***
Yao Yao hesitated, then took a step closer.
"Why not?" she asked. A little tired now, but still curious. "I mean, I know I'm not exactly the best option, but...why?"
For a long moment, the wolf said nothing. Then his crimson eyes flickered open, meeting hers with quiet intensity.
"You're not ready," he said.
And before she could respond, his eyes closed again.
She blinked.
That was it? Was that the reason?
"Not ready," she repeated under her breath. Then louder, forcing a smile. "Well. That's very subjective."
She straightened her back. "I mean, I'm great with spirits. I serve food on time. I clean well. And I haven't exploded anything all week."
No response.
She leaned in slightly, her brows raised and her tone coaxing. "I'll take really good care of you, you know. I'll brush your fur, fluff your tail, maybe even enchant your paw balm. Very luxurious service."
The wolf's tail gave a small flick.
Yao Yao's eyes lit up. "You liked it," she quickly said. "You like it, don't you?"
Still nothing.
She squinted at him. "Fine. I'm very good at naming things," she said confidently. "Especially majestic spirit wolves. I mean… of course I already had names in mind.."
Her eyes darted left, then right.
"Like… uh. Snowy. Or Emperor Fluff."
The wolf's tail twitched.
Her eyes narrowed. "That was a wag. Don't lie. You definitely liked it."
He didn't respond, but his eyes opened again. Red, half-lidded, glancing at her in that same unreadable way.
Yao Yao dropped onto the grass in a full sit. Her legs gave out, and she got tired of standing. She pulled her knees to her chest and exhaled.
For a while, she didn't say anything. Just sat there, idly picking at a bent blade of grass near her boot, brushing her fingers over the edge of a fallen petal.
The cavern stayed quiet for a while.
"You're all the same," she muttered. "The court. The king. The rude man in black robes. Now the fluffy one. You all just decided I'm not ready. No one ever asks if I want to be."
The wolf remained silent.
She sighed again, softer this time. "I just wanted… a spirit who wanted me back."
Still, no answer.
Her eyes stayed on him.
"Even if it's not now," she said quietly, "will it ever be… yes?"
The wolf didn't reply. His gaze flicked to hers, lingering a moment longer before slowly drifting away.
Yao Yao didn't press further.
She sat quietly, watching him and listening to the gentle sounds of the waterfall and the birds. It was peaceful. Eventually, without thinking, her hand moved. She reached out and lightly brushed against his side. His fur was softer and warmer than she had expected.
There was no reaction from him—not even a flick of his ear. So, she inched a little closer on her knees and pressed her hand gently into the thick, white coat.
She slid her hand up and down slowly, her fingers brushing through his fur. Petting. Testing. Unsure if she was allowed to do it, she wanted to pretend that she was.
"This isn't weird, right?" she asked gently.
There was no response.
"You're so fluffy," she murmured. "I always said I wanted a fluffy one."
The wolf's eyes widened slightly, gazing at her with exasperation. However, he didn't stop her.
She smiled faintly.
"Rude man wouldn't let me touch his robes. This is way better," she added, sliding her palm down his back and marveling at the silky texture. "Honestly, you're a lot cleaner than I expected. Do you groom yourself with magic?"
She grinned and reached both hands into his fur, ruffling it with a bit more confidence.
The wolf's ear flicked once, and his tail swished lazily. A long sigh followed, slow and almost resigned.
She leaned against him, nestled into his warmth. Her voice was now muffled, with her cheek pressed to his fur.
"Why must I be ready to form a contract?" she asked. "You know… when your boss promotes you at work, they don't care if you're ready. They just slap a new title on you, toss you three departments, and call it career progression."
The wolf blinked slowly.
"I didn't feel ready," she said. "But I showed up. Doesn't that count?"
The wolf remained quiet.
"I think I'll be a great summoner," she added. "Once I figure out how not to explode things."
