A/N: So... how is everybody doing? Yeah I know, you can be disgruntled if you want. I was out for two months. I apologize for that, however, know that I was not lazy. In fact, school has absorbed both me and my free time as of late. I have actually been slowly working on this chapter for the past four weeks now. I missed this, and you guys a lot.
Soooo enough with the excuses. I'm back, and ready to kick some butt. Thank you to all those who kept up with me and made me feel still apart of the community these past few weeks. Also, those people who still checked my story to see if I updated, that meant a lot to me thank you.
Shot out to Cuaroc, my good bud who beta-reads for me. Couldn't do this without your help and patience my friend, so thank you. Also, thank you to all those that reviewed and subscribed to this story. Your feedback and criticism keep me going. Shout-Outs!:
FFcrazy
Soul of a Lion
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You all rock! Thanks!
Now, a little disclaimer. The end of this chapter is a little... dark. You are forewarned. Let's DO THIS!
Disclaimer: Kung Fu Panda is owned by Dreamworks... got it?
Chapter 6: Blade of Destiny
A pair of bright terrified eyes burst open, frantically searching the darkness which surrounded them. Gui's breathing was labored and shallow as he did his best to calm his shattered nerves. He continued to search around the interior of the tent, desperately trying to reaffirm his whereabouts.
Briefly, a familiar pain shot through his right arm, causing the grey feline to gasp and grab his arm in pain. Luckily, as with past instances, the pain was extremely brief. He sighed with relief when the irritation subsided.
Gui looked down at his bed roll once he could focus again. He groaned, lifting up what had once been a brand new pillow. Claw marks and other lacerations had shredded the thing beyond repair. To make matters worse, the bed roll he sat on was in considerably worse condition, if it could still be called that. He face-pawed as he glanced annoyingly at the shredded remains under him. Immense apprehension struck him as he turned his worried gaze to his own torso. He sighed in pure relief when he saw that his brand new clothes were not damaged in any fashion.
Well that's a first, Gui smirked at his own weak attempt to cheer himself up. The smirk turned into a frown as he leaned back on his paws and stared at the ceiling. He lifted his left paw and stared intently at it, clenching and unclenching a fist. It's getting worse though, I don't know how much longer I can control it.
Gui sighed, exasperation only barely describing what he was feeling at that moment, when suddenly the flap to his tent opened. Startled, Gui jumped slightly as his deep thought was broken instantaneously. He chuckled when Song walked into the tent, concern trembled in her indigo eyes.
Gui chuckled, breathing a sigh of relief. "Oh thank the gods!" The cat sat up and slouched forward arms resting on his legs. "I was sure the twins were trying to get me to try their cooking again. You really need to get someone here who can give those two a few lessons."
Song rolled her eyes at his obvious attempt to dodge suspicion, but she payed along anyway. "Oh, is that all?" Songs lips curled up on one side of her face, as she looked the coy feline over. "Forgive me. I knew their cooking was substandard, but I had no idea it caused grown men to scream out in their sleep at the early hours of the morning." She cocked an eyebrow in question, causing Gui's ears and face to drop solemnly.
He laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head, and avoiding direct eye contact with the lithe leopardess. "Hehehe... you heard that, huh?"
Song shrugged. "Frankly Gui, I would be surprised if the next province hadn't heard you." She smirked at the anxious male, before walking over and placing herself on the ground on his left. Her blue eyes pierced into the side of his head questioningly. "So... are you going to tell me what's wrong or what?"
Gui chanced a look into her glowing irises. He knew she was sincerely concerned. When hadn't she been, with him? He trusted her more than he had ever been able to trust anyone in the past several months. The fact that he was comfortable with the idea of her joining him on his travels, was proof enough of this. Still, something held him back. He knew in his heart, his trust could only go so far. The entire time Song had been planning their journey with him, he felt regret and anxiety. The last thing Gui wanted, was to hurt anyone he cared about. Song was his friend now, and that thought frightened him more than any demon ever could.
Gui's silent contemplation had not gone unnoticed. Song playfully waved her paw in front of the feline's unfocused eyes. "China to Gui? Are you there, Gui?" Gui locked eyes with her once more, a soft smile crept onto her features. Gui returned it gladly. His frown returned swiftly though as the prior thoughts returned to his mind. Song frowned, and placed at kind paw on Gui's bare shoulder. "Hey," she began softly. "Gui, you can tell me anything. We're friends right?"
Gui smiled sadly, but thankfully at the clouded leopard beside him. He grasped his right arm out of habit, collecting his thoughts before he turned his body to face her. "Song, are you absolutely sure you want to come with me?"
Song gave him a perplexed look before smiling slyly. "I believe I finished packing my stuff before you even started, my lord."
Gui was not amused that she was joking around when he needed to be straight with her, for once. He rolled his eyes in slight frustration. "No that's- Song I am trying to be serious with you." His tone changing to match what he was trying to convey.
Song's amused expression remained briefly before softening. She moved her body closer so she could look him full in the eyes. She smiled encouragingly at him, nodding. "Okay. What's on your mind, Gui?"
Gui sighed, his serious demeanor relaxing now that it wasn't required. His sea-green orbs met her, filled with genuine worry. "Song, you have been a great friend these past few days. More than a guy like me deserves." He paused reconnecting with her, she nodded for him to continue. "It's because of this that I worry about you coming with me. I may not look it, but I do attract a lot of danger when I travel. To be blunt, it's dangerous to be around me in general. I don't know what I would do if you got hurt, or worse. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if-" His words stopped as a soft grey finger pressed itself to his lips.
He looked from his mouth to the smiling feline in front of him. Song was shaking her head, body bouncing with internal laughter. She gazed into Gui's stunned irises. "I thought you would have figured this out already, m'lord. I am not some dainty village girl who needs protection." She took her finger off his lips; Gui's nose twitched after the contact. She placed her paw on her chest dramatically. "I am Song. Head Mistress of the Ladies of the Shade, skilled warrior dancer, and the woman that saved your sorry tail, in the first place. You think you are some sort of dangerous rogue, don't you? Well I have news for you. When it comes to playing dangerous, there is no one better than I. You had better remember that next time you question my resolve." She punched him in the shoulder to accent her point. It had the desired affect as Gui winced and clutched his throbbing left shoulder. He glared at her, only to receive a another warm smile in kind. "Besides, it's what friends do, isn't it? I believe Uncle Shan calls it, 'being a stupid irrational child.'" She tapped her chin pensively, smile still maintaining its strength.
Gui chuckled and nodded. "Yeah, I think he would call it that." He stared appreciatively at his feminine friend. "I didn't mean to insult you, Song. I just- I consider you a good friend, too." He looked away like a shy school boy.
