Stella:

Only a few more miles and they would reach the Atelier's entrance. Golly, the journey felt like it lasted six HOURS!

Or six chapters, you could say. *readable wink*

Regardless, Stella recognized the path she had to follow Maro a week ago. Who knew spending time with that little snot-nosed pup would be beneficial in the end?!

Thankfully, the Human was bringing MUCH better company, whose speed on all fours was still unmatched, even after a month of extreme Saniya training. At least she wasn't COMPLETELY left in the dust.

"This is the BEST day of my life!" Lien howled, mustering even more velocity from Namadi knows where.

"Your mom is in danger, Lien."

"Oh. Yeah, there's that." The pup decelerated. "Still, this is so exciting! We're going head-on to fight the Icy Sorceress herself!"

"I mean..." She sighed, barely feeling the strain from the marathon. "There's a real chance I die."

Suddenly, the Wolf halted. "Don't say that." Her tone became disconcertingly serious. And then, she was back to her regular self as she spun on a heel to "face" her. "We fought the Giant Witch and got out in one piece!" She proudly bumped her own chest. "With all the guards there, we have the best shot against her!"

"That is if they're not ALL blocks of ice by the time we step foot there," Stella remarked, brushing her arm anxiously.

She hissed as Lien punched her on the shoulder with way too much strength behind it. "Silly! My mom and her squad are the strongest Wolves in Pantsti! Nay, in Sayama!" She raised a finger. "Except Hōkō, of course."

As for Tash, the Human believed the claim. As for the others...

Stella smiled. "You really believe in your mom, huh."

The pup eagerly nodded. "Captain Tash may be a grump, but never doubt her power! She must have planned her entire rematch with Yuki-onna the day after she lost!"

Stella hummed, her eyelids slightly opening more as she crossed her arms. "If you say so," she grimaced. "I hope Asra is okay..."

Lien waved her paw dismissively. "Come on! The Silver Knight and Mom will kick her butt to the Moon before we stop talking!" She leaned closer, whispering. "I hope those Weasels are still there. We never ended our match."

The Human smiled at the mention. Rather than focusing on the stabbing, the first thing her mind drifted to was how angry her packmate was, howling with rage as she recklessly jumped into the woods for retribution. The memory had become more heartwarming after the next step of their relationship.

The pup was about to turn back before Stella reclaimed her attention. "Lien?"

"Mm?"

The Human pulled her into the most passionate embrace she could conjure. "I love you."

Lien returned the gesture, wrapping her fluffy arms around her waist. "I love you too."

Their lips pressed against each other in a brief kiss. The sparks and butterflies in Stella's belly still hadn't lost their vigor. And you know what? She couldn't be happier for that.

Lien hopped in place, brimming with energy. "Let's go! Let's go!"

And so, the two lovebirds flew towards their destiny! Their metaphorical wings drove them to the same creepy-ass cavern that led to the Spiders' underground tunnels.

The pup stopped, resting her hands on her hips. "So. You and Maro?"

Stella groaned. "Tell me about it. Your cousin was a real pain in my ass."

She smiled. "That's now how you told the story at the end! Didn't you start bonding for a moment? How about that Frog jerk?"

The Human scoffed. "I guess he wasn't as much of a prick once he got some sense beat into him." She landed a hand on her girlfriend's shoulder. "Anyways, there's someone I am dying to introduce you to."

Lien's ears perked up. "Ooooh! Are you talking about-"

"No one! 'Cause you're not going anywhere before we settle some things!"

A familiar voice echoed from the cave - not as a telepathic message, this time.

Stella's face was rigid and perplexed as an undistinguishable figure exited the gargantuan cavity, each step clinking and scraping against the rock, except...

...

Two azure dots, their subtle glow piercing through the abyss.

"Hōkō?!" Stella asked, dumbfounded.

She took a tiny step back when a vaguely wolf-shaped rock statue bathed in the sunlight, the cavities where its eyes should be revealed as the source of the strange light.

The mineral construct bowed slowly at them. "Welcome, you two, to your last test." It giggled. "I mean, I hope it won't be the last. But if you insist on standing by the mother of all bad decisions..."

Stella stuttered. "W-What are you doing, man? Why all this?"

"Hōkō" stretched its rocky neck, speckles of dust leaving out from the gaps between stones. "I told you this is a test." It did the same to its arms, legs, and tail. "It's as simple as they get. Go through me and enter the Atelier."

Lien scratched her chin. "I see. Not even you believe in us." Still, her determination shone through her fighting stance and voice. "I'll shatter you in one blow!"

