As Fay was finishing his watch, he began to hear the distinct sound of thunder in the distance. It cracked a few times, loud enough to wake both cats before their scheduled turn.
[Boy, did you hear that just now?]
The cheetah-like girl, Honha, called out to Fay. She was known for summoning a large fishing eagle and often hunted alone due to her formidable power.
"Yes… That's the first one I've heard," Fay replied, somewhat wary of her tone.
She and the man beside her began to argue about something, which only increased Fay's concern. The cloud—or whatever was causing the lightning—was drawing closer with each passing second.
[Little hunter, go tell the chief. It's Sumarg. My friend will sound the drum—we need to run!]
Honha's voice rang with urgency. The other cat was already leaping from one cliff edge to the other. Fay wasn't as fast, but he turned and sprinted down the path he knew best.
The moonlight was beginning to disappear behind gathering clouds, and the drizzle made the stones slick and difficult to grip. Still, he pressed on with all the speed he could muster. In the last two meters, he leapt down and began running straight toward the leader's tent.
"Leader!"
He didn't have to wait long. The tribe's best warrior emerged, his daughter following close behind.
[Normal rain or is there a problem?]
The urgency in his voice was unlike anything Fay had heard before. He didn't hesitate.
"Smarg—no, Sumarg? They told me to inform you, Chief!" Fay shouted as the loud sounds of drumming began to be heard in the background.
Before he could finish, the tribe leader let out a fierce roar, waking the entire camp.
[Get your sister. Follow the warriors. We must help everyone take shelter in the deep caves—now!]
At the mention of his sister, Fay ran toward their tent just as heavy winds began to rise. Parts of the fencing collapsed, and several of the cats dashed for cover.
"Mira! Mira! Get out—we need to run!"
Fay pushed through the tent flap, but there was no voice, no movement, no one inside.
His heart raced. He began running in circles. The only other place she could have gone was the bathroom area—but the wind was howling, and everyone was running, making everything more chaotic.
Fay kept searching, calling out for his sister, but even as the rain began to pour harder, there was no sign of her.
"Mira!"
Desperate, Fay summoned Grin. The large carnivore, with its keen sense of smell, might be able to track her.
"Grin, find Mira!" Fay commanded.
The creature gave a soft, playful giggle before darting off to follow a scent trail. The rain was intensifying, the wind turning colder by the minute, and more and more catfolk were vanishing into shelter.
Fay ran after his beast, uncertain if he was heading in the right direction—but he didn't doubt the creature, who was sprinting at full speed.
The rain soon grew so heavy that he could barely see ahead. His companion was far out of sight, and with no torchlight to guide him, the darkness became a wall. He wanted to rush to catch up, but the lack of visibility held him back.
He cried out once more, nearing the edge where the canyon wall curved inward, offering some shelter from the downpour.
[Guide, or whatever you are—can you help me here? What do I do? How do I know where my beast is?]
Fay stopped, desperate, turning to the only one who might be able to help. Until now, he had lived each day as it came, too busy—and too afraid of his creatures—to truly understand them.
[Not the best time to start learning… but to be a proper summoner, you need this kind of drive. Now, call your creature. You should be able to connect with it—it has enough energy from today for that much. Concentrate on your hands, the jewels, and the link that binds you.]
Fay looked down at the two red jewels embedded in his hands. He closed his eyes and focused, trying to shut out the fear clouding his thoughts, along with the roaring wind, the torrent of rain, the streaks of lightning, and the crashing thunder above.
It didn't feel natural. It was as if something—or someone—was behind this storm.
But for now, he forced his mind to go quiet.
There, in his hands, he felt the presence of one creature—it was Jolt. The lizard had always seemed to be with him, lingering close by even when unsummoned.
But Jolt wasn't the one he needed right now. Fay focused harder, searching for the link that bound him to Grin.
With his eyes closed, he imagined a glowing red string, pulsing with magic. When he opened his eyes again, it was still there, extending in the direction he had been running before. Its glow didn't light up the surroundings, but it was bright enough to follow—and he did. Not a second was wasted.
Keeping the link active, however, made him feel slightly weaker. Still, he pushed forward, not stopping even when he slipped or stumbled over a fallen log. Up ahead, the red string seemed to pulse brighter.
"Grin, are you there?!"
Fay shouted.
He could tell it wasn't far now—just a few meters ahead. The moment he called out, he heard the familiar, muffled sound of his beast.
As soon as he called out he heard the characteristic sound of his beast, his call though seemed muffled.
A surge of panic rose in him as he pushed forward even faster. A sudden flash of lightning lit up the landscape, and there he saw Grin—his creature stood firm, within his mouth he had the shirt of his sister, she was dangling from it.
Fay ran even faster and noticed that she was alive, only coughing as if she had been pulled out of water.
"Grin! Thank you!"
Fay rushed in, lifting his sister into his arms. She was alive.
Holding her tightly, he ran to the nearest shelter with Grin close behind.
"You can rest now, Grin. I'll call you if something happens," Fay said, sparing a moment to pat his creature.
For the first time, he felt an unmistakable pulse of joy radiate back through the glowing red string. It pulsed once more—warmly—before fading from sight.
Fay looked down at his sister, still cradled in his arms. A few tears slipped from his eyes as his racing heartbeat finally began to slow.
But now he was shivering. So was Mira. He knew he had to warm her quickly before something serious happened.
He had long heard stories of people who didn't survive the cold, who slipped into sleep and never woke again.
The only place that could offer that was deeper within the canyon—a cavity just tall enough to shield him from the rushing water and deep enough to protect them both from the wind.