A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I was going through and fixing up some of my chapters. Made Tai seem a bit too young in the beginning chapters, so I redid some stuff and now he is older. Go ahead and reread the beginning 6 if you don't believe me (or you do, so don't reread them...)
I know this chapter is a bit long, one of my longest and I know that this isn't focused around the original characters but please don't skip it! I have everything tied in so skipping chapters isn't good. Some of you might be skipping chapters, I don't know but from what the Traffic Stats says, people might. Please don't.
Thanks for continuing to read. Don't worry, the next chapters will have the original characters in them. Promise.
Canku felt a sharp tug on his paw. He looked down to see Chen, his first born son, hanging from it. He shook the cub off. The young wolf fell on the floor. No sound of pain came from him as he got up back and attacked at his father's paw. Canku grinned at the pitiful attempt to climb up his chair but he was impressed by the determination of the cub.
"You've got courage, I'll give you that," muttered Canku with slight contempt. A sudden weight was added to his lap. He whirled around to see his other cub, another son by the name of Ling on his lap. A wagging tail from a ball of fluff was by his footpaws. Another one appeared. It was Nuan and Wen, two of his three daughters. Canku groaned as he pushed them away. They laughed hysterically. To them, like it was a game. The two little wolf pups moved directly back to where they were at his feet. Canku sighed in exhaustion. His mate just had to have sextuplets. Now, where were the other two? Zuihou and Xiaoa were the youngest of the six and by far the mellowest. Xisong walked over and picked up Nuan and Wen. The young wolves squealed with delight. Xisong sat in the chair next to Canku.
"You just had to have six, didn't you?" growled Canku for at least the fiftieth time. He was exhausted from chasing the 'little bastards', as he called them, around. He was tired of taking care of them. Wolf pups grew fast but he wished they grew up faster. He didn't want to have to really look out after them constantly! No, he needed to focus on more important matters. What were they again? Oh, yes…conquering China! Canku huffed then sank down into his chair. He stared wearily, still feeling the pull on his arm from Chen. Ling sat happily on his lap still, playing with whatever one of the soldiers had given him.
The soldiers, surprisingly, had grown fond of the younglings. The pups weren't even a full year of age and they already crawled, in some cases ran, around with knives that the soldiers gave them. The pups could barely speak, but it didn't matter to the army. They enjoyed chasing the pups around and to them it was the most fun they had, besides battle. The pups were hearing and learning things that a young one such as these should never hear. The veterans and recruits of the army swore and cursed constantly, regardless of whoever was around them. That meant the Canku and Xisong's pups would come back to the tent parroting whatever they heard that day in their halting speech. The soldiers would sometimes give the younglings some of their weapons and let them play around with it. The baby wolves would stare at in awe and squeal with delight as they waved it around. To them, it was a game. To Xisong, it was letting them explore; to Canku, though, it was preparing them for the army and to command at his right side someday.
Canku watched with bored interest at Ling. The second oldest of the litter was a climber and he threw things with surprising power and accuracy – for a pup. The little Ling eyed his two sisters as they bounced on Xisong's lap. He took the piece of steel a soldier had given him and was about to throw it before Canku stopped him.
"As fun as it would be, I don't think you should do that," he suggested to the little pup in what he thought was a fatherly tone. Ling seemed to get the picture and went back to looking at his reflection in it. Xisong turned to Canku.
"These two do everything together," she said, motioning to Nuan and Wen. "I haven't seen them apart from each other after they learned to crawl and walk a little."
"Really?" asked Canku. He was still bored. He was itching for a brawl or a fight. A battle would be even better.
"Yes, they make a good team too," she continued, obviously proud at two of her three daughters.
"I haven't noticed," drawled the male wolf. Canku suddenly roared in pain. "Ah, you little bastard! Why did you do that?"
Chen, not able to pull his father to his level, had bitten Canku with sharp, little teeth. The oldest pup clapped his paws together, happy that he bit his father.
"Dada!"
"Yes! I am your dada, you've said that before! What do you want, you little twerp!"
"Play!"
Canku eyed Chen and then looked at his paw. The wolf pup had drawn blood and there were the teeth marks to prove it. Canku suddenly smiled.
"I'll play with ya! You best run!"
Canku almost pushed Ling off his lap. Ignoring his cries of protest, Canku started crawling quickly toward Chen. The wolf pup shrieked in both terror and happiness as he started to crawl away. Canku snarled and lashed out at Chen, knocking the pup over. Xisong tensed, wondering what her mate was going to do. She could never tell what Canku was going to do with the pups. Canku crawled over to the pup on the floor and got on top of him. Chen turned over and looked straight into Canku's face. Canku snarled, baring his teeth. To his surprise, Chen didn't flinch. Instead, he just roared back. Well, tried to roar. It came out like something between a loud mewl and a quiet yowl. Canku got up and helped the little wolf to its feet too. Chen wobbled a bit as he steadied himself then followed his father back to his chair. Xisong had watched the entire thing with curiosity.
"This little boy's not afraid," said Canku finally, looking at Chen with newfound interest. "He didn't seem scared at all. A fighter, not a runner."
Xisong nodded and continued to bounce Nuan and Wen on her lap. The baby wolves had grown quiet and were starting to drift off to sleep. Ling had crawled away and had perched himself on one of the crossbeams in the pavilion. He didn't look at all like he was going to fall, so Xisong left him there. She placed the two girls on their sleeping mats and walked over to Chen who had started to yawn. Xisong guided Chen over to his own mat and watched as he fell asleep as well. Ling suddenly lost balance and fell. Canku caught him with ease and handed him to Xisong.
"Do you know where Zuihou and Xiaoa are?" he asked.
"No. Kar!"
The snow leopard appeared from where he had been outside the tent and stood at attention. He eyed the sleeping pups with envy. How he wished to be able to sleep like that sometimes. To just be able to sleep and not have any true responsibilities yet still be lavished upon must be the life.
"Yes, milord and milady," he said, throwing up a salute.
Xisong walked over to the snow leopard before speaking.
"Do you know where Zuihou and Xiaoa are?" she said.
"Do not worry, I will find them," he said. Xisong nodded and Kar did an about-face. His face remained impassive but inwardly he seethed with frustration. He was tired of playing nanny for the two youngest wolf pups! They always seemed to get themselves lost in the camp. Like Canku, he couldn't wait until they grew up and could take care of themselves. Then, he wouldn't have to watch them like a hawk – though he never did care for the bird kind. He marched smartly over to a particular green patch of grass where Zuihou could usually be found. Sure enough, there was he was, watching a game that was being played by the soldiers. Kar hadn't known the game as much, but he just knew it involved a ball and some sort of goal.
