Kwolok sighed, hurt by the most recent interaction he had with Seir. The old toad shifted in his pool, a resting place where he stood for many years since the aggravations threatened the people of Niwen. The calm, whispering night drove forth nothing but breezes for Kwolok, he was alone on a difficult task.

He shifted again, pulling one limb out of the pool, and the waters splashed around him. The very connection he made with the earth began to sever. His body was heavily dormant but forced himself to stretch and uproot. Just by doing that had a price. And Kwolok bitterly said to the night, where nobody would hear. "My friends. I'll be going soon."

Or so he thought. "Going where?" A familiar voice reached him.

Kwolok looked surprised, who said that? And his eyes meet the bravest of the mokis. Or so one that titled themselves like that. Mokk stood waiting and looking seriously worried. Kwolok backed up, why would Mokk be up this late?

"Oh, Mokk, what brings you to me at this time?" He asked, but it was clear why Mokk stood there. He'd come to check on him. Make sure a friend has not gone to the Luma Pools all by himself.

"Kwolok… I heard it. Seir was at your side all this time. Where has she gone?"

It shouldn't be more surprising that someone ended up finding out about Niwen's wisp to not really be lost but in the home of the Wellspring Glades in a state of repose. Kwolok gazed to nowhere in reflection, replying truthfully. "I don't know. I only hope she doesn't cause more damage than she wishes to heal."

Kwolok focuses back on the moki before him. An avid friend that he spent many days talking to among many others.

"I am sorry to keep this a secret from you all. But I had my reasons. Seir had to rest and stay close to me. Though, was it Motay that told you?"

Mokk nods. And it doesn't stress the great toad, in fact, makes him rejoice that that sneaky chameleon is being true to himself. The moki stood there with a racing mind, what should he ask Kwolok now. Why was Seir here all this time? Or how Niwen truly entered this crisis. But one question popped into his mind. This regarded their anchor of wisdom and the heart of the glades. The Voice of the Forest, Kwolok.

"Mokk, my friend, is there something bothering you?" Kwolok encouraged Mokk to speak and after taking a deep breath he began.

"When I first traveled to the Wellspring Mill with the spirit. He said to me one thing that I genuinely never put too much thought into. I never saw you leave your pool. I never truly knew you or your past and I came to think about it. You are rooted in place aren't you?" Mokk said emotionally, trying to fathom what is to be stationary for years. "You nourished this marsh with your very life. That is why Decay didn't come here yet. Isn't this right?"

Kwolok smiled, this was no easy thing for one to ask him. For the first time in a long time, someone showed empathy for him after guessing it right. And calmly said, "This is almost a century old tale, young one. My means to come to this exact place, and do what had to be done was taxing. But I accepted it for the greater good. Thanks to Seir, I became mostly like a tree and nature changed me. But I am only able to stand here today because I adapted to this new life. Thanks to you all paying me visits and talking to an old toad such as me. For taking care of me."

"Stop it. Say this is a lie. What do you have to gain in exchange for your life and freedom? I thought you… were born like this!" Mokk pauses, now with growing stress. "Why are you donating your life like this? What will become of you?"

The guardian of the marsh deep down was relieved that someone finally discovered that. He grinned content, relaxing for now. "Mokk, be patient. There are many times in our lives that we have to make a choice. I am, for the most part, a replaceable guardian."

Mokk became furious and lashed out, "Replaceable? Kwolok, you are part of our lives and think to be replaceable? You are our friend and nobody can replace you!"

Kwolok takes a deep breath. He could almost shed a tear if his rugged and old skin were not so hardened. This was an honor to hear. An honor to be a meaningful presence in the lives of those he swore to protect. "Our times are changing, young one. You must be brave and look forward. As I, more than ever, have to fulfill my duty. To protect this wonderful place we cultivated together." Kwolok focused back on what he originally was doing. He freed his front legs and created waves in the pool. "That creature must be stopped."

Mokk feels a pang in his heart. Still, Kwolok insisted on pursuing that monster that defiled the waters. "Kwolok, please, you can't face that thing! It's too dangerous!"

The rumbling of water and earth traveled through the Wellspring Glades. And its denizens awoke to investigate the source of the noises. Opher, Grom, Meena, and several others, moved to the guardian's pond.

