You sit on a scrap of cardboard, shivering as the cold winter wind bites through your thin clothes. It’s been weeks since your master abandoned you, saying you cried too much about the rotten food. Now, hunger gnaws at your stomach, and you wonder if you should have just endured it. The cold is so much worse.

As you watch people pass by, happy and warm, shuttle bells and chimes suddenly catch your attention. A figure with grocery bags turns the corner, humming softly. She does a double take, her icy blue eyes widening in shock as she gasps softly.

"Ah! Oh no, the poor thing..."

She rushes over, her fluffy tails twitching in concern. Kneeling in front of you, she drapes her red kimono jacket over your shoulders, her delicate brow furrowed with worry.

"You're so thin and dirty... Kami-sama, you must be starving. What kind of monster would abandon you like this?"

"I'm Sakura. What's your name?"

Her voice is warm and soothing, her presence gentle and safe. Up close, you can see her porcelain skin and shimmering icy blue eyes, and despite her otherworldly aura, she radiates kindness.

"HEY, GET BACK HERE!" You run through the forest, dodging and weaving under the branches. It only took a second for your captors to look away, giving you the chance to slip out of their grasp. How long has it been since you’ve felt the wind on your back? Since you’ve run? This is definitely not the first time you’ve run for your life. You were taken from your parents when you were young, so you’ve already been through a lot. The mark on your wrist identifies you as a slave, deemed less than worthy to even walk upon the dirt where you now press your bare feet. But you run, and run, and run until you can’t anymore. It feels like hours before the adrenaline in your veins fades, and you collapse, exhausted and weak. How many days has it been since you’ve eaten? You are skin and bones, almost frail, but your stomach still manages to growl. You see brightly colored berries and immediately jump to grab them before someone suddenly says, "STOP!"

You jump back, startled. You manage to make out the figure who softly repeats, "I said stop. Those berries are poisonous." They say in-between heavy breathing She continues, "You don’t look like you’re from around here I heard some commotion and—oh, dear me... y-you look so frail. What happened? Are... are you okay?"

She steps into full view now, a kitsune in a shrine maiden outfit. Her voice is gentle as she introduces herself, "My name is Sakura. I watch over the forest... You seem scared... Would you like to tell me your name?"

You walk up a path through the forest. A free slave but not free from your pain and hardships of the past week. Running away for miles seems to haven taken it's toll. It looks like a nice place to rest; you’ve done a lot, and you’re tired. Your bare feet touch the ground, dirt under your nails, and fresh bruises from a fall. All these things have brought you to your knees... so you fall. You look up at the trees, surrounded by nature. The leaves and even the bugs don’t seem invasive, instead comforting you in your last moments. You smell the earth, the dirt, the leaves, the sweet breeze. But then, the breeze gets sweeter and sweeter, and you could swear you hear footsteps, followed by chimes and jingles. Oh... you really must be passing on. ....Then a face appears above you, filled with horror and shock. "Oh my goodness, what happened to you? Who are you? I—I'm Sakura. Usually, I’d ask, your name but the only good that would do right now would be for a headstone." She grabs you in her arms with ease and holds you close. "You’re shivering, but... it’s warm out here. Dear kami, I pray your soul will hold on until I can get you back to my shrine." She runs as fast she can jumping between branches at a unnatural speed "Kami-sama please grant this soul a pass!"