"Come here, Zuihou," Kar sighed as he scooped him up. Zuihou pouted. He wanted to watch the game so he fought against the strong snow leopard. Kar just gripped him tighter and Zuihou cried out. "Tell you what, if you behave, I'll put you down and you can just follow me. How about that?" Zuihou shook his head; he would behave. "Good, now tell me where you sister is."
Kun sat in the tent and in the gloom. He felt Sun's thin tail wrap around him from between the wire mesh cage that had been placed around them post escape. There was a now constant, if barely noticeable, sour mood in the tent. Nobody felt the same after they had failed at escaping the wolves and their army. It didn't fare any better for them after they had also witnessed the skinning alive of Timoteo. Such a terrible fate to be made into a blanket. Kun had watched in disgust as Xisong had flourished the ghastly blanket once it had been completed. The blanket itself wasn't terrible. It had been made by rather excellent sewers and had incredible craftsmanship, but the history and material behind it gave it its dark characteristic.
The cages had been a terrible physiological blow as well. No longer did they have that tiny amount of dignity that they had clung too. Now they were animals in cages, treated like dumb beasts. Yes, words were spoken to them and the prison guards knew that they were sentient, but their treatment spoke only of the hatred the army harbored for them. Kun sighed and tried to lean back, but the scabs on his back started to split open and the pain became unbearable. He clenched his teeth and lay down all the way. The simple motioned allowed for some scabs to fully break and let the raw skin become exposed. The tender skin against the grass made him grit his teeth, but soon it became a dull feeling he deposited at the back of his mind. He let a long, even breath and tried to relax, if you could call it that.
Aleksey stared at the once noble tiger trying to lie down. He glanced at Kun's wife, Sun, as she groomed herself, something small that still reminded her of home. The snow fox looked at them with pity. The Heavens knew that they deserved something better and should still be living in their home. The odium of the wolves' from Aleksey grew every day. Already they had gone and crushed five villages and a couple of townships. Each one had been subjected to the same fate: annihilation. If the people cooperated out of pure desperation, troops and a temporary governor was placed over them. When the village or town refused to cooperate, they were obliterated. Prisoners were taken and beaten senseless until the wolves felt their punishment was sufficient. What appalled him the most were the youth of the wolves' army. The young ones, from the youngest of age to the late adolescence were allowed to view the acts of violence and murder. Some of the teenage animals had even been allowed into the battles and skirmishes. Here were young animals coming back and already having killed a fellow being. Some weren't even seventeen! Aleksey shook his head and retreated back to his side of the now divided cage. What was worse, he had witnessed firsthand all of this. The wolves' had taken him out, intoxicated him, and there he was, fighting the wolves' battle alongside teenagers and other killers. Damn them. He hoped they would all die and their children would suffer a fate like it. From the grief he had seen from Sun when the news of her son, Tai, being killed, he knew the pain from Xisong would be tenfold and would tear her heart in two, rendering her useless - or killing machine hellbent with fury.
If she had a heart, he thought darkly. For all he knew, it might not even affect the heartless couple. He snorted in disgust and turned away to face the black fabric of the tent.
Sun carefully combed her fur with a brush a particularly sympathetic guard had given her. The guard had noticed the bedraggled and mangy fur on them all. The next day he had brought them some hygiene items. Some brushes and combs, mint leaves (for their breath), and a little bit of soap. The soap he explained didn't need water to bathe in, so it was accepted happily. Sun smiled when she remembered the guard. He had shown kindness that she thought this army could never possess. There was a speck of goodness in everyone and she knew that. It was just a matter of digging it up and revealing it.
The tent flap suddenly moved, letting in some of the outside light. Sun turned, expecting Kun or Aleksey to stir from their position. Sun then noticed the even up and down movement of Kun's chest. He was asleep. Aleksey was clearly not in himself right now. She turned and waited for the guard to come in and carry them away for torturing or whatever the wolves pleased that day. No one came in yet the entrance had moved. Sun was slightly puzzled until she felt two small paws on her leg. Sun nearly yelped and fell over when she saw a baby wolf sitting next to her leg and touching a spot of black fur and then a spot of orange fur. The young wolf girl - whose fur was a light grey - was clearly intrigued by the prospect of orange and black fur. Sun waited for someone else to come through and collect the little girl, but none came.
"Hello, sweetie, how are you?" Sun whispered. The wolf girl looked up with big, round, violet eyes. She got up and walked slowly, but steadily, behind Sun. She grabbed her tail and also inspected the difference in color. Sun pointed out a black spot on her tail.
"Black," she said then pointed to an orange spot. "Orange."
The wolf girl smiled and let the tail drop to the floor.
"Who?" she asked, pointing to Sun.
"I am Sun," replied Sun. "Who are you?"
The wolf girl giggled.
"Sun in sky."
Sun felt that warm fuzzy feeling only a mother knows when she is with her baby. Only, this wasn't her child. She had a sinking suspicion that this was one of their pups. How on earth could a couple that's just so vile produce such a sweet girl?
"Yes. The sun is in the sky, but what is your name?" Sun emphasized the statement by pointing to the wolf girl. Though Sun knew that the wolf wasn't even a year, she could speak the simplest phrases and most likely the names of animals that were influential to her.
"Xiaoa."
"How are you Xiaoa? Who is your mother?"
"Mommy is mommy."
Sun rolled her eyes. Of course, to young ones, their mother and father was simply 'mother' or 'father.' The concept of their parents having names other than that was simply alien for the time being. But Xiaoa continued.
"Mommy in big tent."
Sun let a sigh of resignation escape her lips. Xiaoa was part of Canku and Xisong's litter.
The voice of Kar suddenly rang out.
"Kar ask, me come. Bye bye."
"I hope to see you again, Xiaoa."
Xiaoa waved goodbye and crawled out of the guard tent.
Those guards should look down once and while, she thought. See how easily she was able to get in and out!
Sun turned around and saw Aleksey clinging to the wire mesh, a crazed look in his eye.
"Was that one of the wolves' pups?" he asked hoarsely.
"Yes," said Sun.
"Its madness, comrade, that such a young one like her could have parents like that!"
Sun nodded.
"Hopefully, she grows up to not love violence like her parents," sighed Sun.
"Aye," was all that Aleksey could say.
