#hibernating adoraburrs

[ask-tia-anything]

Is Rayla afraid of snow, because it is water? Did she ever got in snow-troubles?

Rayla loves snow! It’s quite solid, beautiful and sparkling. She really enjoys to build snow-elves! But yeah, snow is not just pretty, but also dangerous. And the danger is sometimes lurking, where you don’t expect it!

So yes, Rayla got into big troubles because of snow once. It was around the time, when she was still small, but big enough to be allowed, to play alone around the adoraburr meadow. The night before fell a lot of new snow, but this day was very sunny and friendly, and Rayla went out building snow elves at the meadow. And didn’t came back, for lunch. I wasn’t even worried first, because she was very eager in make the snow elves extra pretty, because she wants to show them to us in the evening at full moon, as a sweet gift for us. Showing us her little snow-elf family in the meadow at full moon, was one of her favorite parts of the winter.

Anyway: Suddenly some very upset adoraburrs showed up at our window. That’s very unusual, because they normally sleep in the winter times. They jumped around me, and seemed to be scared. I understood in an instant, that something was wrong, and followed them into the forest.

And it was good, I did so. It seemed like a wild animal digged out the winter place of some adoraburrs, and Rayla wanted to repair it, and therefore looked for some branches. She went to one of the smaller trees, where she was able to reach up for it. And then she fell. She fell quite deep into the hole close to the bole. She was supposed to know, that it is dangerous to walk too close to trees, when there is a lot of snow, but she did not take the warning seriously.

Why is it dangerous? It is, because the branches are very tight close to the tree trunk, so the snow will not fall down here as much as it does around the rest of the tree. Normally its not a big problem here, because our trees are really big, and so this “holes” of less snow are much more visible and plain. But this was a small tree, standing almost alone in really deep snow, and this hole she fell in was deep.

I don’t know how humans measure size, but it was about “2 Etharis” deep. And Rayla struggled and got covered with snow up to her little shoulders. She was also too scared to shout for help, because she didn’t know if the predator, who destroyed the adoraburr place was close by.

Ethari, Runaan and Lian had to help me to get her out of that hole. It took us until the evening, and the moon was already shining bright. The adoraburrs sure saved her life this time! But it had a lucky end.

Ethari prepared hot cocoa and cozy blankets right there…as well as moonberry surprise and other snacks. And we wrapped Rayla into the warm blankets.. cuddled together at the meadow where Rayla had build Snowthari, Snownaan, Snowlain and Snowme and enjoyed the full moon with our warm snacks!

[ask-ethari-anything]

Happy Spring ! 🌸🌹🌻🍀

The Sylvergrove must be flowering by now. What's it like ?

Can you tell us about one of your best moments with Runaan and Rayla during the spring ?

______________________________________________________________

Thank you, my love, these flowers are lovely! I wish you a very happy spring too! 

The Silvergrove is indeed awakening. The earth is vibrating with life, plants are growing, birds are singing, and our spring routine starts with a little tradition! This ritual was born as wee Rayla caught Runaan being his soft self. Every year, he disappeared and collected a large amount of moonberries. Not for himself, not for us – it was for the adoraburrs! They wake up very hungry after their hibernation. That’s why Runaan placed moonberries in front of their little homes, so they have something to eat when they wake up! One day Rayla snuck after Runaan, and she was indeed very thrilled to help, too! Rayla had the idea to wake them up all at once with soft music, basically inviting them to an  adoraburr-moonberry-wake-up-party. 

And guess who is playing the lute right now?! *Waves at you with my lute* Come sit with me, and watch those little sleepy adoraburrs eating their first breakfast this year! Let me tell you: One of the best moments during spring was the moment that Runaan's secret mission turned into this lovely family event! 

Another favourite moment is gardening with Runaan, when he is digging in the soil, hands and face dirty, and telling me with a serious voice: “Life is precious," as he puts in the seeds in the earth. And this moment is right now. 

*Looks at Runaan, who is planting some of my trained melodaisies seedlings next to the adoraburr homes*

Next year I will give a lute concert together with these flowers! *happy chuckling* 

[keiththeweirdo]

Our Place - TDP Gift Exchange

This is my gift for @raayllum for the @tdpholidayexchange ! I hope you will enjoy it!

This work is also going to be published on my ao3 “planetundersiege” once the exchange is over.

Callum had not been expected to be dragged out into the cold.