Kwolok stood tall and powerful, its moss-covered body now freed from his connection to the land. Towering above Mokk. "I have sworn to protect this place. Whatever little of it, against Decay. The Luma Pools must not be desecrated. If that fiend corrupts our source of water, it may be irreversible. Please, I need to go."

Impressively, Mokk couldn't bother or care about the wisp's departure. He had only one goal: Ensuring their friend and guardian's health. Wishing not to argue anymore, he offered himself as an ally. "I'm coming with you then. No matter what you say, I won't stay behind."

Kwolok laughed. There was no way Mokk or anyone could accompany him at this. But before he even replied, somebody else was arriving.

"And so am I." Opher appeared swinging from the available hanging vines. Mokk and Opher share a thumbs up. "None will endanger our guardian!"

"Include me on that one!" Grom arrived lifting and smashing huge rocks together to show off the strength of an angry gorlek. "I throw rocks like nobody else! Just, uh… fill me in the details?"

"Allow me to join you, Kwolok." A second moki, Meena appears with a cross body, a similar pouch-like bag Mokk also wears filled with items. "We can't rely on an outsider to do everything, right?"

Mokk was enchanted to even her to be present in this. But one thing worried him.

"Meena, who will watch the kids?"

"Don't worry, Mokk. Tuley will help me on that one to ensure nothing goes wrong. And another thing, we need to stop pampering them so much. They can take care of themselves too."

Mokk sheepily agrees while they reunite with the others. More denizens were around, both worried and confused to see Kwolok slightly different. And the old toad was flattered to have this much worry about him.

"My friends, thank you for your aid. But I cannot take this risk."

And that request was politely denied as Mokk, Opher, Grom, and Meena demanded participation in this mission. Another being arrives and it is the friendly Tuley, the beaver gardener of the glades. "Worry not now! I will handle things around here, good Kwolok."

Kwolok released a breath he didn't know he was holding. He laughed at the current moment. Nobody would accept a no tonight. Might as well just roll with it. "Many thanks, Tuley. If anything, you know where to call chief Bantsa."

Tuley reassured him. Everything would be alright for their return. Chief Bantsa is the leader of the Hui tribe and Opher's father. A tough monkey fighter that commanded a security force for the glades. They are rarely needed and even more seen. But Seir liked them for their agile judgment and force to eliminate threats.

"Then it is settled. My friends, we are going to the Luma Pools." Kwolok announced and the four participants climbed to the old toad's back. Soon to depart.

…

At the great blue ocean under the same and clear night sky was an airship en route to Niwen. Sein was silently looking at the great horizon for quite some time. It was fairly late, so the crew had moved to their bedchambers. The wisp wanted not to sleep as she remained quiet under the starry skies lost in thought. Behind her was Ario who just watched her so she wasn't entirely alone. He observed at her blue light, the horizon behind her, the moonlight, and the Zephyr's deck that she hovered over. And blatantly brought himself to capture that vision of her on a painting. Her details were easy to capture as a wisp, the lightning was made quite quick after the rough sketch, lining, and coloring. The background took more time but was worth it. Lastly, it missed something, the painting had considerable empty space and felt sorrowful. Ario took the quill pen to his chin to consider and soon enough he knew what would make Sein happy. He began drawing him at her side, a young spirit that shared quite some misadventures with her. In the picture, Ori is reaching out for the Sein, like it is a common thing to happen between them. And perhaps it is true. That pretty much concluded the painting. Lights of Nibel, he called it. A fine piece to highlight the beauty of the night with these two shining like stars. With that done, he waited a bit, and Sein had not moved an inch. That was when the archer decided to approach.

"Everything okay, Sein?' Ario asked. Sein in her spherical and original form could not show body language that well but was a better form to save her energies. But a little shift in her still flight showed her surprise to hear someone in the middle of the night.

"Not much." She says in a worried tone. "How much until we arrive in Niwen?"

"A few more hours, I fear. I apologize that we are currently on autopilot at night. It slows our travel speed by a considerable amount. We should reach Niwen by tomorrow."

"I understand. I just worry for Ori and Ku."

"Me too." Ario shared the same care for them. He recalls the days he played with Ku. When he made Ori jump, run, attack, and defend. The many activities during the training. Now worrying like a parent. Their safety was just naturally something hooked to his necessities. "Ori will find a way to defend her and himself. We must be positive here. This trip is already draining our minds as it is."

"Indeed. We must be prepared for what is ahead of us."

