Layla got up immediately to the sound of her alarm. After putting her phone back on the desktop on her cart which was placed in the gap between her desk and bed she quickly went to her closet and started getting dressed into a red, long-sleeved shirt with words in white that said, Merry Christmas with a big white snowflake on it. She also put on black leggings and red fuzzy socks which also had white snowflakes. As she looked at herself in the mirror on her door she thought, December twenty, fourth, let's make it the best Christmas Eve ever!

                                             ******

She had just finished brushing her long orange hair and putting it into a bride, as well as brushing her teeth when she was about to head up the stairs which were right next to the bathroom. Just then through the window of the sliding door that led outside, she felt herself being drawn to the beauty of the snow against the dark pinewood trees. Layla went over to the sliding door window and put her hands on the glass looking out at the sparkling snow that shown like diamonds in the sun. Just then she saw something emerge from the forest in the distance. Layla's curiosity got the better of her and so she started getting her coat and winter boots on before opening the sliding door and going outside. As she slowly got closer to the forest she realized that the fox who was still standing at the edge of the forest, wasn't just any fox, it was an Arctic Fox. Wow, a real-life Arctic fox. Thought Layla. As she got closer she saw the fox start to prance around in the snow as if it was waiting for Layla to catch up. When she finally got close enough she noticed on the fox's tail where light-colored streaks of green, purple and blue. Layla continued to trek through the snow thinking, I doubt that's normal for an Arctic fox to have on her tail. Layla followed the fox into the forest and once in the shelter of the trees the Fox started to run, so Layla ran after the fox. As she did so she saw the leafless trees start to slowly change as they went farther in. Finally, they came to a part of the forest that didn't seem to have any snow on the ground and the trees had leaves that covered the bright blue sky, but let in a few sun rays that shined a green emerald light onto the forest floor. Suddenly Layla saw the fox slowing down and so did she. The fox suddenly went around a large tree and when Layla went around she suddenly saw ruins. Rock structures that had been broken down and moss was growing on it. But that wasn't the weirdest thing. Layla suddenly saw the arctic fox walk over a root coming from a tree and a bright sky blue barrier lit up. Layla watched in awe as the fox walked right through it. Just then the fox came back out and started to nudge Layla's foot forwards towards the invisible barrier. Once on the other side of the barrier with the fox who jumped in right after her, Layla suddenly saw more movement behind the rocky ruins and realized that there were more foxes, but they were nothing like the Arctic fox or any other fox she has heard or read about. A fox who had dark blue fur with grey streaks on her tail came forward calmly and suddenly opened her mouth saying,

“ It is good to meet you human.” Layla suddenly yelled and started to step back and tripping over a root she fell backward and gasped. Suddenly she hit her head hard on the ground and went out as her empty gasp filled her ears, till finally… she heard nothing. 

                                              ******

The next thing she knew the white Arctic fox was licking her face and her eyes started to flutter open as she slowly started to sit up. Just then she felt the stinging pain at the back of her head and looked around seeing all the other foxes. Layla suddenly remembered what happened and started to scoot back to a tree saying,

“ Wait, wait don't hurt me! Get away from me creepy foxes, leave me alone!” The dark blue fox with faint grey streaks on her tail said soothingly,

“ It's okay child, we aren't going to hurt you. You were brought here by Nora who has watched you for the past month and has seen you are the one who can help us.” 

“ Help you with what?” Asked Layla feeling the back of her head, slightly wincing. The fox replied,

“ Our forest is being taken by an ancient evil. It is an evil that spreads through our forest when we fail to defeat it, we were given by an ancient fox spirit from the northern lights a couple of years ago, a prophecy. A prophecy that we have deciphered to say that a girl with the purest heart will come and save us from that ancient evil, but it is only when she finds the power of the fox that she will be able to defeat the evil." Layla blinked a couple of times saying,

“ And you think that girl is me?” The blue fox gave a single, confident nod before Layla suddenly started bursting out in laughter saying,

“ Okay, this has to be a dream, I'm dreaming this up in my head… okay me, you can wake up now, I've had enough of this nonsense.” The blue fox shook it's head saying,

“ Child, this is not a dream… does your head hurt?” Layla nodded and heard the fox add,

“ Then you know this is not a dream, if it were, you wouldn't be in pain.” Layla nodded saying,

