She found it rather impressive that little Maude was capable of such a complicated line of thought already. Clearly there was real intelligence hiding behind that beautiful face of hers, a bright and eager mind that would one day bless the herd. Erthë quietly prayed that this child should be spared from sadness and sorrow for as long as possible; it would be so sad to see her generous trusting nature alter and change. Kids like this one - like herself - should never have to think about anything but fun and games and learning, fulfilling their dreams and growing strong. Erthë smiled down at the golden doll as she happily ducked in beneath the wing, but there was a shadow of grief in her eyes as she regarded the girl.

If only there was a way to grow strong without having to face dangers and feeling your beliefs tremble and waver. Darkness could be so terrifying, it was difficult sometimes to remember that it was a necessary evil, needed in order for light to grow brighter and distinguish itself. Like the night envelops the stars, separating one from the other and turning each unique and beautiful - what would they be, if not for the shadows? Merely blinded by their own shared radiance, lost and directionless.

But perhaps this child would not have to experience grief just yet, the young Sage thought, without knowing that sadness already had sought out the young fawn and invaded the perfect utopia of joy.

"I'm always cold" Erthë said with a smile and reached in to tickle the filly's ears with pink lips that looked flush as a sun-warm rose but held the same deadly chill as the winter around them, colder even than the falling snow. "I find this temperature much more to my liking than the warmth of other seasons. I thought I would really melt this past Tallsun, it was terrible how hot it was."

Frostfall was a period of respite for the young snowflake, a time of relaxation and ease that was all too precious. Perhaps one day she would grow accustomed to the warmth of the other three seasons, but right now she dreaded the coming spring,  nightmares of burning suns and melting ice haunting her sleep until wandering the snow-covered landscape brought more rest and solace than any fitful slumber.

"Helping out is great, but you don't have to do everything like the grownups do yet. You are still a foal, Maude, and that means you have other things you need to work on instead. Like exploring the world around you, growing up strong and dream big dreams. When the rest of us grow old we are going to need you to make sure we stay healthy and comfortable, and how can you do that if you wear yourself out already?"

She was probably preaching to deaf ears, but Erthë thought it might be worth a shot to at least try saying it. If they were half as similar as she thought, this girl too would grow up to work harder than she played. Erthë had not had anyone to tell her when it was time to quit and go do something else; she had trailed after the leaders and the Seer hellbent on being of use to them, and in many ways she still was. In doing so however she had lost many a precious thing that only foals possessed, lost out on so many sights and experiences... Not to mention that she had grown up much too quickly, innocence gone by the time she saw her first summer.

"I do, I love learning more than anything else" she said, nodding her emphasis to this question. "I collect stories, you see, histories from a long time ago and from yesterday too. I want to know all there is to know; about people and plants, about the past and the world we live in, and about the gods too, their purpose and powers and why they do what they do."

A light began to glitter in her pale eyes as Erthë thought of these things, her smile widening in enthusiasm.

"Do you know any stories, Maude? It can be about anything at all, as long as you find it interesting! Would you tell me one?"

Erthë

and my knees are shaking - - and my dreams are breaking - - but i know i live today