Chapter Ten: Zun

"After him!" the antelope guards yelled as Shen skittered on the rough-hewn bricks. The small peacock darted his crimson eyes back and forth, searching for a place to hide. Dust clouds from trundling wheels and feet permeated the spring air, icy in his lungs. His breath was short, and his heart was filled with thrill.

He tripped on his oversized servants' robe. Though meant for a goose, it was still too big for him. With a drone, he balled up the loose fabric in his wings. One of his gold coins fell out, and he scrambled to pick it back up. He spared a look behind him; the guards rounded a corner.

Shen resumed his flight, but was halted by the legs of commuting Gongmen City folk. He darted inside the fray. The daylight was dimmed by clothed bodies above. He stepped on a pig's hoof. A sheep let loose a baah! when Shen rammed it's shin. More than once, he came uncomfortably close to getting kicked. Panic begun to set in as he couldn't find a way out from between the shifting legs. At last, he saw a gap between the feet, and squeezed his way to freedom.

Out at last, he panted, but his rest was short. The guards began clearing the crowd. Shen whipped his vision around in jerky twitches, searching for a hiding place. Wasting no time, he weaved through a collection of food carts and darted into a nook off the main street. Finding himself still exposed, he frantically scrabbled up into a large barrel.

"Ow, hey! Get your own barrel!" a muffled voice whined as Shen flopped into the rice. A small red eye peeked out from in between the grains.

"Over here, this way!" guards shouted from the street.

"Shhh!" Shen shoved the unknown animal under the rice and peaked through a hole in the barrel. When he was sure the guards had passed, he lifted his wing from the shifting particles.

A gasping, fanged wolf emerged from the white mass. It narrowed its brow as it beheld the young white peacock.

Shen backpedaled in the slippery rice, flinging grains as he thrashed.

"You're a wolf!" he exclaimed, his voice cracking slightly. He had never seen one before.

"Yeah," the furred beast said with contempt, momentarily giving up his snarl.

"And you're a weird goose, right?"

Shen balked in disgust. "A goose? That's absurd. I am not one of those egg-sitting common-folk. I'm a peacock."

"Don't look like much of a peacock to me." the small wolf said, scratching his chin, "I thought peacocks were colorful. And had big feathers."

"Well," Shen said, "I'm young. As are you."

"Am not! I'm seven-and-a-half!"

"Young," Shen jabbed as he rose to peek out of the top of the barrel. The food carts in front of them began to wheel away, following the commotion in the street.

The wolf groaned in despair. "I've been waiting an hour for those sheep to turn their backs! Thanks a lot, goose."

Shen grunted and kicked some rice at the wolf.

"My name is Jieru." He knew better than to speak his family name.

They climbed out of the iron-bound barrel and dusted themselves off. Shen poured some rice from his sleeve. The toy box he had brought from home nearly fell out, but he caught it in time, and covertly adjusted himself.

"Where I come from, when someone gives you their name, you give them one back," he said.

"Zun." the wolf grunted, pounding rice from his large ears. He had a peculiar shape to him unlike any Shen had seen. It looked as if the wolf was made of angry shapes, all competing to see which could be the angriest. The canines triangular snout, complete with large teeth, was certainly winning. The wolf's dully wrapped legs ended in petite paws that looked scarcely large enough to balance on at all.

"What are you doing waiting for them, anyway?" Shen asked as he examined the strange creature.

"I was gonna steal from them, of course."

"What, steal? But that's wrong!"

Zun shrugged. "I'm hungry."

"Can't you just ask your servants for a meal?"

"My serv—ha!" Zun belted in laughter, "you're funny."

Shen cocked his head, and jingled the coins in his sleeve.

People here have to pay for something as simple as food? Gongmen City was indeed a strange place.

"You don't have to steal, come with me."