Song giggled at his childish nature, her trademark kind smile gracing her face. "Something I will never take for granted, Gui. And I appreciate your concern, but as you can see..." she leapt gracefully to her feet, and turned toward the tent entrance. Her head turned to glance at Gui over her right shoulder. "I am not your average woman."
Gui felt heat rise to his face when he realized he had been ogling her the whole time. He shook his head, unsure if she noticed. He prayed to the gods she hadn't noticed. When he looked up at the confident leopard, he smiled. "Very well, m'lady."
Song gave a playful wink before turning to walk out of the tent. "Good. Now get some sleep, we leave just after dawn. Hua and Liu want to make sure you are well fed before we leave." She turned and got the reaction she hoped for from Gui. He grimaced and clutched his stomach in painful anticipation. She gave a toothy grin. "I will make sure they get some help, don't worry."
Gui smiled knowingly at Song, giving his own toothy grin. "Thanks, Song."
She nodded. "You're welcome. Go to bed, and don't let me catch you trying to sneak away like last time." With that she turned and left the tent, leaving Gui to chuckle to himself silently. As if commanded by an unseen force, Gui laid back down on his destroyed mat. He let a massive yawn escape his mouth, smacking his lips comically as his eyelids drooped. Within moments he was out, troubling thoughts replaced by the calming smell of perfume which still lingered from his friend's presence.
The sun rose over the the log barriers around the camp, its rays striking the prominent and proud figure of the grizzled old Weapon Master, Lao Shan. He stood before the main gate of the compound chewing on his old stone pipe, right hoof resting on the dragon effigy carved into his old cane. His eyes were closed, the rest of his sense tuning in with the environment around him.
Off in the forest, he could hear the rushing water of the nearby river, the smell of fresh spring water filling his nostrils with every breath he took. To compliment this voice of nature, the wind blowing in between the trees and bamboo of the forest rang in his ear drum. Serenity enveloped his mind as he melded his warrior's spirit with Nature.
For the past several years, this was how he spent every morning before work began in the camp. While he no longer could fight as he did in his prime, he still maintained his strict and militaristic lifestyle. Shan had been called many things during his mortal life, but "complacent" was not to be heard among them. Any of his old enemies would attest to this fact. Those who stated otherwise... well, they can no longer be found among the living.
The buffalo opened his bright yellow eyes and inhaled deeply, bringing the first part of his daily routine to a calm close. However, instead of immediately heading over to the guard post where he would raise his lay-about son from slumber with firm and swift retribution, he turned around back toward the encampment and planted his cane firmly into the moist earth.
Seeing that nary a soul was present on the grounds, the old mammal snorted causing a thick cloud of moisture to erupt from his nose. He double checked the Sun's arch once more before sighing and shaking his head. To say that Song's decision made him feel wary was an understatement. It was not whether her combat training would be adequate enough for the journey, he trained her himself after all. Rather, it was the motivation for the decision.
Having played a significant role in raising Song, Shan knew more than anyone just how the young feline worked. She was brave, strong-willed, and fairly competent young woman, more than capable of being a skilled warrior and leader. Unfortunately, she had one flaw which the Weapon Master had struggled to rid from her: Compassion. He considered his one and only failure.
This character "defect", in Shan's opinion, would be the source of much hardship for the feline. It always conflicted with her more rational thoughts whenever the big decisions for the Ladies' lives had to be made. Song had a tendency to always follow her "feelings", giving the back seat in the cart to logic. Shan recognized the importance of a warrior following their instincts, but only on the battlefield. The mind must take the reins in time of diplomacy and politics, which she often never did.
Politics and business had nothing to do with this current endeavor she volunteered herself for, however. No, what bothered Shan the most was that Song would be journeying with a strange and curious male feline for the next month or so. While the old buffalo had given Gui his own personal seal of approval, he still didn't trust him. The gray feline possessed a fire in him the likes of which he hadn't seen in decades, the kind which could illuminate even the darkest spirits. However, he also saw an intense darkness which lay deep within that radiant flame, like a seed buried deep in the earth. There it loomed, menacing and malign, a fiendish entity waiting for the chance to be unleashed and consume the brilliant light within. Where he was no longer certain that Gui was one of "The Children", he was absolutely sure that the feline was hiding something. That made him potentially dangerous to anyone who travelled with him, including someone as skilled as Song.
The gray buffalo continued to chew on his pipe in thought, when suddenly a ruckus brought him back to reality. He turned his gaze toward the direction of the disturbance, his senses tuning into what was just transpiring. He groaned inwardly when he saw Liu run out of the Mess tent laughing maniacally. Soon after, a figure covered in what looked like white powder leaped out from the tent flaps with a feral snarl, landing on all fours with predatory intent. Shan only watched indifferently as the flour covered Hua seethed with rage, an untold variety of colorful language echoing throughout the compound. Liu only stifled with her paw as she hid behind one of the tents nearest to the grizzled Weapon Master.
The fur bristling on the back of her neck and limbs, Hua snarled as she darted with untold swiftness from tent to tent searching for her soon-to-be-dead twin sister. Not able to resist further teasing of her sister, Liu leapt out from her hiding place and yelled at Hua. The enraged leopard instantly pivoted mid sprint and turned to face her "beloved" sibling. Her normally playful amethyst eyes, glared daggers and impending doom toward Liu. Liu only smirked in triumph, coaxing the beast even further into a blind rage as they both bolted away on all fours, as the game had begun.
Any other time, Shan would have been pleased to see such a display of determination and will from his two best students. Unfortunately, these seemed to be the only times in which they displayed such characteristics as warriors.
Shan sighed in defeat. "If those two children weren't siblings, they could be the greatest rivaling warriors China has ever known." He grumbled to himself, it seemed the Gods were intent on mocking him for the rest of his days. They all had so much unbridled potential, yet as they were it could never be attained. It was times like these that he often wished that he could fight one last honorable battle. Then maybe he could finally die with honor, instead of being trapped in this side show attraction for the rest of his twilight years. Even old warriors can dream.
His small ears flicked back toward the Mess as two more figures ran out. His mouth curled ever so slightly into a tiny smile as he heard Song reprimanding the twins at the top of her lungs. Close behind her, Gui stood with a look of utter amusement covering his face as he scratched the back of his head chuckling. "I can't say I didn't see this happening. The idea was nice, but I thought it would have lasted at least until food was served."
Song rolled her cool eyes in frustration. "Apparently not." She paused placing her paws on her hips before turning and catching the gaze of a mildly annoyed old water buffalo. She stiffened and bowed apologetically toward the Weapon Master. "Master Lao Shan!" She began, refusing to make eye contact with him in her shame. "Forgive me. I thought I had found the best way to prevent these squabbles from occurring, but I was mistaken."
