Cinder had been released as soon as she arrived in the area; she would almost certainly be the one doing any fighting, so Tam saw no reason to keep her tucked away. Besides, something about walking alongside a giant fire chicken still kept sending the teen into giggles, and she really needed to get past that at some point!

For this trip, the recently caught Petilil was out too, and it was the grass type that Tamara now crouched in front of. “Okay Petal,” she began, smiling as she spoke. “We’re looking for fairies. Think you could help us find ‘em?”

With a bob of her head, the imaginatively named Petilil spun around and moved to lead the way. With a see, I told you this would work look in Cinder’s direction, the teen moved to follow.

Tamara grinned at the frustrated exhalation, finding it amusing that the giant chicken thought she was silly. “Oh, ye of little faith!” She teased, quite literally skipping along the path. Petal was really motoring – it looked like she had a destination of some kind in mind – whether there really were fairies there remained to be seen, but they were definitely going somewhere.

“See?” Tamara grinned, as though that had proved her right.

Cinder frowned. <It’s a fairy ring, yes,> she allowed, before shaking her head. <But not a fairy-type Pokemon. You stepped into a fairy ring before and it was only Petal that appeared, remember?>

<Hey!>

<Sorry, sorry!> The Combusken rushed to correct herself. <I don’t mean only you, Petal. Just that you’re not a fairy-type.>

<Well no, bu->

“Now now, Cindy,” Tamara interrupted breezily, making Cinder's eye twitch in irritation over the nickname. “If it was easy, everybody would do it!”

The fire-type frowned again. <That doesn’t make any->

But before she could finish her objection, the blue-haired child had seized hold of her hand and hopped into the ring of mushrooms, Petal still in her arms. Since it was either that or fall over, Cinder followed.

She was just turning to Cinder – perhaps to gloat – when a devious cackle rent the air. Freezing, she turned in its direction, cocking her head in a distinctly avian fashion as she tried to locate the source of the sound.

<Well, what have we here?> Came a silky-smooth, sly little voice. <Fresh meat has stepped into our lands, hm?>

The menace in the creature’s voice should have sounded warning bells, but this was exactly what Tamara had been hoping for. Her eyes darted around the glade as she searched for the speaker, beaming a little wickedly when a small, fuchsia creature emerged from behind a shrub – large eyes dancing in amusement.

“Oh, how kind you are, sir!” She cooed smoothly in reply, ignoring Cinder’s whispered warnings and placing her hand in the little imp’s own.

The pint-sized trickster chuckled, quite enjoying this game. He knew full well the human was going along with this with eyes open, but if anything, that only made the game more entertaining. Gently tugging on her hand, he made to lead her away from the circle, drawing the child into the forest’s embrace.

<Why, you must be parched,> he remarked, leading her through the trees and brush, seeming somehow to know precisely where he was going despite the lack of path or markers. <You simply must dine with us before you go – the journey is such an exhausting one!>