Equinox

When she arrived everything was unfolding. The houses were on fire and screams filled the air. The town was larger than the last one, reason why she couldn’t locate the great hall right away, and the columns of smoke that were rising from it were so dense that she thought they could be seen dozens of miles away. Somewhere in the midst of the confusion metal clashes tinkled and strange noises rose from the havoc. The smoke was so thick that it shadowed the sun, and between the black and brown stains in the air flames peeked out from which wherever they were burning.

"Good Horsmaster…" She muttered in disbelief. "Oh Mittens, what have you gotten yourself into?"

     Breezes gasped when the weight of what was happening dawned to her. She had never seen a village under attack, but the sight of it made her want to turn away and flee, just like those lucky ones that were doing so at the outskirts of the place. For a moment she wondered how would Mittens and Mariel be doing in there.

     Mittens… The thought that she was stranded in the middle of all that made something inside her resolution come to her mind, swiflty becoming an overpowering order, one that, she knew, would push her to risk her life at the prospect of fatality. Right after she made a decision she immediately covered Jingle’s eyes, who was watching at everything with baffled expression, and drove her away from the conflict. That was no sight for a filly.

“Stay here” she told Jingle when they reached a spot where she was sure they wouldn’t be spotted. “Keep hidden until I return.”

     She left the filly under a tree, and as the resolution began to grow inside her of what she was going to do, turned away, readying to enter into the fray. It didn’t matter that her leg was useless. She would get to those three, even if she had to limp for it!

“Wait!” Jingle called at her back. “Where are you going?”

     Breezes turned briefly. The filly looked desperate, but in the wake of what was happening the answer came to her almost as if it had been waiting to be asked for.

“I’m going to bring Mittens back!”

     It didn’t take much for Breezes to get back to the fight. The town was downhill, and the terrain was smoothly sloped. Just as she crossed the land, Breezes thought abut how lucky she was not to be in the necessity to jump or climb, that would have been uncomfortable. But that for now was the least of her worries. Breezes had never considered herself a valiant mare beyond the boundaries of her equals, and that showed when the first couple of ponies run past her in the opposite direction. That almost stopped her on her tracks.

     Just as the couple of mares went screaming as the galloped away Breezes felt something inside her falter. When she returned her sight to the front, something about that place seemed very out of order. The fire, the smoke, the screams and the sounds. All of them seemed all the sudden like they could kill her where she was standing, more like direct threats to her life than the indicators that inside there a battle was unfolding.

"Snap out of it!" she slapped herself. "Your friend needs you, and there’s nothing that’s gonna stop you from getting to her! For Mittens!"

     Something suddenly drew her attention. The sound of something crashing with strength into a building, tearing wood and stone apart with a mighty boom followed by an explosion. Breezes looked at the place from where the sound had come from, staring at longer tongues of fire coming out from where it’d happened.

“On second thought…”

"NO!!!" her own voice resumed her way into town, every time being embraced by more and more sounds of the fight as she immersed into the battle. "Wait for me Mittens, I’ll save you!"

     The Snow Pony rushed into the place, feeling how she was being engulfed by the sounds of the battle around. The sun didn’t take long to disappear, and the ambient around suddenly turned heavy and oppressing. Breezes didn’t know by which devise, but her pace around the town had become lighter, almost as if she could trot with her leg as it were but still she had to make a constant effort to withstand the pressure that background gave her.

     She went down an alley that connected two different blocks. The roofs over her head were burning, and the mell was as fetid as only charred meat could be. Breezes had to restrain herself to puke when the thought of to who that stench would belong to crossed her mind.

“Just keep going, Breezes” she told herself over and over. “Just keep going!”

     She reached the end of the alley and got to a wider dirt road. Everything should be on fire, but something inside her, perhaps her sense of direction, told her she was near the centre. She turned to every direction, but it seemed that the fight, so close, still eluded her. There was no sign of anyone there. Breezes cursed, and was bout to turn back and look elsewhere when a crash warned her that something had been destroyed at her right.

     She turned again, and saw something that she couldn’t make. Down the road, two houses away, a building had collapsed, and now something was debating itself inside there with all the debris. The creature squirmed and twisted, so Breezes couldn’t know what it was. Breezes thought about coming closer for a second, but when the Histling warriors appeared from above she took cover as fast as she could.

