WangXian Forever 5

Chapter 73 Perplexity

Zhitiao knew what her beloved sister was going through. The deep sighs, followed by the sudden tears...she knew how difficult it was to come face to face with unwanted truths.

She wished she could make things easier for her, to take away her pain and uncertainty, but alas, this was a solitary journey. Zhitiao knew because she had walked it herself.

She braced herself and waited.

*******

Li XiWang stroked the kitten, worried.

"Father, please will you check her?" Li XiWang felt terribly worried. "Xiao Mao hasn't eaten anything at all, for two days. This is the third day." She picked up the fluffy puddle and put it in Wei Ying's lap.

"Um...I'm not that great with animals..." Wei Ying said.

But Xiao Mao did look different. Her fur was still white, but thicker and softer, and other than her sleepy state, she didn't seem to be displaying any other outward signs. Still...

"Lan Zhan?" Wei Ying looked at him, concerned. "Xiao Mao does seem quieter. What do you think?"

Lan Zhan stroked the soft white fur gently. He knew about bunnies...

"Give her to me." A different voice rang out in the silence.

They all looked towards that person. So much like her twin, and...so much not.

Yezi looked determined.

"I'm good with animals." She added, looking at her sister for confirmation.

"She is..." Zhitiao added, supportively.

They all looked doubtful, and the silence grew, becoming unfailingly awkward. They looked at each other, and no one wanted to express doubts, but she was ... was an assassin, first and foremost.

Li XiWang was terrified they were going to hand over her precious Xiao Mao to the aggressive sister. She tried not to say anything, to even make a noise in the negative, but a whimper slipped past her lips anyway.

"Er...what do you think? Lan Zhan?" Wei Ying's silver eyes betrayed his thoughts.

"Mn."

"That could mean either, don't think I don't know what you're doing!" He hissed, under his breath, trying to glare but failing.

Lan Zhan was too beautiful.

It was Zhitiao who put them all out of their misery.

"Shidi, you can trust my sister. She truly can help the little one. I promise with my life."

Her eyes were begging Wei Ying to trust her.

"Okay." Wei Ying stood up with Xiao Mao and walked to Yezi, stopped only by the tugging of his robes. He looked down to see Li XiWang pleading with her eyes not to do it.

"Little rabbit...sometimes, we must give people a chance." He whispered.

"But...but...Father!" She was too polite to say what she thought.

Wei Ying searched for and found Hui Gai.

Please, tell me you can control this situation.

Hui Gai showed him all his teeth. Of course, Pengyou.

He vanished and appeared right next to Yezi.

Yezi trembled, but she held out her hands.

"Little rabbit, let me go." Wei Ying whispered. "Go to your father and just watch."

Lan Zhan opened his arms, and she scrambled inside his big sleeves.

Wei Ying marched towards Yezi, a smile playing upon his lips, feeling anything but confident. If the assassin tried anything...anything at all...

I am here. Hui Gai reassured him.

Li XiWang watched each step, timing it with her heartbeats, wishing and praying...that nothing happened to her little Xiao Mao.

"Please, tell us what is wrong with her." Wei Ying asked, earnestly. He gently placed the little kitten into her hands.

Before Yezi could take the little fluff ball, Hui Gai bent so he could speak directly into her ear.

"Try anything and you're dead." He kept a smile on his face, so no one knew what he'd just threatened her with.

Yezi paled, but didn't panic.

She took the tiny white bundle.

Li XiWang hid her face in Lan Zhan's neck.

Cautiously, Yezi placed her fingers at the heart of the little kitten, who by then was fully awake. One hand held the tiny body firmly, while the fingers deftly navigated the white fur, searching. Blue eyes stared back, distrustful.

She hesitated two more times, wanting to calm the little kitten before trying to finish her examination.

"I...I can hear something....but it seems irregular." She whispered. Her eyes found Wei Ying.

"What's irregular?" He whispered back.

They spoke gently, as if the slightest noise could trigger unwanted repercussions.

"Her heartbeats. There's two," she looked even more puzzled.

"Two?" Hongse marched forward.

"Here." Yezi thrust the kitten into her hands. "Tell me what you hear."

Hongse also felt along the sides of the tiny body. The kitten mewled pitifully.

Li XiWang's hushed sobs reached them.

"There, there, be a good girl, won't you?" Hongse crooned.

"So?" Yezi asked her.

"You're right. There are two heartbeats."

"So what do we do now? Yezi asked, her agitation apparent.

"Nothing. We have to wait." Hongse stepped back.

"Wait for what?" Wei Ying asked confused.

They both shrugged at him.

"Here, give her back to the little girl." Yezi handed the kitten over.

Xiao Mao blinked a few times, blue eyes drifting closed. Terribly disappointed, Wei Ying looked at both women, neither of whom looked in the least bit worried.

"I don't understand." He said, cradling the soft kitty.

"We don't know when it will happen, but it will happen soon." Hongse De replied, cryptically.

"What will happen?" He persisted, but Hongse gave him a little push towards Li XiWang.

She stayed in Lan Zhan's lap but held out her hands for the kitty. Wei Ying placed her in Li XiWang's lap and wiped away her tears.

"She will be okay." Wei Ying told her, but it was the voice of a parent who wished for success rather than someone who could guarantee it.

Xiao Mao yawned and stretched. The kitten suddenly stared at Li XiWang, now unblinking, all playfulness gone. Li XiWang also, could not look away.

Li XiWang blinked, for a second and suddenly, her eyes were white.

A soft breeze blew around them, but neither looked away, instead, a white thread of light connected both to each other, establishing a contact. For a split second, kitty's eyes flashed white, and Li XiWang's flashed blue, and then they both passed out.

Wei Ying looked desperately at Hongse. They were used to Li XiWang having these...episodes, but now the cat too? Just what was going on?"

"I know you're worried." Hongse came to sit with them. "But you needn't be. For every good witch has a familiar. Your daughter's familiar is just a bit more special."