A/N: The end of this chapter creeped me out while writing it. You are warned.

Disclaimer: Dreamworks... you know what you did.

* Here dem NOTES!:

Línghún- "Soul/Spirit" (Ling- hwuhn) Like a mix of "oo" and "uh"

gongzai- "doll/cuddly toy" (gong- zyee)

ma- "mom" (mah)

bá- "dad" (bah [shorter 'a' sound])

Ch. 10: Child's Play

Silence.

Scholars and philosophers have pondered its existence for ages. The actual definition of the word details sounds of a very low intensity; rather the existence of a noise too soft for the ear to perceive. Many would label silence as a moment when the voices of themselves and others were hushed, and their thoughts would scream out in their absence. Others might even call it a clear night, where the void was filled by the presence of celestial bodies and the quiet whispers of candid romance. Silence, like many things, was everything and nothing.

But what of true silence? Could there exist a time or place in which the presence of sound was void, and nary a quiver carried through the air? If ever there was such a setting, no one would have ever guessed the town of Lìrùn. Only a day ago, a traveler could bask in the warmth which emanated from this northern hamlet. There, nestled in the tender embrace of the mountains, the villagers would be about their daily routine. This was a town where trade, the arts, fine cuisine, and tradition melded together in a melting pot of culture whose origins could be traced to the beginnings of the empire. Only a day ago, silence would have seemed impossible.

Why then was it, that a troupe of Kung Fu warriors heard nothing but the crunch of the worn path beneath them? How could the whispers of breath coming from them seem to explode in the air or the rustle of feather, scale, and fur shout into the fading light of the day? For some of them absolute silence was impossible, their trained hearing picking up on even the faintest of noises. But today even the softest sound seemed to be swallowed by an empty void. This was the closest to absolute silence that any one of them had ever experienced.

The final leg of the journey north towards the village was more or less routine. The team of warriors divulged each other with information privy to the mission at hand, and slowly the pieces were fit into the puzzle in an effort to make sense of current events. The information was limited, and thus their scope of vision was narrowed extensively. However, among all the pieces gathered two facts became clear: The village of Lìrùn was being targeted and this "Yĭngzi Èmó", the Shadow Demon, had something to do with all the strange occurrences these past weeks. With such little to go on, caution was the name of the game; and unfortunately it was not one of Po's favorites.

Lips sealed tightly, the panda's eyes darted anxiously to each of his comrades as they made their way onto the main trade strip. If there was one thing he hated most it was the intense quiet that would ensue when everyone else was so focused on a mission. He looked up as Crane passed overhead; they were only just getting into the dense section of the town and he had already finished searching the first half of the village by air. As the sound of the wind passing through the bird's feathers echoed in Po's ear, he found himself growing anxious.

He tried his best to calm himself down. Well, he thought to himself, maybe there are worse things... like stairs. Gods I hate stairs. Yeah, if stairs had a butt to kick I would freakin' flying dragon kick them so hard. You'd think stairs were only invented for people to fall down them. Po ground his teeth in anger, If it weren't impossible I would punch 'em right in their smug little–

Po's inner rant was interrupted when he tripped and fell over Viper who had stopped suddenly in front of him. With a sharp yelp, the bear landed flat on his face surprising the green snake. Viper, unharmed by the mishap, slithered up to Po's ear. "Are you okay, brother?" Her eyes were filled with endearment but glistened with laughter; this was something of an everyday occurrence.

The monochrome bear's face remained planted on the ground as he mumbled indignantly into the earth. Viper and the guys let the levity of the situation take hold as their faces and moods brightened in response. Tigress was the only one who maintained her focus; whether she withheld because she found no humor in the activity or just from a strict sense of duty to the mission was anybody's guess.

Po's embarrassment subsided as he stood up and brushed himself off. They had stopped for a reason and he was curious why. As if his thoughts we said aloud, Tigress motioned with her head towards the town. "Po, look."

So he did, and it was not what he had expected. With all the rumors and fears abound concerning the mysterious fugitive, Po had expected to see the remains of some kind of attack on the town itself. But everything was still intact and rather pristine. Despite the extreme lack of anyone it appeared as if everything was normal.

"Okay," Po said utterly perplexed. "Where are all the bad guys at? I thought this place was going to be under attack or something."

Tigress's sharp gaze was pouring over every possible space as the continued to trek through the town. "That is what we were told to expect."

"Yeah, but the only lead that we could get was a rumor given to you by a strange old inn keeper, Po." Monkey interjected, slowing his pace until he was keeping stride with the large bear.

