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*****
After leaving Moscow, the once knife-like cold winds seemed to soften. The temperature, unusually mild compared to previous years, hovered near freezing, making the thick down coats unnecessary.
The once pristine white snowfield was now dotted with pines and patches of moss, while the river, not yet completely frozen, floated with chunks of ice. Though the sound of running water didn't travel far, it was still easy to follow it to a treehouse about 40 to 50 meters from the riverbank.
The treehouse was a simple shack, hastily constructed with rough logs that had been crudely chopped. Harry had already been here for three days.
Thanks to Hedwig's presence, Harry didn't have to struggle like the other contestants, who brought hunting dogs and trekked the land on foot, searching for the irritable brown bears that roamed the area, too restless to hibernate due to the scarcity of food.
As a snowy owl, Hedwig was well-adapted to the climate. Her white feathers allowed her to blend perfectly into the sky as she flew, and her sharp eyes could pierce through the dense forest, helping Harry locate his next target.
Over the past three days, Harry had taken down four hungry brown bears that were wandering in search of food. Aside from one that he encountered by chance near the river, the other three were spotted and tracked by Hedwig, allowing Harry to finish them off from over a hundred meters away.
The saying that Hedwig was worth a hundred hunting dogs wasn't just an exaggeration. Wizards chose owls as messengers for good reason—these birds possess a faint trace of magic, making them the easiest to tame among birds of prey. They're far more reliable than carrier pigeons.
In addition to owls, animals like cats and toads also possess a slight magical affinity, making them common wizard pets. Cats, in particular, are highly favored due to the existence of Kneazles. Cats with Kneazle blood are incredibly intelligent, capable of understanding human speech, and are known for their keen instincts.
A swift white shadow swooped down from the sky. Just before reaching the trees, Hedwig flapped her wings powerfully and gently landed on the perch outside the treehouse.
"Did you find anything, Hedwig?"
Harry poked his head out of the treehouse, and the savory scent of meat wafted through the open gap.
Hedwig gently nipped at Harry's fingers, then hopped onto his arm, her bright eyes fixed on the interior of the treehouse. She seemed a bit hungry.
"It looks like there are no more bears around here. The area's too vast, which isn't ideal. After lunch, we'll head deeper in. It's already January, and the river hasn't frozen yet—that's really strange."
"How about some fresh bear liver? I forgot to restock your mouse treats earlier. Only seven or eight pieces left, so you'll have to ration them, Hedwig."
"Ho-hoo~"
Hedwig didn't seem to mind the bear liver too much. The soft organ meat actually tasted fine compared to the bear's tough, coarse muscle fibers, which were hard to eat whether raw or cooked. But given the limited supplies, the bear meat that Hedwig refused had to be consumed by Harry.
Fortunately, Harry carried a vial of concentrated herbal seasoning from the centaurs. Originally meant as a spritz for coffee to help him stay alert, adding a bit to his soup perfectly masked the gamey odor of the bear meat.
After filling his stomach, Harry stuffed a few pieces of bear jerky into his backpack. Though his dragonhide bag could hold plenty of human food, Harry didn't want to cheat. After leaving England, even with the Trace, the Ministry of Magic couldn't enforce international law. Here, no one would care if he used magic. If Harry really wanted to cheat, he wouldn't even need to bring Hedwig along.
All he'd need to do was hop on his Nimbus 2000, don his father's Invisibility Cloak, a relic sent by Dumbledore, and use magic to find the bears while flying through the sky. It would make hunting a hundred times easier than it was now. But that wasn't the kind of victory Harry wanted.
Using magic to bully others? What kind of achievement was that? Besides, Harry didn't think he would lose.
The bears he had hunted were all marked with signal transmitters. Weighing hundreds of kilograms, they were far too heavy for a single hunter to carry back. All that was needed was to cut off their noses as proof of the kill. The marked carcasses would be retrieved by designated personnel.
After quickly clearing away any traces he had left behind, Harry tightened his backpack and stepped onto the thin layer of snow, heading deeper into the snowy pine forest.
Hedwig soared into the sky, serving as Harry's eyes. The moment she spotted prey, Harry would be the first to know. With this advantage, Harry could move much faster than the other contestants, who had to advance cautiously.
However, it seemed that Lady Luck wasn't on Harry's side today. Despite an afternoon of swift trekking, nearly exiting the pine forest, he hadn't encountered a single brown bear. He did, however, catch a plump snow hare on the way.
A warm campfire crackled, casting flickering light in the dark pine forest. The sizzling, fatty hare made a filling meal for both Harry and Hedwig. Once night fell completely, Harry extinguished the fire and climbed up a sturdy pine tree.
"It looks like I took the wrong direction. I'm almost out of the forest. Tomorrow, I'll head east. I've got three days left. Four bears is definitely an impressive record, but these Russians seem to be buffed up this time around. On their home turf, this score might not be enough."
With no crickets to disturb the quiet night, Harry drifted into a light sleep. Aside from the sound of the wind and snow, nothing interrupted his rest.
But just as the cold dawn sun began to rise above the horizon, faint tremors from the ground shook the thin layer of snow, waking Harry from his light sleep.
"Hedwig!"
Harry called softly. To stay alert during the day, Hedwig and Harry maintained synchronized sleep schedules. The slight disturbance had also woken her, and with barely a sound, she spread her wings without even dislodging the snow on the treetops.
Quickly and efficiently, Harry packed up his hammock and checked his weapons. His disposable high-energy battery was fully charged, the Valkyrie III and Makarov pistols were both ready to fire, and his chest pouch was secure. Though the potions inside tasted horrible, they were life-saving, especially against non-magical physical damage. His ebony and ivory wands were also holstered at his waist. Keeping his wand close at all times was a habit every good wizard followed.
All of this took only a few seconds, but in that short time, Hedwig, who had flown high into the sky, came crashing back down, almost tumbling in her haste.
She flapped her wings frantically, letting out urgent hoots. Harry had never seen her so panicked before. While he couldn't understand owl language, after all this time together, their bond allowed for a silent understanding.
"We're leaving—now!"
(End of Chapter)