Kar had run around the camp twice. Zuihou was no longer at his side. He had stopped by Canku's tent before going around twice to drop off the tired babe. Now he wasn't slowed down by Zuihou's rather snail pace walk, he could run around, searching without the wolf being a hindrance. He ran past the same tent thrice now, completing his third loop around the camp. He was worried now. If something had happened to her, he and whoever had caused it were as good as dead. Finally, someone had seen her walk to toward the surgeon's tent. With a nod, he sped off to the medical center – if you could call a few white tents in the middle of camp a medical center. As he neared one of the tents, the surgeon's tent, he spied the unmistakable tracks that the pups created. Tiny pawprints and tiny strides made for a rather good amount of tracks to follow. They lead straight to the surgeon's tent. A scream of pain suddenly erupted from the tent accompanied with shouts of "Hold him down" and "Stop that blood flow!" Kar grimaced. He would have to go in.
The wolves' knew better than to have little or now medical knowledge in camp, so they had gone out in search of the most prestigious doctors in all of China and Mongolia and had recruited them for their services. Most accepted and those that didn't were persuaded with either gold or the promise that they could keep their lives. The doctors had trained others in the art of healing and medicine so the army now had a respectable medical crew. Kar prepared himself for a bloody scene and was met with something beyond that.
The patient was strapped down by twine ropes. The doctors had tried to give him anesthetic but they had made a mistake on the dosage amount. The patient was now half-sedated undergoing a surgery trying to remove an arrow that had lodged itself rather deep his leg. A thin, deep incision had been made with the sharpest tools, cutting the skin easily allowing for minimal blood flow. Unfortunately, they had struck a major blood vessel allowing for the ruby red blood to gush out of the wound. This obstructed the view of the surgeon. Clearing away the blood as effectively as she could, the surgeon started the extraction of the arrow head. It had buried itself rather deeply in the leg of the patient and extra wiggling, as the doctor had called it in jest, was needed. The extra wiggling was then followed by the scream Kar had heard and the blood flow was just a constant thing to keep an eye on.
Forcing himself to look away from the gruesome scene, he spotted Xiaoa staring at the entire operation with intent eyes. The little wolf didn't flinch or look away as the procedure was completed. Even when the patient screaming in agony or the doctors rough shouts, which were sometimes quite coarse.
"Come here, we've got to get you to your mom," said Kar, reaching out to help Xiaoa off the table the surgeons had placed her on to watch.
"No," she said simply and continued to watch.
"Now!" the snow leopard said forcefully.
"Excuse me!" shouted one of the nurses. "We can't have you arguing with her. Just let us finish this without any distractions. So, stay here for the time being. We're almost done."
Kar visibly shuddered. He hated the prospect of being forced to listen and to watch a medical procedure. He could kill with out any issue, but he hated the medical aspect of life. The thought of slicing someone open to fix them on the inside sent shivers down his spine. Something was weird with him, he knew it, but he didn't care.
As soon as the operation was complete with the patient limping out of the tent with a lopsided grin and the doctors cleaning the blood stained bed sheet, Kar almost ran with Xiaoa out of the tent. It had only been another ten minutes, but to Kar, it felt like an hour. He shook his head, trying to get rid of the images of the cut open leg and the doctor yanking on the arrowhead.
"Ugh, I don't know how you can stand that," commented Kar to the little wolf.
"It is…." Xiaoa stopped. She didn't know what the word was.
"Interesting?" supplied Kar.
"What that?"
"It keeps your attention."
Xiaoa thought about it for a moment.
"Yes, it kept my 'tenshun."
Kar nodded but was still visible shaken by the operation.
The tent of Canku and Xisong was soon visible, set up near the back of the army, standing out among the white tents like blood against white clothing. Xiaoa walked in, happy to see her parents. Canku wasn't there but Xisong picked up her youngest and set her down for her nap.
"Where did you find her?" asked Xisong. She motioned for him to follow her as she made her way to the command tent.
"In the surgeon's tent, actually," said the snow leopard, placing his emotions behind a façade he had perfected over the years. He couldn't let any weakness or emotion show in front of Xisong, let alone Canku. When he was around the younger animals, he could let some emotion show, but he still had an image to keep up. "There was an operation going on and she watched it all. Didn't even blink or cringe at the bastard that was screaming his lungs out."
Xisong thought about this. So, her daughter, even at her young age, was showing interest in the medical field. How interesting. She changed topics. Her pups were important to her, but right now, she had other issues to attend to.
"As I'm sure you know, Zeng arrive to us a few months ago."
Kar's lip curled in disgust. He almost detested Zeng. The little twerp wasn't even meant to be an officer. The goose should be roasting over the fires as far as he was concerned.
"Yes," replied Kar. "I know that he has returned. I heard rumor that he failed. Well, failed halfway. Part of the mission was incomplete due to 'incompetent field agents' as he so weakly put it."
Xisong laughed. She could easily tell Kar didn't like Zeng. Among other things, Xisong prided herself in being able to pick out and read the emotions of others with almost an instinctual sense. She herself wasn't very fond of the goose, but he was a useful tool.
"Well, it seems that those field agents were going to lead a massive chase around the country side with the Furious Five chasing them. They were going to rendezvous with us soon and we would catch the Furious Five unaware and continue on with our plan, unhindered."
Kar blinked. The bird could come up with some of the weirdest ideas. The idea with the explosives against Shifu had all been his. Kar envied that he had been able to think of something like that, but in the end, he was happy he didn't. At least he didn't have a rather pissed off group of kung fu Masters and the Dragon Warrior wanting to gut him.
They reached the command tent, essentially the headquarters for the entire operation. Maps were pinned up against the wall and an assortment of weapons and writing tools were scattered around. A single, rather long, table was situated in the center of it. A large map of China lay unfurled in the center. The map had red pins wrapped around with a red yarn placed in various spots on the map. This represented conquered territory. Most of southwestern China and parts northwestern China had been already subjugated to the wolves' rule. Large white pins showed unconquered regions while black pins showed major cites or villages brought under their rule. A large, black pin was stabbed right in the middle of the words Mengyou City. It had been their first large accomplishment in China. Further back was the Chorh-Gom Prison. Any other cities or villages that had been crushed had the pins on them. Canku stood over the map. He was hunched over, peering at the open land that was still available for them to claim. His tail twitched sometimes as his eyes hovered over three particular spots. Along the eastern coast of China sat Gongmen City. Near the northern parts of China, in the fertile plains where rivers and few hills were, sat the Imperial City – capitol of the entire domain of China. Lastly, the Valley of Peace was nestled neatly in the Wu Dan Mountains that surrounded it. The Thread of Hope, the precarious network of bridges, was marked closely to the Valley. As much as he wanted to completely bypass the Valley, he knew he couldn't. It held the key to a lot of their success. The kung fu Masters and the Dragon Warrior lived there. If they were able to capture them and show they bowed before them, who would stand before them. Surely, if these wolves and their army had brought the Furious Five and the Dragon Warrior their knees then who could defeat them? Canku chuckled. According the Zeng, they would soon have the Furious Five and the Dragon Warrior. They would march on, invincible. Xisong stood next to her mate and studied the map as well. Markers had been placed for their own troops. Zeng had placed a small figurine to represent the last known location of the six they sought after.
