Acorn — Cap & Stem Study (Specimen No. 003) steampunk shadows bending toward us like

shadows bending toward us like obedient servants

intricately crafted with care

while beads of red and green shimmered as though they had been plucked from the forest’s own breath

Never confirmed it either

They are not for the innocent

Acorn — Cap & Stem Study (Specimen No. 003) steampunk shadows bending toward us likeCollected as a stem fragment bearing one or more caps. Caps remain intact. One complete seed form present. Arrangement varies between specimens. Structure holds. No further change observed. Copper adheres first along the stem, then settles into the textured outer surfaces of the caps. Interior surfaces plate last and with difficulty. Cause unclear. Deposition gathers across the outer patterning, emphasising the existing structure. Edges remain clearly