A/N: Well... hello. It's been quite a while, hasn't it? Let me begin by first greeting you with a good old "Happy New Year!" It was one hell of a 2013. I could start by making a whole mess of excuses for my absence, but all you need to know is that I have been working almost everyday now so I can move to a new apartment soon. there have also been a few music gigs on the side as well, so writing lyrics has been preoccupying me for some time, too. I missed this, a lot. In a way I felt as if I had abandoned this story, as well as all of you. To those of you here because you have been keeping up with the story, thank you for staying with me this long and giving me your support. And for those of you reading for the first time, welcome an I hope you enjoy.
As always here are a few shoutouts to people who inspired and/or helped me get this far:
Soul of a Lion
Cuaroc
FearlessTiger
The Green-Eyed Wolf
A113 Cowgirl
Caris August
(along with anyone else who's names I may have forgotten. It's been quite some time)
Okay *snaps knuckles* let's start the show!
Disclaimer: Kung Fu Panda=Dreamworks; OC's=ME!
Ch.11: Inner Fires
Wrapped up comfortably in her simple blanket, Song smiled as she watched her male counterpart work. Not that Gui actually knew he was being observed, mind you. In fact for the past hour or so Song had pretended to be asleep so she could spy on her friend as he went about early morning preparations. And contrary to what most may have thought, there was no mistrust behind her actions. To her it was more of a fun little game to pass the time.
*
/|\
When she was younger, Song would often sneak out of her tent early to secretly observe Uncle Shan's early morning routines. During her early years of training she knew next to nothing about the grumpy grey bison. She knew what all the older girls in the camp would call him; which looking back still didn't do him enough credit. However, the curious little cub she was wanted to know for herself.
It would start with watching him exit his tent right before dawn every morning. Then it proceeded to following him to the entrance of the camp. Not long after she would follow him outside, where he would just sit and meditate on the nearest large rock available to him. That was how it went on for about a month, and Song began to think he was just a boring old grouch.
Until one morning he didn't take a seat on any stone or boulder. Instead, he ventured far into a nearby forest carrying a large heavy bundle with him. Song could barely contain her excitement; he had never done anything like this before in the weeks she had secretly observed him. She followed until he stopped in the middle of a spacious bamboo glade. Setting down the large mass with an assortment of metallic clangs and scrapes, he rummaged around for a moment before withdrawing an item and standing up to his full towering height with it in his grasp.
Song held her breathe as the water buffalo stood perfectly still. Then, with the force of a hurricane, and with speed she could barely even perceive, Lao Shan spun once in a circle sending out a gust of wind which shot through the forest of bamboo rocking the very foliage she was taking cover in. Song remembered she had to shield her eyes from all the rocks and dust that were swept up in the gale.
When she removed her hand from her eyes she saw him standing in a finished position, a black blade held tightly in his grasp. Before she could see more she felt the stalks which she was perched in shudder. Before she realized what was happening she and the entire section of bamboo surrounding the two of them tumbled to the earth below.
When she hit the ground, the soft thud of her small body mixed in with the light clunking of bamboo was a dead give away. As soon as she picked herself onto her feet, wincing at the pain, she came under the shadow of the huge bison. A mixture of rage and disbelief colored his expression. His hoof gripped tightly around the now sheathed sword.
Stamping the ground with a force that made the young cub leap out of her skin the buffalo bellowed, "Leave!"
The fallen shoots rattled from the thunder in his voice.
A mix of fear and shame filling her eyes, Song bolted back to the camp. A trail of tears following closely in her wake.
Two weeks passed. Afraid to cross his path, the young leopard immersed herself in her studies of poise and etiquette with the other girls. Every so often she would catch glimpses of the old bison going about his daily routines, but whenever her interests were peeked she would force them down; afraid of the consequences she might face if she followed them.
Finally one morning she awoke. She had no reason to be awake at that early hour, but when she tried to go back to bed sleep would not take her. Growing bored of the chorus of heavy and soft breathing coming from the other girls in the tent, she crawled silently towards the light creeping through the closed tent flaps. When she peered outside she glanced upward. The sky appeared black; the clouds cast high overhead blotted out all sources of light and with them any chance of estimating the approximate hour of the night. Were it not for the lit lanterns strung around their camp, the dark sky might have devoured the entire encampment.
Not wanting to be caught by any of the older girls in her tent, she left and set to venturing around the camp for what she hoped was an early morning stroll. At first it was as if the whole world were frozen in the cool damp mist which had flooded the camp that night. Most nights the lights of the lanterns would be complimented with a sea of fireflies and, during summer nights, a choir of singing cicadas. But this night was too cold for singing, and the air to wet for flight. The cub would have hated to admit it, but it made her uneasy.