"You see, sir, years ago I promised the capture of the Furious Five. Then, when the panda was chosen as Dragon Warrior, I promised him too. Oogway was lifted to the Heavens and that only left Shifu. I have delivered what I promised."
"True, albeit they don't actually have them," sneered Kar. He enjoyed seeing the duck – goose, whatever it was – getting defensive.
"I have killed Shifu!" screeched Zeng. "Something you couldn't have done!"
"Yes, who couldn't have handed someone a scroll filled with explosives and watched as it tore the victim apart. I for sure couldn't have done it!" Kar's voice dripped with sarcasm.
"Enough," said Canku. "As much as you don't like it Zeng, Kar is right. You have both succeeded and failed."
Zeng's beak snapped shut. He stood stiff and looked at the wolf, trying to gauge what he would do. So far, Canku hadn't killed him – yet. He remained silent. A few other officers came in to the command tent, including Quan, the hawk commander.
"Aside from us waiting for the deliverance of the Furious Five and Dragon Warrior, we have gone far," said Canku to the now fully assembled meeting. There were nods and murmurs of agreement. "I'm sure most of your men grow bored marching around all day, I'm positive."
Again, more nods. The leader knew his troops well. He knew they wanted to fight, to lust, to be entertained, and so forth. He judged his troops correct constantly.
"So, I give to you a new target!" Canku grinned. Here was going to be an actual challenge. "This town right here. It has been fortified heavily and our own spies have turned against us. It seems life in the rural countryside has softened them. You know what we do to those who desert us?"
Few cringed at the memories of the beach marten being skinned alive. Canku was clearly pleased when he saw their reaction to his hint. He let Xisong continue where he left off.
"The town has been warned and they have built up their fortifications. Thankfully, because we used others to convey the information they needed, they have no idea when we will attack or what we look like." Xisong pulled out a smaller map of the area. They had already marked the army's position along with the towns own defenses. She moved the pieces of coal that showed where they were while explaining their own ideas. "Today, we will infiltrate one in as a traveler. They won't know the difference thanks to the spies own stupidity. The disguised soldier will simply open the gates when need be and we rush in."
An officer raised her paw. Xisong pointed at her and she spoke.
"If they know that we are going to attack sometime, why are we using such a simple tactic?"
"A fair question. I'm sure you are used to our more elaborate schemes over the years, but simple people mean all the less planning. The spies we had placed were of lowered status, they won't unbalance this battle at all."
With the doubts out of the way, the wolves' lay out the rest of the plan. Kar was impressed by its simplicity. It favored a massive charge into the streets and clearing out the top of the makeshift ramparts with the birds. They would flush out the militia with ease and kill or take captive the rest. Kar suddenly felt a bit of patriotism toward the wolves'.
"If your lordships so desire, I would like to be the traveler."
Canku arched an eyebrow. He didn't expect the snow leopard to vouch for the task. At the same time, he had no qualms about letting Kar do this. He had been an experienced warrior before he had elevated to his current position. This also saved him the trouble of going around searching for the one who would do the task.
"Good, if no one objects – which they won't be – Kar will have be our inside animal. One other thing, stop by the intelligence tent and request the pictures of the spies that were sent to this town. If you would be so kind, Kar, kill them. Now, you are dismissed and you will leave at once."
Kar bowed and left going to fulfill his obligations. It would be good to be back on the field again. He enjoyed undercover work and he had high expectations.
Canku watched as Kar left. He reviewed what would happen again and what each officer would do. Satisfied that there would be no further questions, he dismissed them. He had a servant clear the maps and the command tent as he and Xisong walked back to their own pavilion. Before leaving, Canku grabbed Zeng by the neck and started to strangle him. Canku leaned forward and whispered into Zeng's ear.
"I know you don't like it, goose, but the snow leopard is right. You haven't done as you promised. Trust me, if I don't see the Furious Five at my feet when you say they will, I will cut off your legs, cook them, and force you to eat them!"
Zeng gulped. This was definitely the Canku he knew. All ideas that the pups were softening him vanished. That and Zeng didn't really want to taste himself. He nodded and a strange déjà vu feeling washed over him. Where had he been when he was first like that? Images of the red glare behind the snow leopard flashed through his mind. The large paw stroked his head in an almost affectionate way. But there had been no affection, just a smug triumph. Tail Lung cared nothing for him and had thanked him for his escape. Zeng again nodded. He felt reality come back to him and felt the grip of Canku loosen then finally fade away. He sat on the hard ground, rubbing his neck watching as the two wolves walked away. Why were snow leopards plaguing him like this? First Tai Lung now Kar.
Canku let Chen play with one of his many knives. Zuihou sat at a checker board placing the pieces randomly over the board. Nuan and Wen, always together, had found some sand and were busy constructing a maze. Ling had climbed up on the crossbeams again in the tent. Xiaoa was concentrating on flowers. Two days had passed since they had dismissed the meeting and the town that Kar had been sent to was not a half a day's journey from here; and maybe not even that distance. They could even see the smoke that arose from the chimneys in the town when they had stopped near the midday. Unfortunately if they could see the smoke, the enemy could see their smoke and that meant not hot food tonight. Reports from the various birds flying over the town had told of the snow leopard's successful infiltration. To the townsfolk, he was nothing but a harmless traveler.
Canku let out a bored sigh. He was impatient for the battle. This was going to be yet another battle with Xisong at his side. He had missed his mate at his side during the recent battles and couldn't wait for them to fighting next to each other once more. He could sense Xisong was itching for a fight as well. Even though the enemy was so close and they could easily destroy whatever they put up against them, he was forced to wait until dark. If they attacked early, Kar wouldn't know. The guards up on the fortifications would just have arrows rain down on them, slaughtering them in great masses. He knew that most of the people expected them to fight like barbarians – untrained and like a massive horde, but Canku knew better. He had studied on the past history and noticed that a disciplined army was ten times better than the mass of a charging horde. With disciplined soldiers he could command them where he so desired without have to call a rally. His system of officers, commanders, and runners made it so that his and Xisong's orders were carried effectively and efficiently. Now, despite being the second most powerful animal in all of China, he still had the Emperor to take down, he was here with his pups, waiting for dark. To make matters worse, he had nothing to do. His mate was tired and wasn't up for anything and his pups had taken to entertaining themselves. So, he, the great Canku, was sitting in his chair watching his pups.
