[MDZS] The Dragon and the Fox

Awakening - Part 2

Xichen sighed. It had been three days since his brother fell asleep. Three days of nothing but silence. Without the young fox around, it was too quiet. The silence was heavy. It weighed him down. He needed to leave - to go find the young fox and drag him back to Cloud Recesses. He would hide the fox away if he had to, so his uncle would be unaware of the other's presence.

Xichen stood with determination. That's just what he would do! He would find Wei Ying and drag him back by all nine of his tails, hide him away, and then his brother would return to him. At least, he hoped it would work...

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Xue Yang didn't know what was happening. All he knew was the point at which he'd upset the ninetails, Wei Wuxian had lost all control. The ninetails was lost to his own power. Xue Yang needed to do something to stop it, keep it at bay, anything! He could think of nothing though.

A strong gust of wind blew in their direction at that moment. Xue Yang turned to find one beautiful, but angry, dragon standing afar in the trees. He knew at once he should skedaddle, yet he couldn't help save to stare in wonder at the dragon in the distance. He at once wondered what the other was doing there.

An idea occurred to him. An evil smirk graced his face. "Hello, Dragon!" he called out. "Welcome to the party!"

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Xichen followed the scents and sounds to the midst of the forest. Black clouds loomed and swirled around, blocking the dragon's eyesight. He grew angry. A gust of wind swirled around him, shooting outward. It blew the dark clouds away, revealing a passed out ninetails, and a grinning one-tail.

The one-tail chuckled. "Hello, Dragon!" he called out. "Welcome to the party!"

Xichen glared. The one-tail felt his heart jump in fear. He swallowed hard. This stupid dragon! What is it he wants? Why is he interfering with my plan?

"Release him to me immediately, Fox!" Xichen demanded.

Xue Yang's grin grew wider. He knew how powerful the dragon was, and he didn't want to mess with him - yet! "Of course you can have him! I was just about to send him home!" He knew that was a lie.

Xichen drew nearer, until he was standing next to Wei Ying. "I see. What did you do to him?"

I swear! This dragon! It's like he can read my thoughts! "Nothing! I swear! I found him passed out here with all the smoke swirling around him! It was too powerful for me to move through!"

Xichen glared at him in disbelief. "Of course it was. You are only a one-tail after all. He is a ninetails. Be on your way, before I lose my temper completely!"

Not wanting to anger the dragon even more, he made his mind up to leave, but not before having some more fun. "Look here, Dragon! Can't we come to a truce? Names Xue Yang! What's yours? To be honest, he came to me to try and learn more about his dark power. It seems he has yet to be able to control it!"

Xichen said nothing. Instead, he picked up Wei Ying. As he bent down, he felt a flash of energy move toward him. He dodged just in time, Wei Ying in his arms. A large pit was left behind by the energy blast right where the ninetails had been laying.

"You bastard! What did you just try to do?"

"Am I not allowed to say goodbye to my student? You were just going to take him from me without my hearsay! What if I told you he doesn't want to go back? What will you do then? Force him too? What will you do when he runs away again?"

Xichen stood motionless. Seconds passed before he answered. His mind raced with thoughts of his brother. "I need him to help my brother! Should be choose to leave afterward, I have no objections!"

Xue Yang sneered, his grin growing ever wider. "A wise, but foolish choice, my friend! It would have been better had you not allowed him to escape in the first place!"

"It is not our place to hold others hostage!" Xichen argued. "Everyone has a choice! Everyone is free to make their own decisions!"

"In that case, why are you forcibly hauling him back? If he chose to leave, then hauling him back while he's unconscious would be going against your morals! Wait until he awakens, then ask him! Give him the chance to chose between either me or your brother!"

Xichen stopped dead in his tracks. He didn't want to admit it, but the one-tail was right! Damn him! "Fine! I agree with what you say. However, we don't know when he will awaken! Allow me to take him to my healer!"

Xue Yang laughed to himself. He won this battle! Now, all he needed to do was win the prize! "Very well! Take care of my student! I shall be expecting his return some time soon! Good day to you, Dragon!" A cloud of smoke surrounded him. Once it dissipated, he was gone.

Xichen was suspicious. It was too easy. Perhaps he was reading too much into it, but he still needed to be cautious. Something wasn't right with that fox. He sighed. It was no use mulling over it then. He needed to get Wei Ying back to Cloud Recesses.

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Wei Ying didn't know where he was. All he knew was it was dark without any trace of light. He couldn't even see his hand in front of his face. He walked slowly and carefully through the darkness, his hands held out in front of him to help feel his way through.

After some time had passed, he came up on a single stream of light. He stopped momentarily to study it, his gaze never leaving its center. He drew closer - little by little - until he could see who or what was inside it. He gasped from excitement. He almost ran to the figure, but halted before moving even two steps. Were they even who he thought they were? If so, why was he so excited to see them?

He made a decision to try. Even if it wasn't him, he would still try.

"La-Lan Zhan...?" he called out to the figure quietly. His voice echoed through the darkness despite how quietly he spoke.

The figured did indeed hear him. It stood tall, and turned around slowly.

Wei Ying gasped again - whether from fear or excitement, he didn't know. It was Lan Zhan!

"Lan Zhan!" he called out again to the other, a bit braver that time. He waved to the other as he felt his feet move of their own will and run toward them. "Lan Zhan! It's me! It's Wei Ying!"

As he was drawing nearer, the light began to move farther and farther away from him. Lan Zhan turned away and began walking in the opposite direction. He struggled to keep up. His heart pounded in his chest with every step, every breath he took.

"Lan Zhan, wait!! Please, wait?!" He called out in desperation, but the other did not heed his cry, nor did they cease their movement and halt in their footsteps.

Wei Ying ran and ran and ran but could not catch up no matter how hard he tried. At one point, he tripped and fell. He tried to stand back on his feet, but it felt as though something was weighing him down. He watched in desperation as the light faded into the distance. He held his hand out. "Lan Zhan!" he cried out. There was no sound from his lips. The light faded completely, leaving the poor fox in deep, bitter darkness.