She gives it to him. The kitsune falls asleep.

Ash thanks her and disappears again. The next morning, around two hours later, Ash was dressed for battle, with his sword at his waist and a bow slung across his back. There was a gleaming white arrow with red veins curling around it in the quiver, with normal arrows.

The kitsune stays asleep.

She jumps down from a tree, her hood up and her bow slung over her shoulder with her arrows in their quiver. Her designed sword was sheathed at her hip, she rests her hand on its hilt.

As soon as everyone was gathered, except the kitsune, Grimalkin jumped onto a rock. "I have been thinking, perhaps we should rethink our strategy," he said, looking at each of them. "It occurs to me that charging headlong into Machina's realm is a singularly bad idea."
"What do you mean?" Ash asked.
"Well." The cat sat down and licked his back toes. "Given that he keeps sending his officers after us, I would guess that he probably knows we're coming. Why did he kidnap Ethan in the first place? He must have known you would come after him."

"So what do you suggest?" She speaks up.

He listens, but says nothing.

"Well," Grim replies. "Something is missing. Or maybe we are just not seeing it. The Iron King would have no use for a child. Unless..." The cat looked up at them, narrowing his eyes. "I am leaving."

He watches.

She frowns, confused. "I don't understand..."