There's a chill in the air...

[thecanopycrew]

The temperature drops steadily as frost starts covering every available surface outside. It's a crisp and cold day in the tree, and a reminder of the season to come.

Comments

OTA: 20th

[monster_san]

Fuu had been waiting for this morning. Not 'this morning, whatever date it is, if we could just borrow Miss Abigail's calendar', but the day of the first frost. She had been doing some experiments with sewing cast-off fur and fluff from the sugar glider and birds into some of the fallen leaves--her skills weren't up to making a proper coat, but a lined cloak was better than nothing.

Despite the ominous reminder that winter was approaching, though, Fuu was a little sad when it all vanished the next day; it had been rather pretty... but that was soon replaced by concern when she noticed that the firefly in her and Sir Owain's apartment was doing rather poorly. As were the fireflies elsewhere in the Tree...

Fuu wasn't sure how to treat a firefly cold, but she could be found flitting here and there, carrying cups of honey and water... or up on Miss Chime's floor, tucking some of her experimental capes under the mounts to warm up.

[donotmail]

Arj hasn't been doing much over the last day or so, besides hiding in a blanket, and his gait shows it. He's lost a certain feline fluidity to his step, moving more stiffly than usual across the second floor. Each step is cautious, and sometimes he shudders with the memory of the ice. Is that what winter is like here?

There's another figure on his back - the firefly that's been following him around lately, nestled in the ruff between his wings. It's curled up tight, and there's no light or warmth emanating from its body. It's not as if Arj would admit to being concerned, but...

He catches a glimpse of someone fluttering overhead, and stops. "Frost's all gone, I take it?" he says, in an attempt at conversation.

[monster_san]

Hmm, it looked like the fireflies weren't the only one affected by the chill. Fuu pressed her fingers to her lips as Arj approached stiffly, and grew even more concerned when she saw how poorly his passenger was looking.

"Yes, it seems to have melted this morning," she said, touching down. "But I expect we'll be seeing plenty more of it soon."

She glanced down at the leaf-cape draped over her arms. "Would you and your friend like this? I've noticed our firefly friends don't seem well today--and you look like you haven't been feeling very comfortable yourself, if you don't mind me saying so."

[donotmail]

Arj lets out a wordless groan of displeasure. Even in the coldest winters, when snow and frost dust the desert, it never reached into the clan's dens. He isn't going to say anything about it, but he's starting to worry...

He approaches the human, his limbs still stiff from lack of activity, and sniffs at the cape. It looks warm - warmer than the leaf cloak, which is starting to become less and less effective as the winter approaches. "Yes," he says. "Yes, that would be very good."

He looks back at the firefly nestled in his ruff. "None of them look good. But this one? I haven't been able to shake it since we came back!"

[monster_san]

Fuu nodded as she approached Arj and his passenger. She laid a hand on the firefly's forehead--it did seem to still be alive, but it was definitely in a bad way. She draped the cloak over both of them.

"I've been mixing up some honey with water to try and revive them as well," she said. "It's supposed to work for bees, at any rate. Though perhaps Mr. Firefly has just realized that you make a nice, mobile heater," she added with a smile.

[donotmail]

"I think that's the case," he says, looking back over his shoulder. "I don't know what I'm meant to do with it. I don't think I'm very good at being a heater. Maybe the honey is a better idea."

The firefly snuggles deeper into the kiarr's ruff, but the cloak seems to be doing the trick. Even Arj feels a little revived. "Thank you," he says. "This is going to make winter a lot easier."