Sarlon hadn’t devoured all the dire wolf carcasses. He only ate two, bones and all, since the evolution of his teeth had given him an appetite for the crunch. The rest, including the big stag, he stashed away in the swamp.

After a leisurely reconnaissance of the surrounding area and satisfying his hunger and thirst, Sarlon headed back to the dragon lair. Hanna and Emily looked listless; Emily was still tending to her wounds, occasionally glancing deeper into the cave. The two little dragon sisters barely acknowledged their brother's return.

Seemingly, the black dragon mother hadn’t gone hunting. Sarlon had hoped for another taste of higher-tier magical beast flesh. He paid no mind to the little dragons; whether they had eaten or not was none of his concern. As Sarlon passed Hanna, she sniffed the air, picking up the scent of blood. Piecing it together with her brother's state, she was sure Sarlon had been out hunting on his own.

This thought instantly invigorated Hanna!

Excitedly, she scrambled over to Sarlon. "Sarlon, did you go hunting?" Hanna asked with a surge of enthusiasm.

"So what if I did?" Sarlon glanced at her lazily.

"I..." Hanna initially wanted to ask for a share but hesitated to voice her request.

"Sarlon, actually... when you left yesterday, I sneaked out too!" Hanna admitted after a pause.

"What? You dared to go out?" Sarlon looked at Hanna in surprise. He had the benefit of two Feast enhancements to bolster his courage for leaving the lair. Hanna, tiny as she was, could easily fall prey to a few dire wolves.

"I found a great spot with lots of game. I was thinking... maybe we could set up a temporary den there together?" Hanna explained. She knew staying put wasn't going to get them anywhere, but as youngsters, they needed their mother's protection. True, dragons could live off the land, but who'd choose dirt over a hearty meal of flesh?

"I'm not interested in prey right now," Sarlon said disinterestedly, taking another look at Hanna.

"Not even magical beasts?" Hanna was taken aback.

"Magical beasts? What kind? And you dared to venture out on your own?" Sarlon perked up at once. Given that their black dragon mother had likely lived here for a long time, depleting the area of magical beasts, the presence of any was intriguing.

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"I...I wanted to follow you, but I lost track of you... and then I found a Rift Bear," Hanna stuttered.

Well, well, she had the audacity to track him!

Seeing the unease flicker in Sarlon's eyes, Hanna quickly added, "Actually, after you left the lair, I lost track of you!"

Sarlon nodded, "An adult Rift Bear should be a level five magical beast, right? How could us fledgling dragons possibly take one on?" According to the memories inherited from his lineage, Rift Bears were formidable creatures, their adult form reaching the might of a level five.

Such beasts could only be hunted head-on by adolescent dragons. "That Rift Bear seemed injured though; it was bleeding a lot, and I don't think it reached level five yet!" Hanna shrank her neck a bit.

After mulling it over, Sarlon knew the Feast was nearing its cooldown completion, which meant it was time to prepare. Perhaps it was worth checking out this Rift Bear. "Let's go," Sarlon stood and shook his wings.

Hanna followed him, elated. Emily, who was lying nearby, glanced at them with droopy eyelids and stayed silent. "Fledgling dragons thinking of hunting a magical beast, they'd be lucky not to end up as the beast's meal themselves!"

...

In the forests at the edge of the Bone Gnawing Swamp, Sarlon and Hanna moved silently. "Are you sure the Rift Bear is around here?" After half a day, all they found were trees and the occasional small wild beast.

"I ran into it right here!" Hanna was getting anxious too.

Sarlon contemplated for a moment, then his gaze settled on a large stag in the distance. With a sudden dash, he attacked, snapping the stag's neck without it having a chance to react.

Hanna watched Sarlon's clean kill, swallowing her saliva, "Is that for us to eat?"

"Keep dreaming, this is for the Rift Bear!" Sarlon glanced at her. He then skillfully gutted the stag, and the scent of blood began to permeate the surrounding area.

Sarlon, relying on his inherited memories, knew that Rift Bears had an exceptionally keen sense of smell. If it was still in the vicinity, it would surely be attracted to the blood.

"Alright, you eat this!" Sarlon said, noticing Hanna's longing gaze. He then stealthily hid himself in the nearby bushes.

Hanna, quick-witted as she was, swiftly grasped Sarlon's plan. "You want me to be the bait!"

"What else? Am I supposed to be the bait and you take down the Rift Bear?" Sarlon retorted without looking back.

"Uh... better you than me!" Hanna's head shook like a rattle, but then she reluctantly began to eat the stag, all while keeping a vigilant eye on her surroundings.

Sarlon nodded in approval of her focus on the task at hand, considering that she might be a good partner for future hunts. After a while, a large shadowy figure approached slowly. Sarlon's keen vision made out the creature from afar—a black bear with sandy fur on its paws, though it seemed to be in a bad state.

Scattered wounds adorned its body, likely just superficial damage, but a black arrow was lodged in its neck. Sarlon sensed that the Rift Bear was indeed injured, probably by a mercenary group.

The bear's yellow pupils fixed intently on Hanna and the stag, its instincts telling it that devouring the little dragon would bring significant benefits, potentially accelerating its healing and increasing its strength.

Finally succumbing to hunger, the bear lowered its body and charged like a tank toward its prey.

Hanna had barely taken a few bites when she was startled by the sudden commotion. As the Rift Bear stormed at her, she didn't even have time to swallow her mouthful of meat before darting away.

Hanna's small size made her agile, and while the Rift Bear was slowed by its injuries, it remained determined in its pursuit. Hanna realized too late that she had not planned an escape route in her eagerness to eat. Cursing herself for her greed, she found herself trapped against a rock wall.

The Rift Bear rose on its hind legs, towering over five meters tall, exuding an overwhelming sense of might. "Sarlon, big bro, save me!" Hanna felt utterly vulnerable.

The Rift Bear, fueled by anger from being chased earlier, was excited to unleash its pent-up fury.

And that's when Sarlon struck silently from the shadows.