Together with you

The Forbidden Lands (2/3)

Sitting alone by the fire, Shen Wei looked into the darkness of the night, wondering what dangers they would face the next day. He listened to the murmur of the river and the leaves rustling in the soft breeze. Occasionally, a moth or a mosquito tried to get past his barrier and bounced off it. The man raised his hand, slowly manipulating the dark energy of the dome. The next time something hit it, it sizzled, turning into dust. The knowledge he was keeping everybody safe from those tiny nuisances was oddly satisfying. Why hadn't he thought of that before? He even wished he could boast about it to Yunlan.

Another bug sizzled, its ashes blown away by the wind. And then something slammed into the barrier, trying to break it. Had it not been for Shen Wei's reflexes and his sixth sense, the globe would have shattered like a house of cards. Now, held by the mighty Envoy, the barrier would withstand an onslaught of an entire army. The thing attacked again, ramming into the forcefield. What worried Shen Wei most was that the thing didn't seem corporeal. It was just a brute force sent to test them. The strikes weren't extremely powerful, but the fact that there was something that could launch such attacks was a worrying thought. However, when he tried to test it, it fled, leaving no traces to follow. He sat back down, his robe disappearing.

An hour before dawn, Shen Wei heard a rustling sound, and a fat black cat emerged from the tent, stretching and yawning. It slowly approached him, brushed against his legs and sat by the dying fire.

"Is there any chance of yesterday's fish?" it asked, placing its front paws on Shen Wei's foot.

"Let me get it for you," Shen Wei reached for the leftovers, put some white fish bits on a small plate and placed it before Da Qing. The cat stepped back to the ground and sniffed the food.

"He may be grumpy today," the cat meowed. "He just fell asleep about an hour ago. Overthinking, if you ask me."

The professor frowned, instinctively looking at the tent. Perhaps leaving Zhao alone at night was a bad idea after all. "He feels responsible for all of you."

Da Qing chewed for a moment, then suddenly changed into his human form and sat next to Shen Wei.

"But we are a team. And we can pull our weight." He tilted his head to the side.

"I know, Da Qing. But he is a leader. And the responsibility will always be on his shoulders. All we can do is lift some of that burden."

"Like you do at home?"

"I would like to think that way," the professor smiled, tossing more wood into the fire. "I will bring some water from the river. I believe everyone will like freshly brewed coffee in the morning."

Half an hour later, Yunlan joined them, yawning and scratching his head.

"Early snacks?" he asked, sitting on one of the logs. "I gotta say, this tent was an excellent choice. And the mosquito nets are first class. Nothing buzzed around my ear at night. Am I smelling coffee?"

"Here," the professor poured him a hot beverage. Somehow, boasting that the lack of insects was his doing seemed childish. As long as Zhao was happy... "We were attacked at night," the Dixinian said in an undertone. The detective was instantly awake.

"By who?"

"Rather by what? I am not sure," Shen Wei shook his head. "It was an energy attack. Nothing too powerful, but we need to stay alert."

"Tell me something I don't know," Yunlan sipped his coffee. "Let's make breakfast. We need to have an early start."

"Why?" Da Qing turned to him. "Once we're in the cave, it matters very little if it's day or night outside."