Argo exhaled, adrenaline still coursing through him at the kill. ''Warn me next time, girl,'' he said, stepping forward, resting a hand on the beast's side.
Her fur was warm, muscles still taut from the brief fight. He glanced at the Grassfang's body, lean but muscular, its claws still extended in death. ''Good work, though. That thing could've been trouble if it had surprised me.''
Artemis purred, nudging her head against his hip before dragging the carcass closer to the tree. Aslan padded over, casting a shadow as he inspected the kill, clearly eager to claim a share. Argo shook his head, a faint smile tugging at his lips. ''Alright, you two, save some for camp. We're not eating out here in the open.''
He gestured toward their safety for the night, its twisted roots offering a natural hollow for their camp. The savannah's sounds felt sharper now, a reminder of the dangers lurking beyond in the darkness. Argo took the Bristlehare off his shoulder, setting it down against the trunk, and began gathering dry grass and twigs for a fire.
''We'll rest here,'' he revealed. ''Artemis, Aslan, keep watch while I set up. Athena, scout the area.''
The owl hooted softly, taking off. Artemis dropped the Grassfang near the roots, her eyes glinting as she licked a speck of blood from her muzzle. 'Tastes better than Hog,' she teased through the bond, glancing at Aslan, who huffed in mock offense.
Argo chuckled, striking flint to spark a small flame, and he pulled from his pack. As the fire crackled to life, casting flickering shadows across the tree's bark, he felt the weight of the savannah's vastness settle around them. With Artemis's fresh kill at their feet and the southern mountains looming in the distance.
''Eat your food,'' he remarked, nodding to Artemis. ''But stay sharp. We've got a long night ahead.''
After setting up camp, Argo crafted a lean-to from tree branches, making sure he had a dry shelter in case of rain. He then dragged the rabbit's body closer and skillfully began skinning it. He wanted to harvest the pelt for a new cloak once he had enough materials after hunting a few more beasts.
Meanwhile, Aslen tossed the hog near the fire, casting a glance at Argo that sparked a grin on his face. ''Thank you, boy,'' he commented, rubbing the lion's ear. ''I'll skin it, take some meat, then you can have the rest.''
Argo spent a few hours carefully skinning the beasts, then hung the hides to dry overnight. This way, he could store them in his pack and finish curing them properly upon returning home. In the meantime, he began cooking a slab of meat, covering it in the spices he collected from the forest.
The beasts were all busy eating, even Athena flew down and tore into the Grassfang's corpse as Artemis shared with her. Aslan was busy chewing at the Hog's body, ripping thick strips off it, causing him to mutter. ''Glad I watched mother butcher all those creatures and learned how to do it.''
Argo shook his head with a wry smile, patiently waiting as his food cooked over the fire, the aroma rising for a few more minutes. Suddenly, low growls echoed from the darkness, drawn by the scent of roasting meat. A foul smell hit him moments later, Night Screamers. His jaw tightened; he despised those beasts with a burning passion.
'Damn Coyotes,' he thought.
''As, Art. We have Screamers inbound,'' Argo warned. ''They'll try to nip at us if we don't deal with them now.''
The American Lion raised its head, unleashing a ferocious growl that echoed across the savannah, sending the creatures scattering in fear. Their footsteps faded into the distance, leaving them safe for the night. Seconds later, the smell of cooked meat reached his nose, making his stomach rumble.
As the Night Screamers slunk back into the shadows, their hunger sated, Argo relished his rabbit, the rich, tender meat filling him until his stomach bulged. Before climbing under the lean-to, he carefully set aside strips of meat to dry for breakfast. Exhausted yet pleased, he slipped beneath it, the soft crackle of the fire coaxing him into a deep, restful sleep.
The next morning, he awoke refreshed as sunlight pierced the canopy, its warmth coaxing him from the lean-to. A cool breeze brushed his skin, invigorating him. He shook his head with a faint smile, grabbed some of the dried meat, and chewed while nearby beasts slumbered, their growls silenced by the dawn.
