"I didn't scare them that much," Qiaolian pouts, pulling the chicken feathers from her hair.
"We are here to make a good impression," Daiyu clicks, though her lover's magic now hid her mandibles and multiple eyes, her voice still held remnants of large fangs clicking together.
"What if I wanted to give you a chicken dinner?" Qiaolian sways her hundreds of tails alluring in the early morning light.
Glancing demurely around, Daiyu quickly yanks her much taller lover up by the front of her shirt and crowds her against a wall, "You mean a chicken dinner I would be preparing myself?"
Feet dangling off the ground, the kitsune grins innocently, nuzzling her mate's nose with her own before kissing it.
"You are lucky your cute," Daiyu gently drops Qiaolian back on the ground, "Now I thought that you had gotten our Dumplin's scent."
"I did!" Qiaolian whines, "she had walked past the chicken coop."
"And the bunnies?"
"Our Dumpling is a cub and likes small fluffy animals!"
Snorting a little unladylike, Daiyu walks gracefully away from the still pouting kitsune. A few paces away, she raises a perfectly arched eyebrow, "Are you coming?"
Smiling widely, Qiaolian runs the couple steps towards Daiyu and grabs her hand playfully.
Daiyu wraps said hand around her waist, "What of the treaty?"
Tugging the small woman to her body, Qiaolian sighs, "Lord Qiren is distrustful of us, but the clan leader is more willing to talk. We must be patient."
"Patience is not your strong suit," Daiyu teases, happily wrapped up in her wife's tails.
"Well, I did consider your plan," Qiaolian said thoughtfully.
"Hhhm, yes, kidnapping the clan leader and gift wrapping him for our sister does seem a bit messy."
"Plan B?" Qiaolian suggests.
"Plan B," Daiyu agrees, chattering excitedly.
"It smells like she is over here."
"You make her sound like an actual dumpling," Daiyu says sardonically, nibbling on the fox spirit's hand.
Qiaolian trills lightly. Hands still firmly clasped together, the two meander on to the training field of Cloud Recesses.
"Seems like Dumpling has become quite popular," Qiaolian murmurs idly, watching the young cultivators applaud the tiny archer.
"That is the Yiling Patriarch, isn't it?" Daiyu says offhandedly, watching Wei Wuxian instructing Dumpling.
The kitsune's hair began to rise in discomfort before she rushes forward, hands already glittering with foxfire. Rolling her eyes, Daiyu patiently shoots a yard of spider silk out of her hand and wraps it around her lover. Like a fisherman reeling in a large fish Daiyu gently pulls the kitsune close until she can put her arms around the irritable woman. She did not loosen the bindings.
"Qiaolian, Auntie Daiyu!"
Both women look up to see Dumpling running towards them.
"Sister Qiaolian! Are you going to teach me more archery?"
"Am I going to teach her more archery?" Qiaolian growls at her wife.
"Be nice and play well with the other children," Daiyu warns, cutting the silk with her fingertips and pushing her gently toward the small child.
"You haven't used silk on me for nearly a decade," the fox spirit winks at Daiyu as the child grows closer.
"If you don't behave, it will be another decade," Daiyu warns.
Putting a hand to her heart in mock hurt, Qiaolian turns to the young child, "Hello cub! Thank goodness! Daiyu is being so mean to me!"
Trying not to roll her eyes, Daiyu looks over her mate at the group of cultivators staring at them warily.
She smiles brightly and bows, "May we join you this morning?"
The lead cultivator, the younger brother to the clan leader she supposed judging by the nearly identical appearance, steps forward, and the two young cultivators flank him. The one she knew to be the Yiling Patriarch stood beside the younger brother to the clan leader. As if on cue, starting with the clan leader's brother, they return her bow.
"Of course! Dumpling has talked about you non-stop! Please join us!" Wei Wuxian cries excitedly.
Feeling a tug on her skirts, Daiyu looks down at Dumpling. Scooting down to her level, she opens her arms out for the small child.
"Is Mimi okay?! She doesn't hate me, does she?!"
Puzzled, Daiyu strokes the child's face, "Why would she hate you? It was an accident. She is fine. You can see her later today if you like."
