Natsume is implored to help spirits who are currently being exorcised. He finds a kindred spirit in Tanuma, a boy who also senses spirits although not as powerful as Natsume.

Natsume is possessed by a swallow spirit, who wishes to meet a human who once helped her. Natsume agrees to help her and the two grow attached. When Swallow finds the human, Natsume feels bad that she can't actually meet him, but when he hears of a kimono that can turn a spirit into a human for a day, he looks for it.

Natsume is possessed by a sick koto player, whose friend wants her to be able to play one last time.

While fooling around in the snow, Natsume and Nyanko-sensei run into Gen, a forest guardian who lives inside a statue. Gen tries to take over Natsume's body, but instead takes over a snow rabbit that Natsume had made. Gen pleads with Natsume to help him find an evil spirit who destroyed Sui, his guardian partner, and Natsume agrees. But it seems Gen isn't telling everything he knows.

(Source: Wikipedia)

The mid-ranks show Natsume flowers at the top of a hill. Natsume later catches a cold and the mid-ranks go and get medicine for him, doing difficult chores for the yokai with the medicine. Amid Natsume's fever dreams are the memory of when he got sick as a child and he briefly talks to Reiko. With the medicine in hand, the mid-ranks give it to him and his fever goes down. They later learn the medicine doesn't work on humans and are disheartened as they wasted their time, but smile when Natsume thanks them for their efforts.

While searching for Nyanko-sensei, Natsume gets invovled in a dangerous game of hide and seek.