Chapter 6

Deep in the forests of Magnolia, at the bottom of a cliff, lay a still, slender figure. It had not moved for two days, and a few leaves were strewn across it. A fox came cautiously out, sniffing the body, circling it. It was startled when the girl's eyes opened, but stood its ground. The startlingly blue orbs gazed gently at the fox's brown ones as a tear leaked slowly out. She closed her eyes, and felt a soft tongue licking her face. Her lips twitched slightly and she sat up.

Looking up at the cliff, she sighed, then clutched her head so suddenly that the fox skittered away in fright. She stood up, still with one hand to her forehead, and began walking into the forest. In her belt was a lock of red hair, a pouch full of keys, and a scaly scarf, the last of which she held clenched in her hand.

An hour or so later, she noticed that the fox had followed her. Her stomach rumbled, and her face changed to a dark, unrecognizable expression as her right hand was suddenly enveloped in flames. She turned towards the animal, who was backing away. She shook her head, her expression clearing, and gazing sadly at him, said,

"Run. Please." He did not move.

"RUN!" Sparks flew out of her mouth, and this time he listened.

The girl began walking again, her face expressionless except for her constantly sad eyes. She walked for a long time, slowly, in no particular direction. A few hours later, she found the river, and paused, seeing blackberry bushes by the edge.

Ten minutes later she had gathered and eaten her fill, stripped, and now bathed, trying to let the water wash everything away. She had just turned back to the riverbank, only to see the fox once again beside her. He was sniffing the stolen items in her belt. Pawing at them, he looked up and whined. She followed his gaze, then stared up at the fox. She suddenly sprang out of the water. Steam rolled off of her body and she quickly put her clothes on, hesitating briefly when she put on her belt. Having forgotten the fox in her haste to put her new plan into action, she froze as she saw him sitting expectantly on his haunches. Her expression changed again, but she fought it off more quickly this time, and whispered fiercely: "Get. Away. From. Me."

Somehow, the creature finally understood, and ran away. The fire mage turned on her heel and walked with a new direction and a new purpose. She was going to fix this. As she walked, she noticed that the fox had disappeared.

Hours went by, and still she walked, until she came upon a large tree with a door embedded in its gnarled trunk. Standing in front of it was an old woman, tall and proud, with a red robe and tightly knotted purple hair. The fire mage walked up to her, looked her in the eyes, and handed her the scarf and the keys. Taking the lock of red hair, she knelt on the ground and buried it beneath one of the tree roots. Standing back up, she said,

"Please deliver those to Fairy Tail." And with that, she turned and ran in the other direction.

Porlyusica grimaced, gazing at the back of the fleeing girl, and murmured, "This is not going to end well."