"The first thing she asked about was you," Qiaolian added, her hundreds of tails quivered agitatedly.
"Really? No ghosts?" Dumpling asked, her tears spilling down her face.
Pausing in her ministrations, Daiyu looks up at her mate; confused, she mouths the word "ghosts?" A look of fury is crackling across Qiaolian's face. The fur on her tails is standing on end, and she is growling lowly.
Daiyu reaches out for one of her partner's tails and uses it to wipe the child's face.
This breaks whatever memory Qiaolian has latched on to, "Hey, there better not be snot on that! Why couldn't you use your sleeve like a civilized person?" Qiaolian barks.
Kissing Dumpling on the forehead as the child starts giggling at the irate fox spirit. Daiyu ignores her wife and says, "Of course, darling. She loves you, as we do. I am sure she will tell you herself when you see her later. Besides, you know that your sister would never ever cause you harm."
"Uncle Wei and Uncle Wanji told me the same thing! But I needed to ask you!"
Surprised at the terms of address, Daiyu glances over at her wife, who gave her a "yes I caught that, I'm not that stupid," sort of nod.
"Why don't you let me up, little one? Were we not going to see you shoot?"
Dumpling gives Daiyu a hug at the same time Qiaolian jibes, "Yeah, she's an old woman. Her bones are not what they once were."
Not looking up, Daiyu shoots webbing at her wife's lips, effectively sealing them shut, "Your eldest sister is twice my age. Her mind is not what it once was."
Foxfire erupts off Qiaolian's fingers, effectively burning through the spider silk.
"Uncle Wanji does the same thing to Uncle Wei!" Dumpling cries, clapping her hands together before running back towards the cultivators' worries, apparently no longer on her mind.
"What does Uncle Wanji do?" Wei Wuxian shouts.
Dumpling playfully put her lips together with her fingers, effectively "sealing them shut" the young cultivators titter a little at her actions.
When Dumplin has run a distance away, Daiyu takes the hand her wife offers her to pull her up, "Do you think that her father?"
"Yes," Qiaolian growls, watching the child worriedly, "I think he has."
Daiyu hugs her wife, "We make sure the child is safe and then take care of him."
"One step at a time," Qiaolian says quietly.
Squeezing her hand, Daiyu steps toward the cultivators. Dumplin is already lining up to take another shot at the target.
Releasing Daiyu's hand Qiaolian immediately steps to stand beside Dumplin. Gently correcting her posture. Wei Wuxian is trying not to stare at the hundreds of tails casually shifting in the morning breeze.
The target is set for ten yards, and Daiyu could see the grass marks beyond the target where the arrows had been buried in the turf.
"Lady Feng. Please sit with us."
These cultivators are quite brave, Daiyu thinks, glancing over at the two smiling young boys sitting nearby on the grass. The clan leader's brother among them. Amused by the use of her title, Daiyu sat near the clan leader's brother. A large blanket appeared on the wet grass as she is about to sit down.
"Thank you, love," Daiyu calls at her wife's back.
"How is our girl doing?" Daiyu asks a young cultivator, the one who she is pretty sure invited her over.
"Lady Shen is making excellent progress!"
Daiyu smiles to herself. This child is quite charming, indeed.
"Has she landed a bullseye yet?" Daiyu responds after some time.
"No. But she is making excellent progress," the young cultivator said excitedly.
The clan leader's brother peers over his shoulder at Daiyu, his expression mixed.
"Would you like to make a wager on who will set fire to the field first?" Daiyu asks the stoic man.
"No gambling in Cloud Recesses," he said quietly, but firm.
"Hhhmm," Daiyu turns back to Dumplin and Master Wei.
She didn't look at the man when a money pouch appears in her lap.
"I believe it will be mine who will combust," Daiyu chitters extremely quickly, knowing Lan Zhan would hear her.
Glancing out of her peripheral vision, she could see the slight nod and the words, "Wei Ying."
Delighted, Daiyu smiles at the pair leaning over the small child.
"Why don't we try kites?" Master Wei said excitedly.
