章 86: A Little Fuzzball

I held my breath. It was still a long way till dusk, too early for most beasts of prey to be hunting. What could this be?

My grip on the sword hilt tightened. Cautiously, I inched closer to where the tip of the grass rustled and twitched, keeping my steps soundless. Bai Ye did the same, moving silently behind me, and when we were within reach of the thing, I slashed my blade forward, cutting through the undergrowth.

Though my sword stilled when I saw my target beneath its covers.

It was a lion cub, only a few months old, curled up in the grass like a little golden fuzzball. The slash of my sword must've caught its attention, but it didn't seem scared when it fixed its bright orange eyes on me and opened its mouth in a yawn.

It looked … too cute. My hand holding the sword lowered. "Hi there," I whispered, trying my best to sound non-threatening.

Its little ears twitched, and it opened its mouth again, letting out a soft meow.