Lao Shan snorted and waved his hoof at her words causing Song to glance up at him, and the gray feline behind her to smirk. Shan began ambling toward the two, slowly for a bundle that was strung around his back. Before he could reach the two quizzical felines, as if on cue, the twins came crashing directly in front of him in a jumble of fur and fury.
Liu was currently underneath Hua as the flour covered sibling held her in a very painful arm lock, her knee pressed firmly in the center of her back. While she grinned maniacally in victory over the earth muffled screams of her twin, she looked up and met a pair of dangerously familiar yellow eyes. All yowling and hissing on her end ceased, as those cold orbs held her in place. This allowed Liu the chance to break free from the hold, and turn a furious gaze toward Hua. "It's only a bit of flour you crazy bit-!" She stopped when she heard Shan clear his throat. Immediately, the two leopards stood erect in front of the old warrior, apprehension hung on their every breath.
After holding them in the intense gaze for a few more moments, Lao Shan was satisfied that they had gotten the message. He sighed heavily before turning his strangely weary eyes from the delinquents to their leader, freeing them from the uncomfortable spell they were under. The twins slowly relaxed as the old master walked by them toward Song and Gui, who were shocked and bemused by the display.
When the towering buffalo reached the pair, he made a mental inventory as far as their current apparel and gear. Song had on her basic maroon training attire as usual. However, there was one peculiar addition to her attire. Her usual red sash which hugged her waist was now adorned with bright silver circlets. To any normal person these would seem merely decoration. As long as they did nothing to warrant a sliced throat, that was basically true. The only other addition she had was a plain brown traveling cloak which, when caught by a lucky ray of light, glimmered on the inside flaps. Other than that, she looked a mere traveller with nothing to offer any potential bandit or vagrant. Shan nodded to himself stroking his long thin beard and turned to look at her companion.
Gui stood in place under the intense scrutiny of Song's Master and godfather. As awkward as it sounded, he felt as though he were being interrogated before asking someone's daughter to the festival. He quickly shook that notion from his mind as his wide green eyes shot briefly to an entertained Song on his right. The corner of his maw pulled up nervously before looking back to the intense buffalo.
Gui, though there was no reason why, he hoped that he hadn't forgotten anything before this moment. He made a mental note of what he currently had in his possession, without making any unnecessary eye movement. He felt the weight of the ruck sack swung over his left shoulder. He double and triple checked in his memory of the gear that they packed which included food rations, water canteen, bed rolls, and a map of China.
Yeah, that's everything, right? Wondered the feline. I mean it's not like I forgot my pants or anything... He paused mid-thought and involuntarily grasped the leg of his black pants, letting out a small sigh of relief.
Shan nodded his head at the male slowly as he met his eyes once more. Gui was not sure, but he could have sworn he saw the old bison's lips tighten further than usual. The old yellow eyes gazing down on him simmered with thought for what seemed like hours. Suddenly, the water buffalo reached behind his back and undid the straps holding the tightly wound bundle to his broad shoulders. Shan gripped the object in his hooves firmly and held it in his hands, eyes still deep in thought. Gui could feel the gravity of this act linger heavily in the air, and whatever was in that cloth was extremely significant to the aged warrior.
Shan's thoughts were interrupted by a gasp from behind him, causing his small ears to flick in the general direction. Behind him Hua held a powdered paw to her maw in realization. Liu looked at her in utter confusion. "What's wrong with you?"
Hua glanced at her twin dumbfounded. She grabbed Liu and brought her close, hissing into her ear right ear. "You idiot! That's Tianyin*!"
Liu's purple eyes widened. "Wait, what? You're kidding, right? The Tianyin?"
Hua nodded her head slowly before turning her glistening eyes to the old buffalo twenty chi in front of them. "That's Uncle Shan's most prized possession." She stated, her tone softer and more hushed than before. "Legends tell that the very same blade has served and slain fifteen different rulers over the course of history. When Uncle used that jian*, it has been said that he slew a horde of a thousand barbarian warriors single handedly during the time of the warring northern tribes." She paused, having her sister's rapt attention. Her eyes trembled slightly as she beheld the imposing form of her mentor. "They say Uncle Shan ended their bloody civil war and brought about the formation of the Warriors of the Qidan-"
"If you two gabbing chicks love chatting so much then maybe you could go and chat my lay about son into doing his duty." Before the twins could even respond, Master Lao flashed his eyes glaringly at the two leopards. Without a single objection, the twins broke out into a full sprint toward the main gate.
The buffalo sighed heavily, and shook his head in disdain. "If only those two would fight as well as they banter." He turned, his eyes meeting Gui's anxious and intrigued stare. "While much of what is 'said' about this blade remains uncertain, the fact is this jian does have a significant history. One that is highly respected by both the honorable and the unscrupulous. Merely carrying this weapon will grant you favor from the heavens." Dramatically, the Weapon Master undid the buckles on the bundle and cast the cloth away revealing the legendary jian.
The weapon was your standard double-edged long sword complete with a highly ornamented worn maroon scabbard depicting a battle between a burning blue phoenix, a smoldering green dragon, and a flaming red tiger. The gold locket of the scabbard was hugged tightly by the dull black guard of the hilt. The guard itself took the form of a dark flame wrapping itself around the weapon's sheath. The grip of the hilt had a white cloth which wound around it, and the pummel on the end of the hilt was a thick black ring with an old maroon tassel hanging from it.
Shan gripped the hilt and the scabbard, his strong grasp tightening in anticipation. "This sword has seen the blood of countless battles, and has been wielded by warriors both renowned and infamous." He glanced down momentarily at the jian, his eyes holding the weapon even tighter than his grasp. "She has been my faithful companion longer than your two life spans combined, and it has never once dulled."
Gui swallowed a lump in his throat. Song looked to him briefly and saw his eyes trembling uncontrollably. Whether it was from uncertainty or sheer excitement she couldn't tell. She almost never could with him.
Lao Shan breathed deeply, and slowly pulled the weapon from its sheath. The jian hummed as the light of the sun met its blade. Gui couldn't help but stare in utter fascination. Compared to the rest of the weapon, its worn scabbard and leaden hilt, the blade itself glimmered as brilliantly as the day of its first battle. Traveling up the center of the blade was the etching of a silver flame that went up the entire length of the sword. Running along the center of the etching, in green lettering, were the characters "死亡的牺牲与和平."
Shan eyed the blade intently before gazing at Gui once more. He extended his hand outward towards Gui, offering him the jian. Gui held out his paws carefully, Lao Shan to set the brilliant blade firmly in his grasp. Gui blinked in surprise as he held the weapon. "The blade... it's warm."
The old buffalo nodded slightly, and smiled sadly. "That means she has come to accept you as her new master. Tianyin is only warm to those who truly have the spirit of a warrior in them." He glanced down at the sword before mumbling softly. "It's time she had a new master worthy of her companionship."
