The morning at Hearthwild broke bright and clear, the mist burning off the stones as if even the air itself was in a hurry.Kalen had just finished feeding the cubs — a chaotic ballet of fur, feathers, flames, and flung fruit — when the front gate creaked open with a familiar shriek.

  Two figures stepped through, both grinning, both trouble.

  "Permission to invade?" Jace called, holding a lumpy cloth bag in one hand and waving dramatically with the other.Talia followed at a more dignified pace, though the small twitch of her lips gave her away.

  Kalen wiped his hands on his tunic and leaned against the gatepost. "Depends. You bring snacks?"

  "Better!" Jace declared, thumping his bag onto the ground. "We bring money."

  Kalen raised an eyebrow. "Now you're speaking my language."

  They met in the courtyard, where Milo immediately scampered up Kalen’s shoulder to glare suspiciously at the newcomers.Daisy fluffed her feathers beside him, a little empress guarding her throne.Behind them, the side cubs peered out from the garden — curious but cautious.

  "We’ve got our first official mission with the Adventurers' Guild," Talia explained, pulling a slim folded scroll from her coat. The guild's crimson crest gleamed on the seal."Low risk. Standard Rift exploration and resource gathering. Minor zone, no major surges reported."

  Jace huffed. "Supposedly."

  "We want backup," Talia continued, glancing at the cubs. "And... well... we thought it would be smart to rent from the best."

  Kalen blinked. "You want to rent the cubs?"

  Jace grinned. "Two each. One bonded, one borrowed. Gives us more coverage — and it gives you more business."

  He jingled a pouch of coins for emphasis.

  Kalen hesitated only a moment.Then he smiled.

  They trusted him.They trusted Hearthwild.

  He wouldn't let them down.

  "Alright," he said. "Standard rental procedure. No soul bond, just a temporary mana link through a rental bracelet. It lets them borrow some of your mana for skills, but nothing deep enough to cause harm if the link snaps."

  "And if something goes wrong?" Talia asked, though she already knew.

  "If they’re about to take fatal damage, the contract forces a desummon," Kalen said. "Automatic. You get a mana backlash, like a bad cramp, but they come home safe."

  "Price?" Jace asked, already fishing in his bag.

  Kalen smirked. "Iron-ranked beasts are three Iron Coins per day. Per beast."

  Jace mock-collapsed against a fencepost. "Robbery!"

  Talia rolled her eyes. "Jace, that's literally pocket change."

  "Still! The principle of the thing!"

  Rental paperwork — simple mana-inscribed scrolls that pulsed faintly under Kalen’s touch — was completed quickly.

  As they finished, both Talia and Jace summoned their bonded beasts with light pulses of mana.

  Kalen raised an eyebrow, amused."You know they were already here, right? No need for the grand summoning."

  Jace grinned shamelessly."It's for presentation! Gotta make the deal feel official."

  Talia gave a much more practical shrug."Guild rental regulations require visible confirmation of summoned companions before linking contracts."Then she added, dryly, "And besides, Webber likes formalities."

  The spider, perched now on her shoulder, gave an unsettlingly dignified little twitch — as if agreeing.

  Meanwhile, Jace summoned Dozer with a grandiose flourish — the tortoise blinking slowly and immediately making a beeline for the garden.

  "Don't worry," Jace said, pointing after him. "He only eats premium weeds."

  Now came the fun part.Choosing.

  Kalen knelt down near the cubs, who had gathered in a loose, curious knot around the garden path.Milo sat proudly at Kalen’s shoulder, but the side cubs edged closer — drawn by the newcomers' energy.

  Talia smiled softly and crouched so she was at their level.Instead of reaching out immediately, she turned her head slightly toward Webber, who perched on her shoulder like a patient sentinel.

  "Webber," she murmured just above a whisper, her voice thoughtful, "who do you think would work best with us?"

  The spider shifted — a faint ripple through his body like a stone dropped into still water.His many eyes gleamed faintly, scanning the cubs.He twitched one limb almost imperceptibly toward the grass where Wisp hovered shyly behind a patch of taller weeds.

  Talia followed the subtle motion, her gaze softening.

  She extended her hand, palm up, toward the hidden cub."Would you like to come with us?" she asked gently.

  For a long moment, no one moved.

  Then Wisp took a careful step forward.One hoof, then another.Drawn not by command, but by something quieter — a pulse of calmness that Talia and Webber offered together.

  Wisp nosed her hand lightly, then stood beside her without another sound.

  Talia smiled and ruffled his delicate mane with a feather-light touch."Good choice," she whispered — meant for both Wisp and Webber.

  Meanwhile, Jace clapped his hands together loudly, startling half the cubs.

  "Loyal beasts of Hearthwild!" he announced, sweeping his arms out dramatically. "Today, you have the chance to join the Glorious Crusade for Wealth and Shiny Things!"

