Hey, So I was asked by yingyangmaster to write another one of these. So here I am. It won't be like Tigress's, but I don't want it to be. This will contain spoilers for Diary of Mei Xiang 2, but I haven't written that far yet, so don't worry. If you want to suggest anything I could put here, then feel free. Happy reading!
~Shadowdapple~
"Mei Xiang, I'm so cold." I glanced over to the huddled shape on the bed. Green eyes glazed with fever peered weakly up at me. "Shh, Ming, you need to rest," I whispered as I pulled another quilt over her. I leaned across her and picked up the cup of honey/petal tea and raised it to her lips. "Drink, Ming, you need to drink." She sipped some fluid and sighed. I closed my eyes, trying to hold back tears. It has been almost a week since my sister has fallen ill. There was no signs of her getting better. I didn't know what to do. Mother and Father left with our baby brother and the doctor tried his best to give her medicine. There was nothing else for us to do. I keep trying to feed her and give her fluids to drink. She barely takes any of it. I'm lucky if I can get her to keep any of it down at all. I winced as I listened to her harsh breathing.
"Try to get some sleep, Ming Hua. I'm going to go outside and see if I can't get some more soup for you." I glanced back and watched her long enough to make sure that my order was being followed before heading outside. It wasn't long before I heard her screams. "Mei Xiang!" I ran as fast as my short legs could carry me back into the house. "Ming Hua!" I collapsed on the bed next to my twin. She was thrashing around in her sleep. Her bumps were popping, oozing pus everywhere, I shook her awake until her startled eyes landed on my face.
"You're here, Ming. It's alright." I murmured soothingly. "I dreamt, you left me to die all alone! she whimpered." I mopped the blood and pus off of her face and paws trying to hold myself together. "I won't leave you, ever," I promised her. She nodded and we cuddled up like that for a while. I told her that outside was a beautiful sunny day and it was warm. She smiled brightly and I started to cry a little when I realized that this was the end. Then she started to twitch and convulse uncontrollably. "Ming! Are you ok!" I asked scared.
Then fountains of blood spewed from my dear sister's mouth. I mopped up the blood the best I could from her airways. She was crying so hard. "Ming, shhh. It's ok. I'm right here." "Mei, will you sing?" I shook subtly and nodded my head. Curling her frail body into mine, I sang her a lullaby. I want her to sleep peacefully to the Spirit Realm.
"Sleep my child and peace attend thee" Soft the drowsy hours are creeping While the moon her watch is keeping O'er thy spirit gently stealing
All through the night
Guardian angels God will send thee
All through the night
Hill and vale in slumber steeping
I my loving watch am keeping
All through the night
All through the night
While the weary world is sleeping
All through the night
Visions of delight revealing
Breathes a pure and holy feeling
"All through the night"
I gazed down at my dear sister. She tried to smile at me. I knew that she hated seeing me upset, just as much as I hated seeing her upset. "I love you. Promise me that you'll find a place far away from where we dreamed we could run and play. The Valley of Peace. From the stories, Master Fang told us." I nodded as I watched her eyes glaze over and her body grew limp. "Ming." I gently shook her. Her eyes stared up at me. I checked her pulse. There was none and she wasn't breathing. My sister was gone. Wrenching my head back I screamed at the world, to let them know, that I as broken and all alone. After moving her from me and cleaning us both up, I dressed her in her favorite dress and hung a black sheet over our front door.
Looking back at my now peaceful sister, who moments before was in endless agony, I whispered, "I will take an eternity if I have to if that is what it takes to get to the Valley of Peace for you, Ming Hua. I will never forget for as long as I live. I love you." My voice shook and I turned away and cried a little before bracing myself for what came next.
I hate seeing my sister lying there as if she is just sleeping. The coroner tried to clean all the disease off of her before the funeral. Everyone in town came to see her be buried. Everyone that is except my parents. I shuddered as I gazed at her and the memory of her last day replayed in my head. "Mei Xiang, would you like to stay with us for a while?" I looked up from my reverie to see Mrs. Kinashowa and her husband. She was heavy with child and had her two-year-old son with her. He was holding her paw, sucking his other.
"Why is Ming Hua sleeping?" he asked. I flinched and she scolded him softly. His father walked him away to talk to him about why Ming Hua was "sleeping." I looked up at Mrs. Kinashowa. "Thank You for the wonderful offer, but my parents wouldn't like that." She nodded understandingly and let me know that I will always be welcomed in her house. I nodded numbly. She patted my head gently before walking off to join her son and husband. Once she left, I continued staring at my dead sister.
People came and went. They gave me their condolences and the other female adult tigers in town were trying their best to comfort me. "All I want is more than anything is to have Ming Hua back." Is what I kept saying. They would say poor baby and other things and hug me till I thought I couldn't breathe.
It was sunset when I was left by myself and the coffin with my sister. The coroner would be coming by to bury my sister once the sun fully set. "I will keep my promise to you, Ming Hua. I love you." I leaned over the lid of the coffin the best I could and kissed her head. Then I walked away leaving my sister alone under the peach tree.