"Alright, according to this map," Flameslinger remarked as he peered over Ignitor's shoulder while Ignitor stretched out the solid fire map the fire spirits gave them, "our first stop should be an underground lake!"

"A lake? In a place as warm as this?" Prism Break asked as he looked over the map and frowned. "That's ridiculous!" Prism Break scoffed as he stormed further. "This whole place is made of fire, so how could any water stay here without evaporating?"

Prism Break grumbled something to himself as he stormed further ahead, but while he ran off, he didn't seem to notice the soft spurts of fire that formed underneath the ground he walked! Thankfully Flameslinger and Ignitor did, however, for the two of them yanked Prism Break back!

"Hey, what was that for?" Prism Break shouted as he glared back at Flameslinger and Ignitor.

While Prism Break glared, however, the little spurts of fire underneath the ground he previously walked on erupted! They went from a few bursts of flame to a full-on flaming geyser that sent bursts of fire spewing everywhere! Prism Break screamed and jumped back, but crumpled down as Ignitor raised his shield and shielded everyone from the rain of fire.

"Fire geysers?" Prism Break cried as he poked his head over the shield. "Just what is this place?"

The geyser rescinded back into the ground with a content gurgle, while the sound of weapons slamming against each other and name-calling cried over the horizons. Had they arrived at a battlefield? The three of the side-stepped the geysers and bounded ahead while the flames underneath their feet turned more coarse and ashy. In fact, it almost felt more like sand than solid fire! They frowned as they rubbed their feet against the warm ashes…

"Take that, magma spewer!"

"You'll eat your words, cave breath!"

And jumped out of the way as a gigantic, flaming rock crashed behind them! All three of them blinked in shock, and turned their heads back to the area in front of them.

"Well, Prism Break," Flameslinger said as he sneaked a quick peek at the path ahead, and pulled his blindfold back over his eyes as he frowned and scratched his head, "seems you got your answer."

There stood a lake made entirely of bubbling fire and filled to the brims with patrons! Rock walkers stationed themselves on the left side while large lava monsters took the right in some kind of makeshift battle, one where they warred against each other with flaming… Pool toys? Fiery pool noodles, beach balls made of rock, crunchy stone innertubes for floaties, and more were their weapons of choices as they bonked each other and shouted out insults. They completely blocked off the one bridge across the lake, too! Unless the three of them wanted to get knocked into the flaming lake by a poorly-timed pool noodle, it seemed as though they'd have to bring this fight to a close.

Ignitor cleared his throat, stepped forward and held out his arms.

"Pardon my intrusion," Ignitor asked as his flames drifted from side to side, "but just what in blue blazes is occurring here?"

However, everyone else was so absorbed in their fights that they didn't even hear Ignitor, much less notice his presence! So, Ignitor cleared his throat once more and hit his sword against the ashes.

"Good morrow, fair civilians! May anyone informest unto me what hath conspired here?"

No use—they just kept clashing and screaming away. This time, it seemed Ignitor had enough! His soul flared out of him body and erupted into an almost horrifying, intense red flare of a flame, a wildfire that burned bright with indignant fury!

"WILL ANY OF YE CEASETH THY PETTY QUARRELS AND TELLEST ME JUST WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?"

The lava monsters and rock walkers all gasped as Ignitor's soul burned bright above them, but that fear was only momentary. Seconds later, it transformed into pure rage as they turned their weapons on Ignitor and snarled!

"Intruders!" both sides cried at once.

"You've come to steal the lake away from us rock walkers too?" asked one rock walkers as their stony brows clenched and ground together. "I'm telling you, the lava lake belongs to the rock walkers! Nobody else can swim in it!"

"Excuse me?" cried one of the lava monsters as they slugged a punch at the rock walker. "We lava monsters came here to swim first! If anything, you're the ones that need to get out!"

The rock walker spat a rocky tooth into the flaming lakes and snarled back at the lava monster. "Well that's a lie if I've ever heard one! You didn't show up until after we jumped in!"

"That's because we were underfire! Of course you couldn't see us!"

"Quit making excuses and go find your own lake!"

"You blockhead, this is the only lake here!"

