"...!?!"

So fast!

I was stunned by the girl's speed, but then it clicked. She's not human, after all.

With strength far beyond anything a human could manage, it made sense.

Ha! Ha! Ha!

Her breaths came fast, yet controlled, each one steadying my racing heart. I let my head fall onto her shoulder, feeling the momentary relief as she carried me through the chaos.

She shivered slightly, her ears and tail twitching before they relaxed once more.

We'd made it past the worst of it—dodging wave after wave of heat, the searing pain from every near miss with the flames. Soon, we were well beyond the danger zone, away from the explosion site.

The fire, probably due to the dampness, hadn't yet spread to the doorway. Within moments, we had exited the cargo hold just before the flames could catch up with us.

We made it out.

But that only meant the real danger was still to come.

Panting, I glanced around the darkened area outside the hold, my chest tight with more than just the physical strain. There was an unease that gripped me.

"... Strange."

The girl's voice cut through the silence, her ears flicking up. She muttered, "There's no one here."

It was odd, indeed. After such a massive explosion, people would usually come running to check on things.

I had been worried that the siren might have reinforcements, but it seemed more likely it was just one overconfident fool who had come alone.

After all, most of the crew would be occupied with handling the chaos elsewhere, and compared to the beast's roar, the explosion would seem like nothing.

"You... just said something?"

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It took me a moment to process. "You... knew no one was around?"

"Because there was no sound," she replied casually, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Not even a hiss."

I blinked, astonished. The Nako tribe's abilities were beyond what I'd expected.

"Don't worry, Renee-nya. My hearing is sharp—I can hear from miles away. We'll avoid the sirens and catch up with the others."

She steadied her breathing and, without waiting for my reply, took a step toward the stairs. "Once we find the others, we can escape."

"No."

I grabbed her arm, halting her.

"We can't go." I said firmly, my voice low but urgent. "If we want to get out of here, meeting up with anyone isn't the plan right now."

"Renee...nya?"

Her expression froze, confusion quickly spreading across her face.

It clicked then. Before the crew had cornered us, she had decided to return alone to rescue me. She had no idea what was happening now. What her comrades were up against.

Otherwise, after saving me, she would've immediately taken me to the others.

If her tribe was under attack—and if she had gone this far to save me—there was no way she would leave them behind.

"Do you trust me?"

I asked the question softly, but with purpose.

She hesitated, clearly trying to process my words.

It must've been hard to comprehend—why wouldn't we go to the others? Alone, how could she possibly escape?

But what she didn't know was that it was already too late to reunite. The commander had likely already mobilized the crew, and going back was useless.

But I couldn't tell her that. Not yet.

I needed to survive. I needed her to play along, for both our sakes.

If she refused...

My gaze shifted, colder than before. I focused on the pulse at her throat.

I had been soft once before, but now, I had no choice.

The battle for our lives had already begun—and we couldn't afford to hesitate.

So, what will you do?

"I trust you, Renee-nya."

Her answer came without hesitation, her voice steady.

So quick?

"Good."

I exhaled quietly, feeling a small sense of relief, though I hid it well.

Her response was immediate, almost too quick, but that only worked in my favor. Her trust in me was clear, and that was all I needed for the next part of the plan.

"Now... listen closely."

I fought through the pain, leaning in close enough for her to hear, my voice barely above a whisper.