     The pegasus soared down from the sky and quickly surrounded the place where that thing had fallen down. Breezes tried to listen, but they spoke in their homeland’s idiom and she couldn’t make anything. She wondered for a moment if it would be a good idea to show herself to them or not, but what happened next convinced her of otherwise. The pegasus surrounded the building and the adjacent roofs. They were no more than six, but Breezes wouldn’t have the opportunity to properly count them. As soon as they narrowed enough to the remains of the house, the creature that was inside broke out, and in unbelievable speed for its size charged at the Histlings. The pegasus, caught by surprise, tried to flee, but as soon as the first one moved he was cut down by something that gleamed in the yellow of the flames.

     The pegasus flew away by the hit and toppled down the next house’s wall upon impact. One of his three companions yelled something in response, but couldn’t finish as she was next. The other two rushed to retreat, but the being wouldn’t allow them, and just as the first one they fell pray to that strange blade, that swung converted into a blur and ended the lives of the two of them in an instant.

     Breezes backed away, watching as the creature stood its ground. From where she was she couldn’t make much of it, but what she could see were its height, ten feet tall, and the shredded cloak that covered its features. Below its feet two blue tongues of fire sprung in all directions and engulfed them like torches. Something moved behind its back, but Breezes couldn’t know if it was a tail or wings, and its posture was bowed. Breezes stood there in silence as she saw in utter horror how the monster, making a funny movement as it walked, picked up one of the Histlings it just murdered with a heinous looking claw and examined it for a moment, or at least held him still where she imagined that his head was supposed to be.

     Mittens remembered the words that Takai had said. How did he called it? An Oni? She held her breath when she saw the monster turn in her direction and backed away even more. The creature was looking at her hideout like if it knew she were there, but then turned again, apparently dismissing it. Breezes tried to remain collected, but the beating of her heart was rushing so fast that she could swear it was going to pop out. When she peeked away again, the monster had walked away and was just staring again at the dead pony in its claw, which it kept on doing for a moment before tossing him over as if he were a pileup.

     Breezes knew she should stay hidden, but the act turned the fire of her wrath faster than she believed, and to an intensity he could barely manage. How could it do something like that to a pony? Were they nothing to it? Did it just saw her kind as some kind of sport!?

     She, pondered it would be better to leave it for later, and apparently she’d have another day to live, because as soon as it appeared it left with a leap that propelled it over the roof of the next house and out of sight, just leaving two burning spots of blue that slowly turned to yellow, then red, and then finally disappeared.

     Everything else became normal again, at least for the atmosphere around, just as if nothing ever happened. Breezes stepped into the streets when the creature was gone. The place was completely wrecked. the thought of calling for Mittens crossed her mind again, but she quickly dismissed it for fear of calling that thing over again. Instead, she walked to the other side of the road just to see if she could pick up something. Today wasn’t her lucky day, the sounds of what was happening around completely covered the position of the Oni.

"Don’t worry, it should be fine." She told herself. "As long as you keep out of that thing's way everything should be-"

     Something drew her from her thoughts. Behind her back, something moved and cracked. At first she thought it was another platoon of pegasus, but after a second she realized there wasn’t anything in the sky. The sound had came from her back. When Breezes saw it she thought the image of the monster had left some traces on her, or that it was a play of light. From the fallen bodies of the ponies that thing had carelessly murdered, a strange kind of black mist was emanating. Breezes scrubbed her eyes, and narrowed her sight to see it it would blur away, but the curious smoke persisted. Moreover it was beginning to thicken.

     Breezes didn’t know what exactly did it mean, but before she realized it it was already happening. Suddenly the smoke that was coming out from every pony came to life, and in an arcane form of animation began to solidify. When the mare realized what was happening, a strange being had appeared before her. It had the body of a pony, strongly resembling the broken carcass of where it came from, but with different features. Its fur was black and ethereal, its wings, mane and tail expelled a trace of darkened vapor, and in its head, crowned by two antinatural long ears, red dots gleamed under a white mask in the form of a growling face, a caricature of a demon that came to be the creature’s permanent facial expression.

     Breezes’s eyes opened wide, and her muzzle shut a scream of terror before it came out of it. Before her, the creatures that had emerged from the dead didn’t lose time, and as soon as they came to be, they picked up the weapons of their former selves and suited themselves with the pieces of their costumes that were in good condition enough to still be used.

