Just as Lira and Renkai began to relax into the quiet of the night, a soft pitter-patter on the wooden floor startled them awake.
From the shadows, a tiny, round creature emerged—about the size of a rabbit, covered in thick, soft fur that seemed to shimmer faintly in the dim light. Its large, golden eyes blinked innocently, and two little ears twitched like leaves in a gentle breeze. Short, stubby legs bounced as it hopped forward, and a small, fluffy tail twitched with curiosity.
Lira blinked. "Oh… it's… it's cute!" she whispered, though her heart was still racing.
Renkai tensed, hand instinctively reaching for the small dagger at his belt, but even he couldn't hide the soft smile tugging at his lips. "It's… fluffy," he said cautiously. "But why is it in here?"
