"Now, look, Koto," the gentle voice said, attempting to steer her daughter's attention back to the task at hand.
The small girl at her side huffed, peering over the counter as her mother broke the dough in her hands. "Why can't we cook the chicken? Huh?" she pestered at the lack of response.
"Because that's simple. You already know how to do that. Baking is new."
"Baking's boring."
Her mother sighed. "Here, knead this dough," she conceded, relinquishing a handful of dough.
The little fox's eyes widened as she smushed and stretched the blob between her hands. "Why's it like that?"
"That's just the way it is. That way, we can shape to whatever we want, and then when it bakes, it'll be solid."
"Like bread?"
"Yes. And biscuits and muffins and cobbler, too."
"What are we making?"
"You'll see when we're done."
Koto grinned. She was never annoyed about surprises.
"Okay, let me see it." Koto handed the dough off to her mother, who broke the rest of the dough into pieces and flattened them on the pan. "Now come here and press your thumb right in the middle like this."
"In the middle?"
"Mm-hm."
—.—
Koto snatched the golden cookies out of the oven, plopping them onto a plate by means of spatula and resting them to cool on the counter just long enough to pour a dollop of honey in the center, Juri hovering over her shoulder with every step.
Koto smiled, offering her one of the finished morsels.
"I don't know how you do it," Juri muttered through a mouthful. "They're amazing."
She shrugged. "Practice."