     Breezes couldn’t believe what she was watching. The dead were rising… The dead were rising! Oh good Horsemaster, it was finally happening!!! Not even in her wildest dreams she’d imagined something as terrifying as this to happen. The thought of getting out of there as fast as she could came back to her, and this time a strange determination that wasn’t entirely hers was willing to obey it, just as the nearest one of those things turned its sight and fixed it on her. Then Breezes’s blood ran out of her face, and even for a Snow Pony she paled. The urge to run amplified within her, but she knew it was useless. They would catch her in no time, if not with its non-broken legs, with those wings. The creature’s eyes stared at her with nothing else that couldn’t be a death wish. She was done for…

     The creature let out a loud roar, or at least what she thought was a roar, and charged towards her with its axe rose high. Breezes tried to think what to do, but the panic won her over. Everything she was able to do was shut her eyes and shrink, waiting for the death blow.

     Yet, she wouldn’t have to wait. As soon as the creature gave a step in her direction a purple light shone from above, and a loud boom vaporized it where it was standing. Next thing that happened was that with a strange noise Takai appeared leaping from over the roof of a house and fell right into the second one, stabbing it with his sword as he did. He was followed by Mittens, who wielding that strange blade she’d seen her with directly struck into the third as she released her own battlecry.

     The abominations were taken by surprise, and couldn’t react before being cut down by the three of them. When everyone struck a deadly blow to them, they banished, turned into vapor, and left their physical belongings after that, which fell to the ground when there wasn’t anything to hold them.

     Chilly Breezes stood where she was, at the end of the street, seeing them gathering together as if what they’d done had been nothing. Nothing! Breezes couldn’t believe the slovenliness which everyone looked like. They were risking their lives, and they were as worried as if they’d been out for a picnic! With a monster as she’d saw how was this whole thing supposed to be taken lightly!? She was about to speak, but she didn’t need to. The surprise on Mittens’s eyes when she turned at her spoke for her.

“Is everyone okay?” asked Mariel as she teleported into the scene.

“I’m fine” said Mittens, sheathing her blade.

“Everything is clear” continued Takai. “At least in this side of the town.”

“Good” she sheathed her sword as well. “Make sure every pony around here gets out alive” and then turned to Breezes, though her expression didn’t show anything else rather than she’d found her. “Looks like quite a run for someone on your estate, don’t you think?”

     Breezes took a second to acknowledge that she’d been spoken to. Then, that sensation of enragement returned.

“Not as comparable as you, throwing yourselves into this mess!” she talked back.

     Mariel didn’t seem bothered. She just shrugged and turned away.

“At least you’re okay.”

“Breezes, where is Jingle?” asked Mittens, worried. “Did… Did you-?”

“…Bring her along? Of course! ...NOT!” she snapped. “Gosh, I may be a messy mare, but at least I’m a responsible one!”

“What does that mean?” she rose an eyebrow.

     Now she was just messing with her.

“Look at this place!” she embraced the town in fire. “How was I supposed to know if you’d return when you galloped off to This!? To that… Thing!”

“What?” Mariel instantly turned back. “Did you saw him?”

     Breezes snorted to it, unbelieving.

“Did I!? Who do yo think that brought back those three? Tirek? HA!!!”

     Mariel didn’t seem moved by the pinprick, but turned to Takai instead. In her gaze was a sternly look, but what Breezes could make out as a question. Takai was still wearing his mask, but he looked back at her with the same seriousness and nodded. Neither Breezes nor Mittens were able to pick up on what that meant.

“What’s the matter?” asked Mittens.

“Get the filly” said Mariel as she walk passed her. “We’ll meet you later when this is over.”

     Breezes silently thanked her for her change of opinion, but Mittens didn’t seem to share her thoughts.

“What!?” she cut her way. “Are you seriously leaving me out-”

     She stopped when she saw Mariel’s face, turned into a glare so fierce that even the creature’s masks looked harmless in comparison. For a moment, besides the intimidating stare, Breezes thought about how funny it was that that mare could silence Mittens, and even back her away with the power of her stare.

“Get. Out. Now” she said, though the last word came out more as a growl. “Takai, go with them.”

“Sure, no problem!” the kitsune agreed, but mostly because the mare’s stare had had the same effect on him.

     Mariel stood where she was, with Mittens still facing her by some unknown devise which seemed to involve foolish courage. The other times she had been pushed away, but now it looked as if she was standing her ground against the unicorn. Breezes for a moment even had the impression that they were about to fight…

     A house suddenly went down at the end of the block, and a blue fire invaded the air in a turning swirl of deadly light. Before another second passed, all eyes had turned to the direction from where the noise had came from, and all of them saw with equal surprise and tension as the creature returned to sight again.

