Zayden halted mid-step, hearing a faint growl in the distance.

"Did you hear that?" he whispered, fingers brushing over the arrows and bow strapped to the horse quickly.

Ren gave a curt nod, fingers curling around the sword fastened to the saddle. It was the one Zayden had given him after his first year of training—unique and lighter than any he had seen. The handle was carved with a deep red gem, glinting faintly in the sunlight.

"What is it?" Ren asked. He heard the growl, but couldn’t tell whether it was an animal—or something far worse.

"A monster," Zayden replied, eyes darting as he scanned the shadows for the creature lurking nearby.

"But—"

Ren froze mid-step as another growl echoed through the forest.

Closer this time.

Too close.

"Strange... I can’t see it," Zayden muttered, stepping in front of Ren, shielding him instinctively. "Is it still far?.."

"My Lord, I am fine—"

"No, you are not. And why is there a monster here to begin with? This forest is supposed to be cleared..."

Ren didn’t reply. His gaze darted around, scanning the shadows behind them. Every rustle of snow made his pulse quicken, his grip on the sword tightening. The forest was too quiet—unnaturally so.

Then, without warning, a white-furred beast lunged out of the shadows. Its body rippled with muscle beneath its thick skin, three blue eyes gleaming—and a fourth, blood-red one burning at the center of its forehead. Five cat-like tails lashed through the air, scattering snow with every whip. Its growl grew louder, flaring its gaze at them.

"M-My Lord," Ren stammered, stepping back until his shoulders hit Zayden’s.

Zayden spun around instantly, spotting the beast ahead.

"Stand back!" he ordered, nocking an arrow to his bow and releasing it swiftly.

The arrow sliced through the air, striking the creature’s shoulder—but it barely flinched. Its growl deepened, echoing through the trees. Though it resembled a common beast, Zayden recognized the truth immediately: this was a monster—a moderately high-ranked one.

Too dangerous for someone like Ren, who recently picked up a sword.

"I can fight!" Ren snapped, frowning deeply. Being protected made him feel like nothing more than a burden Zayden had to carry.

"Ren—" Zayden started, but the monster lunged toward them at frightening speed.

Reacting on instinct, Ren snatched his sword and charged forward.

Zayden reached out to stop him, but before he could, Ren had already leapt ahead—landing squarely on the creature’s back.

With a sharp cry, his blade drove straight into one of its eyes. The monster roared in pain, towering over him—its massive form easily twice Ren’s size.

"My Lord, aim for its eyes!" Ren shouted, sliding down the monster’s side as it thrashed and roared in agony.

Crimson blood splattered across the white snow, a stark contrast to the creature’s pale fur as it writhed beneath him.

Without wasting another second, Zayden released three arrows in rapid succession—each shot swift and precise, developed over the years on the battlefield.

But the creature, writhing in agony, flailed its massive claws wildly. One strike grazed Ren’s arm, tearing through his sleeve and leaving a thin trail of blood.

"Ren!" Zayden shouted, loosing another few arrows before sprinting toward him. He couldn’t use magic—not here. The forest’s anti-magic barrier, meant to protect the participants of the hunting festival, would react instantly.

"Are you okay?!" he demanded, his frown deepening as he saw the blood. His hands trembled slightly, as if he were the one who’d been hurt.

"I’m fine. It’s not deep," Ren replied with a small smile, pulling a handkerchief from his pocket. He tried to wrap it around his arm, but Zayden quickly took it from him.

"You don’t have to do everything alone, you know that, right?" Zayden muttered, exhaling sharply as he tied the cloth like a bandage.

At least Ren was safe. But whoever had failed to clear the forest before the hunt—whoever had allowed a monster to slip through—would pay dearly once he returned.

Because of them... Ren got hurt.

Zayden’s jaw tightened, his muscles tensing beneath his coat.

"Should we just go back?"

"No," Ren answered immediately.

"But what if there are more..." Zayden’s words trailed off. He hadn’t told Ren the truth—that someone might truly be trying to kill him. The only thing Ren knew about was the assassination attempt in his room. But that had only been the surface.

Could this monster have been part of the same plan?

What if there were more creatures hidden in the forest—more dangerous, more vicious, all sent with one goal in mind? And worst of all... what if Ren got hurt simply because he was by his side?

His chest tightened painfully at the thought.

When Ren heard no response, he sighed softly.

"We’re here for a reason, my lord. We can’t just leave. And you know how nobles can be... your reputation would take the hit."

Zayden’s gaze fell to the dead monster lying at his feet. Did he really have no choice but to keep going?

It wasn’t as if he cared about what the nobles said.

"Does it matter to you?"

Ren blinked, caught off guard. It didn’t matter to him at all—but he could sense that his answer would decide whether they turned back or moved forward.

"Yes," he lied, lowering his head slightly.

He wasn’t weak. He didn’t need Zayden’s protection. If they were attacked again, he could fight—just as he had done moments ago. And with Zayden beside him, they would be fine. It wouldn’t take long to defeat whatever came their way.

Zayden studied him for a moment, his brows furrowing slightly. Ren’s voice was steady, but something in his eyes betrayed him. The way he kept his gaze locked gave him away—like always.

"You are lying," he said quietly.

Ren stiffened, swallowing hard. He began to notice when he lied and he did not. That was dangerous...

"I’m not—"

"You think I don’t know you also don’t care about those stupid nobles?" Zayden sighed, his tone softening.

He looked away, scanning the forest as the cold wind brushed his hair.

Ren lowered his gaze, fingers tightening on the hilt of his sword. He didn’t know what to say.

After a moment, Zayden turned back to him, his expression calm again. "But since you’re insisting..." His lips curved faintly, though his eyes were serious. "We’ll continue," his voice cracked.

Since when had he grown so afraid of someone getting hurt? The mere thought of Ren getting injured shook him from within.