“Grow up!” Fiorie flicked her wrist and twirled her fan. “Dance of the Mountain.” She stirred up a mighty blizzard and knocked the group back with a gust of frigid wind. Her fox spirits grew larger and ran along the air, jumping after Evalieh and the others. She pulled on her fan, transforming it into an icy bow. One after the other she shot icy arrows at the group.

“Ablaze!” Hambone said. Steams of fire exploded from his wolf cane and melted the arrows. Fiorie sent out another barrage and he melted them.

Hanali tripped and a fox spirit landed on him, pinning him down. It bit into his shoulder, and he cried out. Otta swiped at one of the foxes and grabbed it by the tail. He swung it around, knocking Evalieh’s and Hanali’s fox away before throwing it back at Fiorie. She flicked her bow and shielded herself with her fan. The fox smashed into her fan and dissipated in a puff of snow.

Hambone hobbled over to the boys, avoiding the foxes as they snapped him. He created a circle of flames around the group. The foxes wouldn’t pass and retreated to their master’s side.

“Is that all you can do?” Fiorie asked.

“You wretched weasel, do not act so high and mighty!” Hambone said.

Fiorie flicked her fan and held it up high. She spun around dancing in quick light movements. Snow and ribbons of blue light swirled around her, bringing the fallen fox spirit back. With her four pets, Fiorie pointed her fan at the group. The foxes ran over to the flames and started to run in a circle around the group, causing the wind to pick up. “Dance of the mountain,” she said. The blizzard picked up and swirled around the group with tornadic fury.

Evalieh shook and his teeth chattered. He and the others huddled together, feeling their bodies go cold and stiff. Ice began to form along Evalieh’s antennas and feet. Fiorie approached and started dancing again. The storm grew stronger, and Hambone squealed. He was frozen in a solid block of ice. Evalieh and the other limbs grew heavy with ice.

Hanali struggled to get free. “I can’t move! I can’t transform…”

Evalieh tugged and jerked his body around, trying to get free. Ice stretched across his waist and onto his chest. Hanali was frozen up to his neck.

Otta’s teeth chattered, and he wrapped his tail around him. “S-s-so cold.” He rubbed his arms. “Sh-she’s not nice—m-must deliver justice to bad people.”

“Otta…say, sunlight, adorn me!” Evalieh said.

“N-no, Evalieh, he can’t handle it!” Hanali said.

Otta’s teeth chattered, and his voice cracked. “S-sun.”

“No, don’t Otta. It’s too much for you—you’ll get hurt like I did.”

“We’ve got to try something, Hanali,” Evalieh said.

“S-s-sunlight, a-adorn me!” Otta said. He struggled to say it correctly because of how hard he was shivering. He kept repeating the phrase but nothing happened.

“Why isn’t it working, Hanali?” Evalieh asked. 

“I don’t know, maybe he can’t do it,” Hanali said.

Evalieh looked at the ground and ran his eyes back and forth thinking. If Hanali can use his golden flame to ignite powers of the sun, Otta should be able to ignite the warrior’s flame. Then, he jolted, realizing the difference. “Otta. Say, inferno, adorn me!” Evalieh said.

Otta tried but the ice had started to cover his neck and chin. Evalieh swayed back and forth, he was trying to smash the ice away. He slipped, headbutted Otta, and knocked him over. The ice broke away and Otta could move his mouth. Evalieh grabbed his antennas and pulled them down. The ice crackled away, and he tried to rub them. “Say it, Otta!”

Otta took a deep breath and took a firm stance. “Inferno, adorn me!” His earring glowed brighter, and his eyes flickered with drops of blood. A swirling column of flames ingulfed him and knocked the others back. The heat radiated outward in bursts, melting the snow and ice.

The blizzard ended and the fox spirits vanished. Fiorie moved closer. “What is this?” She readied her bow.

