Chapter 2 As of September 24th has been updated... Again as well as Chapter 1. Revisions will continue as I find ways to make this work better.
As was Chapter 1 this will also be a lengthy read.
Gently
I lay in bed just waiting for the growing exhaustion to lure me into the clasps of my awaiting slumber. The darkness mimicked closed eyes but there was no rest to be had. The room had finally begun to have its shape once more as the now soft blue glow of the sky faded into the window. No part of my body had moved a salt grain length of distance other than my chest as it steadily rose and fell with the occasional sigh since I was left alone.
A soft stir and yawn caught the attention of my ears as footsteps paced in a singular room off from my own. The first noises that broke the silence holding the home hostage. Her door opened as five paces were made before stopping at the door. A long pause. A simple sigh followed by a statement.
"Let him rest," she said softly. The steps then continued towards the kitchen. A door could be heard opening and closing as the house fell into an even more deafening silence. A silence that no longer had multiple lives within it, but just one.
I decided to try to stand once more, throwing my legs over the side of the cot. With a push of the arms, I managed to get weakly upright. I looked around for anything I could possibly balance myself on, but to no avail. Giving a sigh, I managed to make a few steps toward the door of the room, stumbling a bit and falling into it with a huff when I was so close. I worked to regain my balance once more. It all had been quite difficult, yet I managed. I opened the door to walk down the hallway, bracing myself on the walls, towards the front door which had been to my left entering the kitchen. I reached for the handle as I opened the door, peering outside.
The village was in view, but a distance away, as miniature silhouettes paced around the place. I stepped a few steps on the porch being sure to at least close the door behind me. The porch was small as just a chair sat off to the side. My legs were due spent as I began making my way over to the chair to sit down. A soft gust of fresh air had whispered its way across my body forcing an alleviated sigh.
I leaned back in the chair, closing my eyes briefly, to open them once more looking around at the landscape. The land was mostly flat with the exception of tall mountainous pillars littering most of the landscape sparsely enough for any civilization to thrive. The large cleared area I was in is surrounded by the forest and thicker patches of bamboo acting as a barricade which could both protect the village and close it off from the rest of the world. The village itself was quite small, consisting of enough buildings and homes to at least keep it self sustaining.
For once, even if for a short while, I didn't feel like I had to be running from something or trying to survive. My stare into the distance with eyes bloodshot from the stress my exhaustion covered me with, was interrupted when a distinguishable figure became visible. The leopard had returned holding at least some kind of bundle. Her steps towards her home were slow, seeming to be in some kind of daydream as she never noticed my presence on her porch until she was inches from it stopping. Our eyes met, as a golden set stared with calmness into the other half opened and exhausted set of blue orbs. Concern.
"Are you okay? I did not think that you would be awake just yet," she spoke with concern.
"I never slept to be able to wake up. Just couldn't" I sighed.
"I understand the restless nights where you can sleep, but you are just unable to." I only nodded in response as I stared with a softness to her eyes. A simple few flicks of her tail were noticeable but not by much. "I have you some clothes." She held out the bundle to me.
The bundle contained a brilliant white jeet kune do vest, a cloth that could be a face wrapping, and some baggy gray pants with some other wrappings. I could only ponder for a simple moment.
Looking at myself I saw a worn being that was riddled with scars and thin of its brilliant fur coat which was too malnourished to try to grow. A body that had since nearly expired from the abuse it had taken. My ribs stood more proud than I ever will. The bandage from my earlier cut of my arm had stained itself a soft pinkish-red. The only thing that kept my body from being completely naked was the pants worn to ragged shorts.
"I–I thank you for this outfit. I really do. Y–you didn't have to." I spoke dumbstruck at the generosity. My own tail swished gently with no control in its own excitement. A small but genuine grin surfacing from my face.
"It was no problem to me. I have a way of talking to acquaintances to get it cheaper, but not so much that it undercuts business." She knelt down in front of me as she stared into my eyes with her own gentle smile.
"A simple smile, ecstatic tail, or simple appreciation was all I wished to see for your payment. You gave two great tips depending on how you look at it. I just wanted to know my deed wouldn't be taken for granted." Her words held her full genuine intent.
"It's simple gestures that can really affect a person. I don't come across them enough to ever take it for granted. I've been starved for something worth my time. This is the best thing someone has given me in–in years." Pain clasped my face as I simply sighed looking to the ground.
"Thank you—. I haven't gotten your name yet."
"Mei. What about you?" I pondered for a moment but no actual name came to mind other than what I would list.
"Tiger, Shadow, You, Bastard. There's some others, but not actual names." I spoke looking back up to her.
"None of those really fit though." She spoke with dejection.
"Just referrals."
Names worked their way through my mind. Most did not seem to have any regard for a fit of his character I knew so far. 'Tiger,' I thought, which would just be too easy. Simple names would work, yet what name would have any sort of relation to him. Something of the outside world maybe. Like a name for flower or snow, as he had white as snow fur. Flower was simply a female name. Chan or Xuĕ had relation to snow, yet one seemed overused and the other was also just female.
I gave a brief sigh which didn't go unnoticed by the tiger as he tilted his head curiously staring back at me.
"Thinking for a moment." He only nodded.
He holds mystery, almost as much as an undiscovered forest. Forest? Lim. The gentle, to me, snow tiger of the forest. Lim Xuĕ. A name of balance that is neutral in gender in full and an explanatory name for him. The first name also helps those recognize he is a he.
"Lim Xuĕ 林雪"
"Lim Xuĕ?" He seemed confused.
"A name in relation to a deeper meaning of forest snow. Lim, standing for 'the forest', is by my meaning synonymous with the mystery you are to me. What can you find in the forest? I'm not quite sure, it is a mystery that can be both amazing and terrorizing. Xuĕ which is a female name, I know, is more a gentle meaning to me. Standing for snow, it captures your fur with as well your simple and gentle nature I have observed since your arrival."
"I have been passed out most of the time, you know?" He tried to advise me with no leverage in his statement as it was irrelevant to my meaning.
"I do understand? I do refer to you attitude you present at this moment, and moments before when you were conscious," I explained.
"What about just Lim?" He asked with a shy tone.
"For short if you see it that way, sure. But I personally will use the full name, Lim Xuĕ, as it just simply rolls from the mouth." She said with simple satisfaction.
"I–I do think I can accept that name now that I can understand where it comes from. It does sound quite elegant as well."
"Good, because the next name would have been Shǐ Tóu 屎头." I grinned wide as I could, as he gave me a simple unamused glare.
"You sure your name isn't Mǔgǒu 母狗?" He cleverly retorted. I returned a simple wink.
"I'll be your Mǔgǒu," I articulated my words with fake intense lustful desire with a simple lick of the lips.
"All I want and so much more." Lim added with a chuff of sick desire as if it were bloodlust in his voice. His grin, so artificial, seemed as if it were a mating call only he would answer for whomever he addressed. The whole surround of it rattled me to my core, causing me to feel as if he was something sick that ejaculated the purity of those he touched. I blinked to see the once tired dead stare of him once more.
