[MDZS] The Dragon and the Fox

Wen Yuan

Wei Ying and Lan Zhan stayed camped on the outskirts of the city for several days. They didn't know how much time had passed, only that they decided to head to the Nightless City in the north. The leader of the town had been taking them provisions in secret up until around two days ago. The pair wondered why he had stopped.

There was a commotion as someone was running down the road stretching through the forest. The pair looked at each other, silently communicating with just their eyes. They waited and watched for who or what it was which was running toward them. A young boy emerged from the bushes. He was screaming with tears streaking his red cheeks. He immediately clung to Wei Ying.

Boy: "Mama!"

Wei Ying was shocked to hear the little boy call him that. "Little boy, I'm not-" The boy only pulled at Wei Ying's robes and cried harder. A small group of people also emerged from the bushes. The boy hid himself behind Wei Ying, still clinging to the robes. Wei Ying sighed.

"We're very sorry, Gongzis. Please forgive our rudeness. A-Yuan thinks you are his parents. We will take him back with us and leave you be."

Wei Ying felt his heart warm at the sight of the little boy. "No. It's okay. He can stay," he found himself saying before he knew what happened.

"But, Gongzi! He will be in your way! Besides that, he has a grandmother who needs caring for!"

Wei Ying: "Then care for her. He will not be in my way. We are here for a few more days anyway, so I will care for him in the meantime. In fact, I will adopt him if that is alright."

The townspeople were confused. "Gongzi, why would you want a child not of a clan?"

Wei Ying: "And you think I am?"

"Well...you are with a dragon, right?"

Wei Ying: "I'm not part of his clan or anyone else's. In fact, I'm his ward. I used to serve the Jiang Clan." As he said that, they all gasped into utter silence.

Lan Zhan had wrapped his arms around Wei Ying's waist and growled at the townspeople. Wei Ying sighed. "And tell me how you are not part of my clan if you are my ward. Being my ward means you are mine and, therefore, a part of my clan," he whispered to the other who blushed severely from embarrassment.

Wei Ying was shocked to hear such words leaving the dragon's mouth. "Lan Zhan...not now," he whispered back. Lan Zhan continued to hold him. Wei Ying sighed. "I still want to adopt the boy. If it's any consolation, I will even care for the grandmother." The people were uncertain.

Lan Zhan: "Wei Ying. We can deal with this after we finish our mission."

Wei Ying had nearly forgotten about the mission. "Right! What he said. We will continue this discussion after we finish our mission. Understood?" The people all nodded, though it was out of fear, since Lan Zhan was glaring at them like they were his next meal. They all backed away, leaving the pair along with the little boy.

Boy: "Mama! Papa! Where are we going?"

Wei Ying: "First off, I am not a woman. Call me Wei-gege or just Gege. Secondly, you aren't going anywhere. When Lan Zhan and I leave, you will go back to your grandmother and help care for her, until we return. Understood?" The little boy nodded.

Boy: "My name is Wen Yuan. Wei-Gege. If you are a male, why do you wear a woman's hair comb?"

Wei Ying chuckled nervously. "It was a gift given to me by a certain someone who thought it would be a good idea to prank me." He lied. Lan Zhan knew he did, but it still hurt to hear it. He had given it to him as a gift to keep his hair detangled while they were on the trip. "But it's alright! I love it anyway! It's pretty, right?" The boy nodded and smiled. The smile resembled Wei Ying in such a way, it left Lan Zhan frozen. "Lan Zhan! When is supper? I'm starving! So is this baby!" He jokingly pointed at his belly. Lan Zhan deadpanned at the joke. "Your expression is priceless!" Wei Ying laughed hysterically, rolling on the ground while holding his stomach.

Lan Zhan wasn't amused. The little boy watched with curiosity. "Wei Ying. Not funny." Wei Ying laughed harder. "Wei Ying!" The fox boy stopped laughing at once. Lan Zhan grabbed Wei Ying by the wrist and dragged him off. "A-Yuan. Stay here." The little boy nodded. Wei Ying wondered where he was being taken as he was dragged further into the woods.

Wei Ying: "Lan Zhan. Where are you taking me?"

Lan Zhan: "Hunting."

Wei Ying wondered. "Someone needs to watch A-Yuan. Only one of us needs to go."

Lan Zhan abruptly stopped walking. He turned around, pulling Wei Ying in by the waist, while the one hand still gripped the other's wrist. Wei Ying found he couldn't move away. "Lan Zhan! What's wrong with you? Release me at once!" Lan Zhan refused, maintaining his grip on the young fox. "Please don't be mad! It was only a joke! A joke!"

Lan Zhan wasn't having it. "Wei Ying. Don't joke like that again." Wei Ying gulped and nodded. He knew Lan Zhan was serious. "Let us return to A-Yuan."

Wei Ying was suddenly lifted and swung over the dragon's shoulder like a sack of potatoes. He didn't like it one bit, so he kicked and threw a tantrum the entire way. Lan Zhan allowed it, not caring he had just been kicked in the face. "Lan Zhan! You set me down this instant! Do you hear me? Let! Me! Go!"

Lan Zhan happily obliged, dropping Wei Ying in the pond nearby. Wei Ying fumed as he was soaked through. "Cool off. Bathe. Dinner will be ready in an hour." Wei Ying seethed with anger.

Wei Ying: "Just you wait, Lan Wangji! I'll get you back yet!" he hollered after the other.

Lan Zhan continued walking away and smiled. He was happy.

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"Sire! Please! I had no intentions of allowing them to go through, but something told me they were the ones you were looking for!" The man was on his knees before the Leader, his wrists bound behind him, tied to a long rope being held by a guard.

The man on the throne rapped his fingers, clearly bored of the excuses. "I don't want to hear it! You allowed them through rather than making them go around as per our agreement! Then they would be here already and have fallen into my trap! Now! I have to work twice as hard to bring them to my city, so I can deal with them! Take him away!"

The guard roughly pulled the town leader away, using the rope, the man being practically dragged by it. "Sire! Please! Don't do this to me! Please?!" The pleas of the man were silenced by the heavy doors swinging shut. He contemplated his next move.

"Now what do I do?" he asked no one in particular. He closed his eyes and allowed himself to do exactly what he wanted to Wei Ying in his mind. "Soon I will have you all to myself, little fox." He laughed menacingly.