Chocolate vine.
Oooh!The warmth that came with it was rich, indulgent.Decadent.
She planted it near the treehouse and watched it climb up the wall, tendrils wrapping around the wood.Papery golden pods formed, hanging in clusters.When she opened one, the smell of chocolate filled the air.Inside were chocolate truffles; dark, milk, white, even some with swirls of caramel or studded with nuts.Perfect, ready to eat...so of course she tried one immediately.Rich and smooth, it melted on her tongue."Oh," she said."Oh, that's dangerous."
Walter appeared at her elbow."Are those what I think they are?"
"Chocolate.Want one?"
The squirrel accepted a small truffle and delicately nibbled.His eyes went wide."Madam, you could retire on these alone."
She laughed and stocked her purse for later.Maybe she’d give some to Jin and Kenji as a thank you.
What else?
She wandered her property, considering.The land was greener now, healthier.The area around her treehouse practically glowed with vitality.Her trees were thriving...but it was still just grass and trees.No water features.Hm...
Water lily.
The seed felt cool, flowing.She planted it near the edge of her property, curious.
The plant didn't just grow, it created beauty.A small stream began to form, water bubbling up from seemingly nowhere, flowing in a gentle curve.The lilies bloomed along its banks, their pads floating on the surface.The water was crystal clear, cool, and perfect.Within minutes, she had a tiny creek with a small pond at one end, no bigger than a large bathtub but deep enough to see fish darting in the depths.
Wait.Fish?
She knelt and looked closer.Small orange fish, definitely real, swimming lazy circles."Where did you come from?"she murmured.They didn't answer, obviously.But they were there, thriving in her impossible pond.She could hear the water trickling, see the lilies swaying gently.It was beautiful, peaceful.
She sat by the pond for a while, watching the fish, listening to the water.The dandelions came to investigate, drinking from the stream with their stem-like feet, then returning to their patrol.
At eleven o'clock exactly, all of them lined up at the gate.
"Be careful," she told them.
They streamed through the shield and disappeared into the grass.
Wren watched until she couldn't see them anymore, then forced herself to turn away.They'd be fine.They'd proven themselves already.
She went back to exploring her property, to planning what else she might grow, to enjoying the sound of running water and the smell of chocolate in the air.
This place was becoming home.
Really, truly home.
