Journey into the unknown

Chapter 4: The Dragoness of the West.

Tang felt so out of breath. He and Sun Wukong had been walking for nearly four hours now, and he was beginning to feel like he couldn't keep going any longer. Plus, his stomach was growling loudly from lack of food.

"You okay back there, Master!?" The Monkey demon called out from ahead. Tang gasped for air and replied weakly, "Yeah. Just tired."

Sun Wukong laughed. "Well then, we'd better get some rest. How about we set up camp here for the night?"

"But that Maltese Tiger guy could catch up at any moment," Tang responded worriedly as he sat down under a tree.

"Don't worry, if he gets anywhere near us, I'll just scare him off again," Sun Wukong assured, setting himself down next to the young Monk.

As Sun Wukong settled in next to Tang, he patted the young Monk's back reassuringly, "You need to conserve your energy for tomorrow's journey ahead. I'll keep watch while you rest, Master."

Tang nodded gratefully before closing his eyes, grateful for his loyal and protective companion. "Thanks. And you know you don't have to keep calling me that, right?" Tang remarked. "Just call me Tang."

The Monkey King smiled, his blood red eyes shining with mirth as he gazed at the younger male. "Okay, Tang," He agreed, a content smile on his features.

Tang let out a heavy sigh of relief as his body relaxed. He then opened his eyes and stared into the distance nervously. He was still on edge from the encounter with Maltese Tiger, despite his exhaustion.

Suddenly, his stomach began to rumble again, causing him to grimace at the sound. "Oh, sounds like somebody's hungry," Wukong teased him.

Tang looked embarrassed as he scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Yeah," He admitted.

The Monkey King chuckled. "No worries, I'm sure I can find some edible food around here somewhere."

Tang grinned, relieved to hear that. "Great." Tang said, giving him a grateful smile. "Just make sure it's not meat."

"Vegetarian, huh? Alright," Wukong shrugged indifferently. He then turned around and began searching for food.

A short time later, the Monkey King walked up to Tang, a bundle of bayberries and hazelnuts clutched in his hands. "Here, these should fill us up, at least for now," He offered kindly.

Tang gave him a grateful smile and gratefully accepted half of the nuts and berries. "Thanks, again." He murmured, taking a bite out of one of the berries. "These are really good," He added thoughtfully.

The night was calm and peaceful as the duo sat together by the crackling campfire. The flickering flames cast a warm glow around them, creating a cozy atmosphere in the midst of the dark forest.

As they watched the fire dance into the night sky, the silence was broken by Sun Wukong's voice. "Nice night, huh?" He said, breaking the tranquility of the moment.

Tang nodded in agreement, a small smile playing on his lips. "Yep, it is a beautiful night," He replied softly.

"Look, you can see the Four Symbols." Tang pointed up at the sky. "There's the Teal Dragon, the White Tiger, the Vermilion Bird, and the Black Tortoise."

Sun Wukong's eyes followed Tang's gesture, his gaze taking in the majestic sight above them.

"Impressive," He commented, a hint of awe in his voice. "But what's that constellation in the center?"

The Monkey King squinted at the sky, trying to discern the mysterious constellation in the center. Tang joined him, studying the night sky intently before exclaiming, "That's the Yellow Dragon. The fifth symbol."