The elder's clone laughed, the otherworldly glow from his eyes spreading to the crevices throughout its structure. "Please! Give me your best shot!"

The pup obliged, conjuring the full extent of her Saniya. "With pleasure, Mr. Hōkō!" Her whiteish aura concentrated solely on her paws, now beacons of overwhelming power! "Here it comes!"

Lien dashed at "Hōkō" and struck its chest with a double palm strike! The impact exploded the construct into pebbles, which flung and ricocheted all over the cavern's walls.

Stella remained stationary, her gaze vigilantly venturing into the darkness.

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"He's not done yet, is he?"

Lien closed her eyes. "Nope."

A sandstorm soared out of the Atelier's entrance, bringing every single mineral bit the pup decimated. Between the two girls, the stone Hōkō rematerialized as fast as Stella's parents abandoning her after birth.

What? That was an actual thought in her mind.

Don't believe me? Better work on those trust issues with a therapist, bud.

It cackled. "That was a good shot, kid!" Then, a faint aura emanated from its body as it raised its claws at her. "Care for a do-over?"

Stella ran to the pup's side, pulling her by the arm. "Don't," she murmured in her ear. "We can't waste time on him. Let's make a run for the cave."

Before her companion could process, a chill coursed through the Human back as a stone-carved hand touched her and Lien.

"All these weeks, and you've forgotten my specialty," the construct chastised as it pushed both girls with tremendous strength, distancing them from their goal for tens of meters with a lazy gesture.

Stella was tired of the steamy encounters her lips had with the dirt. Still, Lien and her rolled back to their feet in no time.

"What is WRONG with you?!" the Human growled, her fists blazing with golden light. "I NEED to go to Chikukei! Yuki-onna won't stop until she gets me!"

"Hōkō" shook its head. "Nonsense. We have rows of trained guards fighting with all they have to capture the sorceress. If you wait and stay put-"

"FUCK OFF!!!" She clapped her hands, invoking a powerful shockwave that forced the ground to expel massive amounts of rocks and dust, gathering into a vertical landslide that threatened to swallow the construct whole. Stella remained on guard, even when the spell seemingly connected to its target.

"You think I'll stand around while so many Monoke are in danger to protect ME!?" the Human yelled at the pile of rubble that formed on the cavern's entrance. "I won't allow it! I've trained this hard to not be helpless anymore!"

The girls spun on a heel after they heard something bursting from the ground. Stella only saw a blur before she was kicked in the stomach by "Hōkō" and forced to roll all over the floor again.

She stood up again, albeit with more difficulty, clutching her aching belly. Her canine girlfriend fiercely engaged in close combat against the golem, who flawlessly blocked, dodged, and misdirected her blows.

"Your determination is admirable, girls!" He caught Lien's paw, then swung her in a complete arch above his head before slamming her to the ground! "But I demand skill, not only resolve."

Stella's face twitched with anger. "Why, you...?" She hissed, bending herself at the right angle before summoning two earth pillars beneath her feet to propel her at high speed! "YOU WANT SKILL?!" Her right fist shone and swelled like a miniature sun as it was inches from clashing against the golem. "ROCKET-"

"Hōkō" dodged her shining attack without much effort.

"Crash?"

The Human collided against a tree, breaking it in two like a twig. Impressive as it was, she still felt humiliated.

"Your free shot was already spent, I'm afraid," it jokingly remarked as it flung Lien far away. "Anything else you want to try? This is becoming sad already."

Stella extended her hand at the construct, desperately attempting to command the materials that compose its structure. Alas, overriding the Saniya of Pantsti's strongest inhabitant was a fool's errand.

Yet, the Human wasn't satisfied. She conjured more golden energy to her fists, using them to lunge a series of earth-shattering blows at her opponent! Lien soon followed suit, slashing at the golem at any opportunity she deemed exploitable.

...

......

But no matter how hard they tried, how many angles they went for to strike, the stone elder was too fast for them to land a clean hit. They were only wasting their energy, which was undoubtedly Hōkō's intention.

"You claim to be packmates, but look at your synergy!" the golem lectured as it threw both girls off their feet with a low sweep. "I can crumble your teamwork like a cookie!"

Stella's chest heaved, a rain of sweat downpouring from her forehead. "Thanks, coach. Point taken."

Lien stroked her bottom, frowning. "Sorry, Stella. It's because of my lack of sight..."

Stella touched her girlfriend's shoulder, going to comfort her. "Lien, you-" The Human froze as an idea flashed in her mind. "You... gave me an idea."

The pup tilted her head, ears perking with interest.

The Human stood up, eyes flaring with determination. "Let's switch roles, Lien. You attack it with all you have while I exploit any openings I see."