  Milo groaned softly and buried his face in Kalen’s shoulder.Kalen hid his smile behind one hand.

  "Riches beyond imagination!" Jace continued, pacing like a battle general. "Mana crystals! Treasure troves! Unclaimed fortunes waiting to be plucked by the clever and the brave!"

  He paused for dramatic effect, scanning the cubs.

  "Who among you," he intoned gravely, "is ready to seize greatness?"

  Shiny scuttled forward so fast he left a dust trail.Pebble forgotten, claws waving triumphantly, the little crab nearly collided with Jace’s boots before spinning in a tight circle of enthusiasm.

  Jace beamed like a proud king."I knew it," he said, scooping Shiny up onto his shoulder. "A true visionary."

  Shiny clacked his claws in apparent agreement.

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  Kalen laughed openly now, standing up.

  "They chose you," he said simply.

  Not assigned.Not ordered.Chose.

  And somehow, that made it feel even more right.

  Rental bracelets were clipped on — thin bands of mana-forged silver that pulsed once as they bound renter and beast in a light tether.No deep soul bond.No overwhelming mana drain.Just enough connection to share strength when needed.

  They set out a few minutes later, laughter still lingering in the air.Two friends.Two bonded beasts.Two borrowed cubs.And a whole world waiting beyond the Sanctuary walls.

  ?? Rift Trouble

  The Rift zone was as mild as advertised — a crumbling canyon shot through with veins of raw mana stone, faintly glowing in the shadows.

  Talia and Jace moved cautiously, their beasts at their sides.

  Webber stayed high, stringing silken tripwires that shimmered faintly in the filtered light.

  Dozer plodded ahead, an immovable wall when needed.

  But Rift zones were never truly safe.

  The attack came without warning — a Rift beast, sleek and scaled, lunging from the broken ground like a living spear.

  Webber reacted first.

  A blast of mana flared along his legs — thin strands of silk snapping into taut, glowing lines between rocks and trees.

  The Rift beast slammed into them — tangled, slowed, snapping furiously.

  Dozer, with surprising speed, charged.

  A faint blue glow shimmered around his jaws as he bit down on the beast’s shoulder — a mana-charged bite that cracked scales like riverstone.

  The Rift beast shrieked, struggling, but Webber’s traps held it long enough for the others to rally.

  But it wasn’t alone.

  From the far side of the canyon, two more Rift beasts — leaner, with sharp, glinting hides — burst from the shadows.

  One barreled toward the junior recruits.The other angled straight for the main group.

  Talia’s hand shot up instinctively.

  "Webber — extend the traps! Dozer, hold the line!"

  Jace grinned fiercely and nudged Shiny forward. "Grand distraction mode! Go!"

  Webber skittered along the ridge, weaving hasty but effective extra snares. The rocky walls around them started to shimmer with faint, sticky lines, ready to catch anything that moved too fast.

  Dozer lumbered into position, lowering his shell like a living barricade.

  When the second Rift beast lunged, Dozer took the full hit — his heavy body sliding back a few feet but holding firm.

  A dull thrum of mana pulsed through the ground as Dozer slammed forward, the stone beneath him cracking slightly as he body-checked the Rift beast off-balance.

  Meanwhile, Shiny was a whirlwind of chaos.

  The little crab darted forward, waving a glittering stone like a banner.

  The approaching beast snarled and snapped toward the movement — just in time for Shiny to scuttle under it and clamp its ankle viciously with a mana-sparked pinch.

  The beast howled, distracted long enough for Dozer to ram it again.

  "Good boy!" Jace whooped. "Pinch their wallets next!"

  Shiny clacked triumphantly and scuttled back into position, dragging his shiny bait like a champion banner.

  On the edges of the canyon, chaos spread.

  Other recruits' beasts — young falcons, a small earth weasel, a timid fox cub — panicked or scattered.

  Two beasts bolted outright.One huddled behind a rock.

  The contrast was stark.

  Where the Hearthwild cubs adapted, fought, and supported each other, the others froze or fled.

  And then there was Wisp.

  The little deer cub darted through the chaos like a thread of living mist.

  Instead of attacking, he brushed lightly against his allies — a soft, pulsing touch that sent a surge of stabilizing mana into Webber’s limbs, into Dozer’s battered muscles, into Shiny’s scuttling form.

  Each touch sharpened reflexes.Hardened strikes.Tightened focus.

  Not flashy — but vital.

  And even without antlers or strength yet, Wisp was a force.

  Talia barked orders from her position, voice crisp.

  "Trap their movements! Webber, left flank! Jace, distract the second one!"

  "On it!" Jace called, tossing a handful of shiny pebbles in an arc like a madman. Shiny launched after them gleefully — the Rift beasts tracking the movement for half a breath too long.

