The snow sparkled faintly under the pale moonlight, casting long shadows across the Moonlit Hollow. Aria lay curled beneath her favorite rock, her body aching from the fight with the direwolf pack. The Frost Mink was nestled beside her, its tiny body rising and falling in soft, rhythmic breaths.
"I swear," she muttered, her sharp blue eyes half-closed. "If one more thing tries to attack me tomorrow, I'm moving to a nice, quiet cave somewhere."
The system chimed softly, startling her out of her thoughts.
"Territory progress: 55% secured. Threat level: Minimal. Suggestion: Strengthen defenses to deter future hostiles."
Aria groaned, her tail flicking. "Oh, great. More work. Because surviving every day isn't hard enough."
The Frost Mink let out a soft squeak, blinking up at her with sleepy eyes.
"Don't look at me like that," Aria muttered, glancing at the tiny creature. "You're part of the reason I'm stuck with this mess."
The mink squeaked again, nuzzling against her leg before settling back down.
Aria sighed, her sharp blue eyes softening. "Fine. But tomorrow, we're doing things my way."
---
The next morning, Aria woke to find the Frost Mink sitting by the stream, chittering animatedly to its blue-furred companions. The tiny creatures darted back and forth, their paws leaving faint tracks in the snow.
"Great," she muttered, rising to her paws. "They're planning something. Probably another way to make my life harder."
The mink squeaked as she approached, its round eyes gleaming with excitement.
"What now?" Aria asked, narrowing her eyes. "If you're expecting breakfast, you're out of luck. I'm not hunting for you today."
The mink squeaked again, scurrying toward the hollow's edge.
Aria tilted her head, her sharp blue eyes narrowing. "What are you up to?"
The tiny creature squeaked louder, bouncing in place as it pointed its nose toward the snow-covered horizon.
"Fine," Aria muttered, padding after it. "But if this is another one of your games, you're on your own."
---
The Frost Mink led her to the edge of the hollow, where the snow was disturbed by faint tracks. Aria crouched low, sniffing the ground.
The scent was faint but unmistakable—predators had passed through here recently.
"Great," she muttered, her claws flexing. "More uninvited guests. Just what I needed."
The system chimed.
"Traces detected: Frostscale Lizard Pack (Beast Awakening Stage, Initial Phase). Threat level: Moderate."
Aria's fur bristled. "A pack of lizards? What is this, an open buffet?"
She straightened, her sharp blue eyes narrowing as she scanned the horizon.
"If they're circling my territory, I need to deal with them now," she thought, her tail lashing.
The Frost Mink squeaked, its tiny body trembling as it pressed against her leg.
Aria sighed, her claws scraping against the frozen ground. "You stay here. I'll handle this."
---
She followed the tracks through the snow, her sharp eyes and keen senses guiding her. The trail led her to a rocky outcrop just beyond the hollow's edge, where a group of Frostscale Lizards was gathered.
The creatures were smaller than the one she had fought before, their icy blue scales glinting in the pale light. But their sharp claws and glowing yellow eyes marked them as dangerous predators.
"Hostiles detected: Frostscale Lizard Pack (4). Threat level: Moderate."
Aria crouched low, her sharp claws flexing as she prepared to strike.
"This is my territory," she growled under her breath. "And I'm not sharing."
---
She activated Lunar Veil, her shimmering form blending into the shadows as she circled the pack.
"Lunar Veil: 85% Progress."
The lizards hissed softly, their sharp noses sniffing the air as they prowled through the snow.
Aria moved silently, her sharp blue eyes locking onto the nearest lizard.
"Start small," she thought, her claws flexing. "Take them down one by one."
She lunged, her claws raking across the lizard's flank. The creature let out a sharp hiss, stumbling as blood stained the snow beneath it.
The other lizards turned, their glowing eyes narrowing as they locked onto her.
"Here we go," Aria muttered, activating Spirit Step to phase through an incoming attack.
"Spirit Step: 70% Progress."
She reappeared behind the lizards, her sharp claws striking another one's hind leg.
The creatures snarled, their movements growing frantic as they tried to corner her.
---
The fight was fast and chaotic, each lizard lunging at her with razor-sharp claws and snapping jaws.
Aria darted around them, her strikes precise and calculated. Her agility gave her the edge, but the lizards' numbers made the battle more difficult than she anticipated.
One of the lizards lunged at her, its claws grazing her side. Aria snarled, twisting mid-air as she struck back, her claws raking across its face.
Another lizard charged from the side, but she phased through its attack with Spirit Step, reappearing behind it to land a devastating blow.
---
Despite her speed and precision, the fight took its toll. Aria's muscles burned with exertion, and her breaths came in short gasps.
But she refused to back down.
"This is my territory," she growled, her sharp blue eyes blazing. "And I'm not giving it up."
With one final burst of strength, she brought down the last lizard.
"Quest Complete: Eliminate Threats. +50 EXP earned. Minor Attribute Boost applied."
---
Aria collapsed onto the snow, her chest heaving as the adrenaline coursed through her.
The Frost Mink appeared moments later, its tiny paws leaving faint tracks as it scurried toward her.
"You always show up after the fight," Aria muttered, glaring at the tiny creature. "It's like you're allergic to danger."
The mink squeaked softly, nuzzling against her leg.
"Yeah, yeah," Aria muttered, shaking her head. "You're welcome."
---
Dragging herself back to the hollow, Aria flopped onto the snow beneath her favorite rock. The minks gathered around her, their soft squeaks filling the air as they scurried about.
"Alright," she muttered, closing her eyes. "No more fights today. I'm serious."
The Frost Mink curled up beside her, its tiny body warm against her side.
As the snow began to fall again, Aria let out a soft sigh, her exhaustion giving way to a faint, contented warmth.
"For now, the hollow is safe," she thought, drifting off to sleep. "But I need to start thinking about defenses. This can't keep happening."