The Moonlit Hollow rested under the pale glow of the artifact, its faint golden light casting long shadows across the snow. The air felt heavy, charged with an energy that made Aria's fur bristle.
She lay beneath her favorite rock, her sharp blue eyes fixed on the artifact. Despite the silence of the Wildlands, her instincts screamed that trouble was far from over.
"This thing is getting worse by the day," she muttered, her claws scraping against the frozen ground. "I should've left it where I found it."
The Frost Mink, curled up beside her, let out a soft squeak and nuzzled her side.
Aria sighed, glancing down at the tiny creature. "Don't look at me like that. You're not the one risking your life every time something comes after it."
The mink squeaked again, tilting its head as if to say, That's your job.
Aria groaned, shaking her head. "You're lucky you're cute."
---
Morning came slowly, the pale light creeping over the horizon and illuminating the hollow. The artifact's glow remained constant, its faint hum resonating through the air like an unending warning.
Aria rose to her paws, stretching as her sharp claws flexed against the frozen ground.
"Alright," she muttered, her tail flicking. "Let's see what fresh disaster today brings."
The Frost Mink scurried to her side, its tiny blue-furred body trembling with excitement.
"You're too eager for this," Aria said, glancing down at the creature. "What are you expecting, a feast?"
The mink squeaked, bounding ahead toward the artifact.
Aria sighed, following with slow, deliberate steps. "One of these days, you're going to learn to stay out of trouble."
---
The hollow was quiet as Aria began her patrol, her sharp senses on high alert. The snow was undisturbed, and the crisp air carried no fresh scents, but the weight of the artifact's energy was impossible to ignore.
"System," she thought, her sharp blue eyes scanning the horizon. "Status report."
"Artifact resonance stable. Energy field expanding. No immediate hostiles detected."
Her fur bristled. "No hostiles? That's a first."
"Warning: Increased resonance may attract higher-level entities over time."
Aria growled softly. "So it's only a matter of time before something worse shows up."
The Frost Mink scurried back to her, squeaking loudly.
"What now?" Aria muttered, crouching low as she followed the creature's gaze.
Her sharp blue eyes locked onto a faint glimmer in the distance—a small, glowing object half-buried in the snow.
"Another artifact?" she thought, her claws flexing. "You've got to be kidding me."
---
She approached cautiously, her tail swishing as she scanned the area. The object was smaller than the artifact in her hollow, but its faint glow was unmistakable.
"System," she thought, her sharp blue eyes narrowing. "What am I looking at?"
"Fragmented Immortal Artifact detected. Energy signature weak but compatible with current artifact."
Her stomach sank. "Compatible? What does that mean?"
"Analysis suggests potential for artifact enhancement or integration."
Aria growled softly, her claws scraping against the frozen ground. "So if I take this back, things are going to get even worse."
The Frost Mink squeaked, nudging her leg.
Aria sighed, glancing down at the tiny creature. "You think I should take it, don't you?"
The mink squeaked again, bouncing excitedly.
"Of course you do," Aria muttered, shaking her head. "You've never been the cautious type."
---
She carefully dug the object out of the snow, her sharp claws slicing through the frozen ground. Its surface was smooth and cold, and the faint hum of its energy sent a strange shiver through her body.
The Frost Mink scurried closer, its tiny blue eyes gleaming with curiosity.
"Don't touch it," Aria growled, glaring at the tiny creature. "I mean it."
The mink froze, backing away with a nervous squeak.
Aria sighed, shaking her head. "Good. You're learning."
---
Dragging the artifact fragment back to the hollow was easier than she expected, but the oppressive weight of its energy grew stronger with every step.
By the time she reached the center of the hollow, the original artifact's glow had intensified, its pulsing energy resonating with the fragment in her claws.
Her fur bristled as she dropped the fragment near the larger artifact, her sharp blue eyes narrowing. "System, what's happening?"
"Artifact resonance increasing. Energy fields synchronizing. Integration imminent."
Her claws flexed. "Integration? What's that going to do?"
"Analysis incomplete. Potential outcomes include artifact enhancement, environmental distortion, or hostile attraction."
Aria growled softly. "Of course. Why not throw in more hostiles while you're at it?"
---
The artifact's glow brightened as the fragment was drawn toward it, their energies merging in a burst of golden light.
Aria crouched low, her muscles coiling as the energy rippled through the hollow.
The Frost Mink let out a startled squeak, darting behind her for cover.
"Stay back," Aria muttered, her sharp blue eyes locked on the artifact. "This could get messy."
The light intensified, filling the hollow with a blinding glow that forced her to look away.
When the light finally faded, the artifact had changed. Its surface was smoother, its glow more intense, and the hum of its energy was louder, almost deafening.
"Artifact integration complete. Properties enhanced. Energy signature significantly increased."
Aria's fur bristled. "Significantly increased? That's not good, is it?"
"Warning: Enhanced resonance may attract higher-level entities."
Her claws scraped against the frozen ground. "Fantastic. I've just turned this thing into an even bigger target."
---
The Frost Mink scurried back to her, squeaking softly.
Aria sighed, glancing down at the tiny creature. "Don't look at me like that. You wanted me to bring it back."
The mink squeaked, tilting its head innocently.
Aria groaned, shaking her head. "I'm surrounded by troublemakers."
---
The oppressive tension in the air grew heavier as the day wore on. Aria spent the afternoon reinforcing her barriers, her sharp claws slicing through fallen branches and stacking rocks with grim determination.
The Frost Mink and its companions tried to help, but their efforts were clumsy at best.
"Stay out of the way," Aria growled, nudging one of the smaller minks aside as it attempted to drag a branch twice its size. "I don't have time to babysit."
The mink squeaked, scurrying off with a huff.
Aria sighed, shaking her head. "Why do I even bother?"
---
As the sun dipped lower in the sky, casting the hollow in a soft golden glow, Aria settled beneath her favorite rock. The Frost Mink curled up beside her, its tiny body warm against her side.
"For now, we're safe," she thought, her sharp blue eyes drifting shut. "But this artifact? It's going to bring more trouble. I can feel it."
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 yet to come.