The Season That Forgot Its Name

There came a year when winter never arrived. Leaves refused to fall, rivers refused to freeze, and mountains forgot the taste of snow. Scholars panicked, but the elders whispered that the season hadn’t died — it had simply stepped aside. They said winter had grown tired of being blamed for endings and longed to understand beginnings instead. In its absence, flowers bloomed with unfamiliar colors and birds sang melodies no human had heard. When winter finally returned, it did so gently, brushing the world not with cold but with clarity. The people realized that even the most ancient cycles need time to rediscover themselves.