You're a.. a god!? Gasped Nakami. Ammy jerked her head slightly in response.

"It happened a while ago..." Began Issun. "When a big demon called Orochi rose again. Amaterasu here was called back to Earth, and with my help... we defeated Orochi and went on to defeat the rest of evil, then old Furball went back up to the heavens, to the Celestial Plain with a Half-Baked Prophet called Waka."

Nakami flinched slightly and Hina gaped at Issun's tale. Nakami said something to Hina, which she then repeated.

"Uhh... if you defeated all the evil, then why is this big demon here?" She mumbled.

"No that we don't know." Sighed Issun unhappily. "I managed to get Ammy back down here when it showed up."

Nakami nodded and stood up. So you two will be able to make thing... normal again? She asked.

"Listen, Fuzzy, I can't understand you." Issun pointed out. Nakami rolled her eyes and looked at Hina.

"She wants to know if you'll be able to make things normal again." Explained Hina.

"I don't know..."

Ammy yawned and lay down, resting her head on her paws. Nakami leapt up onto her hind legs and licked Hina's ear. Hina giggled. She muttered something to Nakami in Canine Speak. Nakami dropped back to all fours and walked over to Issun. She looked down at him and growled slightly.

Nah, he doesn't look like too much of a threat. She said to Hina, who giggled again.

Another deafening roar rolled through Taka Pass. Nakami growled and spread her Wings, leaping deftly over to Hina. Several minutes passed after the roar before any of the beings dared to speak.

"I..Issun.. we'd like to h...help you with your uhh.. q..quest.." She stammered. Issun looked taken aback.

"Well... Ammy'll pound you if you betray us... so..." He trailed off as a strange noise whipped through the air.

Nakami yelped and let Hina panic and put her arms around her. Ammy jumped onto her feet and loped over to Hina and Nakami. Issun yelled and hopped onto Ammy's nose.

"I guess the extra help can't hurt.." He said shakily.

Hina smiled and looked at Nakami. Nakami bared her teeth in some kind of wolfish grin and waved her scaly tail.  Issun and Ammy looked round at them.

"We're going to start by heading to Shinshu field. It'll be best to try and go to Kamiki Village, okay, Furball" Issun asked.

Ammy responded with an enthusiastic bark, and the newly-formed group walked downhill, through to Agata Forest. It was still in the same state as it had been when Nakami and Hina had passed through. They walked forwards, but Ammy and Issun slowed down to see the landscape. Hina looked back on them and Nakami sniffed the foul water.

"I hope the Konohana tree's okay..." Issun murmered.

Nakami and Hina walked slower, letting Ammy and Issun catch up, before falling behind by a few feet. Nakami turned to Hina.

Was this your reason to ask if we could join them? To try and find your Loooove? She teased. Has someone got a crush on Issun?

Hina folded her arms and frowned.

"You know that's not true." She grumbled.

I'm just teasing. Nakami laughed, speeding up so she could catch up with Ammy and Issun.

Ammy looked up at the sky, it was black and foreboding, the moon glazed by a shadow.

"You still know sunrise..?" Issun asked.

Ammy yelped and used her inky tail to draw a perfect circle in the sky. A divine red Sun appeared, its rays penentrated through the night, brightning everything up for a few seconds, disappearing soon after. Issun gulped. He turned to face Hina and Nakami, and looked as if he was about to say something about the Sun disappearing, but stopped to look at Hina.

"Er... what's with your ears... and tail?" He asked, only just noticing her fox tail and ears.

"I.. was c...cursed by a demon..." She mumbled.

He looked at her oddly as Ammy continued to walk forwards.

"Hold it, Ammy" He whispered. "What's with your wings, Fuzzy? Are you two.. y'know, normal?"

Nakami just growled and Hina looked insulted. Issun decided his question wasn't going to be answered, and hopped back onto Ammy's snout as the four of them went past the dried-up spring and through the tunnel to Shinshu field.

Ammy had clearly decided against taking the other route, and she'd been right. All the water in Shinshu field was cursed and horrid, even the lake. Ammy whined and leapt down onto the cliif to gaze over the ruined landscape. Nakami and Hina followed, Nakami gliding and landing softly beside the divine wolf. She turned to look at Issun.

So... where exactly is this Konohana tree?