As her mind dwelled on the silence, her ears caught the sound of rustling canvas. She froze and crouched low to the ground, hoping the mist would be enough to cover her presence. That's when she saw it. A bright light, small but defined, cutting through the mist like a brilliant blade. With a slow but steady rhythm, the light swung back and forth as it headed towards the direction of the camp entrance.
After a few weeks of constant suppression, and against her better judgement, she followed. While Song knew in the back of her mind that this was crazy, her nature kept pushing her forward as she clung to the darkness of surrounding tents and structures. Darkness had never been a friend to Song, in fact she absolutely hated it. It had always terrified her and made her uncomfortable; so much so that she needed the tents to be opened slightly at night so the glow of the lanterns could cut through the black forms of her tent. However, her training had taught her the importance of using darkness as an ally when hiding from danger or following a potential mark. She utilized these skills well as her small form vanished and reappeared throughout the encampment; her body leaping from shadow to shadow. She knew the dark was a comrade that night, but only as an ally of convenience.
The leopardess finally made it to the entrance, the makeshift wooden gates had been left wide open and the torches outside were burning through the surrounding blanket of mist. At first she thought she had lost her target, but when she trekked past the borders of light outside the gates she saw it. The lantern had stopped moving and was settled firmly on the ground, its radiance melting through the damp air and evaporating its moisture.
Carefully, she made her way closer to the light. Her stomach glided over the tips of the damp grass as she prowled through the almost alien field. As she drew near she realized whoever had been carrying the lantern was no longer near. Confused she dropped her body as low as she could onto the damp earth. There she waited just along the borders of the glow; her tail slowly waving through the still air. She was ready for anything.
"The low ground is rarely effective." Before she even had the chance to react, Song felt herself being hoisted several feet into the air by the end of her tail. Yelping from shock and fright the cub clasped her paws over her mouth to silence herself, but quickly regretted her decision when she found herself staring upside down into a pair of intense yellow eyes. "Especially if there is high ground to be claimed."
Terrified, but not willing to just hang there screaming, Song let loose her claws and began thrashing violently in the air. Though she growled and snarled with all her might in order to intimidate her assailant, the harsh noises coming from her throat wouldn't have even silenced the nearest chirping frog. She tried swinging her body closer to her attacker's face in hopes that she might connect a blow, but his firm grip on her tail gave him a decisive advantage. He would merely extend his arm slightly and the hissing feline would swing harmlessly in the opposite direction. Song felt so helpless, and so very frustrated.
The calculating eyes remained fixed on the small feline as she dangled haphazardly above ground. He felt a smile crack the edges of his wrinkled mouth. "Well, what you lack in strategy, you certainly make up for in spirit."
Song slowly ceased her rampage, her claws disappearing under a soft layer of grey spotted fur. She looked curiously into the large yellow eyes before her. "Master Lao?"
The bison grunted with affirmation and brought her bright indigo eyes whiskers length from his face. While his large yellow eyes searched into her own Song couldn't help but feel extremely uncomfortable, "Um... Master Lao?" the sound of her voice seemed to bring him back from whatever thoughts were running through his head. The grizzled bison looked at Song as if he were noticing her for the first time. Song pointed to the smooth surface of the large rock which the Weapon's Master was perched on. "Could you possibly–I don't know– maybe let me down? I can't feel my face or my tail."
Amused by her candid request, considering her current predicament, he grunted and set her down on the cool dry surface beside him. Once oriented, Song took the moment to straighten out her attire which had become disheveled during the recent events of the early morn. Satisfied that she was once again presentable she turned her eyes upward towards the now silent buffalo. He appeared to have returned to whatever meditative position his was in before the interruption.
"Master Lao?"
His eyes opened and met her own, yet he remained silent. His cool emotionless gaze made young Song look away and fidget uncomfortably in her spot on the stone. Shan's expression remained unchanged and his eyes shut again. "I didn't realize Su had started an early morning regiment for you cubs."
The young leopard almost jumped in her skin when his voice broke the hushed air. She tried thinking of several excuses for her absence from the tents, her eyes darting nervously back and forth. Ultimately nothing legitimate came to her, and to her shame the old bison's eyes had fallen on her once again. She sighed, "She didn't, I'm here by myself."
