The cat breathed raggedly, one eye barely open. A deep gash stretched across its belly, and blood pooled in front of it, staining the ground a dark crimson. Damn it. It's going to die like this. Riven clenched his fists, helplessness gripping him as he stood over the creature. Zephyr's words echoed in his mind: You may have very little space for bonds, but there's still space.
With no other choice, Riven decided to risk it. His pink mana stirred, what little remained, and he channeled it toward his right palm. The faint energy coalesced, glowing softly, as he dropped to one knee and placed his hand on the creature's head. He forced himself to block out the world, focusing entirely on shaping the mana for the bond. Please, work. Please!
To his suprise, the mana flowed seamlessly into the cat, finding its way to its soul space. A flash of brilliant light erupted in Riven's mind. His eyes snapped open, and his breath caught—the creature was gone. Panic surged through him. Did I fail? But where— His thoughts stopped short as movement caught his eye.
The cat was perched on his left shoulder, completely healed. Its fur was pristine, its breathing steady. Round, curious eyes regarded him, and it let out a soft, almost casual meow. Riven let out a shaky laugh, relief washing over him. But then he noticed something strange.
"Why is your left eye amber now?" he murmured, studying the cat's mismatched gaze. One eye gleamed like amethyst, the other now a vivid topaz. A chuckle escaped him despite the situation. "Quite the look you've got."
The cat tilted its head, meowed again, and turned to glance behind them.
The moment of calm shattered as a deafening roar pierced the air, tearing through the eerie silence that had blanketed the forest. Riven spun, dread pooling in his stomach. The Fangleon leapt from where it had been felled, landing with an earth-shaking thud a few meters away. Its glowing green eyes burned with unrestrained fury.
Riven gulped. You saved the creature, but now what? The logical part of his brain screamed at him to run, but his legs refused to move. The Fangleon's gaze flicked to the cat on his shoulder, and its aura flared, green energy radiating off its body in waves.
Before Riven could react, the creature blurred, claws outstretched as it lunged. His amber mana flared to life, surging from his core into his limbs. He rolled away just in time, feeling the rush of wind as the beast's claws missed him by inches. The Fangleon skidded to a stop, wheeling around for another strike.
Riven's eyes darted to his shoulder. The cat was gone. He scanned the area frantically before spotting it perched on a low branch to his left. It meowed and, in the blink of an eye, reappeared on his shoulder.
Understanding dawned on Riven, and a sly grin tugged at his lips. "So that's what you're saying," he muttered. Without wasting time, he delved into his soul space. It appeared as he remembered—two glowing cores and his massive bond. But deeper within, a faint, pulsing light caught his attention. He moved toward it, finding a small orb of shimmering purple. The new bond.
Riven entered it, and a wave of memories and sensations washed over him. They embedded themselves deep in his mind, sharpening his understanding. When he opened his eyes, his grin turned savage.
The Fangleon growled, reorienting itself. Riven dashed forward, the amber mana thrumming through his veins. Mid-sprint, he returned most of the mana to his core, conserving it for the critical moment.
The Fangleon's paw came down, radiating deadly green energy. Riven blinked—disappearing and reappearing beside the beast's head in an instant. The disorienting sensation sent him crashing into a tree instead of landing on his feet.
"Ugh, that's... going to take some getting used to." He grimaced, quickly assessing his reserves. The blink had drained nearly ten percent of his core. He glanced at his shoulder—the cat had followed him. Its intent gaze remained fixed on the Fangleon.
Interesting. It blinks with me.
The Fangleon snarled, shaking off its confusion. Its glowing eyes locked onto Riven as it pawed the ground, preparing for another attack. "Not this time, you overgrown fur ball," Riven growled, channeling half of his amber mana into his fists.
The creature's paw sliced downward, splitting the air with a sharp green tear. A blade of compressed wind screamed toward him. He blinked again, narrowly avoiding the attack—but the beast anticipated him, swiping a massive claw where he reappeared.
Riven blinked once more, appearing above its head, and brought his fist down hard. The impact snapped the Fangleon's head downward, and Riven landed on its back, gripping with his legs as he unleashed a flurry of punches. The beast roared in rage, and Riven's instincts screamed at him. He leapt away just in time as green energy exploded outward, tearing through the forest.
Perched in a nearby tree, he stared at the aftermath—the shredded ground and felled trees told him all he needed to know. That could've been me. His pulse thundered in his ears, but the soft meow of the cat on his shoulder steadied him.
"Yeah," he muttered, "best not to dwell on it."
The Fangleon panted, its energy clearly drained from the attack. Riven smirked. This is my chance.
Blinking toward another tree, he miscalculated the distance and landed awkwardly, rolling to a stop. "Damn it. There's a limit," he muttered. The cat meowed from a higher branch, looking smug.
"Yeah, yeah, I get it," he said with a chuckle. "I've got a long way to go." The cat purred and reappeared on his shoulder.
The Fangleon's howl shattered the moment. Riven grimaced. "Already recovered? Damn."
With only enough mana left for a few more blinks, Riven fled through the forest, each blink carefully measured. When he finally stopped, perched on a branch with his back against the trunk, exhaustion overwhelmed him. His body felt like lead, his mana reserves all but spent.
The cat leapt onto his lap, curling into a tight ball. Its soft meow brought a smile to his face. "Since you're a girl... I'll call you Luna," he murmured, stroking her fur.
As the sky darkened overhead, Riven leaned back and closed his eyes, letting the comforting presence of his new companion lull him into rest.