Soren limped back toward the dorms like a man returning from war.
Not victorious.
Not heroic.
Just traumatised.
The fox trotted beside him, tails swishing proudly, completely unbothered by the fact that Soren had nearly died twelve times in one class.
Soren groaned. "I hate this place."
The fox chirped.
Kael held the door open for him. "You survived."
"Barely."
Aldric shrugged. "Barely is still alive."
Lira smiled. "You did well."
Soren collapsed onto the nearest sofa. "I did not do well. I fell. I screamed. I fell again. I screamed again. I fell a third time. I screamed a third time. I think I've developed a pattern."
The fox hopped onto his lap and chirped proudly.
Soren pointed at him. "YOU did well. I was a disaster."
The fox chirped louder.
The Knock on the Door (Soren's Day Gets Worse)
A knock echoed through the dorm.
Soren jolted. "NO. NO MORE TRAINING. I'M NOT HOME."
Kael opened the door.
Three Inner Division students stood outside.
Soren froze.
They were older.
Taller.
Stronger.
And all three were staring directly at the fox.
The tallest one cleared her throat. "Um… is this where the fox is."
Soren blinked. "The… fox?"
She nodded. "Yes. The little one. With the two tails. The one that glows."
Soren pointed at himself. "You mean my fox."
"Yes."
"My fox."
"Yes."
"My fox."
"Yes."
Soren blinked. "Why."
The girl held out a small bag. "We brought him treats."
Soren stared. "TREATS?!"
The fox chirped and hopped off his lap, trotting toward them like a celebrity greeting fans.
The second student knelt. "He's so cute."
The third added, "And so strong."
The fox chirped again, clearly agreeing.
Soren sputtered. "Wait—WAIT—why does HE get treats. I almost died today."
The girl shrugged. "He was impressive."
"I WAS THERE TOO."
"Yes, but he was impressive."
Soren clutched his chest. "I hate this place."
Kael smirked. "They're not wrong."
Aldric snorted. "Your fox carried you."
Lira patted his shoulder. "He's very popular."
Soren glared at the fox. "You betrayed me."
The fox chirped and accepted a treat.
The Fan Club Forms (Soren Suffers)
More knocks.
More students.
More treats.
More compliments.
More fox worship.
Soren sat on the sofa, staring blankly as student after student came to see the fox.
"He's adorable."
"He's so powerful."
"He's so elegant."
"He's so brave."
"He's so talented."
"He's so—"
Soren snapped. "HE'S SO SPOILED."
The fox chirped and accepted another treat.
Soren groaned. "I hate this place."
Kael sat beside him. "You should be proud."
"I AM NOT PROUD. I AM JEALOUS."
Aldric smirked. "Pathetic."
Lira smiled. "It's sweet."
"It's humiliating."
The fox hopped back onto Soren's lap, tails glowing softly.
Soren sighed. "Okay. Fine. I forgive you. But only because you're cute."
The fox chirped triumphantly.
The Final Straw
A small group of first‑year students peeked into the dorm.
"Um… excuse me… can we… see the fox."
Soren screamed into a pillow.
Kael opened the door wider. "Come in."
"KAEL STOP ENABLING THIS."
The fox trotted over to greet them like a tiny, glowing monarch.
One of the first‑years whispered, "He's even cuter in person."
Another whispered, "He's so shiny."
A third whispered, "I heard he defeated a Mistwraith."
Soren sat up. "I helped."
They blinked at him. "Oh. Right."
Then immediately went back to fawning over the fox.
Soren collapsed again. "I hate this place."
The fox chirped and curled up beside him.
Soren sighed. "Okay. I hate it slightly less."