"You would be willing to help me?" their head rose.

"Yes," Aqua reassured, despite being unsure how they even could.

"Then please, follow me."

They headed towards a gardening shed at the boundary of the field. "I'm so sorry for throwing my problems on you two. What are your names? So I can repay you in the future."

"I'm Lunar and he's Aqua!"

"And please don't worry about paying us. We're just a new response team and want to help as much as possible," Aqua added.

"I see. Thank you so much again. My name is Mists."

Mists hurried inside the gardening shed and then came out with the item.

They held it out nervously, retracted, then held it out again. “Ahah… I’m such a coward. I just don't think I can see him right now… “

“It’s okay! Sometimes it’s better to have a little bit of breathing time after a conflict!” Lunar reassured.

“If that would be okay,” she drooped her head.

"Of course!" Lunar received it and tucked it carefully in her carry bandana.

"Where can we find him?" Aqua queried.

"He'll be in Rebrer Forest."

Aqua swallowed a nervous thought. "And what does he look like?"

"He's a reddish brown cat with a cream coloured flame marking on his chest."

Aqua turned to gauge Lunar's reaction but as expected, there was no hint of recognition from said description.

She turned to meet his worried gaze and they looked at each other for a brief moment.

"But I would never send anyone there without a tooth and claw!" Mists stooped down to a patch of surviving flowers and held her paws below their petals.

Their stems detached from the ground and grew into vines, binding themselves into two separate rings of flowers. She held them up joyfully and placed the flower crowns on the two lynx's heads.

With a clasp of paws, Mists bowed her head and closed her eyes. "Please let my new dear friends come out Rebrer Forest alive."

***

Aqua and Lunar made their way through the charred trees and newly growing shrubbery. The stench of burnt wood and grass still hung heavily in the air.

As the trees parted, they could see a brownish red tom sitting in the middle of the clearing.

Small embers appeared and disappeared across the cat's fur as he took deep breaths in and out.

His sharp yellow eyes snapped to the lynxes and the embers became flames.

"A fish out of water," he said with dry humour.

Aqua wondered what such a gentle natured wolf saw in this Fire Kind.

"Mists sent us," he replied.

"You don't think I know that?" The cat looked at their flower crowns enviously.

His fangs glistened as he gave a daring smile, "I challenge you to a duel."

"Ok." Lunar stepped forward.

Aqua defensively brought up a paw to hold her back. "No way."

The Fire Kind frowned, "Yeah, I meant your friend."

Lunar squinted with distaste.

"Why should I fight you, Wild Fire?" Aqua asked.

His tail flicked with irritation. "What, are you too scared?"

Aqua bit back his response. To refuse a duel from a champion was to dishonour your whole Kind. Not that he had much respect left to lose anyways.

He glanced at Lunar again. The small lynx still stood tall, her eyes defiant and stance proud.

The last thing he wanted to do was wimp out in front of someone who was 100 times braver than himself.

He really should've accepted that payment.

"I accept your challenge."