Shan raised a curious bristly eyebrow and Song waited anxiously for the quiet master to speak. However, to her dismay his unfaltering reticence continued, forcing her to go on. "I thought there was an intruder in the camp, and I came to investigate."
The weapon master's dry laugh filled the empty air, thereafter. "Is that so?" he chortled as a small smile cracked the sides of his maw. "And when you found this threat, what was it you intended to do? Other than get caught by the end of your tail, that is?"
Her ears fell back defensively against her head in slight anger. "I could have gotten free! I just stopped because I realized it was you..." she paused mid outburst, remembering some of her manners. "...Master."
The water bison rolled his eyes in disbelief. "You are a fragile whelp of a girl who ventured recklessly into unseen danger against an opponent of which you were immensely outclassed. Children have no place playing warrior."
Song glared daggers at the old man. "I am not a child! I can take care of myself!"
"Hold your tongue, girl!" Shan growled. In the darkness the buffalo's eyes seemed to glow with a burning light. "Don't pretend to be something you can never be. You are weak, and you should pray you never have to see the face of actual combat."
Song felt fear rush through her body, but she remained resilient in her defiant stare. "I'm not afraid of fighting."
Lao Shan grunted, mumbling, "Then you are a fool, as well."
Song puffed out her cheeks, she never thought the mysterious master whom she followed for so long could be this frustrating to deal with. She was starting to think the other girls had been right about him. Indignantly she stood up next to him, her small paws clenched into little balls of fury. "Well, I'd rather be me than a bitter old man like you!"
Lao's eyes set heavily upon the small cub beside him, though rage was absent from their humor. Song looked away, ashamed by her rude outburst She sat back down on the rock, her tail and arms wrapped around the base of her legs pulling them in a fetal fashion. The bison's eyes remained quietly fixated on her, patiently waiting.
The little leopardess buried her face in her arms, fighting off potential tears. "I was raised here since before I can remember, but I have never really felt like I belonged. I was never into the stuff all the others talk about and it never felt right when I tried. I don't want to be a weak little girl and I'm tired of feeling helpless and alone." Her voice came out muffled and soft through the spotted fur. "I thought that by following you around and watching you I could learn how to be strong. I don't want to be one of Aunt Su's little dancing lotus blossoms. I want to be tough, like you."
The weathered master turned from the girl and sighed heavily to himself. He closed his eyes thoughtfully, his mind searching for his next words, "I too, long ago, was once a small fledgling like yourself," Song turned her head to listen, though only enough so her moist eyes were still hidden from the faint lantern light. "Like you, I possessed a fire in my heart that lit my true passions; I used it to blaze a path to limitless glory."
Her eyes dry, Song fully lifted her head out of her arms and Shan met her gaze sternly, "My fire was my strength, little cub, as will be yours," It was then that his eyes darkened. "But fire inherently burns, and if you are not able to control it you risk scorching yourself and others you may care for. It is a dangerous thing to control."
Though his intense stare remained fixed on her, Song refused to back away. "I want to become strong... Master."
The grey bison's eyes lingered a moment longer in her sight before he turned his vision towards the pervading darkness outside their shell of light. He nodded to himself spoke, "And I am the one to help you do so. However..." He paused and his eyes looked critically upon the small feline. "I will not make this task easy for you. This path will be a difficult one and idle action will not be tolerated. Both your body and spirit will be tested. Are you sure you wish to do this?"
Song nodded enthusiastically, her face beaming in the low glow.
Shan cracked a sliver of a smile and stood grunting, "Very well, then," He hopped off the stone with a thud and reached down to grab the lantern at it's base. "We start immediately. Come!"
With a joy she could not even describe Song sprung from her seated position and landed on the ground gracefully. She locked her arms around the old beasts leg, "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you, Master Lao!"
It took a moment, but it dawned on little Song how "unwarrior-like" this action had been and she dared to look up at the bison.
He was less then amused.
Embarrassed she detached herself from his calf muscle and bow apologetically, "I mean– uh– thank you Master Lao."
The old man rolled his eyes at her childish overreaction and began walking back towards the camp. "What is your name again, girl?"
Song moved to quickly catch up with the old master and match him in pace, "Song. My name is Song."
Shan grunted in acknowledgment and raised the lantern higher to light the way, "Well, young Song, I suggest you hold your thanks. You may come to regret this choice, one day."
*
/|\
Her thoughts were called back to reality when a sudden ruckus disturbed the peaceful quiet of the camp. Gui had been transporting cook ware towards the fire pit in an attempt to whip up some food for the both of them. Unfortunately, as he carried the last pot towards the fire, an ill placed root caught the toe of his sandal causing the feline to fling the object from his grasp. The poor fellow and the pot tumbled to the ground in a frantic yet comical display that left much grace to be desired.