Gui's eyes shot up to the towering mammal in confusion. He chuckled nervously. "Master Lao, I can't take this from you. The girls said it has been with you almost your entire life."
"She!"
Gui looked up, a little startled by the outburst. "Come again?"
The old master was glaring at the grey cat through his eyelids. His hooves and cane were held behind his back, giving a sense of patience which his eyes did not replicate. He motioned with his head toward the jian. "You need to watch your manners, boy. Tianyin is as much a lady as any creature residing in those tents behind you. By their standards, she could even be considered nobility by comparison." He leaned in closer, covering Gui in his immense shadow. "Watch how you address her, otherwise she might be inclined to revoke her aid."
Gui was about to open his mouth again in protest when Song interrupted. "Uncle Shan, Gui is right. We are only going to be away for a month at most. I don't understand why you feel the need to give up your most prized possession to an almost complete stranger."
Lao Shan's eyes flickered to Song, his eyebrow cocking upward while stating plainly, "It is not my decision to make."
"Huh?" Both felines exclaimed simultaneously, adopting matching perplexed features.
The grey buffalo's expression withered in agitation, yellow eyes closing in frustration. "I suppose children wouldn't be able to grasp such a concept as fate." He brought his cane forward and leaned heavily on it, the ancient wood showing slight elasticity under his weight. His eyes opened again and the focused on Song. "Song, the night your first brought this whelp into our camp, I admit I was fully against the decision. I had been wondering for some time now if my training you all these years had gone to waste." Song placed her paws defiantly on her hips. She looked as though she were about to retaliate, when Lao held up a hoof halting her anger. "However, Tianyin had other plans it seems."
He paused, allowing his words to seep in to the felines, confused as they may be, before continuing. "That night in my tent, I felt her rouse from her long slumber. For almost twenty years that sword had been sleeping, the blade's warmth having long since numbed. I wondered if she had finally fulfilled her mandates and earned her eternal rest. I never thought to see her awaken again, until that night. Something had changed, something had awakened the bitch from her nap, and I wanted to know what."
"That was why I later asked you to bring Gui before me. I needed to know if he was somehow connected to Tianyin's revival. I pictured such a bold and fierce individual to enter my abode. Imagine my surprise when a lean mouthy grey feline sat his hind quarters down before me. I thought the heavens were laughing at me." Gui's ears drooped slightly, and his left eye twitched in response. Song was trying her best to withhold a small smile, for Gui's sake. Shan's eyes then turned to Gui, yellow irises glimmering triumphantly. "Then, as we had our little chat, I felt something emanate from within you. A strength I had not felt in years. As I questioned its meaning, I felt Tianyin cry out from her sheath. Her aura resonated within you as harmoniously as it had when I found her."
They all glanced down at the old sword, as if merely mentioning her caused the blade to call out to them. Lao Shan continued. "I knew then and there that our time together had finally ended. She was ready to move on, and as an old friend I must respect her wishes. Gui, Tianyin has chosen you to wield her, for as long as she deems you fit to grasp her hilt." His hoof gestured with finality toward Gui and the sword. His horned head hung slightly in either regret or acceptance, no one could tell.
For a long moment both males just stood there, silence hanging as heavy as the moist air around them. Song glanced back and forth between the two, nervously. She was so used to Gui laughing around an awkward time like this, but the grey feline remained quiet and sullen staring down at the jian in his paws. It seemed unnatural and she realized how uncomfortable it was making her. Also, something about the whole situation just wasn't adding up. She felt an itch in the back her mind, irritating and nagging her to action.
Finally unable to bear the annoyance, Song turned fully toward Lao Shan. "Master forgive me, but I don't quite understand." Realizing he had been addressed, the buffalo met the indigo eyes of his pupil. Song paused, briefly collecting her thoughts before continuing, "When the twins and I were younger, you used to tell us in your stories that Tianyin can only call on those who have once shed the blood of an innocent..." She paused mid-statement and turned her eyes on Gui, apologetically. The grey feline remained still, gaze hypnotized by the blade. She looked back to see Shan waiting patiently for her to continue. She looked up at him warily. "It's not true is it?"
Shan remained unfazed by the question, and blinked slowly before looking at the sword once more. Tianyin seemed to be trembling slightly, that was until Shan saw a crimson liquid begin to stain her surface. His yellow eyes narrowed slightly and focused on the source; the grey paws cradling the jian. Their grasp had tightened around the blade so much that it had begun to cut into the flesh. Shan's orbs traced up the feline's trembling arms all the way to his glistening irises.
Song barely had time to react to what happened next. Without warning, the old buffalo delivered a swift upper cut right into Gui's stomach which lifted his body slightly into the air. The feline's eyes widened in shock and surprise as the blow connected. As he proceeded to topple to the ground, the ancient sword was released from his grasp and clanged as it hit the earth below him. He clutched a hold of his stomach, his torso curling in on itself from the pain as he lay on the ground moaning. For the next minute or so he coughed incessantly on the ground as dust curled up from where he landed.
To say Song was flabbergasted would be an understatement. She bared her fangs in anger and marched on Shan, seething with rage over her friend's condition. "What the hell are you thinking, Uncle?"
Still posed in his follow through position from the blow, Shan glanced at Song as he returned to his normal stance. He dusted himself off nonchalantly "Maybe you should get the boy some water first before you lecture an old man on proper etiquette, Mistress Song."
Bewildered, Song looked wildly from her prone traveling companion to the grizzled buffalo multiple times before turning abruptly and storming off. Lao Shan cracked a sliver of a smile as he heard the word "Men" grumbled from the agitated feline.
Several minutes later, when Song returned, bucket of water in her paws, she was stricken dumb by the sight of Lao Shan and Gui sitting on the ground laughing hysterically. She almost dropped the pail on the ground as she approached the two cackling fools.
Gui was the first to notice her return. His ears perked up slightly and his infamous smile was plastered all over his face. "Song, welcome back! Master Shan was just regaling with stories from your childhood."
Shan let a dark low chuckle ripple through his throat as his stone pipe hung loosely from his maw, bobbing with each vibration. "I was just telling the boy how you used to play childish pretend games whenever I let you have a break from training." He elbowed Gui in the side in jest. "You know she used to dress some of the practice dummies in full warrior garb and dance with them when she thought I was making repairs-"
"Uncle!" Song exclaimed, eyes wide and flustered.
"Well to be fair Song, it is odd for a girl of seventeen to do that sort of thing." Master Lao took his pipe from his mouth and waved it at her. Gui covered his mouth to stifle a laugh at that revelation.
She began shaking her head violently. "Master Lao! What is going on here? First, you attack Gui, my friend, out of nowhere. Then, I return and you two are suddenly best friends? How do you expect me to react to this sort of thing?"
