It is the end of winter...

A young girl and her faithful companion have entered the ancient, frozen forest, to perform the traditional rites to dispel the winter and initiate the arrival of the imminent spring.

The forest floor, devoid of snow, is a tapestry of last year's fallen leaves and the early signs of new life beginning to pierce through. The girl carries with her an old, intricately carved lantern, a family heirloom essential for the ritual, its light casting a warm glow against the twilight of the woods. Her companion, with steps light and eager, trots beside her, its keen senses alert to the sounds of the forest. They move with determination towards an ancient stone circle at the forest’s heart, a sacred site where the boundaries between the seasons can be blurred and shifted. The air around them is filled with the promise of renewal, the silence of the woods punctuated by the distant song of a bird, a harbinger of the coming warmth. This journey, steeped in tradition and the deep bond between human and nature, is a testament to the cycle of life, renewal, and the enduring hope for the spring's return.