"Oooh, we're almost there!"
The mountain looms closer than ever, its towering snow-covered peak dominating the sky.
From this height, I can see everything—the trees, their branches weighed down by thick layers of frost, the rocky slopes, the winding paths weaving their way up toward the summit.
But more than that—
I can see life.
Animals.
White foxes dart across the snow, their fluffy tails flicking playfully as they chase each other in delighted circles.
A group of large, white-furred apes sits outside a cave, huddled together in a tight cluster, grooming one another, their warm breath forming soft, misty clouds in the frigid air.
Further ahead, I spot a tiger—its powerful body arching into a luxurious stretch, its muscles rippling beneath its thick winter coat.
Nearby, another tiger naps peacefully, curled up in the sun, its fur glowing under the light.
And then, I see sothing else.
Not just animals.
Monsters.
A towering snow golem trudges along a well-worn path, its massive, stone-like limbs coated in layers of ice, each step leaving deep imprints in the snow.
It moves without a care, its heavy arms swinging loosely, knocking down trees as if they were re twigs in its way.
I blink, my ears twitching.
Wait a minute…
"Eris, why are there so many animals here, but we didn't see any when we first entered the dungeon?"
Eris chuckles softly, her tail flicking in amusent. "Good question."
She gestures toward the mountain below us.
"First, because this area is separate from the dungeon's entrance—it's considered a D-rank zone. That ans it has a higher concentration of both monsters and natural wildlife."
I nod slowly, absorbing the explanation.
"And secondly," Eris continues, "if you were an animal with common sense, would you live near a dungeon entrance where hundreds of adventurers and hunters co in every day looking to kill you?"
"Oooooohh!!!"
Now that makes sense.
Of course they'd stay away from the danger zones, where adventurers are constantly passing through.
Survival instincts at their finest.
Eris tilts her head, glancing toward another clearing. "And furthermore, so monsters and animals tend to band together—even when they aren't the sa species—just to fend off adventurers."
I follow her gaze, my catgirl eyes narrowing slightly.
Then, I see it.
A battle.
Hell yeah!
A real fight!
A group of five adventurers is locked in combat, clashing against a pack of wolves and two massive, white-furred apes.
My eyes widen. Wait…!
Wolves and apes… working together?
I've never seen that before.
But as I watch the scene unfold, understanding dawns on .
To those monsters, humans are the real threat.
Adventurers invade their territory, hunt them down, wipe them out—so of course, they'd band together.
Not out of friendship.
Not out of so natural alliance.
But because they're fighting to live.
They aren't attacking for fun.
They're trying to survive.
As if sensing my curiosity, Inky slows down, his wingbeats shifting into a smoother, more controlled glide.
Below us, a wolf lunges at the adventurers, its fangs bared, a feral snarl ripping through the air.
But before it can land a hit…
The warrior with the massive shield intercepts it, his stance firm, his defense impenetrable.
A swordsman steps in, his blade flashing in the light as he swings.
The wolf yelps, stumbling backward, its blood staining the fresh snow.
Another adventurer thrusts his sword forward.
The wolf collapses, a dark crimson pool spreading beneath its unmoving form.
Two other wolves charge forward, but before they can reach the humans—
FWOOOSH!
A pair of fireballs explode from the mages standing in the backline.
The flas engulf the wolves instantly.
Burning fur.
Dying howls.
And then—silence.
I watch, my chest tightening.
I don't know why, but…
I feel bad for them.
The wolves and apes were just trying to survive.
But… if I beco an adventurer—
I'll have to do the sa thing.
I'll have to kill dungeon monsters and animals to make a living.
…
Eris exhales softly. "Hmmm… seems like they've got it handled. That's a pretty balance party!"
But as we continue flying, the scene below lingers in my mind, a quiet, uneasy weight settling in my chest.
"…Eris." I hesitate. "If those adventurers were losing, would you… step in and help them?"
"Of course!" Eris nods without hesitation. "Being an adventurer ans helping each other, right?"
"Right…"
That makes sense.
But my mind is still stuck on the wolves.
I bite my lip, my grip unconsciously tightening around Eris. My heart feels strangely heavy.
"…Hey, Eris…"
She tilts her head slightly. "Hmm?"
"I… erm…"
Eris glances back at —then smirks. "Hey, don't tell you're feeling bad for the wolves?"
I nod, my ears flicking downward. "Y-yes." My fingers clutch at the fabric of her coat. "I really do."
My voice trails off, barely above a whisper.
I don't know why I feel this way, but sothing about it just… feels wrong.
"…Eris." I swallow hard. "Am I… weird?"
For a mont, she doesn't answer.
Then—
Eris smirks softly.
"Nah, not at all."
Her hand reaches down, gently taking mine, fingers lacing between my own, grounding , steadying .
"I get it. Wolves are cute, right?"
I nod slowly.
"If possible, I'd love for us to coexist," she admits.
But then, her grip tightens.
Her voice dips lower, more serious.
"But they're monsters, Felicia. They are wild animals."
Her eyes flicker, cool and knowing as she looks forward.
"Do you think they feel the sa? Do you think they'd show us rcy?"
I open my mouth—
Then close it.
Because I already know the answer.
No.
They wouldn't.
And suddenly, the world feels a little colder.
"Believe it or not, that's exactly how humans and Furren used to feel about each other hundreds of years ago."
Her words settle over like a heavy weight, and I feel my chest tighten.
Right…
There was a ti when humans and Furren weren't allies, weren't neighbors, weren't friends.
They were enemies—hunting, killing, and fearing each other.
Now, we share cities, jobs, and hos, living side by side as if those brutal days were nothing more than a distant nightmare. But back then, it was never that simple.
It was just kill or be killed.
Eris's voice drops to a quiet murmur. "At the end of the day, Felicia, our lives are what truly matter."
There's no hesitation in her tone, no trace of doubt. Her words are calm, yet beneath them, there's sothing sharper—sothing unyielding.
"No matter who or what stands in front of you, if they want to hurt you, you fight back."
She turns slightly, and when our eyes et, the usual playfulness in her gaze is gone.
Instead, her blue eyes are steady, serious.
"And if necessary…" she says, voice quiet but firm, "you kill them."
I swallow hard, my throat dry.
Yes. I understand.
Kill if you don't want to be killed.
It's how the world works. It's just that simple.
I nod, gripping her hand a little tighter.
"Nn."
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