“Aghhh…” Arix squeezed his eyes shut and screamed in pain, holding the wound with his hand. The beast had stopped attacking and stood there silently, watching him.

  The little beasts ran from their mother to Arix. When they reached him, they began licking the wound on his stomach. The licking sent sharp pain through his body. Arix screamed even louder.

  “Stop, sto—p,” Arix said, trying to keep the beasts away with his hand. But the little beasts were not stopping. Then their mother howled, looking at her kids, and they stopped. They stepped back and sat on their haunches.

  Arix looked at the beast approaching him. He pushed himself up with one hand, holding the wound with the other, and dragged himself backward. He leaned against the wall. His breath quickened, his eyes widened, and his jaw fell open.

  The beast didn't stop. She closed the distance between them.

  Arix looked around him for anything he could use, but there was nothing. Then suddenly, his eyes caught the beast’s eyes. The beast stared at Arix, but something felt different. Arix noticed the beast's eyes were wide, but there was no anger in them—only curiosity.

  Arix took a deep breath and extended his hand, palm open. He closed his eyes and turned his head sideways, expecting the attack.

  The beast noticed his hand and slowly leaned forward until her head brushed against his palm.

  Arix opened his eyes to look at the beast—calm and not attacking. He gently patted the beast's head and gave a small smile before collapsing.

  Blood still flowed fast from the wound. Arix lost consciousness. Everything went black as he heard the beast's cry one last time.

  - - -

  In his slumber, he felt bumps and uneven surfaces beneath him. His eyes were still closed, but his ears started working.

  He heard footsteps—peculiar ones. The sound of a creature moving on four legs reached his ears. The wind still howled through the air. Each step sank into the snow with a soft crunch, and a musky scent of some creature drifted to his nose.

  When he finally found the strength to open his eyes, he realized he was lying on the beast's back. He was still bleeding, droplets of blood leaving a trail behind.

  The beast was walking downhill.

  “Where am I?" Arix asked in a dry whisper, but no answer came.

  He tried to sit up but failed, too weak from blood loss, his breath heavy as the beast carried him downhill.

  Arix's vision blurred as he slipped back into unconsciousness.

  - - -

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  “Why did you let him go alone?" Tarin said, striding quickly through the snow.

  “He insisted on going alone,” Lyra answered, following Tarin. Meilie walked with them, silently beside Lyra.

  Tarin had recovered yesterday, and since this morning they'd been searching for Arix without success.

  “Take it easy, you just recovered. You should not push yourself right now," Lyra said to Tarin with concern on her face.

  “I am fine, that bastard thinks he can do everything alone," Tarin said, grinding his teeth.

  “Come on, trust him. He'll be fine," Lyra said calmly.

  “It's all my fault, I shou—" Tarin stopped when Meilie grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back.

  “What are you doing?" he shouted, but froze when he saw Meilie and Lyra staring ahead, completely still.

  Tarin also looked ahead.

  He saw the beast approaching. Tarin unsheathed his greatsword and stepped forward.

  “Did you do anything to Arix?" he shouted at the beast, taking an attack stance.

  The beast kept walking toward them silently, staring at Tarin.

  When she got closer, Tarin saw a hand hanging from the beast's back. He lowered his weapon. They couldn’t make out who it was yet, but they had a bad feeling.

  As the beast drew nearer, they finally saw the face clearly. It was Arix. Blood had frozen around the wound on his stomach.

  They quickly ran toward him. The beast shifted to let them reach Arix. Tarin stepped forward and lifted Arix from the beast's back, laying him gently on the ground.

  Meilie immediately sat beside him, raised her staff, and began healing him.

  The wound was already frozen from the cold in the air, and the beast had been traveling since yesterday, carrying Arix on her back. Because of it, the bleeding had stopped. Arix was still breathing but unconscious.

  “Can you heal him?" Lyra asked urgently, looking at Meilie.

  She nodded. Her staff emitted a yellow beam onto the wound.

  The beast leaned forward, stood beside Tarin, and watched Arix. Tarin looked at the beast and said, "Looks like she was trying to help him.”

  Lyra turned toward the beast as well, watching her gentle eyes and the way she licked Arix.

  But she had no time to linger. She pulled out bandages and wrapped them around Arix's torso.

  - - -

  "Where am I?" Arix thought, staring into the darkness.

  “Quick, get him under that rock," a familiar voice said. Someone was carrying him.

  “Am I dead?” he thought, not understanding the situation.

  He had just enough strength to open his eyes. He did, slowly.

  When he opened them, he found Tarin, Lyra, Meilie, and the beast surrounding him.

  “Hello, guys,” he said in a low voice, smiling.

  Lyra sighed and whispered, “Thank the gods.”

  Arix looked at Meilie. Her cheeks stretched apart as if trying to smile, but without a mouth, she couldn't.

  “Please don’t do that. It feels unsettling,” he said. She stopped and returned to her usual serious expression, staring at him.

  “Who told you to go alone?” Tarin asked, crossing his arms and standing straight in front of Arix.

  “Well, someone was unable to walk, so I had to do it alone," Arix answered slowly.

  “Did you find the weapon? And when did you make this beast your friend?" Tarin asked.

  “Well, it’s a long story,” Arix answered.