     From nothing the tongues of fire, the monster that Breezes had evaded earlier showed again, this time accompanied by a horde of revived ponies. All of them wielding something that related even remotely to a weapon. Everyone immediately reached for the hilts of their swords, save for Breezes, who could only wonder with horror, how many ponies had that thing killed in order to have such force at its back… The number gave her chills.

“You were saying?” Mittens turned back to Mariel. “There is no way in Tartarus that you’re facing off with that thing alone!”

“Looks like this guy doesn’t know when to quit” Takai unsheaded his sword and assumed guard stance. “This is going to be very messy…”

     Breezes was about to make her retreat. In reality there wasn’t much she could do in her estate save for watch, and the last thing she’d like to see was how her friend was getting murdered by that unholy demon from… Wherever it was.

     Mittens, on her side, hadn’t been slightly discouraged, and was about to pick up her blade but Mariel immediately stopped her.

“No!” she walked to the front with her sword on her mouth. “He’s mine.”

     Takai sheathed his sword without a word, and Breezes just stared at her as if she’d gone crazy. Mittens tried to argue, but when the creature gave a step forward from its horde, the discussion was over. Mariel stared sternly to it, and the monster, cloaked as it was, only seemed to reach for something at its waist. The moment after, some kind of curved staff emerged from its roves, and it unsheathed it to reveal two sword-like blades, attached to equal portions of its sheathe.

     In that moment even Mittens kept her distance. None of the presents dared to make any comments. The meaning of it was clear enough: this would be it.

     Mariel assumed guard stance, and snorted in defiance. The Oni, on its side, remained calmed, and with unconcern waved its blades in both its hands-claws before doing the same. The crowd of black creatures stomped their terrain in support for its leader, and Takai and Mittens directed nervous looks to Mariel on their side. Breezes just waited for the inevitable to happen as time went forward while Mariel and her foe stood still. None of them were moved by the events. Both remained looking at each other, thirty yards away.

     The Oni was the first one to react. With a doubtful step forward, he began to move when its contender imitated him. Both started to narrow, discreetly walking at first, then taking up speed at trotting, and after at least a dozen feet both Mariel and the creature were charging at each other, the Oni using its backbent legs to move him forward at an unnatural speed for its size and Mariel galloping at full speed, making her horn glow dangerously as she neared to him.

     Tension built up as both of them sprinted at each other. When they were roughly ten yards away Mariel’s horn exploded into a blast of magic that impacted her surprised opponent, turning him into a ball of purple fire with a loud boom. Everyone looked at it open-mouthed, and for a moment Breezes thought that it was over… But they weren’t so lucky. Emerging from the fire, followed by a trace of flames, the Oni continued its charge after a second and went straight for Mariel, who hadn’t stopped galloping in all this time.

     The contact between the two of them was swift. Both blades met, and both steels clashed in a musical note that spoke of the strength with which they had been wielded. The Oni, aided by its powerful legs, made an air twirl as it struck at Mariel, while the mare, seemingly expecting it, sent a swing upwards. Breezes couldn’t see which one made the hit, but when the Oni landed unflinchingly on the ground, and Mariel lost her valance and tripped, rolling over her back and remaining still, for a moment she thought she had been defeated.

     The monster stood in its guard for a moment more, and in that time, since its cloak had been burned away, Chilly Breezes was able to impress every detail of it in her mind, as was sure that her companions were doing as well. It was a kitsune, or at least resembled strongly to one, if Takai were ten feet tall. Its fur was completely black, and at its back several tails flowed in a disturbing motion, leaving traces of black smoke while they moved. Its eyes were two blue spheres of fire that moved by the will of its owner in a terrible but garish manner. It was wearing a full set of samurai armor, that displayed a darkened red color as it reflected the fire round it, save for the helmet, which was his own white mask, crowned by two excessively long ears, that imitated a kitsune’s face, but with those demonic details in it which made it look as if it was laughing and growling at the same time.

     Breezes stared at it with a mix between fascination and horror. It stood up and waved its blades once more in a manner that she couldn’t follow, then it turned to her and the others, like challenging them to stand up against it. Breezes in that moment gave a step back, and even if Mittens and Takai reached their respective sword hilts, they didn’t look convinced to start a fight. If that thing had killed so many ponies, what made them think that they stood a chance against it?

     The Oni stood in guard for a moment, and then relaxed its posture, apparently not sensing any other worthy opponent. Instead of charging up to them, it just started to walk normally, convinced, as much as its opponents that they didn’t stand a chance. After some point it even started to swing its dual blades amusingly at them.