The rock walker and lava monster both shoved their faces together, and their all-out brawl of insult spitting, punching and bonking each other on the head with flaming pool noodles reoccurred, perhaps even worse than before!

Flameslinger jolted up, ducked out the way of a fireball that crashed and exploded behind him, and winced as he turned back to Ignitor and Prism Break.

"Something tells me these guys are dead-set on fighting," Flameslinger said as Prism Break pulled him out of the way of yet another fireball. "I don't think we can get them to compromise."

"But they're blocking the only way through!" Prism Break insisted. He yelped in pain as a small rock bonked him on the head, groaned and snarled back at the warring swimmers. "If we don't get them to stop, there's no way we'll be able to get those hearthstones!"

That was true. The map said they needed to pass through this lake to get to the grotto, but how? Getting through that warzone wouldn't exactly be an easy task!

Ignitor hummed as he drove his sword into the fiery ground and drummed his fingers against its hilt. "Perhaps there liest another way round yonder?" Ignitor asked as he looked from side to side. "After all, one meager bridge shan't possibly be the only way around such a massive area."

Flameslinger's eyes lit up as he turned back to Ignitor.

"Why didn't I think of that earlier?" Flameslinger exclaimed as he slapped his face against his hand, shook his head and beamed towards Ignitor and Prism Break. "You two look over west, I'll scout around here and see if I can find anything!"

Ignitor and Prism Break nodded as they dispersed down the western path, while Flameslinger turned around and crept across the ashy beaches. As a militia of burning pool toys and stray rocks flew off from the battle and rained down over the beaches, Flameslinger dodged behind a flaming tree and sighed.

"Fighting over something like this, for shame," Flameslinger mumbled as he ran his hands down the tree's trunk. "Lakes and pools like these belonged to the natural world, not the whims of some random being!"

Flameslinger crept away from the tree as the pool toy assault ended, and his eyes drifted over to a cool-colored, flaming sign beside him. He crept over to the sign, and flicked his ears as he lowered his blindfold and glazed over its contents.

"'Property of the Lava King,'" Flameslinger read as he knelt down to the sign. "'No trespassers or uninvited swimmers allowed.'"

Huh, so this pool did have an owner after all. But, just who was this Lava King person, anyways? Did he happen to be part of one of the groups that currently held a petty fight in his fire pool?

Flameslinger frowned as he put his blindfold back over his eyes, and turned his attention back to the world around once more; below him, the ground below shook so intensely that it was like the world was going to split apart! Flameslinger turned his head to the pool, where from its flaming waters, a mass of liquid flames the size of a volcano started to emerge from the heart of the lake!

"WHO'S SWIMMING IN MY POOL?" bellowed a massive voice.

The swimmers that once warred with each other screamed and panicked as they bolted out of the pool, their prior fight completely forgotten! Seems as though none of them were with this Lava King dude after all!

Flameslinger dashed back to the front of the pool and panted, then lifted his head as the sound of footsteps alerted him to Prism Break and Ignitor's return.

"What's going on?" Flameslinger asked.

"Why are you asking us?" Prism Break exclaimed over the rumble of the rising lake fires. "We didn't do this!"

"Actually, now that I ponder it," Ignitor said as he tapped his fingers against his armor. "I did stepest on a particularly peculiar rock that made an equally peculiar noise earlier."

Flameslinger, Ignitor and Prism Break's conversation came to a short stop as a massive roar nearly blew them off their feet, and spat flames like rain across the beach's ashes! The three of them dug their feet into the ashy sands just to keep from getting tossed away! They all gulped as they turned their attention back to the pool.

There, a massive lava monster who dressed in a bathrobe made of flames, and held short, barely-burning ember stubble on their face snarled as they scratched their gut. Was this the Lava King who owned the place? Well, they certainly fit what Flameslinger envisioned a Lava King would look like. They yawned as they rubbed their eyes, but their lackadaisical attitude quickly faded as they turned their attention down to Ignitor, Flameslinger and Prism Break.

"NOBODY SWIMS IN THE LAVA KING'S FIRE POOL WITHOUT MY KNOWING!" The Lava King roared as he pointed an accusatory finger towards Flameslinger, Ignitor and Prism Break. "YOU TRESPASSERS WILL PAY FOR MESSING UP MY PERSONAL POOL!"

