The Moonlit Hollow lay in eerie silence, the aftermath of the battle etched into the snow. The artifact's golden glow pulsed faintly, casting long shadows over the bodies of the defeated Abyssal Hounds and Frostscale Lizards.
Aria perched on a jagged rock near the hollow's edge, her sharp blue eyes fixed on Xuan Hao. He sat near the artifact, his dark robes streaked with faint traces of blood, though his calm demeanor hadn't wavered.
The Frost Mink curled up beside her, its tiny body trembling slightly as it squeaked.
"You're not hurt, are you?" Aria murmured, her tail swishing.
The mink shook its tiny head, squeaking again as it nuzzled her leg.
"Good," Aria muttered, her sharp blue eyes narrowing. "Because I don't need more things to worry about."
---
Xuan Hao looked up from where he was cleaning his blade, his dark eyes glinting faintly in the artifact's glow. "You've got sharp instincts," he said, his tone light. "And an impressive fighting style for a beast."
Aria's fur bristled, her claws flexing. "Is that supposed to be a compliment?"
He smiled faintly. "It's an observation. One that raises questions."
Her sharp blue eyes narrowed, her tail lashing. "Don't ask questions you don't want the answers to."
Xuan Hao chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Fair enough. I'll leave it at that—for now."
---
The Frost Mink scurried over to Xuan Hao, sniffing at the hem of his robes.
"Curious little thing," he said, crouching slightly as he held out a hand.
Aria growled, stepping closer. "Stay away from them."
Xuan Hao straightened, his dark eyes meeting hers. "I'm not your enemy, you know."
Her claws scraped against the frozen ground, her sharp blue eyes blazing. "You're not my ally either."
He smiled faintly, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Understood."
---
The tension between them lingered as the morning sun crept over the horizon. Aria spent most of the day patrolling the hollow, her sharp senses on high alert.
The snow was undisturbed, and the air carried no fresh scents of predators or prey, but the artifact's energy buzzed faintly at the edge of her awareness, keeping her fur bristled.
"System," she thought, her sharp blue eyes scanning the treeline. "Status update."
"Artifact resonance stable. Current probability of hostile detection: 40%."
Her tail flicked sharply. "That's lower than usual."
"Resonance may stabilize temporarily due to environmental fluctuations. Continued vigilance is advised."
Aria growled softly, her claws scraping against the ground. "It's always 'continued vigilance.' Do you ever have good news?"
The system remained silent, as always.
---
By midday, the hollow felt unusually calm. Xuan Hao worked near the artifact, weaving thin threads of crimson energy into a protective formation. The Frost Mink watched him closely, its tiny ears twitching as it followed his movements.
Aria sat nearby, her sharp blue eyes fixed on him.
"What are you doing now?" she asked, her tone sharp.
"Reinforcing the barrier," Xuan Hao said without looking up. "It held up well during the last attack, but it can be improved."
Her claws flexed. "And why do you care?"
He glanced at her, his dark eyes thoughtful. "Because this artifact is important—to you, to me, and probably to others we don't even know about yet."
Aria's fur bristled. "It's mine."
He smiled faintly, nodding. "I don't doubt that. I'm just making sure you can keep it."
---
The Frost Mink scurried over to the artifact, sniffing at the faint threads of energy Xuan Hao had woven.
"Careful," he said, his tone light. "That's not a toy."
The mink squeaked, tilting its head as if to say, What else would it be?
Aria huffed, stepping closer. "Stop encouraging them."
Xuan Hao chuckled softly, brushing a stray lock of hair from his face. "You've got quite the dynamic here. It's almost... endearing."
Her sharp blue eyes narrowed, her claws flexing. "Don't push your luck."
---
The afternoon passed without incident, though the tension in the air never fully eased. Aria remained vigilant, her sharp senses tuned to every sound and movement.
By the time the sun began to set, Xuan Hao had finished his work on the barrier. The shimmering threads of crimson energy encircled the hollow, forming a faint, protective glow.
"It's not perfect," he said, stepping back to admire his work. "But it'll hold against most things."
Aria growled softly, her sharp blue eyes narrowing. "It better."
He smiled faintly, meeting her gaze. "You're welcome, by the way."
Her tail lashed, but she didn't respond.
---
As the stars began to appear, the artifact's glow pulsed faintly, its hum resonating through the hollow like a quiet heartbeat.
Aria perched on her favorite rock, her sharp blue eyes scanning the horizon. Xuan Hao sat nearby, his dark eyes reflecting the artifact's golden light.
The Frost Mink curled up between them, its tiny body a small buffer of warmth in the cold night.
"For now, the hollow is safe," Aria thought, her tail swishing. "But I still don't trust him."
---
Xuan Hao broke the silence, his tone calm. "You've been quiet all day. What's on your mind?"
Aria growled softly, her sharp blue eyes narrowing. "None of your business."
He chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Fair enough. But if we're going to work together, some communication wouldn't hurt."
Her fur bristled. "We're not 'working together.' You're just here because I haven't chased you off yet."
Xuan Hao raised an eyebrow, his faint smile returning. "That's one way to put it."
---
The Frost Mink stirred, letting out a soft squeak as it nuzzled against Aria's leg.
Xuan Hao watched the interaction with quiet interest. "You're different from most beasts I've encountered," he said, his tone thoughtful.
Her sharp blue eyes flicked to him, her claws flexing. "Don't start."
He smirked faintly, shaking his head. "Alright, I'll leave it alone—for now."
---
As the snow began to fall, the hollow settled into a fragile peace. The artifact's golden glow pulsed steadily, its hum a quiet reminder of the challenges yet to come.
Aria lay beneath her favorite rock, her sharp blue eyes drifting shut as exhaustion finally caught up with her.
"For now," she thought, her tail curling around the Frost Mink, "we're safe. But that human? He's still trouble."