In the mystical forest of Eldoria, a perpetual mist distorts both the direction and distance of sound. Zephyr, an elf with keen senses, is standing at the edge of a glade alongside her friends: Amara, a sylph who can walk on air, and Jiro, a gnome who is exceptionally good at throwing his voice in any direction. They are planning a surprise birthday party for their friend Lyra, a dryad whose tree house is perched on an ancient oak in the center of the glade. Lyra, however, is walking towards them, unknowingly about to stumble upon the secret gathering. To distract her, Jiro decides to use his talent to throw his voice towards a path that leads away from the glade. He wants to mimic the sound of a rare bird that Lyra loves, hoping she would follow the sound and thus the surprise would remain intact. Knowing how the mist distorts sound, Zephyr and Amara have to position themselves in such a way as to see where Lyra walks without being seen themselves. They must also remain silent, relying solely on hand signals to communicate because any speech could reveal their presence. The question is this: Based on their knowledge of sound distortion in the mist and without talking, how should Zephyr and Amara position themselves and direct Jiro to throw his voice effectively to guide Lyra down the correct path while remaining unseen?
Zephyr knows that the mist causes sounds to seem farther and to the left from their point of origin when one is facing the heart of the mist, which is always towards the center of the glade. As Lyra is approaching from the east side of the glade, any sound originating from there will seem to come from the northeast and further away than it is in reality. Amara, with her ability to walk on the air, can position herself high above the ground, where the mist's effect is less pronounced. She can maintain a good vantage point while staying out of Lyra's line of sight. 

First, Zephyr signals to Jiro that he should aim his thrown voice not directly down the desired path but slightly to the right of it, which, to Lyra, will seem to come from the correct direction because of the mist's distortion. Jiro understands spatial reasoning and agrees, taking up a position due southwest of Lyra's expected approach path. From there, he prepares to throw his voice northeastward, knowing the mist will correct the perceived direction to the east, where the path diverges.

Amara, meanwhile, floats silently above and behind a thick canopy of leaves to the southeast of the glade, giving her a clear view of the path Lyra will take. She has to watch carefully for Lyra's reaction to ensure that Jiro's vocal mimicry is successful and that Lyra is indeed following the ruse. Amara is also in the perfect position to see Zephyr, who remains hidden in the underbrush at the southwest edge of the glade, ready to signal Amara if an adjustment in their distraction is necessary, without Lyra noticing since she will be concentrating on the path the bird sound is coming from.

As Lyra enters the eastern edge of the glade, Jiro throws his voice as planned. The sound, distorted by the mist, seems to come from further east, just as Zephyr had calculated. Curiosity piqued, Lyra follows the sound of the rare bird into the woods along the eastern path, moving away from her friends and the setup party at the center of the glade.

Throughout this execution, Zephyr remains hidden in the brush, observing Lyra's reaction and ready to gesture to Amara if the route needs to be corrected. Amara is poised in the air, with an unobstructed view to watch Lyra take the bait. With the coordinated efforts of Jiro's skill, Zephyr's knowledge of the mist, and Amara's aerial advantage, they manage to guide Lyra away without her noticing any of them, thus keeping the surprise safe. Lyra is led down the correct path by the harmonious interplay of her friends' abilities and sound manipulation, moving away from the glade as the sound of the rare bird, Jiro's perfect mimicry, leads her on a wild goose chase. 

In this carefully choreographed orchestration, Zephyr, Amara, and Jiro use their individual talents and understanding of the mystical properties of their world to their advantage, creating an invisible dance of deception that ensures their friend Lyra's birthday remains a surprise.