Into The Woods

Buttons loved all the seasons. Even autumn. True, everything was dying, but it was doing it in such a pretty manner. The leaves were full of color, and Buttons wanted to enjoy it. Soon the branches would be completely bare, and not long after covered in lovely white snow.

The colors would not last long. A few days, maybe, and then there would be less and less variance. In order to enjoy it, Buttons had bundled up in a cloak against the chill, and settled beneath one of her favorite trees. Just sitting. Listening. Admiring.

It also meant, that for the short amount of time she sat here, she didn't have to think. The tree she was under was old, but it was large and solid. There were no clouds, no storms on the horizon. She could monitor the sun, and get home well before dark. In short, for a few brief moments, she had nothing to worry about, and nothing to fear.

A squirrel, probably gathering what it could before the real cold settled in, passed by not far from her. Buttons smiled, enjoying the carefree existence. Then she realized the work the squirrel would need to go through in order to survive the winter, and she felt a little more awe and respect for the little creature. For herself, she was all set, and grateful for it. She sighed as she saw the squirrel run up a nearby tree to its nest.

Maybe she should help? She could gather some nuts and seeds and pile them beneath the squirrel's home. There was always a chance a different creature would come along before the squirrel could gather the gifts, but Buttons realized that if it were the case, she would still have helped an animal.

With determination, Buttons got to her feet. She grabbed a stray branch and began to use it to brush away the leaves that had already fallen, searching with a keen eye.

It was snowing.

Rowan didn't necessarily hate snow. It was a fact of life, of nature, and something that could be counted on happening during the colder months. Besides, she knew from talking to her farmer neighbors that a winter with a decent amount of snow meant that the soil had a nice base for crops come spring. Which would mean a better harvest later in the year and less of a chance that the local people would starve the following winter. So she understood snow and its necessity.

However, she didn't particularly love it either. Even given the unfortunate affair involving the wolf, her mother still seemed to think it was appropriate to send her on errands on her own. Rowan didn't mind that so much, it got her out of the house and into the fresh air -and there was something incredibly crisp and clean about winter air. ( There was also something peaceful about the crunching of the snow under the soles of her boots and the overall quiet around her. )