He had been able to check up on many of his friends after the Spark Bird arrived, but one person in particular had eluded his efforts to track down. Vervain had assured him of the young woman's safety and good health, at least, but it wasn't the same as seeing her with his own eyes and, besides, the wounded expression he had caught before she had disappeared from the Spark Bird celebration had left a lingering ache of guilt. Several times he had tried to track her down, only to be interrupted or foiled by circumstance or timing.
This time, though, he was determined to see it through. He had returned to his den in the Glade to finish moving a last few items to his office in Loreseeker's Hall when his foxy nose had caught Edy's scent, fresh enough that she must have passed through very recently. Sneezing - the pollen was a bit overpowering - the long-legged fox had traced her path with some difficulty towards the Oasis before transforming back into a man. The birds filled the air with song as green leaves unfurled gloriously from every tree and bush and plant in an ecstasy of new life and energy while bright flowers turned their petals to a sunny afternoon between showers.
He knew she was close, but he didn't want to surprise her and risk getting his eyebrows - or worse - burned off, so he called out as he stepped from the trees and towards the clearing around the oasis, looking around curiously. "Edy? Are you here?"
This time, though, he was determined to see it through. He had returned to his den in the Glade to finish moving a last few items to his office in Loreseeker's Hall when his foxy nose had caught Edy's scent, fresh enough that she must have passed through very recently. Sneezing - the pollen was a bit overpowering - the long-legged fox had traced her path with some difficulty towards the Oasis before transforming back into a man. The birds filled the air with song as green leaves unfurled gloriously from every tree and bush and plant in an ecstasy of new life and energy while bright flowers turned their petals to a sunny afternoon between showers.
He knew she was close, but he didn't want to surprise her and risk getting his eyebrows - or worse - burned off, so he called out as he stepped from the trees and towards the clearing around the oasis, looking around curiously. "Edy? Are you here?"