Gui's childish smile became one of understanding as he shook his head slowly. He briefly looked at the old buffalo before picking himself up off the ground. Dusting off his black pants he meandered toward Song, who was still dutifully giving them bewildered and accusatory looks.
Gui stopped a few feet in front of the leopard and gave an apologetic sigh. "Song, look I'm sorry, it was my fault."
Her look changed from one of shock to skepticism. "Gui, you expect me to believe that the crazy old water buffalo behind you, who had a good five minutes ago left you curled up on the ground in pain, had every right to do so?"
Gui scratched the back of his head and chuckled, like he usually did in difficult conversation. "Let me explain a bit, Song. The reason I have taken my sweet time getting ready for this trip, is because began to think I didn't really want to."
Song cocked an eyebrow, crossing her spotted arms across her chest waiting for him to continue. Gui sighed and carried on. "When I got here, you and the other ladies in this camp treated me with a kindness I hadn't received in many months. It was surreal, and the truth is that I didn't want it to end." His nervous look changed to a sad smile, "Master Lao saw this in me just now, and well... he knocked some sense into me."
He chuckled turning toward the grey buffalo. "Probably wanted to do that from the first time we met, anyway."
Lao Shan simply shrugged as he sat in lotus position on the ground, carefully observing the exchange before him. "Let's just say I have nearly killed fools for much less, boy."
Gui nodded and smiled at the bison. He turned back to a much less confused Song. Instead the leopardess actually seemed mildly concerned. Gui smiled softly hoping to let her know not to worry. "Master Lao helped me see that my journey must continue." He lifted the crimson sheath of Tianyin and looked down at its worn frame. Song hadn't even noticed he had it on him till that moment. "At first I didn't know what to think of all that destiny crap, I don't really believe a tool can do that." He paused and looked at Song, beaming. "What I do believe, is that this blade is a gift of confidence from a wise old man who has lived the lives of twenty brave men. A man who is allowing his only bit of family to go out on a possibly dangerous journey with a near complete stranger. I guess I can take this as his own personal investment. And that gives me the will to get up and start this journey with you."
Gui suddenly realized that his cheek was stinging. It took him a moment to realize that Song had just slapped him hard on his left cheek. His touched the contact point; it was warm to the touch. Song was breathing slowly and avoided his gaze, her eyes seeming to search the ground in front of her. Gui went to speak when he felt a pair of soft arms wrap around him.
Song squeezed him in a vice-like embrace. "I don't want to hear you say such junk ever again, got it?"
Gui nodded smiling softly. "Gotcha."
Song broke off the hug after a few more moments clearing her throat and avoiding Gui's eyes. Gui kept smiling at her, eventually making her face curl as well. Song took her paw and placed it gently on his right shoulder, smiling up into his ocean orbs. "For what it's worth, Gui, we were all happy to help. I'm glad we could make your pain go, if only just for a little while. I truly am."
Their eyes locked. "Thank you, m'lady." They stayed that way for several more moments after that.
"If you two are quite finished making up, there are a pair of leopards that need constant watch in this camp. And if they have not already destroyed most of the practice equipment in their petty squabbles, they most certainly will." Lao Shan interrupted standing to his full height, cane in hand. The two broke eye contact almost instantaneously, and separated going slightly pink in the fur. He had apparently seen enough "weakness" to last him for the rest of the month. "If you could possibly hurry along, so I can return to managing your camp Mistress. It would be appreciated."
Song turned to the Weapon Master and bowed respectfully. "Master Lao Shan, I hope the heavens smile upon you during my leave of absence."
Lao gave a curt nod back. "And you as well, Mistress. Now please leave, you two are giving me an ulcer."
Both felines shook their heads and shared an amused smile. As Song went ahead to the main gates to inform the guard they were departing Gui tied Tianyin's scabbard to his side, and slung the travel sack over his back. He began to walk past the towering buffalo before stopping next to the towering buffalo.
He glanced sideways at the warrior, a serious expression hanging on his face. "I promise you, Lao Shan. I won't let any harm come to her."
From Gui's vantage point, he couldn't see Shan, only hear his reply. "Just remember, Gui. Next time, a mere punch isn't going to solve this. If you lose your will to fight it, I will make sure your life is next."
A sudden wind howled across the open courtyard, carrying a wave of dust and dirt past the two motionless figures. The rippling of their garments in the breeze gave an eerie contrast to their rigid frames. Time it seemed had stopped for them.
When the wind died down, and the rest of the earth went still, Gui nodded and walked to the entrance leaving the statuesque buffalo behind.
Lao Shan remained there for a long time after the two felines had left the camp. He listened to the sounds of nature around him. A family of birds sang a joyful tune in recognition of the glorious new day. The scent of fresh morning dew still tickled his nostrils, and the overall hum of the forest vibrated in his small ears. However, all the pleasant and calming songs of the heavens could not bring him comfort, then. He had just let his only god-child travel down a path of darkness. One that even he couldn't see the end of.
For the first time in his life, Weapon Master Lao Shan was an old man. He closed his eyes. "Not every man... can choose to kill, Song."
He leaned heavily on his cane, as he journeyed to his tent.
It was long past midday when Gui and Song made their first stop on their journey to the Valley of Peace. For the last several hours, the two had made their way through the unpaved wilderness, surrounded by miles upon miles of bamboo and wild fauna.
The entire time they had traveled that day, Song had been leading the way through the wilds at a blistering pace. Jumping from tree to tree, branch to branch, and even sometimes surprising her male counterpart by leaping gracefully over a raging stream without ever breaking stride. Gui, athletic though he was, found himself struggling many times just to keep pace with the nimble feline. He watched and marveled at her athleticism.
As the leopardess flew through the foliage, Gui couldn't help but notice how each of her movements were as graceful, if not more so, as her dancing. Each leap, turn, and dive was executed with the precision reserved for only the most skilled performers. Movements as fluid and edgeless as the ones she pulled off could only be done with years of train in the art of dance.
Or killing... As this disconcerting thought crossed his mind, Gui missed Song stopping abruptly ahead of him before a relatively wide stream.
Song had paused to observe their current surroundings when a loud splash caused her to involuntarily grasp inside her cloak and face the noise. The next sound which broke the quiet serenity of the forest was the hysterical laughter of a thoroughly amused feline. Song clutched her sides in her fit of laughter at the sight of a soaked Gui sitting agitatedly in the middle of the shallow stream. His once perky blacks tufts on his ears now hung straight down as the water weighted and matted his fur all over his body. Everything was soaked, all except for the travel pack, which he had miraculously thrown to shore before colliding with the fast traveling water.
Wiping tears of laughter from her eyes, Song's laughter died down reluctantly as she went to help her companion back onto his feet. Removing her sandals on the shore, Song forded carefully out into the center of the stream as Gui looked up at her dejectedly. She giggled once more in spite of herself at the sight.
