The Moonlit Hollow had never been so silent. The faint hum of the artifact was the only sound, its golden glow casting eerie ripples across the snow. Aria lay beneath her favorite rock, her sharp blue eyes half-closed, her mind still racing from the battle with the Frostfang Drake.
Her muscles ached, and the shallow cut on her side stung with every breath, but it wasn't the physical pain that unsettled her. It was the artifact.
"This thing is a beacon for disaster," she muttered, her tail flicking in irritation. "If it keeps drawing things like that drake, I'm not going to last long."
The Frost Mink squeaked softly, nudging her paw as it curled up beside her.
Aria sighed, glancing down at the tiny creature. "You're not worried at all, are you? Just sitting here, letting me do all the hard work."
The mink squeaked again, tilting its head as if to say, That's what you're here for.
Aria groaned, shaking her head. "One day, you're going to have to earn your keep."
---
The next morning brought no relief. Aria awoke to find the artifact's glow brighter than ever, its pulsing energy filling the hollow with an oppressive weight.
Her fur bristled as she rose to her paws, her sharp blue eyes narrowing. "System, what's happening now?"
"Artifact resonance increasing. Energy fluctuations detected. Hostiles likely to converge."
Her claws scraped against the frozen ground. "More hostiles? How many this time?"
"Unable to determine. Threat level: Escalating."
Aria growled softly, her tail lashing. "Great. Just great."
The Frost Mink scurried to her side, its tiny body trembling as it squeaked nervously.
"Yeah, I feel it too," Aria muttered, her sharp blue eyes scanning the horizon. "Something's coming."
---
She spent the morning reinforcing her barriers, dragging fallen branches and stacking rocks to fortify the hollow's edges.
The Frost Mink and its blue-furred companions tried to help, but their efforts were mostly a distraction.
"Stay out of the way," Aria growled, nudging one of the smaller minks aside as it attempted to dig a trench in the wrong direction. "This isn't playtime."
The mink squeaked, scurrying off with an indignant shuffle.
Aria sighed, shaking her head. "Why do I even bother?"
---
By midday, the oppressive tension in the air had grown unbearable. The artifact's glow pulsed brighter, its energy rippling across the hollow like a living thing.
Aria crouched low near the stream, her sharp blue eyes fixed on the horizon. Every instinct in her body screamed that danger was near.
"System," she thought, her claws flexing. "What am I looking at?"
"Multiple hostiles detected. Threat level: Severe. Recommend immediate preparation."
Her fur bristled. "How many are we talking about?"
"Three entities identified. Analysis suggests coordination."
Aria's stomach twisted. "Coordinated? That's new."
The Frost Mink pressed against her leg, squeaking softly.
"Stay close," Aria muttered, her sharp blue eyes narrowing. "And don't make a sound."
---
The hostiles appeared moments later, their sleek forms emerging from the shadows at the edge of her territory.
Three Frostshadow Lynxes prowled toward the hollow, their glowing yellow eyes locked on the artifact.
"Hostiles confirmed: Frostshadow Lynx Pack (3). Beast Awakening Stage: Advanced Phase. Threat level: Extreme."
Aria growled softly, her claws scraping against the frozen ground. "Three of them? You've got to be kidding me."
The lynxes spread out, their movements deliberate and predatory as they circled the hollow.
"They're smarter than the others," Aria thought, her tail swishing. "This isn't going to be easy."
---
She activated Lunar Veil, her shimmering form blending into the shadows as she moved to intercept the pack.
"Lunar Veil II: 40% Progress."
The lynxes paused, their sharp noses sniffing the air as they tried to track her movements.
Aria struck first, lunging at the nearest lynx with her claws extended.
The creature snarled, its glowing eyes blazing as it twisted to face her.
The other two lynxes moved quickly, their sharp claws raking through the snow as they closed in.
"Alright," Aria growled, her sharp blue eyes blazing. "Let's see what you've got."
---
The fight was chaotic, each lynx moving with deadly precision as they coordinated their attacks.
Aria used Spirit Step to phase through their strikes, reappearing behind them to land calculated blows.
"Spirit Step Mastery: Enhanced stamina efficiency detected. Minor Attribute Boost applied."
Her strikes were relentless, targeting their legs and flanks to weaken them. But the lynxes were relentless, their pack instincts forcing her to stay on the defensive.
One lynx lunged at her, its claws grazing her side. Aria snarled, twisting mid-air as she struck back with a powerful swipe.
The other two lynxes charged from opposite sides, their movements perfectly synchronized.
Aria dodged narrowly, her tail swishing as she circled around to land a devastating blow to one of their hind legs.
---
The battle dragged on, the lynxes growing more desperate as their strength waned.
Aria's sharp claws tore through their defenses, each strike chipping away at their coordination.
Finally, with a series of calculated attacks, she brought two of the lynxes down.
The final lynx snarled, its glowing eyes blazing as it lunged at her with all its strength.
Aria activated Lunar Veil again, her shimmering form disappearing as she sidestepped the attack.
She reappeared behind the lynx, her claws striking its exposed flank.
The creature let out a final, pained snarl before collapsing onto the snow.
"Quest Complete: Eliminate Hostiles. +120 EXP earned. Major Attribute Boost applied."
---
Aria collapsed onto the snow, her chest heaving as the adrenaline coursed through her.
The Frost Mink appeared moments later, scurrying toward her with a worried squeak.
"I'm fine," Aria muttered, glaring down at the tiny creature. "But this? This is getting out of hand."
The mink squeaked softly, nuzzling against her leg.
Aria sighed, shaking her head. "Yeah, yeah. You're welcome. Again."
---
Dragging the lynxes' carcasses back to the hollow was exhausting, but she refused to leave them behind. The other minks gathered around as she dropped the bodies near the stream, their soft squeaks filling the air.
"Don't even think about it," Aria growled, glaring at them. "These are mine."
The Frost Mink squeaked, curling up beside her with a contented sigh.
Aria sighed, her sharp blue eyes softening. "For now, the hollow is safe. But this artifact? It's going to get us all killed."
As the snow began to fall again, the Moonlit Hollow settled into a fragile peace, the faint hum of the artifact a constant reminder of the storm still brewing.