The morning sun peeked through the leaves, its rays brushing the forest floor like soft fingers. Aren shifted beneath the gnarled roots of the tree he'd used for shelter, blinking the drowsiness from his eyes. Sharu was curled beside him, his silver fur shimmering faintly even in the weak light. Though the beast had remained mostly still during the night, Aren had felt its steady presence—quiet, proud, and strangely calming.
Aren sat up slowly, careful not to wake Sharu. But the moment he moved, Sharu's blue eyes snapped open. The tiny creature stretched like a lazy cat, flicking his tail and shooting Aren a look that somehow managed to say, Finally.
"You've got an attitude, you know that?" Aren whispered with a small smile.
Sharu responded by hopping lightly onto Aren's shoulder. For something so small, he moved with elegance and confidence. Aren couldn't help but feel that this creature—this beast—was not nearly as harmless as he looked.
As they began walking again, Aren felt something stirring inside him. Not just relief at being bonded, or even the fading ache of his bruises. It was something deeper, more instinctual—a sense of being connected, of no longer walking through the world alone.
Despite his expectations, the journey back home was surprisingly uneventful. The corrupted beasts, which were normally active near dawn, seemed absent. Aren took it as a stroke of luck—or perhaps it was Sharu's presence that discouraged them. Either way, he didn't question it. He was just glad to be heading home in one piece.
The towering gates of the Valen estate loomed into view just as the sun fully crested the horizon. Aren paused at the edge of the woods, suddenly uncertain. His family hadn't been kind to him. His father's cold indifference, Cale's judgmental silence, even the pity in Lina's eyes—it had all weighed heavily on him.
But now, things were different.
He had a beast. A real one.
Sharu nuzzled his cheek briefly before settling back on his shoulder, as if urging him forward. Aren took a deep breath and stepped onto the gravel path.
The guards at the gate widened their eyes in disbelief. One of them blinked, stepped forward, and asked, "Is that… is that a beast on your shoulder?"
Aren nodded. "Yeah. His name is Sharu."
The guard exchanged a look with his companion before pulling the gate open. "Go in. Lord Gareth will want to see this."
As Aren entered the courtyard, he spotted Lina rushing out from the main building, her hair still messy from sleep. The moment she saw him, her eyes widened.
"Aren!" she cried, dashing toward him. "You—are you okay? Where did you go last night?!"
Before he could answer, she noticed Sharu. Her face lit up like the morning sky. "Is that… is that your beast?"
Aren nodded again. "Yeah. I bonded with him last night."
"Oh my stars, he's adorable!" Lina reached out eagerly.
Aren expected Sharu to dodge or snarl. Instead, the silver-furred creature tilted his head, studied Lina with a faint glow in his eyes… and let her scratch behind his ears.
Aren blinked in surprise.
Sharu purred.
Lina giggled. "He's so soft! And look at those little horns! What kind of beast is he?"
"No idea," Aren admitted, watching Sharu melt under Lina's touch. "You're the only person he's tolerated so far."
At that moment, another voice echoed from the doorway. "What's going on out here?"
Cale emerged, tall and composed as always, arms folded across his chest. His beast—a sleek crimson hound—followed at his side, eyeing Sharu with mild interest.
Aren tensed. He hadn't seen his brother in days.
Cale looked Aren up and down, his gaze finally settling on the silver creature. "So… you finally bonded with something."
Sharu raised his head and locked eyes with Cale. A beat passed—then Sharu gave a slow, theatrical blink of disdain. He curled his tail around Aren's neck like a scarf and looked away with exaggerated disinterest.
Lina burst out laughing. "I think he's not impressed."
Cale gave a faint shrug. "Doesn't look like much."
Aren bristled, but Sharu didn't react further. Just sat like a smug king on his throne.
Moments later, their father appeared. Gareth Valen stood tall, dressed in simple dark robes, but there was nothing simple about the way he carried himself. The air seemed to chill slightly at his arrival.
He stopped a few paces from Aren, his expression unreadable.
"You came back," he said at last. His eyes fell to Sharu. "And with a beast."
"Yes," Aren replied, forcing his voice to remain steady. "I bonded with him last night. In the forest."
"The forest?" Gareth's brow furrowed. "You went into corrupted territory alone?"
"I had to," Aren said. "There was no other way."
For a long moment, Gareth said nothing. Then he gave a short nod. "Very well. We'll have the elders examine it."
Mira Valen arrived shortly after—her dark hair tied in a loose braid, a warm expression softening her tired eyes. "Aren…" she whispered, rushing to hug him. "We were so worried."
Aren stiffened for only a second before relaxing into her arms. "I'm okay, Mother."
She pulled back and looked at Sharu. "And this little one?"
"Sharu," Aren said. "He's my beast."
Mira reached out tentatively. Sharu sniffed her hand, gave her a neutral glance, and then leapt down from Aren's shoulder to sit politely at his feet.
Mira chuckled. "He's got personality."
By midmorning, the three elders of House Valen had gathered in the estate's inner chamber. They were robed in ceremonial garb and surrounded by ancient tools for identifying beast lineages—obsidian bowls, etched crystals, and a slowly turning orb known as the Mirror Core.
Sharu sat atop the examining platform, his expression one of regal boredom.
Elder Myros adjusted his glasses and peered at the beast. "Strange. I've never seen one like it. No crest, no aura signature of the known bloodlines."
Elder Vaneth frowned. "Are we sure it's not an aberrant mutation?"
"I felt the bond," Gareth said. "It's real."
Elder Sira stepped forward. "Let us try the Mirror Core."
She held out the orb. The moment Sharu's gaze touched it, the orb flickered—once, then dimmed to nothing.
Silence filled the chamber.
"Nothing," Sira said, stunned. "Not even a classification."
Gareth folded his arms. "Then?"
Elder Myros hesitated. "It is… an unknown. Possibly rare. Possibly weak. We cannot tell until it matures."
Cale scoffed under his breath. "Figures."
Gareth silenced him with a look. He turned back to Aren. "Regardless of its class… you've bonded. That earns you a place at the academy."
Aren's breath caught. He hadn't even dared hope to hear those words.
Gareth continued, "You'll leave in two days. Be prepared."
And with that, the meeting was over.
As they left the chamber, Mira rested a hand on his shoulder. "You did well, Aren. Truly."
Lina grinned. "Sharu's my favorite now. You're just the guy who carries him around."
Sharu meowed in agreement, his tail flicking with amusement.
Even Gareth's usual coldness seemed slightly thawed. As the family dispersed, Aren stood in the quiet hall with Sharu perched once more on his shoulder.
He'd done it.
Not just bonded—but been accepted. Even if it wasn't perfect, even if the road ahead was uncertain, Aren finally had what he'd longed for.
And deep in his mind, he felt Sharu's silent th
oughts—amused, curious, and far more intelligent than he let on—settle comfortably into place.
The journey had only just begun.
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