I shifted around uncomfortably on the soft folded leaves that made up the rough bed underneath me. I could get comfortable, I just kept finding myself rolling over and over again unable to find any rest.

With another harsh roll to my side I let out a sigh, my lips turning to a frown as I looked at the small Kitsune laying beside me—Resting effortlessly as her small chest rose and fell and her trio of tails flicked around.

“Lucky…” I whispered out as I sat up. A soft groan escaped my lips as I did, I felt the raising tension in my back loosen as I pushed myself to stand.

I could see Lucia, Tulip and Anestesia all resting effortlessly—The soft sighs of breaths that escaped them were only slightly interrupted by a shifting in Lucia’s body. I froze in place, watching them all rest for several long moments before I began to leave the tent.

Every step I took was careful, placing my weight down as slowly as I could to prevent any excess noise from being made. Reaching my hand out to the leafy-green flaps of the tent, I parted them away to step out into the cool night air.

The scent of late winter hit me immediately, the feeling of frost hung in the air—White mist arose from my breath as I let out a slow exhale, my gaze traveled upwards taking in the sky above.

Smoke was still rising into the sky, outlining clouds in a blackened hue like a storm was inbound. The scent of distant fires stung at my nose and burnt at my lungs when I took in another breath.

I couldn’t see the flames, nor did I know if they still burnt or not—But, I could tell that the flames must have been intense from the amount of smoke on the horizon.

I began forwards, separating myself from the pair of tents by several paces before sitting down on the frozen-through soil. Only a few leaves sat scattered along the floor with most of the terrain being covered in sporadic patches of grass and thick layers of pine needles.

I watched the sky in silence, with one leg bent and the other extended flat onto the ground. I watched the stars dance across the horizon, twinkling and sparkling with their iridescent lights of countless colors as they watched me in return.

I heard shuffling from the tent to my side—Quickly drawing my attention towards it, I saw the leafy flaps flicking around like a heavy wind had struck it before settling back down.

A soft sigh escaped my lips as the tents motions settled. My gaze remained focused on the shifting flaps for several moments before I finally brought myself to stand.

“Guess I should try and get some rest…” I muttered to myself, stumbling back towards the tent. I left the starry sky behind, knowing it would be just as incredible to bear witness to by the next evening.

Pulling the flaps open again I saw the same scene I had left behind—Tulip, Lucia and Anestasia all sprawled across the softened floor, sound asleep. Without much more care I settled on the ground, folding myself close to the still unconscious Kitsune.

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—

“Everyone up!” Sanders' voice broke any sleep that tried to addle my brain away in an instant—It didn’t help that the leafy tent was torn away, tearing itself apart as the greens decayed into a similar autumnal orange to the rest of the ground.

“W-Woah I’m up!” Anestesia called out with surprise in her voice. She thrashed around where she lay for several moments before sitting up straight, her hair a violent mess that blocked out her face.

“What the hell!—” Lucia borderline screeched out, her high-pitched voice bringing a wince and a painful ring to my ear.

“Mmm…” Tulip groaned, sitting up gradually as she stretched.

“Oww…” I grumbled, rubbing my ear that had been closest to Lucia’s scream. Akemi let out a soft whimper, her ears folding over her face tightly as she hopped up onto my shoulder.

“Hm, perhaps I could have woken you lot better,” Sanders grumbled to himself with a shrug. “Oh well, what's done is done, now get up—We’re heading out, once we’ve passed through the first village we can settle and eat.” He continued after taking a sharp inhale.

“Get any sleep?” Tulip asked softly while I stood up.

“Not really…” I answered with a heavy sigh. “Felt restless all night long…” Once I stood I turned my gaze to Tulip, taking in her own exhausted complexion across her face.

“Same…” She agreed with a stifled yawn blocking off any other words she may have spoken.

“I would have slept fantastic if someone hadn’t gotten up in the middle of the night.” Lucia spat out, her gaze settled upon an accusatory glare digging into my skin.

“Don’t blame me, you’re the light sleeper…” I answered with a shrug. Lucia opened her mouth, about to bite back with another remark until Sanders’ voice cut her off.

“Come on you four!” Sanders called out from a short distance away—He was already leading the others towards the rising pillars of smoke caking the horizon.

Lucia gradually closed her mouth, narrowing her lips into a thin line before turning and stomping her way over to Erick.

“She’s moody.” Anestesia commented, following only a few paces behind Lucia.

I met Tulip’s gaze with only a soft shrug, we walked side-by-side bringing up the rearmost portion of the group. There was a mutual silence between Tulip and I, the rest of the group however bore no such restraint.

The trio of boys, Hendrick, Flanders and Justin were all pushing and shoving each other. Jovial laughs escaped their lips even as we approached the smoke in the horizon—Lucia and Erick held a hushed conversation between each other while Anestesia continued offering names to her Beast.

“What about… Miriam?” She offered only to receive a series of mildly annoyed clicks as a response.

“You still haven’t named him?” I asked with a raised brow once I overheard Anestesia.

“Nope! He doesn’t like any of the names I offer him…” She answered with a pout to her voice.

I opened my mouth, pausing for a few moments before giving up entirely on offering any help to her—I didn’t have the faintest idea of what I would call the thing she had for a pet either, especially when it stared at me with its unnervingly human eyes.

“Quiet down everyone,” Sanders spoke calmly as he crested the peak of a small hill. “We’re here.”

The entire group sped up to catch up with Sanders, quickening our paces into a jog to ascend the top of the hill. The trees cleared away, parting into a low valley nestled right up against the base of an imposing mountain.

Within the valley I could see the origins of the great spires of smoke—An entire village, smoldering and simmering. Its great wooden walls were nothing but ash, and the buildings within were little more than rubble.