The rat was noticeably rounder than the last time the others had seen him, his belly plump from months of feasting and napping while safely nestled in Han Yu's robes.
As the cold air touched him, the rat twitched, rolled over once in Han Yu's palm, and buried its face against his sleeve as if saying, five more minutes.
Han Yu's lips curled upward. He gave the lazy ball of fur a poke in the side.
"Wake up," Han Yu said in a mock-stern tone. "Time for work. Earn your meals for once."
The rat gave a groggy "chitter," a sound halfway between a groan and a squeak. Its whiskers twitched indignantly, but it opened its beady eyes anyway.
Fatty Kui blinked. "Wait… that's your plan? To send a rat?"
Han Yu stroked Chitterfang's back. "Not just a rat. This one knows how to survive. He'll smell trouble before we even see it."
Duan studied the creature with faint curiosity. "Is it… a spirit beast? A tamed one?"
Han Yu nodded once.