Shen led the wolf into the busy street. The bird flipped up his hood to shield his tender eyes from the harsh sunlight. The bustling, lively air was unlike anything he had experienced so far. The best part was that he could go anywhere, and no one would stop him. Of course, most of the city-folk were twice his height. He ducked low, on the lookout for antelope guards.

"Uhh, I don't know about this Jieru," Zun said, glancing around the street with skeptical eyes, "wolves aren't exactly welcome in the city."

Shen ignored the wolf's whimpering and pressed on.

Around a bend, streams of white illuminated the dusty alley. In the cul-de-sac were a multitude of vendors, serving a myriad of treats and delicacies. Shen looked at the gold pieces in his sleeve, and sighed. He was planning on using them to buy something for himself.

The newly-met duo approached a dumpling stand. The counter was several feathers-lengths above his head, so Shen cleared his throat to grab the shopkeeper's attention. The beefy boar failed to notice him, so he made a louder sound.

The pig leaned over the counter and looked over the two with an uninterested glare.

"Three dumplings, please." Shen was wary of the giant boar's curving tusks, but never broke eye contact from beneath his red hood.

"We don't serve his kind here," the boar said, glancing to the wolf beyond.

Shen saw Zun hang his head in resignation.

"Come on, let's go. This is embarrassing," Zun pleaded.

The young lord winked smugly at the wolf and whipped back to the boar.

"Keep the change," Shen smirked as he set all five of the coins on the table. Zun's mouth fell agape.


"Mmm," the wolf said, sloppily snapping up a round dumpling. Shen enjoyed his own, albeit decidedly more daintily. The dumpling was salty and savory, and super greasy; a far sight from his usual palace fare. It was scrumptious.

They peered down at the sun-coated city from the scaffold of a dormant construction. Strings of lanterns united the misaligned roofs. Grey shingles lined them all, and wooden walls shined with hues of red. The steady sound of absent chatter rose from the mossy streets, along with odd smells: some good, most bad. It was a picturesque vista: evocative like the shadow play he had seen earlier that same day.

Shen felt more comfortable up here. He was used to looking at the city from afar, awaiting the day he could explore every road and alley. It was all quite a bit different though—a little scary, and oh so big. He hugged himself in his robe, feeling down.

The wolf chewed loudly, unlike his parents' own manicured manners. Shen stole glances at the wolf as he ate, fascinated by his strange form and features.

"This is so yummy. Thanks, Jieru. You're alright."

The compliment elated Shen. No one his age had wanted to be around him, until now.

"You didn't have to do that, you know," Zun said, licking a paw pad.

"I didn't?" Shen said, hoping he hadn't done something wrong.

"No, I mean, I could've stolen some food. But I'm glad I didn't have to." The wolf's voice was oddly gruff, yet clear.

"Oh, I see." Shen set down his wicker container.

"So… are we, like… friends?"

"I don't know… but we know each other, and like each other," Zun said.

"I think that's what being friends means."

"Strangers who get along, maybe."

"Well, I'm glad I can get along with a mangy, scruffy wolf like you." Shen could see that his words had hurt the wolf.

"Oh, I, uh, I meant nice and fluffy wolf."

"It's okay. I'm used to it. Besides, I never thought I'd hang out with a egg-sitting goose like you."

Shen smiled with giddy anger. Zun smiled back.

From below, a cacophony of cheers surged. Shen looked down to see a crowd forming where four streets met. In the center, a pig stepped atop a wooden crate, and belted his gritty, echoing call:

"Come one, come all, to Mr. Wan's street fighting extravaganza!"

"What's that?" Shen asked, intrigued.

"Street fighters!" Zun said, "come on Jieru, you have to see this!"

"Wait, see what! Hey!" Shen said as Zun pulled his sleeve down from the rooftop.

"We've got a hell of a fight planned for you today. Next one on today's program is the heavyweights!"

Shen and Zun ran on the cobbles and hid behind a teal fireworks cart. All manners of shady characters formed a boisterous circle around the pig. They banged into each other, and jeered strange words that sounded naughty. There was the feeling in the air that they were up to no good, just like Shen and Zun themselves. Shen lowered his hood, feeling a little unsafe.

