Winter came and more than anything we slept. I never would have guessed I would get the experience of hibernation but to be honest, it wasn't much different than a normal sleep.
The biggest and strangest thing was waking up taller. Twice I had grown so much that I needed to lengthen my skirts. My Mother told me the young ones are the worst at sleeping through the winter and that's where the cards came in.
Playing cards got boring quickly though and so I took to sketching on the floor with chared firewood.
Grandmother did not stir from her slumber, and Mother only stirred occasionally. I couldn't help but stare for long periods of time. Mother's face wasn't creased with worry, even Grandmother looked younger. Their long hair lay on the ground in twisted blonde knots. I touched it every so often noticing how soft it was.
Their stripes seemed to lighten even making them look more human.
Human. That was such a strange thing to wonder about now. My memory was still hazy but sometimes I would remember a part of a song or a phrase, a name or face I couldn't place.
I also fiddled with my hand. That was my first real mistake.
One morning, I just kept touching the same spots again and again. Suddenly the room lit up with pink light and I felt myself being pulled toward the ceiling. Just when I felt as though my feet would no longer touch the floor the light cleared and I fell to the floor in a heap.
Both Mother and Grandmother had awakened and they were staring in amazement.
"What?" I asked.
But I felt something was wrong too.
"You're- you're older..." Mother said at last.
I looked down at my feet and realized the floor was farther away, and even more surprising was the hair that pooled at my feet.
I stepped away and it followed. Silky blond hair with tiny bits of orange in it. I felt my face and found the rough stripes.
"She is the most beautiful Licnine I've ever seen with my eyes," Grandmother said gravely.
"I can put it back," I said quickly.
Frantically I hit the buttons again and again. With relief I watched the pink light come again, weaker but still I felt it changing me.
I rose toward the ceiling again, a gasp leaving my lips. When I fell I fell harder than I did the first time. I took several shaky breaths.
Something was still wrong with me.
I was of normal height but the hair remained. I still felt the more prominent stripes on my face.
"I can't fix it," I said and to my dismay, my voice had even shifted.
Mother had her arms around me in an instant.
"We have to do something," She cried, "Grandmother please."
Grandmother surveyed me with a puzzled look, I could tell she was trying hard to piece things together.
"It is a blessing my dear Little Ti," She said in a soft voice.
"You know what will happen," Ti whimpered, "They will take one look at her and she will be gone too."
Grandmother sighed, "My daughter, you've always been so scared. Lit is meant for more than this life. I saw it the day she came."
"You used magic?" I saw anger blossoming in my mother's eyes, "Magic is forbidden."
"It is only forbidden if they find it," Grandmother smiled faintly, "Our Little Lit has magic more special than me or any other castor I have met. She needs to leave here and find Los-Ar."
"Los-A? I thought he was supposed to be dangerous!" I watched my mother stand up to her full height.
"We can't protect her forever my Ti-An," Grandmother just sighed, "I am dying."
"Dying?" I choked out, "But Grandmother you can't."
"We all die someday Lit," She replied, "But I reckon I'll live long enough to see you go."
Ti-An stroked her mother's hand, "I'm not ready."
"They never are," She smiled wryly.
"I can go out, find the healers," She insisted.
"You will die in the storm before you even make it one turn," Grandmother replied.
"I can use my power," I cut in, "Turn into something warm..."
Grandmother just shook her head, "Be with me. All I wish is for you to be with me."
Mother did not sleep during the rest of the winter. She tried several times to sneak out only to be caught. She made teas and tinctures out of an old dusty book under the floorboards.
"You can't fix aging my daughter," Grandmother would soothe her.
Meanwhile, I fiddled with my hand trying to fix myself but it would not budge.
"My magic hand doesn't obey me," I grumbled.
"Give yourself time," Grandmother smiled faintly. She pulled me in close, "When spring comes your mother will run out for healers, I need to speak to you alone."
Days passed and nothing changed. The wind beat at the walls and Grandmother slept. I watched Mother wither under the knowledge that her own mother was dying before her eyes. I tried to comfort her, making her teas and bringing her rations.
She thanked me quietly and sent me away.
Finally one day the air felt different. I peeked one eyes out a tiny hole and saw green and pink.
"It's spring!" I jumped up and down.
"I must find the healers," Mother began stuffing items into a bag.
"What are you doing?" I asked.
"Payment," She answered shortly and then she ran out the door.
"Come here Granddaughter, help me from my bed," Grandmother called.
I picked her up with alarming ease. She had gotten frail. I brought her out into the spring air and set her down.
"Lit-An, I need you to do something for me," Grandmother said, "Find Kit-Quaza and Kin-Quaza and move them onward. They must reach Los-Ar."
"How can I move them?" I asked.
"Use your magic," She answered, "Find a way."