A brief silence hung between them. "Ahn, if you forgive me asking, Sein, how exactly is Seir? What about her makes you so uneasy?'

Sein takes a moment. "How much do you know about Seir, dear?" She asked over Ario's question.

Ario thinks about it and doesn't look very bright to answer. "Honestly? Next to nothing."

The air is filled with a soft chuckle of the blue wisp. "I thought you have met all the seven wisps already? Was that all for show?"

"Look, I have been in Niwen during my wandering years before I adopted Layla. But… for so short time. I was asked to leave by a so-called primal guardian named Kwolok. And well, I did so without stirring trouble."

Sein shined a tad brighter, issuing she understood something. "Be thankful, " she told him, "this Kwolok protected you."

"You think so? Why?"

"If I deduce right, he protected you from none other than Seir herself."

"This… makes me more uncomfortable than it should. She can't be that bad. Can she?"

"Seir is by no means evil," Sein responded with calm judgment, "but has fierce manners to deal with things. And said manners bring harm to those around her."

"This feels like a deep and long-lasting issue. If you're okay to tell me, I am listening."

Sein sparkled and began. "I recall my days in the gardens of creation. Where we were all together. Sei, the First Light, created us. Seven wisps inherited her powers and emotions to protect this world. Seir is her courage and obstinance, however, also explosive or apathetic at times. Her golden color is to bolster strength and courage, fitting for a leader." Sein takes a moment. "This is painful to remember… Seir and I never had much of a proper conversation during that time. And never would we since we journeyed to our forests."

"You hated each other." Ario said, taking notes on Sein's low voice tone.

"Not entirely wrong, but it was not hate we have for each other. But indignance of how we wanted to approach uncountable subjects. I criticized her method of evoking force to solve the problems without seeking aid or formulating a plan. She is easily stressed and ruthless. And even possessive at times. If Seir had found you in Niwen's grounds, you'd never return to Kainar and adopt Layla."

Ario struggles to understand the whole picture. Why would that happen? Yet by the tone of Sein telling him this, it sounded especially dire and true. Knowing more of the wisp of bravery takes him to begin to worry at the same level as the Sein.

"Do you understand, dear? I wished not to make you uncomfortable, but that is what Seir would do. The prime reasons for our misunderstandings were simple. We wisps hold powers of nature, air, water, and so on. And naturally, of light. Our existence is to repel Decay. Through our light, we live as a beacon that forbids Decay from acting in our reach. We rule as we see fit, but there was something… unethical, much direr than using our powers to deliver punishment to those who deserved it. What I deeply loathed Seir for doing was encouraging the use of the mind control."

Sein takes a moment. "In cases of severe disobedience, Sei, for whatever reason, gave us tools to completely manipulate our spirits at will. So we could keep them in check. What we do is conjure a special needle, thin enough to pierce the skull, and seize direct control over one's mind. The process can be painful and inescapable. Traumatizing and sometimes harmful enough to leave anomalies in the body functions. My sisters and I came to agree to never use our powers unfairly and banished the use of mind control."

Sein sighs, with no more wish to speak of the subject further. "Forgive me. I feel distressed remembering how my sister approved its use. I fear what we can see in Niwen. I fear for the dark owls."

Ario followed with respectful silence. Also speechless for knowing more of Sein's painful past. Wisps have miraculous powers as do the Spirit Trees that they soulbind with, but that made him more than uncomfortable.

"I thank you for telling me that, Sein. And I am sorry for what you may have seen throughout time. With luck, we won't even need to see Seir."

"Come now, you need her blessing to summon Sei, isn't that right?" Sein remembered the ultimate goal to fight against Decay, the return of the Goddess herself, and lifted the mood.

"...Yes, we need it. But we aren't in a good mood to ask for it, are we?"

Sein sweetly laughs. "Yeah, I guess not. In my opinion, Seir won't be easy. She never has been. I wonder how you will earn each of the remaining wisp's blessings." She shined a little bit, circling Ario. Feeling a little better.

"Well, I can't blame Yali for orchestrating such a thing. He is the Spirit Tree of Nibel, he might have learned much with you and hoped each sister would be nice as you. I doubt we are the first ones after such a thing."

Although unintentionally, Sein is made to feel the regret and grief that is taking a soul into servitude until their end. Yali and Ario shared a family bond that she regretted severing every single day. Every time Ario casually spoke about his brother, she felt it. Because of her, they can't be together anymore. She falls in deep silence, one that Ario soon notices what she is feeling.

