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a boot just
past the bunt, she jerked upright.
    Bunbun squealed and hopped off Ayden's leg,
running in the opposite direction.
    "Hey, watch it! You almost hit my chin with
your head!"
    Kate looked behind. Ayden had his back and
head rigid against the bark of the tree. He flexed the leg her head
had been laying on.
    "What happened?"
    Ayden shrugged as he rubbed his thigh, "You
keeled over. Honestly, I'm surprised. You don't strike me as the
fainting type."
    "I do not faint!"
    "All evidence to the contrary."
    The comebacks flew through her head so fast
that she couldn't find just one.
    "It was the fog," she muttered, then choosing
to ignore him. She grabbed a corner of the cape and pulled it
tighter around her.
    A group of bunts raced across the ground in
front of them including Bunbun. Unlike the smooth running and
leaping gaits of the other bunts, Bunbun made do with an awkward
trot, using a malformed left rear paw only for balance.
    They ran out from under the tree, racing
towards another. They circled and ran back. Energy glittered where
the fog hit the fur of the bunts, but they continued their antics.
If anything, the fog incited them to ever more energetic play.
    Kate turned to glare at Ayden's back as he
rooted through his backpack, "The fog is dangerous? How come the
bunts can be out in it?"
    He shrugged, not bothering to look up at her.
"They're natives to this world. There are a lot of animals and
plants here that aren't harmed by it. Some even feed off the fog.
Others have ways of hiding or protecting themselves from it, like
this tree."
    "We don't have fog like this at the
city."
    "That's because the city is so far away from
the mountains. It doesn't reach that far."
    Kate turned back to the frolicking bunts at a
harsh squeal. One of the bigger bunts pushed at Bunbun, causing him
to lose its balance and fall over. She moved to go after him,
catching herself just as Ayden reached out to grab her arm.
    "Relax, let him be. Bunbun enjoys rubbing
noses with his own kind once in a while."
    Kate leaned back against the wide trunk of
the Trailing Willow, shaking her head, "Bunbun? Where did you come
up with a name like that? It's not masculine at all."
    Ayden returned his attention to his backpack.
"I don't need to prove how masculine I am. By the way, you can say
thank you at any time now."
    "Excuse me?"
    "I just saved your life. With no help from
yourself, I might add," Ayden said with a gesture towards the
fog.
    Kate gave him her best sneer .
    Ayden smirked, "Yeah, that's what I thought I
would get back."
    She bit her bottom lip, a little wash of
shame welling up. She really should thank him. After all, he did
save her from the fog when she didn't know any better.
    He brought out a bottle of water and offered
it to her, "And yet, I'm still willing to share."
    Considering how much her mouth still tasted
of Grandma's tea, Kate didn't argue. She took several sips before
handing it back.
    "Thank you." There, she'd said it.
    A dense patch of fog drifted by, moving in
the opposite direction as the soft air currents along the forest
floor. With the arrival of the patches more tingles ran along her
skin. Energy arced off the long leaves of the Trailing Willow.
    She glared at the fog, ordering it mentally
to go away. The fog didn't pay any attention. It continued to swirl
and move with a mind of its own. Clumps of denser and lighter fog
coiled around with each other.
    Bunbun climbed up on top of Ayden's lap,
pushing his way into Ayden's coat. His head popped out of the
opening at Ayden's neck.
    She attempted to get as comfortable as
possible, "Grandma mentioned staying out of the forest fog, but
I've never seen it before."
    "Wasn't the season? The mountains have been
clear? How long have you been here?"
    Kate narrowed her eyes at him, "I was born
here."
    Ayden smirked, "So? That doesn't mean you've
lived here long."
    The fog retreated as quickly as it arrived.
The shuttle came into view. The trees relaxed, their limbs and
leaves