"You learn how to make those around you cower or feel at such unease you gain the upper hand in a fight. I went easy on you. Your tactic of seduction fails in the face of something that seems like it will forcibly rip everything that makes you feel safe away. You simply cannot raise the sexual tension to distract someone like me who simply does not have a sexual drive as much as to get distracted." He spoke with no wavering of the absolute seriousness he held in his vocal cords.
"You don't see or notice anyone in a romantic sense?" I asked a bit dumbfounded for such a young guy such as himself.
"Unless it's in a natural primal urge of which I've long shoved away, no. It's survival Mei. I would put your trust in me on the table that I have never done anything to anyone that would be that sick and shameful." I sighed softly, understanding.
"Before the battle of the body comes the battle of the mind. If you can win against yourself even through the opponent's mental assault then you are sure to win the physical battle." Lim slowly nodded. He paused before sighing.
"The worst thing I do is kill." Brings more of a perspective into the story he is to bad kids.
"Bandit..?" I asked, going towards an accusation.
"Nothing of the sort or I would like to think so." Adding insult to the subsequent injury that was likely to come his way if he didn't explain himself well.
"Explain." I prodded.
"I am a vigilante per se." He spoke as he hesitated.
"And?"
"I vowed to myself after years in–in an orphanage. An abusive orphanage that I would try to rid the world of all those who hurt the less fortunate." I looked at him stoically, not fading from my expression.
"Should I really be inclined to believe you? A lot of people like you "end up" in orphanages, you know."
"Why would I make any of this up?" He grew genuinely upset which gave some validity to his story. Ears had pinned themselves to his head and tail beginning to thrash. I wanted to push to make him die on the hill he stood. I wanted him to make me believe.
"Sympathy. A place to stay for an undeserving criminal of which could just be falsifying their injuries to rob or rape me in the night. And I will say, you won't be so fortunate in that case." I ostracized each word exclusively to him.
"Ah yes, everybody else's excuse to a monster. A bane to a damned society. 'Oh we cannot trust you to not do a thing to us'. Nobody seems to ever lend a dick-spit of any damned thing to–" Push.
"Oh, enough of the self-pity party. Cry some more Shǐ Tóu." Push. A deep and putrid to death's ear growl grew in his chest. Tears had begun to form in his eyes out of his frustrations.
"Don't do this to me…" Lim dropped his head. The belief was earned as his reaction contradicted what a simple bandit would have done. Fight or Flight.
"So you killed bandits?" He fell silent and nodded, avoiding all eye contact in shame. "It is quite looked down upon to kill even if it is all you can do, you know?" Only another nod.
"Would they care if you wanted to fight back? Would they care if they were trying so desperately hard to get what they want whilst the victim is left to die or starve? Would they care if they got something from selling that poor child into an intercontinental slavery ring?" He still held his head down. "The only way I saw to fix it was to rid the world altogether of it."
"I understand your perception. Yet not everyone will hold onto a value that can be out-valued by something better."
"There's nothing in those mountains!" He stared into my eyes. Eyes of anger that held a panic of its past met my gaze. "Everyone like us is one day from freezing to death, one day from starving to insanity. You can either choose to damn a family to death or a group of bandits. The only solace after taking what the bandits had left is to rid them of their suffering. Sometimes you can't just take from the bandits. Sometimes you have to do what you can to survive." He breathed a shaky sigh, staring down to his lap once more. He began to fold his clothing to neatly stack in his lap.
"Just don't sway your thoughts about who I am. Who I am is someone I don't want you to worry about. Someone who we both should know no longer desires to be what they once were." He stood slowly from his seat to his legs. He passed by, going into my home to his room. A soft close of the door was followed with his steps to the bed, with a prompt collapse into it. I remained on my porch only to the presence of myself.
I turned away from the chair Lim once sat in to look at the world beyond myself. The morning light had only grazed the middle levels of the green mountains opposed to its source. Gentle mountain slopes that lead all their way to the dreadful and jagged mountains in the west-south-west. The same mountains Lim hated.
The night held an unusual chill not many others wanted to experience. A lone spirit roamed the thick blanket of snow which covered the land around. A lone spirit which would crave for some warmth or at least a bite to eat to continue on.
The unusual wind, for as clear of a night it was, drowned away any other sound that could have been heard. At least all sound that didn't overpower the wind's whistle.
Lim, who was obviously the soul, made his way through the valley of one of the mountains as a shadow could be seen in the distance. Lim hastened his pace to get closer. Closer, closer, and closer he got as the shadow had a morphing shape. The shape became that of a wolf as he grew nearer. The wolf visually trudged his way in an agonizing limp as he could barely hold himself up. Lim knew that there was nothing in a reasonable distance for the survival of this wolf. Bowing his head, he made his presence known walking up to the wolf.
Lim stood behind the slow moving wolf as he gently rested his paw on its shoulder. It turned in fright with shock written on a torn face. A face that had been covered in deep wounds across the cheeks and forehead and disfigured with the snout bent to the left to a point to make the healing process leave the now ugly poor spirit unable to fit into society. Dead silence now lingered as the wind had seemed to stop.
"W–Who… are you..?" He spoke out of breath in an almost whisper. He seemed to want to start something but if he had, he wouldn't have simply survived a swift raise of his own arm.
"Nobody." Lim responded.
"Were… you sent… for me…?" He asked, staring with his bloodshot green eyes into mine.
"No. I am just a lost spirit. Someone who has no destination," Lim spoke.
"I've lost… everything…" He spoke, ending with an unusual laugh, still fighting for a breath. His clothes were also worn to almost nothing, as it seemed that at this point he couldn't feel most of his extremities if they hadn't already been frostbitten.
"What happened?"
"This bandit bit off… more than he… could chew."
"Oh… You do know there's nothing for a long while right?" He only nodded slowly.
"I know... Maybe the cold… will get me, or by some miracle… the Sǐwáng Zhī Yǐng that's so famous… from these parts will give me mercy before… the cold gets to me first." Lim closed my eyes briefly before sighing.
"I can help you."
"Well, there is you." He added. Lim only pondered to himself before focusing his glare briefly to get the wolf to understand who he was.
"Well… It is you. I'll be damned." He spoke through genuinely surprised.
"Not damned. Given mercy." Lim added, being answered to the nod from the wolf. A saddened sigh followed.
"I have many regrets in this life… How I got here. How I abandoned all sense of morality after I…I lost my family." He broke into long held away tears. "I watched my wife's life be taken in front of my eyes followed by sickness banishing my son from me. I lived most of my life as the happiest man I could be for my family. When you lose everything, you lose your morality as now you have nothing else you really can lose. I became proud of a group of men that was all in the wrong." He paused, bringing up his conclusion.
"I became something that my wife and son would have left me over. For that I could never express my sorrows over all my choices. I know now of what I truly lost. The names of my wife and son. A tarnish on them that I can never erase." He sighed, bowing his head. "Do what you must." Lim only spoke.
