Author Notes: Hello again, everyone! It's been a hot minute since I posted something, hasn't it? This is the follow up to Winning Da-ge over which I wrote in 2020. You might want to re-read that first to refresh your memory. This was meant to be a one-shot, but Yanjing bullied me into letting her have more than her share of the spotlight, the little minx…! Enjoy :)
Disclaimer: The Untamed series is based on the Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation novel which belongs to Mo Xiang Tong Xiu.
- Story Start -
Shaking his head, ZongHui turned back to HuaiSang who was smiling and wiping his eyes again.
"There's very little your Da-ge wouldn't do for you," he said.
"I know, ZongHui," HuaiSang replied. "Yanjing knows too or she'd never act so familiar with him."
He gave a happy sigh and grinned at ZongHui.
"What do you say we find Da-ge a bird of his own? I think an eagle would be perfect!"
"An eagle?" Nie ZongHui echoed in shock. "For Sect Leader Nie?"
"Of course!"
"Have you forgotten what happened last time?"
"That's all in the past," HuaiSang said, waving a lofty hand. "Now that Da-ge has accepted Yanjing, he'll be more open about having a pet of his own."
He uttered a delicate yawn and turned around, ignoring Nie ZongHui's furrowed brows.
"Well, it's still early so I'm going back to bed. See you later, ZongHui."
- o -
When HuaiSang returned to his room, he saw that the be-spelled plant at the window had already caught three bugs on its top two leaves - excellent!
He was gratified to know that his plant could also attract QingHe Nie bugs, but even if it didn't, he knew Yanjing wouldn't starve. The cooks were only too happy to make whatever snacks HuaiSang asked them to. Nie MingJue had also shown he wasn't averse to feeding Yanjing. That meant everyone else would soon follow suit.
HuaiSang spared a moment to wonder if the Unclean Realm would run out of bugs before dismissing that thought with a chuckle. But it did remind him that he should update his Jiang Cheng that he had arrived safely.
Sitting himself at the table, he reached for a clean sheet of paper and wet the ink stone.
"Dear A-Cheng,
Da-ge, ZongHui and I arrived home safely last night. Yanjing was a good girl and stayed inside my robes, only peeping out now and again and hooting for us to fly faster. I didn't tell Da-ge that, of course.
I went straight to bed after setting my plant near an open window since I was tired from the trip.
Guess what?
When I woke up this morning, Yanjing was missing! You should've seen me, rushing out in a panic and still in my night clothes, fearing she was lost or worse, attacked by a bigger bird.
I found her sitting on Da-ge's shoulder, bold as you please, undoing his braids one by one and even munching on them!
Can you believe that?
I got scolded the ONE time I did that and I was three years old then!
Da-ge also caught a bug for her to eat because he said hair isn't suitable food. Yes, I know you're rolling your eyes right now, but he really did. ZongHui was there and saw everything too. Da-ge has already accepted Yanjing as part of the family and I'm sure he'll accept you too.
I'll end here since it's still early and I want to go back to sleep. I miss you, A-Cheng.
Love,
HuaiSang"
Sighing his name with a flourish, HuaiSang put down his brush, still smiling at the image of how nonchalant Yanjing had looked on Da-ge's shoulder. His eyes fell on the stack of paper he usually used for painting and, on a whim, he found himself reaching for one.
An hour later, he put down his brush, flexed his fingers and rolled his shoulders. A fluffy owlet stared up at him from the paper. Instead of Nie MingJue's grey silk clad shoulder, her tiny claws were curled around a tree branch. She was surrounded by pink plum blossoms and her feathery little head was tipped enquiringly at him as if expecting to be fed.
"That's exactly how you look when you're demanding bugs from me or A-Cheng," HuaiSang said with a chuckle. Raising his arms, he stretched them high above his head and looked around. The sun had risen as he painted and his room was now flooded with sunlight, making him sigh. it was too bright to go back to sleep.
After a quick wash, he got dressed and started braiding his hair. Halfway through, Yanjing flew in the open window. She hooted happily when she saw the three bugs the plant had caught.
"Good morning, HuaiSang. Three crunchy bugs for me?"
"Good morning and yes, they're yours even though don't look hungry."
He had refreshed the communication spell last night so that he could continue understanding her speech.
"How would you know if I'm hungry or not?"
"Otherwise you'd have bugged me (pardon the pun) way before this."
Yanjing ignored him and pounced on the first bug and crunched it up with relish. At least she didn't expect HuaiSang to hold it for her.
"Your brother fed me a bug earlier this morning," she said "But when I wanted more, he said I eat too much. As if!"
HuaiSang grinned at her.
"You're not going to deny that, I hope? You should stop munching on his hair though."
"How did you know that? You saw us?"
