Rin watched her warm breath given life as it hit the cool air. Misting outwards in long tendrils before disappearing back into nothingness. Everything about the day marked the coming of winter, the cool air, the overcast skies. But autumn still lingered in some places.

This was one of those places. She looked out over the sea of grass before her, noting the petite wild flowers that kissed its windswept waves. While most of the trees here still retained their foliage, many leaves had dropped and scattered among the forest floor, their colour slowly fading to that of the earth that they would soon return to.

Looking up, Rin smiled. The canopy of leaves above her twinkled with little spots where the sun managed to peek through. However, the moment was bittersweet. She mourned the coming loss of the season. This season where the leaves resembled all the different shades of a flickering fire and the warmth of a sunset. This season where despite the chilling wind, the colour of nature could still warm her heart and brighten her day.

Running through the sea of grass and into the woods was a small creek. The sound of water babbling over smoothed stones carried to her ears. Soon it would be frozen over, the leaves would be gone, and the flowers would be covered over by a frozen sheet of crisp clean snow. That sight would be a wonder all its own. Unfortunately though, it wouldn’t be one she could sit in for hours given the harsh elements.

Rin stood and stretched. Then pulling her cardigan more tightly around her body she started to walk towards the woods, eyes searching for the small and not so travelled path that she had taken to get here. After finding it she turned and looked back for last time of this season, taking it all in. It would likely be a while before she found her way back here again.