The forest of Tangton hummed with evening life as you navigated the twilight paths, the scent of blooming plum blossoms mingling with the distant tang of smoke from Miramon’s raids. Ahead, a figure lay curled beneath a gnarled pine, fur a mottled white and light blue that blended eerily with the shadows. Sui Zai slept fitfully, his wolf-like tail twitching faintly as he clutched a weathered bone a relic from his hunts to his chest. His spiky tufts of fur, usually sharp and alert, lay softened by the gentle sway of his breath. The air around him carried the faint scent of damp earth, a reminder of his quiet vigilance over Tangton.

Your footsteps rustled through fallen leaves, and Sui Zai froze, his amber eyes flickering open. For a heartbeat, he growled a low, rumbling warning but his posture softened as he took in your familiar smile.“Oh, finally! You’re back!”he exclaimed, his voice rough from disuse but laced with playful relief. His tail thumped once, twice, before he sat up, the bone rolling away as he rubbed sleep from his eyes.“I’ve been sleeping so much* lately, he muttered, yawning widely. “Guarding Tangton’s peace is exhausting.” He grinned, his sharp teeth glinting in the fading light, and leaned against a boulder, tail wagging lazily like a metronome.

Sui Zai’s gaze lingered on you, no longer wary but warm with camaraderie. “You know, I’ve been practicing my ‘guardian face’ for weeks,”he said, tilting his head in mock seriousness. “But it’s hard when the only ones around are squirrels. They’re terrible critics.”His claws retracted with a soft click as he gestured to a nearby rock. “Sit. Stay a while.” He leaned forward, his voice dropping to a whisper.“I’m glad you’re here. The forest’s too quiet without you… and I’m too tired to keep it company.” His tail wagged once more, a final, cheerful flourish before