"Ah, please don't take this on the bad side." Ario quickly tried to remend his indirect hit. "But he thought of a plan that could change the world for the better. I don't know what the Goddess is capable of, but I hope that… There is a change… for all of us."

"Yes, I pray for that as well. Prepare yourselves for the arrival. I have a grave feeling that we are unwelcomed in Niwen."

…

This was the grand moment for the owlet Ku. Since Kii left to guide Ori to her, she has been on an outburst of joy that she can not contain. Howl rested beside her patiently listening to her many chirps and having her climbing over him and taking short gliding jumps around the cave. The wolf was impressed, as was also uncomfortable with the enthusiasm Ku showed. Even if he showed little emotion. After all, she was excited to see – a spirit.

Howl had mixed feelings about this, but wouldn't cut short her joy. There was something both intriguing by their sibling bond and something wrong about it as well.

"Ku, you could save some of your energy for when our guest arrives, don't you think?"

"But I can't!" Ku replied, "I hope Kii finds him soon!"

"Kii is more capable than you think. He probably is already guiding your spirit here."

Ku is glad to hear this and quickly slows down to a break. "Howl, no eating him this time, you hear?"

Howl laughs quietly. She still remembered that. "Glad you reminded me. I was starting to get hungry."

"Not funny. I will get very angry if you do that." Her feathers puff around her.

"Don't worry. I will only have a little chat with your spirit. I promise you that."

"Chat is okay. I allow it." And she returned to climb the great wolf's body to do new jumps. At every attempt her flight was short-lived. Ku would not remind herself of her featherless wing, and just keep trying. Over and over again, fated to fail. Howl observed her feeling pity. She deserved to fly like any bird and her kind was proficient at that. The dark owls were masters of shadow bending and capable of controlling them to their will. In her case, with a little training, she could fly even with a wing like that. She just needed to create her own feathers. It would be a temporary method, but a way she could attempt nonetheless. Still, Howl wondered how she got to the SIlent Woods in the first place. Perhaps now it wouldn't be so hurtful to ask her.

"Ku, would you tell me how you got here?"

Ku shows some unwillingness to remember that but doesn't stop herself from answering. "I was… flying with Ori. He had found a big feather that fitted my wing almost perfectly. We tied it to me and I could fly! It was so great, but I led us to a storm… and we were separated, along with this feather."

"I see. I'm glad you were unhurt by the fall. Your spirit wasn't so lucky."

Ku felt horrible after hearing that. "He… he was hurt?"

Howl answers with a nod and the poor owlet feel deep guilt for their current state. It all was too difficult to swallow and accept. Howl would not wish Ku to suffer from this accident. So he nudged her side with his nose.

"You wish to fly again?" Howl asked to bring her up to her spirits and Ku shifted her mood slightly. It helps a little to stop her from suffering more.

"I… can't fly. I can't do it again." She said, almost to herself, lowering her head releasing a long and mournful sigh. Strangely she was trying to fly again minutes ago. Howl understood that it was both a great and traumatic experience.

"It wasn't your fault."

"Look, there is no way, Howl. I mean, look at this." She exposes her flawed wing. That would have been the ending argument, but the great wolf had more options for the young owl.

"Don't give up so quickly, little one." He manages to bolster her up. "You are a special kind of owl, you can harness shadows to your command. Much as myself." Howl demonstrates. Using his shadow that is cast by the light of candles around, Howl does no movement and it moves on its own, rising from the ground and forming, taking the shape of Ku like a clone. This clone mimicked her appearance quite perfectly, despite being too blackish without her dark indigo or white colors. Ku grows impressed and scared at the same time. It looked like a weird reflection of herself but it didn't move or flinch. Ku slowly and curiously approaches the clone. She gets in contact with it, and surprisingly it is a physical object. A shadow that can be touched. Then this clone took flight around the cave, although briefly. It was an image that Ku could pursue and achieve. It could be her future, flying without any artificial means as long as she can endure. The shadow returns to Howl and Ku keeps unwavering attention.

"We can control it. Shape it and use it as we want. Shadow bending is similar to Light bending. Although we require our opposite element for it to function. Without light, there can be no shadow and vice versa. it can be molded into anything through your imagination. For that, we only need a luminous source."