Yesterday had been a long day, he and Rayla were currently visiting Silvergrove, staying at Runaan and Ethari’s house. It was winter, and the forest was filled with white snow and a chilly wind. It had been extremely hard to get there for the human, of course they had hard winters in Katolis, but he had lived in the castle near a town, not in a small magical village in the wilderness of Xadia without proper roads. Having proper roads would kind of defeat the purpose of having a hidden village.

All he had wanted to do was to sit down and relax with a warm cup of tea Ethari had made for him, when his girlfriend had waltzed in, given him a quick peck on the cheek, looked him gently in the eyes, and told him to put his coat on.

And before he could blink, he was outside, in the cold, holding Rayla’s hand as she dragged him god knows where. It was through the village atleast, and it puzzled Callum. He had no idea where he was being taken.

“Where are we going?”

“It wouldn’t make it a surprise if I told you silly. Now, just enjoy your walk through Silvergrove because we’re leaving it.”

“Leaving it?”

“Yeah, of course. You didn’t think your surprise was actually in the village? That would be so boring.” she said as she stopped and gave him a soft smile that almost made the human melt. For a split second, he forgot how cold it was outside and that he could literally see his breath every time he exhaled. With Rayla, he felt warm and happy. And he was about to lean in and kiss her, when she suddenly turned around and tugged at his arm. “Now, come on.”

Callum obeyed and followed his girlfriend as she dragged him through the snow covered village. It looked so different from how it was in the summer when he had Rayla had passed by to get Zym home. Sparkling white snow everywhere, and tons of moonshadow elves wearing layer after layer of warm, green and purple coats that went on with their day. Some chopped wood, some were out on a walk, and he saw some white haired children with purple horns play together, making snow elves or having snowball fights.

As they left the village, the walked down and shoveled paths of snow were now gone, and they had to make their way through one feet of untouched snow, leaving two clear trails in it, and Callum prayed that none would get into his boots. It didn’t, thankfully.

He didn’t know for how long they walked, probably about half an hour. It took way longer with the snow slowing them down, but soon they were at the meadow Rayla had showed him the first time he had entered Xadia, her secret hiding place as a child, filled with adoraburrs.

Now, the lush green was replaced with only sparkling white snow for as long as the eyes could see, untouched snow, with the exception of a few animal tracks. But no human or elf tracks, or any adoraburrs for the matter. They were the first ones here from what he could tell.

“We’re at your meadow.”

She nodded, giving him a chuckle.

“Yeah, I thought that was pretty obvious. Why are you saying it out loud?”

“Well, it’s surprising, I didn’t think we would end up here. Why are we here?”

For a split second, Rayla was silent, and Callum saw the unsure look in her lilac eyes, looking from the left to her right, without making eye contact, before she continued speaking.

“Is that a good or a bad thing?”

“It’s… a good thing. I’m just surprised. It’s really beautiful over when there’s snow here though.”

“Isn’t it? My special place is extra special during the winter months, and I really wanted to show it to you, it’s just so pretty covered in snow and means a lot to me. Though i miss the adoraburrs, they’re hibernating inside of the trees right now. They’ll come back in the beginning of spring.”

Callum nodded, she was right. This place was so beautiful, the snow glittering as the sunlight hit it.

“It is pretty. Did you come here a lot as a kid? During winter?”

“Oh yeah, almost every day for years. I got so many colds, but kept sneaking out even when I was supposed to be in bed, Runaan had to ground me and threatened to chain me to the bed. But I couldn’t help it, I just had to come back, you know. When a place is special, you have to go back.”

He nodded, because he understood.

He always wanted to be with Rayla, and he would gladly travel through dangerous paths to be by her side, it felt wrong to leave her. Being by her was right.

“Yeah, I get it.”

“That’s why I wanted to show it to you too, for you to see it like I do. So that we’ll have to come back here together in the future.”

Callum felt how his cheeks was heating up, making him flustered. Thankfully, he was already red from the cold winds that brushed against his face. But he smiled, and looked into Rayla’s beautiful eyes. It was like he was caught under a spell, she was all on his mind.

He took her hand in his, and refused to look away. His smile grew, Rayla’s words were so warm. He would do anything she asked him too.

“Of course I’ll come back with you, whenever you want.”

He leaned closer and pressed a soft kiss onto her cold forehead, and before he could pull away, Rayla let go of his hands, and immediately embraced him, holding him tightly as she put her head against his shoulder, one of her horns almost hitting his face.

“Then, I guess this is our place now, isn’t it?”

“If that is what you want. I’ll gladly make this our place.”

“Then it is.”