[MDZS] The Dragon and the Fox

Dark Powers; Wei Ying's Secret

Wei Ying ran and ran and ran away from there. He didn't know what he was running from, only that he needed to continue moving, or whatever it was would capture him again, and he might not be able to escape. He froze for a moment when he heard a menacing growl. He morphed into his fox form, all the markings glowing a deep red amongst the black. He growled back, deep and dark.

The thing growling at him emerged from the shadows of the underbrush. It was another fox, only this one having no markings and only one tail. It sneered at him. "Hello, little fox." Wei Ying continued to growl, his eyes and markings glowing brighter. "Stop growling at me. I'm here to help you." Wei Ying stopped growling, but he didn't speak. He glared at the other. "You don't know how to speak in this form, do you?" Wei Ying went from glaring to utter surprise. "I thought not." The fox turned human. Wei Ying remained in his fox form. He felt comfortable and safe. Something about the fox spirit before him made him suspicious.

"Xue Yang!" a new voice called out. Wei Ying glared at the stranger once again. The growl emanating from his throat was very dark and sinister. A black smoke loomed around him, eventually covering him completely. A few seconds after the smoke cleared, Wei Ying had disappeared again. Xue Yang crossed his arms in annoyance as the new figure appeared from the brush. "Here you are! What in Hell are you doing standing around for? We need to find my servant!"

Xue Yang huffed and rolled his eyes. "If the almighty Jiang Clan Leader had kept his big mouth shut! we would have had your servant right here! But you had to go and scare him off with your shouting!"

Zidian crackled and sparked. "Don't get mouthy with me fox. I don't care who's servant you are. I will whip you into oblivion," Jiang Cheng growled.

Xue Yang smirked, a cheeky smile finding it's way onto his face. "You forget how I have dark powers. Zidian means nothing to me in terms of pain." He leaned in so close to the Clan Leader's face, Jiang Cheng shivered from fear. "Don't ever tell me what to do when my own master doesn't care what I do. I could kill you in a heartbeat, and Wen Ruohan wouldn't lift a finger to defend you. You understand now? I don't need to help you find your servant. I just am."

Jiang Cheng felt he could finally breathe, when Xue Yang backed away. "Let's continue. Which way did he go?"

Xue Yang: "That's going to be a bit of a problem."

Jiang Cheng: "What do you mean?"

Xue Yang: "He's like me, only he's about three times as powerful. He disappeared completely. I don't know where he went."

Jiang Cheng was having his doubts. He crossed his arms in contemplation as he stared down the one-tailed fox. After a few moments, he sighed. "Fine," he grumbled. "Let's go." Xue Yang watched with a smirk as Jiang Cheng walked away in the opposite direction. The only two knowing Wei Ying was still there were Xue Yang and Wei Ying himself.

Xue Yang: "I have to leave now. You're safe for the time being. You might want to go back to your dragon. He'll be here any minute." The fox disappeared from sight with a loud whoosh!

Lan Zhan was searching diligently for Wei Ying. He'd been searching for hours. The first rays of light of the new day appeared in the horizon. Lan Zhan sighed. If he didn't find Wei Ying and return to the camp in time, he feared Yuan would wake up and run off trying to find them or think they had somehow abandoned him. His steps quickened as he made his way down the path he was certain Wei Ying had headed in.

He heard it. It was faint at first, but grew louder as he neared. "-an Zhan! Lan Zhan! Where are you?"

Lan Zhan: "Wei Ying!" He moved faster, until he reached the area the voice resounded from. He saw the young fox on the ground, crying. "Wei Ying!" He immediately ran to him. "Wei Ying. Am right here. Wei Ying is safe." Wei Ying blinked a few times before his vision would clear.

Wei Ying threw himself onto Lan Zhan, crying. "Lan Zhan! Lan Zhan! I'm scared!"

The dragon did his best to comfort the poor fox while trying not to be distracted by his red ears and racing heart. "Wei Ying. It's alright. Am here now. Wei Ying is safe." He lifted the fox boy and carried him back to camp. Wei Ying had fallen asleep once more by the time they'd arrived. The sun had risen nearly halfway into the sky. Luckily, Yuan hadn't awakened yet. Lan Zhan laid Wei Ying on the ground, covering him with the blanket. Lan Zhan used his own coat to support the fox boy's head.

Yuan awakened just as Lan Zhan was finishing with cooking. The little boy waltzed over to investigate the food. "Wow!" he exclaimed with bright eyes. "This looks delicious!" He sniffed the air, breathing in the different scents radiating from the food. "It even smells delicious!" His stomach growled.

Lan Zhan: "Go bathe. Lunch will be ready in ten minutes." The boy nodded, hurrying off toward the stream to bathe. Lan Zhan decided to check on Wei Ying. The fox boy was still sleeping. Lan Zhan had hoped the smell of the food would help to awaken him, but it didn't. Wei Ying shivered a bit, huddling more under the blankets.

Wei Ying: "S-so...cold..." Lan Zhan carried him, laying him closer to the fire, making certain the poor boy was covered with the blankets as much as possible. "S-so...c-cold..." Wei Ying's shivering intensified. Lan Zhan wondered why when the boy was so close to the fire. Lan Zhan felt Wei Ying's forehead. It was deathly cold, almost freezing.

Lan Zhan thought back on what had happened that night. "Wei Ying...just what are you hiding from me?" he whispered to the other. He did his best all that day to try and warm the boy up, but nothing was working. They flew back to Cloud Recesses. Yuan loved it, clapping and laughing excitedly the entire way. Lan Zhan was beginning to wonder how he would ever be able to speak to his uncle on the matter. At the Jingshi, Yuan was sent to another room, while Lan Zhan cared for Wei Ying.

Wei Ying shivered violently. "So...cold..." Lan Zhan decided to lay down with him and see if his body heat would help. He pulled the fox boy closer to himself. Wei Ying immediately cuddled closer. "So...warm..." He fell into a deep, restful slumber.

Wei Ying...What are you hiding from me?