"How is this my fault?" Po was surprised; he didn't expect to be put on the defensive so suddenly. "Master Shifu told us to head this way in the first place, right? Fèng helped us to confirm his suspicions so here we are. I don't see what the big deal is."

Monkey's face remained calm, his eyes traveling further down the road far ahead of the group. "I'm not saying we were wrong coming hear, Po. It's just unlikely that one rumor would lead to us solving any situation so handily when we know next to nothing about what is happening." Monkey stopped when his fist brushed up against something soft and small on the ground. He paused and looked down to see a slightly dirt covered stuffed bear. He gazed at it pensively as he lifted it off the moist ground; it's plain brown form rested limply in the palm of his hand. He sighed and closed his eyes, his shoulders slumped as if an invisible force force had just settled on his shoulders. "We may not find anything at all."

Po watched thoughtfully as his friend's fist tightened around the small toy before he reached around his back and set it snugly in the back of his golden waist sash. Crane landed softly in front of the team, his wings folding back into position. Tigress folded her arms across her chest. "Anything to report?"

Crane sighed quietly and shook his head. "No, nothing at all. Just empty streets."

"Oh come on!" Mantis hopped agitatedly to the front of the group and perched himself on Tigress's shoulder. "Are you sure?"

Crane's eyes narrowed at the insect. "I'm positive."

Mantis lifted his forelegs into the air in frustration before jumping back over to Monkey's shoulder and crossing his claws in frustration. Viper slithered up to Crane, curling her tail around one of his talons. The stern gaze he was still giving Mantis dissolved at her touch and he stared at her apologetically as she smiled kindly at her partner. The mission was starting to wear at them.

Removing her tail Viper turned her attention to the silent feline; she had remained motionless and calm since Crane had returned. Rising to the tiger's mid section, Viper offered some input to help their leader with a decision. "It's possible we may have arrived too late." Tigress's ears twitched slightly and her eyes closed allowing her to think deeper. Viper continued, this time including the rest of her comrades in her thoughts, "There has been no sign of any struggle or combat through out the city. Maybe the all the people left just like the in other villages."

"Highly unlikely." Tigress's voice drew everyone's attention back to her. "We have covered every major settlement capable of harboring any refugees fleeing the area. If there were any, we would have come across them on the way here."

Viper sank a little as she spoke; the truth of her words weighed heavily on her kind heart. Now everyone in the group held the same solemn expression and it was driving Po nuts. "Well as cool as it would be, I don't think they could all just disappear into thin air. So where did they all go?"

A loud ruckus shook the stillness around the group. Immediately, Tigress and the rest of the Five snapped into defensive stances to face a nearby abandoned home; the origin of the disturbance. With trained precision and stealth Tigress took command of the operation by issuing a slew of nonverbal commands and directions to the rest of the Five. Po leaped eagerly into action along with the others. The chance for some action after days of endless travel and investigation had left him itching for some good old fashioned butt kicking. However, he felt a firm grip on his shoulder cease his charge and he turned to see Tigress coolly shaking her head at him. He looked to where the rest of his friends were gathering and he turned to the feline, his eyes pleading for her to let him join them. Tigress lowered her gaze and the panda ceased all attempts of trying to sway her. This was one battle Po knew he would never win, so he resigned bitterly to his position next to the Tigress as back up for the rest of the team.

As it turned out they didn't have to wait long at all. Within mere moments after infiltration a loud squeal erupted from the building making Po jump in his skin. The quiet settled in once more, tinted with a few hushed murmurs and soft whispers from within the abode. Tigress tensed up; the sudden silence making her more than edgy. However, her anticipation proved fruitless as a familiar chirping came hopping nonchalantly onto a window sill on the second floor.

Mantis looked down at the other two masters with a curiously listless face. "It's okay, Monkey has got the situation well in hand." He waved them in before hopping back into the house. Po and Tigress shared a confused glance before calmly moving towards the structure. Before they stepped inside Mantis's green form reappeared on the ledge once more, this time his expression was more humorous than anything else. "Oh and Tigress, Viper says you should probably avoid any menacing glares, growls, or threats when you get up here." He disappeared again in time before any of said expressions could find him, and the female feline was more than demonstrating her full ire towards the amused insect.

