Scarlett had absolutely followed him, she just hadn't been fast enough. Little legs pumped furiously over the packed earth, ears bouncing with every clumsy stride as she barreled out of the den after her brother. Phim! Wai'! she squeaked, already giggling despite the fact she was losing the race. Her curly tail whipped back and forth so hard it nearly threw her off balance.

Then she skidded to a stop beside him and her mouth fell open. ...Whoa... So much purple. Tiny flowers blanketed the ground like someone had spilled the evening sky across the ravine. Scarlett stared with wide eyes before cautiously stretching out a paw. Pat. They were soft, not scary. Another pat. Then another. A blossom bending beneath her toes before springing right back up. It bouncy! she gasped delighted.

Without another thought she flopped nose first into the flowers with an undignified fwump, disappearing almost entirely beneath them save for the fluffy curl of her tail sticking up. A muffled giggle came from somewhere inside the patch. Smells pwetty... her little nose worked furiously, sneezing once as pollen tickled it.

Ah choo! she blinked, and promptly laughed at herself. Phim! Scarlett's head finally popped back out of the blossoms, petals caught between her ears and across her muzzle. We match! she declared proudly, trying to cross her eyes to look at the flower now stuck to her nose.

Then, she toddled over to him with all the confidence of someone who had already forgotten how to walk in a straight line, carefully plucking a tiny purple bloom between oversized puppy teeth before offering it to her brother. For you... while the flower was thoroughly slobbered on, it was, in Scarlett's opinion, the finest gift she'd ever given anyone.

—

Scarlett's entire body lit up when Seraphim accepted her soggy little gift He take it! she squealed to absolutely no one in particular, bouncing so high all four paws left the ground. She was certain it had been the best flower in the whole field, and now it belonged to her brother. His words made her heart swell. Luv you too! she chirped back without a second thought, convinced that had been exactly what he'd said. Maybe it wasn't. It didn't matter. It felt right.

She buried her nose into another patch with an exaggerated sniff. Sniiiiiiifff... the sweet scent rushed over her all at once. Her head felt... funny, floaty. Like the world had become softer somehow. Scarlett blinked slowly, watching the flowers sway. ...Phim? her voice came out in a tiny dreamy whisper.

The flow'rs... She tipped her head so far it nearly toppled her over. ...they dancin' a fit of helpless giggles escaped her as she reached out to pat one. She missed entirely, booping the dirt instead which caused another giggle.

She tried again.

Missed again.

They wiggly... finally surrendering to the impossible task, Scarlett simply rolled onto her back among the blossoms with a contented little huff. Purple petals clung to her chest her cheeks, even the tuft between her floppy ears. She stared up at the bright blue sky for a long moment before lazily lifting one paw.

...Cloud look like Mama, she murmured thoughtfully smiling to herself. Big... fluffy her dual toned eyes drifted back toward Seraphim still wearing that sleepy, blissful grin. Wanna catch butterflies? " she asked, as if it were the most sensible idea in the world. Can... ask 'em why flowers smell so nice ""

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