Song's sides were splitting as the annoyed cat pushed himself off the ground muttering dejectedly to himself and cursing under his breath. He looked over to see his female counterpart in the midst of a giggle fit that made her whole body bounce underneath the blanket.
"Oh, awake I see." He stood up and brushed off the dirt from his slightly tattered vest.
Song paused a moment to wipe the tears from her eyes. "I wouldn't have missed that for all the yuan in the province."
Gui rolled his eyes and made his way to the fallen pot. Gripping the handles, he lifted it smoothly off the ground and headed towards his intended destination. Once it was in place atop the various kindling and tinder he had acquired, Gui uncapped a water skin and emptied the contents into the metal container. Soon later, he ignited the wood beneath the pot and set to chopping and dicing the ingredients he would use in his concoction. And once the water was set to boil, he dumped all the ingredients into the hulking black pot.
Somewhat impressed with his cooking skills, Song quietly smiled as the grey feline began to stir his brew. Soon pleasant smells began rising with the steam that hissed from within the pot. It wasn't until then that she realized how hungry she was and the thought of it was making her tail sway under her covers in anticipation.
Gui glanced over at Song and chuckled deeply when he saw that all too familiar look in her eyes. "Hungry, are we?"
A little embarrassed, Song broke from her trance and turned her eyes from the billowing pot. Gui smiled openly. "It's alright. You haven't had anything to eat in a couple days, and this actually does smell pretty good. By the way, you got a little drool hanging from your mouth."
Song's eyes widened and she moved quickly to wipe her mouth, but she felt nothing there. Confused she checked the other side as well only to hear the rumbles of Gui's laughter grow even louder. Once she realized what was going on she picked up the nearest rock she could find and chucked it his way. He put up a paw in a failed attempt to stop it from hitting his torso. Though this only succeeded in making the prankster laugh that much harder.
"You're such a child!" Bitter from being made the brunt of one of his stupid pranks, the leopard turned over on her bed roll and put her back towards her antagonizer.
Gui shrugged and went back to stirring their meal. "Hey, you got a laugh and now I have one. We're even as far as I see it."
Song let loose an irritated groan and did her best to ignore the cocky feline until the food was finished. However, this task was made slightly more difficult as her companion began humming another one of his songs. Quick and delicate, It wasn't too long until Song found herself listening intently to the mysterious melody as it carried itself through the air. It seemed a happy enough tune and yet it seemed to possess a somber underlying tone which made her think of home; of her friends and Old Shan. These reflections gave her comfort, but at the same time it pained her to think of them being so far away. She wasn't even sure how far they actually were from the encampment or for how much longer the Ladies would remain in that location. They were very much a nomadic group and never stayed in one place for too long. She knew she would be able to find them no matter where they went, but it didn't change the fact that she was so very far away from them. Her eyes glistened the more she dwelled on it.
Then, as if having read her mind, Gui's stirring ceased and he brought the tune to its final cadence. Turning to Song he gripped his spoon by the bowl end which had cooled and lightly tapped her on the shoulder blade to get her attention. Gui smiled softly, "I know it's been a rough trip so far, and that you probably miss your everyone," He paused to collect himself. Song remained still, waiting for him to finish, "I just want you to know that you coming along... it means more to me than you know. I've been traveling alone for so long I– it's just nice to have someone around. Thank you."
Song sat up, her mouth curled up ever so slightly. Her kind eyes met with his earnest expression and it almost made her laugh outright. At first, Gui was befuddled by her reaction, but he ultimately decided to throw joined her in the amusement. Song smiled at him warmly, "Gui," she reached out and put her palm on his leg, "I'm happy to be here with you."
Gui looked at the paw on his leg and traced the arm up to her soft indigo irises. More than content with her response, the ocean eyed cat nodded and allowed a childish grin overcome his face.
"You think you're happy now," he turned to the cooking space, grabbing the spoon and two bowls along with it, "then you're gonna be hollering 'Great Buddha' after you've tried this soup."
Song rolled her eyes at this sudden cocky attitude, "Oh really?"
"Absolutely!" Gui stated confidently as he used his spoon to fill both the bowls with the steamy broth. Proudly, he handed the first one over to Song. "See for yourself."
Song graciously accepted his offering and brought the bowl to her mouth. She wanted nothing more than to ravenously devour the contents within, but instead she allowed herself time to breath in the delectable smell before calmly taking a small sip.