"At least you had something while you did have it. A chance to see more to life than what others would ever get to see. Do more in life than what some others would get to do. You may have had a great life, yet, you ended up throwing what could have been away for something that led you here. A lone wolf roaming his last moments of life away in this desolate wasteland with rags for clothes on the coldest nights I've been dealt since I left an abusive orphanage." Lim spoke, laying forward a dead and neutral tone.
"It's the brutal truth you must accept. At least you realize your most fatal flaws, through the irredeemable acts you have committed. At least you didn't go down fighting, but standing up for something you once believed in." The wolf looked to Lim with a soft smile on his face. It's in those moments of any happiness when one knows they are gone, death is most favorable in the deepest of suffering. In a blink of an eye Lim had swiftly grabbed the back of his neck driving a claw into the base of it. The body of the wolf fell forwards, face first, completely limp as it dropped into the snow below causing a small white puff.
"Not everybody deserves to suffer. I hope you can reunite with your family once more. A family I will never know." Lim looked to the body with a tear trailing from his eye to freeze just below it.
I stirred as I woke up with a groan. The light I had risen with before was absent in the room. The rest I had gotten filled me with strength I had been without. I set up with a soft sigh looking at the door in front of me. 'Fresh air,' I thought through my grogginess. I found myself sitting once more on the porch out front looking over at the moonlit valley before me. My mind couldn't find a straightforward path to truly go along with recent events. After not seeing any kind of sympathy since the orphanage nor having anyone let alone positively acknowledge you at all since then would be a turmoil on the mind. All that existed were developed reactions to push the childish feelings away that longed for this. The more I put my mind into trying to understand myself, the farther lost I would become.
A rustle around the house brought my survival sense alive from hibernation. I jumped to stand at the front door with utmost silence, waiting. Nothing ever came aroun–. 'Pshhhweeoo… Thud.'
Two arrows embedded themselves into my abdomen, followed by one into my left arm. The dark of the night made it impossible to tell where anything was, as this terrain was also so new to me leaving any skill I had to waste. It was so easy in the mountains as there was hardly a thing to hide behind. I bolted back into the door, throwing a chair into the door handle to wedge it shut. It didn't seem to help as an arrow flew through the kitchen window into my right shoulder earning a pained grunt, dropping me to the floor. I crawled down the hallway getting away from any views of any window with a grunt and sharp gasps. The leopard's door opened as she stepped out in her dudou.
"What is going on?" She asked groggily. Yet it took a split second for her sense of exhaustion to wear away into an unrivaled alertness seeing the arrows. It wasn't another second as she was out the door once again. Sounds of pained cries ensued followed by a still silence. A figure stepped through the front door as my vision was beginning to blur. I got to my feet ready to fight.
"Hey.. It's just me." I gave a lightened stare as I no longer felt the rush, leaving me to drop to my hands and knees, then laid on my back. She was soon by my side looking over me with worry.
"Not… T–The f–first t–time."
"Doesn't matter." She spoke, lifting me to my feet and walking me to the kitchen where she laid me on the table with a quick haste to light the lanterns in the room then covering the windows. I began to lose consciousness as she neared. A quick slap shocked me back into some alertness.
The crisp slap across his face did the job. I didn't need dead weight while I did what I needed to do to help him. Blood coated most of his torso from each arrow. One through his right shoulder near his neck, while another was sunk deep into his left arm, with the remaining two embedded into his abdominal region. I had deep hopes that none of the arrows hit something vital to his survival. I rushed to grab some necessary items that I could at least use to stop all the bleeding. I was quick to at least get the arrows out of his shoulder and arm resulting in a pained wince using a tourniquet to stop his arm from bleeding anymore and stuffing a piece of fabric into his shoulder to put some pressure on the vessels slowing the flow.
The worst was upon me as I needed to make sure the next wounds were not fatal.
"Are you ready?" I said with a sigh. He nodded back. I grabbed an arrow which seemed to be aimed away from anything important earning me wide eyes and I pulled it out.
"Aaaaaahhh!" He screamed with guttural agony. The blood began to fill the hole as it flowed out in a small stream down his side. I jammed a cloth into the hole as I had to take my focus on the last arrow. I grabbed it, and began to pull. Agony writhed all over his figure.
"Gahhhahahahhhahh!" It started low and ended with a higher pitched screech, but the arrow was out. Another wad of cloth was stuffed into the remaining wound to stop the blood with some success, but not enough for me to find any sense of comfort. I knew enough to stitch a skin wound but nothing more than that. I needed someone to help but it was too far into the night. It doesn't matter right now, I need to find someone now.
"I need to find someone. I won't take but a few." With that I was out to town. All four limbs carried me faster than I thought they ever could. I entered the town in record time, finding an imperial guard patrolling the town. I ran up to the rhino in a hurry.
"Miss Mei, what are you doing out this late? What happened?" He said, noticing the blood that covered the dudou that I wore.
"Eyes are up here. I need you at my home now to take in any knocked out bandit you can find, round up a few if you need to. My guest has been hurt. Go now!" I ran off as the guard took off in the other direction to my home. I came up to the healers home with a haste I didn't know I had. I started banging on the door rather quickly.
"Zhou! Zhou!" I said as I continued to pound on the door. The footsteps came from the second story as they trailed down the steps and to the front door slinging it open with a quickness.
"What! What is it! It's too late for…" The elder goat shouted but stopped upon seeing the rush I was in and how out of breath I had become along with the blood.
"What happened?" He spoke in a softer voice.
"My guest is injured quite badly and I am incapable of treating the wounds he's sustained from the bandits. He needs help now." I stared grimly at the goat who gave a sigh.
"You'll owe me for thi–"
"I don't care what I owe If you can help. Get your stuff." I stated a bit rudely taking him off guard a bit. I sighed.
"Long night."
"I don't doubt it, Miss Mei. I'll meet you there."
The pain pounded at my body as I noticed a larger amount of pounding footsteps coming towards the cabin. They must have had reinforcements.
"Find them and take them in, I must tend to something."
I pushed myself to my feet off the table glancing at the door, waiting for the inevitability that I needed to fight to the death. The door opened and I was met with a green vested rhino. I stood in a half-assed fighting stance as my legs really didn't want to hold my weight.
"Stand down. I am a soldier and I am here at the request of Miss Mei. You're under the Imperial Army of China's protection for the time being." I sighed trying to stand straight up but falling back into the table swiftly bracing myself from falling any further with my elbows. My legs shook as I felt the blood leaving my head bringing that sickening buzz and black haze to my eyes. The guard with swiftness had picked me up and laid me back on the table looking at the locations of each wound as my torso was just red and black at this point. My vision started to fade further as I felt the buzz grow worse briefly then fade into nothing.
I stepped back into the door of my home to see the guard I would call Shí Lěi standing there looking over Lim. I gave a sigh, seeing Shí turn to me.
