Bahamut knelt by the stream and set to work without wasting a single moment. He rolled his sleeves up and submerged the Treant Bear's meat into the cold running water, washing away the dirt, blood, and clinging leaves with methodical motions. His hands moved with practiced efficiency, fingers finding seams in muscle and sinew, separating what could spoil from what would last. Ren sat on a rock nearby, paws tucked under his chin, watching the current with idle curiosity.
Behind him, Exildra shifted weakly.
"...That bunny," she said softly.
Bahamut did not look up. "And you..."
She ignored him.
"It is not... a normal companion beast," she continued, her voice thin but stubborn. "The way it looks at people, the pressure it gives off... it even speaks."
Ren's ears twitched, annoyance almost clouding his expression.
Exildra then swallowed her breath, hitching.