A growl escaped her lips and she turned her eyes towards Po who was wisely avoiding their contact. Tigress's anger fumed only a touch more before she regained her usual composure. Walking inside Po could hear her muttering something about "smug bugs" and "green dye for a new sash", he was glad she was in front and couldn't see how entertained he was with her current state. Though he managed to control his sense of humor when he saw how violently her tail was thrashing about, and decided to try and occupy himself with his surroundings instead.

For the most part it was just like any other urban household. Though currently dim from a lack of occupation, the decor and placement of furniture provided a visual sense of comfort. The kitchen was spacious, though not extravagantly so, and Po was easily able to peak in and look around a little without so much as lowering his head. The dining area had two sections; one a comfortable indoor space with a dark lacquered table with soft blue cushions surrounding it, and the other a small courtyard with room enough for children at play and parents holding a mid summer's dinner. In truth, this house reminded Po of the many homes which occupied the market distract of his own village back in the Valley. The similarities were quite striking, and as he followed Tigress up the stairs to where the others were waiting for them he felt more at ease.

A flying object pelting him in the face broke his short lived calm. He had only just reached the top of the stair case when something light and plush blinded him. Panicked, Po flailed his arms wildly whilst shouting from the shock. In a frantic display, the unfortunate panda finished his clumsy climb with a superb fashion by running head on into the wall in front of them. Tumbling to the floor the bear continued to roll on the ground, wrestling with whatever heinous weapon was clinging to him.

He stopped when he heard a round of snickering and chortles from what sounded like his comrades. Slowly he removed the object of his misfortune from his brow and held it in front of his face. To his relief a fine latticed blue and gold quilt rested in his palms, and he looked up to see the rest of the Five staring back with delight. Their eyes glittered humorously as Po cooly stood up, quilt in hand, and dusted off his shorts.

"Be careful, Master Po. That sure is some sharp embroidery." Monkey was barely able to utter the words before he continued busting a gut.

Po felt his cheeks heat up faster than one of his dad's soup woks. He cleared his throat turning his feeble gaze stare towards the fabric. With no small amount of agitation his eyes narrowed and the hand which held the quilt loosened, allowing the embroidery to fall limply to the dark wood floor. The laughter continued and the panda pursed his lips, obviously not finding humor in being the butt of another joke. His jade eyes quickly flashed to the simian master, whom he assumed was the one at fault for his embarrassment. "Very funny, Monkey. You almost gave me a heart attack."

"Monkey isn't the culprit, Po." Tigress's voice seemed softer than usual as it reached his small ears.

Po turned his head to the feline, giving her a very confused glance. He couldn't tell if she had maintained her composure during his recent fit of lunacy, but her eyes appeared just as soft as her voice just had and they were fixed on a certain point at the end of the room. His eyes went back to Monkey, who had managed to regain the semblance of a straight face. "What?" Po hated being out of the loop like this.

Monkey smiled back. "It was him." He turned in the same direction that Tigress's eyes were facing. Po followed their line of sight. The second floor was designed very much like his own back at the Noodle Shop. The stairs had opened up into a small living space above the main floor with a bed and a singular window. Along the walls hung various illustrated scrolls and tapestries depicting soothing landscapes and the occasion fictional childhood hero figure standing victoriously over a small mountain of defeated foes. In all likelihood, and if he had the funds, Po could see himself using this as his summer get away.

He shook himself of the thought and focused on the space beneath the small bed where Monkey was pointing to. As he moved closer to the bedside he squinted, his eyes trying to pierce the shadows which lay underneath. Keeping his distance, he waited for his eyes to adjust to the darkness of the room until a small gold outline formed from the darkness.

The panda's eyes lit up with joy. "Hey there," he said whispering, careful not to startle the small shivering body which lay curled up underneath the bed, "What are you doing here by yourself, little guy?"

A set of moist brown eyes glanced momentarily towards Po before quickly turning away. The small creature continued to quake though small spasms racked the body from time to time, from what Po could only guess were muffled sobs.

Po started to reach out for the child only to be stopped by a friendly hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Monkey smiling quietly at him. "Leave him to me, brother." Po's mouth narrowed dejectedly but he knew he couldn't fix everything; he nodded before giving Monkey room to work his magic.

Monkey knelt down by the bedside once Po took his place beside Tigress. A warm broad grin on his face, he turned his attention to the figure huddled under the bed roll. The child's shaking had diminished noticeably after Po had left, but his back was still turned towards the primate. Sighing softly Monkey turned and sat against the frame of the bed. As he did this he nodded to the others–they understood and all descended the staircase, leaving the simian master alone with the child.

