It seemed to our heroes that, at last, fortune was favoring them. As they traveled in a southerly direction, along the west side of the Carpathians, the weather grew steadily more favorable. Andy's anxiety over their monies abated as, with the change in seasons, they grew less dependent on trade. With the rise in temperatures, (Y/N)'s snakes were once again a readily available resource when she went foraging. For her part, Damica's aches and pains grew less as the cold abated, bolstering her spirit. By the time summer arrived, they were traveling through the land of the Bulgarians and Vlachs, and the weather had become quite warm and occasionally sweltering.

One day in June, the trio decided to make camp for a few days to rest. (Y/N) found a suitable spot that was shielded from the wind, with a massive tree to build against. She collected small twigs and dry leaves to elevate their refuge's bed while Damica gathered branches for Andy to build up the walls of their shelter. The mood all around was jovial despite the many hardships they had endured. They had food aplenty, and the landscape around them seemed full of abundance.

(Y/N) had started to develop a few mild sores on her scalp from constantly wearing the helm that the Morrigu had gifted her. Andy, seeing (Y/N) wince, offered to go out and set some animal traps, to give her an opportunity to take off her headpiece and treat the sores. After Andy had left, (Y/N) ground the flowers of a chamomile plant with the roots of an alkanet plant, then applied the paste to her wounds. Meanwhile, Andy sang to himself as he set up several basic snares some distance away from their shelter.

The following day, (Y/N) and Damica went on a foray to search for wild bulbs and tubers while Andy went to check the traps he had set, singing happily to himself once again. In two of the six snares, he found rabbits that had (he hoped) died quickly once caught. But in the final trap, just to the north of their camp, he found a most extraordinary fox.

This fox was not like Damica at all. Its fur was incredibly plush and an unbelievable, scintillating color of white gold. Andy's snare was drawn tight around its neck, and the coagulated blood staining the fur around it indicated that the fox had initially struggled, but then, somehow, realized that it was dangerous to continue. Now it held perfectly still, watching Andy without any sign of fear as he approached. Its keen eyes were a sparkling golden red, and it seemed to Andy that the fox's gaze was somehow knowing.

Andy stood quietly, observing the fox, somewhat frightened and unsure what to do. He did not enjoy taking life in general, but it was the only way he knew to sustain himself and his friends. He'd never intended to capture a fox! With Damica as one of his closest friends, he could hardly imagine eating one, much less expecting her to as well! But how could he possibly safely release this strange-looking wild fox? It would be easier to kill it than to cut the snare from its neck. Uncomfortable with the fox's intense scrutiny, he looked at the ground to try and think more clearly, but got quite a surprise.

Just out of the fox's reach, near Andy's feet, was a perfectly round, white sphere, just a bit smaller than Andy's fist. It seemed somehow a bit brighter than the light around it, though that made no sense. Curious, Andy crouched down and picked up the strange ball. Thinking it clearly it was something of value, he placed the little orb in his knapsack.

At that, the curious-looking fox began to cry mournfully, "Kon kon, gon gon! Kon kon, gon gon!"

Hearing that outlandish cry, Andy was certain that the fox was no ordinary fox. Though he did not know of any gods that manifested as foxes, nor that used them as messengers, he was in strange lands now. He knew had to try and set it free, lest it take vengeance on him and his friends.

Andy held up his hands in a placatory fashion, and the fox grew still and silent once again, though now its gaze was clearly hostile. Andy swallowed nervously, "I want to set you free. Will you bite if I come closer?" The fox narrowed its eyes at him and stared, unblinking.

Andy swallowed again, unnerved. "If I release you, will you hurt my friends?" The fox looked to Andy's satchel, then looked at him again.

Indecision wracked him. Clearly the strange, celestial fox had to be released. There was no way he dared to kill it. But how could he be sure that it was safe to let it go? Dare he risk his friends-

Andy's thoughts were interrupted by the fox, who spoke in a lilting woman's voice and with a strange accent, "release me, and return to me my hoshi no tama!" Her brilliant eyes burned intensely into his, "if you do not free me and give me back my ball, I will be your enemy for the rest of your days. But- if you do unbind me, and give me back my ball, I will owe you a boon." The vixen's eyes briefly flared even brighter. "I always repay my debts. Always."

Andy was terrified; the hairs on his arms and neck stood on end. But, drawing on all of his courage, he forced himself to approach the foxlike creature. Carefully, he manipulated the wire of the snare until he was able to slip it along the vixen's neck and over her head. Though it scared him to turn his back on her, he did so, that he could retrieve the strange globe from his knapsack. He let out the breath he had been holding when the fox did not strike. Turning back around, he rolled the ball gently to the magical creature's paws.

The vixen picked the ball up in her jaws and it began to radiate a ghostly light. Before Andy had an opportunity to beg the fox to keep its word and spare his friends, she leapt into the air (far higher than any normal fox ever could have). As she rose, the ball began to glow brighter and brighter, and her tail seemed to multiply around her. Andy looked away, shielding his eyes from the dazzling light. Once the light had dimmed, he turned back around, but the fox was gone; he was alone next to his empty, bloody snare.

Unsettled, Andy began jogging the short distance back to their camp, concerned for his friends. In moments, the sky darkened and let forth an incredible deluge. Immediately soaked, Andy was certain that the storm was the celestial fox's doing (though, in truth, it was not). Even so, he hoped that nothing truly terrible had happened. When he returned to the cave and discovered that he was the only one there, he began to worry in earnest.