Otta burst from the flames in a shockwave. He staggered forward and with every step grew angry. He struggled against the curse as it tried to take a hold of his warden form. He wore an all-red half-worn tunic, a red blazer, matching boots, and a bow around the neck. He leaped upward and did a backflip like an acrobat with fire on his feet. “Fire Whirl!” Flames swirled into a cloud that sent shock waves out, knocking Fiorie back. He hopped on the cloud and surfed through the air.

Fiorie summoned her spirits with a dance and commanded them to combine into one. The giant fox chased after Otta as she followed behind, sidesaddle on a smaller fox. She aimed her bow at the young man and fired off a group of arrows. Otta encased his hands with flaming gloves and swiped at the arrows, melting them. He winced in pain and fell to one knee, trying to hold his curse back.

“Otta, watch out for that witch!” Evalieh said. He picked up a rock and threw it.

“I am no witch!” Fiorie turned to shoot Evalieh when the rock flew past her. “That could have hit me!”

Otta pulled off his fiery gloves and balled them into a large ball. He flung it at the gigantic fox spirit, turning it into snow.

Fiorie grumbled furiously and snapped her fan shut. She threw her arms wide and did a quick dance before posing. “Snowfall, adorn me!” She had a menacing smile as a blizzard whipped around her. 

Evalieh’s stomach sank with horror. “How can she do it too?!” He clung onto Hanali’s arm.

The snowstorm stopped and crystal formed around Fiorie’s body, trapping her inside. She plummeted to the ground and crashed into a crater. Her new garb resembled Hanali and Otta’s transformation, except it was all in pale blue. Her hair was in long braids and her clan’s flame shone brightly within the broach along her waist. She pounded on the crystal. “Get me out of here!”

Otta swooped down and fell off his cloud, breathing heavily. His transformation faded and the others hurried over to him. Evalieh took Otta by the arm and helped him up. Hanali stepped away to inspect Fiorie’s crystal.

Hambone wailed loudly with tears flooding down his face. He kneeled with a bow and bumped his head against the ground repeatedly. “My lord! Oh—my lord. I was so worried!” He looked up and made Evalieh flinch with his ugly sad face. Then, he grabbed his cane and threw it at Evalieh. Otta guarded his friend. “Wretch! You made him do this! He could have been hurt!” He flailed his fists and squealed.

“No, Hambone—I must become stronger. Shamans will pay for mother and father,” Otta said.

“But you could have lost yourself to the curse. What if it took over your body?” Hambone asked.

“No. I must keep everyone safe—must try to fight it. Can’t give up.”

Hanali walked around Fiorie’s crystal and tapped on it. “Hmm. You figured out my warden ability all on your own—fascinating.”

Fiorie slammed her fist on the crystal. “Let me out of here!” She was stuffed inside and the more she moved, the more her fluffy tails squished her against the surface.

“Without any instruction or reason, you’re clearly powerful enough to tackle this on your own. Mother always said the Kitsune were powerful creatures—but I thought you only hopped through dreams, granting wishes.”

“Who cares—just leave her. She deserves this for attacking us. Besides, we must get to the BayoBayo Tree, Hanali,” Evalieh said. He and the others walked over.

Fiorie’s body glowed brightly, startling them. They stepped back and the crystal dissipated into glittering particles. The fox lady floated above her prison. She fluttered on the wind in her white garb. With a little swirling dance, she summoned her fox spirits. Evalieh and the others took a firm stance, readying for an attack. She gave a long sigh and opened her eyes. “Did you say you were going to see the great BayoBayo Tree?”

Hambone waddled forward, tilting his head in suspicion. “Yes—but why do you care, witch?” His eyes bulged and narrowed.

“I was born within the woods, the BayoBayo Tree was my protector and mentor. Although my allegiance is with the Moon Clan, I wear my flame along my waist out of respect for the Earth Clan and wise BayoBayo.” Fiorie grazed her hand across her broach, it looked like a jeweled clock upon closer inspection. “If you have business with the great BayoBayo, it is only right that I heard what he has to say.”

Evalieh scoffed, took Otta by the arm, and walked away. “Yeah right, we’re not taking her after what she did. Sure, run free—I don’t care, but I can’t ignore the fact that she attacked us,” Evalieh said. The two of them wedged a path through the thawing bushes and weeds. Otta followed close like a curious puppy.

