The girl sat in the hollow of a tree, the darkness becoming more complete as the sun continued its journey to the horizon.

  Yet she was not alone.

  “I was wondering what a child was doing in these woods by herself!” Chuckled Change from his place in her brow after Willow was done explaining her predicament to her new friends. “Sent on an errand and then lost your way. I’m surprised, considering how spiritually perceptive you are.”

  She flushed in embarrassment. “I was using my spirit sense to find good sticks for kindling, so I kinda lost track of which way felt like home.”

  “Now brother, there is no need to tease the poor girl.” Chimed in Harmony from Willow’s crown. “She is young and prone to the follies such youth entails.”

  “I’m not that young!” Defended the child. “I’ve been through seven winters so I get more tasks and chores now!” She said, puffed up with indignant pride, she then deflated. “It’s very boring.”

  Change laughed. “Sounds like it! I’ve never had to do chores a day in my life, and if doing them gets you in trouble like this I’m glad of that fact.”

  “Can you guys do something to help me get home?” Willow asked, eager to change the subject.

  “Hmmm…” The siblings hummed in unison, both clearly deep in thought. “Normally it’d be a simple matter of us scouting above and seeing where your little community is.” Chimed in Change. Willow perked up at the potential solution to her problem.

  “However, with our current pursuers that would be ill advised.” Continued Harmony.

  “We’d be found almost instantly!” Finished Change with a grin.

  The girl sagged in defeat. “So I just wander the woods and hope I find my way home?”

  “We didn’t say that!” Change said with his grin widening. “I should be able to see which way you came from. All you’d have to do is follow your own footsteps as I point them out to you.” Willow was filled with hope again, but the spirit continued. “The danger is that you’d have to do it without your fiery friend lighting your way.”

  Hope turned to confusion. “What? Why?”

  “The flame was what angered the beast that chased you to us child.” Harmony gently explained. “Many of the spirits and beasts in this forest are quite sensitive to any fire qi in the area, and do all they can to snuff it out when found.”

  The flame spirit flickered in shame.

  “Hush now child.” The night comforted the candle flame. “Neither you or your partner knew, and from what your friend said in her story it was your idea to climb this tree.” It perked up as she continued. “So in the end you balanced the harm caused with an even greater good, for we are likely to be saved by your actions. Speaking of, we should start heading out now before our pursuers notice your presence Willow.”

  “Right right.” The girl replied as she crawled out of the hollow of the tree that had been her refuge. Now she just had to climb down. On sore and scraped hands and legs. In the dark. Should be easy.

  Oh wait. She realized, feeling slightly embarrassed. She didn’t need to use her eyes to see the tree.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  She closed her eyes and sent her senses into the branch beneath her.

  A riot of textures and life greeted her as she felt the entirety of the tree and the various critters that made it their home. Before she lost herself too much in all the various sensations she was feeling she focused on the branch she was currently sitting on and started slowly climbing to the next closest branch.

  Then the next.

  Then the next.

  Her body still hurt, and it was slow going, but she safely made it to the forest floor after an unknown amount of time.

  She opened her eyes and in the dim lighting saw churned earth from the charge and investigation of the beast that chased her. However, all of the bushes and shrubbery that were broken by the action showed signs of fresh growth, the damage inflicted on them soon to be forgotten. Thankfully the beast itself was long gone by now.

  “For now just follow the devastation left by the beast.” Change said, startling Willow. “Easy now, didn’t mean to scare ya. Try to relax, we’ll get you home safe and sound before you know it!”

  She took a deep breath and started walking along the path of destruction.

  As she moved, she tried to keep herself calm by thinking of the stew that would hopefully be waiting for her when she finally got home. Which just made her stomach rumble at the realization that she hadn’t had a meal since the morning. Which just made her want to cry because she was tired, hungry, and sore all over.

  But there wasn’t time to cry. She’d cry when she got home. With a bowl of stew in front of her, and her sister there to give her a hug. She nodded to herself, and wiped the bits of water that had gathered around her eyes.

  “Your basket should be around here.” Change said softly from the space inside her brow. “Don’t know exactly where it wound up, but this is where you dropped it.”

  “How’d you know that?” She mumbled, looking around the bushes in the low light.

  “I’ve been tracking your change in position. Before this point you have a basket. After you don’t, so it’s probably around here.” He sounded slightly strained.

  Eventually finding her basket half crushed, but still mostly functional, she put it on with a light sigh. At least she could come home with her task complete.

  “Can you please hurry up a tad? This is more taxing than I thought it would be.” The strain in his voice was more pronounced.

  “Can I help?” The child asked, not wanting her friend to be struggling on her behalf.

  “No you ca-” He paused, thinking of something. “Maybe? Not sure. Haven’t tried it before, so I don’t know if it would work with your core as underdeveloped as it is.”

  “I want to help.”

  “Brother, I am not sure this is wise.” Harmony warned.

  “But she wants to help!” He argued. “Besides, I don’t think I can keep this up by myself long enough to get her home, and if we wait too long the trail will disappear.”

  “If both of you are sure”

  “I want to help.” Willow repeated, less sure than before.

  Her eyes went white. A black eye opened between her brows.

  She saw nothing.

  Then she saw everything.

  Every change happening around her in clear black and white relief.

  The leaves moved by the breeze. The breeze itself. The roots of the trees slowly growing. Every single insect moving in the ground, on the leaves, on the trees. Every sound made from all of these things and more moving through the air.

  Everything.

  All at once.

  It was too much.

  The entirety of her being started to hurt from the strain on her core.

  It was too much.

  Tears leaked from her eyes.

  Her spirits argued, but she couldn’t make out the words.

  She was screaming, she didn’t know for how long.

  It was too much!

  The child passed out, and a figure emerged from the darkness.