Zhaei's POV

Ji shook me awake, it was dark outside. He pulled me out of master Shang's bed.

"Shang is almost home, he said he would be back when the moon reached its peak. Its almost there, I can take you back to your house or I can take you somewhere else, I have a few places I go when I want to be alone." I thought for a moment. Aysa clearly didn't want us around her. We stayed away from her. She didn't even know we were back. The thought of her made me angry. I put her in the back of my mind.

"I want to go to one of your places." I finally answered.

"Its our place now. Follow me." He grabbed my hand and walked ahead. Why did he have secret hideouts? I decided to ask.

"Why do you have, secret hideouts?" I knew it would sound weird if I asked. Why do I care what he thinks of me though? Doesn't matter. He stopped for a spit second and looked at the ground but he continued into the forest.

"I made them because Shang isn't the best roommate. He snores very loud at night and its hard to sleep listening to him. Plus Shang doesn't know all of my hobbies. If I kept all of my stuff in the house, it would be full. I made these places for a getaway from reality. The world can be horrible at times." We continued walking down a hand made trail that lead deeper into the woods. Wow, I didn't know I wasn't the only one that needed a break from reality. Im four years old and im already being kidnaped and walking into the woods with strangers? I guess Ji isn't a stranger. I wonder what happened between him and Aysa that was so bad.

"Whats wrong with you and Aysa?" I came out so fast I don't even know if he could hear it.

"Nothings wrong, we just don't get along. Remember what the monkey king said about the Alliance people?"

"Yeah, they are really weird. I saw a few of them before I came here. I lived on half-hill, with all the traveling merchants its hard to not see weird things."

"Why do you think they came here? Why would they poison the monkey prince instead of killing him like all the rest of the troops sent out?"

"I don't know Ji, I do know there is another side. Its called the Horde. I've seen a few of them too. They are more ugly. Some have green skin. On the alliance I haven't seen many. They all seem to not get along."

"What if we have to choose a side one day? Will panda's be separated?"

"Why would we have to choose? I hope we don't, I want to be friends forever." I finished my sentence with a hug. He changed the subject from Aysa. My thoughts were interrupted with glow worms floating everywhere. I gasped, a hut sat at the middle of a pond with glow worms floating everywhere. The trees blocked the moonlight, but the hut was still visible. A path of rocks poked up through the water, forming a bridge to the island in the middle of the pond. Ji Walked forward towards the rock path. I followed close behind.

"Some of the rocks are wet. Be careful, I can help you across if you want."

"No I think I can do it." I let him go across the bridge first then I followed his exact steps across. I made it across faster than he did. I tripped on the last rock. I felt horribly stupid. Why? I got up and walked it off.

"Are you ok?" He was so scared, I laughed.

"Im fine, don't worry." I watched the glow worms float around us. They were beautiful. A small one got super close and let me touch it. Ji walked inside the hut and showed me around. It was full of junk mostly. A bed was in the far corner.