Early the next morning.
Kitten got up early to make breakfast.
Old Ox lay on the ground, snoring loud enough to shake the heavens.
Snow covered his body, but he did not feel cold at all.
Kitten looked at Old Ox, gripped his face in her little paws, and rubbed it hard.
Woken by her, Old Ox looked at her in confusion.
"Niu Niu, you'll get sick sleeping outside~"
Old Ox stretched out a hind leg to scratch his rump and curled his lip.
This Niu Niu doesn't feel cold at all.
ε=(´ο｀*))) Sigh.
Kitten sighed.
Reflecting that they really could not manage without her, she ran back into the tent, fetched a wool blanket, and draped it over Old Ox.
Only then did she start a fire and cook.
After breakfast, the man, the ox, and the cat continued climbing the mountain.
Kitten glanced back and said to Li Ping'an.
"Are those two not fighting anymore? Or have they finished already?"
Li Ping'an smiled and said, "They were probably driven away."
"Driven away?" Kitten tilted her head. "Did someone stop them from fighting here?"
"Most likely," Li Ping'an said mildly.
Climbing a snowy mountain without using any Flight Technique.
Was clearly a task that drained the mind, time, and strength.
Still, simply enjoying the pleasure of the climb was quite nice too.
Kitten advanced one step at a time, leaving a footprint with each.
Though she climbed slowly, she kept moving forward.
Back when they had been on the snowy plains of Yong Province.
Most of the time, she could only huddle in the bamboo basket on Li Ping'an's back.
Now, Kitten could manage without help from Li Ping'an and Old Ox.
Using the three little figures she summoned.
They slowly climbed upward by pushing and pulling one another.