"What exactly happened?"
"I assume the bandits I left incapacitated injured him with arrows. That's all I knew through the context I had when I was woken by his pained sounds. Zhou should be here soon."
"He doesn't look well… Even for just being wounded as he is."
"There's a lot of damning things about him that lead to where he is now. I'm pretty much trying to nurse him back to health in more ways than just physical at this point."
"Damning things..?" I nodded back.
"All I can really say is that he's been suffering for most of his life. Suffering being a lone wolf having to survive."
"This is a tiger."
"Oh my bad, I didn't know that. Thanks for correcting me." I spoke sarcastically with a frustrated sigh to end it with.
"You know I am joking, right?"
"You know I am highly strung to the point of snapping and exhausted right now. I can care less of a joke. Let me at least get some clothes on… Would prefer if the guards wouldn't divert their perverted eyes to my ass or whatever they fancy." I walked to my room to briefly change, returning to Zhou inspecting the tiger with a face turning a bit grim, bringing my own frown.
"I can save him at least. It will be a task unfortunately. I need my privacy to focus as this will take a while, so I would advise anyone here to step outside." The old goat spoke with a deeper rasp taking over his already withering voice. As per request both Shí and I stepped outside the cabin and began to walk in no particular direction but keeping close to the house in case we were needed. I was stuck in worry that Lim wouldn't make it out of this ordeal. He did say that this wasn't the first time, but I can't help but think that it was said to help quell any worry. I punched a nearby tree in frustration.
"Long night?"
"No shit." I spoke frustratedly. He replied with a short chuckle.
"You think this is funny?!" I shouted. He shook his head.
"Miss Mei, you really are overthinking about this entirely." Shí spoke calmly.
"I'm thinking realistically." I spat with serrated malice.
"Zhou is one of the best healers I know. For you to fear for the tiger's life in his presence, is to doubt his years of effort in perfecting his work. I know you are worried, but right now, it's only best to focus on something else now that his fate has left your hands. You did your job to take down the threat, which honors your silent vows to help me and be an honorable warrior for your master." His words lulled a sense of peace to hang on my back as a cape.
"This makes it twice he's been in such bad shape." I said with hopelessness washing my tongue and vocal cords.
"Sometimes people are just stuck with that kind of fate on the way to destiny, whether it be a lifelong series of events or just these few times. It's unfortunate but it happens. If his destiny didn't lead him here, you may have been the one on the table, or simply dead by the time we found you. There's some things that your training will not prepare you for when you need it. You can only learn it after the events transpire. An experience never goes without a lesson whether you know that you actually learned something or not." He paused thinking.
"You may think things are rough, and I have seen you through rough times. There's honestly much worse that you could be going through right now. You could be the one on that table. You could be well on your way to your own funeral. I see you are so frustrated with tonight. Just relax Mei." His hand rested on my shoulder as we both stopped, he spun me around.
"You are fortunate enough to at least have shared the moments with those that you have shared them with. For every good experience teaches you a valuable lesson, there will be a bad experience that teaches you a valuable lesson as well. Don't ever look at a bad day with an attitude of 'why are things so bad', only look at it with a determination to learn from it. One thing I can tell you is that your bad experiences will never compare to some others. One will never compare to thousands." He looked me in the eyes patting the top of my head leading to me easing up a bit.
"You still remind me of your youth." He replied with a smile, bringing my own smirk along with it.
"I thank you Shí…"
"So this tiger. From how you act towards his state, there must be something else going on." My eyes widened a bit before shrinking back into a neutral stare.
"I can't say so. More so just trying to get him to warm up to just someone. An isolated one, he is."
"I see… Cannot put it behind you with the chance something else may happen."
"Be glad you're an imperial. I'd have knocked you upside the head by now,' I said, as he only responded with a simple chuckle. I walked off
I admit, I wouldn't be nearly the way I was today without Shí. Sometimes he could just really roll my patience flat. He wasn't hardly ever without any wisdom though unless it was truly something that he could not understand. His words almost always carried a deeper message whether the message was directly spoken or riddled out for me to figure out. There was a balance in it unlike the wiser tortoise I knew who only spoke in some kind of riddle when offering words of wisdom.
I knew Shí whenever he was appointed to our village to help assist against any bandit raids when I was just beyond the age of about ten. A few years before I had closed away from anyone when it concerned me personally. We got to know each other very well in the years as I began to learn a lot from him after I had opened back up and felt better about just being me. His simple conveyance of anything helped me to my feet, even through my adoptive fathers death.
I paced around a bit, cooling down a bit and parsing through whatever thought broke through the locks of my mind. I decided to return to my home as the sun began to crack the horizon Illuminating everything around me. Stepping on the porch I heard a conversation going on inside.
"I feel they're meant by some kind of destiny for each other. In what way I do not know. With how she acts it's honestly hard to tell. We could have cubs running around at one point, or she may just end up a memory to him as much as he will be to her. Though I have an unwavering deep feeling that one might die. I do go lightly on 'might'."
"With all due respect Shí. Miss Mei doesn't seem like the kind to actually engage romantically with anyone. She may be all this and that, but I honestly cannot see anything romantically as almost all the felines, be it male or even a few females have tried to woo her. The latter honestly sounds like the likely story to come of this as she's too formidable of a warrior to let her guard down enough to be killed by really anything" Zhou was at least right on that behalf, as no matter what, It was just hard to see anyone at all being someone I would come to 'love'. I also had enough teachings to know my opponent in battle to not let them get an upper hand.
"It's not impossible is it?" What?
"I–I.. No, it's not Shí. You're trying to see how a square fits into a triangle with little evidence of how it is possible."
"You forget a simple house can be built with just that square and triangle. One does not need to fit within the other. One just needs to complete the other in a way. Without him, she could have been injured badly last night or even killed. He was just in their way of getting to her, if she was their goal. Who knows what else she found out that would have further brought a different look to his tales we all know of. It's not impossible by any means. I mean look at him. He's just not missing fur from being shot is he? You can see his ribs clearer than crystals, and each joint is in the same clarity. He is not well." It was weird seeing Shí actually stand up a bit for someone that he originally would have intended to take away earlier.
"I see what you mean Shí. There's more than just what we know."
"Will he live?"
"He should. He just needs to lie down for a while. I will leave him to Mei as he would likely be more inclined to trust her. You should probably as well, we don't want an accident being caused by an outside force."
"I shouldn't leave him alone with her."
"Heed no worry. Even if he's capable of coming to harm her in the coming days, which he is not. His stitches would rip and he would be out again before he could touch her and then end up dead swiftly before I could come back to help. Ripping stitches causes more damage than the initial wound as they have to rip out what they are going through, making It exponentially harder to actually fix. He's as good as dead if such a thing happened. But we should find Miss Mei and notify her that he will be fine." Zhou finished his statement as I walked inside.
"Oh we were just looking for yo-." Shí was stopped as I put my hand up to silence him.