Ku was captured in the wolf's words. Deep inside, Ku knew that she felt weird around shadows. Even when looking at her own under the sunlight. If she'd put some focus, she could move it. Shift it lightly. She felt it as a weird phenomenon. An unexplainable feeling, so she just left it aside and lived her days normally. Now being shown what the nature of her being is capable of, awakening the desire to learn. "Does this mean I can make anything? Like, a soft pillow? A swing?" Ku pauses to realize. "...feathers?"

Howl nods. She got the idea quickly. "You can do it all, shape and form any object or properties as they'd behave realistically. But it is required to have the mental energy to keep up those shapes. Once tired, they will vanish. So careful planning is also recommended."

Ku dives into thoughts. If she'd make feathers for her wing, how long could she keep it up? How well could she mimic the multiple feathers she has to control at once? How would flying feel like that? What if she exhausts herself mid-flight and… Ku freezes.

"Ku, I am certain you are imagining the worst right now. But rest assured, I am willing to teach you. Teach you how to fly and surpass your handicaps for good."

Ku's amber eyes lit up, pleased to the core to hear that. "Really? Howl, you would do that for me?'

"Of course. It's what your mother would want."

Ku gets pensive. Naru would want that? A huge wolf teaching her how to fly? "Hmm… Are you sure mom would be happy to know about that? She doesn't even know that I am here."

Howl doesn't answer. And in consequence of touching the word 'mother', Ku felt sadder that she is far from home and remembers the longing.

"Howl… please, I wanna go home. I miss my home, I miss my mom. I don't want to hurt Ori anymore, so please teach me how to fly."

It was just a matter of time before she'd bring it up again. Children are like that so it couldn't be helped. Howl knew not how to precisely comfort the owlet, but could maybe try to help her to reach that goal.

"We shall. But first, we have a guest to attend to. And I must ask of you, please, don't lose focus of what you want. No matter what happens, you will return safe and sound to your family, understood?"

Ku would never have thought a menacing yet regal wolf would be so kind to her. But she felt thankful and accepted him and his words, nodding in agreement holding back tears of longing. As for Howl, caught up scents in the air of the ravaged land. The scents were Kii and Ori, close to arrival.

On the outside not far from the hideout, Kii and Ori were on a steady pace to safety. In this extended walking, deep into the Silent Woods, Ori grew anxious to remain in this place but said nothing about it. This was not the time to reconsider, not while he hasn't accomplished his goal. The ground was treacherous. In many spots, the stonified soil could easily crumble and reserve nothing but a chasm to fall into. Ori had steeped on two of those but thankfully was agile to leap out of trouble. He and Kii tried to talk the minimum as possible, but questions of how this place came to be this way were noisy in his head.

They had passed by more of the petrified victims. The owls were all standing defensively over their roosts. Not only them but other beings could be seen now. Clear depicts of mokis were frozen in fear, supposedly running from something. Ori approached this first moki and Kii respectfully followed.

This moki wasn't the only one, but a few meters behind the first, there is a second, and a third, and many more. All running in the same direction, trying to escape. Ori tries to fathom the panic they transmit in their frozen faces. The chaos to escape whatever caught them. The mental image is devastating to make him feel sick.

"It is hurtful, is it not?" Kii asked, "I hope they are able to rest like this."

"Mokis too… What happened here? From what they were running from?"

The direction they come from is too foggy to see anything, the tall canopy of the woods blocked any view on the horizon. Before even considering returning to the path, a leaper appears scouting the region. Kii quickly pulls Ori away from getting seen and both swiftly escape.

"How many of them are here?"

"Too many. These creatures serve as nothing but an alarm to Shriek. As crude as it may sound. Let's get moving. We are almost there. Beyond that hollow, we will reach them."

The path seemed to be both a small valley and a dead end. And why would they head directly against a blocked path, Ori didn't know. He patiently awaited what Kii would say.

"This is the entrance of our place," Kii said confidently. "Ku awaits inside."

But Ori doesn't understand such entrance that is blocked. It was a cave, but boulders clearly stood in the way. The spirit respectfully stood there confused hoping Kii could read his face. The masked monkey thankfully does and playfully confesses about it.

"Oh, good heavens. I always forget. You can go through. Follow."

The next part had Ori shook. Kii went through the stone barrier like there was nothing there. And learning about that, he tried it. Firstly approaching his hand, the light he possesses pushes away the fascinating magic that created the optical effect. Like shadows that play with light to appear and feel differently. A subtle power, much like he would remember Kuro using her shadow bending to create darkness.

