"So, how long do you plan on staying here?" ZH asked, seeing how Mila didn't want to leave the cave with her last beast near her end.

"I want to be here for Kate until her last moments. It's better to have these new memories with the old and then with the new after." Mila went over to Kate, hugging her hoping to have as much fun with her before her new life began. 'I won't let these memories be forgotten.' Mila was going to make sure that the memories she made with Kate now would be precious.

[You do know your way with words. It's rather very sweet. I can understand why your father and older brother cherish you so much.] Kate said with a little chuckle after, knowing just how adorable Mila was. Mila giggled nuzzling her face into Kate's soft neck.

ZH knew that Mila would never listen to him on certain events or plans that he wanted her to listen to. "Alright, I'm staying here with you all then. In the meantime, I'll bring some food for us so don't think about running away." ZH gave Mila a look telling her to not think about running away from him again.

"Okay!" Mila smiled with ZH letting her stick with her dear friends longer. 'He is always so worried about me. I'm not an ordinary child.' She felt as though he was getting too protective of her.

Sticking around with them for the last few days, Mila had a great time with ZH also in the picture. When the nights came around, she would sleep in the center of her three beasts while ZH watched the entrance every night. He wanted to avoid the Mana Hunters who still lurked in the forest, tracking any mana that they could find.

It was night and he was once again watching the entrance. [You know, you do not have to do this every night.] Kate had walked up next to him. [It is not good for your body if you continue to be alarmed and on guard all the time.] Kate did not wish for the young man to stay up all the time for the sake of protecting them.

"Hmph, that's strange. I don't ever recall being able to hear or speak to you without a contract. ZH found it rather odd with how he could understand Kate as of now since he couldn't understand Cotton or Net." ZH said looking at Kate who held no expression of being surprised.

[That's because you made a contract by yourself with Mila. You can only understand Mila's beasts who had formed a contract with her while she can still understand other beasts without a contract.] Kate was smart which had ZH quite surprised by a very wise beast. [You are quite a special person and I know of your background, but I will not tell her about it. She will have to find out one day though. Just not now.] Kate knew about ZH's origin, but she knew that it was not her place to say it.

"I know she will have to find out one day. It's going to be a while though before she can know about it." ZH sighed knowing that he wanted to wait until she was much older to tell her. "Your mana is getting weaker by the minute. I can sense it from you, even the Mana Hunters would not even want to take your mana since it's not enough to fill their single mana stone. Your final day will likely be tomorrow or the day after tomorrow." ZH had to point out that it was the truth to Kate's ending life at the moment.

[You're very accurate with your words. I can see why she sees you as no threat, but rather someone very important in her life this time. I'm glad that she has someone like you on her side.] Kate had to admit that the fellow that Mila found was a very rare one. Knowing that they had been together for a long time, they were very similar to one another no matter how she saw it. [Make sure that when she is feeling down again try to cheer her up as you did before. There will be a rocky path awaiting her, but she can only overcome it with you by her side. Do not abandon her. She's felt that pain before and I have no intentions of letting my little master experience it again.] Kate knew that Mila was already connected to ZH more than Mila knew it herself.

"I will do my best. She is after all... my bride." ZH smiled seeing the comfortable young woman sleeping.

[Young ones these days.] Kate sighed, seeing how the young lives of humans were either spent on wealth, status, and love. 'I wonder how it came to be for every human given some sort of purpose.' She wondered about the reason for humans and beasts to coexist in the same world.

***

"They aren't back yet!!! I can see why Aiken is so annoyed and infuriated by the two!!!!" Kayla held her head seeing how it had been almost a week since ZH and Mila had gone by themselves to look for the beast. "Go have a look this time at the Frozen Forest. That is the only place that I know will have most ice beasts that would like to roam. Also, it seems to be one of the closest ice locations that would be close since Mila was here days before and told us that her beast was close." Kayla had sent her soldiers out to look while Mila's group had also gone. "I will be going also." Kayla got up leaving with her weapons in hand. 'Those two will have a lot of explaining to do! I can relate to Aiken!'

***

"Achoo!" Aiken rubbed his nose, thinking about how he could be sick.

'I wonder if someone is talking behind his back.' Vere stood, thinking about how Aiken would never be one for getting sick. 'Someone probably hates him and is cursing him at the moment.' He then thought after.

***

Mila had gone out looking to the outside of the cave and exploring in the meantime. Seeing how the ice was beautiful to look at with snow always falling slowly as one snowflake landed on the tip of her nose. She smiled once she saw a frozen lake below where she stood on a hill. Going over to the lake, she felt how slippery it was that she could easily slip.