"I've heard enough. I will request that if any of you want to stay behind when he eventually wakes. Do not interfere with our interactions no matter how uncomfortable he makes you. I would be the last person either of you would want to piss off currently. He will not hurt me, and he has zero intentions. Just because he's a stranger does not attune to the note of being dangerous." I shot an accusing glance between the two even if they were on the good side of their discussion until then.
"Understood," Shí said.
"But for the time being, leave me to Lim." I walked up standing beside him.
"That's his name?" Zhou chimed in.
"The name I have for him. As I currently do not know what qualities he has nor his parents to give him an actual well thought out name matching his personality, I had to go on a whim and make something up. Though his name didn't come with just a random guess either. A much deeper meaning can be seen if you understand where I came from when I thought of the forest when naming him. His full thought of name is actually Lim Xuĕ. But for now shoo." I waved my hands, ushering them to go elsewhere. They were soon out of the house. I gave a sigh looking at the injured tiger before me. He looked so normal even through his injuries jerking a tear from my eye. It was a pain to see him in such a state as it was, yet there wasn't much I could really do about it.
I sat in a chair beside him and grabbed his hand. A prolonged silence as I leaned my head into his side lulled me into sleep. A broad range of sights bludgeoned my thoughts and dreams. Blotters of my mother, speckles of my journey, flakes of my training, splotches of everyone knew, and a vivid picture of Lim.
His frail body, weak voice, frail movements… The blue eyes. Through the wounds his body bolsters, his face seems untouched aside from his wither pulling the life from it. Sudden knocking sounds brought me from my sleep. I looked toward the door as I stood to move from my seat as I made my way to the door. Before I could make it to it, It opened itself. A tortoise stood in the doorway.
"Master?"
The tortoise looked towards me with a small smile on his face. I felt something grab my shoulder as he spoke in a familiar voice that was far from his own.
"Wake up." I stumbled as the force on my shoulder amplified.
"Wha.." The prominent morning light that filled the house snapped to a soft lantern light in the night as I woke so suddenly. My forehead rested on both my hand and Lims own, which had intertwined and held tighter than an iron lock. The exhaustion I held in bipolar contrast to what I previously felt had been overwhelming. Shí's voice spoke once more.
"You alright there? You've been out a while," he asked, concerned.
"It's only been a day," I muttered back softly.
"Three." I set up straight to stare in utter shock back at Shí.
"Three days?!" I was met with a hum of agreement, interrupting it with a huff. I must have gone into a state of using Qi within my sleep to prolong it, or I just happened to be that tired after my while of keeping up with Lim. Maybe I just found enough comfort to finally reach a deep sleep. Either way I now felt much better physically, but I couldn't shake the exhaustion that wore on my consciousness.
"Though he's visibly better under what is obvious. He just needs to be washed… Urgently." My sense of smell had diminished to ignore the scents he had been giving off. I had to shrug at this fact, not thinking of any other reason at all. Maybe other than the fact that he is covered in wounds. He did need to be cleaned but my thought of actually doing so wouldn't go uninterrupted.
"Don't shrug about it. He NEEDS cleaned. Infection in his state, even obliging to my previous statement about his rebounded-for-the-better health, and I'll just bring you a shovel to start digging with. He'd be dead by the time you threw the last throw of dirt." I gave a nod as I loosened my grip on his hand but never fell. He seemed to have a longing hold of my hand beyond his conscious state. I gave a brief rub of the thumb on the back of his hand pulling away as I stood slowly with a soft groan, being stiffer across my body than any guy in the morning.
"Why did you not wake me earlier?" I stared at Shí with groggy eyes.
"I sensed something grander was at hand, or maybe you just looked completely at peace, It wasn't my place for disruption. I did, however, have a sense of it when it had concluded." I gave a slow nod.
"I did think it was morning, followed by my master arriving unexpectedly when It ended. It seems I was wrong."
"I will never understand how your mind works."
"If you've ever dreamt you would understand quite well. Lets.. Get him cleaned up." I looked back over to the tiger.
"I'll get the tub ready for him to soak in. Just wait for my cue before trying to move him." I stood to grab the largest pot I could find to dip it into the large half barrel of water I stored to the side in the kitchen to fill it to the brim. I set the pot on the stove as I stowed the wood under to light it. The time passed in silence as I let the pot come to a boil. I picked it up with some mitts as I transported it into my bathing area to dump it into the tub. Repeating this process twice more along with adding a few pots of cold water, the tub had been filled reasonably with a comfortably warm water.
Setting the pot back onto the stove whose flames had died down into soft embers, I motioned for Shí to follow with Lim. We made our way to the bathing room as I brought a chair to set him down in and detoured to find the clothes I had originally bought for him. I looked up to Shí.
"I think I can manage from here, unless you want to see more than you would be willing to." He seemed to think for a minute, contemplating. Whatever it was, my exhaustion was getting the better of me, driving me into blatant impatience.
"Are you into him or something? Just spit out a damned answer," I spoke, irritated.
"I have a wife," he said before shaking his head. "You seem to be able to handle him. Just fetch me when you need me." With that, he was out of the room.
I turned to the resting tiger as I worked to undo any bandaging that covered him, starting from what was left on his head, trailing down to his shoulder, then to his abdomen. I followed the removal of the bandages by removing his trousers, exposing everything under them. At the moment it wasn't anything I cared about, yet 'maybe later..?'. I shook my head throwing out instinctual thoughts. I lifted him in a bridal style as I set him into the tub. He's sickeningly light, even for the deadweight he was. I should honestly feed him like Shí during the winter fest when he wakes.
I began with a small cloth and bath bean to work the fur of his head working slowly down his body, making absolutely sure I did not miss anything. Now for the awkward part… I only said I didn't care, but now I see It's not quite too late to retract my statement. I gave a sigh.
"Fuck it, It has to be done." And It was done, thankfully less awkwardly than I had anticipated. Being passed out deader than a rock has some kind of perk at least disallowing any arousal to my touch I feared. I finished up with his legs and hind paws followed by getting him out of the bath with swiftness as I set him back in the chair. I worked to at least wrap a towel around his waist. I pulled the plug in the bottom of the tub as the murky stench drained its way out of the tub under the house. I worked with an extra towel to dry Lim off, getting him closer to at least having any article of clothing but thinking 'at least a simple loincloth at that'.
First came the bandaging and reapplication of any substance that would help him heal. Redressing took a bit of work as it's not like dressing your own child. Everything is just much larger and heavier. Though I may have to say, with proper recovery he will be much more… I cannot think of a word. Well built? Unfortunately a much heavier deadweight when it came down to it. It really is just in the way of being some form of not looking half dead. His frame boasted a well crafted pair of baggy gray pants held up with a stout belt and pant legs with wrappings to keep each leg from interfering with his feet and a half-buttoned brilliant white jeet kune do vest to get to the bandaging.