Maybe things will get exciting, he thought to himself. It will never get more exciting, he continued on, gloomily. Canku spied the blanket he had had the weavers make out of Timoteo's fur. He was actually shocked to see how soft it really was. He shrugged. The blanket had been a hit for Xisong. She loved the blanket.
Who else should I have skinned?
Canku ran through the list of possible victims. The snow foxes pelt would look nice; the tiger's pelts would look even nicer. He shook his head. What good would that do? Fear was healthy in select doses. Too much and moral plummeted and he would rule on strictly fear which wasn't good. Too little fear and they might turn against him on more than one occasion. For all he was concerned, he had the right amount of fear spread around his camp. After all, he was Canku!
A high pitched squeal came from Ling. A splinter had gotten in his foot. Canku heaved himself upwards and reached out to catch the falling wolf pup. He yanked out the splinter; ignoring whatever cries of pain came from Ling. No sooner did the splinter come out, did Ling stop crying. It turned into a whimper as Canku set him down. He looked over at Chen. He was still swinging the knife around.
A gong sounded. Finally! Canku almost gleefully check the outside. It was dark, with only the stars and a new moon in the night sky. Canku smiled. This was going to be a fun battle. A true challenge. Mengyou City had been a challenge but after that nothing had lived up to his expectations. This was something that was going to be fun.
Xisong was at his side moments later.
"I had the servants put the pups to bed," she said. Canku didn't really care about the latest update about the pups, but he nodded anyways. Taking his position at the front of the army, he led them forward. Canku could see the dark shapes of the birds that flew above them. They would reach the town near midnight and then the slaughter would commence.
The young recruit was proud to be protecting his town. A more experienced guard was his partner for the outside gate watch. He shifted his weight so that he could lean on his spear. His helmet was tilted at a jaunty angle and he held the spear with a strange tilt. This was his first day on the job and he was rather anxious and, at the same time, he felt cool and collected. He partly felt this because he mimicked the guard beside him. The veteran had fought in the Imperial Army for sometime and had moved to this town to relax. When he had heard a rumor of a possible attack, he had been the first to sign up and help train new, inexperienced soldiers.
Here they were! Just the two of them, guarding their home against potential attackers and they wouldn't back down from their duty. The gate would be protected and he would be a hero. The young recruit stood up straight as he heard a scraping out in the dark. He started to ready his spear but the veteran told him to relax. Hesitantly, the recruit drew back his spear and scowled at the darkness.
"Don't worry, it's just the noises of the night," rebuked the veteran when he noticed the recruits bravado. The recruit looked at the veteran. He loosened up and ignored the sound. Even though he had been told to think nothing of it, his mind began to whisper horrid thoughts of a hideous beast dragging its claws against the stone. He shuddered.
"What was it like in the Imperial Army?" asked the recruit.
The veteran laughed coldly.
"Nothing like they make it sound like. In times of peace, it was boring. In times of war, it was terrible. I served in a time where there was a bit of both. Bandits seemed to be everywhere so task forces were sent to guard villages or hunt them down. Nothing to bad, but when you hit one of the major gangs..." The veteran whistled, signifying that meeting up with one of the major gangs was enough for a bloody skirmish.
"What were some of the major gangs?" asked the recruit. He was interested in the Imperial Army. He planned the join one day – as soon as he got away from this town.
"Black Dragons, Souls, Qinshing. There was an other gang, foreign. Called themselves al-Tarir or somethin' like that. They messed up with the trade routes we had set up with the West. The Emperor sent a few unlucky troops to help battle with the bastards. They came back victorious, but unhappy."
The recruit nodded and looked up the road. The road was dimly lit. There were no lanterns placed to give light to travelers and the moon was dark tonight. By no account was this the best time to travel or to keep a look out. The visibility was poor and if somebody was going to attack, this would be the night. Some of the animals that had moved here years before had suddenly confessed that they were part of a massive army that would going to infiltrate and conquer all of China. Many didn't believe it. When the animals had showed proof – scrolls containing orders to do exactly what they were confessing, they believed. They set up the ramparts and the gates in months and had mustered up enough volunteers to give them a reasonable sense of preparedness. So far there had been not attacks or attempts on their town. Perhaps they were wrong. Still, it was always a possibility, nothing should be discounted unless you are absolutely certain it will not come to pass.
The ubiquitous sound of feet on road resounded across the plain, sounding like a thousand footpaws striking the ground as one massive being. The recruit started to shake and he lowered his spear. Even the aged veteran lowered his own weapon. It suddenly stopped. The recruit squinted forward, expecting a sudden bellow from the hidden army as they charged down the plain like an avalanche in the mountains. Nothing happened for what seemed like forever. The silence once again took over the night. The recruit could feel his heart beating rapidly in his chest and the adrenaline was rushing, despite the fact that there was nothing coming. The veteran looked grimly into the dark and grimaced.
"I'm sure as hell I didn't imagine that! Wonder what it was...or is?"
The recruit shrugged, yet kept his eyes trained on the path before him. Still nothing came. He started to feel foolish, keeping himself in the ready position though there was no threat. He chuckled.
"The way the mind plays tricks on you is weird, isn't it," he commented, trying to lighten the mood that had so quickly turned dark. The veteran grunted and, like the recruit, assumed an at ease position, though his body was tense and his eyes shifted constantly.
Two shapes, definitely the shape of two animals walking side by side, appeared in the gloom. The blurry figures sharpened in clarity and they saw two wolves suddenly standing before them. One of clearly male and the other female. The veteran looked at the two, thinking about what he should take of these two. The recruit squirmed in his spot and lowered his spear slightly.
"Friend or foe?" he stated in what he thought was a strong voice. That line was from ages past, yet the line spoke what he was truly thinking. What the wolf said next made his world spin upside down.
"Foe," said the stranger. Without a second to spare, the wolf grabbed hold of the spear shaft and pulled forward. The weak grip of the recruit was lost to the power of the wolf. The butt of the spear was rammed into the recruits head, causing him to stumble. The wolf deftly flipped the spear around and drove the blade into the recruits stomach. The recruit looked at the spear protruding from his stomach with astonishment.
