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((The Mon/Wen/Fri Double -- page 1 of 2))
Granted, there were many madegas in Aguarey, where she'd spent her entire life until very recently, so it wasn't like them popping up in her memories was particularly odd or inexplicable--especially given her passion for biology. Plants and animals had always interested her.

Personally, sunflowers were more her thing, but the madegas could be visually striking in their own ways. In fact, one of the more interesting things about them was the subtle differences that they could have with one another. The tree in the Elroy Estate, for example, had very small, fine leaves that looked almost like feathers, whereas the Great Madega Tree at the heart of Aguarey had leaves as big as her head.

There were all sorts of variants among them. Darker- or lighter-colored bark. More gnarled-looking branches. Some would flower in the spring despite the neverending rain, and some might even bear fruit.

As far as she was aware, there were mainly just two things that distinguished a madega tree. The teal-colored leaves and the fact that they seemingly couldn't drown no matter how much rain fell. Their gigantic, sprawling root systems extended for miles beneath Aguarey and beyond, and the constant flooding below the giant platform on which the city was built never bothered them in the slightest.

It was no wonder why her kin had always placed such reverence on them. She even recalled her father once mentioning that their ancestors used to believe the madegas harbored the souls of their brethren who had passed on. Or at least, the ones who had lived honorably.

Remembering all of that had made her feel even more homesick than usual. She wondered if she would ever see Aguarey again. A rather strong part of her didn't think so.

Since then, she had been looking through the Library for a book about madega trees or perhaps about Lhutwë, but she had yet to find either in the literal mountain of books here.