the secret garden

Random Prompt: A circle of mushrooms is within an open field. Its unusual presence brings a stillness; the closer you get to it, the area seems to grow quieter.

All welcome!

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 The world still seemed new. She still felt new. Yet the growth that had happened between then and now was more familiar. She moved with an intentional featherlight gait as she roamed Shiroshika. The first light of day now served as a cue to the girl. A sign to depart wherever she slept to emerge beyond in exploration, in tasks.

 Each day she sought to learn something new, to find a thing and make sense of it.

 Today it was a ring of capped things. The world was hushed around them, the land undisturbed. Which told her that someone had not placed these intentionally, surely. Yet how had they come to be? Why did the world seem content to leave these soft capped things be?

 Softly she lowered herself to her belly, staying on the outside of the circle, examining them.

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After taking into account the ones they were missing and the ones who remained, Reiko could take a moment to ease on her duties and be thankful for the ones who have not been whisked away. Still, she wished them well and that it was nothing ominous has happened, perhaps they had found their way back home and that is what kept the Empress from going mad at the missing Shiroshikans.

Catching a glimpse of her youngest daughter, she approached with graceful silence. Announcing her presence with a soft hum on her lips as Vienne lowered herself to look at the mushrooms placed in a circle before her. My dear, have you spotted any fairies? Her own soft voice but a hush as she approached, lowering herself to the snowy grounds next to her daughter while eyeing the mushrooms as well.

What did Vienne see with a youthful stare that Reiko could not? She waited excitedly with her tail brushing against the ground behind them anticipating what might be shared.

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 She did not understand!

 Yet the soft voice of her thoughtful mother was a balm to this confusion. Fairies. Had they done this? Collected the mushrooms and delicately placed them in a circle? Was it them who guarded this odd formation and kept the peace of nature here?

 “Nothing. No fairies, no bugs.” Her voice was soft, careful as if speaking too loud might ruin the whole thing! There was a desire to test the capped plants with her mouth, but she knew better than that. So she reached with a delicate claw and found the surface was rather soft. Easily it gave to her nail, but she did not seek to damage it!

 “I don't think this is natural, mama. Did they do this?”

 Still she remained on the outside of the ring as her gaze turned towards her mother.

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So sorry for the wait! I’m hoping to be more regularly active from now on :)

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“Give it time. Sometimes they are too shy to appear.” She could remember the stories her own mother would tell her. Not about the fairy circles - such things didn't grow in their home lands, but these were newer tales that the Empress had taken up during her travels before settling down in the Empire, and eventually, here in Tsukiishi.

“Fairies are tricky little things, but they say that these circles are for those who wish to dance with them.” There were other explanations too of course that came with it, but they were no fun for someone so young to enjoy. When life was still full of magic and bliss.

“Perhaps it’s here to welcome you to dance with them?” With a soft nudge the youth’s mother invited her to enter the circle as she did. Carefully lifting her paws and minding where her toes would touch as to not crush the delicate fungi; only once in the middle of the circle did she turn to smile at her youngest daughter to join her within.

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always take as much time as you need <33

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Dance?

It was hidden beneath pale and sooty cheeks, but she blushed. Vienne had not danced much, especially not now, with a ganglier form. Legs that she still tried to balance perfectly upon. Yet it felt impossible to decline the offer from either mother or fairy.

Delicately she followed her mother's footsteps into the ring.

Her voice still soft and this time it was like a glass rimmed with nervousness. Fragile and careful.

“Do you...do you think they'll teach me how to dance?”

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You’re the best ;w;

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Her daughter’s uncertainty was palpable. The girl listened and posed questions that were natural for this moment. It made the mother smile. To think that they could be introduced to magic and wonder was a blessing, especially now that they would bathe in the splendor without worrying about the evils beyond their borders that once roamed before their birth.

“If you are willing to listen, they are always willing to teach.” Taking a seat next to her daughter, Reiko closed her eyes and kept her ears up. Knowing they would hear nothing but let her daughter decide what to do in the silence that followed. Pausing long enough for Vienne to question the stillness.

“Do not listen with your ears dear daughter, but open your heart and they will speak through you.” That in itself was no lie as far as the Empress was concerned. Dancing, art, and speaking with the world around you doesn’t always require words but an open heart and willingness to listen and learn. “Can you hear them now?”