Yao Yao leaned in closer, her arms resting loosely at his side. Her fingers glided over his fur a few more times before finally coming to a stop. The silence enveloped her, peaceful and soothing, like a lullaby without sound.
She hadn't meant to fall asleep—just to rest her eyes for a second, perhaps. But her body was tired, and his side rose and fell with a slow, steady rhythm, almost like a rocking bed.
She allowed herself to shift, slowly lowering her weight against him until she was curled at his side. Her cheek pressed gently into the warmth of his fur. She exhaled and let herself sink in deeper.
Spirits don't eat their summoners… right?
A small flicker of unease passed through her mind.
Then she peeked at his calm, unmoving animal.
He's my spirit. Sort of. Almost.
It should be fine.
The thought didn't quite finish before it faded, blurring at the edges. And slowly, without deciding to, she closed her eyes and let sleep pull her under.
And the wolf let her.
Time passed.
The light filtering through the cracks had shifted again, becoming softer, as if the sun were lowering outside. Shadows stretched longer along the cave walls, but nothing inside had moved.
Yao Yao remained asleep, curled into the wolf's side as if she had melted into him. One arm draped over his fur, her cheek pressed deep against it. She hadn't stirred at all. Her breathing had deepened into the slow, heavy rhythm that indicated pure exhaustion.
The wolf lay perfectly still, his head resting between his paws, eyes closed. After a silence that lingered long enough to feel complete, the air at the cave's entrance shifted.
It was just a subtle change in the atmosphere. Then, the Spirit King stepped inside.
His gaze swept over them—white fur, black hair, the girl curled in close like it was the most normal thing in the world. Half her body had sunk into the wolf's coat like it was a bed made for her.
Without lifting his head, the wolf opened his eyes.
The Spirit King silently observed them. Then, almost casually, he said, "I didn't think you would let her stay."
The wolf's ear twitched. His eyes stayed on the Spirit King.
"She fell asleep," he said flatly. "Didn't seem worth the trouble to wake her."
The king's brow lifted. "That's all it takes now? One weary child and you're offering your spine as a bed?"
"She climbed on her own," the wolf said, his ear giving another flick.
The Spirit King gave a short laugh. "Since when were you gentle?"
The wolf didn't answer.
The Spirit King looked up, his gaze fixed on the soft light above. The sky beyond was pale and open, with clouds drifting.
"This place hasn't changed," he murmured.
His voice carried no nostalgia—just a quiet statement, like he was sharing the time of day. He stepped further into the cavern, his gaze trailing along the walls before settling on the figure in front of him.
"You always kept to the high cliffs," he said after a pause. "I didn't think I'd find you down here."
The wolf's ears twitched, but he didn't lift his head.
"I didn't expect to find you down here either," the wolf replied. "You were always above."
Then, without another word, his form began to shift.
The fur receded, and his limbs elongated as his form transformed. Gradually and seamlessly, the wolf turned into a man—tall and pale—still holding the girl against his chest.
He wore a loose, simple white shirt, with a faded cloak draping from one shoulder. His blond hair was short and unstyled, yet it appeared neat, as if it had always been that way.
And in his arms, Yao Yao didn't stir.
She remained curled up close to him, her face tucked against his chest and her arms folded as if she hadn't noticed the shift in the moment. One of her hands gripped the front of his shirt, fingers still curled tightly. Her entire body leaned into him, like she didn't plan to wake up anytime soon.
The wolf—now transformed into a man—shifted the weight of the girl in his arms.
"Why are you here?" he asked.
The King's gaze remained fixed on Kaireth, observing as the last traces of his transformation settled. After a moment, he replied, "I sensed a human trespassing into the realm. I thought I'd come to arrest her."
Kaireth huffed, nearly laughing.
"You came all the way out here just to arrest her?"
"I wouldn't have bothered," the Spirit King said, "but Rui insisted."
Kaireth's brow lifted, a hint of amusement flickering in his eyes.
"Mm. Rui, you say."
