A Golden Pet

Asimil shook his head, trying to dispel the buzzing left in his ears by that unknown woman's voice. With legs still trembling, he forced himself to walk towards the supply stalls. He had a scroll to deliver, and time in Altverse waited for no one.

However, after just a few meters, he felt a presence.

At first, he thought it was another aggressor, but when he turned, he only saw the emptiness of the marketplace. He walked ten more steps and turned abruptly. There it was. The little Yellow-Striped Prowler froze, one paw in the air, feigning sudden interest in a barrel of apples. As soon as Asimil resumed his path, the creature started following him again, maintaining a safe distance, hiding behind carts every time the boy tried to confirm its presence.

"Is it really following me?" Asimil thought, with a mix of intrigue and weariness. He decided to ignore it for now. Surely the animal would get bored when it saw its savior was nothing more than a hungry novice.

But the little tiger didn't give up.

After completing the final purchase, Asimil couldn't take it anymore. His stomach was eating him from the inside, and he felt he might faint at any moment. He sat at a worn wooden street stall and ordered the cheapest thing on the menu: a plate of roasted boar meat.

With the aroma of grease and spices flooding the air, the Yellow-Striped Prowler abandoned its hiding spot. It approached slowly, its claws making small sounds on the stone pavement until it was centimeters from Asimil's boots. Its yellow eyes, now huge and bright, were fixed on the plate.

Asimil looked at it. Then he looked at his meat. He sighed.

"You're hungry too, huh, little buddy?" Asimil whispered.

He took a piece with his fork and offered it. The animal tensed instinctively, its ears flattening back in a cautious gesture. It sniffed the air, detecting the trace of the Emerald Flame that still lingered on Asimil's fingers. In the end, hunger won. It gulped down the morsel in one jump and, after swallowing, let out a purr that vibrated in the air like a small electric discharge.

That act of kindness was the final seal for both of them. By the time Asimil finished his meal, the animal was no longer at his feet. With a leap, it settled on his right shoulder, winding its tail around the boy's neck like a living scarf.

Asimil felt strange, but he did nothing to shoo it away. For some reason, Asimil could feel the creature's emotions, and those emotions conveyed peace and trust. So for this occasion, he allowed the prowler to stay by his side.

Asimil entered the Harmonia Clan headquarters carrying the bags of supplies and a conspicuous yellow scarf. Noelia was waiting for him by the large oak table, arms crossed and with an expression that promised a storm of chaos.

"Three hours, Asimil!" Noelia exclaimed as soon as she saw him. "A simple collection mission and you take three hours. Did you get lost in the citadel, or did you decide Sacres's schedule wasn't important?"

Asimil tried to speak, but she gave him no room.

"It's unacceptable, Asimil. You're a novice; your only function is to be efficient, and you can't even do that…"

At that moment, the Yellow-Striped Prowler, annoyed by the shouting, poked its head out from Asimil's tunic and let out a loud yawn, showing its small fangs.

Noelia fell silent. Her emerald eyes widened and she jumped back, bumping against the counter.

"W-what is that thing?" Her voice lost all seriousness, becoming high-pitched with fright. "Asimil! You have a wild creature on you! Get rid of it right now, it's... it's disgusting!"
A shiver ran through Noelia's body. For someone who loved efficiency and order, a furry, unpredictable animal was like a virus.

"It's not dangerous," Asimil replied, protecting the creature with his hand. "It saved me in the Citadel. Well, I saved it first... I think. Since it's docile, I can't just leave it on the street, Noelia."

Sacres, who had been observing the scene from the shadows with an amused smile, approached them.

"It's an interesting creature," the mentor murmured, analyzing the animal. "A Yellow-Striped Prowler is very uncommon in the citadel; they usually live in the forests. There shouldn't be a problem with it staying, as long as you take responsibility for it, Asimil."

Asimil nodded with determination. "Alright... thank you for giving me the chance, Sacres."
Noelia said nothing. She walked away towards the back of the clan, muttering something about fur and unnecessary chaos, but Asimil noticed that, before leaving, she shot one last curious glance at the pet.

However, just as Noelia turned to leave, the creature, sensing the tension had eased, settled back inside Asimil's tunic, leaving only its ears visible. The little animal seemed to have found its safe spot, completely ignoring the fact that it had just scared one of the clan's most feared warriors.

Sacres, who hadn't taken his eyes off the creature, crossed his arms. His gaze wasn't one of suspicion, but of genuine curiosity.

"I think you should give it a name, Asimil," said the mentor, breaking the silence. "In Altverse, those without names are forgotten. Can you think of one?"

Asimil thought for a moment. He scratched the back of his neck, searching the corners of his memory for a name that sounded heroic, or at least dignified.

"Hmm... I'm not sure yet," Asimil replied, puffing out his chest with pride. "What about the name... Fluffy? Oh, I know, how about 'Flames'?"

The silence that followed was absolute. Sacres stood petrified, blinking a couple of times, trying to find the right words. Even the creature let out a small whine from the tunic, as if offended by its new owner's lack of creativity.

"Kid…" Sacres sighed, putting his right hand on Asimil's shoulder. "You might have talent for many things, but naming is definitely not one of them. Please, let me give you some options before you condemn that poor creature."

The mentor brought his hand to his chin, closing his eyes. The air around him seemed to vibrate slightly. After a few seconds, his eyes lit up.

"Alright. How about the name... Biteus?"

Upon hearing that word, the little Yellow-Striped Prowler reacted as if it had received a prize. It jumped out of its hiding place and, with surprising agility, landed directly on Sacres's shoulders. Before the mentor could react, Biteus started enthusiastically licking his cheek, emitting little purrs that sounded like electric static.

Sacres, surprised at first, couldn't help but let out a laugh as he tried to gently push the little animal away.

"Hahaha! Okay, okay. It seems he likes it, don't you think, Asimil?" Sacres said, laughing, letting Biteus finish his greeting.

A few meters away, Noelia, who was pretending to be very busy inspecting some dagas behind the counter, frowned. Her ears, however, were attentive to every word.

"I can't believe we have beasts running around the clan now," she murmured to herself, though her voice no longer held the same rigidity as before. "Although... Biteus... doesn't sound so bad."

And for an instant, the ice warrior allowed herself a small smile, an expression so subtle and warm that she herself didn't realize her emotional armor had just suffered a crack.