"Woah, who are those guys?" Zun said, peering around the edge. Shen sheepishly looked to see two huge creatures lumber towards the center. The first was an ashy ape with two burly biceps clasped in studded leather cuffs. He walked with a dangerous step on his articulate hands and feet—each footfall precise.

The second was a bear of some kind, though colored in alternating patterns of black and white. It was the largest creature that Shen had ever seen, particularly in the belly. It was unassuming, but gripped its paws with a betraying strength. The crowd let out mixed laughter and sighs of wonderment.

"The famed Gorilla Bandit will face the fearsome Bang! Place your bets, ladies and gentlemen! Gorilla and panda. Who will win?"

"Excuse me," a velvety voice said from just behind Shen. He turned round and gasped to see a massive, wrinkly beast in a red-gold robe. The stubby horn on his nose was carved in cloudy shapes. His bright blue eyes lingered on Shen and Zun for a moment, before he raised a thick finger to his mouth, and winked. He set forward to the edge of the ring, his deceptive size lending nothing to his light, airy gait.

And tagging along with the huge rhinoceros was a smaller one—must've been only a child, like Shen himself. He saw only a pair of equally bright, nervous eyes before the tiny rhino was led away.

"Hello, Wan." the adult rhinoceros said. The crowd was silent but for whispers of anticipatory surprise.

"Sure you don't want to join in, Flying Rhino?" Mr. Wan said with a tone that could entice a prude.

"Just watching today."

Mr. Wan raised his fist into the air: "…behold! Kung Fu Master, Flying Rhino! Just watching…"

The crowd went wild. Zun also cheered from beside Shen, who was bewildered.

"Kung Fu Master? What's Kung Fu? What are they gonna do?" Shen asked.

"Well, fight, of course!" Zun said,

Fight?

The gorilla loosed a harrowing roar, and stomped for the panda. The two traded heavy blows, none gaining leverage over the other. The panda blocked each thunderous strike, calm, still, and planted. Shen's eyes lit at the impressive display. He had never seen a fight this intense—no, he had never witnessed a fight at all.

The earth shook as the gorilla pounded the ground, huffing and puffing with breath like windstorms.

"Cower now, lazy panda, and tremble beneath my mighty fist!"

"That was good," Bang said, brushing his arm, "now, stop messing around, and hit me!"

The gorilla's rage doubled at the goading, and he rushed forward with his massive knotted fist. Bang stood still. It looked as if Gorilla Bandit's blow would land—a certain end for the panda. But at the last moment, Bang hooked the gorilla's arm, and struck him square in the chest. He flew back with a moan, and gripped his ribs, kneeling on the rough road.

"Had enough?" Bang said as he shifted his weight, paws on his hips.

Gorilla Bandit panted and beat his chest. With a final, blood-curdling bellow, he made another advancement. Clearly fatigued, Shen could figure the outcome—and he figured correctly. With a swift downward bat to the head, the gorilla thudded to the ground in a heap of black fur. The crowd erupted in fervent cheers. Mr. Wan set his box next to the panda and lifted its big black arm. Coins of gold and silver bounced into the ring, thrown from the excited patrons.

Shen could hardly believe what he had seen. The display of power and skill was intoxicating; he wanted more. His grey-beaked smile spread from eye to eye as he joined in the triumphant celebration. Zun climbed atop the firework cart's pink awning and shouted victory. But the fabric ripped free of its posts, and sent Zun scattering into the ring amongst the money.

Murmurs of discontent mellowed the crowd. "A wolf!" one cried. Mr. Wan and the mighty Li Bang alit their eyes on the topsy-turvy wolf, who struggled to right himself on the scene.

"That wolf's trying to steal the money!" another onlooker said.

Uh oh… Shen thought as he saw the gathering rile. He scampered into the ring to help.

