Storm was flying back towards the hideout alone.
His mind kept returning back to the Gran's predictions.
He had already decided that he wasn't going to share any of it with the others.
"I choose to carry this burden!
It wouldn't be fair if I forced the others to carry it as well!" Thought Storm.
After landing, he sought out Augustus and reported his success, as well telling him to prepare for the hags arrival.
He then went looking for Kalipso and received directions towards the Kitsune's village.
He was on his way back to the main entrance, when he ran into Aurora.
"Ahh!! Glad I caught you!
The others told me you were back! How did it go?"
"It went well! The hags have agreed to assist us and will soon make the journey to us." Storm replied.
"That's great news!! I knew you could do it."
She suddenly realized something.
"You seem to be in a hurry? Are you going somewhere?"
"Just... following another lead from Kalipso!" Storm replied.
"Ohh!! That's good!! Where to?"
"Just a village!! Not far from here!!" Storm replied nervously.
"Dwarves? Elves? More fairies?" Aurora asked.
"N-n-none of the above!!"
"Storm! Why do you look nervous?!"
"Me? Nervous? I'm not nervous! You're just imagining things!!" Storm replied.
"Storm!! Who are you going to meet?!!" Aurora asked.
"W-well... Kalipso suggested I go speak to a village of Kitsune that might...." started Storm.
He immediately wished he could take back his words.
Aurora grabbed him by the shoulder and shoved him back up against the wall before leaning in closer.
"And why exactly does Kalipso think those sly 'foxes' could help!!?"
"They know the human cities, and has agents everywhere!!
It's nothing immoral!! I promise!" Storm said nervously.
"I'm going with you!!" Aurora replied.
"That won't be necessary! I can..."
"I'M GOING WITH YOU!!!" Shouted Aurora.
Her voice echoed down the tunnels.
"What about Dust'an?
Doesn't he still need supervision?!!" Asked Storm.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Razor coming around the corner.
Before he could signal her for help, she stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Storm's predicament, then slowly tried to back up around the corner again without being noticed.
He never felt so betrayed in his life!!
"Razor!! Come here, please!!" Called Aurora.
Razor reluctantly obeyed while making sure to stay far out of Aurora's grabbing range.
"I need to go with Storm on an errand!
Please watch over Dust'an for me!!" Aurora ordered.
"Actually... I was in the middle of an exper...!!" Started Razor.
An angry glare from Aurora silenced her objections.
"You know what!
My schedule just opened up!" Razor replied nervously.
Aurora nodded her head before turning back to Storm.
"Any other objections?!" Asked Aurora.
Her tone indicated that it wasn't a question.
Storm quickly shook his head.
"Good." Aurora replied.
They left without saying another word and had a silent flight towards the Kitsune settlement.
When they finally arrived, Storm was suprised by what he saw.
The village was built deep in the wilderness, far from any main road.
At first glance, it looked like any other human settlement that Storm had seen in the kingdoms.
The village consisted of maybe 12 wooden houses of a variety of sizes, a small general store that sold some of the local products, a central plaza for social gatherings and a large building that resembled some kind of church.
There was even a small grove of fruit trees planted at the outskirts of the village.
Many Kitsune were walking through the streets.
They all had human forms, but they had an ethereal, almost supernatural beauty to them that set them apart from human women.
With clothing in bright red, white or green colors, close-set, eyes and a pale, almost glowing skin complexion.
The Kitsune wore clothing that would have been considered 'scandalous ' in human society.
Kitsune were immensely proud of their bodies, and were not ashamed to wear more revealing clothing, to better show off their forms.
Often with their foxlike features such as their eyes, tails or ears on full display.
What was especially surprising was the amount of men in the village.
They clearly came from a variety of different backgrounds.
A few were elves or dwarves, but the majority were human.
They walked through the settlement and worked for the betterment of their community alongside their non human neighbors.
A few were even walking with a daughter in hand that was clearly a Kitsune.
They paid no mind to the otherworldly nature of their children nor to the non humans that were walking among them.
On the contrary, they were talking, laughing and working together as if nothing was amiss.
A human dressed in fine clothing that had the look of a merchant walked between the two dragons.
As he did so, he inclined his head in greeting at Storm.
"Greetings, dragon! Fair winds to you and your family!" Said the man before continuing on his way.
Storm was accustomed to humans running in terror at the sight of a dragon.
Or to immediately reach for weapons before going on the attack.
But these humans didn't care or fear the non humans at all.
At first Storm thought that they may have been entranced, but a quick look.at their eyes showed a clarity of thought that people who were hypnotized or under the effect of illusion magic lacked.
Storm stopped a little girl Kitsune that couldn't have been more than 10 years old.
"Excuse me! We're new in town! Can you show us where we can find your Matriarch?!" Asked Storm.
She pointed towards the large temple like structure located at the back of the village.
Storm gave his thanks and watched the young Kitsune run towards a house where a couple was waiting for her.
The father had the look of a former soldier with a muscular build and an worn sword attached to his belt.
The mother was a Kitsune in a red dress with a small slit at the back to allow room for, her four bushy tails that were swinging gracefully behind her.
Her red brown hair was neatly tied together in a bun at the back of her head.
The man bent down on one knee as his daughter threw herself into his arms.
They stayed this way for a few minutes, locked in each other's embrace, before he picked her up and carried her into their house.
His wife went in last and closed the door behind her.
"It really is peaceful here, isn't it?
You can almost forget there's a war between humans and the rest of the world!?" Said Aurora in awe.
"Perhaps. " was Storm's only reply.