The forest wind twisted unnaturally—like the world was taking a breath it shouldn't have.
Qi surged through the ground, spiraling into a single point before splitting open the air.
Li Ming tensed. "That's not spatial distortion…"
Bai Guo's feathers bristled. "Don't tell me time's misbehaving again."
A blinding crack of lightning hit the ground right in front of them. The earth shook.
When the smoke cleared, something small and very loud stood in the middle of a fresh crater.
A tiny golden beast—fur glowing with faint lightning runes, two horns twitching, and an expression that could only be described as offended.
Li Ming blinked. "…Little Thunderbub?"
Lei Shan yawned, stretching like a cat. "Took you long enough, old man."
Bai Guo's beak dropped.
Lei Shan looked him dead in the eye.
Li Ming exhaled slowly. "And I'm guessing the universe didn't send you here for small talk?"
The cub puffed up proudly. "Correction—I sent me here. You owe me cuddles and snacks."
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