The aftermath of the battle hung heavily in the Moonlit Hollow. The faint golden glow of the artifact pulsed steadily, its hum vibrating through the cold air. The bodies of the Abyssal Wolves, Frostscale Lizards, and Frostshadow Lynx lay scattered across the snow, their blood staining the otherwise pristine white.
Aria lay beneath her favorite rock, her sharp blue eyes half-closed as she tried to recover from the grueling fight. Every muscle in her body ached, and the shallow cuts on her side stung in the cold air.
The Frost Mink was curled against her, its tiny body trembling slightly as it squeaked softly.
"I'm fine," Aria muttered, nudging the mink with her paw. "Just tired."
The mink squeaked again, pressing closer.
Aria sighed, her tail curling around the tiny creature. "Okay, maybe a little more than tired. But we survived. That's what matters."
---
Xuan Hao sat near the artifact, his dark robes streaked with blood and dirt. His blade rested against his knee, the faint crimson glow of his energy still flickering around him as he recovered.
"You held up well," he said, glancing toward Aria.
Her sharp blue eyes flicked to him, narrowing. "I don't need your praise."
He chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Just an observation. You're strong—stronger than most beasts I've encountered."
Her fur bristled, her claws flexing against the ground. "And yet, I'm still stuck with you."
His faint smile widened. "Admit it—you'd miss me if I left."
Aria growled softly, her tail swishing. "Try me."
---
The Frost Mink scurried over to Xuan Hao, sniffing at his robes.
He raised an eyebrow, his dark eyes glinting with amusement. "Still curious, are you?"
Aria growled, stepping forward. "Leave them alone."
Xuan Hao raised his hands in mock surrender. "Relax. I'm not going to hurt your little friend."
Her sharp blue eyes blazed. "You'd better not."
---
The morning crept by slowly, the tension in the hollow lingering even as the sun rose higher in the sky. Aria forced herself to her paws, her sharp blue eyes scanning the horizon.
The snow was undisturbed, and the air carried no fresh scents of predators, but the faint hum of the artifact felt louder than before.
"System," she thought, her tail swishing. "Status update."
"Artifact resonance stable. Hostile detection probability: 40%. Environmental fluctuations suggest potential anomalies."
Her ears twitched. "Anomalies? Like what?"
"Unconfirmed. Ambient energy levels are inconsistent."
Her sharp blue eyes narrowed. "That's not helpful."
---
Xuan Hao rose to his feet, brushing the frost from his robes. "You feel it too, don't you?" he asked, glancing at her.
Aria growled softly, her claws scraping against the ground. "What do you know?"
He smirked faintly, stepping closer to the artifact. "Only that this thing is growing stronger. And the stronger it gets, the more attention it's going to draw."
Her fur bristled, her sharp blue eyes narrowing. "You're stating the obvious."
He chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Fair enough. But if we're going to survive this, we'll need to be ready for whatever comes next."
---
The Frost Mink scurried back to Aria, squeaking softly as it nuzzled her leg.
She glanced down at the tiny creature, her sharp blue eyes softening briefly. "You're worried too, huh?"
The mink squeaked again, pressing closer.
Aria sighed, nudging it gently. "Don't worry. I've got this."
---
By midday, the tension in the hollow had grown heavier. Aria spent the time patrolling the perimeter, her sharp senses on high alert for any signs of movement.
The snow remained undisturbed, but the oppressive energy of the artifact weighed heavily on her chest.
"System," she thought, her claws flexing. "How much longer before something else shows up?"
"Hostile detection probability increasing. Estimated time frame: 8–12 hours."
Her fur bristled. "Not much time."
---
Xuan Hao was seated near the artifact, weaving faint threads of crimson energy into the barrier surrounding the hollow.
Aria approached cautiously, her sharp blue eyes narrowing. "What are you doing now?"
"Strengthening the defenses," he said without looking up. "We both know they won't hold forever, but every little bit helps."
Her claws scraped against the ground. "Why do you care so much about this thing?"
He glanced at her, his expression thoughtful. "Because it's important. To you, to me, and to forces beyond either of us."
Her tail flicked sharply. "That's not an answer."
He smirked faintly, returning to his work. "It's the only one you're getting."
---
The Frost Mink scurried over to the artifact, its tiny paws pressing against the barrier. It squeaked softly, tilting its head as it examined the glowing threads of energy.
"Careful," Xuan Hao said, his tone light. "That's not a toy."
The mink squeaked again, bouncing slightly.
Aria growled softly, nudging the tiny creature away. "Stop encouraging them."
Xuan Hao chuckled softly, shaking his head. "They've got spirit. I can see why you keep them around."
Her sharp blue eyes glinted, her claws flexing. "Don't push your luck."
---
The sun dipped lower in the sky, casting long shadows across the hollow. The artifact's glow pulsed steadily, its hum growing louder as night approached.
Aria perched on her favorite rock, her sharp blue eyes scanning the horizon. Xuan Hao sat nearby, his blade resting against his knee as he watched the artifact.
The Frost Mink curled up between them, its tiny body a small buffer of warmth in the cold night.
"For now," Aria thought, her tail swishing, "we're safe. But it won't last."
---
Xuan Hao broke the silence, his tone calm. "What's your plan?"
Aria growled softly, her sharp blue eyes narrowing. "What do you mean?"
"The artifact," he said, gesturing toward the glowing orb. "You can't keep defending it forever. Sooner or later, something stronger will come."
Her claws flexed against the stone. "I'll handle it."
He raised an eyebrow. "Alone?"
Her tail lashed, her sharp blue eyes blazing. "I don't need your help."
He chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Stubborn as ever."
---
The Frost Mink stirred, letting out a soft squeak as it nuzzled against Aria's side.
Xuan Hao watched the interaction with quiet interest. "You're different, you know," he said, his tone thoughtful.
Her sharp blue eyes flicked to him, narrowing. "Don't start."
He smiled faintly, leaning back. "Alright. I'll leave it at that—for now."
---
As the snow began to fall, the hollow settled into a fragile peace. The artifact's golden glow pulsed rhythmically, its hum a constant reminder of the challenges yet to come.
Aria lay beneath her favorite rock, her sharp blue eyes drifting shut as exhaustion caught up with her.
"For now," she thought, her tail curling around the Frost Mink, "we've made it through another day."