The next morning, Tamio saw something strange. A big tree near the river had fallen. Its roots were black, and the ground around it looked sick.
Tamio touched the soil. It was dry and cold. "Something is wrong," he said. Rin sniffed the tree and shook her head. The voice inside whispered, "This is not just nature. Dark energy is spreading." Tamio looked at his beasts. "We must find the cause," he said. They all nodded.
As Tamio and his beasts moved deeper into the forest, the trees grew quiet. No birds sang. No wind blew. It felt heavy. Lumo's light flickered. "Stay close," Tamio said.
The voice inside whispered, "Something dark sleeps ahead." They found more broken trees, all with black roots. Kuro growled softly.
Mira's ears twitched. "We must stop whatever is hurting the forest," Tamio said. He wasn't scared. His friends gave him courage. Together, they would protect their home.
Tamio stopped walking. Ahead of him was a shape. It looked like a beast, but it moved like smoke. Its eyes glowed red. "What is that?" Tamio asked softly. The voice said, "It is a corrupted beast. It lost its light." The dark beast growled.
Lumo's tail glowed brighter. Mira stepped forward, brave. "We must save it," Tamio said. Not fight. Save. He stepped closer, heart steady. "You're not alone," he said to the shadow. "Come back."
The shadow beast leaped forward. But Tamio did not run. He raised his hand, and Lumo's light burst like the sun.
The shadow stopped. Mira howled. Kuro barked. Rin made a warm shield. Goro stood like a wall. The light wrapped around the beast. It shook. Then it cried. Slowly, the dark smoke faded.
What stood there was a small, lost creature, weak but alive. Tamio stepped forward. "You're safe now." The creature looked at him with soft eyes. Tamio reached out. Another friend had returned from the dark.
The little beast that came from the shadow was very tired. It had soft gray fur and long ears. It looked scared and thin.
Tamio sat down slowly beside it. "You don't need to run," he said kindly. "We found you." The beast lowered its head. Mira licked its cheek gently. Rin sent a warm light around it.
Lumo made his tail glow just enough to keep it calm. Kuro and Goro stood nearby, watching. Tamio gave it a name. "Your name will be Nilo," he said. "You're one of us now."
Tamio and the beasts built a small camp. They made fire from dry sticks. Rin warmed the air with soft magic.
Tamio cooked some berries and roots in a clay bowl. Nilo sniffed the food and looked unsure. Tamio smiled. "It's okay," he said. "It's for you." Nilo slowly took a bite. His ears twitched. Then he ate more, faster this time.
Tamio watched him carefully. "We'll take care of you until you're strong," he said. His family was growing again, and his heart felt full.
The forest was quiet again. No more black roots. No more dark air. Tamio and his beasts rested near a clear pond.
Mira played in the water. Kuro lay under a tree. Rin picked little blue flowers. Goro sat still with his eyes closed. Lumo and Nilo curled beside Tamio. Tamio smiled and leaned back. "We did good," he said. The voice inside was quiet too. No warnings. No danger. Just peace. Tamio closed his eyes. The sound of the wind and the water was like a soft song.
Tamio opened his eyes when he heard leaves crunch. Someone was coming. A person. Not a beast.
A girl in dark green clothes stepped into the clearing. She had a long staff and a white mask hanging from her belt. "You're the boy with the beasts," she said. Tamio stood up, his beasts close around him. "Who are you?" he asked. The girl smiled. "I'm from the Outer Path. And I've been watching you." Tamio didn't know what that meant. But his heart felt tight.
The girl took off her mask. She had bright eyes like sunlight. "My name is Aya," she said. "I travel with the wind and listen to the trees." Tamio tilted his head. "Why were you watching me?"
Aya pointed to his beasts. "You have a bond I've never seen before," she said. "Real love. Real trust." Tamio looked at his friends. "They are my family," he said. Aya nodded. "Then I'll walk with you for a while. There are more dark things out there." Tamio wasn't sure. But he felt Aya's words were true.
Tamio looked at Aya again. She was quiet, but not cold. Her steps were soft, and her eyes watched everything. The beasts didn't growl or hide from her.
Mira even sniffed her hand once. Tamio nodded. "Okay. You can walk with us." Aya smiled, but only a little. "Thank you," she said. And so, they walked together. Tamio in front, his beasts around him, and Aya just behind.
The forest felt calm, but not empty. There were still things hiding. And Aya said she knew where.
Aya led them to a very old tree. It was taller than any Tamio had seen before. Its bark was white and gray. Its leaves made no sound. But Aya placed her hand on the trunk. "This is a Whisper Tree," she said. "It remembers." Tamio touched it too.
He heard something. Not words, but feelings. Fear. Pain. Fire. "This tree saw something bad," Tamio said. Aya nodded. "The shadow came this way. We're close now." Tamio looked at his beasts. They were ready.
They moved deeper into the woods. The air was heavy again. The ground felt colder. Lumo's light flickered, but stayed on. Mira walked beside Tamio.
Her ears twitched every few steps. Kuro kept to the side, eyes sharp. Rin floated just above the ground, quiet and glowing. Nilo stayed close to Goro, who carried him when he got tired. Then Tamio saw it.
A rock covered in black moss. "Another sign," Aya said. "Something left that behind." Tamio nodded. He felt it too. The shadow was close again.
They found a pool. But the water wasn't clear. It was thick and dark. Aya knelt beside it. "This was once clean," she said. Tamio leaned over. His reflection looked wobbly. "What made it like this?" he asked.
Aya took out a tiny stone from her bag. It glowed white. She dropped it in. The black water hissed and shook. Then part of it turned clear. Aya pointed. "Something is sleeping at the bottom." Tamio's heart beat faster. "Do we wake it?" Aya didn't answer. Her eyes stayed on the pool.
Tamio stepped closer. He placed his hand near the water, but didn't touch it. Then he heard something. A voice. It wasn't scary. It sounded like someone lost in a dream. "Help me," the voice said.
Tamio looked at Aya. "Did you hear that?" She shook her head. "No." Tamio looked at Mira. She nodded slowly. "It wants help," Tamio said. "Not a fight." Aya looked unsure. "It could be a trick." But Tamio shook his head. "I know how pain sounds.
This is real." The pool was quiet again. But Tamio knew something was waiting.