Promise of the World [Canaan, Book 1]

Chapter Four || Plunge

She dreamed.

Essairyn woke up. The shimmering light dappled with the shadows of the rustling leaves entered her vision and ears. A spot on her pillow was slightly damp. A stray, lingering tear rolled off onto the damp patch as she slowly sat up. Ah, I'm still here. She leaned back on the headboard. Images of a cabin family getaway from years past faded away in her mind's eye. The woody aroma and uncomfortableness of being in an unfamiliar bed stayed. A strained smiled traced her lips.

Good morning.

She peered around the empty room and hastily wiped her moist eyes. Flinging the covers off, she hopped off the bed and made for the bedroom door. She gripped the handle, pausing. Then she gently opened it ajar and peeked out. She glimpsed Akari curled up in a cloth with droopy ears. Essairyn watched the soft rise and fall of her body. She opened the door halfway.

"Good morning, Akari."

One of the fox's ears twitched, and her nose wriggled. Essairyn glided over to the groggy fox on the table and bent down. "Good morning~" the girl whispered, staring closely at the little fox.

Akari quivered in a waking up motion. She lifted her head and peered through slitted eyes. Seeing the girl startlingly close to her face, Akari jolted up on all fours and bristled. "Why the heck are you so close?! Watching me?! So creepy!"

Essairyn smiled brightly. "You're rather energetic in the morning."

The fox turned her head and just glared at her from the side. "Sheesh. Way to shock someone awake..."

Essairyn straightened up and stretched her arms. "Hmm~!" She murmured contentedly. "You ready to leave the woods today?"

Akari was stretching in a downwards bend. "Yeah, I'll be glad to be out of those woods!"

The girl's brow quirked. "But you're a fox."

"What does that have to do with anything?" retorted Akari. "Can't a spirit travel like any other creature? Animals don't just live in the forest. Besides, I'm a god; I can go wherever I want, hmph."

Essairyn huffed amusedly. "I suppose so. This is a different world after all."

After taking a bath with the spring water, the girl rearranged the treehouse interior neatly. Inside her magic cache, Essairyn decided to bring the black claw, remains of the food, two containers of water, bed pillow, sheets, and covers, and various woven bags.

"Do you think I should bring this branch?" Essairyn asked. A thick branch as wide as the girl hovered in the air in front of Akari.

"..." The vacant look on the fox snapped to exasperation. "Leave that stupid piece of wood here! Gosh, bringing a freakin' branch in your magic cache of all things..."

Essairyn pouted. "Ehhh, why not? I might need to craft something, you never know!"

The fox rolled her eyes. This girl seriously surprised and amused her to no end. "Whatever weirdo."

"Hey!" The girl poked Akari. "Be nice."

The fox shook off the girl's touch. "Okay....weirdo."

Essairyn clicked her tongue and shooed the fox out of the treehouse. "Ay ay, let's go already, miss foxy."

They made their way to the forest edge and surveyed the bucolic landscape below. Essairyn had decided to travel to the closest town from where the forest was situated. She had considered living in the Spirit-Demon Forest longer after last night's encounters. But while it held plenty of curious mysteries and sights, it held just as many dangers. Until she understood the world better and was aptly able to defend against any stronger enemies pursuing Akari, then it was wiser to live among the non-magical humans.