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 Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2025 3:08 am
 Life had certainly taken an unexpected turn for Matsukasa. No sooner did he break away from his family and begin his travels across Kawani by himself, determined to let the breeze take him to wherever it saw fit and see the wonders of the world in his own very slow pace did he get stopped in his tracks and faced possibly the scariest challenge many would say one could experience: Fatherhood. Ironically, his own father would chuckle and tease him if he ever heard the news, saying it was just how the spirits had planned it. He'd remind him to expect the unexpected and not to plan for things to go his way. Although she wasn't of his flesh and blood, Kasa had fallen for the sweet little filly. Hard. When he helped rescue the basket from the raging floods, Kasa had never planned to become a full-time parent. But the moment she emerged, something shifted in his heart, and he and Xaivary, his accidental co-parent and current partner in this wild adventure, were caught up in her innocent curiosity and adoration with her big, old eyes. In that moment, they silently agreed to co-parent as best they could, at least until the filly was big enough to take care of herself. It was a hell of an odd family, but it was their little family. That was enough for him. It wasn’t entirely shocking for someone with his personality that Kasa had ended up being the ultimate example of a girl-dad. Playing dress up, bringing different flowers, and in general being a pushover to the little tyrant of his heart. Xaivary would joke that Camilia had him wrapped around her little hoof. He couldn’t deny it, even if he wanted to. It was the truth, and he knew it He wanted what was best for his little girl, and he'd go to the ends of the earth if she asked him to. It was strange for someone who usually prided himself on being laid-back and nonchalant to care so much about something. But he supposed that having kids and wanting to give them a safe, healthy, and happy childhood could make even the most aloof person change their ways. It was his job, even if he had no idea what he was doing, to teach the young girl core life lessons and shape her into a productive and well-rounded member of society. Today’s life lesson? Proper horticulture techniques and identifying different seeds! Very important for any future gardener or forager. “Flower, come now, the sun is up. You ready to get down and dirty in the mud with papa today?†He teased as he gently nudged the filly with his nose, hoping to rouse her from her slumber. “We got a big day planned.†WC: 465
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Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2025 6:50 pm
Camellia had been snuggled up against her mother's side, sleeping peacefully, without a care in the world. Life had been nothing but good to the little filly. Though a flood had rocked her newborn world , she had quickly come to learn peace, warmth, and love... and when she finally was strong enough to break free from her basket, she was able to place faces with the voices that had comforted her. Xaivary and Matsukasa. Mama and Papa. She saw them and loved them. They were her world, and she was completely unaware of the fact that she shared not an ounce of color from either of them. Where Xaivary was primarily brown, with fluffy white and black fetlocks, and Matsukasa was a mix of earthen tones, green, cream, blacks, and browns -- Camellia was pale as the morning dew. Her coat was almost white with an almost pinkish hue, and everything about her was pale. She stood out against them, and had little camouflage within the woods. Thankfully, her parents didn't seem to mind, and Camellia was unconcerned. They were her family, and she loved them with every ounce of her little filly heart. She pranced around their hooves, rarely going far before returning for nuzzles and comfort. She asked them questions, learning about the world they lived in, but mostly was content to simply be wherever they happened to be. As it was, she was oblivious to the truth... that they were not her biological parents; that they weren't even an official couple! They were two strangers who had been in the right place at the right time during an unfortunate scenario... and they had saved Camellia from the raging waters that flooded the Kawani. What their future held was up in the air, but one thing would never change -- they were now all family, and no power on earth could change that fact or tear them apart. Giving a sleepy yawn, Camellia blinked her eyes sleepily, half-cuddling into Xaivary's side a moment longer as she registered what her father was saying. Her mother nosed her too, encouraging her to rise. "A big day for just us?" she asked, eyes widening in surprise and pleasure. She did reach her nose out to nuzzle her Papa and Mama, before pushing herself up to her feet. "I'm up, I'm up, I promise! Where are we going? Is it very far? How come we'll be in the mud? What's Mama gonna do?" Camellia was a sweet little bean but she often woke with all sorts of questions. Xaivary, for her part, was quick to explain that she would be guarding and cleaning their little grove, and for her not to worry. Co-parenting was well and good, but spending one-on-one time with the little filly was equally important. With her mother's blessing, Camellia's little tail flicked back and forth in excitement. She half-reared up in a burst of energy, eyes aglow with pleasure. Wherever her Papa went, Camellia would be sure to follow. WC: 500
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Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2025 1:50 am
Kasa chuckled at the excitement his little filly displayed. “I promise, mama will enjoy some time alone," he said with a knowing smile towards Xaivary. While both parents loved their adopted child, everyone needs a break sometimes—Xaivary included. He was confident she would appreciate the day of rest, peace, and quiet he was providing. “C’mon now, the daylight is wasting.” He gently chided the filly as he gave her a friendly nudge with his front hoof toward the opening of the grove they called home. With that, they set off. It was only a 20 or 30-minute walk before they reached their destination: a cleared field that had been carefully flattened over time with hoof stomps and tilled into neat rows suitable for gardening. Heavy-duty, makeshift leather leg sleeves hung from the surrounding trees. On one side, a row of large gardening pots held budding seedlings and young fruit tree saplings. Nearby, a set of smaller pots, painted in light lavender, white, and pink, displayed new filly-sized leg sleeves draped over the side of one. "Today, little flower, are you ready to explore the enchanting world of gardening? Let’s find out if you inherited daddy’s green thumb." He said, then moved to the trees, took his leg protection from a branch, and with a quick movement of his head, swung them around his neck like a scarf. “First, before we start playing in the mud, we need to find and learn about common native plants that are good for harvesting and propagation." He paused and turned to Camellia, giving her a rare toothy grin. He was just as excited as she was for today! "Are you ready for a scavenger hunt?” WC: 281
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Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2025 6:03 pm
Camellia was more than eager to follow her father without question, trotting by his side, periodically running ahead to scout for butterflies, or pausing to nose at soft grasses or nibble something green. She did her best to keep up, of course, and only got under hoof when she nuzzled up to her father's side, or tried to twine between his hooves.
