Varos dropped onto a thick fur the moment they reached the hut."Ahh… I'm exhausted," he said, setting down the massive bundle he had been carrying.
"That must have been hard," Astra said as she sat beside him.
Kaeris placed his own bundle down more quietly and took a seat next to Astra.
He really is the quiet type, Ardis thought, still cradled securely in Varos' arms.
"No, hard work" Varos said proudly. "Look at what we brought back."
He untied the knots of his bundle and carefully unfolded it.
"We managed to get a good amount of salt," he added, tapping one of the smaller wrapped packages.
Kaeris then opened his own bundle and took out a small wooden box, holding it out to Astra.
"For you," he said simply.
Astra accepted the box and opened it slowly."Oh my… it's a pearl necklace," she exclaimed softly.
The pearls shimmered beautifully, catching the light and scattering it gently across the room.
"He worked hard to get that," Varos said with a grin.
Then he reached back into his bundle and brought out a large, faintly glowing pearl, placing it carefully before Ardis.
"A little gift for the little one, from Kaeris," Varos said warmly. "He's a bit shy."He paused, clearly enjoying the suspense. "A night pearl… and now, for my beloved female."
He opened another small box. Inside lay a single red fruit.
"A moon fruit…" Astra gasped, her excitement quickly turning to worry. "That must have been dangerous. What level was the beast guarding it?"
"We were lucky," Kaeris replied calmly, taking out a small bluish pearl. "It was blue."
"We were worried the meat might spoil, so we dried most of it," Varos added, holding up strips of dried meat.
He passed small portions around. A tiny piece was given to Ardis, with some set aside for the cubs.
Ardis gulped down the meat, her eyes lighting up. It was delicious. Seeing her reaction, Astra smiled.
Finished eating, Ardis slithered over to Aeron, acting every bit like a baby—rubbing against him and rolling over.
"No," Aeron said, trying to keep a stern expression as he tapped her belly. "If you eat too much, you'll get a stomachache."
Seeing her charm fail, Ardis glanced around, then fixed her gaze on Sylas.But the moment Sylas noticed her look, he immediately scooted farther away.
Her cute attempt was unsuccessful, she shifted to a pitiful expression and turned to Sorin and Astra instead.
"You heard your father," Sorin said with an amused smile.
Varos laughed heartily. "She really liked it. Unfortunately, cubs can't have too much."
He then took out several beautiful, glittering shells.
"And this is from me," Varos said, handing Ardis a small shell that matched her eye color.
Ardis accepted the shell and the night pearl, then promptly handed both to Aeron to keep safe.
"You two should rest now. You must be tired," Astra said, looking at Varos and Kaeris.
"Yes," Varos replied cheerfully, kissing her cheek.
Kaeris followed, kissing her other cheek before the two headed to their room.
"We'll go hunt now," Aeron said as he carefully wrapped Ardis' gifts in fur.
"Be careful," Astra replied.
"Winter is only two months away," Sorin said, slinging a fur bag over his shoulder. "We need to prepare early. There might be a mass hunting season in a month."
"This winter, I should take Ardis out earlier," Aeron said with a frown. "It's her first winter… and it's coming sooner than expected."
"Yes," Sorin agreed. "The elders have noticed too. There will be a meeting after winter."
"Let's go," Sylas said.
Sylas, Sorin, and Aeron headed out, leaving the rest behind.
Ardis listened to their words, confused.
"Come, little one," Astra said softly, carrying her to the room where Varos and Kaeris were resting.
Time passed quickly as the family began preparing for winter.
Since the incident where Aeron saved Kaeris, an event that could have cost him his life, the tension between them had eased.
At the very least, there had been no conflict since.
Soon, a month passed, and the mass hunting season began.
Beastmen gathered in groups, heading out for two or three days at a time. The village was filled with the strong scent of blood as everyone stayed busy, drying meat, digging storage pits, repairing huts, and reinforcing walls for the coming cold.
Near the fox village lay the territories of the eagle, wolf, and snake clans. Though they rarely interfered with one another, cooperation during times like this was common.
The hunting lasted a little over half a month. By then, Aeron had already chosen a suitable cave for hibernation.
He took Ardis with him to inspect it, teaching her how to find the best spot, dry, sheltered, and safe from flooding.
It was there that Ardis finally saw her father's true beast form.
A massive black serpent, his scales dark as night, with piercing amber eyes that glowed softly in the dim light.
"Dad," Ardis said, her voice innocent and full of admiration, "when I grow up, I want to be like you, big and strong."
She felt as though her thoughts had grown simpler with time, matching her young age more closely now.
Aeron lowered his massive head, smiling gently."Yes," he said warmly. "You'll be even stronger."
Ardis had finally learned how to speak properly with her father. Still, she knew she would not be able to transform into a human until she turned five.
Soon, the time for hibernation arrived.
Ardis felt sadness well up inside her as she looked at everyone, tears gathering in her eyes.
"Don't worry, little one," Varos said gently, patting her head. "Time will pass in an instant. Just take a nap, and when you wake up, we'll be here again."
Ardis nodded slowly.
After saying their goodbyes, Aeron lifted Ardis into his arms. As they left, Ardis looked back again and again, unwilling to let the scene go.
They reached their sleeping cave after some time. Aeron carefully sealed the entrance, making sure no cold air could slip through.
Inside, the cave was dark and cold, untouched by fire. Ardis curled up on the fur, her eyelids growing heavy.
She slowly drifted into sleep.
Seeing her asleep, Aeron gently coiled his massive body around her, forming a protective circle.
Closing his eyes as well, he silently hoped their hibernation would pass without incident.
A few days later, snow began to fall.
Soon, everything was covered in white.
Not a single living creature was in sight, the hibernating beasts had already sunk into deep sleep, waiting for spring to return.