Bahamut washed his hands in the stream again, stood, and moved toward the fire as if nothing out of the ordinary had just happened. The night had fully settled now, and the forest dimmed into layered shadows, the canopy above swallowing what little light the sky offered.
The fire had become the center of the world, its light pushing the darkness back.
He skewered thick strips of the Treant Bear's meat onto sharpened branches and set them over the flames. Far sizzled as it dripped, causing sparks to jump upward in response. The smell was heavy and rich, filling the clearing and overpowering the lingering scent of blood and burned flesh.
'I wonder just how this all real...'
Ren hopped over and sat beside the fire, his ears twitching.
"You didn't even hesitate," Ren said, watching the meat cook. "Most would cry first, panic, or apologize."
"I did apologize before doing it," Bahamut replied without looking at him.
Ren snorted cutely, his nose twitching. "That barely counts."