“ Good point, but I'm still calling all of this crazy.” The blue fox gave a smile before saying,

“ That is fine, but, before we begin your training I want to hear from the depths of your soul, the true answer to this question.” The blue fox walked right up to Layla and stared right at her saying,

“ Will you help us stop the ancient evil, will you help us protect our home, will you be willing to learn how to find the power of the fox?” Layla stared at the fox's eyes before closing hers thinking, This is crazy, I don't know if my parents would allow me to do this, and it's Christmas eve… You know what! Whether it's Christmas or not, it's the time for giving, so I will give my time and even my life to helping these foxes, with whatever they need and with whatever I have. Just then Layla slowly opened her eyes and said,

“ Yes… I will help you and I will allow you to help me find the power of the fox, even though I don't know what that is.” The blue fox smiled as her body relaxed and the other foxes including Nora, the Arctic fox started jumping and leaping with joy as they yipped happily. Once their yips died down the dark blue fox said,

“ You will know when you have found the power of the fox when you know, now what is your name?”

“ Layla.” Replied Layla. The dark blue fox said,

“ Come, Layla, I would like you to meet everyone.” Layla stood up and then bent down on her knees after a couple of steps into the small clearing where the foxes have gathered around her with the dark blue fox in front of her. The Dark Blue fox then said,

“ My name is Oceana and this is my grandson, Riptide.” From the crowd of colorful furred foxes came another dark blue fox with grey streaks on his tail.  Riptide came over and allowed Layla to pet him as Oceana continued saying,

“ We are the elemental foxes of water we have the ability to create balls of water and move them with where our tail moves, all of us foxes have powers and our tails allow us to use our powers and control them.” Layla nodded once Riptide left to go and sit back in his spot in the crowd. Next Oceana said,

“ You have already met Nora, she is the elemental fox of Winter, she is the last of the Winter foxes but is the most powerful." Nora came and sat in front of Layla to be petted. As Layla scratched behind Nora's ears she asked,

“ So what makes the Winter foxes more powerful than the others?” 

“ She has more than one power, she not only can create snow but also create the northern lights.” Layla looked back at Nora who was smiling at her as Layla said,

“ Wow.”

“ Next is Spark the Fire fox.” The bright orange fox with red streaks in his tail came bounding forwards saying,

“ Hi Layla, I have the ability to  make balls of fire.” Layla smiled scratching under Spark's chin saying,

“ Wow, that's really cool, you might need to show me sometime.” Spark smiled happily before going to sit back down.

“ Then we have Electra the Lightning Fox, surprisingly she not only has the ability to shoot lightning bolts but also to run at fast speeds but only during a storm.” The lighter blue fox came with also gray streaks on her tail but they were in the shape of a lightning bolt. 

“ The Nature fox is Fern, she has the ability to control plants and anything that grows.” Layla watched the green fox come over and instead of allowing Layla to pet her she first sniffed her hand, before closing her eyes. Layla cocked her head when suddenly the darker green streaks in her tail lit up and a plant grew out of the ground right next to Fern. Fern opened her eyes and gestured a paw to the plant saying,

“ Eat a leaf and your head won't ache.” With that, Layla took a leaf from the small, green plant and looked at it cautiously before putting it into her mouth and struggling to swallow it. Once she swallowed it she suddenly felt the pain in her head which was starting to hurt slowly die down till her head wasn't hurting anymore. Yet, when Layla went to touch the spot where she hit her head she winced at the pain, before taking her hand away saying,

“ Thanks, Fern.” Fern bowed her head before walking over to go sit back down. 

“ Next we have Misty, the Fog Fox, she has the ability to use mist to make it thicker into fog or create balls of fog which will make it impossible for you to see.” Misty came over jumping a little from one side to the other, sniffing around Layla before finally coming close and rubbing against Layla who stroked her light, lavender-colored fur, noticing that she had dark purple streaks in her tail. 