Gui watched with proud anticipation of her reaction to the meal. Song removed the bowl from her lips and waited as her taste buds analyzed the full flavor. She nodded with approval. "It's pretty good."
Gui's pride washed away with her words. "Just 'good'?"
Song thought for a moment and then nodded. "Yeah, good. Why?"
Gui took a sip from his and gestured wildly to his bowl. "This soup tastes amazing! What's wrong with you?"
Song cocked her eyebrow and laughed at how ridiculous this full grown man was behaving. She shrugged nonchalantly. "I've had better."
"Where?" Gui asked, taking a reluctant sip from his bowl.
"Just wait till we get to the Valley of Peace." She smirked and took another large gulp of soup. "I'll take you to a place that'll make you purr for Buddha."
Scoffing, Gui took another sip from his bowl. "I can't think of many places that could beat stuff this good. It's not like the ingredients were easy to get, either."
The comment caught Song's attention and her curiosity took hold. "By the way," she said, looking down into what was left of her portion, "where exactly did you get these?"
Gui paused mid sip and swallowed. "What do you mean?"
Though it was subtle, Song could tell the question had made him slightly anxious. "Well," she continued, as she meditatively moved the bowl in her paws, "when we were packing to go on this trip I didn't see any of these ingredients in our supplies. We only packed basic rations and soup stock, and only seasoned traders usually have access to this grade of stock."
She looked up at him, her features didn't change but her eyes were cooler than usual. Gui wiped his mouth, casually leaning himself back on one of his arms while still holding the bowl. "Well you were out for a couple of days," he said, his attention focused on the nearly empty bowl in hand, "While you were sleeping I would go out scouting along the main road. Occasionally I would run across a peddler or two and tell them about our trouble. Once I explained the situation they were more than happy to cut me a few deals."
"We didn't bring that much yuan with us. You're telling me they practically gave away most of these supplies because they just trusted you at your word?" she inquired, her tone anything but credulous.
"I can be pretty convincing." Gui's eyes finally met with Song; their gleam implored her to drop the subject.
But she wasn't putting up with it; not anymore. She had too many unanswered questions about that night, and so far all Gui had done was coddle her and keep her in the dark.
She closed her eyes to mentally prepare herself, No more.
"Gui." She calmly placed her bowl on the ground. "what happened?"
He tossed his bowl to the side in response and leaned back on both paws. "What do you mean?" his head was turned slightly to the side, but Song could see his eyes had grown considerably darker.
She leaned forward. "Those mercenaries; the ones that ambushed us." She needed to keep pushing. "What happened to them?"
"We got away." Gui was unnaturally still, his voice flat and emotionless. "What does it matter?"
"Everything!" Song's teeth were now bared full, and the red images from that evening flooded her mind. "That bastard was about to kill me!"
"Well he didn't." His head snapped towards her. "and I–!"
"And you were dead!"
The pained cry made Gui lose all face, as hot tears filled Song's glistening eyes. Against all pride he kneelt down before the distraught leopard. He looked up into her glistening orbs and gently held her arms in place. "Song." He did his best to soften his tone, though his eyes were franticly searching for the right words. "I'm. Still. Here. The arrow missed."
"Don't you dare. I know it was poisoned, Gui." She broke from his grasp and stood up. Her body seethed angrily. "He whispered it to me as he was drove my own knife into my shoulder. He made me watch it happen."
Gui's hands fell to his knees and he remained there with his head bowed, unmoving. Song paced for a moment, trying to calm her nerves. "Do you have any idea what its like to see a friend just die in front of you like that?" Gui's heart nearly wrenched from his chest at her words. "Then, as if you simply woke up from a nightmare, you find them making you breakfast and joking around as if nothing happened."
Gui said nothing. His arms remained rigid against his black silk pants, his hands tightly gripping the fabric. There was nothing he could say to try and console her. She already knew all the answers; all he could do was just wait for her to sort herself out on her own.
She crossed her arms over her chest and took one last quivering breath before turning to face him again. "Gui." The grey feline neither moved nor spoke in response. "I realize I don't know everything about you– I don't even know why you need to get to the Valley in the first place."
She gazed at his unwavering form. He was as motionless as a soldier receiving punishment from a superior. She sighed heavily, dropping her arms to her hips. "I just wish you would trust me."
At her words Gui's tipped ears flickered and he stood up. "What are you saying?" Her comment had cut him deep. "Of course I trust you."
"No. You don't!" Song shook her head in disbelief. "You've been lying to me almost exclusively since we first met. I mean, look at yourself."