"Excellent idea," Qiaolian cries, staring off into the space above the target.
Suddenly a majestic golden phoenix appears, gliding lavishly in the air—the young cultivators behind Daiyu oooh and awe at the beautiful kite.
Dumplin shrieks in delight and immediately aims at the phoenix.
"Now, straighten your back and keep a hold of the arrow," Qiaolian nudges the girl's elbow down.
"We cannot shoot at this Lady Feng!" Master Wei immediately cries, also in aww of the kite.
Dumplin accidentally fires, and the arrow hits the turf. The hundreds of tails stop moving, and the kitsune stares in slight annoyance at the cultivator.
"Why not?"
Daiyu leans over, waiting with bated breath.
"I do not wish to bring bad luck by shooting at the emblem of the Golden Phoenix," Master Wei bows to the fox spirit, "I do not mean to disrespect your kindness."
Daiyu can't resist chuckling to herself. Her wife's tails fluff out and twitch from side to side.
"The Golden Phoenix is the emblem of my clan," Qiaolian puts a hand on the bow at her side out of reflex, immediately catching the eye of every cultivator young and old on the premises.
Daiyu beckons to Dumplin, who immediately sits in her lap. She flinches just a little when a young cultivator looms over her shoulder to say to Dumplin, "Great job, Lady Shen!"
"Your bow is quite handsome; might I see it?" Master Wei asks, curiosity and suspicion laced in his tone.
Raising an eyebrow, Qiaolian removes her bow and hands it to Master Wei.
Picking up the child, Daiyu casts several nearly invisible silk skeins about the group, creating a protective barrier. None of the young cultivators notice this move. Lan Zhan, however, stared at her unblinking.
"Uncle Wanji," Dumplin cries unexpectedly, "how well did I do?"
The barest hint of a smile plays on his lips as he stares at the little girl, "You did well. You must practice more."
He glances uncertainly at Daiyu and then at the skeins of silk in her hand.
"Would you like some?" Daiyu asks him, "Believe me. I have plenty. I was going to use some of it to tie up our girl's hair."
The cultivator eyes her suspiciously and nods. The young cultivators are divided between watching Master Wei and Lan Zhan. Master Wei suddenly screams, causing Lan Zhan to leap to his feet, hand on his sword. The young cultivators follow suit.
"This is the bow of the Golden Phoenix! I would recognize the detail anywhere! Where did you get it?!" Master Wei is gripping the large bow as if he refuses to part with it.
The cultivators seem to settle down, seeing that Master Wei is not in any immediate danger. They once again sit. Daiyu charms the blanket underneath her to grow bigger so that they could all sit comfortably.
"Thank you, Lady Feng," the young cultivators bow to her and sit upon the comfortable blanket.
Lan Zhan continues to stand, watching the proceedings between the two archers.
"It is mine!" Qiaolian has her hand out for the bow.
"What's happening?" Dumplin asks from her lap. The cultivators also look to her for an explanation.
"Your sister is being a showoff," Daiyu comments dryly, and the young cultivators begin to talk amongst themselves. One look from Lan Zhan, and the chattering immediately stops. Daiyu notices little paper notes flying back and forth.
"I mean, where did you get it?" Master Wei says excitedly, "I have seen pictures and drawings by those who have seen it and survived the attacks, but I have never heard of anyone possessing the bow of the Golden Phoenix."
"It is mine," Qiaolian repeats, golden globes of foxfire beginning to form around the tails.
"Darling, don't do anything foolish," Daiyu calls to her mate while dividing up the skeins of silks in her hand. She also peeks at the clan leader's brother, who is eyeing the balls of fire with more than a little interest.
"He doesn't know who I am," Qiaolian whines to her wife, finally taking the bow from the stunned cultivator.
Rolling her eyes, Daiyu says, "You can prove who you claim to be without destroying anything or making a pest of yourself."
"Second master lan," Daiyu holds out the smallest pile of silk to the cultivator, daring him to take it from her.
As if being offered a strange spiritual device, the cultivator slowly bends over and accepts the silk. He seems to puzzle over it. Testing the dexterity and, finally, the strength of it.