I sighed looking at him resting on the chair as I called out for Shí. The door cracked open as the rhino stepped into the room, I pointed to Lim as I stepped out motioning for him to come towards the guest room. For now, he needs to just rest in solitude.
I stood on the porch moments later with a sigh. I had been behind on the handful of things I would have set out to do in the recent days. Shí stood behind me in the doorway.
"Not tired anymore are you?" I shook my head.
"Had I expected to take so long, I'd have done everything I had wanted to do prior."
"Well, either way, one would have gotten done before the other," he spoke with a growing confidence which faltered. "What went on in there?" I turned to look at him with the deeper thoughts erupting into my mind. A tear welled to fall from my eye.
"It's something that I would prefer to just keep to myself for the time being," I admitted.
"If you wish…" He looked away for a brief moment before meeting my eyes once more. There wasn't much more that needed to be said. New discussions loaded the metaphorical table yet neither of us knew where to start or pick up.
"My time here is growing thin." I tilted my head in confusion.
"As in?"
"Retirement is cresting over the hill. While you are still a youngling finally grasping and adjusting to adulthood, I am but a shriveling old man whose skill is slowly sifting through as water would through weak fingers. I am simply worn thin anymore." His true exhaustion showed boldly through his expression. "Yeah, I get to go home and see the wife, and kids who are now as old as you have become. Yeah, I get time off when I seek it. Simply being so high in the ranks to oversee and lead where I am sent is a gift to me. But time itself, regardless of how much I enjoyed what I do, has me simply too worn down to do this much longer. I've a life beyond here and I now look forward to spending the rest of it with those I care and love so much." I turned away in a saddened realization that I may never get to see him again, or at least for a long time. My demeanor was a bold reflection as my once straight body sulked into a slouch. I felt a hand on my shoulder.
"Just because I am leaving, doesn't mean I entirely want to. Since you were a wee little one, I grew quite fond of you, like your late father had. I'd like to call you my daughter as I practically raised you, watching you grow stronger and all the more wise. You have grown very much into a great fighter as you have into a person that this entire village knows they can go to for any kind of help. You hold a better balance in life than many of the warriors I knew. You're not perfect, you still hold many flaws. Flaws make you special, flaws make you stand out from someone that may look and sound like you. What you have is what makes you yourself. Never try to be someone. Try to be the best version of yourself." The hand planted on my head as it twisted my head to look back up into a set of eyes.
"I'm not sure what happened while you and the tiger were asleep, but I feel like some kind of special bond is growing. Dont fuck it up." I nodded.
"I won't."
"Don't hide behind the shadow of a mask to make someone think you are something else. Present yourself and everything you are. If someone doesn't like it, then they can fuck off. Just because you want to help, doesn't mean you must put up a front to do so. Feel what you feel around those you care about. If you are afraid, be afraid. If you are mad, be mad. If you are happy, be happy. If you are sad, be sad. Don't forget that you must maintain a necessary image outside of a personal space especially in battle where nobody cares about any feeling you have." I only nodded once more.
"Wise words you once told me before throughout all of thi–"
"Wise words you don't want to stray from as it will lead to many obstacles on your way to success."
"I know…" A soft pet on the head lulled a soft pur in loose comfort to the turmoil of these past days. I let a small breath loose.
"Who will be taking your place, or will one of the others we both know be taking it?" He began to ponder.
"I was hoping you would have been able to take my place, yet that's not how things work. It was sought out since this is a low concern area that a lower within my rank would be able to take my place. I do have to highly thank you for one thing though."
"That is." I tilted my head once more.
"Without you I don't think I would have been here as long as I was originally assigned. When you were brought up, it was decided that I would stay here to help raise you until it was best seen as time to finally step down. I think the time is nigh. I am proud of you Mei." He gave a broad smile that brought a tear to my eye.
"Thank you Shí. I am so glad to have met you. So very glad."
"As I am too." I gave Shí a great hug for a long moment before letting go once more and standing to his side to look over the land before us.
"Hopefully the new guy isn't a shithead or I will find you and drag you and your family back here." He chuckled at my remark.
"I do not doubt that you will do so. Though there are still a few full moons left of my time, so it is not a goodbye. Just a notification of what lies ahead." I returned a nod.
"Though, it seems the next few moons will be calm as they have always been. Yet now that I mention it, something crazy is about to happen." Shí chuckles at my comment.
"Something could happen, maybe it's quiet. I truly hope nothing actually happens in the coming moons. I would prefer to see my family on time instead of being delayed."
"I could handle myself when it comes down to it." Shí nods back.
"I'm quite surprised by your skill without having a present master to actually teach you. Yet your interest in kung-fu is quite extraordinary, even going as far as idolizing every warrior you hear of. It is a little bit funny that your lessons randomly started on a whim from the one who made it all." I nodded with a proud smile on my face.
"Maybe he has something in it for me or it is only just so I can help my home when push comes to shove."
"He would not intertwine himself or involve himself with anyone if it was not his destiny to do so. He speaks cryptically and poetically because he knows many answers. It's that you need to figure them out yourself, otherwise, what do you learn?"
"What he tells you maybe?"
"Give a man fire and he shall be warm for a day. Teach man how to make a fire, and he shall never go cold. Though I love the little twist I put on it," Shí spoke before he chuckled.
"Huh?" I looked him dead in the eyes in stark wonder.
"Give a man fire and he shall be warm for a day. Set a man on fire and well… he will at least be warm for the rest of his life." I couldn't control the sudden burst of air from my lungs that sent me into a stomached laugh for a good minute.
"T-That one was ahaha–a good one." I gave a short chuckle where Shí returned his own. I returned my gaze to the land before me once more.
"I will admit Shí… I am really going to miss these moments that we will share."
"These small moments are what made my work worth the time. I wouldn't ever trade it for anything else if I had to live this life once more. Your mother would be so proud of you. I still hold deep sorrow for it." I turned to stare him in the eyes.
"Had it not been for her, I would have likely never lived the life I have now. I may have ended up just a tool for my fathers tribe."
"Tool?"
"To make worthy children at the hands of any relative I had. A twisted and dark fate, but at least one that I am fortunate enough to have avoided." I sighed. Shí nodded in understanding.
"Before my time here began, I had run across events like that more than you would like to think. While these are more peaceful times, we still have very archaic views buried deep in our blood stemming back hundreds and thousands of generations. I'd like to not think of the things I saw, but, yes you are very fortunate. Don't ever take that for grant-it because you never know if that could become your reality. It would also be extremely ignorant and assholish to try to whine about your life in the face of someone who went through something as such."
"That would be common sense, no?" I asked.
"You'd be surprised how big of an idiot some people tend to be. And how punchable those idiots are. I am a mostly tame and peaceful man, don't get me wrong, but some people need a lesson learnt."
"I like having the 'no fucking around' attitude sometimes. It does tend to keep anyone annoying at bay. Especially being a feline, it is much more effective." I turned to see Shí with a small grin on his face.
"You are quite intimidating. I sometimes fear angering you, but at the same time it gets extinguished due to me remembering my position."