Gui glanced down guiltily and Song brought her hand to the place where the arrow had pierced him. "All those wounds you got from the fight and you don't have a single scratch to show for it. As for me..." she gestured to all the carefully wrapped bandages that were applied to her body. "Well I'm pretty big mess in comparison."
Gui turned from her and made his way back to the fire where he stood staring into the smoldering embers. Song followed him over to the pits edge and stood beside him, her face had returned to its usual soft expression. "Mercenaries vying for your head. Mysterious healing wounds. Secret pasts..." She smiled ironically and reached to grab his arm. "Gui I'm here to help you, and I know you are only doing this to keep others safe. But unless you tell me the truth and stop running, for once, I can't do that."
Gui's eyes flickered to his arm and then to her eyes. Her smile was unwavering and he couldn't help but respond to her in kind. "I know." he took in a deep breath of air and turned his head to the sky. "I guess I really thought I could do this on my own."
"Well you don't need to anymore." Gui looked back to Song's still resolute smile. "Not while I'm here."
Letting go of his paw she playfully hit his shoulder. Then, kneeling down and patting the soil beside her, Song motioned for them to sit down. She had a feeling he would need to be as comfortable as possible for what he would have to say.
Together they sat beside the dwindling flames. The sun in the sky was on the decline and its rays had begun to stain the air above with long dark orange streaks. The air around them was humming with the sounds of the forest and a chorus of crackling embers filled the remaining space. Song waited patiently as Gui garnered his troubled thoughts.
Finally, Gui turned to look at her. His face held a grim and forlorn look; his eyes were empty and dim. His lips quivered as he struggled to get the first words out.
"They're dead," he muttered, "All of them."
Song nodded. She had expected as much, frankly she wouldn't have thought twice about ending any of the brutes before they even spoke. But she had seen Gui fight. When he fought all his moves were carefully calculated and precise. His blows almost always hit their mark, dealing just enough damage to cripple an opponent's fighting ability without being fatal. And, although his style was more improvised than not, she couldn't help but be reminded of the Kung Fu masters of the Jade Palace when he fought. They only ever fought to protect, never kill. Gui was no killer. She could only imagine the guilt he was feeling while uttering the words.
As Gui turned back to the fire Song leaned a little closer to him. "It's alright, Gui." She put her hand on his arm comfortingly. "I understand. You did what you had to to keep us safe."
His head snapped back to her. His face full of misery and incredulity. "No, you don't understand."
He leaned in closer to her, his eyes giving off a glow that made Song uneasy. "There was no honor in how it was done; no glory," as he spoke his voice trembled. Song could see terror in his eyes, "They died screaming. I tortured them. I hunted them down and butchered them. And before all was said and done I tore what was left of them into pieces. There is nothing left of them!"
Song became tense as Gui stopped to look down at his arm. She hadn't noticed it until then. His arm was still bandaged, and even though his other wounds were no longer present she could tell the wrappings were fresh and extended further up his arm.
Then something moved under her palm.
In spite of herself she quickly drew her hand from his arm and instinctively placed it near her knife belt. But the belt wasn't there. Her eyes darted to the side of her bedroll to find all her gear sitting in a neat pile at the edge of her mat. She glanced back at Gui who remained where he was, his expression had turned calm within the last few moments.
Realizing how her reaction must have looked to him, Song sighed ruefully and eased the tension in her muscles. "I'm sorry, Gui." Her voice was small and genuinely apologetic. "That was– I was wrong to do that."
Gui shook his head. "No, it's all right." He held his arm vertically in front of his body. "In fact, that's the kind of reaction I was hoping for."
Song watched as he gently gripped the wrapping on his hand and slowly pulled it off layer by layer. The bandages fluttered to the ground in a continuous white stream until he reached the final layer. As he went to remove it he paused and gave Song a look that of warning. She understood but gave a nod for him to continue. She refused to turn back now.
He took a deep breath as he turned his palm towards the fire. He turned his eyes on her once more. "Get ready." He grabbed the final strip and grimaced, as if even the slightest touch caused immense pain. "And don't say I didn't warn you."
With one final tug he ripped the last line of wrappings from his forearm. It was at that moment that a shrill wind torn across the forest floor, nearly extinguishing what was left of the fire and leaving their camp in an eerie dim light. The sky, which moments ago was enjoying a feast of colors set on by the setting sun, had now become dark and foreboding and the normal sounds of the forest were immediately silenced. Song knew, deep down, that whatever Gui had just revealed... should not have been.