Gui averted his eyes, the usually upbeat and relaxed feline now extremely uncomfortable. "Nice of you to join me." He muttered in disdain.
Song laughed under her breath as she grabbed Gui's paw and helped hoist the drenched feline to his feet. She took a step back and admired the literally mired cat. His brilliant new clothes were soaked, darkening their color from their original bright designs. His grey fur was wet and matted all over, diminishing his normal confident disposition. She shook her head at the sight. "Believe me, m'lord. The pleasure is all mine."
Gui's eyes narrowed and a small growl emerged from the back of his throat. Song ignored this childish display and looked back towards the shore. "This is a good place to rest for a while." She looked further down the river, shielding her eyes from the glare of the sun. Once satisfied, she waded her way back to shore, followed by her soaked friend. "If we camp here for the night, we can continue tomorrow and have a good shot of reaching the Valley's borders in three days."
Gui halted his motion and looked curiously at Song. "Wait a sec. I thought you said we would be within three days of the Valley once we reached the main trade route. I haven't seen it yet."
Song paused and smiled coyly at Gui. Placing her hands masterfully behind her back, the feline sauntered over to the tree line. Once next to a large bush, she pushed the foliage aside revealing, to the flummoxed gray feline's dismay, a finely paved road.
Song gestured with grandeur before shrugging her shoulders nonchalantly. "I guess you just flew past it, huh?" Her eyes were brimming with laughter.
Gui rolled his eyes. "Oh haha. It's not my fault you move like a cheetah. How do you even manage that?" Gui grumbled as he began unpacking and setting up materials for a cooking fire.
Song walked back to the incomplete site and began helping the disgruntled animal. "I have trained all my life, Gui." She stated plainly while unrolling their bed rolls on the ground. "All I know is dancing and fighting. Lao Shan and the girls made sure of that."
Gui shook his head as he went to the tree line to fetch dry wood for a fire. "Yeah you can train all you want." Gui stated skeptically. "However, a person doesn't achieve that heightened level of agility without having to use it in actual strenuous situations." He laid some wood in a makeshift fire ring placing kindling and tinder in its center.
Song pulled the flint and steel from the bag and started lighting the fire with it. Once embers glowed in the center, and light smoke billowed from within, Gui began blow air into the tiny fire to feed it. Within moments, the tiny flames grew into a suitable camp fire. Song grabbed items from the bag for soup, and Gui started boiling water from the river to purify it.
After about a half an hour, Gui was managing the fire, soup cooking over top of it. On the opposite side of the blaze, he had placed his clothes on sticks which he had stuck in the ground, in order to help them dry faster. Song was sitting against a large boulder inspecting their equipment.
While going over her own knives, she fancied a glance at the chef at work. Gui was currently shirtless, his relatively broad shoulders exposed in the dying sunlight. His fur glistened slightly, as though it were silver rather than the grey she was used to. Realizing how long she had been staring, she mentally scolded herself and went back to work. However, something caught her attention.
Before they had left the Ladies' camp, she was sure that Gui had fully recovered from his past injuries. Yet wrapped snugly around Gui's left paw was a worn bandage. At first she was confused, but then she remembered that he had cut himself earlier on Tianyin before Uncle had hit him. She recalled his paws being bandaged when she returned. She was about to forget the matter entirely until she saw his right paw. It was not wrapped. That, and it seemed to be giving him no trouble as he worked.
Why bandage one, but not the other?
Her curiosity peaked, she set down her knife and walked over to him. Gui noticed her approach and slid over slightly, motioning for her to join him. "Hello, m'lady. Care to join me here below?"
Song shook her head at the quirky line, before taking a spot on his left. Gui smiled as he continued to carefully dice vegetables with a crude sharpened piece of shale. Song smiled softly looking from him to the improvised knife. "You could have used one of my knives if you needed to, Gui. It really is no trouble."
Gui shrugged eyeing his handiwork. "Nah! I appreciate it, but there really is nothing like crafting your own tools directly from the earth. It is a skill." He gave Song a playful sideways glance. "Like the ones you yourself have honed."
Song nodded slowly in understanding, eyes focusing on the reason why she came over in the first place. "Gui? Did you hurt your hand?"
Slightly surprised, Gui looked down at the hand in question, smiling appreciatively. "Yeah, kind of scuffed it up a bit when I flew into that stream. I'm alright though, thanks."
"Didn't you cut both hands earlier today, though?" Song asked, eyeing Gui suspiciously.
Gui's amiable smile turned into a whimsical expression as he turned slightly toward Song, placing the bandaged paw on his knee. "Am I being interrogated by the Mistress of Shade?" He asked, dramatic flare coloring his voice.
Song went on an apologetic defensive. "What? No! I just thought you had hurt both of your hands earlier today. I thought you might have been being reckless with your injury. No injury, no matter how small, should be taken lightly, even if you are sure it is minor."
Gui was taken aback, though he still managed to hold onto his cheerful smile. It was his turn to hold up his paws in defense. "Okay, okay! Sheesh. I'm sorry Song, but look. I'm fine. See?" He set down the tool and held out his right hand for her to look.
Song grabbed his paw, eyes scanning for anything out of the norm. She did a double take as she observed his bare palm. There was no trace that he had injured himself earlier. Not even the smallest sliver of a cut was visible. She looked up into Gui's humored eyes, confusion coloring her spotted features. "Gui... I saw you cut your paw earlier. Wha-"
Gui drew his hand back, clenching his paw. He stared at his hand, smiling softly before looking back to a concerned leopard. He chuckled. "I heal fast I guess." He got up and went to the fire, rekindling the glowing embers beneath the pot. The light of the fresh flames reflected in his green eyes, giving them an eerie orange glow.
Song watched the grey male suspiciously. "Gui... what aren't you telling me?"
The male paused in his work and turned toward Song. His eyes scanned the ground, as if searching for the right words, though his smile still remained on his face. Song's suspicion was turning to apprehension faster than she wanted to admit.
"Gui?" She involuntarily reached into the back of her waist band.
Gui leaned back on his haunches, still deep in thought. After an rather uncomfortable moment, Gui nodded to himself. "Alright, Song. I'll tell you what. You have done a lot for me, more than I probably deserve." He paused, smile faltering a little in its resolve.
Song realized her hand was touching the hilt of her dagger. Startled by her own actions she slowly brought her hand back, and instead placed it comfortingly on Gui's arm. "Gui. Whatever it is that you haven't told me... just know that you can trust me. And I trust that you have withheld it for the right reasons."
"I know Song..." Gui stared into the fire pensively. "I know I can trust you with this." Song smiled softly at him. Gui's eyes connected with hers. "Could you do something for me first, though."
Song's eyes danced with the light of the fire. "What?" Her voiced soft and hushed.