"Time to go!" he said, pulling Zun up with the all strength his skinny grey legs could afford. The two hobbled for a back alley, out of the way of the citizen's prying eyes—leaving nought but a baffled riffraff behind. The two couldn't help but laugh as they ran along the backstreets. Barrels, crates, bags of rice and carts full of fruit sped past under shady balconies.

When they finally stopped to catch their breath, they found themselves in a secluded part of the city. Old buildings around them seemed vacant—twisting vines burst through the windows and doorframes. The lowering Gongmen sun dipped the structures in a warm gold. It was getting dark, but Shen was grateful that he didn't have to hide his face anymore.

The two young ones gushed to each other, each sharing their own dramatic take on the fight. Shen quoted the panda Bang's epic entices, causing Zun to double over in laughter. The wolf wheezed with his paws on his knees.

Shen rested his wing on a round stone well. Out of it curled a colossal cherry tree, whose roots peeked through the bricks. Only the tiniest hint of a cherry blossom grew on a wayward branch, new in the fresh spring—a sign of beauty and passion to come.

"Wow…" Shen said between breaths. Zun's tongue darted in and out of his mouth. He punched Shen softly on his robed shoulder.

Kung Fu, Shen thought, unable to stop replaying the street fight in his mind.

"You are alright," Zun said. They sat, and let their wind return.

Out of Shen's sleeve, his favorite toy, the metal box, fell. He went to grab it and held it in his slender feathers, thinking of the secrets it held. In a way, it was like the city; he could see and observe, but the intricacies of its operation were a mystery.

"Cool box," Zun said, focusing on the toy with his intense red eyes, "what does it do?"

"I don't know. It's missing a piece. Here," he said, pointing to where the missing bit should connect. Zun took it and shook it around.

"I think it needs a gear," Shen said, "I can wind it up but nothing happens."

Zun shrugged and handed it back. "Still cool though."

"Indeed. If you ever find a toothy circle, lets see if it fits."

"Hey, I got something for you." Zun reached into his tunic and produced five shiny gold coins, just like the ones Shen had used to pay for their dumplings.

"I snagged these from the street fighters," he said with a wicked smile.

"Woah, I didn't even see you grab those. How did you do that?"

"Practice."

Shen reached for the coins, contemplating how easily the wolf had gotten them. He hesitated.

"I can't take these," Shen said, "I don't think it's right that they aren't ours."

"We need them more than they did," Zun said.

"I don't need them. My mother could get me more, if I wanted," he said, then realized his slip. He brought his wing up to his beak.

"Wow!" Zun's mohawk bounced as his whole face widened up.

"You must be rich!"

"No… not rich. Not really." Shen said, leaning against the tree-well. He thought about his mother, missing her.

"You're super weird." Zun said, tucking the coins in his shirt.

In spite of all the fun he was having, Shen's life nagged at his mind. His parents must be worried sick.

"I gotta get going." Shen said, "I have to get home."

"Aww, already?"

"So it seems. I would very much like to see you again," he said, hopeful.

Zun stroked his whiskery chin and glanced around with a contemplative growl.

"Lets meet at this big tree. Should be easy for us to find."

"When?" Shen said, "my parents would never let me out alone."

"I can tell you're new to this whole 'sneaking' thing." Zun said, taking on an instructor-like tone.

"You see, that's what nighttime is for. We can use the moon to coordinate. Let's say, this tree, next half-moon, at its zenith."

"Clever," Shen said, "I wouldn't have guessed a wolf to be so… uh, never mind."

Zun rolled his eyes.

"I know, I'm not very scary or wolf-like. Kang's always sure to let me know that." He twitched and looked away.

"Who's he?" Shen asked.

"No one. Just a pup I thought was my friend."

"Well," Shen tapped Zun on his grizzled shoulder, "I'll always be your friend."

Something felt so correct about being with Zun. It was amazing to simply be with someone, someone who liked him for him, and who expected nothing from him. He gave another bright smile to his new acquaintance. He didn't want to part ways, but the sun grew low. He had seen what he wanted: the good, the bad, and the wonderful.

