Disclaimer: Qin's moon is a CG animated TV series in China, produced by Hangzhou StarQ. The only things I own are my fanfic and my original characters (OC).

Author's note: This one shot idea was inspired by an article called "The Journey of Cultivation (it's not really farming)" on the Wuxia Edge website.

The beginning part of this is a first person point of view and then later it becomes a third person point of view.

This is taken place sometime in Season 4, Episode 22.

Names and their meanings:

Bai Feng – White Phoenix
Xiao Niao – Little Bird

A Bird He Can't Control

Oh! Bai Feng was injured again! My emerald wings flapped as I flew down the rocky and steep valley of the night. It would appear he was tending to his own wounds. His right shoulder was bare and he was trying to wrap it up with a white cloth. He must have torn it off from his white attire.

I flew pass him and he did not regard me. He only continued to warp the cloth around his shoulder. The red blood was leaking through the clavicle area and it looked pretty serious to me. Before he fully wrapped his wound up, I flew and landed my feet on his head.

"I haven't seen you in a while, Xiao Niao," he remarked rather quietly. Flapping my wings, I was trying to tell him I would heal him as I usually do. He raised his left hand to me and I jumped to stand on his finger. Bringing his hand down, he smirked as I tilted my head to him. "Such a mysterious creature you are."

He was unable to hear my thoughts. I chirped and he slightly threw me off of his hand, which surprised me even as I tried to stay in the air in front of him.

"There's no need to concern yourself with me," he said, reaching for the white cloth and wrapping himself again. "I can bear this by myself."

Oh gosh, you! He would get me upset sometimes because he refused my help. Why was I persistent? It was because he saved my life before and I never forget any of my benefactors. I wanted to heal him, but I rather get his permission first. …What, I was just being respectful!

Bai Feng glanced to me as I flew around him relentlessly. His eyes lowered and he was going to tie up his cloth to seal the wounds, but I pecked the back of his hand with my beak to stop him from doing so. His fingers grabbed my right wing and I squealed, fluttering around harshly.

"I told you, I don't need your help," he deliberated once more. His voice brought chills to my feathers when he said that.

I chirped as honestly as possible. He was staring, but I could barely see his expression since I was almost upside down. Then he let me go gently and I flapped my wings to go and land on his left shoulder. His deep blue eyes stared into the distant and I followed his gaze unconsciously.

Whereas Bai Feng and I were on a higher rock, his female comrade was lying on the ground with her head resting on a small rock. She seemed to be sleeping; however I could not see her face for she faced the other way. She was wearing her usual red dress and her snake-like hairstyle was swaying in the gentle wind. Around her right arm was wrapped with a cloth bandage and I noticed some bit of blood.

I wondered what could have happened. These two rarely get hurt. Oh… and where was that whitehair man they worked for?

Chirping once more, Bai Feng moved his head to look at me again. I gazed into his cool eyes and he let out a small smirk. "I don't know how you do it, but everything always come with a price," he spoke almost wisely.

Studying into his cunning eyes blankly, I now understood why he refused me multiple times.

Over nine hundred of years, I had meditated to store up spiritual energy just so I could look like a human. But because I used these energy to heal, I presently only had five hundreds worth of it… but I did not care. Seeing the humans I cared for was all that mattered to me. Even if I had to die to keep them breathing.

I did want to look like a human. I did want to experience the human speech. I wanted to live alongside humans like a normal girl. I wanted to talk to them so much… However, that dream would not come true for as long as I strongly desired to heal.

For a long time too, I had rid the thought of being human. I wanted to heal their wounds and possibly their souls.

Getting a sudden idea, I took off. But then he quickly grabbed my tail, possibly with only two fingers, and I cried out at the same time as I fluttered my weak wings. "Where do you think you're going?" I heard him asked.

In truth, I wanted to heal his comrade since she was asleep. Bai Feng pulled me and his hand grabbed a hold of my body with my wings folded. I chirped loudly, continuing to scream to have him let me go. He chuckled at my poor state and slowly his hand opened to free me. I flew down on his right knee and frowned.

Shortly after, I heard my name in the distant. I flinched and Bai Feng glanced to his left when I looked up at him. He seemed cautious and recognized the voice.

"Xiao Niao?" the voice called on, a bit more clearly this time. It was the voice of my second benefactor, Kaimei.

Bai Feng moved his hand, hurrying to fix up his wound. But then I rushed, flying over his right shoulder as my wings glowed and green light sprinkled onto his wound.

"Tsk," I heard him disapprovingly making that sound.

At least I healed him. But next time, I would be sure to ask for his permission. Gliding into the sky, the wind carried me even higher.

I had to make haste. Kaimei and Bai Feng were enemies. I did not wish for the two to meet when his comrade was still resting. And I did not want to see more blood being shed. So I must hurry and drive Kaimei away from here.

And I never looked back.

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~ Afterwards ~

~ 后来 ~

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Without a sound, Bai Feng flew over the trees around the small valleys. He was dressed and his wound completely healed, but he was not exactly grateful about it. Down a pathless road, he came to a stop when he heard the same voice. Hiding between leaves of a tall tree, he slightly looked down in front of him.

There was that woman again. Kaimei. A woman without a family name.

She always wore a sleeveless, light and thin golden-yellow silk tunic that reached to her knees. Her white armbands were from her wrists to the middle of her forearms. A white sash was wrapped around her stomach a few times and tugged under to lock it in place. Her tunic revealed a black mini shorts underneath. Her knee-length white boots were over her black, high, and thin socks, which dull yellow ribbons tied around both of her thighs to keep the thin socks from falling. The tails of the same ribbons touched below her knees.

"Haha, Xiao Niao! Come here, you~!"

Bai Feng's emotionless eyes watched the jade-green bird flying around Kaimei, trying to escape the woman's hands. After a few more seconds, Kaimei pouted. She created a golden-yellow wire from her first finger on her right hand. Flickering it out, the wire grabbed the foot of the bird and dragged her into Kaimei's right hand.

"I was so worried about you!" Kaimei squealed like a child, hugging the bird softly. She even rubbed her cheek against the bird's head. And Xiao Niao looked very bothered whereas she was chirping to get out and fly to keep her distance. "Huh? Why are you so resistant today? I haven't seen you for three days, you know!"

As the grip loosened purposefully, Xiao Niao fluttered her wings and flew to guide the human through the dark forest. Kaimei tilted her head and followed her slowly at first.

"Where are you taking me, Xiao Niao?" Kaimei questioned, jogging off after the bird now.

Just after that, Bai Feng stepped back and soared backwards. He knew Xiao Niao did not want a fight break out between him and the woman. Though, he was already occupied with something else. His comrade should not be left alone for too long.

Sharply turning to his left in the air, his left foot landed on a single leaf. And then he took off fairly quickly into the sky. Lastly, he heard the bird chirping loudly and it echoed rather warmly.

He had always wondered about one thing. Xiao Niao was the only bird he could not control. He knew she was somewhat special… but what made her so different from the other birds? And how could a little creature have the ability to heal?

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~ END ~

~ 终 ~

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"Cultivation in Ancient Chinese Series is taken from the Chinese word, Xiu Lian and has the same concept of farming, but is not directly related. Think of the purpose of farming, you sow the seeds and watch them grow, right? … Cultivation here is merely the same concept but on humans and creatures. You're cultivating yourself and making you grow and reach a certain goal." –Wuxia Edge