Sliding on it gently, she then started having fun and sliding on the ice with no care if she fell or not. She giggled, never having the thought of ever ice skating.

"What do we have here?"

Mila gasped, turning to see the Mana Hunters, they had found her. 'This isn't good.' She knew that they would come after her. 'They must've sensed my mana close by.'

"She's the one we're looking for." One of the Mana Hunters looked at the little girl who they assumed could not possibly have that much mana inside of her.

"Such a good thing." There was a woman among them, seeing how it was very good for the child to have a lot in her that they could take. "The master would be very proud of us since she will help gather the mana for us."

Mila saw four of them looking directly at her, she held her sword close knowing for a fact that being on ice she needed to be careful in case it broke on her.

"Get her!"

Mila dodged the two that tried to catch her while she slid down to their feet, cutting their legs when she knew that it wasn't enough to stop them. The other two behind tried to catch her, being uninjured. Seeing a common rock element that one of the Mana Hunters created smashed down on her. She dodged the two giant boulders, making a run for it.

"Don't let her get away!!!"

"ZH!!!! ZH!!!!" Mila was yelling out his name and knew that it was a bad situation right now. "Skye!!! Vivian!!!" She didn't want Kate to be involved in making a battle her last moment. Seeing a giant boulder above her, Mila slipped hitting the ground, seeing a shadow coming down at her, she crawled backward as the boulder landed in front of her.

"Where do you think you're going?"

The four Mana Hunters reach her with two of them still injured from the previous little injury that she made on them. Mila stood back up holding her sword, facing them when she knew the chances of her defeating them all was slim. They were not like ordinary knights and soldiers of hers, they were Mana Hunters specifically trained to kill and steal with no remorse. Creating a barrier, Mila had avoided them from catching her so easily with their mana.

"Do you think this little barrier will hold us back?!?!"

The woman leading the group was very vicious which had Mila become more cautious of her. Mila gasped once she saw the barrier had broken right in front of her with a green vine that came towards her.

Without even seeing, Mila saw Kate block her instead. Mila felt her body froze seeing that the vine had stabbed through Kate. "Kate!!!!" Mila saw her lay flat down on the ground with an open wound. "Kate... Kate..." Mila cried holding Kate's head onto her small laps.

[It was nice to hear my name again from you. I'm glad that I was able to protect my little master before I leave.] Kate breathed slowly while the Mana Hunters were then being attacked.

"Mila!" ZH had made it with his Crystal Dragon taking charge with Vivian and Skye attacking the hunters. "Are you okay?!"

"Kate is..." Mila cried hugging Kate closely, who knew she had little time left before she forgot everything.

[Mila, it's okay. I accepted this. I did... it for... you. Don't... be sad.] Kate's body was slowly deteriorating with the look of snow coming into her place and form.

"Make sure you capture them alive!" They heard Kayla who knew of the current situation. She left with her soldiers chasing the hunters who were after Mila.

"Kate, I'll always remember you. I'll be sure to tell your new self stories like how you told me yours." Mila was crying and wiping her tears that fell onto Kate's fur.

[Mhm, sounds fun. I'll be really happy to hear them again.] Kate slowly closed her eyes with her body turning into bits of snow as Mila saw it all happen as the snow flew everywhere around them.

"I'll be there when you are born." Mila got up since she needed to go to the palace.

"Where are you going?!" ZH asked, holding Mila's hand.

"Where else?!" Mila said, which clicked immediately into ZH's head with what she meant.

"Lucia!" ZH had Lucia fly over and carry them both back to the Asiradda palace. Rushing over, Skye and Vivian followed shortly after, seeing that the hunters were already being handled by Kayla. Once the flight had come to a stop, Mila ran quickly into the Asiradda Palace with ZH following closely behind her.

The rest of the beasts were following after Mila who was rushing inside. Going the same path that they did when Kayla showed them. Mila panted seeing the egg was already cracked with nothing there. "Kate? Kate? Where are you?" Mila was out of breath but still called out looking everywhere. Hearing a shuffling sound, they turned to see at a dark corner stood a small figure. Mila knelt looking to see if the little beast would come out. "Kate, would you please come out? We won't hurt you."

The little beast was cautious at first but felt a familiar aura from Mila and slowly crawled out showing them a pure light ice blue fox with nine tails behind her. [Oh my, she is so young.] Skye said, looking at the new baby fox, Kate.

***

A/N: Sorry new spring classes right now. Life is a struggle with 2 biology and 2 computer tech classes. (T-T)