first frost

Indigo said that his heart hurt, then went on to explain why. Io was relieved that it was nothing serious, but her own heart hurt at his words. He didn't understand the life cycle of plants yet. Pulling him close as he cried into her fur, the little woman hushed him and kissed the top of his head. "Oh, my sweet boy..." Gods did she love this child. To her, he was perfect in every way. His total and complete heartbreak over the falling of leaves just hammered that fact home.

Holding the purple child back at arms length, the woman looked into his bright blue eyes. "Come with me. Let me show you something." With a smile and a pat, she motioned for Indy to follow. She took him out into her own garden. There, many plants were already crumbling beneath the chill of autumn. "Some plants have to be replanted every year. These are called Annual plants. Perennials come back every year." She took him to the place where her Hibiscus plants should have been. They were gone. In their place were several empty holes. "We have hardy hibiscus plants. They will live through the winter, we just have to bring them inside."

Other plants in the garden were clipped short, their leaves and branches missing. "Some of them have a tough time in the winter. So, before the big frosts start coming, we'll wrap them in hides and protect them from the snow." Turning to the child, she nuzzled between his ears. "So there's no reason to cry. Plants live and die. Some live again. That's just the way of things. Some die, get absorbed into the soil, then help the next generation of plants grow." She offered him a smile. "No reason to be sad, darling. We'll get your garden squared away just like mine."