"See you later, Goose," Zun said.

He gave Shen a small pat on his white head—a mini version of the move that Bang had used on Gorilla Bandit—and turned tail. He ran on four legs out of one of the spider-webbing backstreets, with Shen's gaze on him the whole way. Seeing Zun go felt like cold lead in Shen's breast, but he was sure they would meet again.

Wind shivered through the vacant cherry boughs, transmuting the loneliness into eerie emptiness. Shen realized he hadn't kept track of where he was. He shook and tucked his wings in the sleeves of his oversized robe.

Wing and claw lifted Shen up the big tree. In the distance, The Tower of the Sacred Flame ascended like a thorny lodestone. The palace wall surrounding it was also visible, but it was rather far away. Lanterns over the city streets began to ignite—up, over and through the vast puzzle. Getting back might be harder than he had expected.

Shen decided to take the nearest alley. The skinny path between the buildings was dank in the approaching dusk, ripe with the smell of rotting wood and moss. Dampness accumulated on his robe's hem from stagnant puddles. Due to the height of the buildings around him, he could no longer see the tower, forcing him to navigate the corridors by feel. He wished his dark-feathered maid Jingfei was there to guide him.

Wandering in the labyrinth, Shen reached a dead end. Then another. Red light begun to creep between the twilight buildings from unseen lanterns. Doors and windows creaked as they opened and shut. Grunting, unfriendly voices drifted around the rafters. Shen passed a huddled group of boar, and their squinting eyes followed him as he scurried by.

"Lost, little guy?" A boar stepped from a side alley into Shen's path. Shards of light glinted off the piercings on his shadowy face.

"N-no, I am not lost," he said, trying to look around the pasty creature.

"I'm sure we can help you get back home. Just come with us," the boar said as two others joined him. His offer sounded wholly deceitful.

"Really, I'm okay," Shen said, his face flushing with panic. Wings wringing, his breath caught. He watched his shaky feathers as the adversaries approached, and suddenly remembered the street fight.

Kung Fu, he thought, recalling the power of the fighters. A bubbling rush of confidence flowed into him.

He looked towards the towering boar, narrowed his eyes, and balled up his feathers. Just like the gorilla, he ran forward and let out his best, most sincere scream. The sound that came out was less than intimidating. His meek fist bounced off of the lead boar's spongy belly without a scratch. Shen recoiled and held his wing in pitiful failure. The boars laughed and continued forward.

Shen backed up, fearing the worst—but he knocked into something, and spun around. Standing above him was the rhino from the street fight, with his child still clinging sullenly to his robe.

"Do we have a problem here?" the splendorous rhino said to the assailants. They nervously nudged each other and pushed one forward.

"No, no! Not here, Flying Rhino," the boar stuttered, biting his lip.

"Main street's down that way. Go home, peacock."

Flying Rhino pointed for a skinny offshoot that glowed bright red. Shen dashed for it without a second thought. Squeezing through the cramped crevice, he sniffled as his fear plateaued. Being lost had its own distinct character of terror.

He stayed on the edge of the still-busy roadway to keep from being trampled. He didn't care about seeing the city anymore. All that mattered was getting home. Running now, he let the tower be his guide, each springy step spurred by his desperation. Tears welled in his eyes, even though he tried to stifle them.

He wished for Zun. The wolf knew a lot about the city, and that fact alone was soothing.

Through glassy eyes, he identified the garb of a palace guard. The familiarity of home evoked relief and safety. He ran for the legs of one of the antelope and sobbed as he hugged them. The guard blanched as he recognized Shen, and shouted for the other antelopes.

They led him by a limp wing up the wide staircase in front of the palace. Shen stumbled on a step, his sporadic breath painful in his winded lungs and air-sacs. The palace doors opened. Shen's parents stood beyond the bridge in the courtyard. His instructor, Huang-Sho, lingered behind them in his dark robe.