Argo continued eating as he scanned the mountains in the distance, picking one to climb so he could get Skysilk Thread and the wing of a Cavebat. He spotted one he wanted to traverse and chose it.
Afterward, Athena was the first one to wake up, greeting him in a groggy voice. 'Morning, Arg. Was your sleep good?'
He glanced at the Grey Owl, who shook her head and flew to a closer branch and answered. ''Yes, it was, at least I didn't have to sleep in a tree like before.''
Her laughter rang out as the two massive cats stirred from their slumber, stretching lazily before padding over to greet him. With the morning breeze at their backs, the group pressed on toward the towering mountains. Argo pointed to a jagged peak piercing the sky that was their destination.
''That's the one I'm climbing,'' he revealed to the beasts. ''It's crawling with Storm Moths and Cave Bats.''
They trekked onward, the path toward the mountains crunching beneath his feet. Athena soared overhead, her piercing cries cutting through the crisp morning air as she scouted the trail ahead. The two big cats, their sleek muscles rippling under tawny fur, prowled in wide circles around him, their presence warding off any predators lurking in the underbrush.
Argo pressed on until he reached the base of the mountain, where a narrow, winding path snaked upward through jagged rocks. Artemis, the larger of the two cats, took point, her powerful strides leading the way. He followed close behind, while Aslan brought up the rear, his keen eyes scanning the shadows for threats.
High above, Athena glided in tight circles, her keen eyes scanning the rugged mountain slopes for any sign of danger. Argo trudged upward until the path steepened into a daunting climb, stopping short at the base of a sheer cliff face, vines draped from the top to the ground where he stood.
He let out a sigh, sizing up the challenge, his hand already reaching for the nearest vine to test its strength. Argo gripped the coarse vines as he began his ascent up the sheer cliff face. Each pull was planned, his muscles straining against the weight of his pack, but his focus intensified.
Below, Artemis and Aslan paused, knowing they couldn't climb. They returned to the Beast Realm until he reached the top, leaving him alone on the climb. Athena's hoot echoed, her wings cutting through the crisp air as she kept watch, ensuring no threat caught him off guard.
He glanced up, the peak still shrouded in mist, and muttered to himself. ''Just you and me now.''
Argo's muscles burned as he pulled himself higher, vine by vine, the cliff's face looming menacingly over him. A sudden whoosh sliced through the air, jerking his head toward the sound. A massive bird known as Golden Wings by the Varna, its feathers glinting in the sunlight, dove toward him.
But he knew it as an African Crowned Eagle; it was larger than the ones on Earth, easily man-sized. Before he could react, Athena shrieked and plummeted, thwarting the beast mid-flight. Her talons tore into the eagle, sending a flurry of gold spiraling downward as the two birds clashed in a frenzy of wings and screeches, their struggle echoing off the mountain.
The Grey Owl tore into the massive bird with ferocity, her talons shredding feathers and flesh despite the Golden Wings being bigger. The eagle shrieked, its feathers scattering like embers as it desperately tried to flee, but Athena was diving after it. Argo's breath caught, stunned by her savagery; she was tiny compared to the beast, yet her fury overwhelmed it.
Argo was surprised, but his smile widened as the Grey Owl swooped down and started protecting him again as he began climbing once again. By the time he reached the top, his muscles were burning. He continued, ignoring the ache when he reached the edge. He pulled himself up and slumped down, catching his breath.
''Damn cliff face,'' he said, breathing heavily.
His chest rose as his energy returned, as Athena landed by his head, giggling. 'That Golden Wings was close, but they're big brutes.'
Argo chuckled at her words and sat up, only to be shocked by the sight he was witness to as the savannah stretched into the horizon. Bordering the sea on one side and a massive forest that he couldn't see the end of. While sitting there, Artemis stepped out of the Beast Realm, revealing. 'Aslan is resting, and finishing the Hog.'