After some time, I suddenly halt, realising that the enticing scent is emanating before me from behind a nearby shrub. Pointing in its direction, I lower myself to all fours, stealthily approach, and pounce on the coveted blossom fox. But as the creature and I lock eyes and blink in mutual surprise, it becomes apparent that my hunt has taken an unexpected turn.
'That's not a blossom fox. That's a blooming hog,' Xander sighs, his voice heavy with resignation.
Confusion washes over me as I gaze into the endearing eyes of the misidentified creature. The Blooming hog, with its plump round body and tiny nose, resembles a hedgehog, except its back is adorned with soft waves of fur instead of spikes. Its light grey fur twinkles with specks of light blue on the tips, adding to its cuteness.
Curiosity gets the better of the blooming hog as it tilts its head in an undeniably adorable manner. Its mouth parts open, and with lightning speed, its impossibly long, thin tongue rolls out, resembling that of a lizard. Its tongue darts towards me, finding its way up my left nostril, eliciting an immediate and involuntary reaction. 'Argh!' I cry out, releasing the hog and stumbling backward, frantically wiping away the wet tickling sensation from my nose.
With a mixture of amusement and laughter, Imogen, Xander, and Janie burst into laughter.
My annoyance lingers, 'That's so gross,' I groan, my gaze fixated on the mischievous blooming hog before me. Undeterred, it rocks its head from side to side, drawing nearer to me. ‘Oh no, you don’t,’ I say, scrambling onto my feet, stepping away from the critter.
Xander approaches the blooming hog and scoops it up. He holds it on his arm and pats it like a cat. ‘They use their tongues to reach the Elysian Blossoms that grow high in trees. The nectar from the flower is the sweetest of all flowers. Along with flufflehorns and whiskerwisps, the blooming hog makes a perfect pet,’ Xander explains before letting it back down.
The blooming hog scuttles back into the bushes.
Xander stares at me disapprovingly, 'Well, at least you know that scent isn't the blossom fox. You can proceed to pick up a different scent,' he says.
‘Yeah, yeah, not my fault the blooming hog smells divine,’ I retort and close my eyes, determined to proceed with our quest, allowing my senses to become attuned to the scents that envelop Moonshade forest. Many aromas weave into my consciousness with each inhale, from blooming flowers, ancient trees, damp earth, wild mushrooms, and sunlit pines to the musk of woodland life.
As the sun dips below the horizon, casting a warm glow that melts into twilight, the forest around us takes on an ethereal aura. Each step I take unveils many more scents, leading us to encounters with captivating creatures, though not the elusive blossom fox we seek. It seems as if the forest itself is teasing us, offering glimpses of its inhabitants but withholding the ultimate prize.
I follow every new scent I pick up as we wander further into the forest, which leads to many different creatures but the blossom fox.
The sun is setting, and Xander’s mood has only worsened, ‘The moon will be out soon. We’re just going to have to camp in the forest the night and resume searching for the fox tomorrow,’ he says, collecting sticks in a moody manner. ‘You were supposed to find one today,’ he groans.
‘I’m doing my best, Xander, and the description of the smell you gave me wasn’t very helpful since many things in this forest smell enticing,’ I argue.
‘Just find one tomorrow,’ he grumbles, plonking the sticks at my feet and storms off.
‘Where’s Xander going too?’ I ask Janie.
‘Probably to cool down, don’t worry about him, Rose, he’s just anxious, you know. If we can’t find the blossom fox here, we will have to travel further to one of the two forests he does not want to go near.’
‘I suppose he is risking a lot bring us here,’ I sigh.
Janie smiles and nods. She hovers her hands over the sticks, ‘Inferno Flamo,’ she says, igniting the fire.
Imogen, Janie and I take our sacks with food and sit around the fire as the sky darkens. Mister Kal curls up by the fire whilst the antlers of our glowhorn stags light up like lanterns, illuminating our surroundings.
It’s been an hour since Xander left. We munch down bread and then spread jam on the last of our scones: the sweet taste dances on my tongue as I slowly bite into it and savour the taste.
‘Xander’s been gone quite a while,’ Imogen frowns, her voice tinged with worry.
A mischievous smile graces my lips as I respond teasingly, 'Don't tell me you fear the dark, Imogen?'
‘Well, we are in the middle of a forest in the night in a world that is not ours,’ she retorts.
‘I suppose you have a point, but we will be fine,’ I assure her, and suddenly we hear screeching and clattering high above us from the tree’s canopies. We jolt as shadows dart between branches. Their sounds become louder as the creatures cling their claws to the tall trees and slide down and jump off, landing in full view in front of us.
‘Monkeys?’ I say as Janie, Imogen, and I jump up and huddle together in freight.
The monkeys, adorned with an array of trinkets and accessories, steal the spotlight with their flamboyant attire. Necklaces dangle from their necks, rings adorn their fingers, and some even sport eccentric hats that defy reason. One particular monkey catches our attention, its monocle gleaming with an air of sophistication as it observes us with a curious gaze.
‘Er, nice monkey,’ I say, and we slowly back away.
Mister Kal hisses, but they only hiss back in return.
The monkeys pause, their mischievous eyes narrowing as they gaze upon us. In a swift moment, their attention diverts to our bags of food, and a collective frenzy ensues. Biscuits and bread soar through the air like edible confetti, caught in a whirlwind of monkey mischief. The thieving creatures snatch the fallen treats, stuffing their arms full and devouring the spoils with unbridled glee
‘Hey! That’s our food!’ Imogen shouts at them. Imogen's outcry echoes through the forest. Her voice filled with anger as she confronts the thieving monkeys.
Their gleaming eyes bore into her, a silent warning across their mischievous faces. Sensing the tension, Imogen quickly backtracks, her voice trembling with nervousness as she attempts to rectify her words.
'What I meant was, uh... help yourselves,' she stammers, hoping to appease the prying primates. And just like that, the monkeys resume their frenzied feast, their sticky fingers fighting over the remaining crumbs of our beloved treats. They gobble up our food with wild abandon.
‘Janie's bemused gaze falls upon a particularly striking monkey, adorned with smudged blue eyeshadow and blush that refuses to blend seamlessly into its cheeks. The sight elicits a chuckle from her, and she points it out to us. 'Is that one wearing makeup?' Janie asks, her voice laced with amusement.
I follow her gaze and burst into laughter. 'It sure is,' I reply, a wide grin.