Chapter 28
The morning of the first thaw arrived quietly, the kind of stillness that precedes a storm. The snow had melted into rivulets of water trickling through the softening earth, carving tiny paths that glittered in the pale sunlight. The forest, no longer cloaked in white, seemed to hold its breath, as if aware of the significance of this day. Juniper stood at the edge of the clearing, her arms wrapped around herself despite the mildness of the morning air. Her belly had grown noticeably, a tangible reminder of the new life within her even as the life she’d built felt on the brink of upheaval. She glanced back at the cabin, where Calliope sat cross-legged on the porch, humming softly to herself. The sound was beautiful, almost hypnotic, the melody weaving through the hum of the forest around
- Writer