The pup jumped back to her feet, her aura resurfacing immediately. "On it, girlfriend! Count on me!"

"Hōkō" crossed its arms, its sandy tail swishing fluidly. "You're aware the enemy won't allow you to discuss tactics, right?"

Stella scoffed. "Good thing this is a test, right?"

The golem's rock lips twisted to a smirk. "Good point." It resumed its fighting stance. "Let me see how far this new approach will take you!"

Lien lunged forward, initiating another flurry of slashes and kicks at it. Stella stood far enough from the action, pointing her finger at the ground like a gun. A rock the size of her head surfaced, floating and moving in tandem with her fingertip as she aimed at the golem. She poured a decent amount of energy into the mineral formation, enveloping it with a golden glow.

The pup still was unsuccessful in landing a single blow. However, when the construct was about to swing its paw as a counterattack, the Human shot the large, Saniya-enhanced stone. The impact was so fast and ruthless that the golem's arm shattered entirely.

"Uh oh." The construct backed away from Lien, but she didn't let up, carving chunks of rock from its torso with her deadly claws.

"You can barely defend yourself with one arm, huh?" Stella grinned. "How unlucky you are..."

The Human joined her packmate, overwhelming the moving, elder-shaped rock pile with a combined assault of Saniya-laced fists and claws. Its end started with a golden punch pulverizing its remaining arm. Then, Lien bit one of its legs off, followed by her mate crushing the other with a mighty stomp. Only the head and most of the torso remained.

"Ready, Lien?" Stella arrogantly smirked as energy erupted from her knuckle.

"Yup!" The Wolf's claw shone next to the golden glow. The mingling of their auras sent a rush of electricity throughout the Human's veins.

In perfect sync, their attack connected to the dismembered golem, followed by a blinding light and a loud, destructive shockwave that sent both girls flying farther than the construct did before! Confusion burrowed into Stella's mind as she slowly opened her eyes, stinging from the surprising reaction.

"What...?" Her blurry vision focused directly on where their opponent should've been. Instead, she saw a smoldering, shallow, yet broad crater with no trace of it in sight. He couldn't have escaped - she felt her hand touching his stone torso directly.

"Lien? What have we done?"

The pup patted the dust off her clothes and mane. "I have no idea. That never happened to me before." Her ears twitched slightly in various directions. "Where is Hōkō?"

Stella quickly stood up for the 100th time in these last thirty minutes. "Who cares? Let's get to the entrance already!"

Lien complied, following Stella as they ran towards the cavern as fast as their sore legs could. However...

"WAIT A DAMN MINUTE, YOUNG LADIES!" The elder's voice screeched and painfully reverberated inside their heads, making both girls cease by the sheer authority he imposed. Once Stella regained motion, her senses focused on the regenerating rock golem at the cave's gaping maw.

She rolled her eyes. "Bite me, Hōkō..."

The elder's avatar rested its paws on its hips. "What was THAT?! I had to make another avatar from GROUND up!"

Stella snapped her finger, pointing at it. "First, fantastic pun. Second, I'm as lost as you are."

"Uh..." Lien raised her paw. "That's crazy and all, but we have butts to kick. Have we passed the test, Hōkō?"

It shook its head. "The test is to reach the Atelier." It unsheathed its pointy spikes for claws. "And this new avatar is even STRONGER than the previous one! You have no chance!"

Stella clenched her fists. Her blood boiled with each passing second they wasted here.

"Lien!"

"On it, Stella!"

They charged at the golem once again until-

"STOP IT, YOU IDIOTS!"

They ceased, obeying the unexpected voice by pure instinct.

"Crap, I was too focused on Hōkō to notice you," Lien lamented, yet a smile teased her lips. "Want to join the fun, cousin?!"

Maro ran towards them on all fours, his scarf wildly flapping before he halted beside the girls. "You're not... beating Hōkō, you know..." he muttered between ragged breaths.

Stella huffed. "If you're only here to be a stick in the mud, why be here at all?"

The rogue pup smirked, stroking his fringe. "You're about to sing a different tune..." Then, he turned back, howling loudly at the woods. Before the Human could question, the ground started shaking.

A gigantic wave of Wolf pups carved their way out of the woods with all the chaotic energy one should expect. Yet, they all ceased behind the trio, like they were the generals of this unruly army.

A frown was evident on the new construct's feature. "Curses. I was too slow..."

So he expected the backup. It made sense...

Well, who was Stella to refuse such a golden opportunity? She confidently smirked while she and the two Wolves who led the pack assumed their fighting stances.

"Time for a lynching, old coot!"

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