"This is… shadow bending." He realizes and slowly crosses the illusory wall and within, Kii is awaiting.

"Indeed it is. Made by my lord, he is a master of this arts." Kii approaches a little further, to give a warning. "Listen, whatever happens, don't draw your weapons in here."

Before he could answer to that, Ori's ears perked the highest they could. Ku's voice was just ahead. He focused completely on that. He called her name and went in, happy to hear her and understanding she doesn't sound hurt or stressed. These guys were so kind of taking care of her for this meantime. Ori couldn't even begin to thank…

And then he saw it.

"Welcome."

Ori's eyes widened and his heart stopped. The wolf he fought before was here. Comfortably resting, and atop him, Ku does a gliding jump directly at her sibling.

She calls him as Ori snaps his attention to Ku and momentarily forgets the whole world that resumed again. He rejoices and opens his arms wide moments before they shared a tight hug, finally reunited since the storm they faced. They spin in place, far too emotional to speak anything besides killing the longing and worries. Gladly the time parted was short, but when it is family, it feels so much longer.

Kii stand close to Howl and both give a respectful amount of time to the unusual siblings. When they finally part, Ori immediately analyzes Ku, breathing easy as she is fine.

"Beloved Sein, I am so glad you are okay! Were you hurt? Were you cold?" He asks with hands gently holding her sides, as they would rest on a pair of shoulders.

Ku feels bad for the accident again. "I am okay. But you were hurt, weren't you? I am sorry for not listening! Because of me, we lost the feather and can't go home."

"It's alright. I am not mad. As long as you are okay, we will find a way."

Kii turns to Howl. "My lord, maybe this… could be a step closer to understanding harmony?" He asked seeing the scene.

"Hardly." Howl replies unmoved but proven that a spirit is dear to Ku. A bond between light and shadow proved to exist. But would it last?

Howl raises and Ori and Ku acknowledge the great wolf almost instantly. Ori gives Ku the í'll be right back' look and faces the approaching wolf. Facing a being that almost ended his existence. The scar on the wolf's face served as a remembrance of that night.

Howl gave Ori nothing but a fierce gaze, looking down on him. Ori had to stand his ground and be meticulous in how he said his words. This is both a decisive and tense moment. Similarly, Ori returns Howl a serious stare, looking up and not wavering.

"Thank you for sheltering her." Ori started. "For that, I am willing to forgive you."

Howl was slightly surprised that Ori doesn't lash out about the events of their first encounter as the starting point. That was one intriguing attribute for the wolf to consider. It should have been infuriating to be almost eaten.

"But I must ask you. Why?"

"I hold heavy spite towards your kind, child of light. We suffered much in hands similar to yours. The result of this battle is what you saw outside. But this is none of your business, is it? Now that you found your owl, what do you intend in Niwen?"

Ori takes more time to answer than he would like. He did not know exactly. "I… will find a way to go back home. And in the meantime, I worry for this land. What has happened? Why are you and this forest living in such a state?"

"You wish to know. But are you implying to do something? Or cause more damage?"

The tension would not reduce as those questions had an uncomfortable weight. And Ori wanted none of it. "Maybe. If you stop beating around the bush."

Howl snarls but backs away to sit. "Courageous for someone so small. We shall tell you, and I understand that Kwolok has told you next to nothing?"

"Kwolok? I barely stood still in the glades. I somehow felt that he wanted to tell me much, but I also saw hesitation. I think he doesn't want me to understand, or doesn't want me to participate."

"Hmph. That old toad may have changed. He doesn't tell you, because you are a spirit. And the light has an important role. Which we lack."

Ori listened attentively but Howl suddenly becomes silent and leaned his head down towards Ori. The spirit does not question it right away despite being extremely awkward and no matter how he backed away Howl would just get closer and closer.

"...What?" Ori asked uncomfortably with Howl's nose being so close.

Ku and Kii kept respectful silence and distance but were watching every movement. The moment Howl approached his nose to Ori, Ku was far too bothered.

"Kii. Kii! He's going to eat Ori! Do something!" Ku said alarmed.

"Shhh, don't worry little one. I know this wolf. He's just sniffing and next comes the lick of recognition. He always does that. No need to panic."