"Yes, I did and so did Nie ZongHui. Please stop unravelling Da-ge's braids because our Nie hair styles take a long time to do up, as you can see."
"But it's fun! And he didn't stop me from doing that."
"That's because he knows I'm fond of you, but you shouldn't test his patience."
Yanjing clicked her beak at him before devouring the second bug. Then she lifted a wing in a shrug.
"Fine, but I think he should get a bird of his own."
"He should," HuaiSang admitted, "but he's sect leader. He's too busy to take care of one."
"Let's get him one. Just not as cute and cuddly as me," Yanjing said and preened.
"Greedy and vain," HuaiSang said fondly. "We'll see. Alright, I'm going to get some breakfast."
"I'll go with you," Yanjing said happily.
"Aren't you full already?"
"There's always room for more," Yanjing insisted and glanced at the plant. "I'll leave that last bug for later."
- o -
The very next morning, HuaiSang was woken up by something tickling his cheek.
"HuaiSang, wake up."
"No sabre practice," HuaiSang mumbled and turned over.
"Wake up or I'll start pecking you!"
HuaiSang opened one eye and then the other. Yanjing was perched on his pillow, staring down at him.
"You can't be hungry already," he protested.
"I found an injured bird."
HuaiSang raised his head.
"You're eating birds now?"
"No, silly! For us to help."
"Oh." HuaiSang sat up and threw off his blankets. "Where?"
"On the cliffs behind your home."
"Show me."
- o -
An hour later, HuaiSang scolded himself for being so impulsive. He had just pulled on a robe, tied his hair up in a simple style, and not stopped to eat anything.
"I should've at least grabbed a bao," he lamented as he trudged up the rough path cut into the side of one of the cliffs at the back of the fortress. The path wasn't slippery, but it was uneven and strewn with rocks and pebbles.
"Hurry up!" Yanjing called from where she was circling above. She alternated between doing that and perching on his shoulder, nagging him to go faster all the while.
By the time they finally reached the top of the cliffs, the morning sun was beating down on HuaiSang. He was panting and clutching at his sides, but forgot his exhaustion the moment he spied the heap of feathers under one of the scraggly trees.
Yanjing was already standing nearby and giving him an impatient look. Still breathing hard, HuaiSang hurried over and fell to his knees a few feet away. The bird raised its head and glared at him, eyes narrowed with distrust.
"It's a Northern Eagle Owl," HuaiSang said. "I've seen them around, but never one up close. Did you see any other eagle owls around?"
"Nope, just this one."
"Maybe it flew from somewhere else," HuaiSang guessed.
"It's a male. I think there's something wrong with his wing," Yanjing reported.
"Yes, I can see he's only flapping one wing." HuaiSang didn't try to go any closer since that beak looked razor sharp.
The agitated bird tried to stand up and fly, but wobbled.
"A human! Danger, must escape!"
HuaiSang remembered the communication spell was still active.
"Maybe something is wrong with its legs too. Yanjing, please tell him I'm here to help and not harm him."
Yanjing immediately sent a barrage of words at the eagle owl.
"Oi, I'm not your human pet!" HuaiSang said indignantly.
Yanjing chattered some more.
"And I didn't promise to feedbothof you," HuaiSang protested. "Oh, fine. Da-ge will help me, I'm sure. Please tell the owl I think he's very handsome with such beautiful golden feathers."
He figured that a bit of flattery wouldn't go amiss, but it wasn't a lie.Still, ittook a good fifteen minutes before the eagle owl finally lowered its head, tired and defeated.
"You can touch him now," Yanjing reported. "He's young, only a few weeks old. I warned him I would peck out his eyes if he pecked you so you should be safe."
"Thanks, Yanjing. You're more bloodthirsty than I realised."
"Hey, I make a great nurse!"
"I meant your bedside manners," HuaiSang muttered. He took out his handkerchief and carefully placed it over the eagle owl which made him start struggling at once.
"Just until we get you home," HuaiSang soothed while Yanjing tut tutted at it. He carefully felt along the injured wing. "I think it's merely sprained, not broken."
He swaddled the bird tightly in the handkerchief and then his wide sleeve before cradling him against his chest. Then he stood up and looked around.
"I'm really not looking forward to going all the way back down on an empty stomach while holding an injured bird."
Just then, there was a faint shout from below. HuaiSang moved closer to the edge and peered down to see a group of people waving up at him. There was another shout and a bigger figure joined them with a huge cleaver in one hand.
"It's your brother," Yanjing said and flew up to HuaiSang's shoulder.
"Da-ge, I need a ride!" HuaiSang called down, keeping his free hand over the eagle owl as it started struggling again.
As Nie MingJue stepped onto Baxia and started flying towards them, HuaiSang grinned. "Yanjing, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
"Yes, we've found the perfect bird for your brother!"
- Chapter End -