"Hiss!" Bone Wolf jerked his hand back.
Gungun struck and withdrew, using the momentum to roll back onto Xiaojiu's head. It deftly arranged his hair to its liking, then nestled obediently into it.
Bone Wolf: "..." He had only gone a little while without seeing Xiaojiu. What had happened?
Xiaojiu was helpless too, but Gungun loved the top of his head. Whether anything was happening or not, it liked to sit in his hair, its little eyes darting about as it observed the world outside. Of course, Xiaojiu had spoiled it into this habit. As long as there was no danger, he let Gungun do as it pleased. Only when danger arose did he worry that it might not be able to stay perched on his head, and tuck it inside his clothes.
Ye Chuqi had even teased him, asking what he would do once Gungun grew bigger—but it would be many years before Gungun grew up. He could worry about that then!
This time, Bone Wolf had reached into Gungun's territory, provoking a counterattack from the ferocious little creature. Although its bite had not quite broken through his defenses, it still hurt.
"What's this?"
"A Tree Fern Eagle chick. We found it in the Lost Forest. It was in poor health, so she helped look after it for a while. Now it stays with me." Xiaojiu glanced at Ye Chuqi, who was chatting happily with her friends from the Imperial Capital Academy. "Its name is Gungun."
"This little thing is pretty fierce." Bone Wolf took a closer look. When the little creature surveyed its surroundings, its round eyes were adorable. But when it turned to glare at him, its fierce expression bore a striking resemblance to Xiaojiu's.
Faced with the same look from both the boy and the chick,