The night sky was a canvas of deep indigo, scattered with the brilliant diamonds of a million stars. A gentle breeze rustled through the nearby trees, carrying the scent of pine and damp earth. It was the kind of peaceful, postcard-perfect scene that made you forget, at least for a little while, about the stresses of the day.

XiShi, XueLing, HaoYue, and FengXiu had finally found a spot to settle down for the night. The Rock Mountain tribe was still a day's journey away, a distance XueLing insisted he and XiShi could have easily covered by themselves, had they not been traveling with the other two. But, no rush, they told themselves. Besides, that cozy little cave they had back there at the rock mountain tribe was only big enough for two, so finding more spacious digs was high on their to-do list.

Right now, though, the priority was dinner. XueLing, ever the homemaker ( ??? ), was diligently cooking the provisions they hauled from the capital, while FengXiu, the designated hunter for tonight, had successfully bagged their protein. And oh boy, was FengXiu a character. It was rare to find someone who could match XueLing's energy, someone who could volley passive-aggressive barbs with such ease and precision. Add in HaoYue, who was just as sharp-witted, and these had been together for a day and half, and had been quite the experience. They were all comfortable enough to show their true colors, and it was… certainly something.

XiShi wasn't sure when things had escalated from a peaceful cooking session to this. "Oh please, I know XiShi better than you, sneaky cat!" XueLing exclaimed, his voice dripping with mock indignation.

HaoYue, ever the picture of serene mischief, simply countered with a knowing smile. "Not better. Just longer," he pointed out cheekily. "I'm sure she'd love blueberries over strawberries." He delivered his point with a triumphant air.

FengXiu, who had been observing the whole charade with amusement, decided to add his two cents. He settled next to XiShi, "Can I add something?" he asked innocently.

"Go on," XueLing conceded, his face a mask of begrudging patience.

"I personally think that she'd like that meat cooked better, not burnt," FengXiu stated matter-of-fact. "How about you save our meal first? No, because I ain't going hunting again, my outfit gets muddy."

XiShi laughed, a sound that cut through the lighthearted squabble. "I think I'd take both berries, huh?" she said, a sly grin playing on her lips.

This was going to be fun,  huh ?