She couldn't help it -- she was an impetuous lovebug and she wanted to take in everything that she could! The world was still so very big, and she was still very little -- she both wanted to see it all but equally stay close to her father.
By the time they reached their destination, the little filly's tail swished behind her and she gave a little rear in excitement. "What's all this, Papa?" she asked, reaching out to nose and lip at some of the unfamiliar items. She did take a few steps back when her father whipped the leggings around his neck. How fancy he was!
But all of that was forgotten when he asked about some sort of scavenger hunt! She didn't know what all the big words were that he used, but she did know a game when she heard it! Dancing from hoof to hoof, Camellia giggled. "Oh yes, let's go! What do we look for first!? Can we go now?" She was half-ready to run right into the woods, eyes aglow with delight. SHe still didn't know what they were doing but she was spending time with her Dad and there were plants and it was an adventure and she just couldn't wait to get started!
Camellia was trying very hard to stay focused, but this was a big day for such a little filly. She couldn't wait to tell her mother all about it and she hoped that she would make her father proud. She'd never been on a real scavenger hunt before... but she was ready to shine!
WC: 327
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Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2025 5:06 am
A goofy half-grin formed on Kasa’s face at the filly’s eager display of her barely contained excitement. Good, this piqued her interest. Part of him was worried that she would find this whole affair boring, just like her mother had when he tried to showcase what he did in his spare time to her, and his finely laid-out plans would have gone right out the window. But first, despite her excitement, he knew full well that she was blindly agreeing to whatever he was suggesting. At her age, if it involved the idea of a new game to play, she was all over it; it didn’t matter if the game involved jumping through hoops or crawling through thorns - just the concept of something fun and new was enough to have her on board. “We’re going to do a scavenger hunt for plants to garden. Now, how the game is going to work is like this…” With a pause, Kasa trotted over to the set of four clay pots that already had a variety of native-grown flora blooming inside. Each was a distinct and colorful variety, making it easier for the little filly to spot in the wild. “Come here, flower. I want you to look at these plants, and we’re going to do a game of matching.” He explained as his head craned down to nuzzle her forward towards the pots. “Go ahead and explore them as much as you want, you can’t hurt them, I promise.” Watching her start to examine the plants curiously made his chest swell with pride. He would hopefully have a gardening buddy yet! “This one is a sunflower, you see how bright its petals are and how fuzzy its stem is. Annnnd, if you boop the center…” His voice trailed off as he gently lipped the center of the growing flower, popping off one of the seeds. “Dissssh coumfs out!” He proclaimed with a heavy lisp as he showcased the seedling between his teeth to Camellia. He spat out the seed and moved to the next pot, which was blooming with mint. “Here, try this one. Tell me what the smell feels like, and if you chew on it, what does it taste like?” WC: 371
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Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2025 9:19 am
Camellia followed her father to the small pots, admiring each of the plants she saw. She did move closer at her father's bidding, ears pricked, eyes wide-- though she did take a moment to nuzzle her father ever so sweetly in return. He wanted her to look at them? Explore them?
Reaching out with her nose, she snuffled cautiously at the first one. The stem and its leaves were quite fuzzy, which seemed quite peculiar -- but the petals were brilliant in color, just like the sun! "Is it a sunflower cause it looks like the sun?" she asked.
Of course, her question went right out the window as soon as her father booped it and picked off some sort of seed! Oh oh oh! She wiggled in excitement, giggling at how silly he sounded with it in his mouth. Still, she didn't feel she was quite ready to boop it -- what if she hurt it? Or didn't get a seed?
So she turned towards the next plant. She snuffled up to it, sniffing the plant. "It smells...." ... what did it smell like. Camellia wasn't sure she ever actually had mint before, so she didn't know how to explain it. "Sweet but .. not? It tickles my nose!" Delicately taking a leaf, the little filly chewed on it, eyes growing wide. "Oh! Oh it's ... it's like it's cold! What is that?" She did enjoy the flavor, even if it was a bit of a surprise.
