Chapter 1
Amends
“Why is it so hot?!”
Kojimara’s voice is strained and frustrated. Dad’s punishment is always “go collect firewood.”
“Character must be built through sweat and blood” Kojimara mocks his father’s lecture. He bends to pick up a stray branch, a twig really, and slides it into the lazily collected bundle lashed to his back. “We don’t really even need more wood…” he complains.
Wiping the sweat from his forehead Kojimara stretches backwards and looks at the sun. Squinting from the bright light he sees something else. Tendrils of gray writhe upward. Kojimara follows them down and sees what looks like smoke rising up between the leafs of the trees in the copse ahead. The bundle of sticks and twigs clatter to the ground as Kojimara rushes towards the smoke, if there is a fire he will have to rush and tell everyone. Father always warned him about forest fires and how dangerous they were for everything!
Chapter 2
Intrigue
Small branches and leaves smack Kojimara’s legs and arms as he rushes between trees to see the source of the smoke. He breaks through a copse of trees to a clearing he was sure was near the smoke's origin, but nothing is there. No burnt branches, no flames, nothing. Kojimara looks up again and is surprised to see smoke again, but further on still. He sprints off again taking chase. There he sees it, flames flashing between the branches.
As Kojimara breaks through the closest branches he sees the source of the flames and smoke. A plump bird no bigger than his father’s chickens but made of pure orange flames rushes about the forest floor pecking at dead twigs and dried seeds. Each peck flashes a small flame that consumes the dead plants. The ash quickly combines with the soil beneath.
Chapter 3
A New Friend
Kojimara lets out a small yelp of fear seeing the flames bounce around the forest floor and quickly snatches the closest branch he can find, and holds it in both hands like a weapon.
The flame creature turns to the sudden sound and hops backwards, seemingly startled itself. It cocks its head sideways as it stares at Kojimara - then locks in on the branch he holds so firmly.
“Wha... what are you? What are you doing?” Korjimara stammers out.
The little flame creature hops toward Kojimara, still fixated on the stick.
“St… stay back!” Kojimara holds the stick out at length, ready to stab.
The flame creature pecks the branch at the tip, immediately turning it to flame. Kojimara yelps in surprise as the stick he was holding turns first to flame but quickly to ash which floats out of his hands and into the soil beneath him. The flame didn’t seem to burn his hand at all.
Chapter 4
Young Branch
“You’re amazing! You like branches?” Kojimara excitedly reaches for a dead branch, hanging half broken from a nearby tree. The branch snaps off quickly with a single bend. The flame creature excitedly hops to Kojimara and stares at the dead branch. “Here you go!” Kojimara says.
Another quick peck turns the stick to flame, then ash. “I’ll get you more!” Kojimara grabs the next branch up the tree and quickly yanks at it. The branch is healthy and simply bends. Kojimara starts twisting and yanking at it to break it free.
The flame creature lets out a high pitched squawk that brushes Kojimara with warm wind.
“I know I know, I’ve almost got it for you!” Kojimara’s excitement plain as he laughs and pulls at the branch. He spins the branch a few times, trying to break the green bark, and finally the branch breaks free. He turns excitedly to the flame creature and holds out the branch.
Flames billow out from the bird's wings and tail feathers. It squawks constantly while running and hopping in a small circle. Turning away from Kojimara it scratches the dirt fiercely, kicking small clods of dirt before running off at an incredible speed. Trailing small flames that dance into the forest.
“Wait! Waait!” Kojimara starts off after the strange creature, but quickly realizes he can’t even begin to keep pace. “What happened?” Korjimara wonders out loud. I have to tell father about this! He will know what that was. Kojimara sprints home, running faster than he ever had.
Chapter 5
Domar
Kojimara comes running down the final hill towards his family’s farm, his arms wheeling for balance, dust clouds rising behind him. “Father!” he yells. Kojimara’s father is bent over a long hoe, tiling dirt in a straight line in the patch closest to their house - where they plant vegetables. “Father!” Kojimara yells again.
Kojimara’s father stands up and raises the hoe defensively, running towards Kojimara. “What is it Koji, what has happened?” he asks.
“Father, I saw the most incredible thing! A bird! Made of fire! It burned everything it touched and it burned the branch in my hand and it ran and made squawks and flame and I got it more sticks and it burned that too!”
Father’s face grew dark as he listened to Kojimara’s story. “Where is the firewood Kojimara?”
Kojimara winced at the use of his full name. “I must have dropped it. I forgot, whenI saw the smoke.”
“Go inside.”
“Father the flame creature, it…”
“Go inside! Help your grandmother.”
“I’m sorry I forgot, but I did collect the wood, it’s just back up…”
“I will get it myself.”
Kojimara’s head suddenly felt like a giant stone as it hung down to his chest. Under his breath he says “Mother would have believed me” through a sob that tightened his chest.
Chapter 6
Reflection
The door to their home squeaks as Kojimara pulls it open.
“Oh Koji!” grandma says. “You finished already? Hurry and wash up, I have roasted your favorite.”
Kojimara’s sullen face comes through the door and grandma turns a sympathetic smile on him. “What has happened, little Koji?”
“Father is upset again. And I didn’t do anything wrong. I mean.. I forgot the firewood, but grandma, I saw something amazing!”
Grandma hands Koji a wet rag. “Here, help me wipe this all down. And tell me what you saw.”
Koji tells his grandma everything, and as he does she stops working and seems to become excited herself.
“Oh Koji, do you know what you saw? That was a Kodama, a forest spirit.”
“I thought those were just stories, grandma.”
“Oh no Koji. Unfortunately children in this age rarely see Kodama anymore. Even when I was just a little girl the Kodama were receding into the forest and hiding in their mountain. They did not want to be around us anymore once we started building and burning so very much. My grandmother told me the most wonderful stories of playing with Kodama, of how they would often help - and sometimes even be in need of help. If you truly saw a Kodama then there is a good reason. Perhaps it is something you need. Or perhaps it is help the Kodama needs from you.”
“But how can I make father believe me?”
“Oh Koji, your father is only trying to help you become a strong man, a good man. You don’t need to worry about him believing you. You just need to know you are doing the right thing, and your father will see.”.