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Always.

At once she wondered what other things they might teach. Perhaps they knew more about the streams and the skies than Vienne did. How fun it might to learn from summoned fairies! Of course, she could always ask those who always walked among her, but there was knowledge in different perspectives. That much she knew.

She spoke no more and tried to look inward. At her heart and her muses, tried to coax them to the surface for the fairies to see too!

Gently she swayed and slowly she began to hum*. She did not feel the most coordinated, but with her eyes closed it was easier to not focus upon it. She only focused on making sure that each paw stepped delicately upon the earth, in tune with the soft hum she carried on.

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* - only the melody, she isn't suddenly speaking a new language LOL

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No answer came. Instead the mother ice icelings heard a tune hummed by her daughter and the sight and sound uplifted the woman’s spirit more than she could have ever expected.

After such a long and arduous time in these new lands, this, this peace, listening to her daughter hum a melody of her own as well as open her heart to the world around her and begin to follow the steps that spoke to her - made it all worth it. All the strife. All for this moment and many more to come.

Not wanting Vienne to dance alone, Reiko studied her movements. Trying to find a pattern and slowly join in. Letting their shoulders touch and move as one as snow blown by the breeze in a delicate waltz upon the icy grounds. It was easy to follow Vienne’s lead with the music she hummed, getting lost in the moment and not interrupting by speaking any further.

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She was emboldened by the way her mother joined in, even if Vienne did not see it. She felt it. Emotionally, physically.

Their shoulders softly grazed like ballroom dancing. A queen and a princess who sought to learn each thing from her.

It was good they were both small. No mushrooms might be trampled and no fairies would be insulted by it. She felt feather light in this dance though. Enough so that she liked to imagine that the fairies did teach her in silent ways. Maybe they had given her wings and she would keep each step so light as long her eyes stayed closed.

Her humming raised a bit louder with the small blossoms of confidence she felt.

“I think I feel them, do you?” The question breathed out to her mother before she carried on with her song and dance.

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Lost in bliss - Reiko soaked in the moment as much as she could. Like a sponge left out in the desert finally getting that taste of rain and greedily absorbing as much as it could. The stage was perfect for their minuscule bodies and tender footing. There were no pixies in sight but mother and daughter made up for it with their etherial steps.

“Mhm~” She hummed back in response.

“Once your heart is open, it will never close. Listen to them and let them guide you from here on.” Only breaking her stride next to Vienne for a quick little kiss on the child's cheek. She was a proud mother indeed. “Their voices may be muffled some days, but the fairies will always be here now for you when you need them.” Of course it wasn't literally, but Vienne was smart enough to figure that out one day on her own.

Her mother had faith after all. That just because she was raised with childish wonder and magic, that there was truth behind the tales. They may not be literal, but helpful one day should the Empress not be around to lend assistance with her own guidance.

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might be near a fade?

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Her mother spoke and Vienne softly wrapped her little humming song. Legs tired from the unpracticed use of dancing.

Yet even with the soft tiredness that clung to her, she did not feel exhausted. The opposite, truthfully. She felt rejuvenated by the story of the fairies, the song she sung, the dance she had done with her mother.

So now she laid down in the middle of the fairy ring. She did not voice how comfortable it felt here, as if the mushrooms truly did make a wall against the outside world, but perhaps it was evident in how calm she was.

“I promise,” She spoke with soft breaths and whimsy. “I'll always listen for them and let them guide me. Always.”

The natural world tied in with magic was not so scary a thought.

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Yes! I think its a perfect place to fade :>

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There was a little sadness that came as Vienne wrapped up her song and so did the dance between mother and daughter come to a close as well. It made sense. Vienne was still young, this was a different movement than what she was accustomed to. Hopefully the princess enjoyed it enough that she would continue to practice and show off her new talents to the rest of the pack one day!

Vienne took a spot in the middle of the circle to rest, while her mother took a moment to lick the top of her head affectionately. “And I trust the fairies will will take care of you.” She smiled all the while taking a quick look around at the circle of mushrooms around them. Knowing there was no real fairies but still enjoying picturing the little winged creatures around the mother and daughter participating in some way.

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done!

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