"Well, soon you won't have it." I grinned sadistically. "You cannot stop me now." I spoke in a singsong tone.
"Maybe I want to second think about my retirement." He boasted a great laugh.
"Maybe, but I do hope you live your days in peace from then on out when the time comes." I paused for a moment recollecting my thoughts.
"When is the next shipment of supplies supposed to arrive? I know we have our own, yet it seems to fade away quicker than we can replenish."
"A few extra days out. It seems a scuffle was had with a small group of bandits and a cart, so the supply may be slightly smaller than usual." I gave a small nod.
The moon shone high above our heads as it illuminated the terrain around with a crisp blue hue. The once lit village had faded to darkness as most inhabitants had long passed out. The only waking bodies stood in my yard while others patrolled the land for anything considerable to be a threat. Peace of mind.
My tail had been smoothly swinging side to side for the while I stood as the fur on my body held the night's chill away. My ears twisting from side to side, honing on any noise that presented itself. Nothing so far grabbed my attention other than the occasional ruffle of leaves which was only the winds doing. My wide awake eyes looking around for something, at least something that was odd that was never found. Tonight was just as peaceful as any other.
My stomach groaned in mild disapproval of its lack of sustenance. Unfortunately for it, I have trained to go long amounts of time without needing any kind of meal so this isn't anything that needed immediately addressed. Yet this caught the attention of Shí almost immediately.
"Hungry?"
"A bit, but it's nothing that cannot wait till tomorrow." I gave him a glance with a small smile. "This is something that my training has readied me to withstand."
"You do realize that your home is paces away and you could make anything you needed right now, right?"
"I don't really feel as such at the moment. The moments we are having now are too peaceful to dish away for simple food."
"Indeed they are." A thick silence fell between us as just the mutual presence proved itself a pleasure.
Lim lay in bed, rather peacefully slumbering unlike previous times. His wounds had worked towards healing as they had mostly sealed, yet any abrupt or major movement could tear it all right back open. He had not moved from his spot except maybe a shift into a lack of a better word comfortable position. His breaths are evenly paced as he has sustained a respectable amount of physical stability. He only roams through the dreams he is left with. The tiger has been left with a long and harsh upbringing. Much of which can only be revealed in time. A deeper story is held within.
The moon shone high above the mountains as a white tiger along with a wolf paced and occasionally chased each other around, basking in the cool temperature of the mountains. Both had been friends for a while as both had had similar upbringings. The tiger had become the primary provider while the wolf was his second man in case things went sour. Misfits who never stood a chance when they truly wanted to break free. Nobody would ever give them a chance. The food necessary to live had to be stolen. Both were young teens flourishing into something much more than the cubs they were. Both had grown quite stout as together, they were a force to be reckoned with if the wolf was ever needed.
"So, Tiger?" Tiger looked in Wolf's direction as they both strolled across the midnight.
"Wolf?"
"Do you think we will ever become more than just what we are? I kind of wish we could start some kind of life together where we no longer have to steal or harm others just so we can live. Maybe we can finally find a name other than just calling each other by their species." The wolf huffed depressedly.
"So do I. But it honestly is starting to seem like we will never get the chance. Like honestly, a wolf and a tiger, what harm couldn't come out of that. And bandits are our primary target anyways, so why worry on that part when we essentially are controlling crime rates around here." Tiger sighed.
"Yet nobody ever bats a helping eye to us. We are both humble by heart Tiger despite the harsh backstory which should have left us much more brutal and wild than we have become. This cannot last forever. There is always a chance." Tiger stopped dead in his tracks staring back at Wolf.
"Then where the fuck is it!" Tiger shouted with an uncharacteristic amount of might. Then he continued.
"We both are out here in the middle of no-fucking-where while everybody else spoils themselves in their own home having all the food they need to survive this never-ending fucking winter! It has been years, Wolf! We are fucking starving! I am sick of this shit Wolf! I am tired of running! I–I'm just tired." Tigers long winded shouts faltered to a crackle of a voice. He dropped to his knees as Wolf trudged up next to him.
"You don't understand. You don't understand how many times I've just wanted to take these damned claws of mine and slash my throat. I was dropped off at that orphanage because nobody wanted me. All those damned beatings I took because I never understood myself, or how to control what I was. I grew up with nobody but the cuts and bruises to remind me how much the world wanted me dead." Tears welled from the bottom of his heart into his eyes as they began to stream down his face, freezing on his cheeks. His gaze fell onto the snow below as he sobbed silently.
"Just keep looking ahead. You're still alive and so are your chances." Wolf knelt down beside Tiger and rested his paw on his shoulder with a reassuring pat. Tiger only wept further.
"That's it brother, let it flow. Holding it all away is what has you here now. It will only be your greatest weakness when you hold onto the pain." Wolf moved around Tiger to give an embrace from the front.
"It just–feels so… Hopeless."
"Hope can only hide, you just need to find it." Wolf helped Tiger to his feet as Tiger braced on him for support. Both trudged onwards at least eager to find a place to hide out in the young night. Luck had it out for both tonight as there was a simple cave not too far from where they started once more. They entered the mouth of the cave where nothing else lied afterwards, but it was at least deep enough both could rest without much wind burrowing in unless it was blowing directly in.
The two sat next to each other against a wall in moments of silence.
"I–I apologize for blowing up earlier. Just… I'm just frustrated, Wolf." Wolf pats Tiger's shoulder gently in a short silence.
"Seriously, don't worry about it. I would say it was right to do so concerning how you have been doing lately." Wolf then rested his head on Tiger's shoulder. Tiger was the only person he had in this life as well, any comfort was worthwhile. "I'm just worried, my brother."
"Do not grow overly concerned with me. I'm fine, for now. I needed that moment." Tiger gently retorted, finishing off with a gentle sigh. Wolf only had his prompt to change the subject.
"Hey? Did you see that pretty wolf lady earlier today?" Wolf asked with some excitement.
"No, I did not. Why do you ask?"
"She was pretty and I was hoping you would notice." He poked with his words.
"You do realize I don't really care, you know." It was true honestly. I mean it would be nice to find a lady if I ever became something to society, but I knew it would never happen. None of it actually mattered in my eyes. I held no interest in anything other than the occasional stolen scroll or food which helped keep me and my brother alive.
"I understand."
"When the time comes, it comes. For now I have my own priorities, like keeping you alive."
"I am flattered." He gasps.
"Hey dumbass. That fact hasn't changed since we met." Wolf chuckled at the remark.
"I know, It's just that I am trying to make light of the grim times we are in right now."
"Try harder then." I sighed.
"It's impossible to get you to crack a smile or even a grin anymore. I'd have better luck escaping a lethal knife wound than ever getting you to even crest an upward lip jerk." Tiger's face never wavered from the dead stare it froze to.