Wait, did he think they were the swimmers? Oh, this couldn't be good. Not only was he angry, but he was practically the size of an Elder Elemental! There's no way they could take that on!

"Your magmatic majesty, please lendest us thy ear!" Ignitor exclaimed as he sheathed his sword and clasped his hands. "We mean not to intrudest unto your lake, and we certainly have not takest a dip in thy pool! We merely need to passest through here to—"

"SILENCE, INTRUDERS!"

The Lava King snarled as he tugged at his flaming bathrobe. "You can make all the excuses you want, but it won't save you from my wrath!"

Flameslinger, Ignitor and Prism Break all screamed as the Lava King yanked off his bathrobe and unveiled a massive belly with a large, flaming crack in its center!

"SECURITY! TAKE CARE OF THESE INTERLOPERS!"

The sound of tittering, shrill voices and gnashing teeth like crackling embers rained down from the heavens as Flameslinger, Prism Break and Ignitor peeled their eyes away from the sight of the Lava King. Well, not that the Lava King was a big concern right now.

After all, a bunch of lava imps rained down from the heavens by the thousands, and they were primed to attack! Flameslinger winced and tugged on his gorget as the first wave of lava imps slammed down and launched themselves towards his group. He leaned forward, and dashed away from Ignitor and Prism Break's side!

The lava imps turned tail and bolted after him, all while they spat embers at his feet and gnashed their molten rock teeth. As Flameslinger dodged their shots, he smirked a small smirk, completely turned around and looped circles around the imps! The imps huddled together and tittered while their eyes tried to track Flameslinger's movements, but after the first few loops or so, they were so dizzy that they could barely keep to their feet! They sat down and groaned as their heads spun, squealed and came to their senses as a ring of fire erupted from the ground below!

The lava imp tried to jump through the flames and go after Flameslinger once more, but every time they did, the flames just shot them back! Flameslinger grinned as the sound of lava imps' squeals resounded like music to his ears, drew his bow and shot off! His arrows cut through the wall of fire like it was a wall of melted butter, and the squeals of pain that sounded from within told Flameslinger all he needed to know about their fate! Flameslinger paused for a moment as the wall of fire came to a close—

"SWORD AND SCORCHERY!"

—and turned around right as Ignitor's flaming soul leaped forward and tossed another group of lava imps right into the air! Ignitor froze in midair for a few moments, slammed into the lava imps and tossed them all across the battlefield. The lava imps groaned as they tried to pull themselves up, but before they could, Ignitor dashed back into his armor suit and yanked his sword out of its sheath!

"Excelsior!" Ignitor cried as he dashed forward and slashed down the lava imps in a series of quick, sharp blows!

Flameslinger grinned as the lava imps soared away, then gave Ignitor a thumbs up. "Thanks for that, Ignitor!" Flameslinger shouted as Ignitor slung his sword over his shoulders, but Flameslinger promptly ducked as an overhead laser nearly singed his hair!

"GET THESE THINGS OFF OF ME!" Prism Break cried as he jumped from spot to spot and shot lasers everywhere, all while a bunch of lava imps crawled up his legs! Seemed as though he could use some help!

Flameslinger readied his bow and arrow, fixed his aim on Prism Break and released! As the arrows flew closer to Prism Break, he screamed and flung up his arms—but instead of hitting him, the arrows gunned down the imps that climbed on his legs! Prism Break looked down and blinked, breathed a sigh of relief as his arms fell to his side, but not for long! Shrill titters informed them all that more lava imps came their way, and several of them set their eyes on Prism Break!

"Oh no you don't!" Prism Break exclaimed as he leaped forward, rolled in midair and slammed back into the ground!

The moment he hit the ashes, gigantic green crystals sprung from the ground and formed a makeshift barrier around Prism Break! The lava imps squealed and tried to get away, but by then, they were too close and too late. They all just smacked into the crystals and slid down like flies on a ship's window!

The Lava King didn't seem to care about their little failure. In fact, he was the happiest he could be!

"Yes, yes! Keep it up, guards!" the Lava King exclaimed as he spewed more lava imps out the open slot on his belly. "Make these intruders pay for taking a dip in my perfect pond!"