“ Last but not least, we also have Rocky, the Earth fox, he has the ability to change and create different structures out of the earth and rock.” Rocky came bounding over and basically knocked Layla over and started licking her face. Layla laughed and smiled saying,

“ Haha, okay, hahaha, that's enough buddy, hahaha, that's enough.” Finally, Rocky got his paws off of Layla who finally noticed that he had brown fur with green streaks in his tail. Just then Oceana said,

“ Alright, now I believe it is time we show you around, follow me.” With that, Layla followed Oceana through the ruins and to a larger ruin that still had a few pillars intact and even a couple of arches. But there was also a brick floor that had different shapes in it. Oceana led Layla to the middle of the floor and said,

“ This is where the young foxes get their powers when they are ready, and this is where you will learn and train to find the power of the fox, but first we must practice your abilities to copy our powers.” Layla looked at her hands and said,

“ Cool.” Oceana then said,

“ Alright, sit down, I will tell you what helps me best when I need to create or control water.” Layla sat down and listened intently, suddenly Oceana's grey streaks in her tail lit up and she hit her tail on the stone floor. Suddenly blue light started to shine in some of the cracks on the floor and Layla could see that it was how the water foxes use their powers. Oceana then said,

“ Us, Ocean foxes use our powers by being creative, we think of the creation that water gives us, the colorful fish and creatures that live in it, and the different forms the water can take both beautiful and dangerous.” Layla nodded before she standing up as Oceana added,

“ Now, close your eyes, imagine, the world filled with water except for a single piece of land which you are standing on. Let yourself go with the flow and move with the waves of the water.” Layla had closed her eyes and started to bring her hands up before bending one leg and moving the other around her and she imagined it making a trail in the sand that she stood on. She released her hands from each other and suddenly heard the ocean around her start to make a musical sound. The song lit Layla up like a lightbulb and while her eyes were still closed she smiled as she continued to move and dance feeling nothing but the calm song of the water and the sound of her feet moving along the sand.

Slowly the song started to fade into just the roaring waves of the ocean around her and she heard Oceana's soft and calming voice say,

“ Now, slowly open your eyes, keep the sound of the roaring waves in your head, and go with the flow.” Layla slowly started to flutter her eyes open and suddenly saw water all around her in a beautiful pattern and shape. Suddenly the water fell and splattered onto the ground. Layla gave a disappointing look as Oceana came and stood in front of her saying,

“ For your first time that was good, soon you will be able to keep the water controlled even without imagining it, but now I think it's time you go with Spark and let out some of your energy in a game of fireball.” 

“ Fireball?” Repeated Layla with a confused just as Oceana started to walk off back to the small clearing where Spark was curled up with Mist and Nora. Oceana nudged Spark who awoke easily, and Ocean said,

“ Spark, it's your turn.” With that, Spark quickly bounded away from Misty and Nora, looking back at Layla saying,

“ Come on Layla." With that, he continued to run into the forest. Layla followed the bright orange furred fox who led her to a large clearing with grass that seemed to be a little black, but there was a pool of water in the middle of the clearing and Layla noticed that the grass was greener closest to the water. Layla then saw Spark turn around and started to say energetically,

“ Alright, I'm first gonna teach you how to create and control a fireball.” Layla watched as Spark started to quickly flick his tail every which way and saw the red streaks light up. A flickering tip on his tail started to trail every flickering motion he made with his tail till finally a bright orange ball of flickering fire was created and hovered above his tail. Layla smiled and said,

“ Wow, that's cool.” Spark smiled and said,

“  Good, cause now it's your turn, but first to get you started, I want you to try and chase me down, alright.” Layla nodded and started to run after Spark who ran away from her. As her energy started to build she suddenly heard Spark say,

“ Alright, now use that energy and light the fire, let that flame build up inside you and let it out." Layla felt sweat forming on her forehead as she continued to try and catch Spark, finally just as she was about to reach out and grab Spark she suddenly saw a ball of fire start to quickly form, and without thinking she shot it at Spark who went rolling onto the ground. Layla quickly stopped and gasped, before running over to Spark saying,

“ Oh, Spark! I'm so sorry, are you okay, please say something!” Suddenly Spark sat up saying,

“ Nice shot, Layla… especially for your first time.” Layla sighed and wrapped her arms around Spark who's fur was warm and soft, saying,

“ I thought I hurt you.” Spark slowly stood up  wobbling a little bit but finally said,

“ You can't hurt me with fire, I'm immune to my own element, all of us foxes are.” Layla nodded and said,

“ So, since I am able to sort of copy all of your powers am I immune to them as well?” Spark replied,

