Alex ran in various directions, leading them away from where the rest of the group was. It would be tragic if, after all their troubles, they were captured again due to this slip. Soon, he lost them in the forest and was able to return to the camp.

"My Lord Alex, I was worried about your sudden disappearance early in the morning. We have your lunch ready. Today, we managed to capture an AH," Atasha suddenly exclaimed when she noticed what he had in his arms.

"What's wrong? Why do you react like this to this little one?"

"This little one? My Lord, this is a Moonstalker. These animals are very fierce and impossible to tame, especially when they grow up. They're horribly dangerous, and they're also known for being very protective of their family. I'm sure this cub's parents must be frantically looking for it. If they find us, we'll be in danger."

Alex was in a dilemma about what to do. He couldn't sense any presence nearby, and he couldn't remember sensing another like it throughout his journey. The last time he saw a similar feline was when they were escaping during the stampede.

"Well, for now, there's nothing to be done. Could you try to treat its wounds?"

Alex responded with an innocent voice, as if it weren't a big deal at all. Although Atasha wanted to refuse such a request, she simply resigned herself to his honest attitude and went to find the group's healer.

"Good afternoon, my Lord. My name is Zalika. Can you tell me where it's wounded? I'll start working on it immediately."

"Oh, it's not for me. Look at this little one; it has a big cut, and I think it has lost a lot of blood. Its front paw is injured too. Do you think you can save it?"

Zalika, like Atasha, was shocked by the request. No one would really try to save a Moonstalker. Not only were they very dangerous beings, but all their parts were highly valued. A live specimen like this one could fetch a much higher price, but the problems would be exponentially greater.

The feline had fallen unconscious, probably due to the loss of blood. However, as soon as Zalika began applying the ointment, it woke up, howling in pain and trying by all means to attack the doctor's hands.

James hurried to cover the feline's bite with his own hands, discovering once again that this world didn't follow common sense, or rather, common sense had to adapt. This small animal had a bite force similar to that of an adult pitbull, although the most ridiculous thing was that his hand could now withstand the biting force of such an animal.

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"Calm down, little one. They will heal your wound so you can go look for your family."

The feline's pupils lit up when its parents were mentioned.

"Zalika here will treat your ribs and your paw, and if you behave well during the process, they will bring you a good meal." Alex spoke to the little feline as if he were talking to a kitten. Obviously, old habits died hard. "Atasha, do you happen to know what Moonstalkers eat?"

"Meat, I suppose, my Lord."

"Do we have anything available?"

"For the Moonstalker?" Atasha asked, her face showing reluctance to feed such a beast with their limited provisions.

"If we don't have enough, don't worry; I can share my portion."

"I understand, my Lord. I'll prepare it right away."

"You see, little one, you'll be better soon." James began to casually stroke the feline while Zalika finished examining its leg. She couldn't help but be amazed by what she saw. A Moonstalker was not something to be taken lightly, and it couldn't be domesticated. That didn't exclude their offspring. Such animals would never show a docile side, much less do what this one was doing. It had never seen one purring before.

"I know, calling you 'little one' all the time isn't appropriate. How about a name, something worthy? Although first, I need to know what you are."

Zalika and Atasha thought they couldn't be more shocked, but when they saw Alex lifting the little feline and examining its parts, they nearly fainted. They couldn't help but think, "That's a damn predator, for the love of God, an intelligent and dignified creature." They shouted in their minds, unable to believe what they were seeing.

For her part, the little feline, as Alex would discover, felt equally humiliated. Although she tried to attack the face of the wicked human examining her, she didn't have the strength to harm him, so her blows ended up feeling more like caresses. Finally, she was released, and she curled up into a protective ball.

"It's okay; there's no need to be so dramatic," Alex said to her with a soothing voice, trying to calm her down.

The feline simply responded with a growl and curled up even tighter.

"Okay, I've come up with an excellent name for you. How about Lunaria? It's the name of the flower my mother liked the most."

Thinking of his mother, Alex couldn't help but feel down. This world was vast, and he had been sent to one of its farthest corners, far from the rest of the humans. He would be very far from reaching them. This had caused a conflict within him because, on the one hand, he felt he should abandon everything and go to meet them, but on the other hand, his father had always instilled in him a sense of responsibility and duty. The gnoll people had paid a great price to call an Elected, and he had taken that role, whether he wanted it or not.

The rest of the group watched Alex fall into deep reflection, and his face twisted in pain. They understood that he had also lost his mother. This made little Lunaria somehow empathize with him.