Rumble!
The sounds of pursuit drew closer—the sharp crack of snapping trees and the thunderous boom of grinding boulders rang incessantly in their ears! The Iron-Armored Rhino had clearly lost all semblance of reason; following the scent left by its calves and the humans, it charged forward in a blind frenzy.
"Ahead! Into that boulder field!" Bolin yelled, pointing toward an area of complex terrain dominated by towering, jagged rocks. This was the spot he had pre-selected—the only place that might temporarily hinder the rhino's charge!
Giving their all, the three of them spurred their horses into the stone forest at the very last second before being overtaken.
Boom!
Almost the instant they entered, the rhino's massive frame slammed violently into the edge of the boulder field, shattering several immense rocks into dust! However, the complex terrain finally imposed a limit on its momentum; it could no longer rampantly steamroll forward as it did on the open plains.
"Moo! MOOO—!"
Outside the stone forest, the Iron-Armored Rhino roared and battered its surroundings in madness, sending boulders flying as it attempted to force its way in, only to be stalled by the labyrinthine environment.
"Go! Don't stop!"
Masked by the giant rocks, the group continued their retreat toward Blackstone Town. Behind them, the rhino's defiant, maddened bellows and the constant sound of splintering stone echoed through the air. The entire valley was plunged into chaos by the Rank 3 beast's rage, and many unfortunate small magical beasts lost their lives in this unforeseen disaster.
Only after they had traveled a great distance and the roars had faded completely did they dare to slacken their pace. Without lingering, they made a forced march until the blurred silhouette of Blackstone Town appeared, finally allowing them to exhale in relief.
The three men looked at each other—all were soot-stained, disheveled, and clad in tattered clothes.
"Hahaha..."
Seeing each other's wretched appearances, they burst into hearty laughter. As the outline of the town grew clearer in the twilight, their taut nerves finally relaxed. That explosive, post-peril laughter had drained much of their remaining strength, leaving only exhaustion and a sense of fulfillment.
"We're finally back," Bolin muttered, wiping the grime from his face, his voice raspy. The small rhino he carried was still squirming restlessly, emitting tiny "nnh-nnh" sounds. The one on Ed's shoulder was the heaviest, making his steps stumble slightly, yet his face was alight with excitement.
"My Lord, these two little rascals are quite something!"
By the time they entered Blackstone Town, night had fallen completely. Sparse lamplights flickered in the evening breeze. Leylo did not head straight to his quarters; instead, he led them on a detour to the stables. This area was spacious enough to house these two "hot potatoes."
"Ed, stay here and keep an eye on them." In the stable, the two calves huddled together, rubbing against each other, looking much calmer. "Get some clean fodder and water. These things might look small, but they've got immense strength."
"Don't you worry, My Lord," Ed promised, patting his chest as he herded the calves into a corner. "Leave them to me. I'll make sure they grow up white and chubby... uh, no, black and sturdy!" He laughed at his own joke, looking at the calves' obsidian-dark hides.
Leylo nodded. Ed was loyal and reliable; he intended for Ed to eventually contract with one of the rhinos, so letting them bond now was a wise move.
Leylo then walked alone, not immediately seeking out Mayor Buck. He circled the perimeter of the town, checking the small traps he had quietly set before entering the town that morning. Sure enough, near the bushes at the town's edge, several simple trip-wire traps made of resilient vines and wooden stakes had yielded a harvest.
In the traps, several plump, sand-colored creatures were struggling in vain. They looked somewhat like marmots—roughly the same size—with round bodies, short legs, and tiny black-bean eyes that darted about with a touch of silliness. Lacking aggression, they merely whimpered as the vines entangled their legs. These were the common magical pests of the Blackstone Mountains—Sand Rats.
Just as Leylo prepared to collect the prey, a silver-white shadow flickered past him like a ghost!
"Moonlight?" Leylo raised an eyebrow. Considering the danger of stealing the rhino calves, he had left Moonlight behind in the town. Like a flow of liquid moonlight, the creature darted and leaped through the town's dim corners with extreme agility.
Moonlight landed gracefully on a low wall, perking its ears as if listening for something. The next second, it lunged. Fast as lightning! With a swipe of its claws, a Sand Rat attempting to scurry back into its burrow was fished out and tossed aside. The rat spun around, dazed, and before it could react, Moonlight pinned it down with a paw.
Moonlight seemed to find this "hunting game" endlessly entertaining. It wasn't in a hurry to kill; instead, like a cat playing with mice, it "swept" through the town. Wherever there was the slightest movement of a Sand Rat, it pounced with surgical precision, dragging out the rodents trying to forage or dig tunnels in the night.
Before long, a dozen Sand Rats subdued by Moonlight were piled near Leylo's traps, sprawled on the ground like a heap of round potatoes. Leylo smiled at Moonlight's efficient "work."
Just then, Old Buck approached slowly, carrying an oil lamp. "What does the Mayor intend to do with these Sand Rats?" Leylo asked.
"Sand Rats, eh..." Old Buck stroked his beard, a glint in his clouded eyes as he leaned in and poked the fattest one with his cane. "These things look unremarkable, but the meat is firm and lacks any earthy musk. Especially when slow-roasted over fruitwood until the grease starts 'sizzling' out... that flavor... tsk tsk, it's quite unique!"
Leylo felt a stir of appetite. After a long day of toil and a heart-pounding escape, his stomach was long since empty. Looking at the heap of plump rats, he could almost smell the roasting meat.
Fires were lit, and the meat was grilled. Soon, the aroma of roasting meat mingled with the fragrance of fruitwood, drifting through the night sky of Blackstone Town. As the scent spread, Moonlight's saliva began to drip.
Leylo, Ed, and Bolin sat around the bonfire, each clutching a charred, golden-brown Sand Rat and taking large bites. Old Buck was right; the meat had a special flair—crispy skin, firm and bouncy meat, and a faint hint of fruitwood smoke. It was far more delicious than imagined.
Moonlight crouched nearby, enjoying its spoils. Ever since following Leylo, it only ate cooked food. Despite catching many rats earlier, it hadn't touched a single raw one. Now, holding a roasted rat with its furry paws, it ate with great relish, purring contentedly.
The night deepened, and the bonfire crackled. From the distant stables, the occasional uneasy lowing of the rhino calves drifted through the air.