Heart's Desire

Sequoia

Kat blinked away the tears that welled up in her soft purple eyes. H-ow could this have happened? Where is it coming from?

Her gaze shifted over the once lush valley now coated in a thick black haze that had spread like tar. The trees, which had just begun their spring bloom, were now left bare and lifeless with drooping branches. Meadows of wildflowers were reduced to dirt in a matter of days because of the steady creep of darkness.

As the wind picked up, she caught her green straw hat before it flew away and sighed a deep breath. Glancing down, she played with the end of the white ribbon she had tied around the base of the hat.

Kat noticed out of the corner of her eye a red fox fleeing the mystic haze with great speed. She lifted her dainty fingers to her lips and let out a shrill whistle that shot across the valley like a crack of lightning.

The fox changed its direction and quickly ran to her side, breathing heavily. "Fox, what has happened here?" she asked in dismay, her arms reaching towards the soft red fur. The fox dropped to the ground, panting, and closed its bloodshot eyes. "Kat... the haze... his name.. is.." was all it could say before losing consciousness. Kat knelt to scoop the weak, limp fox into her arms before rising and carefully walking towards her bike.

"Come with me and I'll watch over you. Try to rest now, little one." She gently placed the fox into her bike's woven basket and covered it with a plush brown blanket that was nestled within. I've got to save it. I can feel its energy fading too fast. Leaning forward, she placed her foot on the pedal and took off as if the wind was carrying her.

Kat learned long ago the ways of this mystical forest and that the most important thing was that if the spirits fade completely away, this forest will cease to exist. Once she figured that out she knew she had to do whatever she could to help them.

She pedaled as hard as she could to her home, beyond the dark meadows, and across a bubbling creek, to a cottage nestled between the ancient sequoia trees. She knew that her wards around the cottage would protect them if the haze followed them there.

Thankfully, they didn't need it. Today.