Under the Moonlight

15

As the girl traveled through the harsh conditions of the winter climate, she began to observe that the snow was melting with time.

While walking throughout, she noticed a lone wildflower with a butterfly on top amidst the deep woodland, with snow remnants on the ground; much to her curiosity, she went to take a look at it.

"You look small," the girl said to the butterfly, "But you seem pretty!"

The butterfly had stopped sipping nectar to respond to the girl's boisterous comment.

"That's because I'm a butterfly," the butterfly remarked with pride.

"Oh! You're what the bellflower had mentioned,"  the girl replied in awe.

"What bellflower?" the nosy butterfly asked as it looked left and right, "where can I find it?"

"It's too far from here, I'm afraid." the girl replied with dismay.

The butterfly was disappointed, so it proceeded to take nectar once again from the flower.

"But the bellflower had their butterflies as well, perhaps, that's how it works? The butterflies stay true to their flowers?" the girl replied with certainty as she took a closer look at the butterfly.

"You're right," the butterfly said as it detached its tongue (they call it the 'proboscis') from the nectar, "flowers and butterflies both benefit from one another; they provide nectar, and I pollinate them!"

The girl breathed a sigh of relief as she was comforted by the butterfly's regard for her bellflower's well-being; the butterfly meanwhile continued to mind its own business, drinking the nectar.

"I see." the girl sat down beside the butterfly.

"What business do you have with the butterflies and the flowers anyway?" the butterfly brought the conversation again, curious about the girl's questions in the first place.

"I had a friend, a bellflower," she said, "the bellflower was rather timid and had told me we are not for each other, and so she mentioned how butterflies and bees alike are meant for flowers."

"Oh, is that so?" the butterfly replied, "I find you two quite odd."

"The bellflower finds us quite odd as well," the girl chuckled.

"That's funny!" the butterfly replied in amusement.

The girl then proceeded to sit down in front of the butterfly and the lone flower.

"What is with butterflies being small?"

"Because the food that we need is just as small as us, if we were to be bigger like you, then the whole world would comprise of nothing but flowers!" the butterfly replied in a frenzy of joy.

"I see, but of all that I've encountered, you seem to be fine with someone like me," said the girl, full of enthusiasm.

"Why? Do you find it rather peculiar?" said the butterfly in bewilderment.

"Yes, I do quite find it bizarre." the girl added, "for someone so small, you don't seem to be afraid of me."

The butterfly quickly comprehended what the girl meant and swiftly came up with a reason to respond to her interest.

"It's because, in the animal kingdom, the larger the creature is, the slower it becomes, the smaller one is, the faster they are; as for me, I'm a butterfly, and I can easily fly through the sharp claws a bobcat had to swing, and I can easily avoid a bear bite as well, but I find danger in things my own size; all animals have their own battles, and that's just how it is."