Oh, this really was the best day with Dad! Her tails swished again, and she couldn't help but eagerly look over at the other two pots, curious about what treasures they might hold. She didn't realize that the plants could be so different -- everything in her world kind of blurred together but it was nice starting to learn about the individual properties. "Just cause they're all green doesn't mean they're the same," she stated proudly, stamping a hoof, like this was some new revelation. And it was, kind of, her for her at least. All the bushes and leaves and green things were just green to her... something to eat without thinking about it.
But now?
Now she was learning what made them all unique and special!
WC: 372
[quote="Lavenadel']
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Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2025 1:19 am
“You’re close!” he said with a bright smile. Seeing her ask questions and genuinely show interest in horticulture made his heart swell with pride and happiness. "Although they do look a bit like tiny suns, don’t they? I guess the old saying “you are what you eat” applies here," he said with a playful wink. This little tease would surely spark her child's imagination. "These buds are quite young, but sunflower plants can grow very tall—sometimes even taller than me! They need this height because they use their large petals to gather energy from the sun; the more petals they have, the more sun they can absorb. Sunflowers naturally turn during the day to follow the sun’s path, and at night or on cloudy days, they even face each other. Isn’t that fascinating, flower?” He nodded softly in agreement as he watched her chew the leaf. “That little one is mint — a special plant that carries the sharp, almost painful, bite of winter in your mouth.” He realized she hadn’t experienced winter yet due to her age, so that comparison might not be a good frame of reference for her. “Do you remember those mornings a few weeks ago when heavy rain kept you inside because it was too cold out, and we stayed warm while telling stories? Winter is similar, but lasts much longer. It’s a time for renewal, when it gets cold and dark, and the plants rest. In return, we will get to relax and enjoy the snow as a family.” He explained as he slowly approached the last plant. Although it was a common sight in this area, he wanted it as a backup, fearing that she might have been losing interest in the game if she hadn’t found this whole affair interesting to begin with. After all, he knew his Camellia loved nothing more in the world than sweet treats—especially honey! “Now, this one might just turn out to be your favorite,” he said, bending his knees to get closer to her level. “What’s your favorite snack that bears also enjoy?” He asked, his voice in a low whisper. His body tensed for a moment as he braced his poor ears for the expected squeal that no doubt would be happening in 3…2..1 (WC: 379)
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Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2025 11:55 am
Camellia listened to her father, eyes wide and curious. She did glance back and forth between the plants as her father spoke, and he was correct that her imagination ran buck wild with the possibilities. Part of her wondered what the seeds from the sunflower would do if she ate them -- would she grow petals? Would she bloom as bright? And the mint! It reminded her of cold and spice and while she wasn't sure she liked the flavor, it was certainly interesting.
"I didn't realize plants were so smart!" How clever of the sunflower to follow the sun's path -- even without eyes! Maybe it was magic. Or the spirits? Did plants have spirits to guide them, just as soquili did?
The idea of winter sounded wonderful, at least in terms of getting to stay in together with her family. The cold and rain not so much, but Camellia could find joy in any season. So far she loved the colors of spring and summer, and she couldn't wait to see what else the year might bring! "You know so much, Papa! Will I know as much as you someday?" she asked, reaching over to nuzzle his leg. Honestly, her parents were the smartest soquili she knew, and she hoped she could grow up to be just like them!
"Will we get to bring Mama back some flowers?" She asked, curiously. While her mother seemd a little less inclined to be a gardner, she knew she appreciated all the things Camellia and Matsukasa discovered or brought back. She kepts a little garden of succulents and always took time to enjoy the flowers in bloom.
Of course, her attention was brought right back when asked about her favorite treat. In fact, she didn't even have to think twice about it. Her eyes grew wide, and sure enough she squealed in delight, half-rearing in excitement. "Honey! Honey, honey, honey! Do we get some? Is there a honey plant?" she asked, eyes wide as her imagination already took off. Maybe there were plants that were made entirely of honey! Sure, she knew bees made honey but that didn't mean there wasn't some sort of magical honey plant out there!
If anyone would know where it was, her papa sure would!
WC: 377
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Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2025 11:45 pm
With a low chuckle, Kasa lowered his head to meet his filly’s nuzzle, his nose nuzzling itself into the top of her head before rising again. “You, my dear flower, will be even smarter than me and your mother combined.” He knew that she was going to change the world in her little way and that she was so much better than the sum of the two of them together. He couldn’t wait to see what kind of person she’d grow up to be and what she’d want to do with her life in the future. “Of course, whatever we find we’ll bring back to mama. You can teach her everything you learned about the flowers today, how does that sound?” He asked, a soft smile tugging on his lips before he shook his head. As quickly as one thought filled her head, another came crashing in. Just as he expected. Honey, works every time. “Very close! There is a plant whose nectar is very similar to the sweet taste of honey.” He explained as he pushed forward, beginning to lead her out of the grove. “They should be in bloom just about now. They’re white and yellow with large outstretching flowers. They grow in large bushes that cluster together many flowers. Your special mission - should you choose to accept it - is to keep an eye out for any flower that matches that description and point it out for inspection while we’re on our scanvender hunt!” He exalimed, waiting for her eager response, which came in the form of a squeal of excitement. “Then let’s set off, flower! Our hunt beguns now!” WC: 274
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