In an instant, Gui had Song tackled to the ground and pinned in front of a large rock near the fire. Once on the ground, Song looked up in shock and anger. She snarled, "What the hell are you on about, you bas-!"
Gui placed a paw over her mouth, silencing her outburst. His ears were flattened rigidly against his head, eyes turned off toward the tree line. They were burning with a dangerous and wild fire. His fur bristled and he bore his sharp canines instinctually. He looked on the edge of feral.
Noticing the bewildered look and startled eyes of his female companion, he broke from his current state. He leaned close to her ear and whispered, "I need you to stay down and stay quiet. Don't leave this spot." Without saying another word he stood up and around the rock where Song lay, utterly confused.
She saw Gui walk out in front of the fire and stand firmly hands on his hips, looking defiant. "I didn't know you guys were capable of sneak attacks." Gui gestured with his head, Song followed it to the fire where she saw two arrows protruding from the earth where they had been moments ago. While startled by the fact that she hadn't even known they were under attack, she was relieved and grateful that Gui had acted out of preservation and not malice. She still didn't know how he had caught wind of the attack. She decided to shelve that thought till later, however, as Gui looked back to the trees. "Seems a little too organized of a move for a band of mercs."
Song couldn't take not knowing who her companion was addressing. Slowly and carefully she peaked around the backside of the rock. As she did, a small band of four armed men appeared from the brush and foliage. They were composed of three wolves and a rhino and were lightly armored in dark clothe armor and black masks, suitable for stealth operations, and they each bore identical symbols on their left shoulder pauldrons. She guessed they were probably all from a notorious mercenary band or were a noble's personal task force. The latter thought concerned the most as she looked back to Gui who had, during this time, casually donned his dried blue and silver vest.
A wolf replaced a drawn bow onto his back as he chuckled darkly, removing the mask from over his maw. His red orbs glistened in the dying light of the sun, a grotesque scar curling from his snout to his left cheek. He drew a hook sword from his waist band and gestured with it towards Gui, who was still holding his position in front of the flames. the wolf gave an evil grin. "Could've sworn there was someone here with you. I wouldn't be very happy if to learn I had wasted two good arrows on one low life."
Gui shrugged, "Hey, not my problem that you can't aim or see straight." He allowed a smirk to curl up his lips. Despite his air of confidence, Song grew increasingly worried.
The wolf's smile dropped and a snarl overcame his cocky features. He howled and the rest of the men drew their weapons. With his left hand he drew a scroll and unraveled it in front of himself. He read aloud, voice crass and venomous. "By order of Jiang province's retainer, Lord Zòngróng, the criminal 'Yǐngzi èmó' is hereby under arrest for the crimes of Arson, Malfeasance, Use of the Dark Arts, and Murder. Under this province's laws and regulations he is here by required to stand trial in the lord's court, where judgement will be passed. He is to be taken into custody alive. However, if resistance to this standing order is shown, lethal force is authorized." The wolf paused, giving the feline a sickening smile. "Jiang Province Governor, Lord Zòngróng."
The wolf then threw the scroll to the ground and retrieved his other hook sword from his waist band. Gui looked at the arrows in the ground near the fire once more. "Off to a pretty shaky start with the whole 'alive' portion, aren't you?"
It was the wolf's turn to shrug. "As far as I see it, you still being free is a clear sign of 'resistance.' Besides, I feel like killing you would really make my night."
Gui shook his head while turning his attention toward the fire. Chuckling to himself he began stirring the hot contents of the pot. "It's always comforting to know that the Zòng-ster still has an eye for true 'quality'... even in his lapdogs."
The wolf's smile shattered into a feral snarl as he motioned for his men to move forward. "Kill the damn cat!"
In less than a heart beat, the wolf and his band rushed forward, weapons brandished, reflecting a blood red in the light of the setting sun. Gui's eyes narrowed as they closed in. The wolf arrived first, right arm drawn back to lop off the felines head. Before he had a chance to connect, Gui slammed his fist down on the end of the stirring spoon launching the pot and its hot liquid into the wolf's surprised face. He yowled and collapsed on the ground, dropping his blades and clutching his burning face.
Once he was downed, Gui turned his attention to a charging rhino with a pole-ax heading in his direction. Quickly grabbing the pot from where it had landed he ran towards the his next combatant. The rhino brought the weapon straight down hoping to cleave the grey feline in two. Gui dived out of the way avoiding the blow. Recovering easily from the miss, the rhino wound up to strike from the side. As he swung, Gui leapt into the air, ax barely grazing his tail, and slammed the pot down firmly on his head flipping over the animal. Blinded, the enraged rhino dropped the ax and desperately tried to remove the metal object from his head. Gui smiled triumphantly as the rhino stumbled around, but winced inwardly when he wandered through the fire pit, yelled in pain, tripped over a rock and slammed his head on the rock Song was behind. His body went still as he was out for the count.
Next came two more wolves wielding dao swords. Gui tried to reach Tianyin as she lay on the ground near the destroyed fire. As he went for his sword, however, he was soon overwhelmed by the two rushing wolves. Mainly dodging the strikes of the relentless canines, Gui couldn't find an opening to exploit, defenseless as he was. the worst happened when he himself fell over a random rock while retreating. He looked up at his attackers in apprehension as the both snickered and readied for a final blow. That was until a spotted blur came from their side flank, delivering a fierce flying kick which sent one wolf flying into the other.
Gui looked up to see Song panting lightly, fangs bared and looking extremely ticked off. She bent down and dragged the dazed cat to his feet, but before Gui could say anything he received a swift punch to his shoulder. He winced. "Ow! What the hell was that for?"
Song jammed a finger into his chest, standing on her toes so she was eye level with him. "Next time you want to do something dangerous and stupid, at least have the courtesy to tell your friends first. Got it?" She glared at him through narrowed eyes, indigo orbs glistening with anger and annoyance.
Gui threw his paws up apologetically, unable to contain his signature nervous smile. "Alright, I'm sorry! Next time, I will make sure we are on the same page." He looked at the dazed wolves on the ground a few feet away from him. "Thanks for the save, m'lady."
Song took out two obsidian tipped daggers from her waist, twirling them stylishly before getting into a battle stance beside Gui. "I hope this isn't your idea of a fun time, m'lord. Otherwise, you will need to find yourself a new guide."
Gui hooked Tianyin with his foot and kicked her up into his grasp, unsheathing her and discarding the scabbard near the fire. He stood in a sideways stance, blade held high above his head, point facing their opponents and blade glistening in the light. He glanced at Song laughing out loud. "Believe me, this is not my idea of a good time."
"Could've fooled me." She responded, sarcasm oozing with every syllable.
They stood there waiting as the two wolves stood up and aided their rhino companion. As they worked to remove the pot from his head, Gui stole sideways glances at his partner. Song noticed and grew irritated. "What are you looking at now?"