“ You will be, that's what your training for, now, that you know how to create your fire, it's time we see if you can control it.” With that, he went to one side of the burnt clearing and created another ball of fire saying,

“ Alright, I don't want you to dodge it but control it and aim it at the pool of water.” Layla nodded and said,

“ Alright, take your best shot.” Layla followed her eyes the ball of fire as Spark moved it with his tail. As the patience inside of Layla endured more and more she started to feel herself losing her patience till suddenly, Spark finally threw the ball of fire at her. Layla narrowed her eyes and held her arms and hands out. The ball of fire suddenly stopped just as it was about to hit her hands, but as the heat radiated onto Layla it didn't seem to have any big effect on her. Then, Layla slowly started to move the ball of fire till it was right above the pool of water. Suddenly, she let it fall into the water and once it hit the cool liquid, smoke started to sizzle from the splash. Layla fell to her knees as she felt she had less energy than before. Spark quickly ran to her saying,

“ Layla? You good?” Layla took a moment to let her gasping breath calm down to her normal breathing rhythm before saying,

“ Yeah, but why does fire take more energy than with water?" Spark said in reply,

“ It's because the fire that you build up inside you when you have a bunch of energy, you taking that fire away and using it, it's like taking your energy and putting it into something else. Meanwhile, water is just creativity, it's all in your head.” Layla nodded till finally, she said,

“ I want to try something, mind if I chase you again?” Spark immediately went into a playing position and said,

“ I thought you'd never ask.” With that, he raced into the forest, and Layla smiled running after him.

                                                ******

Meanwhile, in the part of the forest with black tarred trees and earth that was worse than dead, a sorcerer sat on his throne when a messenger came in saying,

“ Your greatness, I have urgent news!” The sorcerer replied,

“ Continue.”  The messenger continued saying,

“ We have news that the elemental foxes have finally found the creature that is supposedly destined to stop you.” The sorcerer raised an eyebrow and said,

“ Oh, and what creature is this?" The messenger replied,

“ A simple girl, but the elemental foxes are teaching her to become more than simple…” The messenger quickly went up to the sorcerer and said quietly into his ear,

“ They are training her to control all their powers.” The sorcerer suddenly grabbed a hold of the messenger's shirt, as he quickly stood up saying,

“ All of their powers! But how? I thought only the elemental foxes could have powers! How does she have the ability to control the powers without taking them from the foxes!?" The messenger started to stutter as he tried to say,

“ I-it is s-s-said that the one with the purest of h-heart can do so and is supposedly d-destined to def-f-feat you.” The sorcerer threw the messenger down the stairs that led up to his throne and grabbed a hold of his black scepter with a black crystal on top that was next to his throne and started walking down to the messenger yelling,

“ I want all scouts to be sent out immediately to find this girl and bring her to me! Now!” The messenger quickly got up and bowed his head saying,

“ Y-yes sir, r-right away.” With that, he ran out of the throne room to tell the scouts their orders. 

Layla finally chased Spark back to the clearing with the pool of water in the middle and quickly used the energy inside of her from running to form her fireball. As it hovered in the air in one hand she closed her eyes and imagined the world covered all in water except for a small island with sand as the land above the water. Layla then heard the song of the water start-up and she started to move fluently with the song. Once the song was done she opened her eyes and saw in one hand was her fireball while in the other was a spherical ball of bubbly, moving water. Layla smiled looking at Spark who had wide eyes and said,

“ Wow, okay your way more powerful than I thought you were.” Layla smiled and said,

“ Thank you, but if you think I'm just powerful, you might want to use that tricky fox brain of yours and guess what I'm gonna do with both fire and water.” Spark blinked once just before Layla quickly moved the fire and water together which both started to smoke and sizzle making it hard to see, even for Layla. 

                                   ******

After a little while, the smoke finally cleared and once it did Layla suddenly saw Misty standing a little ways from them. Spark jumped back a little, startled to suddenly see Misty there as he said,

“ Wow! Misty, can you be less creepy, please?" Misty raised an eyebrow and said,

“ I noticed that there was fog here so I came to check it out, I also notice you failed to control it which it seems like you could come with me for a lesson.” Layla looked back at Spark who gave a confused look and said,

“ Uh, sure, if you say so.” Layla then followed Misty through the forest. They walked a little way till they came to a river and saw that the river ended into a waterfall which sprayed mist at them when they got close. Just then Layla saw Misty hit her tail to the ground and the darker streaks in her tail lit up. Layla watched in awe as Misty collected a large ball of mist water that came from the waterfall and started to spin around till finally, she stopped hitting her tail on the ground. As soon as the ball, of mist water, hit the ground Fog started to form all around them. The fog was so thick that Layla wasn't able to see anything. She was afraid to move if she were to fall off the edge of the waterfall so she cried out,

“ Misty… you there?” A voice that seemed to echo out all around her said in reply,

“ I am here, but to find me, you will need to clear the way. Keep your mind clear.” 