Once they had all gone Monkey allowed his eyes to travel around the room taking in the ornate and not so ornate fixtures on the walls. After their short journey his eyes fell to his hands, their gaze softly contemplating the extensive calluses and faded scars that trailed the surface of his dark skin. "It's not easy being alone, huh?" His voice seemed to reverberate slightly now that they were alone. "My mother passed away from illness when I was young and I never had a chance to meet my father. I had an older brother too, but he eventually left as well. For a long time I tried to live alone, not depending on anyone else for help, but it made me very sad."

He paused when he thought he heard a rustle behind him, though when only silence followed he found himself lightly grasping the small toy in his sash. Plucking it from the gold fabric he held it gingerly in the palms of his hands, his mouth smiling gently. "It's not easy being away from your parents, that's for sure." His hands closed gently around the limp stuffed bear. "I think you are a very brave boy."

The words felt heavy as they left his mouth–as though they were made of lead. He meant what he said, he had no reason to lie to the boy. However, he prayed that this child hadn't gone through similar straights as him; words would never be enough.

"My papa was a brave soldier..." The timid voice grabbed Monkey's ears and held his attention. There was a slight pause before the next words were said. "Do you think... do you think he would think I'm brave, too?"

The langur smiled brightly. "He would think you have been so very brave."

Silence followed their brief correspondence. Monkey grinned to himself triumphantly; the boy had the next move.

"Are you all with them?" A slight tremble was audible in his voice.

The query caught Monkey by surprise. "Who is them?" He stiffened slightly with anticipation.

"The monsters."

Monkey relaxed. "No. No we are not with them." He was relieved the child was only frightened by shadows.

"S–So he isn't one?" The question was accompanied with a chorus of shuffling noises.

Monkey almost chuckled. "Is who not one of them?"

"The large black and white thing." The voice was a mixture of fear and curiosity.

He couldn't help but laugh this time. "No. Master Po is not a monster, but I could see where you might think so." He couldn't have imagined this child had ever seen a panda. They had only come out of hiding very recently.

"Oh..." The small voice paused in a contemplative manner, "Is he nice?"

Monkey smiled and nodded. "Po is probably the nicest bear you could ever hope to meet, and he is also an extraordinary Kung Fu warrior," Monkey paused smiling to himself, "He is also one of my most trusted friends."

He heard the movement underneath the bed once more, this time much closer to his side. Monkey could feel their little spar coming to a close. They were almost matching move for move now; it was time to throw the next punch.

"I bet you have someone you care about, don't you?" Monkey hoped he had moved into the correct position.

"Yeah." The child's voice held tone of shame. "I do. She's my aunt."

Monkey sighed with relief, "Where is she now?" He was unsure if this move would connect, but he had his opponent where he wanted him and couldn't pass up the opportunity.

Suddenly there was a shift in movement under the bed followed by silence. He sighed heavily; he missed his chance. It would take some time before the boy would want to speak with him again so he started to lift himself off of the ground. That was until he felt something small catch his hand. He looked down to the side to see a young yellow fox kit in a matching green summer outfit timidly standing beside him: Their match wasn't over just yet.

The child's big brown eyes remained focused on the floor as his small hand clung to the simian's. They glistened in the dim light as though at any point tears would burst forth from them. "She is helping tend to the rest of the villagers. They are all hiding in the old burial grounds in the middle of town."

Monkey fought the urge to do a "Po Fist Pump of Victory" that very moment. The spar was about ended, but as he observed his opponent curiosity overcame him. "If your aunt was taking care of you, why did you leave?"

The boy's face glowed red under his warm gold fur and his tail twisted nervously around his feet. "I left something here."

Monkey cocked an eyebrow. "Here?"

"Yes, this is my aunt's home."

Monkey nodded to himself; that did make an awful lot of sense. "What did you leave that was so important?"

The trembling returned to rock the poor boy's small frame. "My gongzai*. I couldn't leave him here all alone."

Monkey fought the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose. "You came back all on your own for a toy?"

Anger and frustration quickly replaced the shame that once made up the child's visage. "He is more that just any dumb toy! My mother made him for me when I was really small." As the emotions rose, so did a stream of hot tears. His voice choked as he spoke his next words. "I don't care if he is only just a plain old bear doll. He is the only thing I have of ma and bá*. I need to find him!"

Monkey felt the little paw tighten on his hand, and he watched sympathetically as the boy tensed up; he was trying not to let one tear fall. It was only in that moment that he was suddenly reminded of the small lump occupying the back of his sash. He reached around with his other hand to his back. When he brought his hand back around he found himself looking at the small bear once again.