Gui smiled in spite of himself. "That kick was pretty awesome. I had no idea you were so flexible."
Song groaned, "Ugh! Men!" as she rushed off to attack the enemy.
As soon as the wolves removed the pot from the rhino's head, they found themselves being overwhelmed by a very agitated feline. Before they could even react Song leapt at one of the wolves delivering a fierce roundhouse kick to his muzzle, he was on the ground as fast as he had picked himself back up. Taking advantage of his stunned ally, the second wolf managed to grab both of their swords and move to attack the grey feline.
He would have caught Song off guard with a dual strike if a jian didn't place itself firmly between the swords and their intended target. The wolf snarled at Gui as the feline held tightly with both paws onto the blade's hilt. He smirked at the wolf grunting. "Now, that's not very polite, is it?" The wolf growled as he forced his swords down, causing Gui to have to deflect the blow to the side. In rage, the wolf pressed the attack, blades slicing through the air wildly. Gui had him where he wanted him. Catching both blades in the middle of a diagonal swipe, Gui placed his right paw on Tianyin's blade forcing the two swords to the ground. Then using the momentum from the maneuver he threw his legs into a improvised spinning kick, which sent the wolf flying head first into a nearby rock.
Meanwhile, Song had been contending with the newly angered rhino. Fighting on his second wind, the rhino was giving Song plenty to deal with. If not for her acrobatic skills, Song would have been diced twelve times till next harvest. Lucky for her, dealing with angry or infuriating adolescents was her specialty. She kept dodging, ducking, and leaping over every attack the enraged animal made. She watched his form until something about the bumbling oaf caught her eye. She made her move. After dodging one final downward strike that dug half a foot into the dirt, Song let a knife fly from her hands. It sailed clean past the rhino's face, but did its job as the rhino flinched thinking he needed to dodge the attack. Song took this split second to run up the staff of the rhino's axe, but not before lodging a knife deep into the rhino's burnt foot. As the rhino yelled out in agony, Song used her speed to deliver a devastating knee into the rhino's nostril. the shock of both the knife wound and force trauma sent the rhino teetering backwards. He hit the earth like fallen log.
Song stuck the landing and turned to see Gui walking casually toward her, tapping Tianyin on his shoulder. He nodded and smiled, obviously impressed with her handiwork. "Wow... remind me why I don't let you do all the work?"
Song rolled her eyes and stood up, dusting off her brown pants. "I'm starting to think you like the sight of me 'working', m'lord." She placed a hand on her hip and cocked an eyebrow.
Gui continued toward her. He opened his mouth to speak when he suddenly staggered forward, eyes widening with shock. His eyes looked distant as he continued to slowly trudge forward. His eyes met Song, and he gave a soft smile. "I guess... I can't help myself." He fell forward into Song.
"Gui!" She caught him before he hit the ground, but then gasped when she felt something warm and moist on his back. She looked and saw an arrow protruding from out of the center of his back. "No... no no NO! You can't die Gui! Common get up!"
"I wouldn't try that if I were you." Song looked up to see the wolf who Gui had burned at the beginning of the fight. He walked slowly towards them, bow in hand, his face now even more disfigured than before. His eyes were dark, and the only thing present in their glow was murder. "That arrow was poisoned. Even if I somehow missed his heart, he isn't going anywhere fast."
Song looked down to see Gui's eyes drooping. His breathing was labored and shallow, and he was losing consciousness fast. She tried to set him down gently so she could move to kill the arrogant mutt. However, she never got the chance. The two wolves had recovered and one of them was dragging her to her feet by the back of her neck. She yowled in pain as she was flung forward in front of the leader. She pushed up from the ground only to receive a firm kick to her stomach which sent her rolling onto her back.
The wolf moved to her and stepped firmly on her chest, holding her down. She growled and bore her fangs in defiance as he cackled at her struggle. "You know... you're kinda cute when you're pissed!" The others joined in with him, their maniacal laughter echoed in the nearby forest. The wolf tapped his chin, a wicked idea forming in his head. He yelled to his comrades. "Hey, what else did this bitch do to us? She threw a knife in Tong's foot, right?" One of the other wolves not beating on Gui's limp body threw him one of her silver knives. He caught it and eyed the blade, before smiling evilly at his victim. "I think we should return the favor for him."
Song suddenly felt a white hot pain enter her left shoulder. She cried out as her own knife was lodged firmly in her shoulder. The wolf snorted. "Not so tough now, huh?" He took the knife out, sadistically licking the wet blade, and threw it to the side. Bending down, he grabbed her cheeks with his left paw and held her down with his right, squeezing the fresh wound. He leant forward and brought his mouth to her ear. "You know what I love more than the taste of blood." Song's eyes were beginning to blur from the pain. She tried to fight it, but she was losing her grip on reality. Eyes becoming clouded with unshed tears. "I love the look in your prey's eyes, as you watch their life slowly slip from their grasp. It's the closest thing to godhood." He cackled once more roughing up her wound causing fresh blood to pour out.
Song stared up into her tormentors face, her vision making him appear distorted and even more abhorrent than before. He paused mid laugh and looked down at her. "Oh, my apologies my lady." He bent down to grab her knife, but as he did Song saw a figure stand up behind him. It began moving in their direction as the wolf lifted himself up. He sneered at her, death the only thing on his mind. Song's blue eyes began to roll backwards; she couldn't hold on anymore. "Don't worry girl. I'll be sure to make this quick."
Song's waning consciousness muffled everything, from the sinister laughter to the blood curdling scream that followed.
Her eyes opened slowly, her body numb and senses dulled. Her head laying limply on the cold hard ground. She tried to see, but all her eyes make out were vague colors and shadows. Everything around her glowed with a red hue, and formless shapes lay across the hard surface. Slowly she drifted back into darkness. A darkness pierced by two burning orange eyes.
A/N: Annnnnnnd there it is. Long, huh? Don't worry I won't make a habit of it, but I had a lot to make of for in my absence. So, I guess stay tuned. I hope to have the next one up within the next month or so Xp. Other than that, review/subscribe/PM the whole shebang.
Also, I have gone back into previous chapters and filled in some plot holes which I have discovered, so don't mind me (sets down dirty shovel). So if you want to try and find what I changed, or just want to rekindle your grasp of the plot, go ahead and reread some of it. Lord knows I like to know you guys read my stuff. Anyway you guys keep it real.
Thanks again Cuaroc! This guy... is freakin' awesome. Later!
-WR
Notes:
jian- chinese dual edged straight sword
Tianyin- Sounds of Heaven
"死亡的牺牲与和平"- "The sacrifice of death and peace"
Zòngróng (Soong-Zrong)- conniving
(message me with other questions!)