"You are the Golden Phoenix?!"
The young cultivators around her immediately perk up, mouths hanging open at Master Wei's outburst. Daiyu glances back at her mate, who has one hand on her hip. A sure sign of mischief ahead.
"Darling, don't brag," Daiyu calls to her mate, studying the intricate tangles of Dumplin's beautiful red hair.
"Dumplin, did you forget to brush out this unruly mane last night?"
"No, Uncle Wei tried to brush it out, but it got tangled. He told me not to tell Uncle Wanji," Dumpling reports, dutifully holding still so that Daiyu could run her talons gently through.
Lan Zhan glances over another little quirk forming at his lips. He sits down near Daiyu.
"What is this silk?" he asks, holding the silks gingerly in his hands.
"It is a special silk I make by hand," Daiyu replies honestly, using her dexterous fingers to untangle an incredibly difficult knot in Dumplin's hair, "Try slicing it with your sword. It will not break. Few things can."
"If you are who you say you are, then do the Golden Phoenix's legendary Flying Golden Lotus!" Master Wei cries.
The young cultivators cry out in excitement and lean forward eagerly.
"Is Qiaolian going to do it?" Dumplin turns about in Daiyu's lap, and Daiyu studies the intricate blue clouded headband that loops about her forehead. It matched the one on the cultivator beside her.
"Whether we want her to or not," Daiyu deadpanned as her mate began to stretch.
"Here, let's take this off for now," Daiyu very delicately takes off the ribbon and sets it upon the blanket, being sure to wipe the blanket off before putting it down.
"Alright," Qiaolian cracks her neck. She holds her hand out for her bow.
As soon as Master Wei puts the bow in her hand, an eruption of foxfire bursts from her fingertips, intricate lotus symbols appear on the bow.
"Shield your eyes, children. Don't look directly into the foxfire," Daiyu calls to the young cultivators while using her own hands to shield Dumplin's eyes.
The blinding light is dimmed by the protective webbing that Daiyu had reconstructed.
"Do as she instructs!" Lan Zhan cries, using the sleeve of his robe to block out the bright light as he rushes toward the protective webbing, sword out.
The sword strikes the webbing and immediately rebounds off. A guqin appears out of the air, and the sound wave hits the webbing with no effect.
Leaping into the air, Qiaolian curls her tails underneath her as she does a flying flip. The tails resembling that of a hanging lotus. With unearthly speed, she fires an arrow at the target while upside down.
Qiaolian hits the ground without making a sound and bows toward the stunned cultivators.
"Stay with the young ones, Dumplin," Daiyu requests softly to the young cultivators, "Make sure she doesn't leave your side."
Putting the small satchel of coins from the clan leader's brother down the front of her chemise, Daiyu jumps up, moving toward the barrier and with one hand tears into the webbing, quickly ripping it apart.
As the brightness dims, Wei Wuxian finally appears. His face is covered in ash, and his hair is smoking slightly. When he coughs, a bit of smoke comes out.
"Wei Ying!" the white-cloaked cultivator breathes out, immediately moving to the cultivator's side and grabbing his arm.
"Did you see that?! That was incredible!" Wei Wuxian cries excitedly, "Where did it hit on the target?"
"Why didn't you put up a shield?" Lan Zhan growls, still looking him over for injuries.
"I did!"
Darting away from Lan Zhan, Master Wei runs toward the target, "It went right through and dug into the earth!"
"Can we see?" one of the young cultivators asks hopefully.
Seeming to have relaxed, Lan Zhan nods, and the troop of young cultivators walk excitedly toward the target. The young cultivator Daiyu had asked to babysit Dumplin is holding her little hand as they made their way further on to the field.
"Is anyone singed or burned in any way?" Daiyu asks the group of young cultivators, Dumplin bounding to her side happily.
"We are well, thank you, Lady Feng," one of the boys said for the group.
Daiyu inclines her head, and the group goes to inspect the target. The hole where the arrow had penetrated wasn't wholly on the bullseye, but the foxfire that had surrounded the arrow burnt most of the target and dug deep into the earth upon cleaving through the sturdy material.
