Winter Wildflowers

Chapter 1

Day 1

Ages ago, a place three days ride from the main land sat hidden amongst the dense forest. This was a place where soft streams of light trickled through the trees during Summer and soft, silent snowflakes insulated the village rooves during the Winter. A place laden with the most beautiful wildflowers and squirming with the most curious of creatures. A place where a strong chief, his beloved wife, and their especially beloved daughter Ofelia resided, sleeping in on one especially quiet morning.

Unlike the previous weeks, weeks where everyone in the village had been preparing their Winter stock, clearing the forest, and hunting, Ofelia gently fluttered awake. With her eyes still closed, she sighed into the crisp air. Her parents lay the room across from her, and though they were quiet, Ofelia could still catch the sound of soft whispered words between them. She rested her eyes for only a moment more before fetching her thickest fur and padding out the door to catch the first of the snow. As she neared the entrance, the chilly air brought a smile to her lips. Finally, she thought, curling her fingers around the wooden door until it was open just enough to glance outside. At the first glimpse of it, she softly gasped. Spread across the expanse of the forest in front of her fell an innumerable scatter of sky sand, from the tops of the trees to the burrows below her feet. Everything was white, everything was slow, and everything was silent. She couldn't believe it had been an entire year since she'd last felt the snow on her skin, so she held her hand out and as if they'd been summoned, snowflakes began to rest on her fingertips. She drew her hand back to study them, a harmony of crystals twinkling on her palm. She smiled again and turned to gather her parents.

"Young Ofelia, my daughter, in celebration for this year's first snow, what can I gift you?", Ofelia's father, chief Calhoun asked as Ofelia dragged him around the village. It was still quiet, though the normal rising time had well passed.
Ofelia chuckled and smiled back to her father, "Pa, you know I only long for flowers."
A pleased look graced her father's look before he squeezed her hand, "I'm afraid you will have to wait for spring, my dear daughter,", he caught up to stride beside her, "You well know that the wildflowers are resting now."
Ofelia giggled, "I know Pa...", She glanced away, "That's... why I'll be expecting an even larger gathering this year."
Her father laughed, "Why, of course Ofelia. I only have to please two women in my life, what greater challenge could there be?"
Ofelia laughed but tapped his boot with her own in defiance. Together they strode along the path her father had laid years ago, their boots leaving a trail behind them as they neared the village front. Hand in hand, they enjoyed the scenery together.

"Ofelia, my love, was the snow as beautiful as you had anticipated?", Ofelia's mother Audrey inquired from the entrance to their house, her wild cocoa hair so similar to Ofelia's fluttering around her face.
"Ma!", Ofelia chuckled, releasing her father's hand to briskly near her mother, "Of course, even more so. I'm sure you're especially happy to see its arrival as I will finally be silenced for a few months."
Audrey smiled intently, "That is... Until you miss your beloved wildflowers."
"Oh, don't remind me.", Ofelia sadly laughed, pressing her hand to her chest, "How will I ever survive without my dear wildfl- "
"Oh, hush.", Audrey chuckled, shooing her away.
Ofelia cheekily glanced back to her Pa, seeing him amused also.
"Well, I have prepared us breakfast. No doubt your hands are cold, my love.", Audrey pressed, summoning Ofelia in with a hand on her shoulder, and her chief in with a loving look in her eye.
Ofelia happily hummed her agreeance and walked in with her mother.