"You do realize that I really don't hold the joy anyone would expect me to. It was taken long ago. The most I can feel is comfort. What is a smile to me? What is happiness to me? I grew up not knowing much more than pain and suffering. After being beat down so many times, you tend to just try to find something that doesn't hurt as much even if it still hurts you. You only understand pain. You only live in pain. What is 'playing'? What is 'fun'? I'm so starved of interaction that I really cannot understand half of the emotions you convey to me. Your happiness is almost supernatural to me. I only understand your pain, yet I do not know how to help beyond just that." Tiger huffed in frustration.
"Happiness is a feeling that tugs the sides of your lips upwards as you begin to see the world for the light it brings to you. Happiness is the warmth that covers you like a soft blanket. It is something to strive for. You look at the sun in the morning knowing you woke to another day. You come closer to finally finding something that makes you more complete as a person. It's an optimism that you cannot quite explain as it is just there. It's something you really need to feel to understand." Tiger only nodded slowly.
"If you don't mind." Tiger began to yawn. "I am going to sleep… Or just try to." With that he closed his eyes.
"Oh, Alright. Goodnight then." Wolf only rested on Tiger's side waiting patiently for the exhaustion to lull him into slumber. The only real reason Wolf would rest with Tiger in such close proximity is due to the fact that Tiger's fur, even through this shit show, had remained the softest thing he had ever felt and the warmest thing around.
The tiger stirred in his bed with a faint smirk that could be confused with a twitch recollecting the moment. Tiger had missed his friend dearly. Nothing was ever meant to be forever.
The moon had grown a deep shade of red, cursing everything it's light touched, the lunar eclipse. A broken duo had placed themselves in the middle of it all as the damnation crawled through their fur. It had only felt like moments before, the moon casts its usual blue on the world as life seemed like it would be fine. Tiger had long been carrying his brother for as long as his legs permitted him. Shock crystalized in his heart as his emotion had long faltered into a shell of its former self.
The encounter had been a short one, yet not one would go unscathed.
"Don't you fucking dare die on me Wolf. I need you. Please don't." Tiger knelt on both knees, sitting on the heels of his hind paws as he held Wolf in his lap. Tiger held his friend's wounded chest with a vengeance to keep the clutches of death away. Yet all he had been doing was in vain as the blood gushed around and out of every crack and crevice Tiger would never be able to cover.
"I–I think.. This… Is…" Wolf could only gasp as abled thoughts would turn looney taking any speech he had left away. Both eyes locked as a moment of clarity would shine through both, signaling that this was the abrupt and unforgiving end. That's the only thing that could have been done. A longing stare between both as Tiger's eyes welled in the tears he had long held back while Wolf's began to peer away. This was no play of actors where it had one long drawn out dramatic moment where the victim could say their final thoughts. This was the reality of death, It came too quickly for any final solace could have been murmured. Long before a will could be made. Long before any combination of words could be spoken as to make the supporting relative or friend grieve any less.
The warmth of Wolf lingered as Tiger would only stare into those vibrant eyes that once populated his everyday life. Eyes that didn't look back into his own. A body still in front of him, yet unable to do anything. A brother reduced to a worthless but priceless corpse that held no value other than sentimental worth. Every good and bad memory would only flood back to further induce that feeling of loss that this would leave Tiger with. His friend was so close to him, yet so far away all in his arms.
The body had fallen as cold as the terrain around. The stare of the brother into the world ahead threatened to even freeze fire itself. His voice had long broken from the onslaught of hateful words to whatever or whomever he felt deserved it. Raspy breaths were all that remained. What he would do to just hear some kind of smart-ass remark from the body in his arms. What he would do to just hear a familiar voice rumble from the thing he carried. What he would do to just feel the warmth of his brother again instead of this frozen flesh-cicle. What did he ever do to deserve this?
Since then, he only became what others had come to fear; afraid. A shell of a shell to best put it; being afraid to come out. He never had anyone else since; afraid of having to lose someone once more. Is what he could have now, be worth it? He's only afraid.
A crack of light invaded my vision similarly to how I first woke up in this place. All I could do was just keep my eyes slightly closed to adjust to the light. I tried to set up at least but a sudden sharp pain ripped a loud pained gasp from my mouth as I involuntarily was forced back down. I looked down and didn't quite expect to see the change in my apparel from rags to seemingly riches. The door opened to reveal the guard I had seen from earlier… How long have I been out.?
"Hello?" I asked with a sickened rasp blanketing my voice.
"I'd avoid moving around at all, but, good afternoon. I am Shí. You must be… Uh, Lim."
"Y.." All that came out was a sigh following any full pronunciation.
The dryness in my throat curdled a fit of coughing which left my abdomen seething in agony. With an agonizing groan I turned to my side, curling up into a ball, squeezing my eyes shut. My breaths were shorter as the pain now spiked with any deeper breath.
"Feeling great," I spat out hastily with a single breath, failing to seem sarcastic.
"Seems like it from the scars." He spoke calmly.
"Tell me about it."
I paced my way though town, studying everything around me. My seek for something to just be odd was coming to be pointless. Right… There's never really anything that happens out this way, as it stands. Each townsfolk I passed would give a small smile and bow of unnecessary respect toward me. Much as it was welcoming, It had begun to grow old as I knew just about everyone here. It was one big family per se. Being a student to a great master though, would lead to that, as is.
Zhou stood outside his home basking in the light that the sky's great glowing circle bestowed to give us this life. I had yet to talk to him since the event's of that night. I still owe him greatly. I made my way towards him though the groups of people that had conglomerated in the streets to just hang out and enjoy the day.
"Ah, Mei!" Zhou greeted me, happily.
"Zhou. How is the day going for you?" I calmly responded.
"Splendidly, I couldn't have asked for a better day. How goes… Uh. What's his name?"
"Lim, and he seems to be doing fine. I have Shí keeping an eye out on him just in case he wakes."
"Ah, good to hear that my work has done well. I'm just surprised to see another feline around here. I didn't expect him to be so young."
"What do you mean? It's not hard to tell that he's not too far from my own age however you look at it. It's also partially why I am investing my time towards him. He still is learning and growing as a person unlike someone past their prime who just lives as they may, unwavering from their traditional act."
"Still impressionable, from what I've heard about him, I know redemption and much good can be done. Shí still has many doubts though, so tread lightly." I only nodded in response.
"Oh yes, You still owe me for that night." Zhou grinned widely.
"I do. That's why I am here."
"I did figure. You see I am running quite low on supply and some can be gathered through foraging whilst others must be purchased. It won't be a brawny Yuan, but the real pain is that of the foraging. My feeble body only works itself closer to the ground as days pass and I can not do as much as I wish I could still do." Zhou pulled a rolled piece of parchment from his pocket to hand over. "This is the list of what I need, I would like it before tomorrow as it seems your plans are sparse as many shipments are late. For the Yuan, I would wait for the late shipments on that front." I took the list, opening it up and skimming down the page. The page had a simple layout of what the ingredient was along with a simple description and doodle of the plant it came from so I wouldn't get confused. But now, I have to find them all…