Three days.

It's been three days since Kasai discovered her brother was missing.

She still hasn't calmed down.  In fact, she's only gotten more worried.

She never stopped having nightmares and thoughts about what might have happened to Fuego.  Was he kidnapped?  Did he die and never reform?  Was he still sick?  Or was this just some silly prank?

She immediately crossed the possibility it was a prank off of the mental list of what might be going on.  Fuego wouldn't make a prank as cruel as this.  Even if he did, he'd be back by now.  But he wasn't.  He was still missing.  Still gone.  Flew the coop.  Disappeared without a trace.

She couldn't bear to face her friends or parents.  She was too heartbroken and stressed...even a little regretful.  She shouldn't have snapped at everyone like that.  She shouldn't have lost her temper so easily.  But she couldn't help it.  She knows it's hard for her to control her emotions sometimes, especially when she's this stressed out.  There was so much on her mind.

Snow...

The fact she was chosen to help look for Snow...

The fact she was chosen to LEAD the search for Snow...

Fuego's fear after he got the bite...

... ... ...

The bite.

The bite must be what caused all of this.  Not Snow's disappearance, of course, but Fuego's sickness and disappearance.

"That has to be it!" she suddenly blurted out.  She stared out her window at the snow-covered village outside.  

The blizzard was only on and off, thankfully.  It wasn't enough to wipe out the villages...yet...but it was getting stronger.  Even the heat and fire of the phoenixes and their fire wasn't enough to melt the almost constantly piling snow.  Kasai could only imagine what the sirens were going through.  Most of them live underwater, and this much snow easily turned it into ice.

She shook her head.  This train of thought was getting her nowhere.  She oh, so desperately wished she knew where Fuego was.  

She jumped when she heard a knock on her bedroom door.

"K-kasai?  Are...are you in here?"

Kasai would recognize that stuttering voice anywhere.  It was Cory.

"Yeah, I'm here." she hesitantly answered.  "Cory?  Is that you out there?"

"Y..yeah.  It's...it's me.  I-I was getting worried about you..."

Guilt flooded over Kasai, making her heart feel heavy.

"I...I'm sorry.  I'm just stressed out...and worried about Fuego."

"I understand...I know it's probably really hard on you to lose your brother, e-especially when there's already so much g-going on."

"Yeah..."

They both stood on opposite sides of the door in silence for a moment.

"M...may I come in?" Cory finally said. 

"Sure." Kasai muttered, unlocking and opening the door.

Cory stepped in.

"Sorry, it's a mess." Kasai muttered.  "I was too stressed to clean up...I wasn't expecting company."  Her face reddened in embarrassment.

"No, no, it's fine.  My room's a mess too." Cory comforted.  "D-don't worry about it."

They both sat down on the bed.

"Also...I think I might have a clue about where Fuego is." Kasai suddenly said.

"Hm?  What do you mean?" Cory asked curiously.

"I don't remember if I told you or not, but the day before he got sick, he came crying to me about a werewolf bite.  Sure enough, blood was dripping down his neck.  I cleaned and bandaged the wound to try keeping it from getting infected.  I thought for sure it would be better by morning, but I was wrong."  She shook her head.  "I think it might have something to do with his disappearance."

"Well, what are you gonna do about it?"

"I...I don't know.  I want to look for him and make sure he's okay, but we're already so busy with the search for Snow..."

"Just...just do whatever you feel is right.  I'll check up on you tomorrow, okay?" Cory asked.

"... okay." Kasai nodded.  She figured it would be best if she just slept on it.  It would be easier for her to decide.

Cory smiled and gave Kasai a quick kiss on the cheek before standing up.  Kasai froze for a moment, wide-eyed.  Cory giggled.  He may be shy and quiet around the others, but he never failed to let Kasai know he loved her when they were alone.

"See you tomorrow."

He left Kasai alone in her room with her thoughts.