In the quiet clearing where the troop gathers each day, Mother Oliver sits with her baby beside her. She looks tired—her eyes heavy, her body thin from the constant demands of caring for her little one in a world that is not always kind to mothers like her.
Mother Oliver has done her best to feed, shelter, and protect her baby. Every day she searches for food, guards against threats, and comforts her little one through storms and squabbles within the troop. Yet, despite her care, life has not been easy for them. Her milk is running dry, her strength worn thin, and the baby still cries for more than she can give.
When her baby reaches for milk, she turns sadly away—there is little left, and her own body needs rest and nourishment too. The baby cries in confusion, not yet able to understand that sometimes a mother’s love must be shown through hard lessons and silent sacrifices.
Watching her struggle brings tears to my eyes. She does not ignore her child out of cruelty or neglect. Instead, she carries a heavy burden: the instinct to care and the reality that sometimes nature does not provide enough. Her eyes show a mix of exhaustion, worry, and fierce love as she keeps her baby close, grooming him gently even when she cannot fully feed him.