She would have been lying to herself if she said she wasn't remotely unnerved by the event. Being present at this scene would have put most people into a fright, but she steeled herself. Gui was putting himself on the line by revealing this to her. She could safely assume this was one of, if not his most, closely guarded secrets. Also, Gui had never done anything to harm her in the past; she knew she could at least trust him with this.
The wind died almost immediately, and the flames slowly regained their lost strength. Gui's attention hadn't once left his arm during the whole affair. His eyes remained purposefully glued to it in the recovering light. "Sorry," he said, laughing bitterly under his breath, "Apparently it loves an audience."
Song was relieved that he finally spoke, but she was confused at first by what he had meant by it. That was until a strange light emanating from his direction caught her eye. At first she thought it was a trick of her eyes; an illusion created by the dim light of the embers. Then it happened again, this time brighter than before, and she saw now that the faint light was coming from the arm itself.
The embers glowed brighter now, casting aside some of the darkness that had pervaded their location. Soon it was bright enough to actually see what Gui had uncovered, and upon seeing it Song wished she hadn't. The majority of Gui's arm, extending from his hand up most of his forearm, was blackened and slightly misshapen; akin to third degree burns suffered from terrible fires. There was almost no fur to be seen, save a few measly patches where the scarring hadn't licked his arm, and unlike most burns these seemed to have a dull glossy texture to them. It was almost as if his arm was coated in coarse obsidian.
She moved closer to observe the wound. As she did, small streaks of orange and red snaked their way through and around the arm, like embers that would glow to life and then fade into darkness. Each light that appeared seemed to press against the black surface, as if to escape from its gleaming prison. Often it was hard to even tell whether the glowing was coming from within the arm or from the light of the fire and, despite the disfigurement, Song found the limb unnaturally hypnotizing. It was as if it were calling out to her.
"Don't touch it!"
Song's trance was broken at the sound of Gui's frantic cry. Her hand was mere inches from making contact when Gui quickly tore a cloth from a nearby pack and hid the arm from sight. He heaved a pained sigh as Song fell back on her haunches in disbelief.
"This was a bad idea." Song's attention snapped to her friend; his face was colored by disapproval. "I should have just explained the situation to you. I didn't need to do that."
Song chuckled nervously in an attempt to ease the tension they were both feeling. "Even if you told me... I'm not sure I would have believed it otherwise."
Gui gave a shallow smile to let her know the attempt was appreciated. He sighed and leaned back on his furred arm allowing the other to rest in his lap, safely covered up by the makeshift wrapping. "Well, there you have it. My dark little secret."
Song smiled inwardly, happy that Gui was reverting back to his natural relaxed state. She placed herself next to him once again and pulled her knees close to her chest. If she didn't have plenty of questions before, she sure as Buddha did now.
"So," she began casually.
Gui turned his head and gave her a little look. "So..."
She gave an unconcerned shrug. "Explain away."
"Alright. You're sure you still want to do this even after..." Gui trailed off, and pushed himself up into a normal seated position. Lifting up his cloaked arm he gesticulated to it with his eyes. "Even after you've seen this."
The grey feline awaited a response from his clouded companion. Song simply retained a scholarly focus on her friend and remained silent so he could continue.
Catching the hint, he licked his lips and moved on with his explanation. "A few years ago, an ancient being woke from its slumber and attacked my village. It destroyed everything in its path and left me with a little parting gift." He lifted his arm sarcastically as if he were showing off a hard won trophy. "It has given me its share of perks in the past, but as of late I've found out that it's been devouring me; slowly and painfully from the inside out."
His eyes trailed back into the glowing embers. "That and it has a nasty habit of taking control over my body; forcing me to brutally murder whoever gets in its way." At this he pursed his lips and nodded to himself. "All in all, not a very pleasant trip so far."
"So that's why you need to go to the Valley," Song chimed in, making Gui's eyes reconnect with hers, "you think someone there can help cure you."
"Not exactly." Gui gave a sad smile and shook his head. "I doubt anything could simply cure this." He couldn't help but chuckle painfully at the thought before continuing. "As I've been traveling, I've heard lots of rumors and stories that point to my old friend. I just figured the masters of the legendary Jade Palace would be able to provide me with more concrete information."
The thought brought his attention back to the cloaked bundle hanging loosely in his lap. "Up until now it has only been inside– you know?" His other paw gripped the arm shakily; apprehension filling his voice. "Now that its starting to eat at my damn flesh I can only guess how much time I have left," he laughed to himself pitifully, "Kinda funny when you... think abou–"
Gui felt a light touch on his arm and he looked to see Song's violet eyes pleading with his. "Gui," she said, softly placing her hand on top of his claws, "It's alright."