A knowing smile curled his mouth and as the boy tried to wipe the tears away from his face the master knelt down to his height and held out the toy. "Here... I think this might belong to you."

Removing his hand from his eyes the boy squealed with joy and snatched up the plush bear from Monkey's hand and clung to it with glee. "You found him! I can't believe you found him!" As if greeting a long lost family member, the boy wrapped his arms around the golden langur in appreciation. "Thank you so much. I didn't think I would ever find him again."

Patting the boy's head, Monkey simply smiled and nodded; their match had finally come to a close. Monkey placed his hands and the child's shoulders and knelt down in front of him again. The boy was beaming at the simian like he was one one the tall heroes on the tapestries hanging in the room. He smiled back. "I'm glad I could help you, but right now we need to get you back to your aunt. It's not safe for you to be here on your own. Until we find your aunt you should come with us, okay?"

The small fox nodded happily. "Okay. The place where she is staying is kind of hidden in the cemetery. I can show you where it is, though."

Monkey grinned in response. "Okay." He offered his hand to the boy and he eagerly took hold of it. As Monkey led him to the stairs he turned back to the boy and smiled again. "By the way, my friends call me Monkey."

"My name is Línghún*! It's nice to meet you, Monkey."

The simian chuckled, "The feeling is mutual."

They turned and began descending the staircase, but as soon as the others came into view the boy hid behind the primate. Po and the rest of the Five turned to see him coming down with something hiding behind his back.

Viper slithered forward to greet him, uncertain of his progress. "Well? How'd it go?"

Pausing a moment, the simian turned around and gazed at his companion with curious eyes. The boy appeared nervous about meeting with the other strangers. However, when he looked up to his new friend's smiling face the nerves all but disappeared, and he squeezed the langur's hand confidently telling Monkey all he needed to know.

Monkey smiled at his friends confidently. "I believe I found our lead."

*
/|\

Where am I?

The question seemed to echo loudly in her mind. She couldn't remember where she was, or for that matter how she got there. This place was foreign to her, yet she couldn't help but feel some sort of attachment to her current surroundings. Her vision seemed hazy, as if she had just awakened from a long slumber, and blurred shapes and forms dotted the area around her. And though she was certain she had only been standing there for a few moments, she couldn't help but feel as though days had passed with her just standing there.

She closed her eyes and shook her head violently in hopes that her vision would clear. When she opened them she again she saw nothing but darkness all around her. She recognized nothing, but still that sense of familiarity crept into her heart. That's when she heard it. A sound like a voice calling out to her from the permeating dark. Though it dissipated as quickly as it had appeared her trained ears honed to the source of its origin and she turned to face it. Even though she did not know who or what had called out, she was able to take comfort in the fact that she now had a direction to go.

She sighed heavily. Well nothing ventured..., and she proceeded forward.

Within a few short steps she began to feel the soft touch of grass lightly graze her toes. Then a few steps more and the fur on her face was being kissed by a warm spring breeze. These and many other sensations returned to her, and she was soon greeted with welcome sights as well. The grass which she had felt beneath her took form, and their green blades seemed to glow a bright hue of green as they emerged from the dark. Soon enough other forms like small rocks and trees appeared on her way, leading her to assume she was in fact headed in the right direction. A few more steps and finally the sun and sky appeared above her; their light a much needed break from the darkness she had come from.

Out of curiosity she looked behind her to she where she had come from, but all she saw was forest. Gone was the darkness that once surrounded her and yet, while she was thankful for the change, rationally she knew whatever was happening around her could not be real. Turning back to her set path she was immediately met with a brand new sight. As if it had manifested while her back was turned, a village located on a natural cliff face had formed behind a light mist. In awe of the natural beauty she stopped and gazed at the hamlet. The town started at her level a couple of yards away and rose up a gentle hill. The forest she was in dissolved the closer she came to the town and a sheer mountain side stood beside the structures leaning out over over the tops of many of the buildings as if protecting the inhabitants and their families from prying eyes. The other side of the town was a fertile farm land drenched in bright sunlight that led to a sudden cliff which dropped down into a dense mist thousands of feet below. It was as if the entire mountain side were shielding the town from any danger that might become of it.

