[imgleft]http://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/image ... uncert.png[/imgleft]“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Drowned- along with his brother, Seeking a Name -stood under a large fig tree, one of many in what appeared to be an orchard. Both staring at the base of the tree, staring at the tangled roots. Neatly wrapped up in them, half-buried beneath the earth, were the bones of two kin. They knew it was two because, despite having clearly been there for a very long time, the skulls were still completely intact. One, an acha. The other, a totoma.

“I don’t know if I’d call it beautiful. But it is interesting.” Nameless didn’t share the same view of death as his brother did.

“I asked around a bit and there’s a rather poetic legend about these two.

There was a time when Summer and Winter were the only seasons. And rather than the two fluctuating with time, they existed eternally in their own domains. At the edges of the swamp grew a great orchard and at its center stood the oldest fig tree- this fig tree. This was Summer’s domain. Flowers bloomed perpetually in these fields and the branches of these trees were always heavy with fruit. It was in this little grove Summer spent most of her days, frolicking around in the shape of a beautiful acha doe. All of the creatures that flourished in her domain would bask in her warmth as she laughed and played with them all. She especially laughed and played with a very particular totoma.

Because, you see, Summer was infatuated with this totoma. She loved their tough, stoic demeanor that hid a soft and affectionate side. She loved the way they meticulously cared for the plants and animals of her realm. And she loved their soft, warm fur. And the totoma loved her too. They loved her carefree way of living and how she was able to find joy in the smallest of things. They loved the heat she constantly radiated, even if it was a bit too hot at times.

But in contrast to Summer’s domain, Winter’s domain was cold and harsh and lonely. The creatures struggled to survive and spent most of their time hiding from the frigid temperature. There were no colorful blooms or nourishing fruits and it all left Winter feeling bitter and jealous. They wanted what Summer had and thus devised a plan to make it theirs.

They crept into Summer’s domain, leaving a trail of biting cold in their wake. All of the creatures cowered as Winter passed, all except the bold totoma. They stood before Winter as the spirit sought to steal away Summer. But they were just a totoma. They couldn’t hold their own against blistering winds or stinging frosts. And Summer was taken away, into the deepest parts of Winter’s domain. Beaten, but not defeated, the totoma pursued Winter with little regard for what dangers awaited them in this unknown territory. Even if they couldn’t withstand Winter directly, the totoma still had some defense against Winter’s fearsome domain. They had sturdy hooves to cut through the snow. And they had that soft, warm fur that Summer loved so much to ward off the snow.

But without Summer, her domain began to wither. The flowers died, the trees lost their leaves, and the animals went hungry. Cold crept into the once warm and lively realm and left it barren and unforgiving. Even Summer herself, trapped in Winter’s world, felt her life waning. She grew weaker with every day that passed.

And so did the totoma. As built for the cold as they were, there was only so much they could endure. Only so many days they could go without food. But they refused to give up until Summer was safely returned to her home. Their tenacity was rewarded when they finally reached the center of Winter’s domain where Summer was being held captive. Winter, however, was not so willing to give her up, even if she was clearly on the brink of death. They did not want to be alone any more...

The totoma explained to Winter that if they did not let Summer go then all of the plants and animals would die with her, and then they would truly be alone. With great reluctance, Winter conceded to this fact and finally relinquished Summer. She was unresponsive, but the totoma could still feel the warmth of life in her somewhere. They carried her back to her domain, though the journey took its toll on their already weakened body. At the base of the old fig tree, they collapsed, their mission complete.

Returned to her domain, Summer felt life flow back into her and she roused from unconsciousness. But the sight that greeted her was a horrible one. Her beautiful grove was grey and lifeless and her beloved totoma was dying. She was distraught. Much like Winter, she also did not want to exist in this world alone. She had to do something.

On the branches of the old fig tree remained one last fruit. Desperate, Summer knocked the fruit from the tree and nudged it towards the totoma. She poured all of her life, and all of her love, into the fig and begged the totoma to eat it. A single bite was all they could manage. Knowing that she had just sacrificed herself in the hopes of saving her love, Summer laid down next to the totoma and prayed it was enough.

It wasn’t enough. Among the roots of the fig tree, both Summer and the totoma died. Or, at least their bodies did. Because you can never truly kill a spirit, and Summer’s love did something even greater than she had hoped. The totoma became a spirit themself. They became Spring. The barrier between Winter and Summer. A being that could withstand the terrible cold of Winter and the unrelenting heat of Summer. Life returned to Summer’s domain. Leaves sprouted from the trees once again, flowers popped open their bright blooms, and the animals emerged from their hollows. And as overjoyed as the newly realized Spring was to be able to live eternally with beautiful Summer, there was something they had to do.

They made the journey back into the center of Winter’s treacherous domain where the other spirit sat, somber and lonesome. There, Spring made a promise. They would go between the two realms, spending time with both Summer and Winter so that Winter would no longer be alone. And that’s why the seasons change. Or, so the story says.”

At last finished with his story, Drowned looked to his brother for a reaction. He was not expecting the one he got.

“So, what about Fall?”

There was a moment of silence.

“That’s a very good question…”