“ How ironic, you tell me to keep a clear mind and I'm in the middle of a foggy terrain, is there a better way you can word that?” Said Layla finding the humor in Misty's words. On the other hand, the voice of Misty echoed all around her again saying,

“ No, just do as I say and you will succeed, fail to do so and you just might fall over the waterfall.” Layla started to take deep breaths as she tried to say,

“ Not helping Misty… alright, I am afraid to fall over the edge of the waterfall, so I need to clear my head.” She added, talking to herself as she continued to take multiple deep breaths till finally, she took one last deep, slow breath in and out. She opened her eyes and said,

“ Alright, now what?” Misty's echoing voice said,

“ Now, all elemental Fog Foxes control and use their power with emotion. Think of a very powerful emotion you are feeling right now, then let it fill you up, don't try to  push that feeling away.” All Layla felt was fear, the fear of falling the fear of failing, the fear…

Fear, that's my feeling. Thought Layla, she took another deep breath in and out letting all her thoughts disappear again. She let the feeling of fear fill her up not letting any bit of her body be resilient to the feeling. Then without asking she heard Misty's voice again say,

“ Now, use that feeling and let each bit of it disperse into a tiny drop of water… so you feel nothing.” By now tears had started to fall but with each breath she took she let a single fear whisp away and be enclosed in a drop of water that was around her in the humid atmosphere. Once all her fear was gone she then heard Misty say,

“ Now, use your water powers and control it.” Layla smiled confidently, her eyes still closed as she reached to wipe a tear from her cheek. As it jiggled on her fingertip she thought of that single drop of water and all the water around her. Once she was able to create multiple moving and hovering bubbles of water she opened her eyes as she heard Misty's voice say,

“ Now, refill your droplets of water with a happy feeling.” Layla tried to find a memory that made her happy when but suddenly her fear of falling over the edge of the waterfall came back and she suddenly lost her creative thoughts and saw the water droplets fall with a splat onto the rocks and grass. Out from a tree came Misty who gave a long sigh before saying,

“ Your fear came back to you, and you were not able to keep that fear separated.”  Layla sighed and sat down on one of the few dry rocks close to the waterfall before saying,

“ I feel like the fog element is harder for me to master than any of the others, even Fire.” Misty came over and sat on a rock beside Layla curling her non-lit-up tail around her front paws saying,

“ It is, Fog is made up of water and it can be very difficult to master since you are using more than one element. But I believe that since you have gotten farther than others when practicing the fog element that… you will indeed get better at it, that is one thing that I am certain about you.” 

“ Are there other things you are not certain about me?” Misty looked down at her tail before sighing and saying,

“ As much as I hate to admit it… yes.” Layla gave her a curious and a little bit of a concerned look on her face before Misty continued saying,

“ I don't believe that you can defeat the ancient evil who is destroying our forest alone, as prophesized, and I don't believe that you will be able to master the power of winter because it is the embodiment of all of the other powers of the foxes, there are so many factors of the winter element that use all of the other elements that makes it extremely difficult, for example, someone who isn't born with the winter element it makes it harder for them to conjure an Aroura Borealis because you have to access heat from the sun and it has to penetrate the earth atmospheric ozone layer." Layla blinked and said,

“ Wow… that does sound, extremely difficult, what about the other elements like nature and earth?" Misty replied,

“ Nature, and Earth, are not my specialty, I only heard it from the great Fox Seer, and that was only once.” Misty started to walk off as Layla asked,

“ Do you think I could see the Fox Seer?” Immediately Misty's ears perked up and her tail seemed to tense up before she quickly turned around with her tail flicking around fiercely as she said,

“ You can't just go to the Fox Seer, he has to ask you to come through your dreams.” 