"What's the big deal, anyways?" Prism Break shouted as his crystal barrier receded. "It's just a pond! There's probably a thousand of them!"

The Lava King made an undignified gasp, and scowled while fires crackled against his molten teeth.

"BUT THIS IS MY POND!" the Lava King wailed as he stomped his feet in the waters like a toddler throwing a temper tantrum. "IT'S MY POND, NOBODY ELSE IS ALLOWED IN! I PICKED THIS SPOT, I MARKED IT WITH MY SIGN, AND NOBODY IS ALLOWED TO USE IT! IT'S MINE! MINE, MINE, MINE!

While the Lava King threw his hissy fit, gigantic lava rocks spat out from his belly and crashed down all around the battlefield! As flaming pillars emerged from the rocks’ craters and shot ashes everywhere, Ignitor, Flameslinger and Prism Break completely scattered!

"We've got to seal up that hole of his!" Flameslinger exclaimed as he dashed out the way of another flaming meteor.

"But how?" Ignitor cried as he ran away from another, yet flew to the ground as the meteor crashed. "He is far too big for any of our attacks to inflict any damage!"

Prism Break just remained silent as he dodged another meteor, and fixed his eyes on the Lava King. What was he thinking? A small smile had crept on Prism Break's face, almost like he had an idea.

"Flameslinger, Ignitor!" Prism Break called as he turned around to the two of them. "Keep this guy distracted for me, I wanna try something!"

Prism Break's eyes burned with a determined fire, the kind of fire Flameslinger liked most! So, as Prism Break bolted off, Flameslinger turned back to the Lava King, whipped out his bow and shot out a volley of arrows straight for the Lava King's head! The arrows dove away from the meteor shower, and formed into one massive flock as they beaned the Lava King straight in the head! The Lava King yelped and blinked, but shook it off and glared down at the ashes below him.

"WHO SHOT THOSE ARROWS AT ME?" the Lava King wailed as he flailed his arms. "NOBODY SHOOTS ARROWS AT THE LAVA KING!"

"Except me!" Flameslinger cried with probably the most self-satisfied look he could muster on his face. "Now catch me if you can!"

The Lava King let out a guttural growl as he dashed forward and swiped at Flameslinger, but Flameslinger dashed out of the way each and every time! No matter which direction, Flameslinger just jumped out the way and shot that same cocky grin towards the Lava King! The Lava King grew fed up and spat out bursts of fire that rained down on the ground, but Flameslinger just shrugged and dove left!

"HEY, GET BACK HERE!" the Lava King demanded as he stormed after Flameslinger. "I'M NOT DONE YET!"

"Exactly, your majesty!" Ignitor shouted as he leaped out of his armor. "You have yet to trade blows with me, either!"

Ignitor flitted in front of the Lava King, who snarled and tried to swat away Ignitor like an annoying fly. Just like that annoying fly, Ignitor bounced out the way every single time!

"Doth I stay here?" Ignitor flew left as the Lava King swatted towards him, and jumped up as the Lava King struck again. "No, I have flown over here!" Ignitor soared right as the Lava King swatted at him once more. "Oh, pray pardon, you were too slow that time. I am over here now!"

The Lava King hissed and clenched his fists as tight as he could, all while his top seethed so badly that it seemed like he was going to explode for a moment!

"IF I CAN'T CATCH YOU," the Lava King exclaimed as he leaned back and fully exposed his belly, "MAYBE THESE GUYS CAN!"

The slot on the Lava King's belly opened wide, a mouth ready to yell as his inners burned with a bright warmth. Before he could shoot, a fleet of gigantic green crystals soared through the air and landed straight in the Lava King's open belly! The Lava King stumbled back, and squealed as he looked down at his belly—which was now stuffed to the gills with green crystal!

"WHO PUT THOSE CRYSTALS THERE?" the Lava King demanded as he tried to yank the crystals out, though they were too tightly packed to budge. "GET THEM OUT, NOW!"

"I'm afraid I can't do that, buddy!" Prism Break cried as the sound of forming crystals swarmed above them. "Those crystals are rock solid, just like me!"