"Y-you've killed me!" he said incredulously before dropping to the group with a dull thud. The lifeless eyes and mouth were forever frozen in the state of pure shock. The wolf turned to his partner. The veteran's limp body was leaned up against the walls of the city. Blood poured from his mouth and began to pool in one of the many folds in his armor. A thin but deep gash was clear. The other wolf had punctured the veterans lungs. The blood began to fill the lung, suffocating the veteran and have him cough up congealed masses of still liquid blood. That wasn't enough for the other wolf, she stabbed him mercilessly at the base of his jaw. The new wound had let the blood flow down into his windpipe causing the already oxygen deprived veteran to have no oxygen at all.
"Pity they weren't prepared better," commented the other wolf. She had complete disregard to the murderous acts just committed. The lives and bodies that lay on the ground before them meant nothing to them. Just causalities in a war and animals dumb enough to let down their guard.
"I must agree with you, Xisong," replied the male wolf. Xisong nodded.
"Call our army, Canku, we have a town to crush!"
Kar waited near the gatehouse, expecting the long, drawn out howl that would signify the start of this towns doom. He glanced around him, hoping that no animal had grown suspicious of him. So far, none had any idea what he was going to do. Yet already he had killed five animals within the town.
Shows how soft these animals really are, he scoffed. The traitors to the wolves had been dealt with. Their bodies were now hidden very well or had appeared like it was an accident. Only one with a trained eye could see the evidence of his kills. Throughout the time upon his arrival and the night in which the army had arrived, he had killed five of the seven sent here. Few, thankfully, had no wives or children. Whatever their reasons to turn so suddenly against the wolves was unknown, but Kar didn't care. They had turned their backs against on their allegiance and they would pay with their lives for their betrayal.
The first had been tricky. One of the few to actually have mated. They had found him crushed under the mill that he had worked on. A pure accident, no doubt. The snow leopard smiled with devilish pleasure. Fools. He had been the leader of the spies and he was dead. There would be no more cooperation between the traitors. The second and third one were probably the easiest. A male and female spy had become romantic. How their surprised faces caused him to smirk. Sitting together on a balcony, not expecting anything. Suddenly, the female dies with a mighty blow to the temple. The mate stumbled backwards, recognizing Kar.
"You," he had stammered. Kar promptly snapped his neck. He hid the bodies in the compost pile, leaving no other trace of their death.
The fourth had been another easy one. This particular animal had become withdrawn and seemed to be being eaten from the inside. All Kar had to do was slip poison into his drink and he died. Heart failure, who knew?
Of the fifth, all he knew was that he had been buried alive while working in irrigation project. The fool hadn't put up the support beams as he should have.
Oh, what idiots you all are, thought Kar. Sabotage was clear, yet you turn your noses in the air, saying they are simply accidents that could have happened to anyone.
Kar edged closer to the gatehouse. He saw three of the militia patrolling lazily around the door and its premises. Kar wasn't in the mood for eliminating them, but he knew he had to or they could cause trouble later. Scouting out his attacks, he walked as casually as he could to a nearby house, he scaled the walls with ease. On the rooftops, he leapt from house to house, occasionally having the go up another story or two. Kar looked at disdain with the building closest to the walls. It was almost as tall as the ramparts themselves, allowing easy access to the city below. All an intruder had to do was make the leap from the rampart to the building and then go from building to building till he got to the bottom. The same method could be used for an escape. But that wasn't what he wanted to do right now. He watched as the third guard, the farthest from the door, moved out even further. The other guard had turned slightly to the left; that meant that the last guard was completely out of his vision. The last guard had already been stationed with his back to the door and he was staring at some graffiti that had been scribbled up on the brick. Kar chose that unlucky guard to be his first victim. Dropping from the three story building, he plummeted down to the compacted dirt below him. The snow leopard had received some training in the art of kung fu and new how to land safely even from a great height. He landed with the slightest of noise. He stood up and let out a deep, controlled breathe. The dirty work truly started now. The snow leopard moved stealthily toward the unsuspecting watchman. His right arm darted out and his paw covered the guard's mouth while his left arm moved to the base of the skull. Twisting quickly, the spine was snapped. The head lolled forward, no longer supported as the muscles relaxed completely. Kar lowered the body and set it down, making as little noise as he could. He thought he heard faint talking from outside the gate. He must hurry! Approaching the second guard cautiously, he also covered the mouth with his paw but kicked the feet from underneath him. As the guard feel backwards, he let out a high pitched yelp. Kar winced. The snow leopard silenced it with a blow to the windpipe, crushing it.
"What?"
Kar whirled, pulling his knife that he had hidden in his boots. The final guard stood there, staring at him. A confused look coupled with his finger pointing at the dead bodies of his fellow guards and then the snow leopard made Kar nod.
"Yes, I did kill them," said Kar coldly. He threw the knife. It flew through the air. The remaining guard had no chance to dodge the swift and accurate blade. The knife lodged itself in between the guards eyes. The body stumbled for a moment, as if he was simply trying to regain his balance. Blood drained from the cut but the guard didn't care. He was already dead. The corpse had barely it the ground before Kar had pulled out the knife. A wet, squishy sounding came as the steel moved against the brain and bone. Kar wiped the blade clean on the dead guard fur and moved to the gatehouse door. He took out another blade, thinner this time, and a lock pick. Pressing his ear close to the lock, he moved the blade and pick until he found the clink that told him that it was now unlocked. The door swung open, not yet rusty. The three keys needed to unlock the gate hung there, almost calling out to him. He took the three keys from their pegs and walked out to, back to the large gates. A central lock, and two other adjacent locks, one for each other massive wooden gates, were attached to it. Slipping each key into its appropriate lock, he let the reassuring sound of the deadbolt sliding back reach his ears. He readied himself to push open the gates, but rebuked himself. He had to wait for the signal. He waited and waited. Was he too early? Or had he mistaken the night? He began to doubt himself. What would happen to him when the citizens found the cadavers that were strewn about. All uncertainty was blown away by the unique sound of Canku's howl. Kar shook away any display of emotion. The wolves would not want that in their right-hand animal. He had to be completely unemotional. Putting on his blank face stare that had become infamous throughout the camp, he shoved open the gates. Canku and Xisong greeted him with feral grins. These two truly were the conquerors of China.
