[TWWM] Those Connected by Fate

Location: India (Early Autumn)

The moon hung low in the sky, and the first breath of pink hues began to appear in the east. Kaito sighed softly, clearing his mind of his fear that he would not be able to find her. Flynn sat by the edge of the garden, watching excitedly.

"Just relax... clear my mind..." Kaito thought, once more feeling the sand beneath him, letting the calming sensation that poured from the fountain on his back wrap him in a soothing peace. With his mind empty, he reach outwards, feeling for anything. He could sense Flynn again, sitting by the wall. He saw all the small fish in the pond, could see as they moved and swam through the water. He sensed some bird in the trees behind him. "I need to reach further..."
Pushing outward, he felt the surrounding town. At this distance, the people there just felt like blobs of aura, faint and foggy, but he didn't sense Cosette there. So he swept his mind across the hills, little blips of mice and birds, little foggy patches of humans or creatures. Nothing stood out to him though, he swept his mind back and forth, reaching as far as he could, trying...something...

"I don't..." wait. There was something. 

Somewhere, across the hills, he felt a tiny flicker, a foggy trail... it was just a whisper, a impossibly small stream of energy, leading over the hills and far away. He couldn't even see that far, his mind was new, and he wasn't even sure if it was real. "Is that...an illusion? Just because I want so badly for something to be there?"
Flynn was next to him now, "No, its real. Was I right? Does that feel important to you?"
"Well...yes...I mean... but it feels so different, so far away...could it really be her?"
"Do you have anything to lose in checking it out?"
"Well...no?" Kaito looked around the little garden, it felt very strongly of home now, even more than his home in Japan ever had. He felt connected here, as if he was a part of the garden. Thinking of the fountain on his back, he wondered if that was even a stretch. The thought of leaving, so soon... it seemed painful for some reason. But he had to find her. If there was even a sliver of a chance...he had to take it.
"I need to see." Kaito said, rising from the sand and taking a step towards the arched doorway in the wall.
"Thats the spirit!" Flynn said, spinning around excitedly again. "Lets go then!!" he said, buzzing quickly, tugging on Kaito's fur.
"Okay okay!" he chuckled, exiting the garden and stepping into the wide world for the first time as an esk. He could already feel a tiny ache, wishing him to return to the garden. He ignored it and started down the path. A group of children played further down the hill. Kaito paused a moment. "Will we...frighten them?"
"Oh don't worry, most humans don't see us! They can only see us when they're Lost. Like you were!"
"Oh..." Kaito continued walking, and passed by the children. They didn't react to him at all. It was a spooky feeling at first, but soon after he felt liberated by it. He could travel where he wanted, no one trying to tell him what to do, or guard him, or the worry of kidnap by those who would seek reward from his father. It all seemed so new and strange, but delightful at the same time.


As they entered the vineyard, Kaito felt a tiredness wash over him. The now familiar swirls of calm that poured from his fountain seemed to dissipate, and he paused again. Flynn turned, "Are you okay?"
"I...think so? I just felt something change..."
"Oh, yes. You're a spirit of the human worlds, and so when you leave there, you lose some power. See?" he gestured towards Kaito's head.
He shook a bit, but no petals fell. Turning, he saw that indeed, the fountain was gone. "Are they...gone forever?" he asked, afraid that it was true.
"Oh no, they'll come back as soon as you return to town."
"Alright then, lets continue." he said, ignoring the pull that willed him to return. "I felt it this way."

They crossed several hills, deeper and deeper into the vineyard. Kaito worried that it was too far, "Why would she have come this far?"
Flynn ignored his question, floating a ways ahead of him, scanning the horizon. Suddenly he returned, buzzing around Kaito's head.
"There are a lot of dead vines ahead, you should try floating over them."
"Oh...okay!" Kaito hadn't even thought to try to float like Flynn. But when he tried, it seemed quite simple. "Thanks, I'll try this." Peering past the small esk, he saw clusters of evergreen trees, they rose above the dead vines, a somewhat eerie looking sight. Larger trees loomed in the distance. He felt a familiar spirit pull from there. It seemed stronger now.
"We're getting close." Flynn said before he could. "I will leave now. This is your journey, and I've taught you all I can for now."
"Oh...You'll go? Where?" Kaito said, somewhat sad that his new friend would part ways.
"Wherever time takes me! I'm exploring." Flynn chirped.
"Time...amazing." Kaito squinted at the tiny esk, and bowed his head low. "Thank you again dear friend. I am incredibly grateful for all that you've done for me."
"Its no problem!" Flynn said, swooping down to hug Kaito's snout. "We'll meet again, I can feel it!"
And with that, the tiny esk simply vanished. Kaito stood there, wide eyed for a moment. Even Flynn's energy was gone. He had traveled instantly to another realm, somewhere magical that Kaito would have to discover for himself someday.
For now though, He set his mind on the towering trees ahead of him. A strange aura had drawn him here, and he hoped against all odds that somewhere...in there... perhaps...

"Cosette" he whispered.