[MDZS] The Dragon and the Fox

Yiling

"Lan Zhan! Where are we going?" Wei Ying inquired, bounding along beside the dragon, eager and excited to see where they were going. Lan Zhan had insisted Wei Ying didn't need to go with him, but the fox refused to accept staying alone for any period of time, even for a few short minutes. He had good reason to, Lan Zhan would admit, but this trip really did not warrant the young fox to go. However, Wei Ying was feeling very insecure as of late, and Lan Zhan was like a protective blanket to him. Lan Zhan allowed it. He didn't want the fox to feel as if he never would have any safety whatsoever - even though the opposite was true. Wei Ying was safe in everyway imaginable. The only place they couldn't protect him from was his subconscious.

The nightmares Wei Ying had were growing worse. Xichen tried and failed to create a barrier strong enough to keep who, or what, it was out of the fox's mind. Wei Ying would go into fits of rage whenever the barrier was erected, and the barrier would be broken the next moment. Not certain as to how that was possible, considering it should have been stable enough, Xichen ultimately gave up. Wei Ying had passed out and had severe migraines for the next week. The two jades knew exactly why the technique failed, so they never blamed the poor fox for any of it.

Wei Ying happily skipped away as the two headed down a small dirt road. Lan Zhan stopped abruptly. Wei Ying, oblivious of the situation, continued to skip along as if nothing were out of the ordinary.

Lan Zhan: "Wei Ying."

The fox boy stopped momentarily in his tracks to turn around, so he was facing the dragon. "Yes, Lan Zhan~?" he spoke in a teasing manner. Lan Zhan made a motion for Wei Ying to move to the dragon's side. Wei Ying happily obliged, bounding over in a single leap.

Wei Ying: "Lan Zhan. I'm still curious about two things: how did you find me in that clearing that one day, and how do we know each other?"

Lan Zhan didn't reply save with, "Think on it. Stay by this one's side."

Wei Ying wasn't happy at the answer he'd received, but he stayed by the dragon's side the rest of the way. At one point, Wei Ying had grown drowsy from all the walking and wanted to be carried. Lan Zhan refused at first but then obliged after seeing Wei Ying fall asleep while standing.

That was when it all happened.

Just before they reached the town, a throng of men surrounded them. "Who the hell are you?" The one Lan Zhan assumed was the leader inquired of them.

Lan Zhan: "Lan Wangji of Gusu."

Wei Ying stirred in his sleep. "Noi-y...Lan -an...-ere are we...?" he mumbled nearly incoherently.

Lan Zhan: "Go back to sleep. Not there yet." Wei Ying nodded, falling into a deep slumber only a moment later. Lan Zhan stared at the throng of men before him.

The leader spoke up once more. "Are you guys even human? If not, leave at once! We don't allow magic creatures here."

Lan Zhan was surprised, though he didn't show it. "Why not?"

The townsmen all looked at each other, silently communicating. The leader was contemplating whether to tell them or not. When the murmurings grew louder, the leader hushed them all with a wave of his hand.

Leader: "I'm sorry. We can't tell you, and we won't tell you."

Lan Zhan nodded. "Just passing through. Don't intend to stay."

The leader wasn't having it. "I'm afraid this pathway is blocked at the end. The only way for you is going around the town. Leave, now, before my men decide to be nasty about it and toss you out by force."

Lan Zhan bowed to them and walked away. It surprised the men so much, they froze in their places. Lan Zhan wasn't even twenty steps away when the leader called him back. "Wait!" Lan Zhan turned around. The man was so shocked by his action, his mind blanked for a moment. "Uh...you can pass through here if you still want to. However, do not cause trouble for the other people. We can't afford to rebuild the town a second time."

One of the men spoke up. "Leader! You've revealed too much!"

Leader: "I don't care. If it helps us, then fine. If not, then I will apologize. Leave them be. They mean no harm to us."

Lan Zhan carried the sleeping Wei Ying through the throng of men and through the town. Whisperings and murmurs were heard among the people there. At one point, one of them tried attacking the two passerbys. They were stopped just short of doing harm by the town's leader. "Leave them be. They mean us no harm."

The little boy who had attacked them grunted in annoyance and ran to his grandmother. "I apologize," the leader bowed. "Please forgive A-Yuan for his behavior just now. He is very protective of the little family he has left after his parents were brutally murdered. He is only a child. Please spare him."

Lan Zhan: "It's alright. This one is unharmed." He continued walking through the streets.

The town was very large despite being nearly remote. It took a whole half a day to reach the other side. The leader followed behind them, making certain no one else tried to harm them in any way. After reaching the other end of the town, Lan Zhan bowed to them in thanks and continued on his way. Wei Ying, as always, slept through the entire ordeal.

The dragon found a nice spot in the woods some ways away from the road. He set up camp there, the fire hot and crackling. Wei Ying awakened to the smell of food, his stomach growling incessantly. He drooled from the scent of it. The two ate with Wei Ying talking nonstop until curfew. Lan Zhan admitted, he would have been lonely without all the noise.

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"Sire. We have found them. They lay just on the outskirts of Yiling. The leader of the town allowed them to pass through." The man on the throne contemplated for a while, his fingers rapping against the wood of the seat arm.

"Bring them to me. Bring the leader as well. We don't want a rebellion on our hands." The command was heard and understood. The spy and his men bowed as one and disappeared into the darkness. "Soon you will be mine, Wei Wuxian."