And following that, Howl opens wide and captures Ori into his mouth, leaving only the legs out. Ku gasps and to make things worse, Howl immediately runs out of the cave.

"Oh shit. You can panic now."

"HOWL! YOU PROMISED!" Ku chases after the wolf that was long gone. She loses sight of her target and begins bawling. Kii arrives shortly after to comfort the little owl.

"Ku, come back inside." He chuckled. "You worry too much."

Running the planes of the Silent Woods, Howl traversed masterfully the terrain. Ori was thrashing inside his mouth, but he intended doing no more than holding him there. Quickly he ran and climbed the nearby ridge. Leaped through a series of gaps in the hill rising higher and higher, until reaching a good overlooking point in the ravaged woods. Howl leans his head down again and releases Ori on the rough floor with a splash of sticky drool.

Ori coughs and rises to his feet, cleaning his face so he could see the outrageous wolf.

"Seriously?! This is disgusting! Don't you have any other…" Ori notices Howl is not really listening but gazing somewhere. Following it, Ori is met with the vision of a grand tree painting the horizon. Breathlessly, Ori would recognize that was no mere tree, but a Spirit Tree, the heart of Niwen. This was a willow tree and it looked severely ill and prejudicated under Decay's influence and weariness of time. Its bark had been tinted in umbral purple and sap oozed from many wounds. Its fragile branches were vast and spanned in many directions, holding many violet-blue leaves that make its canopy beautiful still. Swishing ever so naturally in the winds. And lastly, a Spirit Tree always has that cradle, throne, or cage where the light of a wisp truly shines. But seeing how it is, hollow and absent of any light energy.

"This is the Willow," Howl revealed. "It's believable that it all began through it centuries ago. An old legend says that one powerful spirit was chosen to grow and ascend. She was congratulated, praised to have the greatest honor. But to her? It felt empty, a tragic end. Some say she went willingly. Others, the contrary. In the end, she left her life behind – for this. To be an empty vessel to wither away. We wonder if Hali truly expected this."

"Hali? That was her name?"

"It was. Yet now, I question if Hali is still there, or even exists at all. It's about this that Kwolok wished not to talk. Do you understand?"

Ori takes a long moment looking at it like he was in a trance. And Howl notices it and does no disturbances. Eventually, Ori composed new words to speak "I… don't know. Could it still live?"

"Nobody knows for certain. And none can approach. The terrain around the Willow has become unbearably toxic. Those who lingered in it fell into madness. I suppose this sight can be heavy, but how you decide to act, is entirely up to you. Remember that."

Ori came to feel too inexplicably weird on the Willow's view. It was a bit too much. He could even notice a lack of oxygen in his lungs. And they weren't even in enough height to have rarefied air.

"Please, take me back." He pleaded to Howl.

"Very well." Replied the wolf understandably, noticing Ori closing eyes and bracing himself for another weird ride. Howl chuckled and leaned towards Ori, but this time he nipped the scruff of his neck and lifted him like a puppy.

"This kinda hurts!" Ori criticized this method of transport. "Can't you just let me climb up to your back? Or let me walk on my own!"

"No." Howl said simply and directly getting a sigh from Ori, patiently rolling with the ride. Ori awaited for Howl to begin descending the hill they were on, but he takes a long time to do that.

"Everything alright?" Ori asked. But Howl only sniffed the air.

"The silent woods is agitated. Too many scents are gathering." He wanted to snarl, beginning his way down. "I have a bad feeling about this."

"You mean something is getting closer to us?"

"I hope my nose deceives me. Just this time."

In truth, there was a scent that stressed Howl more than the others. One he knew of long ago and it was dangerously too close. He knew not how to identify it because of the many creatures moving coordinately, masking this scent. but those other scents belonged to leapers. And the sum reached nearly thousands. Howl found it impossible. The annoying leapers are uniting and moving together. Those creatures lost all sense of life long ago but are following orders. And where the scents go, is the worst part.

"Let's hurry back. We still have much to discuss."

…

A/N: Hello everyone, I think I ran out of apologies to give for the chapter's delay, but I have been taking diverse breaks from writing. I, unfortunately, must confess that I need them. But worry not. My schedule may be in shambles but the next chapters should come soon, as you wonderful people inspire me to write more even in hard times. I wanna thank every kind review and comment, every fav, and kudos. They do get me in good spirits.

As always, thank you for reading!