Her words were soothing, he allowed Song to remove his hand from his makeshift cast. Gently she cupped the ragged bundle in between her paws. He stopped shaking and looked down to see little droplets of dark liquid form where his hand had been. Song held his arm gingerly, her hand gently moving back and forth across the top of the rough material.
Gui looked away, feeling utterly ashamed. "I shouldn't have let you come with me." Song paused during her ministrations to listen to his next words. "Its way too dangerous for anyone to be traveling with me and– well I've already gotten you hurt once. Almost killed, even. And– Gods above– if this thing ever took control again, and I hurt you, I just don't kn–"
His words were cut off when two firm hands slapped themselves onto the sides of his face, ending his panicked tirade. Song stared intently into the anxious feline's eyes. "Will you just shut up and listen for a second?" Her cool gaze held his will, forcing him to relax. "First off, I'm here to stay, so get over it. Second, seeing as you have no problem recovering from wounds, I have no problem forcibly subduing you if the need should ever arise."
She broke her poise as a playful smirk curled her lips. "Heck I'd probably even enjoy it. And finally," she paused, grabbing his arm and holding it between them. "This burden you have to bear– you should never have had to do it alone," she said, her bright eyes staring into his remorsefully, "And I swear you never will again. Whether you like it or not. Am I clear?"
All Gui could do was nod like a little school boy. "Yes ma'am."
"Good." Song smiled warmly and bobbed his arm in between them as though they had just struck a deal. "Now promise you'll stop fretting over me being here. You're incessant worrying is worse than when the Hua and Liu had their sparring practicum with Uncle Shan."
Gui held his hands up in defense. "Alright, I get it. I get it," He chuckled, smiling. This was the first time he had ever received a tongue lashing and felt relieved afterwards.
Song giggled in spite of herself and smiled back. In her heart she knew Gui was still holding something back from her, but she could wait. He had shown her more trust in just one evening then he probably had anyone since his journey began. She could sleep well tonight knowing that much.
At the thought of sleep the young leopardess unleashed a terrific yawn. "Well," she said, stretching and purring softly to herself, "I do believe you have gone and worn me out with all this excitement, m'lord. Please excuse me, for I must retire."
Song stood up and gave a polite bow to her male counterpart. Gui smiled back and nodded. "I wish you a pleasant rest, m'lady."
Song went over to her bedroll and tucked herself comfortably under her blanket. She rolled onto her side facing the fire. "Gui?"
The grey feline had grabbed some more bandages from his pack and was wrapping his arm again when she called. "Yes?"
"I don't want you to worry anymore. I have good friends in the Valley. They'll help us, I know it." Her voice was hushed and soft as a blossom hitting the water.
"Thank you, Song." Gui's ears dropped back on his head, her earnest words getting the better of him. "I'm glad you're here with me."
She rolled over onto her side sighing contentedly. "No matter what happens, I'm not giving up on you."
Gui smiled softly, watching over the gentle feline as she drifted off to sleep. Soon her blankets rose up and down in a steady rhythm signaling that she was finally out. Gui took the time to finish binding his arm and, with a few more solid tugs, the wrap was as good as new. He clenched his fist a few times in an attempt to add some needed give to the tight layers of bandages. As he watched his hand open and close in the dying fire light he couldn't help but feel content. He knew Song could never truly grasp just how dire the situation was, but the confidence she had shown in him and their success was more than enough to raise his spirits.
Gui had been alone; longer than anyone should ever have to be. The weight of all those years of travel had taken its toll on him and in truth he had just about resigned himself to his fate. But now he had Song and, in a way, Lao Shan and the twins as well. He had people to fight for again; he had a reason to survive. And as he laid back onto the canvas of his bed roll, his eyes reveling in the now clear night sky, he felt at peace.
His lids wavered from exhaustion and a few minutes later he was out. He slept soundly the entire night. After four long years, he finally had a restful night sleep.
A/N: And so did I after finishing that, haha. I hope you all enjoyed reading this. It feels good to be writing creatively again. I will also be posting to another site in addition to this one at some point, but more news on that at a later date. In the mean time, please please pleeeeease PM, Review, and/or Add this to your alerts. I love hearing everyone's feedback! I enjoy knowing that you guys actually read this (And I'm waiting for a half page review from you FearlessTiger ;P ). Until next time, Keep Rockin' Everyone!
-WR