Just above them, Prism Break slid on through on a ramp made entirely of crystal, slammed his fistd together and shot a giant laser that carved around the Lava King's belly! The Lava King wailed as he fell on his back, and gasped as the crystals burned brighter thanks to the heat from Prism Break's laser!

"And with that laser, they'll be stuck for a while." Prism Break blew off his crystal hands, smirked, and looked down at the Lava King, "And, for the finishing touch…"

Prism Break's ramp swerved around, lowered to the Lava King's height, and Prism Break flew by as he shot a laser directly into the Lava King's eye! The Lava King wailed and flailed his arms and legs, climbed onto the beach and shook his head.

"ONCE I GET THESE CRYSTALS OUT OF MY BELLY, THEN YOU INTERLOPERS WILL BE SORRY!"

The Lava King plugged his, well, lack of a nose, cannonballed into the lake and sank down with a loud SPLASH!

Flameslinger and Ignitor ducked under the shower of fire that splashed onto the beaches, but they both grinned as Prism Break slid back down and hopped off.

"Huh, even I didn't think I could pull that off," Prism Break remarked as he stretched his legs with a grimace, "I think I pulled a stone back there, though…"

Flameslinger just chuckled, and turned his attention back to the bridge that still stood tall in spite of the earlier fights. With a tug of his quiver, he leaned down and dashed across the bridge.

"AND TO THE CRYSTAL GROTTO WE GO!" Flameslinger proclaimed as he dashed into the distance, but promptly dashed back to Ignitor and Prism Break's side. Flameslinger made a soft chuckle as he scratched his head. "Actually, I just remembered that I don't have the map."

Ignitor chucked and unfurled the map as he walked across the bridge. "Now, according to this map," Ignitor said as Flameslinger and Prism Break followed him across the bridge, though he was too transfixed on the map to notice, "our next stop shall be…"

§

Chihiro giggled and skipped in time with Fluffy's energetic leaps and bounds! It was so big that every stomp shuddered the ground around them, and tossed Chihiro into the air, but she didn't mind! It was like she ran around in a bouncy castle! In fact, that gave her an idea; Chihiro bent forward, and springy shoes formed over her boots in a swirl of magic. They allowed her to bound just as far as Fluffy did, and Fluffy seemed to take notice of this too, as it grinned and bounded off further.

For a moment, all seemed just as peaceful as it did when Chihiro first arrived in this mission, even though the scenery wasn't nearly as cheery. Rather, it took a more realistic approach, with leaves dappled in autumn colors that fell off the branches of solid oaks, and grass that just barely poked out from a carpet of those fallen leaves. The leaves even crunched under her feet in a way that reminded her a bit of when she'd walk to school during the fall! Even the skies fell away from their ocean-colored hues in favor of something more befitting of an oncoming sunset, with their candy-colored pinks and sunny yellows streaked with orange. It was so pretty that Chihiro could just bound through the forest forever!

Fluffy didn't seem quite as content, though. It completely skidded to a halt and sniffed the air above, almost like it smelled something out of nowhere! Chihiro landed down, turned around, and gently ruffled Fluffy's short, fluffy fur.

"Hey, hey buddy, what's wrong?" Chihiro asked as a gentle, fuzzy feeling came over her from rubbing the fur so much. "Do you smell something?"

Fluffy snorted as it lifted its head from the ground, flicked its ears and pointed ahead.

Chihiro frowned as she followed its gaze, lifted her hand from Fluffy's fur and clasped it. Though it was fairly faint, Chihiro was certain she could hear something from the path up ahead, and it wasn't a good noise, either. It sounded a bit kind crashing and smashing! Was there another monster they needed to fight up ahead?

Whatever it was, Fluffy bolted after in a flash after it!

"HEY, WAIT UP!"

Chihiro sprung and bounded after Fluffy, all while the sounds of crashing and smashing and, digging? Yeah, something like someone digging through the earth at a furious pace floated through the air, and soon enough, voices intermingled with it as well. Chihiro gasped and took one last, big bound around the corner.

The forest trail parted way to a wide clearing, or at least, it would probably have felt wider if it wasn't a complete wreck! The ground around was disheveled and covered in shallow holes, trees and plants laid toppled over, and more dirt and roots and leaves flew everywhere! In the center of all the chaos was a large, sand and earth-colored lynx about the side of Fluffy! The lynx's green and magenta-striped eyes were small and frantic as they dashed everywhere, and its body leaped from spot to spot as it toppled over the world around.

