The forest was bathed in the soft glow of evening light as little Lily toddled after her mother. Her steps were unsteady, her tiny fingers still learning how to grasp branches. She adored her mom — her warmth, her scent, the way her tail swayed gently when she walked. Wherever Mom went, Lily followed like a shadow.
But that day, something was different. Mom seemed restless, glancing back only once before leaping across to another tree. Lily froze, her heart pounding. “Eee! Eee!” she called, her voice trembling. She stretched her small hand toward Mom’s tail, desperate to hold on — to not be left behind.
For a brief second, her fingers brushed against it… but she couldn’t catch it. Mom jumped farther away, vanishing into the thick canopy. The forest suddenly felt enormous and silent. Lily clung to the branch, tears welling in her eyes.
“Eee… eee…” she whimpered softly, her voice breaking as she looked around. Her mother’s scent still lingered in the air, but she was gone. The wind rustled the leaves, carrying away the last echoes of her cries.
Mom wasn’t cruel — she was wild, guided by instinct and survival. But little Lily didn’t understand that. All she knew was the ache of wanting to be held, the emptiness of an arm reaching for nothing.
After a while, exhausted from crying, she curled up on the branch, her tiny tail wrapped around her body for comfort. The stars began to appear above the trees, soft and distant.
Somewhere far away, her mother paused, ears twitching at the faint sound of her baby’s cries. For a moment, her eyes softened — a flicker of instinct tugging her heart.
And in the quiet of the night, both hearts longed for each other beneath the same sky.
