determined to be the best mother she could to Willow and her siblings so that they would never have to suffer.

”How many did you catch? Nephele asked, a fond smile lighting up her features. Her excitable nature was catching and Nephele found herself wanting to frolic and play in the snow like the pup she had never had a chance to be. It was the cutest thing she’d ever heard when Willow tried her best to describe the snow to her. Her child was truly growing to be such a kind and thoughtful girl. She and Kylar had done a wonderful job.

”Did you know you can roll snow into little balls. Maybe we can make real mini snow wolves,” she suggested, nudging at the powdery covering with her nose. She pulled her head back and gave it a good shake at the sudden cold that pierced her snout.

@Willow

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here was a certain feeling that Willow felt deep down that was hard to describe when she experienced something brand new. Perhaps that was why she was prone to wandering, especially now that she had gotten a bit older, had gained a little more independence in how far she could go. She loved the excitement of discovery. While her restless paws threatened to take the girl further away from home as she continued to mature, there was nothing quite like being home.


At her mother’s inquiry, Willow attempted to tally up the numbers in her head. ”Oh, I caught at least a hundred snowflakes! I’m pretty sure…” Then again, it was rather hard to count when there were so many. Glancing over at her dual-colored mother and seeing the kindly smile upon her face made for a picture-perfect memory that Willow would hold dear for the rest of her days, and a happy sigh escaped as she soaked in every single detail. There was just one thing missing, and the thought inspired a little pout on her muzzle. ”I wish Mom was here, too. And Luca, and Anthe.”


”Did you know you can roll snow into little balls. Maybe we can make real mini snow wolves.” This suggestion was met with the curious tilt of her head. She pressed her snout into the snow in an attempt to imitate Nephele, only to get a nose and mouth full of snow that, despite being so cold, stung like when she got too close to a roasting fire. ”Oh! I think I did that wrong, Mama.”


She snorted and spat but the feeling of the cold lingered. ”I have an idea. What iffff…” She was grinning, and her glee translated in the enthusiasm of her words. ”What if we wait until Mom and Anthe and Luca are all here, so we can all build a snow wolf! We can -- we can make ones that look like this.” She added, thoughtfully, ”And I can help you with yours. It’ll be the most prettiest snow wolf of them all!”


@Nephele

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

Nephele Fritz

Mother and daughter were gradually becoming peppered with snowflakes. White flecks slowly melted into a plush pelt of black and white, nose twitching when one landed on the tip. Nephele could only experience the wonder of winter through her remaining four senses, but it was enough to hear the joy that it brought her little Willow and to be a part of that magical experience. She laughed warmly when Willow enthusiastically explained that she had caught at least one hundred. ”That’s amazing, Willow. You’re an expert snow catcher,” she told her, lips bearing a fond smile.

”Don’t worry. The snow will stay for at least three months, maybe longer. We can show them how much fun it is,” she promised her, recalling the previous winter’s length. It had stuck around long enough to hinder their gardening efforts and they soon wished for spring to come early.

She listened to her child’s suggestion and nodded in agreement. Perhaps it would be better to make snow wolves with everyone. A small part of her was a little disappointed, but she showed no hint of it. ”Of course. Is there something else you want to do?” Nephele asked, happy to do whatever Willow wanted. She had enough free time to spare to have some fun.

@Willow

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he wolfess had complimented the child’s obvious talent for catching snowflakes, and Willow beamed, though she added humbly, ”Only because I learned from you, Mama. Otherwise, I just looked like a weirdo, with no snow caught at all!” Now, it would be fun to watch her brother and sister learn the same lesson, and she laughed aloud.


Nephele offered her daughter reassurance that the snow would remain present, but this information seemed to surprise Willow. ”Three whole months? That will be a lot of snow.” A frown tugged at the corners of her dark lips at this thought… of course, it made sense, since all the seasons rotated in that pattern.


But while the snow was indeed very beautiful, it was also… well, very cold. Through her heavy coat, Willow was beginning to feel the chill of the snowfall, and she shivered as she looked over again to Nephele with concern in her attentive eyes. ”Mama, are you cold? We can go in now, if you want.” It was her way of hinting that, really, Willow had had enough, at least for now.


Ultimately, Willow would deem herself more of a summer-y kind of wolfess, not one destined to love the cold and the snow. But she had no fear because she knew she would be safe from anything that would come with the frigid season. That was what families were for.


Willow was on her paws again, leaning down to assist her mother in rising, should she desire the help. She knew Mama was quite capable on her own, but still felt compelled to aid the wolfess where she could.



/exit



@Nephele

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

Nephele Fritz

Her daughter insisted that it was only because of Nephele’s assistance that she had been able to catch so many snowflakes, but the smaller wolf only shook her head. ”Nonsense. You’re a natural snowflake hunter,” the mother praised her child, beaming brightly at her. She could only imagine the enthusiasm and passion that Willow would apply to her lessons if she decided to join the college like her mothers. Nephele had no doubt that her charming child would be a talented student, one of the brightest minds in her class. Her faith in all of her children was unshakable. They were all the most wonderful, amazing and delightful children to ever exist. She was grateful everyday that they had found them and taken them into their family.

”More snow than you can catch,” she giggled, thinking of Willow trying to get all of the flakes before they landed. It was a game she doubted Willow would tire of anytime soon and she was content to listen to her play. Her head lifted when her child asked if she was cold. She was about to protest that she could stay out and play if she wished, but then she realised that since she was cold Willow would be cold too. It was better to get her inside and warm her up before she caught a cold. ”Shake off your fur before we go back in,” she reminded her daughter, knowing that the snow would wet their floor if they didn’t.

exit

@Willow

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