The Elder Stones/Ch.1, The Spring

  The night was still with the exception of a hooting owl off in the distance. The clouds, now yielding an ominous ashen color cascaded across the winter sky. There was a piercing cold in the air. A humble community consisting of only a few cottages were nestled tranquilly around the expanding woods. Two foxes darted quickly through the dim light produced from the warm torches of the road networking the three homes.
  For any that may have witnessed the two foxes at the time would have realized they were very peculiar. As if they were spirits, they glowed with a faint silver aura which was much more distinct as they ambled elegantly through the cover of the woods that stretched on so endlessly. Completely certain that all humans were absent from the area, the foxes began to converse plainly with one another.
  The first silvery fox with a masculine compexion whispered quietly to the other, "Have you any idea where the imperial spring is, Gin? I have only heard of it in legends."
  "I am not completely certain, Haru, but it is the best chance we have to being human again up to this point.", explained the second fox whose elegant silver fur draped off of her which was obviously very well-groomed and rustled distinctively in the chilling wind. "Sorry for dragging you into this mess. If I had only..."
  "You cannot blame yourself for this.", interrupted Haru hastily. "It was my ceaseless greed that drove us to the form we now possess. I should have known better than to try and snatch the jade emerald so freely from a witch."
  Gin continued, "But you know as well as I that she is not a natural sorceress, and seeing as I'm her sister and everything, it was easy for me to interpret that the stone was making her eerie somehow. Since she found that emerald in my father's jacket, Hana has changed. She is not the sister I know and love so well."
  "Then how do we know she was even telling the truth about the spring in the first place?", retorted Haru.
  "She seemed so remorseful after she had transformed us both into foxes. I don't think she meant for her powers to get this far out of hand.", construed Gin authenticly. "After all, my sister is the smartest person I know when it comes to conjuration. I would trust her with my life in the knowledge of the spring. Of course it is easy to understand how she could have strived for such a powerful artifact as the jade emerald. She knew its powers would equip her with the strongest witchcraft she has ever been capable of. However, I fear she is not ready for such a power no matter how skilled in magic she might be. What if it consumes her? She could end up like..." Gin Began to weep. "Like my father."
  Gin was now far too troubled to continue speaking. Tears ran from her eyes and felt icy in her fur. Haru wanted to comfort her but understood that there was nothing he could say to alleviate the pain he knew she felt. He still recalled how his death had happedned so quickly. Gin and Hana's father had been such a gifted wizard. It seemed so flaky that such a talented man could have died from the power of an apprentice sorcerer. Gin and Haru were still completely perplexed with where the killer, referred to as Dacian, had fled to.
  The first few particles of snow began to fall as the two of them contemplated the troubling events of the day. The rath of winter seemed to be combating them as they felt the specks turn to shrap, glassy shards of ice that stung in their fur. They quickly seeked out a hollow in a nearby tree and hudled together for the sake of warmth. Considering the transfiguration curse was infringed on them that very day, they were quite relieved to finally be able to relax after an entire day of questing for a cure that might be lost in time.
  After listening to the wistling of the powerful wind and moaning of the hollow tree, Gin began to grasp control of her sobs and drifted off to sleep.