"We've searched the entire city!" his mother said, "It's time, Lin!"

She wore a tunic of leather that Shen had never seen before. Rows and rows of guards fenced them in like an infantry.

"You cannot! The Soothsayer was clear! It will be the end of us," Lin said, holding Yun with his blood orange wings.

"This is our son," she said, "and I will not lose him! Not after everything!"

Stern and bitter, Huang-Sho's spectacled face watched as Shen crested the bridge.

The guard that led Shen hailed his parents. His mother turned and gasped with great relief. Shen embraced her, the rough leather jarring against his sore body.

"Are you alright? Oh, my Jieru," Yun said, stroking his head as he cried in her wings.

Lin ripped Shen away and hunched to his short level.

"Do you have any idea of the alarm you've caused? Of course you don't; you are but a foolish child!"

"Lin, please," Yun said, nearly sobbing herself, "a child he is, but our child, and the only one we have. Be grateful he is unharmed."

"Grateful? How can I possibly be grateful!" He looked up from his wife and child.

"Black shoulder! Send him to his room immediately. And be sure he does not leave. NOW!" Shen's father screamed. His blue eyes contracted into small dots, and simmered hot enough to boil the ocean.

Jingfei appeared and softly grabbed Shen's wing. He looked back at his arguing parents, and saw his teacher. Huang-Sho moved to hide something in his voluminous sleeve. His gaze never left Shen as he departed.

"Oh dear," Jingfei said, "look at you. Your feathers are a muddy mess. Just wait in your room for a minute. I'll get you a tub to bathe in. Does that sound alright?"

"Mhmm…" Shen said with a sniffle, feeling crushed under the weight of the nascent night. Jingfei's kind words, however, were bandages to his wounds.

A candle was lit for him. Jingfei stripped his dirty robe, shook his metal box out of it, and wrapped him in a wool blanket. Out of the door she sped, haste evident. Shen sat on the wood of his room; home, but still lost. The only sound was the gurgle of the sluice and the sputter of the small flame in front of him. The commotion and toil had ended so abruptly. Now, all that was left were the consequences.

Shen sobbed a tiny bit more, but he was warm, and he was safe. He watched the flame on the candle, so small, yet so radiant. It was a bright spot in his dark room, and the only thing he could focus on. The way the light glistened reminded him of the brilliant shadow play he had seen that day. Teensy little peacock shapes paraded in front of his eyes, building the city and the people that Shen had finally gotten to see. Wicked structures darkened the flames, and scary shapes of dangerous people filled the frame.

From stage left, a rhinoceros entered the scene. His powerful blows dispelled the darkness with fists like boulders. His presence was commanding, and his strength was soothing. He enacted a control over the stage that Shen craved. However, the rhino soon departed, removed as he was from his surroundings.

Shen feared the darkness would return, but before it could, a new small shape emerged. A wolf. Behind it, a twisting cherry tree grew, a single blossom on its outstretched branches. His vision shifted from the candle to his mystery box lying on the floor. He feared he might never know what it did. What he did know was that Zun, an unexpected friend, would help him search for that one missing piece. In a city of uncertainty, at least there was someone who could show him the light.


A/N:

Hey all. Chapter's been done for a while but I had to make some edits and find time to post. I rushed the final edit a little, so if there are any weird mistakes, please forgive! Hopefully the barrage of characters and places in this one is not too jarring.

Writing children is very fun. I always seem to produce satisfactory young Shen interactions. These two may be a bit too articulate for a pair of seven-year-olds, but I'm relying on plot logic and suspension of disbelief to obfuscate that fact haha. I might consider switching up the ages if I rewrite this story, but for now, my plans necessitate their current ages.

Quick note on Shen's "air-sacs." I'm making an effort to remain roughly anatomical, and birds breathe with a series of bellows-like sacs.

As always, critique and review, please. I read them all, and take your narrative concerns seriously.