Lin and Chihiro walked through the dark forest, with Chihiro clinging desperately to Lin's arm. Lin looked down at her. "Let go, you dope. There's nothing he-" She was cut off as there was a rustle in the bushes next to them. Both girls shrieked and ran as fast as they could. After running for a bit, they slowed down. "You were such a dope, Chihiro. It was probably just a bird."

Chihiro shook her head. "In the bushes? Nuh-uh. Besides, you ran just as fast as I did." She stopped. "Did you hear that?"

Lin laughed. "Again? Chihiro, there's nothing here. I guarantee it." Just then, heavy footfalls were heard. "We got to get out of here!"

"But where?" Chihiro looked around desperately, but there was nowhere to go. There were only a bunch of knotted old trees. All of a sudden, Lin and Chihiro were both thrown to the ground on either side of the practically invisible path. "Wha-" Chihiro was cut off as a hand was clapped over her mouth.

"Ssh!" A voice whispered in her ear. Chihiro turned her head slightly to see who it was, but the person just pushed her head against the dirt even harder. "Don't move!"

"Haku?" Chihiro tried once again to see, but he pushed her down again.

"It's me, Chihiro. Now shush. We can't get caught." At these words, both Lin and Chihiro stopped their struggling, and just in time, for at that moment, the footsteps were almost upon them. They continued on, though, not pausing by where the three were hidden.

When the sound of footsteps faded away, Lin let out a breath she didn't know she was holding in. "Who were they, Haku?"

Haku shook his head, helping them both to their feet. "Not now. We can't talk here." He glanced quickly from side to side, looking for any movement. "I have a place where I've been hiding. You'll be safe there. Besides…" He looked back at them, smiling. "There's someone I want you two to meet."

After a while of walking through the trees, they approached a large stone wall. Haku let a bird call, one that Chihiro had never heard before. It was answered with another call, and a stone in the wall opened slightly, large enough for someone Lin's size to pass through. Haku looked back at them, and motioned them in. "Come on!" he called, climbing through the hole. Lin went right in after him, and Chihiro, after hesitating a moment, followed. Haku closed the hole behind them, and led them through a tunnel.

After walking a short while, they reached an open cavern. Inside was a girl, Little, on her knees and stirring a large pot filled over an open flame. She looked up at them, smiling. "Haku! You're back! And…" she frowned slightly. "Who's with you?"

"This is Lin and Chihiro. See, I told you she would come." Haku smiled brightly.

Chihiro turned to look at him. "Wait… How did you know I was coming?"

Haku shook his head. "I didn't know. I only hoped. But, when I heard you singing, I knew you would come."

Chihiro turned to Lin. "I thought I was only singing in my dream. Was I… really singing?"

Lin nodded, smiling. "That part wasn't a dream, Chihiro. You were honest-to-goodness singing, you dope." I feel kind of guilty not telling her the truth.

Hearing this, Little's eyes widened. What truth is she not telling? I must find out. She got slowly to her feet. "Hello. I'm Haku's sister, Little."

Both Lin and Chiro gasped. "How can a river spirit have a sister, Haku?" asked Chihiro, astonished.

Haku smiled at their surprise. "Well, you know how the Kohaku River was basically cut in half?" They both nodded. "Well, Little is the spirit of that river. The spirit of the Little Kohaku River."

Little nodded. "Yes. And I have heard a great many tales of you, Chihiro." However, when she said this, her eyes did not move to Chihiro, but stayed straight ahead, staring at nothingness.

Chihiro was puzzled. "Umm… I'm over here!" she announced, waving her arms. Little smiled sadly at her ignorance.

"Little is blind," Haku explained, glancing sympathetically at her. "Because the Little Kohaku River is so polluted, it's begun to affect her, too. However, she can still use her other five senses better than most spirits."

Little nodded slowly at her. "I'm fine with it, though; I really don't mind overly much. However, when we finish this war, I'm going to go back to my river and clean it up. Maybe you can help me." She smiled at the thought.

That reminded Chihiro of something. She turned to Haku. "Who are we fighting, exactly? No one seems to know."

Haku sighed, and sat down. "You might as well join me. It's going to be a long story." Little, already having heard Haku sit down, had joined him on the dirty stone floor. The other two quickly followed. "You cannot repeat this story to anyone. Got it?" The girls nodded. "Good. Where shall I start…"