As Darrah grew older, he started to notice more. Take the weather for example, It was definitely getting colder now. He had tried to ask his elders why but none had given him a satisfying answer. What he understood was that winter was coming, what he didn't understand was what winter was. The tree's were slowly but surely turning from deep greens to all sorts of gold, orange, and red. Why was this? Winter? He had asked someone what leaves looked like in winter, but they told him they ceased to exist in the snowy months! Why do they look the way they do now then? And for the sake of all that is anything what on earth was snow?! Questions like these only made the pups head spin. Maybe he was far to curious for his own good.

The inky Tainn boy took a long deep breathe, letting crisp air fill his tiny little lungs. Even if he didn't understand what was happening in the world around him, he couldn't deny that the aroma that everything emitted this time of year was truly intoxicating. Today was a day for finding answers. Darrah was to set off on his own and find out more about his surroundings. Not too far though, he didn't want to make his mother worry. But where to start? Obviously asking his pack members wouldn't help. "I don't think I should bother them anymore about this kind of thing.." he thought to himself.. Not even sure if they knew anymore than he did at this point. "I'll just go investigate the tree's. Stare at em for a while. Maybe I'll be able to see something nobody else can!!" he scuffed in pride, head held high. To him, this was a brilliant idea.

The sprout found himself lost in his own head, seemingly gazing at amber leaves. 'Well if I had to describe it.. They are dying aren't they? The tree's.. The grass... It's all dying.' His nostrils flared, taking in the sweet smell of cool, fall air with each breath.'There is one thing I've noticed... The birds are leaving.. I haven't seen as many around recently. I wonder if there is a connection..' This thought actually scared the lad a bit. If other animals were leaving was his family safe? Shouldn't they follow the others? He doubted the birds just up and left for giggles. There was something going on.

As the leaves tumble down around him, his concentration fell briefly on something else. someone else. "What do you see?" ..When did his father get here? "Dad.. I.." he thought for a second on his words. "Dad are we safe here? The leaves are dying and I've noticed some animals leaving.. But others keep saying winter is on it's way so I know they've experienced it before. Do things continue to die? Why do the birds leave but we stay?" He could of gone on and on, but thought his dad would already be pretty bombarded by the sudden mass of questions. "I'm sorry.. I'm just so confused about all of this.. Everything was so green not to long ago.. Now it's so colorful and I have no idea why!" Finding himself exhausted, he gave his father room to talk.

Darrah much trusted his father, maybe even a little more than everyone else in the pack. Triell was his role model. As every dad should be to their sons, So when he said they were safe at the Bend the pup decided to no longer question it. He was safe. A sigh of relief fell from the boys lips before his father began moving forward on the crackling dead earth. He listened carefully to his fathers explanation of what was happening to the earth around him. "Sleeping.. he thought. "I guess that makes sense.. But.." The lanky youngster was told by someone else that snow was light and fluffy. How would that make branches break? He continued on to listen to the reasoning beyond the animals departure before deciding to talk. "We're made to thrive in winter... That's why I'm getting taller? Strange." He was a little puzzled, but his height was the least of his concerns right now.

"Dad what is snow then? I heard it's cold and white... and soft. But it's heavy too? Why does the snow come? And how is it fair that we can stay right here at home but the other animals have to find somewhere else to live? Do they come back when the snow goes away? How does the snow go away?" The more questions answered, the more the boy had to ask! Why was everything so.. Confusing?

Darrah's eyes widened at the thought of something so mysterious growing taller than himself. "How do we not get lost in the snow if its that big dad? Is it harder to get around then?" The image of snow in the poor boys head was so obscured from the actual truth. What was to come for him could only be pictured as a monstrosity. "Can we sniff our way home in the stuff?" Did snow have a scent? He could vaguely remember snow also being described as frozen water... But that was also ice? "Hey dad... Is snow Ice?" if that were true, he had hoped his dad to be impressed by what he just said. "But he just said you can eat it... If it's edible then it cant be frozen water because you drink water! Someone's wrong here.. Someone's got their facts mixed up... It can't be my dad though.. Rolling around in frozen water.. Wouldn't we drown? What is frozen anyways... When someone is cold they say they are frozen... Cold water? Ugh!" his brow furrowed in frustration. Maybe this was something he just had to see for himself to understand.

"I only know they return with the heat. What do you think?" What did he think? He wasn't sure he knew anymore. Who knew seasonal changes could be so frustrating! "Well maybe...... I think maybe because birds have feathers and we have fur right? Maybe they get colder so they find a new home for a while.. Plus maybe they can't fly in frozen water... I can't really see a bird wobbling around on the ground.. I mean if it gets taller than us then that's like..... 50 birds!!!" he gasped. "Dad they have to leave then! If they stayed they would die and then we would be eating dead birds forever. That's no fun." He was almost positive he gave the right answer just then. Darrah stood tall and proud.