Chapter Text
Vibration-dirt-shift grew stronger-nearer-closer, shaking particles of dirt-low-nutrient along their dirt-food-finders. They hadn’t sensed anything like this before, with dirt-moving this strong-close-often. Is this a larger fierce-large-trample-being looking for nutrients-water-light? They shivered slightly, safety-self-healing was always a priority.
Suddenly, the pressure-weight stopped growing just outside of their lower-food-finders. The broken-rock-root-solid holding them steady started coming loose- what was happening? Whatever this large-cautious-being was, their presence did not seem to be malicious-hateful, so perhaps they wouldn’t have their beautiful new-life-givers stolen in many small chunks-bits-hurts.
But then, the last of their anchors to their dirt-root-home came free and they were aware of ...something-change... and placed in new dirt, that felt warm, slightly damp (not enough to cause rot, they noticed happily) and ... nutrients-water-rocks. Rich and plenty of energy to last them years if they processed at their normal pace. They could like this new dirt-root-area, no... soil-root-area. This was cared-tidy-roomy and filled with a presence-hope-desire of no-fear-ease-children-peace, dirt was only part of the here and now, and always changing-dying-gone. Their lower-food-searchers extended and coiled, anchoring themself to this new safe-spot-secure.
Curiously, the soil-root-area was lifted by the same presence that had removed them from the other. It felt like the wind was picking up, but no other presence-green-free-grow seemed to be in motion. Just theirs. This seemed to continue on for a time, and eventually the wind stopped and they were lowered down, but not to any dirt-ground; to a cousin-hard-ground.
They knew of their distant far-green-presence-strange-family but this one seemed to be unresponsive and had almost no presence. And the heat-warm-growth now seemed different; like it was closer and less benevolent. They felt long-hard-thin-sun-growth-supports poke down near their roots; which was odd-worrying. Then they retreated; maybe some new predator? But they couldn’t sense these sun-growth-support-things, just the presence that brought them to this harsh-warm-hard-good-soil.
Then all at once, there was a clear-tepid-shade between the harsh-heat-glow and themself. Some of their outer sun-growths felt a similar sensation to the sun-growth-support-things, but then their air-breath seemed to get heavy-wet, like in some pale-light-cold-damp times. And... how did happy-healthy-friendly-shine get past the harsh-heat-glow? They didn’t know, but let their sun-growths extend to meet this new-happy-glow, returning it’s welcome with their own. Then the clear-tepid-shade seemed to jump and make them vibrate with a “click” vibration and the breeze-fresh-clean was changed; no more breeze, but the fresh-clean stayed.
They next felt the presence approach the clear-shade and themselves. They weren’t concerned, the happy-warm-friendly-glow was calming when.. there seemed to be only the cool-wet-damp and the happy-glow. No more harsh-light; they felt like they were back in a hull, waiting to break free and see-grow-feel-live in the bright-impassive-high-far-light. They then felt like they were being trampled a little, knocked here and there but unmoved thanks to their lower-food-feelers-anchors. This process then repeated itself but they didn’t know anything besides it was that same presence causing the near-trampling.
Then they felt more presences come and go, move and bump them about and leave when newer presences came. They didn’t know: was it a light-dark or two? A season? They didn’t think it was that long, but they didn’t know how to tell since the happy-friendly-constant-glow was... well, constant.
Eventually, the bumping stopped and a new, strong presence was felt. It felt like a big-mean-sharp-hurt, but the hurt seemed directed at itself not them. This was very confusing-concerning-troubling. They also thought they sensed some hope-past-sad-hope, maybe for growth-fertility? they wondered, and some care-kindness too. There was then a moment when they felt harsh-white-beam! This big presence moved and a light-leaf-clear lay near them, giving a little protection from harsh-beam. The claw-heavy presence seemed to sadden as it noticed them, but also brightened with potential and yes, that was definitely hope. They liked and knew hope. They hoped every warmth-now-cooling season that their new-life-givers would fulfill their purpose; but they never heard or felt any children near themselves. While this was sad-sorrow-hurt, every warm-to-cool season was a new chance for family-warmth-togetherness. They rustled, hoping the big-fierce-hope-potential they felt wasn’t potential to take their new-life-givers.
Eventually, the black-outer-hull returned and they felt the large-protect(?)-fierce-presence gather their dark-hope-hull and move them to a new location. Their thoughts were confused- why was hurt-giver fierce but not trampling them? They were still pondering this when they felt the big-presence slow down and eventually they were at rest. After another period of time, shorter than the first set of bumps, thankfully, they felt it.
It was as if they were back in their dirt-root-solid, sensing the bright-far away-heat for the first time out of their hull, but that heat was now right in front of them; with no burn-hurt-scorch. And the cool-damp-drink wasn’t turning to warm-wet like in their dirt-root-solid. Also, this light-white-bright had a little weariness and frustration, but had an overall tone of joy-happiness-love- hope . And they wanted to feel more.
When eventually the black-outer-hull was removed and they, the cool-damp, the happy-small-bright-glow, and the clear-tepid-shade were moved slightly, the presence seemed to grow to that of a star-fall-heat-light-color-fast. It was magnificent, and they stretched to bask in this wonderfulness. The young presence, they realized, just barely able to spread his own new-life-givers, seemed to now be entirely happy-joy-amazement-content-hope (more hope?)-peace-acceptance that they wanted to stay and bask-soak up-enjoy for ever.
Eventually, the presence did move, and love-wonder-awe-life-home seemed to fill the presence. Maybe this warm-to-cool season, they realized, their new-life-givers will succeed with such growth-strength-fertilization.
Then the presence placed(? The happy-love-longing-awe presence seemed to convey this concept, so they would use it) themself onto a hard-solid-steady. They liked being wanted-admired-seen, even if this was a new feeling, they felt almost... they didn’t know what they felt. All their needs were met, as they had been since their sudden removal from dirt-root-solid. They no longer feared deep-cold-chills nor sharp-small-wounds nor big-fierce-tramples. And they felt.... they... felt. Surviving was now no-fear-past; they could be.
They realized the presence had changed location-direction, but not intensity, and now felt more purposeful-determined. Like this love-certain-purpose presence was about to increase the number and strength of their deep-root-feeders, or like the presence had come to rest in good-food-dirt, like they themselves had. They realized they wanted this presence to be near; to see-care-wonder-love them just as... as they were starting to feel for this presence.
The presence was now finished moving, was focused on them and they felt awe-life-purpose-growth being sent. They accepted these and tried to send some of their own life-content-life-family-life-peace-life presence back. Next cool-to-warm season, they whispered to themself, they will feel the presence of their own tiny-new-green-growths.