Chapter 182
The Frostbane blinked at me, tilting its head to the side, almost as if it were trying to understand the gravity of the situation. Its ears perked up again, and it resumed nibbling on a discarded piece of pizza crust, leaving grease stains on the floor and a trail of crumbs.
"But he’s just a baby!" Macaron insisted, flapping his wings in protest. "Look at him! He’s adorable! And besides, he’s hungry! And alone! We can’t just leave him out there."
I crossed my arms, the weight of my dilemma pressing heavily on my shoulders. "It’s not that simple, Macaron. What if he gets scared and starts using his powers, or worse, what if someone recognizes him? A Frostbane is known to be a fierce predator; even a ’kitten’ of his kind can cause chaos!"
As if on cue, the Frostbane let out a soft, rumbling growl, clearly content to be in our presence. But then, with a flash of surprising chill, the wooden floor beneath us froze, leaving a glossy sheen where the creature had sat.
"Come on, think about it," Macaron pleaded, fluttering closer to me, his little wings fidgeting in agitation. "If we don’t help him, who knows what will happen? It’s a cruel world out there for a rare beast like him. We have to protect him! Besides..." He leaned in closer, his big owl eyes widening earnestly, "you can’t deny he kind of matches our vibe, right? A pair of misfits!"
I sighed again, running my fingers through my hair. "No! What would happen if he got bigger and bigger? Obviously we can’t hide him no matter what."
Just as I thought I had made my point, the Frostbane abruptly ceased chewing and gazed at me with those impossibly large, pitiful eyes. It was a pleading look that reached deep into the core of my heart, making it difficult to resist the charm of this enchanting creature.
Licking his lips, he leaned toward me again, purring softly as he rubbed his head against my arm. "Okay, okay," I relented, the resolve slipping away. "Maybe we can keep him for a little while. But," I added, firming my tone, "you’ll stay at the company once they get the place built there. No more pets in this dorm!"
Hearing my words, the Frostbane let out a delighted purr, as if it understood the deal, and settled back against me, eyes half-closed in contentment.
For the entire day, Macaron and I tackled the mess in the dorm, working side by side to restore cleanliness. But when it came time to bathe the creature—whose fur was now a bizarre patchwork of sauces and crumbs—chaos struck again.
In his enthusiasm, the Frostbane unintentionally froze the entire dorm. Ice crept along every surface, turning our already-disheveled home into an arctic wasteland.