Hambone scurried along, wobbled with every step. “Wait for me—don’t leave me, my lord!”

Otta sniffed and followed his nose.

“What do you smell? What is it?” Evalieh asked.

Hanali and Fiorie came up from behind as Otta tore through the bushes with a smile. He growled into a chuckle with every swipe of his claws. Evalieh looked back at the other two and shrugged.

“Smell…forest,” Otta said.

“Yeah, I don’t think we’re far from it now,” Evalieh said.

“My desert lamp should have saved us a great deal of time,” Hambone said. He pulled out the flowering plant and shook it around. The pollen didn’t stir up and dots didn’t appear. “At least we didn’t fall into another chasm.”

“Smell…people—they’re here!” Otta swiped at a bush and frowned. He parted another and sniffed.

“What are. You are looking for?” Evalieh asked.

“I know what he’s found. It’s the Leafunga—they’re forest children,” Fiorie said.

Evalieh followed behind Otta, trying to see what he was searching for. “What makes you think we should trust you? Leafunga people—yeah right,” Evalieh said. He inspected the bushes and mimicked Otta. He sniffed and moved swiftly, hoping to find something.

“You’re not going to find them—at least not yet.” Fiorie folded her arms and shook her head with a sigh. “If you want to see these things you’ll have to wait until you get to the woods.”

“Why, what are the Leafunga?” Hanali asked.

“They’re a forest spirit that mimics the essence of a child. They’re playful and wise, but shy to unfamiliar faces,” she said.

“What do they have to do with us?” Eavlieh asked.

“Their laughter will lead us to the BayoBayo Tree. The path through the forest is everchanging, even to familiar faces.” Fiorie sulked and looked away from the forest hills. “I’ve been gone for so long; I doubt they’ll be so welcoming to me.”

“Suspicious,” Evalieh and Hambone said. They jolted and looked at one another with a gawking face. They couldn’t believe they were sync.

Hanali raised his hand to pat the fox lady on the back, but he resisted. “Fiorie, do you think you could lead us into the forest and help us out?”

A frown of doubt stretched across Evalieh and Hambone’s face. They couldn’t believe Hanali was willing to let her join them. “Uh, Hanali, what do you think you’re doing? We can’t trust her,” Evalieh said.

“Come now, Evalieh. Don’t be so harsh—we barely know her. Surely, she has her reasons and if we want to understand, we must give her time to speak,” Hanali said.

“No, Hanali, I don’t want to understand. I want to make sure we’re all safe.” Evalieh huffed and pulled on his antennas, making his eyes stretch and bulge. “This is so aggravating.” He cringed and inhaled through his teeth.

“I apologize—okay,” Fiorie said. Everyone stopped and stared back at her. “I have a duty to follow. My Priestess’ word is my law and faith. I along with others of my kind act as her eyes and ears by reporting information from across the island. Our way keeps order and peace in this land—but you are unpredictable. So, I must oversee your travel.”

Evalieh clenched his fist. “Whatever.”

“I do have some good news.” Hanali chuckled, trying to shrug off the tension. He swerved past Fiorie and made a path with his finger, leading up to the forest. “It looks like Hambone’s flower managed to save us a few days’ time. We’re not far from the forest now.”

“He’s right,” Fiorie said.

Evalieh looked down at Hambone and smirked. “Hey, we should travel by air more often, piggy.”

Hambone shook his desert lamp around and dusted the droopy petals. “We can, you wretch, but only after the flower has rested. It’s looking a little wilted now.”

“Then, allow me to take you,” Fiorie said. She snapped her fingers, and her wolf spirits dove beneath Evalieh and the others. The foxes scooped their heads down low and lifted them up as if they were saddle riding. With haste, the five of them rode through the air, bouncing along the wind. Evalieh clung onto the fox’s neck and closed his eyes.

After some time, they came to a halt.

“Is it over?” Evalieh asked.