yarrow's birth/yew's death
Thinking about basically how it all worked.... Where was Yarrow born. Did he always live in that house? Did he always live in that forest? Did they live somewhere else and Yarrow travelled to the forest after Yew died, or before, even? Did they live among other sprites? Did Yew self-fertilise or did Yarrow have two parents? If so, what happened to the other one? Is the species as solitary as I thought?
I could make it super tragic and have it be like. Some human killed Yew's mate and this is why she's so hateful towards humankind. I dunno about that though lol.
Solitary species don't live with others of their species.... I figure maybe she mated with someone like. I think mainly for hermaphroditic animals they will still mate with others when possible because it's more of a genetic advantage or whatever -- self-fertilisation is a last resort if there is nobody to mate with. Also a lot of animals leave their young as soon as they're grown enough to survive so. It's possible that Yarrow and her were apart for a long ass time before she actually died.... I don't know because she was fiercely protective of him but. I guess any animal would be for their babies. Doesn't mean they will stay together their whole lives -- I guess as soon as Yarrow is able to look after himself she could leave. Or he could leave. Maybe the way of the sprites is that they get to a certain age and then go on a journey to find someplace new to go and protect. It makes sense that there are a lot of forests, lakes, mountains, and relatively few sprites... She'd be living someplace, have Yarrow, he would grow up and find another place that needs looking after that's unoccupied. It would often be the case that a place is unoccupied because the sprite who once lived there died. Which.....
Because I was thinking about the House this whole time and I was like if it's not Yew's house then who... How did Yarrow build a whole ass house... But I figure, maybe it was another sprite's, once.
Yarrow goes exploring for days, weeks and eventually finds a forest. It seems neglected and far from thriving. He finds a little stone cottage there and knocks on the door -- going back to them being solitary, I think they really don't like to encroach on anyone else's territory. I think they probably only really run into each other when they're looking for new territory. Maybe this is the instance in which, if they did run into another one, they would mate cuz it just makes sense lol. They're pragmatic guys I think, unromantic. Get the job done and part ways. It makes sense too cuz... Ok
Say a sprite gives birth at around 100-200, which would be young adulthood. They would look after their child until the child is around 100-200. Then the young sprite goes on a journey to find their own territory. They commonly encounter another sprite on their search and, given that they're not too old, will take this opportunity to mate. They carry on until they find an unoccupied land, give birth and raise their child. In the case that they don't find anyone, they'll usually self-fertilise. And the cycle continues...
Interesting in Yarrow's case cuz he obviously didn't mate with anyone and... Is probably coming to the end of the window in which reproduction would be viable ... I think the idea always kinda freaked him out cuz he's my aroace icon <2 but also. Tee hee. I think the small part of him that might've wanted to raise a child was probably satiated once he met Jesper. So he's just vibing now. There's the thing of ~the continuation of the species for the continued preservation of nature~ but I think Yarrow is of the mindset much like myself that, it is not a moral failing not to have children.... Okay essay complete