Poppy's Arc

Chapter 1 of 2

Poppy swept the path near the edge of the clearing, her white robe swishing with each stroke of the broom. She'd been doing chores all morning, trying to stay useful without getting too close to anyone. The morning sun filtered through the trees, and she could hear voices from the garden where some of the others were working. She wanted to join them, to help with something that mattered, but her quills had already caught on two doorframes and one unfortunate passing squirrel this week. Better to stick to sweeping, where the only thing she could hurt was dirt. A fox appeared at the forest edge, carrying a cloth bundle and looking uncertain. Poppy's heart jumped. Someone new. She dropped the broom and hurried forward, her paw already raised in greeting. "Welcome! We're so glad you're—" But her foot caught on a root. She pitched forward, reaching out to steady herself, and her quills drove straight into the fox's arm. Blood welled up between the spines. The fox gasped and stepped back. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to, I'm always doing this, I'm so clumsy, please don't—" Poppy spotted a bright flower growing nearby and yanked it from the ground, dirt clinging to its roots. She shoved it toward the fox, her paws shaking. "Here, please take this, I'm sorry, it's beautiful, I thought you might—" The fox pressed a cloth to the wound and stared at the flower, then at Poppy. "It's fine," they said quietly. "Really." But they took the flower and stepped to the side, putting space between them. Poppy's throat tightened. She'd done it again. The first moment with someone new, and she'd already made them bleed.