"Not bad for not practicing that move in a couple of decades, huh," Qiaolian wraps her arm around Daiyu, making purring noises.
"You're a mongrel," Daiyu said plaintively, lightly punching the fox spirit in the arm.
"We will, of course, pay you back for the damages," Qiaolian grins, nodding at the badly burnt target.
"You did not have to set fire to the field and endanger everyone," Daiyu said, making eye contact with Lan Zhan and winking.
"What are you talking about? I am going to have this mounted on the wall!" Wei Wuxian cries, practically bouncing up and down, "It is not every day the Golden Phoenix practices on our field!"
Rolling her eyes, Daiyu bent down to Dumplin, whose hair is resembling sagebrush, "Would you like to practice some more?"
"My arms kind of hurt. Can I watch?"
"Of course, love. When we . . ." Daiyu picks at the girl's hair, "do something with your hair, we can go for lunch in town."
Squealing with delight, Dumplin nearly pulls Daiyu back towards the blanket.
"Return to your studies," Lan Zhan tells the young cultivators who disappointedly bow to all the adults and move sedately across the field like a flock of ducklings.
Dumplin runs after them, and the young cultivators' pause to hug the little girl before disappearing.
"I challenge you to a contest, Master Golden Phoenix!"
"If you can handle the challenge, then I accept!" Qiaolian crows.
Daiyu rolls her eyes and follows the little girl through the web barrier. Dumplin sits down upon the blanket, watching her expectantly. About to reconstruct the web, Daiyu is surprised to see Lan Zhan following close behind.
"Not participating?" Daiyu asks politely.
"No."
Backing away from the web to allow the cultivator through, Daiyu can't help but smile fondly at her wife chattering about archery techniques with Master Wei.
Quickly patching up the web as if it had never been torn through in the first place, Daiyu goes to sit next to Dumplin, who immediately sits in her lap.
"Oof, a little gentler next time, love," Daiyu wheezes. The child's head had struck her delicate collar bone.
"You knew and put up the barrier," Lan Zhan accuses softly, but she did not hear any malice in his voice.
"After living intimately with a fox spirit for nearly a century, you pick up on certain character traits," Daiyu teases.
"You knew Qiaolian would blow something up?" Dumplin asks, looking up at Daiyu.
"Look straight ahead."
When Dumplin complies and also straightens her back, Daiyu finally answers, "Your sister is always blowing something up or setting fire to something."
"Same."
Daiyu and Dumplin look over at the stoic man in surprise.
"Your brother often sets fire to things?" Daiyu asks, confused. The clan leader seemed like a charming individual.
"Master Wei."
Not being able to help herself, Daiyu begins to snicker at the long-suffering expression on the cultivator's face.
"I shall sew you a cloak impervious to fire," Daiyu promises, running her fingers through Dumplin's hair.
"The Golden Phoenix died at the hands of the Black Jade," Lan Zhan remarks, watching Qiaolian set fire to the tip of an arrow.
Daiyu smirks a little and stares at the fox spirit setting six flaming arrows on to her bow, "No. But there are multiple definitions of dying."
"What is the silk you use?" Lan Zhan asks again, his hands tugging experimentally at the silk she had given him.
"A silk I make myself," Daiyu repeats, raising her eyebrow at Lan Zhan challengingly.
"Why do you have so many tangles and knots, my love?" Daiyu resumes untangling the many knots in the child's hair.
"I don't know. Just been feeling excited," Dumplin says, wiggling a little.
Clicking her teeth together curiously, Daiyu pulls an intricate hair adornment from her own ebony hair. The golden hair ornament is a golden phoenix and spider sitting on a rose.
Using a strand of her silk, Daiyu binds a part of Dumplin's hair into a top knot and uses the golden hair ornament to hold it further together.
Pulling the Gusu clan's headband out of her sleeve, Daiyu wraps the headband about the child's forehead and interweaves the ribbon in her red curls.
"This looks right, doesn't it, Second master lan?" Daiyu nudges Dumplin to turn to show Lan Zhan.
His eyes soften a little at the edges, and then he sees the emblem of Daiyu's clan, and his mouth opens and shuts.