As she neared the town gates she heard the voice again, this time slightly clearer and with a more jovial tone. As if the voice were calling out to her in high spirits; like an old friend calling you over to break bread. She felt welcome, and tender feelings of love and kinship filled her heart. The full out sprint towards the town seemed almost natural. Like a child coming home to her parents. With an unbarred sense of glee she gripped the tops of the old wooden gates and flung them open.

The voice screamed with blood curdling terror.

Halcyon homes became slaughter houses. Lush fields of near emerald radiance; now charred and burned asunder. Dead, mangled bodies lined the streets, and the once brilliant blue sky was blackened and burned with a hellish other worldly glow. She collapsed to her knees in utter shock, and when a warm moist sensation covered her legs she realized the streets were paved in blood. She fought the urge to vomit and dropped onto her hands, fighting off her gag reflex. All safety and peace she felt were gone; only sorrow and loss lingered, bringing tears to her eyes.

That's when she heard it.

At first it seemed only a whisper, like the wind in the trees. But then it came a little louder, only this time more chilling and emanating from the back of her own mind.

...Song!

Startled, she looked up... only to wish she hadn't.

It stood there before her like a shadow run free from its master. Alone amidst the blazing flames it stood only a few yards away, its head cocked in a curious manner like a child. Only innocence was absent in its poise. What could have been its skin appeared only as the absence of light, or substance for that matter. If there were anything that could be described as nothing in her mind this– thing... was the closest to it. She had never felt this much fear before, so paralyzing and crippling. It held her to the ground.

And that's when she realized it had gotten closer.

There was no leg movement; for that matter a single muscular twitch. One moment it was a certain distance, and then it was another. It moved as an apparition, silently and without effort, and the whole while she heard the voice more and more.

Song... Sooong...?

She had been trembling for what seemed like an age. She clenched her eyes shut.

Go away!, she screamed in her mind, You're not real!

Her head was filled with an unearthly noise. Shrieks, howls, and screams all happening at once. It was maddening, and all the while the voice kept going.

... Song... Song...

"What do you want from me!"

...

Then all the noise stopped and slowly she opened her eyes. The blood on the ground was gone, and when she raised her head up the town lay in a smoky ruin. Ready to forsake this hell she immediately stood and she turned to leave.

Song!

They held her. A pair of demonic burning red eyes; feral yet contained. The noises returned in force and she felt an excruciating pain. She felt as though she were being pulled apart and burned alive. She screamed as loud as she could, but no voice came. Then all other noises were drowned out by the most terrifying one: laughter.

As she stood frozen, sobbing and in agony, the blackness before her twisted into a malicious sharp toothy grin.

Play with us, Song!

*
/|\

"Song!"

She leapt awake, all pain and voices disappeared into the sound of a crackling fire and yet another voice. Her eyes darted frantically about as they took in the numerous shapes and forms around her, and her fur felt warm and damp to the touch; she began thrashing uncontrollably.

"Go away!", she screamed, tears streamed down her cheeks, "Leave me alone!"

A strong pair of hands gripped her upper arms and held her down. She snarled and unsheathed her claws, burying them in her assailant's arms. As she did she could hear a loud grunt, but the arms stayed firmly clamped on her own.

"Song! It's okay, you're safe!" the voice urged.

"No!" She dug her claws in deeper. "Get away from me!"

"Song, please! It's me! Gui!"

Her body became still and without hesitation her claws removed themselves from the flesh. Her eyes adjusted and she gazed into the set of familiar teal eyes hovering just above her face.

Gui's white mouth curled into a relieved smile. "You're all right." His voice was soft and nursing. "I'm here."

Song stared for only a moment more before the cascade of tears returned. Her eyes flooded with warm water as she wrapped her arms tightly around her friend, never wanting to let go. Her sobs were heavy and labored, but she couldn't care less how pathetic she must look. She knew he wouldn't have cared anyway.

She felt his arms gently reach around her back and he held her as she buried her face into the grey fur of his shoulder. He hushed her and he wails soon turned to whimpers, and he continued to speak softly to her until the river of tears diminished to mere trickles. There she stayed curled up in his safe hold like a defenseless kitten. She had never felt so vulnerable in her entire life, but she knew in her heart she was finally safe.

Gui rocked her gently back to sleep, though this time she remained peaceful in his arms. He had no idea what had caused her to break down so fiercely; in truth maybe he didn't want to know. But with as much certainty as the fire that illuminated the blaze in his own eyes, he knew he would most certainly kill before he ever let it happen again.

A/N: The end of this chapter gave me chills writing it. *shivers* Probably shouldn't have written this by myself in a dark room hahaha