     Takai and Mittens shared a concerned look, and Breezes felt how her panic, which was pleading her to run, turned into a bleak desperation, and then into a heartbreaking acceptance. It had the advantage and it knew it. There was no point in running. It could just leap to them and then they would be history anyway. They were as good as dead…

     Something broke the tension, just as the hopelessness that had been built up at this point. The Oni suddenly turned, as well as its objectives, no doubt taken equally by surprise. From within the smoke, an arrow pierced the veil and impacted upon the creature, making it screech in surprise. A second later, a band of Histling warriors appeared from the smoke, wielding their battle axes and broadshields as they yelled frantically.

     The Oni assumed guard stance and readied for impact, but its own pegasus creatures entered into an interception course with its attackers and managed to lock them in the fray. Anyone who dared to get through the creature wall and face the Oni was struck down by it and immediately turned.

     Breezes almost cheered when the Histling warriors appeared, but her heart sank low again when the Oni’s servants interfered. It almost looked as if they could beat it, but they had forgot about its horde… Great way to get one’s hopes up before certain dea-

     Suddenly a loud noise broke through the battlefield, and the Oni was engulfed by fire again, leaving a blazing trace in the air as it flew away by the impact. Breezes then turned with her gaze full of stupefaction. In the same place where she had fallen, Mariel had risen up and her horn was now glowing like a wildfire, magic emanating from every hair of her coat, forming a brilliant aura around her person.

     The Oni flew at least thirty feet away before recovering and landing in a controlled manner. This time the surprise and anger in its features was even more heightened by the expression of its mask. Mariel was looking at it with pure rage in her face, and it even seemed as if her purple lines were glowing along with the air. She sent another powerful blast, that the creature dodged by leaping, leaving a large crater where it was standing a second ago. The mare then charged back at it, but apparently this time her opponent seemed to decide it wasn’t worth the risk.

     With a loud whistle, the Oni and all of its dark pony mimicries retreated from the place. The troop of black creature disbanded at once, and the Oni itself jumped over a house’s roof, and jumped again out of sight before the whole building was blown away by Mariel’s wrath.

     Breezes followed everything with a shocked look. In fact everyone did. Just as the Histling stallions proceeded to secure the area, and Mariel herself joined with the others, the sounds of battle that had been resonating around went gradually quiet. After a few minutes the whole town was engulfed by a death silence. It was clear that the Oni hadn’t just retreated to strike back again. This time it’d left the village once and for all.

     To say that silence hung heavy after that was only an understatement. A spell of quietness fell over the world, and nothing, not even nature showed up to fill it. Breezes gathered with the others when everything was over, though none was in the mood for talking. She could understand them. What had just transpired had been just too much. Even she didn’t know how to begin.

“Well… We’re alive” spoke Takai, trying in vain to sound humorous.

     It was better than nothing.

“Yes, we are” nodded Breezes, just to keep going. “But for how long?”

“Damn him!” suddenly broke Mariel. “I almost had him this time!”

“Calm down” put in Takai. “What you did was the most valiant thing anyone would, but I was afraid that it would end like this…” he lowered his head thoughtfully. “Many, and much better have fallen to Ryakudatsu’s blade. You should be grateful to be alive!”

“I don’t need to give thanks for anything!” she shrieked. “Not until that bastard’s dead!”

     Everyone backed away by her sudden reaction.

“How many times I have to tell you?” Takai exclaimed back. “It’s an Oni, you can’t kill him! At least not in the traditional way…”

“What do you mean in the traditional way?” she confronted him. “Is there another one? And you didn’t tell me!?”

     Takai looked away in shame.

“It’s…”

“Speak up!” she straightly yelled at him. “How can I stop him?”

“It’s too dangerous, okay?” he snapped defensively. “You need to tie him to a living vessel, like a prison, otherwise he will just regenerate in time!”

“A living vessel, you say…” she murmured thoughtfully.

     Takai snapped his fingers to draw her attention.

“See? this is why I didn’t want to tell you, because now you are thinking!”

“And?” she rose an eyebrow.

“And I know what you are thinking, and it’s crazy!” he rose his arms in exclamation. “There must be another solution. You hosu may not be the most sober of species, but this… What you’re planning is a disregard for life. It’s antinatural! A complete madness!”

     Before he could finish, Mariel was facing him again.