The roar of an army rushing down from the plains from their west woke up everybody in the town. Mothers cowered with their children behind beds, bookshelves, even tables, fearing for their lives. Fathers and whatever other eligible males grabbed whatever they could find as a weapon to meet the oncoming army. Each shifted nervously in their position. The animals that had so suddenly told them everything, well, obviously, were right! It was terrible. The ramparts had been crowded by the militia, expecting ladders and the sort to be erected and siege towers to be rolled up. Lances and spears were readied. They expected the militia guards at the gate to be readying the defenses. The commander blanched when he saw the dead bodies on the ground.
"Heavens help us," he whispered.
The army squeezed through the gates with organized chaos. As soon as they made their way through, the black garbed offenders rushed through the streets to their designated battlegrounds. Some ran to the rooftops to rain arrows down on the streets. The swift and agile felines and primates climbed to the top of the ramparts to clear away the more trained militia. The huskier canines and other of the more heavyset beasts wreaked havoc in the streets. The untrained volunteers fought bravely, in honor of their home and family, but they were crush beneath the mighty blows of war hammers. Torso and legs were hewn apart by the battleaxe. Bodies, now more like pincushions, lay in the gutters. The townsfolk had never seen such destruction or mindless violence. Many lay down their weapons and surrendered; they raised their hands above them, quaking in fear. Mothers cried out in anguish as their children were moved to different areas. Infants were placed in yet another area. The wolves knew the usefulness of the infants, unaware of their surroundings, they would be brought up in their camp and taught in the art of war. Canku and Xisong watched the entire scene, unblinking, unmoved by the wails and tears shed. Canku felt the familiar tugging on his paw. He bit his lip and looked down.
"What in the hell are you doing here?" he yelled at Chen. The baby wolf looked at his father, complete with bloodstained fur and a tunic drenched with sweat. Whatever this pup had done, Canku didn't care.
"Play!"
The wolf pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head in defeat.
"You'll play later, okay?"
Chen held his paws up to his father. Xisong looked at her mate expectantly. Canku rolled his eyes and picked up his oldest son. Canku felt silly. He had just crushed a town with his mighty army. There had been casualties; that was expected in war regardless of the enemy you faced. Yet here he was, holding his pup in his arms like a loving father. Xisong moved closer to Canku. He welcomed her presence. At least having her with the child wouldn't seem to out of the ordinary. Then, Canku heard the familiar giggle of Nuan and Wen. Ling was suddenly on Xisong's shoulders. Zuihou sat between his legs. Xiaoa sat with her eyes focused on beyond the bloodied town.
"Yes, some ordinary family were are," said Xisong with a slight chuckle. Even Canku grinned at that.
"You're parents did what?" asked Sun. There was no way to disguise the clear abhorrence and shock in her voice. The cute, little Xiaoa sat before her, looking at Kun's tail.
"Watch them play!"
Aleksey nodded in agreement to the little wolf's statement. He had been there as well, in his drunken stupor, killing as well.
"It is horrible, isn't it, comrades. To think that ones as young as this witnessed the aftermath of a battle. That is just beyond any sane animals comprehension."
Sun shuddered. How could someone do that? The emotional scarring on the children would be unfathomable! Sun lowered her head though, the news just meant the wolves were going on, unstoppable. She had heard the prison security animals speak of how close they were to the next 'major target'. The rumors were flying around that Canku and Xisong weren't happy with a certain goose either. Something about only finishing half the job. Sun smiled at that. Whatever happened that would hinder the wolves was okay with her. They had killed her son and they had murdered countless other by either word or deed. The sight of the blanket was brought to the forefront of Sun's mind. She shuddered and leaned against the wire cage. Kun did likewise. Their fur touched, sending the electrical sparks of love and affection to one another. Even from the position at the back of the army, they could hear the screams that rent the air during the bloody battle. Kun looked at Xiaoa as she touched his tail, picking it up and looking at the different color pattern.
"Orange?" she questioned. Kun nodded. Suddenly, the little wolf's ears picked up. She took one last longing glance at Kun's tail, wanting to look at it more, then walked away. Kun helped her over the wired mesh cage that separated Kun, Sun, and Aleksey. Aleksey recoiled slightly as Xiaoa touched his foot as she wiggled underneath the places were the tent wasn't tied down completely. Soon, her short tail was out of sight and they were again alone. They heard a shuffle from outside and the unmistakable sound of Canku's voice. Sun shivered and retreated to the edge of the tent. Kun readied himself for the worst. He saw how just the sound of Canku made Sun cower in terror. To him, that was unacceptable...of Canku. To receive a healthy fear out of respect was good, but to have animals tremble in sheer terror of you wasn't good. There is only so long as a master beats his slave until it turns upon his master and kills him. The tent entrance was flung open with a great flourish. There, standing the noonday sun, was Canku. He wore something that could be mistaken for a civil smile, though behind it lay great evil. He bowed mockingly to Kun.
"Ah, my good lord and lady, I have something special in mind for you two!"
At the wolf's cue, two hulking gorillas took hold of the two tigers.
"Follow me."
With their paws clapped in irons and being marched along by the two gorillas, Kun and Sun listened to Canku all the way to the torture tent. Sun feebly tried to dig her heels into the ground, she had grow an almost abominable hatred for it – but it was entirely understandable. Kun bared his teeth at the back of Canku as the wolf looked at the tent. The smell of dried blood and sweat seemed to cake the air around it.
Upon entering the tent, everyone, except Canku was surprised at the inside. Yes, there was till the terrible aroma, but the insides had been changed. All of the normal equipment that was usually set up for the new prisoners had been disassembled and packed neatly away at the back of the tent. A comfy chair had been placed on an elevated platform at the right of the tent. The whipping post had been set up directly in front of it, about five paces from the beginning of the platform. Canku walked up to the chair and sat in it. The familiar shape of the panther – the torturer – was hovering near his masters side, the ubiquitous hood still on. A snow leopard stood at his masters right side. From gossip around the camp, the snow leopard was Kar, Kun presumed. Naturally, as soon as Xisong arrived, a second chair was set up.
Kun and Sun were both shoved to the whipping post. One on each side. Kun prepared for his shirt to be ripped off. Sun did also, but dreading the thought of Canku seeing her bare-chested. The torturer, surprisingly had been very careful about Sun's modesty, but she knew Canku wouldn't show even the smallest act of kindness. Instead, they were twisted around and their irons were taken off. The gorillas still kept their meaty hands on their shoulders, preventing the weakened tigers from even the thought about fighting back. The panther moved noiselessly down. He took Kun's paw and placed it on top of the whipping post. He did the same with Sun, placing it on top of Kun's paw. The panther took out an entirely new set of cuffs and looped the chain around it. Then, he fastened each end to the tiger's wrists. The tortures moved behind the tigers and stood, ominously, right behind the post with his paws placed firmly on the tiger's paws. Canku reviewed what he was going to say and then started to speak.
