Bonsai-Mon (Lesser Treant Companion/Familiar)
by Marc SaindonA bit of fanon lore here. Long ago in the forest where Kitsune Druids (call them Kannushi for the moment) gathered, there was this ancient Treant called Okina Ki that acted as a mentor, a "yoda", to countless generations of Fox Folk. As Treants live a long time...
One day, Jungle Orcs of the neighboring kingdom (or Oni variant I proposed) attacked the sanctuary (possibly goaded by Hags) and killed Okina Ki. The Kitsune scrambled back, regaining their sanctuary through intense guerilla tactics, but once they got to the Treant, they realized he was dead. Or dead enough that his spirit had passed on and was beyond healing back to life. But there was still a bit of life in it, and gathering what we greenwood twigs, branches and leaves with a spark of living it, the Fox Folk used their magic to create small saplings.
While it didn't work, the efforts produced a dozen of miniature trees, although none where sentient. The bonsais were kept by the Kitsune in the forest sanctum for many years, until one Fox Folk contacted a Yokai (fae) court. Let's call this fae "the Princess of Spring and Autumn" (she's all about transformation and transition, sometimes is even a Prince, although not everyone catches on her alternate identity). The Princess agreed to a pact with the Kitsune (as they had proven themselves to other yokai-fae in the past) and enchanted the dozen bonsai bushes to become sentient, although much smaller Treants, which I'll call "Bonsai-Mon" out of lazy reference to Pokémon (whatever works) although variations of Groot are also possible.
After the pact, the Kitsune decide to spread the Bonsai-Mon to different shrines, to avoid repeating the mistake of centralizing their resources in one vulnerable spot.
The Bonsais can reproduce, slowly, once every century, although it grows as a mundane plant for one century before awakening to sentience. They can serve as familiars, although are not mobile, they can Speak with Plants at will - which is mostly useless, until Yasuko made contact with the alien civilization of Emerond. Emerondians are plant-based humanoids, and thanks to the Bonsai-Mon, diplomatic relationships have been made possible, even though contact remains limited.
Notes:
Kannushi
Geographic entry for the Emerond from the AC 1016 Almanac
(Image from: https://www.deviantart.com/telles0808/art/Ghibli-Bonsai-1004395959)