Enna sat in on the meeting that followed once she and her companions returned to the village. Brax, Orvil, Brin, Brixie, and several others were in attendance, but from the fishing party, just Brillum and I took part. And I was only there because I didn't think anyone would refuse the request of a land god.

"To think the goblins would be as far south as the lake." pondered Luxa, her grey eyes filled with worry. "I am sorry that you were put into such a dangerous situation Lady Enna."

I shook my head sadly. there was no way that the others could have predicted that we would be in danger there. "You don't have to apologize Luxa. I came to no harm and it was my own request that had us out there. I'm just glad none of us were hurt. I would have felt responsible had Ozzie or the others been hurt."

"The encounter itself aside," Said Brillum, all serious now as we all sat around the central fire of Brax's home. "I am more distressed over what the goblin's were saying."

"Yes." Agreed Brax, glaring into the low embers of the fire. "From what you have reported, it sounds like they have made plans for our little village..."

"there is no way that we will be able to defend ourselves from a full assault of the goblins Brax." Frowned Brin, a deep frown on her pretty face. "We are hardly a match against a small raiding party, much less a full on invasion."

A grim silence filled the room, the only sound the crackling of the embers and the wind picking up strength out side. I feared that she was morbidly correct in this. Their only defence was the rickety fence that had been hastily erected and a meager gift with tiny little flickers of flames. From the descriptions I had heard of the goblins, they could easily carry five foxkin a piece without breaking a sweat, had stamina for days, and could even attack in the night where their large eyes afforded them better vision than the foxkin in the dark. It seem horrifyingly hopeless, even in my own head.

"Starting tomorrow, Lady Enna, I have to ask you to please stay within the village." Sighed Brax. "I know I have no authority over you, and this is in no way an order, but for your safety, I really must ask it of you."

I admit that it rankled for about two seconds, being told where I could and could not go... but then my working brain kicked in and I knew that it was sound advise. besides, what would I accomplish heading out there at this point? the answer: not a thing. the truth of the matter was that, even as weak as the foxkin were, even they could easily take me out.

"I understand." I said, nodding.

"Good." Brax turned to Orvil who sat next to Brin and looked sturdy and ready for action, I had to admit. "Starting tomorrow, the hunters will have to make more treks out for surveillance. Even locate where these goblins claimed they had to report back to."

"I don't like the sound of it either." Agreed the hunter. "We need to see what it is we are up against here. Even get more men to guard the wall as well."

"i will see to that." Said Brax. "Brixie, I want you to review the evacuation procedures with the at risk members of the village as well."

"Yes father, I will see to it first thing." Said Brixie. If I could see her skin, I think it would be pale. She did not look well, at least. And I didn't blame her, I didn't feel too well either over all this.

The meeting didn't go much longer and was mostly just filled with the logistics of tomorrows events. but by the time it was all said and done it was well into the night. I wasted no time heading to my room and settling into my fur mattress. I didn't need the sleep, but I felt like, after the day I had, I could do with the rest at least. besides, the little fire of my inner thoughts when I 'slept' was comforting and I could do with a little comforting right now.

My mental sanctuary looked about the same as the last time I visited: a good sized bonfire, on a baren dirt landscape. the area of visibility seemed to expand with each visit but it wasn't like there was much to see. I once tried to wander into the darkness, even though the thought of doing so was a little nerve wracking. But, all that happened was that i walked back into the lit area, but on the opposite side of the fire.

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But as I approached the merry little flame I saw that there was a slight difference this time. A few feet from the flame was a wooden log, the bark long gone, laying on its side. A little seat for me to take. I smiled, pleased a the new addition. I knew that this place some how correlated to me being a land god. It clearly wasn't just a dream in any case. And the fact that it was a little brighter each time I came, I believe, meant that I was receiving more energies from the foxkin, perhaps fueled by their prays and well wishes. As grateful as I was for it, the meager nature of this scene illustrated just how little power I had at the moment. Brillum and Ozzie may be right, and with time I may grow stronger, but that would not help me in the now.

I was about to sit on my new little chair when something else caught my eye. It was just on the very edge of the fire light, and I may have even missed it if it hadn't been such a stark contrast to everything I had begun to grow accustom to in these last weeks. I walked over to the item and just stared down at it, rather lost for words to be honest.

No word of a lie, it was a freaking amazon package... brown box, black tape, and cheeky smile. I tilted my head to one side and just blinked at it stupidly. what the heck. nervous and more than a little confused, I reached down and cautiously lifted the package. It was small. Maybe the size of a box that would hold a coffee mug?

"Hmm." I said to myself, seeing as there was no one else here. unless Aeros didn't really leave and was just out in the black either spying on me and sending me amazon packages...

I walked back to my bonfire, package in hand and sat on my new log bench. It was about as comfy as one would expect a log to be, but still better than the bare ground. There was no label on the box but I did find a white envelope stuck to the bottom. I unstuck it, placed the box next to me and proceeded to open the letter. inside was a small, typed message:

I thought I would leave you this, small human woman. I have no need of it where I am going and it amuses me to think what you may use it for. No doubt it will be used to aid those puny foxes, but it is all your job to worry about now.

It was not signed but I felt that it actually was from Aeros. a little freaked, I scanned the darkness, suddenly feeling like he was out there even though the letter says that this was left when he passed on. And since when did dragon know how to send amazon packages?

I shook my head, exasperated at my own panic induced foolishness. Clearly this realm was fueled by my own mind. Aeros had left me something and my mind projected that in the form of an amazon package. that was all there was to it. But it did amuse me for a good minute, imagining a giant lizard with wings, sitting at a computer and scrolling through amazon.

Still smiling, I picked up the box and examined it again. I was a little hesitant to trust anything given to me by the selfish Aeros but... I shook the box a few times, heard nothing, and decided to risk it. I, with some difficulty, peeled off the tape and opened the box. It appeared to be empty, nothing but brown cardboard inside.

But that was when I felt a rush, like a gust of wind, followed by a tingling all over my body that made me gasp and drop the box to the dirt. I leapt to my feet and shook my hands, trying to get rid of the tingles. then my quaint little bonfire roared to life. In fact, that was putting it mildly, as the flame grew so large that I nearly tripped over my log in an attempt to escape it. Stunned, I stared up at the roaring fire that now blazed up well above my head.

I knew immediately that it was energy. the spiritual power that fueled the efforts of land gods everywhere. I could only assume that it was what was left of Aeros's stored power before he took off for the great beyond. I looked at the flames, stunned and a little at a loss as to what to do. But one thing that did cross my mind was that there was no way I could sustain this power myself. Like a glass sitting under a tap, being filled with water, the excess energy was dissipating.

Panicking, I did the only thing I could think of and that was to picture my people, the foxkin, and my deepest wishes for their continued existence. perhaps it was instinct, I do not know, but I did feel a shift in the energy them. Like the power was no longer just evaporating, but being directed some place. but it seemed to require a lot of concentration on my part. I had to keep the unfamiliar energy directed where I needed it and not waver.

Eyes squeezed tight in concentration, I sat on the ground and just focused. I could not see it, but over time, the fire began to deflate. but that was not all that happened. While I sat, eyes tightly closed, grass began to grow around me and my merry little flame, and the boundary expanded, revealing several trees, their back almost black, and amongst the green leave sprouted delicate purple blossoms. Around the bonfire- which seemed to hold at a bigger size now- was a brick fire stop, keeping the dancing flames away from the brand new grass.

But I would not see all this for a while, as my mind was wholly focused on directing that power into something useful, determined that it would not go to waste.