“Madness you say? Madness is letting him go, roam the land destroying whatever he desires! Tearing apart more villages! Taking lives! Killing off loved ones-” she couldn’t continue. Tears were already welling in her eyes. To that moment Breezes couldn’t have completed the puzzle about her, but now, by some unknown devise, everything connected inside her mind… And in all of the present’s too. She was about to speak, but by then Mariel had already rubbed her eyes and turned away. “Fine, if you don’t wanna help me go along! Bugger off!” she spoke bitterly as she walked away, trying to conceal her broken voice. “I’m gonna stop him, one way or another…”

“And you think you are going to do something with that leg?” suddenly put in Takai as he folded his arms. Mariel stopped. “Yeah, don’t you think I didn’t notice, unless you got a thing for limping now. He truck you, and you are bleeding. I can smell it.”

“I’m fine-”

“Then pick up your sword!” he confronted her now. “I dare you.”

     Mariel still didn’t turn, but complied. Just as she let her right leg to sight, everyone could watch as it was moving. Breezes stared at it eyed-opened. Takai was right. Mariel indeed tried to reach for her sword, but the moment she flexed her knee a wince came across her face of pain that she could barely disguise. In the end the pain was too much for her, and she desisted after a moment.

“It’s nothing…” she panted. “I… Just…”

“You’re gonna loose it if you keep up like this” commented Takai with severity. “At least let me treat it before you bounce off to your insanity again.”

     But she was already walking away, or bouncing for that matter, now noticeably not putting any weight on it.

“I’m fine” she muttered. “I just need some rest.”

“Would you stop that already!?” he growled, exasperated. “It’s too bad for us to be here already-”

“I SAID I’M FINE!!!” she bursted. “Just… Let me be.”

     And then she defiantly walked away.

“Mariel!” Mittens called her, but she ignored it.

     No one tried anything else. Breezes didn’t know what else to do, and from what she could see, everyone else wasn’t going to risk facing off with her. Not when she’d just blown a house into dust. Even Takai seemed discouraged at her. Mariel, on her side, just walked until she came out of sight. She were followed by concerned looks, but she still ignored them. On the bright side at least she didn’t have that wrathful air on herself anymore. Everyone stood in their places as she turned in the first alley and disappeared. They just stood where they were in silence until it was the kitsune who blew.

“Damn that stubborn mare!” he yelled. “I swear, that if I weren’t a priest…”

“Are you a priest?” questioned Mittens, unbelieving.

     Takai was about to answer, but thought it twice.

“A deacon, actually” le let his shoulders down. “Even if I don’t do it pretty well…” he muttered to himself.

     But that wasn’t on Breezes’s interests.

“Well, I guess that Mariel’s just ditched us, again” she put in with a sigh. “What are we going to do?”

“What else?” questioned MIttens as if it were obvious. “We’re going after her.”

     Ah, at least some reason-

“Indee-what!?” she jumped. “After what we saw you want to get into that again? Who arranged your priorities? Discord!?”

“Hey, she may be stubborn, thickheaded, and susceptible to mood changes, but she is still my partner” accomplished Takai. “It doesn’t matter how big a pain she may be in my tail at times, I still care for her, and that includes watching over her person so she wouldn’t get into something she can’t handle… No matter how many death threats she throws at me.”

“How touchy” Mittens half smiled at him.

“Wouldn’t you do something similar for yours?” he crossed his arms.

“Let’s not stray away from the subject” commented Breezes. “You're crazy, okay. And we’re going in, okay. But before we move I think there are some questions that need to be answered.”

“Yeah, I think you need to explain us some things” joined Mittens. “For example, what is this all about.”

     The kitsune was about to speak, but then quieted when she finished. Upon hearing this, Takai didn’t seem so secure.

“Right… What’s happening…” he scratched the back of his head, then gave up at it. “I don’t think that’s going to be easy to tell.“

“What’s the matter?” asked Mittens.

“It’s complicated” he rubbed the bridge of his muzzle, or at least where his muzzle would be. “I would have to rephrase you everything from the beginning.”

“Well, I don’t think that she’s gonna go far” remarked Breezes. “Not with that leg, that is…”

“We’ll have time as we reach for her” continued Mittens. “You can explain yourself in the way.”

     Takai doubted for a second, but then he reassumed his confidence.

“Yeah, I think I ca-” he suddenly stopped.

“Now what?” asked Breezes.

“Beginning…” he muttered, thoughtfully. “Aren’t we missing someone?”

“I don’t know what are you talking about” puzzled Mittens.

“I do!” he snapped his fingers. “The little one! She was supposed to be with you, wasn’t she?”

“The little one…” Breezes thought about it for a moment, until the answer suddenly hit her. She turned to her companion, but she was already thinking the same. “Mittens!”

“Breezes?”

“JINGLE!!!”