A shrine was built northeast of town long ago to keep the evil spirits at bay. Its two guardian foxes — Izuna and Gedo — maintained the seal. Then Gedo vanished. Without him, the shrine's protective power fell out of balance and strange things began happening. Suzume's younger brother Toshiki also disappeared the same summer night while out catching fireflies. Searching desperately through the woods, Suzume meets the fox Izuna — and the two form an unlikely partnership, each helping the other find what has gone missing.