"Where, where is it?" that voice sounded from the lynx, a voice stringy and high-pitched and a bit like her math teacher. "Where did my treasure go?" It wailed as it bit its lip and dug further. "Where it'd go, where'd it go? Where'd my treasure go? I'm sure it was here before!"

Chihiro couldn't help but frown as the lynx monster turned around and leaped from earthen hole to hole. Whatever this treasure was, it must have been really precious to that lynx if it was that worried about it! Surely she could step in and help; Chihiro stepped forward and opened her mouth to speak, but promptly shut it as another, heavier footstep landed beside her. She turned around, and there before her was Fluffy! And it did not seem happy, for it leaned down and growled with its ears flattened close to its head.

"What's wrong?" Chihiro asked as she gently rubbed Fluffy's fur again, though this time it didn't seem to notice. "That kitty's not gonna hurt us, it's just worried—"

"THIEVES!" the lynx cried. "YOU STOLE MY TREASURE, DIDN'T YOU?"

Chihiro turned and locked eyes with the lynx, winced and stepped back. That lynx finally saw them, and it did not seem happy in the slightest! Its sharp claws shone against the evening light like its pearly white and very sharp fangs, and its eyes were practically bloodshot!

"Wait, hold up! I don't know what you're talking about!" Chihiro exclaimed as she stepped forward and held out her hands. "We didn't take your treasure at all!" Chihiro held out her bare palms. "See?"

Unfortunately, bargaining with the lynx was no use! It just snarled again as it launched itself straight towards Chihiro! Chihiro gasped and held out her hands to launch a shield, but before she could, a purple blur leaped in front of her and tackled the lynx away! Chihiro gasped as Fluffy stepped in front of her, its teeth still bared as its growls grew louder and more threatening.

The lynx yowled as rolled across the bumpy ground, and as its little trip stopped, it jumped back to its feet and shook its head. "Give me back my treasure, right this instant!" the lynx demanded as its snarling lips quivered. "Or else I'll rip you to shreds and take it back myself!"

"I told you already, we didn't take your treasure!" Chihiro insisted!

"LIAR!"

The lynx bounded forward and raised its claws, but Fluffy just stepped in, latched onto the lynx's shoulder with its own jaws and tossed it aside! The lynx snarled, and both it and Chihiro gasped as crimson blood dripped down from its shoulder!

"So that's how you want to play, huh? You're going to get your little pet to take me down?" The lynx snarled as it pressed its paw onto its shoulder and lurched down. "Well let me tell you, I won't stop until my treasure comes back to its rightful owner, TALLMANE CLACEA TABAXOUS THE THIRD!"

Though Fluffy couldn't speak, the way its fur spiked across its back as it let out another howl showed it felt the same! Fluffy and Tallmane tackled head-to-head, and Tallmane raised a paw and went to slash away! Before it could lay a blow, however, Fluffy leaped back and lunged at Tallmane.

"We're being honest, I swear!" Chihiro begged as she jumped back from the battle. "We have no idea what this treasure is!"

"That's what they always say!" Tallmane cried as it shot its glare back to Chihiro. "Thieves always return to the scene of the crime! You can deny it all you want—" Tallmane snarled as it got ready to lunge once more "—but I know the truth! You're the ones who broke into my burrow and stole my precious treasure!"

Tallmane leaped into the air and pounced towards Chihiro, but before it could, Fluffy tackled Tallmane's side and tossed it back! Tallmane growled as it twirled in midair and landed on all four paws, locked legs with Fluffy and pushed it back!

"I'm telling you, we didn't!"

Chihiro skipped up and tried to throw a shield between Tallmane and Fluffy, but one slash from Tallmane shattered the shield to bits!

"That suspicious scent can't mask your lies!"

Tallmane flicked up a tail with what seemed like a cannon attached to its end and shot a laser straight towards Chihiro! Chihiro gasped, flung up a shield, and pressed her hands against it as the laser ground against the shield's surface. The shield and laser warred for a few seconds as sparks flew everywhere, and the laser flew back at Tallmane in a bright flash of light!

