Lighting and contrast, light reflections

[fading basin]

Hello, this is a draft of a fox running through a courtyard with a glowing, ghost-like heron emerging behind it.

I am trying to emulate a splash style, but something feels off in this draft. I also moved some stuff around, apologies for any strange cut-offs or inconsistencies. What I am stuck on is the lighting and contrast (I think?)

I feel the fox is lit up well, but for some reason does not match the environment it is in. I've gotten the critique about the blue being distracting from the focal point, and that the bird is hard to read. Also that the blue smoke/magic does not interact with the fox properly. However I cannot figure out how to fix it.

I also can't figure out how to make the blue light interact with the fox since it is coming from behind, while the sun is coming from the top right. Whenever I add a shadow underneath the fox, it also seems too dark or out of place every time.

If you disagree with anything I noticed, or notice anything I have not mentioned, please let me know. Redlining is appreciated, feel free to destroy me.

Thanks!

[subtle kiln]

I'd make an aerial perspective situation here meaning bringing the overall saturation/value od the bird wayyy down or bringing the saturation/value of the fox up so that it stands out like the branches in the 2nd version .
Having the fox centered and framed by smth darker is a good idea however avoid tangents ( ear and the branch touch one another)

As to the enviroment situation ( I personally belive that you can fix everything with colour bahaha) but the thing that sticks out to me is that the bird seems to be more in the back rather than above the fox and on the contrary it looks like the light ( which im assuming comes form the heron) seems to come form above

( and i unrelated but i love your artstyle, the shapes are so beautifull)