Hajin started down the mountain trail with the boy latched onto his chest, every step sending a dull pulse through his cracked ribs.
The kid had not moved an inch since they left the cavern, perfectly content to hang off his collar like a piece of living armor.
'At least he's quiet,' he thought, adjusting his grip under the boy's legs, 'that's more than I can say for the rest of my household.'
Aria flickered into existence on his shoulder, settling into her usual spot without acknowledging the child hanging an inch below her.
"Preliminary analysis is complete," she stated plainly, projecting a small screen in front of his face while he walked.
[ Subject: Guardian Beast — Apex Lineage ]
[ Species: Unregistered ]
[ Age: 0 Days ]
[ Growth Rate: Immeasurable ]
[ Bond Type: Imprint — Primary Caretaker ]
He read the screen twice on the way down, his eyes settling on that last line with a slowly growing sense of dread.