"AUGH, MY EYES! TOO BRIGHT!" Tallmane cried as it shielded its eyes with its front paws.

While it reeled in light-induced pain, Fluffy lunged forward and tore through Tallmane's shoulder once more with a nasty bite! Tallmane cried out, whipped around and slashed Fluffy's muzzle! Fluffy wailed in pain and stumbled back, snarled and narrowed its eyes as it shook the blood from its face.

Chihiro gasped as crimson blood rained down against the broken forest floor, rolled behind a nearby tree and ducked for cover. With her safety ensured, she poked her eyes towards the battlefield and winced.

Right in front of her, Fluffy and Tallmane traded blows, scratches and slashes, all while blood poured from their open wounds and cries of pain sounded through the skies like birdsong. Their bodies were ravaged with scrapes and gore, but neither party was willing to let up! If this fight kept up, there's no way someone won't die…

"But how can I stop this?" Chihiro whimpered as her hands clasped the tree's trunk tighter. "No matter what I say or do, it's convinced I'm the one who stole its treasure!"

Chihiro winced and turned away as Fluffy raked its claws through Tallmane's back, but her eyes went wide as Tallmane let out a horrifying wail of pain. In fact, it was so terrifying that Chihiro covered her own mouth so she wouldn't scream, too!

"If only there was some way to prove that I didn't—" Chihiro gasped without even realizing it "—wait a second, that's it!"

Chihiro look down at her bracelet and hesitated for a moment as her eyes fells over its four glowing slots, but shook her head and stood. She could probably still manage with three slots left, a little sacrifice was necessary with a situation like this. So, with a snap of her fingers, a magical watch manifested on her free arm, and with another snap, a magic sphere manifested in her hand! She bit her lip as yet another light faded on the bracelet, shook her head, and stormed out as she tossed the sphere right between Tallmane and Fluffy.

"HEY, LOOK AT ME!" Chihiro demanded.

Tallmane and Fluffy stopped their fight short as the sphere whizzed between the their faces, turned back to Chihiro and tilted their heads as she held out her watch-bound wrist.

"See this watch?" Chihiro pushed it out further for emphasis. "It's a magical lie detector. If I say even a single lie, it'll immediately give me a nasty shock!"

Chihiro breathed in deep, exhaled and cleared her throat.

"So, with that being said, I didn't steal your treasure, and neither did my friend!"

Anticipation set in as the watch glowed for a few minutes with an ominous light, but it turned green as it made a couple of friendly beeps!

Tallmane blinked while the magenta stripes in its eyes seemed to, vanish? Well, either way, it winced and lumbered toward Chihiro as it hung it head.

"Well, it seemed as though I was wrong," Tallmane scoffed as it stumbled on its paws and groaned. "Sorry."

"Eh, misunderstandings happen!"

Chihiro beamed and shrugged her shoulders, but her smile faded as she saw the awful state both Fluffy and Tallmane were in. The blood from their wounds dried to their fur, and they were so weak they could barely stand as the cold breeze lashed against their wounds.

"Now, before we do anything else," Chihiro said as she clapped her hands, "let's get you two patched up!"

With another, final clap, giant rolls of bandages manifested out of thin air and wrapped themselves around both Fluffy and Tallmane's wounds! The two of them perked up and blinked as they examined the bandages, but in a quick puff of sparkles, the bandages vanished and unveiled bodies completely free of injury!

"Feeling any better?" Chihiro asked as she stepped up to Tallmane and Fluffy.

She giggled and leaned back as Fluffy licked her once more! Fluffy flicked its tail as it walked off, yet froze for a minute and turned back to Chihiro. It tilted its head in expectancy, but Chihiro just smiled and shook her head.

"I can't go just yet, buddy!" Chihiro chirped as she looked over at Tallmane. "I still need to help this guy find its treasure!"

"What, really?" Tallmane said as its jaw dropped. "Even after all I did to you?"

"Well, you seemed really worried about that treasure! It's something important to you, right?" Chihiro looked up at Tallmane and beamed. "It's only natural!"

Tallmane blinked, closed its eyes and purred. "Thank you."

Chihiro nodded, held out her hands and created a notepad and pencil out of thin air.

"Alright, let's get started!"