"You say, Kun, that you will not ever bow before me in respect or as your liege lord. In a sense, I admire that. You show defiance blatantly even in though you have been utterly defeated." He paused, waiting for some sort of retort from Kun or even Sun. None came so he continued. "Just as you are ever so reluctant, I will be every so stubborn. Trust me when I saw this, tiger, I never loose. I will get what I want, one way or another. Don't believe me? Let me put it this way to you, a cold splash of reality is what everyone needs right now!" Canku pretended to look lost in thought. "Here's one that obvious. When you pleaded to the Council for the troops to be marshaled, did they? No, I didn't want them to and they didn't. I got what I wanted. I crushed your city." Canku faltered once because of the look he had received from Xisong. He quickly fixed his error. "We crushed your city. You are now our captive."
Kun shook his head.
"We are no one's captive, our spirit still flies free in the winds. We are together forever and always will be – till death part us."
"How eloquent. One more thing, to show you, or should I say we, how Xisong and I get our way. You remember your son, Tai I recall his name was." Kun's eyes flashed. "I wanted him dead and were is he now?" Canku laughed. "His corpse is lying dead in the snow, while the scavengers and the bugs eat his rotting flesh! I win!"
Canku's voice had escalated near the end, but he regained his composure.
"It is rather heartbreaking, it really is. But I am a kind hearted being, one who listens to the please of even the damned. I'm here to grant one request of yours. Unspoken to me – until recently – but I see it."
Sun spoke. Her weak voiced seemed like an ant before a giant, but it still rang out.
"There is nothing you can do."
Canku's eyes narrowed and a toothy, malicious grin replaced the cordial smile that he had on only just.
"Xisong, please my dearest, correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't they say that they would always be together?"
Xisong nodded, Canku had promised her something unforgettable today, less than a week from the Battle of the Traitors as the town skirmish had been christened. Canku reached into his own tunic and pulled out a thin chain of rusted iron. The wolf motioned for the panther behind the post and the tiger's paws. The hooded panther nodded and pulled out what looked like a drill. Kun heard the gears moving together as the panther started to spin the drill bit with the crank. Canku crouched down so that way he was eye level with the kneeling male tiger.
"I grant your wish. You and Sun will be together, oh so close, for the rest of your life. Till death parts you!"
With a frantic look in his eyes, Kun turned his head to look at the panther. Dread filled him and Sun screamed. The sound seemed to pierce his eardrums, but most of all, his heart. The panther had taken the drill bit and shoved it directly onto Sun's hand. With pace that was slowly speeding up, the panther had begun to drill right through Sun's paw. The true meaning of Canku's words struck Kun like a ton of bricks. The hole was wide enough for the rusted chain to be threaded through. They would truly be stuck together till death did part them – unless they could get free somehow.
Minute after agonizing minute, the drill continued to burrow into Sun's paw. The screams still burst from her mouth, even with her raw throat, and the fresh wound painted the once clean drill bit with a bright crimson red. Kun gritted his teeth as a last scream punctuated the air. The scream lowered and began a whimper. Kun tried to moved his free paw to comfort her. But, the kind, if pitiful gesture would never reach Sun. No sooner had the drill bit completely made its way through Sun's paw did it reach Kun's. A new scream coupled with a roar now filled the air. It felt to Kun like a nail was being driven ever so slowly into his paw and then twisted constantly. Sun felt the hot blood from Kun's paw moisten her palm. Broken sobs came from her body and she fell into blissful unconscious, the pain too great for her. Kun wished he too could leave this world into the world of darkness for the time being, but was forced to bear the pain and the even greater spear of Canku and Xisong's gaze.
At last, the drill reached through till it hit the different texture of wood instead of the soft, warm flesh of an animal. Barely awake, Kun felt the wound be treated slightly, cleaning up the bone and broken flesh that still hung to it. The hole was cleaned and Kun, even in his semi-conscious state was horrified that he could now see straight through his palm. A metal ring was placed in the inside of the hole, the cold metal burning the open injury. The chain was fit through and locked tightly together. Finally, Kun's prayers were answered and he felt himself begin to fade into oblivion, not death, but the land of not thinking. His eyes closed finally, welcoming the long rest he needed, after seeing Aleksey's expression. He sighed once and the world went dark.
"Might I ask why you did that?" asked Xisong. She felt no remorse for her mates actions, but did question the reason, if it had any.
"Simple, I lowered their moral and physiologically scarred them. During their tortures, one will be tortured and the other forced to watch. They are mates, as you and I are, and even more so. Whatever one feels so does the other. That, and I enjoy their screams. It's almost like music," said Canku airily.
"What music?" asked Ling who had come up behind them.
"Nothing," replied Canku quickly. "You'll learn soon enough."
Xisong didn't look convinced. Canku looked at his mate. He changed the subject.
"You know, the Valley of Peace is very close. There is yet one more village in our way, Guanghao, and then we will be at their very door steps."
Xisong eyed Canku. He seemed almost giddy.
"You certainly are cheerful today. Something happening that I should know about?" Xisong purposely asked this with a very definite tone of suspicion, trying to see Canku's reactions. Canku embraced Xisong and kissed her. Xisong, in all her years spent with this one very unique wolf, had never seen him like that. At all.
"Our goals are becoming a reality. And they said dreams don't come true."
"Who?"
Canku's face dropped, becoming sour and bitter for a moment before returning to his child like happiness.
"Just ghosts from the past."
Xisong nodded and walked to the opening in the tent. The sun was setting. Each day, the army arose and they marched for the day. Every night, they would stop just before sunset and dine and rest for the night. On certain occasions they would rest for the entire day and allow the army to do what they pleased. Here was night that brought them one step closer to a steppingstone to help them cross the rushing river. Then, the river itself would be conquered and they would rule it. Canku was happy. She was happy. The Valley of Peace; next, Gongmen City; next, the Imperial City – the capitol of China! All of China would bow before them. Shen had tried yet he had failed. He was a stupid peacock and now he was dead. Xisong turned back to her mate. He was sitting in his chair, staring into space, almost daydreaming. His eyes were cold and calculating, yet at the same time filled with jubilation and pride. He sat there, with feet crossed...thinking. Xisong sat next to him and together they looked forward – forward to the future.