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The faint rustling of footsteps was soft, as if the intruders were merely strolling, but their intent was clear: they were heading straight for the Qilin Beast.
Even though Harry had masked the scent of blood and hidden the Qilin Beast's body with a Disillusionment Charm, it did nothing to stop them.
Their emaciated bodies revealed every bone in stark detail, while their matte black skin, with a rough texture, stretched tightly over their thin, membranous wings. These wings spanned at least seven or eight meters. Their heads, resembling dragon skulls, added to their skeletal appearance.
Harry immediately recognized them upon seeing the group. They were Thestrals, gentle creatures Hagrid kept in the Forbidden Forest, known for never harming young witches or wizards. Their reputation in the magical world was poor because only those who had witnessed death could see them.
Thestrals, often seen as a symbol of death, are actually gentle and graceful companions.
Among all dragon-blooded creatures, they are the only ones that appear utterly devoid of strength. These skeletal horses, draped in leathery skin, seem as if they could shatter at a touch. However, appearances are deceiving.
Thestrals can pull weights of tens of tons, even soaring through the sky while doing so. Born for flight, they possess the greatest stamina among all flying magical creatures. While Thunderbirds can zoom through the air at incredible speeds, reaching many times the speed of sound, their endurance falls short. Once, a wizard rode a Thestral around the world one and a half times, completing the 60,000-kilometer journey in under sixteen hours without the creature needing rest or food.
If it had been a Thunderbird, such a long journey would have exhausted four or five of them in one go, but the Thestral still had energy to spare.
Although their cruising speed of three times the speed of sound isn't the fastest, when combined with their remarkable endurance, Thestrals make perfect companions for long-distance travel. Moreover, they possess a unique magical ability to always find their way to a destination once told.
Drawn by the scent of death, the Thestrals gathered around the Qilin Beast's corpse. They gazed towards Harry's hiding place with intelligent eyes, seeking permission before eating.
"Go ahead, eat," Harry said. "I can't finish all this. Just leave me the heart and one front leg, and the rest is yours. Anything leftover, you can give to the centaurs."
Harry leapt down from the tree and walked over to the Thestral herd. Apart from the rare times when they were needed to pull the Hogwarts carriages, they usually roamed freely in the forest. Within the safe zones, few magical creatures dared hunt them. If provoked, the skull-like heads of the Thestrals were not just for show.
One of the Thestrals nudged Harry affectionately after he patted its head. Their bony frames were sharp against his skin, but the warmth of their joy was unmistakable.
There were about twenty Thestrals, but even though they had voracious appetites, each could only eat about fifty kilograms at a time. The over three-ton Qilin Beast was more than enough to feed them for several meals.
The Thestrals, who particularly favored organs, tore open the soft belly of the Qilin Beast. Its thick, anti-magic skin posed no obstacle to their razor-sharp teeth. After devouring one side's ribs, they gleefully indulged in the internal organs, wagging their tails contentedly. They didn't mind Harry's presence, even as he ran his hands over them.
A short while later, the rapid sound of hooves approached from afar. A group of centaurs, led by Hedwig, came running toward them. The fifteen centaurs carried baskets of meat on their backs, moving swiftly.
"Hey! Bane!"
Harry spotted the lead centaur, Bane, from a distance. As expected, the dark-skinned, dark-haired centaur wore a stern expression. Though he was reluctant to admit it, having seen the Qilin Beast's body, he had no room for argument.
"See that? A Qilin Beast! I took it down by myself. A bit tougher than those rabbits you mentioned, huh? Admit it, I've got you beat!"
Harry crossed his arms, grinning smugly. His smug expression only made Bane's face darker. Stopping two meters in front of Harry, Bane grumbled, "I admit, you're a competent hunter."
"But!" Bane took a deep breath, holding back the urge to scoff. "Don't let this one success make you underestimate the Forbidden Forest. There are many hidden dangers here. Even we centaurs have to tread carefully. Hagrid's 'safe zone' may be safe for him, but for a young colt like you, it's far from friendly."
"Of course! I'm not stupid." Harry chuckled and nodded, still grinning. He hadn't let the thrill of success go to his head. "It was hard enough for me to take down a Qilin Beast that's only fit to be food. I'm not so cocky as to go looking for death. Don't worry about me."
"By the way, you don't mind if I let the Thestrals eat first, right?" Harry patted the slick back of one of the Thestrals, feeling a deep affection for the intelligent flying horses.
"Of course not." Bane shrugged. Centaurs liked Thestrals, despite many wizards associating them with death and considering them bad omens. Centaurs didn't care about such superstitions. They felt a natural kinship with horse-like creatures, and Thestrals, despite being carnivores, were gentle and good-natured.
"Tell me, how did you manage to take this one down?" Bane, now kneeling on the ground, seemed far more cordial than last time. Harry had proven himself, earning the centaurs' friendship. And when it came to friends, centaurs were always welcoming. "When your owl delivered the message, I really didn't believe it."
As Harry and the centaurs chatted, the Thestrals, now full, raised their heads. They had eaten nearly all of the soft organs, leaving the heart untouched. With a lazy air about them, the Thestrals didn't immediately leave; instead, they wandered over to a nearby clearing and lay down, their bellies so flat it was hard to believe they had just consumed a child's worth of raw meat.
The centaurs drew small knives from their belts and swiftly began skinning and dismembering the large Qilin Beast. In just over ten minutes, their baskets were filled with heavy chunks of meat. Such weight was no burden to them. Centaurs were incredibly strong. Except for the priestly centaurs who didn't pursue physical strength, every centaur was a formidable warrior. Their enchanted, poisoned arrows never missed their mark, and their spears could pierce through stone. In large groups, centaurs were a fearsome force.
"Come on, let's head back. A successful hunt deserves a celebration. You should try some of our centaur cooking—it's just as good as what your castle's house-elves make."
"Sounds good!"
Although it was still early, Harry was more than happy to visit the centaur camp again. Last time, he hadn't stayed long, only pausing at the entrance. Hagrid would occasionally visit to bring the centaurs supplies they needed, like salt and sugar, while the centaurs would trade their herbs, spices, and other Forbidden Forest treasures in return.
As Harry was about to leave with the centaurs, a Thestral trotted over to him, nudging his arm with its head. Its deep black eyes gazed up at him.
"What is it? Still hungry?"
Harry patted the Thestral's head, but the intelligent creature gently shook its head, then bit the corner of Harry's robe and gave it a slight tug.
"You want me to follow you?"
Harry was intrigued, wondering what the Thestral had in mind.
The Thestral took a few steps forward, then turned back to look at Harry, as if confirming his guess.
"Bane, it seems the Thestral has something to show me. Why don't you go on ahead? I'll catch up later. It's still early, and with the Thestrals around, I won't get lost."
Though Bane was puzzled by the Thestral's behavior, he eventually nodded. He knew how powerful Thestrals were. Hundreds of them roamed the Forbidden Forest freely, and in the safe zones, they had no predators. The centaurs trusted the Thestrals' nature; they were simple, lovable creatures.
"If anything happens, have your owl send me a message. We'll prepare a feast for you, but be back before dark."
"No problem. I promised Hagrid I'd be back before dinner."
Waving goodbye to the centaurs, Harry climbed onto the Thestral's back, letting the gentle creature carry him deeper into the forest.
(End of chapter)