“ Through your dreams? What do you mean…" But as Layla was about to ask her next question she heard Misty blurt in saying,

“ He goes into your dreams and gives you permission to come to find him with a little riddle you must solve because every month he travels somewhere different due to our forest being taken over by the ancient evil.” Layla looked down and said,

“ Oh, I guess everyone is taking precautions with this evil among us… so what even is this evil, If I'm the destined person to defeat this ancient evil shouldn't I know who or what I'm training to battle against?” Misty sighed and said,

“ That question is better answered by Oceana but I believe that it's time for Fern to teach you the powers of nature.”

“ How do you know that?” Asked Layla. Misty replied with an unamused facial expression as she said plainly,

“ Because there are vines about to bring you to her.” Layla turned around just in time to see vines posed to strike wrap themselves around her and start moving among the ground bringing Layla with them. As Layla moved passed Misty she said,

“ Uh, Thanks for the heads up.” Misty gave a small smile before saying,

“ Your welcome but even you shouldn't need the heads up.” 

                                                ******

Layla was taken to a wonderful sunny spot in the forest with a small pond and flowers everywhere. Layla was gently set upright and she saw Fern was sitting with her eyes closed on one side of the pond while Layla was on the other. Layla sat down with her legs crossed and waited a few moments for Fern to open her eyes by herself. But when she did not, Layla whispered,

“ Umm, Fern, you wanted me?” Fern slowly opened her eyes with a long sigh before she said,

“ I was hoping you would get the hint that I am meditating and would join in.”  Layla quickly closed her eyes and thought, Why am I meditating? I don't even know how to or what it means to meditate. Just then Fern said,

“ You are wondering how to meditate and why you are even meditating.” Layla opened her eyes and said,

“ Wow? How exactly did you know I was thinking that?” Fern replied,

“ With every breath, you take or inhale you are letting life flow into your body. I am a Nature fox which means that I can feel, hear and sense everything that Nature does if a leaf is trampled on I know if a flower is picked, I know if you pick the petals of that flower then I know, if you take a breath, I know.” Layla blinked then said,

“ Wow, that's amazing, so your saying… I can do that?" 

" Supposedly, yes, but it takes lots of patience, time, and meditation, which is where we will start today. First, you will need to know that meditation is the physical and mental treatment that allows our body, mind, and spirit to find a calming and peaceful state. We shall start with simple deep breaths in and out. Fern demonstrated one then when Fern did another, Layla joined in. They did a few more together, then Fern stopped taking deep breaths to say,

“ Now keep breathing, slowly, and with each breath let out any negative feeling, memory, thought, or grudge.” Layla did so, it didn't take long for her mind to be rid of all the bad thoughts and memories that allowed Fern to say,

“ Now, I want you to imagine you are in a dark black room.” In Layla's head, she imagined herself sitting with her legs crossed in a dark pitch-black space. Then she heard Fern say,

“ Now what are you feeling?” Layla replied,

“ I am feeling anxious, afraid, lonely, concealed.”

“ Good, now I want you to use your imagination and paint your own creative space that is calming, relaxing, with nothing to bother you with your own time.” Layla did so and she imagined herself holding a paintbrush and she brushed it against the blackness around her where suddenly colors came out of it without it being dipped in any paint. She saw mountains on the other side of the large, and lush green valley. She heard the roaring waters of the waterfall nearby while she sat on a rocky ledge overlooking the valley where a herd of deer grazed peacefully. Outside of her imagination, Layla was smiling and she then heard Fern say,

“ Good, that looks beautiful.” Layla opened her mouth to ask a question but Fern stopped her saying,

“ Don't say anything, just listen. Alright, now I want you to imagine yourself down in that valley.” Layla did so and she saw herself sitting on a rock at the bottom of the hill that was a little ways from the herd. Layla then heard Fern say,

“ Now touch the grass beside you and feel it's prickly texture.” Layla reached out and was about to touch the grass when suddenly she saw movement ahead of her and saw the herd of deer had started running. But from what? Thought Layla. Just then all around her, she heard a voice say,

“ Remember I am seeing what you see in my head so what you experience I do to, where ever you go, I go, whatever you think I hear, whatever I think you hear, get it.” Layla nodded and said out loud,

“ So it's like  twin minds?” 

