Post by Ree on Jul 4, 2020 11:12:35 GMT -6
Liva
The world beyond the tree was indeed peaceful and quiet. Her head had cleared almost as soon as she’d left the crowd that was her sprout. She’d been alone as far as she could tell, not that she bothered to check and see if she’d been followed. That was fine, though. The quiet gave her time to think, and she spent that time figuring out what she could about herself.
Her name – Liva. Like “life”, which she was clearly better at than everyone. Someday, she’d prove that.
Food and water were things she needed. She could go without food for maybe half a day before her insides nagged at her. Water was more vital and it seemed like she was always thirsty. Unfortunately, the path she’d chosen hadn’t led her to many watering holes. She found enough, though, and just made sure to drink as much as she could while she could before moving on.
Shelter – she at least needed a place to escape the cold, especially at night. Ideally, she'd find a good home to settle in, though she hadn't found one yet. She’d managed to make do with nestling close to tree roots, but she’d need to figure out something else tonight. The root she’d walked near retreated underground not far from last night’s nesting place.
Maybe some of these crystals would be a good shelter? She headed for the nearest, but when she reached it she discovered that it was at least as cold as the ground beneath her feet.
Of course it couldn’t be that easy. She continued walking, ignoring the numbing sensation that pricked at her toes. She was no stranger to the feeling, by this point, and she knew how long she could let it linger before she’d have to lay on her legs to warm them back up again. She hoped to find a food source before that had to happen. It seemed that the farther she went from the tree, the scarcer the plantlife around her.
Maybe she should turn back while she still knew the way to the tree. She could pick a different direction and see if she had better luck. But what if her ideal home was just beyond the wastes? It would nag at her if she didn’t at least try a little longer. Maybe she’d keep going until bedtime, and turn back if she didn’t find a suitable place to settle.
She passed a cluster of ice crystals and was nearing another when she noticed the ground sloping downward at her feet. The snow at the bottom seemed thinner, with clusters of…something growing through it. She hopped down to investigate, wincing at the sting of her landing. The little cliff she’d been on had been a bit taller than she thought, apparently. A little over her head in height.
After briefly checking that she wasn’t hurt, she moved under the cliff. There was room enough for maybe three of her to stand here and be protected from a snowfall, and the ground was noticeably warmer and covered with something that smelled delicious. She sat down, nestling her body over her legs and reaching down to take in a beakful of food. So here was shelter and food. This could be a good nesting spot if there’d been a pool nearby. That was fine, though. It was still early and she could walk for ages if she had to. She’d just let herself have this break and move on when her legs were warmed and her belly filled.