The moment lingered in the air for a heartbeat too long. Then the Spirit King's gaze shifted once more, hardening as it returned to the girl in his arms.
"Though I do wonder," the Spirit King said, quieter now, with a colder edge, "why the trespasser is here. With you."
"She wandered in on her own," Kaireth said, gaze steady.
His eyes followed the Spirit King's gaze as it lingered on her. Then, almost like it meant nothing, "She's my spirit bond."
The Spirit King didn't move, but something shifted in his eyes. Most wouldn't have noticed.
But Kaireth did.
"So," the King said, voice calm, "the contract's formed?"
Kaireth tilted his head slightly, gaze drifting to the side like he was still weighing it.
"Still deciding," he replied.
It wasn't the truth, but it didn't need to be. He only wanted to see what the words might draw out.
Then he glanced back, voice light.
"Why?"
The Spirit King didn't respond. His gaze dropped back to the girl, still asleep in Kaireth's arms.
This dog is her spirit bond?
It didn't add up.
He remembered the magic clearly. The surge had been raw and uncontrolled but it was aimed at him.
And yet Kaireth had answered.
This wasn't how spirit contracts worked.
This wasn't how anything worked.
And the whole situation irritated him.
Dragged from sleep by a voice shouting into his head, forced to wake in that state. Then she broke through the portal not once, but twice—demanding answers, throwing around claims. And because Rui insisted, he had come to deal with it.
And now?
She was fast asleep in someone else's arms, like none of it had ever happened.
His eyes dropped to a small patch of white flowers blooming quietly near his boot. He bent down and plucked one. It was just a petal, harmless on its own. But held between his fingers, it looked like a weapon.
Then, without hesitation, he flicked it.
The flower shot through the air and smacked Yao Yao square across the cheek.
She shot upright like she'd been struck by lightning.
"Wha—who… Who attacked me?!"
One hand flew to her chest, the other flailing slightly before she noticed the white petal floating down in front of her. It landed on her lap like a smug little feather. She blinked, then reached up and touched her cheek. Still stinging faintly.
Her eyes narrowed.
She turned sharply, drawn by a shadow at the edge of her vision.
And there he was.
The Spirit King stood a short distance away, arms folded, gaze cold like he'd been watching for some time.
She stared at him, still breathless.
Then looked down again at the petal in her lap.
Then back at him.
"…Did you throw something at me?"
"You were unconscious," the Spirit King said coolly. "I was checking if you were still alive."
Yao Yao blinked.
"Unconscious…?"
Her gaze flicked sideways.
Wait. I fell asleep, didn't I?
Pretty sure I was sleeping.
Why does it feel like I just got slapped... by a flower?
She opened her mouth to argue—then paused.
Only now did she realize she wasn't on the ground.
Her whole body was nestled against someone. Her head turned slowly upward.
A stranger's face stared back.
Short blond hair. Sharp features. Calm expression. No ears.
She stared.
Then panic kicked in.
"W-wait—who—?!" Her limbs kicked out in pure panic, one leg already sliding off.
Kaireth caught her easily, one arm steady beneath her back. "Careful," he said.
The Spirit King didn't move, but his expression pinched slightly, as if he was genuinely considering whether a second petal might have done the job properly and flattened her to the floor.
Yao Yao shoved at the man's chest, her hands scrabbling against the white fabric as she tried to wriggle free. "Put me down! Why are you holding me?! Who the hell are you?!"
The man blinked once.
"My apologies.. I'm the wolf," he murmured. "You fell asleep, remember?
Yao Yao froze.
"…You're what?"
"I—no—you—!" she stammered, pointing at him like her brain had short-circuited.
Yao Yao's eyes dropped to the loose strands of white fur still stuck to her sleeve, then back up to his very human face. Her brain, still half-asleep, couldn't process why the wolf had turned into a handsome blond man.
Kaireth didn't answer. He only tilted his head.
Her face scrunched. "Put me down!"