Kate's sobbing increased and it's kind of irritation to Esmeralda's ears. "Child, can you go back to the box and cry there all you want. I need to be alone and maintain silence so that I can think clearly on what to do after the leaves returned without any news of your sister," she said gently.

"I'm sorry, Granny," Kate stood up ready to obey.

"And dear, don't leave the box until I say so, okay?"

"But why, Granny?"

"Because we got company! NOW RUN TO THE BOX!" Esmeralda shouted.

Kate dashed towards the box, quickly entered inside, and locked the door. She saw Granny's hands directed at the box, her eyes widened when she realized that the box was lifted from the ground and it was now floating in the air. She noticed about a dozen black animals suddenly appeared from nowhere...looks like big dogs...no....more like wolves...?

Oh no!

Are they going to attack Granny?

She can hear their terrifying howling penetrating the box.

Alarmed, she tried to open the door afraid to be inside the floating box alone. She doesn't know how to navigate this thing!

The silver box hovered higher and higher without stopping, surpassing the towering trees.

Kate looked down below, her eyes widened on horror because she saw wolves surrounding Granny...and there stood another person behind the ferocious animals wearing black flowing clothing...she can't see the person's face due to the growing distance between them...looks like a woman's form. The woman's hair is black and Granny's hair is white, such a big contrast.

The silver box was floating steadily. Kate stopped looking below because she can no longer see anything due to the thick branches of the trees blocking her view.

She scanned over the horizon and saw Esmeralda's floating piece of land!

Thank goodness!

She felt relieved that the silver box seemed to have a mind of its own and going to that direction.

A few moments later, the silver box landed on the ground of the floating piece of land. Kate rushed to the door but it won't budge. "Oh no, what's she's going to do?" she said aloud.

Then she gazed at the tree...

Kate began screaming at the top of her lungs. "Tree...tree...tree...can you hear me!? Hurry up, please help me get out of this thing!" she shouted.

The tree shakes its booty. "Child, why are you so loud?"

"I can't open this silver box, please help me! Please hurry up!"

The tree extended its longest two branches and opened the door effortlessly. "Why are you so noisy?"

Kate exited the silver box. "Granny was trapped in the forest below, she was surrounded by wolves and a woman wearing a black flowing dress! They looked like enemies to me! You got to help, Granny! She's outnumbered!" she talked in a panicky voice fearing greatly for her benefactor's safety.

"Shh...calm down child! Take a deep breath. No one would dare hurt Esmeralda because everyone knows that if she dies everyone will also die," the tree explained calmly.

"Huh? What kind of reasoning is that? Are you her friend? Can you just send your leaves there as back up just in case Granny needs help?" Kate shouted indignantly.

The tree's body shakes and the elongated branches returned to its normal size. "Yes...Madam! Jeez...you're such a bossy child!" the tree finally relented.

Several leaves about fifty of them separated from its branches and floated in the air.

"Go find Esmeralda in the forest! Extend help if she needed one," the tree commanded.

The golden leaves flew in flocks heading towards the forest below.

Kate felt a huge relief enveloping her tense heart. At least Granny will have armies of leaves to help her fight the enemies.

"Happy?" the tree asked.

Thank you tree," Kate responded softly, she's not in the mood for bartering scathing remarks with the tree. "I'm going inside the house to rest, I'm badly shaken with what I witness earlier," she said and left hurriedly, walking towards the door.

Meanwhile.

Back in the forest.

Esmeralda and Kedes, the grandmother of King Voyen of the centaur race, were watching each other like a hawk.

"I ask again Esmeralda, where did you hide Kate? I saw her a while ago, why she suddenly vanished from my view. Where did you hide her? Bring her back to me!" demanded Kedes.

Esmeralda sighed. "Why are you so stubborn, Kedes? Kate is not here with me! Can't you see? You are just wasting your time when it's clear that she's not here. If she's indeed here, you should see here by now! It's all your in your overactive imagination!"

Kedes brows knitted together. She was sure Kate was right there beside Esmeralda, they were sitting on the trunk of the tree! She just blinks for a few seconds and Kate was gone! Her pet wolves won't lie to her because they knew Kate's scent so well from the clothing she left behind.

Esmeralda eyed the ferocious wolves around her, they're ready to attack if Kedes will give her command. "Why did you bring your wolves with you? Are you going to command them to kill me? Do you have a death wish? Are you ready to die?" she released a throaty laugh.

Kedes was furious, this is one thing that infuriates her so much! She can't directly attack Esmeralda, if she wounded her fatally, she might die and all life inside the castle will also perish along with her.

Right now she wanted to use her power to inflict pain on Esmeralda, but she dared not. She can only threaten her, unfortunately, the old hag is not afraid to die. Hmph!

Esmeralda is getting tired and annoyed by Kedes interruption. She might want to play a little bit with the woman's emotion to annoy her further but, it's not worth it! Like why would she fight with her when it's clear that the woman has no balls to hurt her.

They can only bully her with words, but so far, no one dared to hurt her for real.

Kedes and the others are lucky, she is not that crazy enough to kill them without a real reason. As long they leave her alone and don't hurt her first, then she would let their bullying pass by.

"What--afraid to die then?" Esmeralda smirk. "Alright, see you some other time Kedes, when you are brave enough to kill me," she said with a voice filled with derision. She can't let Kedes distract her, she needs to find Ivy, ASAP!

In just a blink of an eye, Esmeralda disappeared from the clearing.

Kedes was left fuming in rage. She released a deep sigh and addressed her wolves. "Keep looking for Kate all over the forest!" she commanded.

The wolves scattered in all directions and went deeper into the forest to find Kate.