  Enough time for Webber’s traps to snare one.Enough time for Dozer to body-slam the other into a shallow ravine.

  The battle was messy, improvised, and fast.

  But it was won.

  Not because of raw power.

  Because of teamwork.

  Panting slightly, Jace straightened, brushing dust off his sleeves.

  Talia checked the recruits quickly — two minor injuries, a twisted ankle, some shallow claw-marks.Nothing fatal.

  Wisp darted between them, spreading a soft soothing light that dulled the worst of the pain almost instantly.

  Even the guild veteran accompanying them gave Wisp a long, measuring look — not suspicious, but deeply curious.

  Meanwhile, Shiny... was busy.

  Even as the dust settled, Jace felt a familiar tug at his mana link.

  He turned to see Shiny scrabbling furiously at a loose outcrop of stone — unearthing another small cache of raw mana ore.

  Even after a battle, even amid wreckage, the crab cub prioritized shiny loot.

  "You are my greatest investment," Jace whispered reverently, scooping up the stone and slipping it into his pouch.

  Shiny clicked his claws smugly.

  The Rift beasts lay sprawled or fled, the field finally quiet.

  The Hearthwild cubs gathered instinctively around their partners — scarred but proud, bruised but standing.

  And even among the junior recruits, whispers had started.

  Whispers about the spider who snared Rift beasts with golden silk.The tortoise who could hold the line against monsters.The crab who found treasure even in battle.The deer who healed wounds with a touch.

  And behind it all, in the cooling wind that swept across the shattered canyon floor, a simple truth settled:

  Hearthwild was raising something different.

  Not just beasts.

  Legends.

  ?? March Home

  Cleanup was brisk.

  Cleanup was brisk but careful.Two fallen recruits were stabilized — one with a twisted ankle, another nursing shallow claw-marks across his side.

  The worst injuries were minor, but the atmosphere had shifted.

  The junior adventurers kept stealing glances at Wisp and Shiny, murmuring quietly among themselves.It wasn’t just admiration anymore.It was curiosity.Envy.Wonder.

  Jace, catching the looks, couldn’t resist.He threw an arm around Shiny — who proudly waved a small mana pebble like a flag — and called out in a stage whisper:

  "First taste is free, folks! Full Hearthwild rentals available! Early access to tomorrow’s legends! Lock in your bookings before the waitlist gets crazy!"

  Talia groaned under her breath but didn’t correct him.

  Instead, when one of the limping recruits stumbled again, she acted.

  "Webber," she murmured.

  The spider shifted on her shoulder, shimmering faintly as he spun a gleaming thread between his forelimbs.It wasn’t just silk — it was mana-woven fiber, delicate but pulsing with gentle stabilizing energy.

  Talia knelt beside the injured recruit and wound the glowing thread lightly around his twisted ankle, forming a flexible, self-tightening bandage.

  The boy gasped as the pain eased immediately — far more than any standard field dressing would allow.

  A guild veteran escorting the group raised an eyebrow.

  "You trained that trick yourself?"

  Talia just smiled cryptically."Part of the Hearthwild package."

  The man gave her a long, considering look, but said nothing more.

  They walked in silence a while longer, the Sanctuary's distant hills finally coming into view.

  "I mean," Jace said at last, adjusting Shiny’s position with care, "what are the odds, right? Shiny sniffs out treasure. Wisp stabilizes a kid better than a city healer. And Dozer's over here chomping Rift monsters like candy."

  He laughed again, quieter this time.

  "And Webber... he laid traps like he’d been training for years."

  Talia didn’t answer immediately.

  She was watching Wisp — the little deer moving without fear, without hesitation, his head held high.

  "I think Hearthwild isn’t just raising beasts," she said finally."I think it’s raising legends."

  Jace grinned."And we’re getting in early."

  The sun was setting by the time they reached the Sanctuary gates.

  Kalen was waiting — Milo perched lazily at his shoulder, Daisy tucked under one arm.

  As soon as the rental bracelets were unclicked, Wisp and Shiny rushed to Kalen — not out of obligation, but pure, joyful loyalty.

  Kalen laughed and scooped Shiny up under one arm as Wisp nuzzled his side.

  "Good missions?" Kalen asked.

  Talia smiled."The best."

  Jace wiped pretend tears from his eyes.

  "My little entrepreneur found enough shiny rocks to fund a retirement plan."

  Shiny clacked triumphantly.

  As the cubs scattered back into the courtyard, and the firelight began to crackle to life, Jace clapped a hand on Talia’s shoulder.

  "We're gonna need to start paying legend insurance," he said solemnly.

  Talia laughed — a bright, clear sound — and for a moment, Hearthwild felt like the center of the world.

  Because maybe... just maybe...It was.