“ Yes, sort of.” Replied Fern before Layla added,

“ Then let's go figure out what caused it.” Layla imagined herself standing up from the rock when suddenly she heard the voice of Fern around her in her imagination say,

“ I don't think we will have to figure it out, because it's coming quick.” Layla then saw black darkness coming from the other direction the deer ran in and it was consuming all of Layla's calming scene in a dark and merciless black cloud. As the cloud came closer Layla then said,

“ Shouldn't we run?” Layla was about to start heading out of the way of the dark cloud when suddenly she heard Fern say in a stern voice,

“ No, do not move, it can not hurt us, this is only in your head." But Layla did not listen instead her fear came over her and she started running. She quickly ran along the side of the valley. Suddenly she opened her eyes and suddenly saw in front of her, Fern was suspended in the air by vines which were wrapped around her legs and body. Layla stood up and said,

“ I'll get you down.” Layla went to get Fern down but the vines moved away. Layla tried again and again but the vines wouldn't let her get to Fern. Suddenly the vines wrapped around Layla and started to juggle her and Fern around like at a circus. As Layla and Fern bounced around Fern said,

“ This is your fear speaking, you need to control it, find your happy place.”

“ But my happy place was swallowed up by a black smokey being.” 

“ That's because it wasn't protected, imagine yourself somewhere that's safe, calming, and makes you happy.” Layla thought for a few moments till finally, she said,

“ I think I've got it.” Layla closed her eyes and imagined the forest that she was in, with its invisible barrier and snowless ground. The feeling of magic made her feel comfortable. The next time she opened her eyes she saw that she was sitting on the ground next to Fern who lay on the grass. The vines had retreated to the ground and Fern looked up at Layla saying,

“ What didn't you imagine?” Layla asked,

“ You didn't see it?” Fern shook her head and said,

“ I was tangled up at the minute.” Layla nodded and said,

“ I imagined myself here, in this place, It has a force field and it's just a sanctuary where all my life's trouble can just go away.” Just then she remembered something. She quickly stood up and started pacing as she said,

“ Oh no! I totally forgot!” Fern quickly stood up alarmed and asked,

“ What!?” Layla replied,

“ I was supposed to surprise my parents with breakfast in bed, and it's almost evening!” Fern had a frown on her snout and said,

“ Easy Layla, you're fine. Time is different here.” Layla stopped pacing and gave Fern a confused look as Fern continued saying,

“Every night, you see Northern Lights in the sky, it's because Nora uses her powers to create those Lights. And those lights slow downtime, which means on the inside of the force field everything feels normal but the humans are going at a slower pace, so that means it's night, your parents are still sleeping.” Layla replied,

“ Then that means that it's Christmas Eve, if time slows back there then it's not Christmas Eve, so…” Fern gave a single nod before Layla said,

“ Then we can celebrate now!” Fern gave a confused look and said,

“ Celebrate? Celebrate what?"

“ Celebrate Christmas Eve, you know, get presents for each other, dance, sing carols, eat food and a bunch of desserts.” Fern still had her head cocked and said,

“ Uh, sorry I've never heard of a Christmas Eve party, but I have heard of a Christmas Eve show.” Now it was Layla's turn to cock her head as Fern gave a calming smile saying,

“ I'll show you tonight, but I think enough for today, Rocky will be here any second to pick you up.” Layla nodded, just then she felt the ground start rumbling and suddenly saw a figure being thrown up in the air and was heading straight for Layla. 

Back in the Tar castle was the sorcerer still sitting on his throne waiting for any news. Suddenly a messenger came in and went to the bottom of the stairs and bowed before he went up to the sorcerer saying,

“ Your  majesty, I have news, we have found the girl but she is continuously being accompanied by other foxes.” The sorcerer replied,

“ Hmmm, I think that it is time I take over the forest permanently. Have the scouts send reports on the girl's process in her elemental training and where she is, then have my army prepare for a battle, we are finally going to trick the girl into giving up her power.” The messenger replied,

“ Excellent plan your majesty, I will see to it that it gets done." Once the messenger was out of the throne room the sorcerer said,

“ My plan is finally going into motion, and I will rule the world, and be rid of that horrid holiday, Christmas, Bah! What a pathetic name for a holiday, but when I rule the world it will soon be renamed as the day I came to rule the world.” With that, he started giving out an evil cackle.