The King, The Prince, and The Warrior

Chapter 35

By the next morning, Zhu Bajie, Ao Lie, Sha Wujing, and Tripitaka were all better enough to continue onward on their journey "you know I can't help but wonder how did you know those berries were poisonous Mihou?" Sha Wujing asked looking at the tanned simian "well I learned about them from my teachers and my sister Meihui, she's very smart and likes to learn about everything" Macaque said looking at the water spirit "she must've been really smart" Sha Wujing said smiling "yes, she really was" Macaque said his smile dropping a little "is there something wrong?" Tripitaka asked looking at the tanned simian

"It's s just...I-I really miss my brother's and sisters so much, when I was imprisoned I kept thinking about my family and worry so much about them, we're they alright, are they safe, we're they looking for me, I kept thinking about those questions over and over and over again until I realized that a century had passed and....they are....no longer around" Macaque said wrapping his arms around himself his ears drooping "they all probably have descendants that don't even know me, but I would be so happy and at peace if I could meet them" Macaque said with a small smile "I know you're siblings had hope to see you again long ago and have not forgotten about you, you're kindness and love for them must've been told by their children and passed down to generations after generations, and I know that they will be happy to meet you, so you could tell them your story and the story of your kingdom long ago" Tripitaka said smiling at the tanned simian "yeah and who knows, we might run into one of them on the journey" Zhu Bajie said shrugging his shoulders, Macaque smiles feeling better "thanks everyone" Macaque said feeling much better

The group continued walking, entering a forest, but they haven't discovered that it was very quiet "oh I am absolutely starving" Zhu Bajie said rubbing his stomach "is there ever a time when you DON'T think about food" Wukong said looking at the celestial swine with a deadpan look "well, most of the time I think about-" Zhu Bajie was cut off by Wukong hitting him on the head with his fist "don't say women" Wukong said glaring at the pig demon "how odd" Macaque said looking around "it's not, there's nothing wrong to think about my wife" Zhu Bajie said rubbing his sore head "no, that's not what I'm talking about, listen" Macaque said, the pilgrims listened hearing noting "it's so quiet, I don't even hear the sound of insects" Macaque said looking around the forest, the pilgrims looked around trying to hear anything, but nothing it was quiet....too quiet "how very strange" Tripitaka said looking around

"We should keep going, I don't like this quiet" Wukong said and they continue walking feeling a dread growing inside them as they continued walking through the very quiet forest, but then Wukong stops them "brother?" Sha Wujing asked looking at the copper simian "something's wrong" Wukong said, just as he said that a twig snaps making the group look around to try to find the noise, Wukong caught something from the corner of his eye making his eyes widened in shock "Wukong, what's wrong?" Tripitaka asked as the copper simian turns to them ".....run" Wukong whispered making the others eyes widened as well "now, run now!" Wukong whispered again taking Macaques hand and the pilgrims began running, Wukong glances over his shoulder at the forest not stopping, Macaque looks at Wukong wondering what Wukong saw to make them all run

"What are we running from anyway?" Zhu Bajie asked as he runs, but before Wukong could say anything he stops just as a big wolf demon in black armor lands in front of them, the wolf turns to them snarling as he stares at Macaque "there you are" the wolf said making Macaque gasp. As the wolf was about to charge at them Wukong got his staff out and swung it across the wolf demons face knocking him away "RUN!" Wukong shouted and they ran, the wolf demon glares at them and howls signaling the other wolf demons "a Wolf demon, what's a wolf demon doing here?!" Zhu Bajie said looking around to see if there were anymore "on his shoulder plate I saw the symbol of the Cursed Immortal, he probably sent them after us!" Wukong said as he saw two wolves running catching up, one tried to bite Ao Lie's tail but the white dragon horse kicked the wolf away with his back legs

Sha Wujing saw one pouncing towards Macaque "Mihou duck!" Sha Wujing called out, the tanned simian ducks just as the water spirit knocks the wolf demon away with with weapon, Zhu Bajie tripped over a root but quickly got his footing right. The pilgrims continued to run the forest floor going down as they reached a slope. The wolf soldiers stop as they glare at the fleeing pilgrims

"Did we lost them?" Zhu Bajie asked looking behind him, but before Wukong could answer a flaming arrow pierces the tree next to Sha Wujing, then another one pierce the ground, they all looked up to see dozens of flaming arrows flying and falling in the sky and pierce the ground around them "we need to get out of here!" Wukong said as the pilgrims run trying to outrun the fire spreading, however the forest was so dry and more flaming arrows kept coming making the fire spread even faster. Smoke began to fill the air causing them to cough as more fire spreads "there's too much smoke...I can barely see where we are going" Sha Wujing said covering his face with his robe, Tripitaka covers his face with his robe as he coughs

Wukong uses his eyes of truth to scan around a safe area, after scanning he finds a clearing by a river "theres a clearing by the river, we'll be safe there!" Wukong said leading the group to where the river is guiding them through the fire, a burning tree brakes and falls down towards Zhu Bajie but Wukong push him out of the way and the tree lands on Wukong "Wukong!" Macaque said going over to the copper simian but Sha Wujing grabs his arm stopping him "don't stop, keep going I'll catch up, Sha Wujing lead them and keep going straight, Go!" Wukong said, Sha Wujing nodded "brothers, master follow me, hurry!" Sha Wujing said leading the others while Macaque looks back at Wukong as he struggles to get the burning tree off him. After long grueling minutes they finally reached the clearing coughing and covered in soot from the smoke "Is....Is everyone a-alright, no one got burnt?" Sha Wujing asked looking at everyone coughing

"Y-yeah...I think so" Zhu Bajie said coughing, Tripitaka dismount from Ao Lie as the dragon boy transform back to a boy "Here master, let's get you some water" Sha Wujing said taking his gourd off from his belt and giving it to the monk to drink "big brother?" Ao Lie said looking back at the burning forest. Macaque stares at the burning forest looking for any sign of Wukong, then Wukong flies out of the fire and lands into the river "Wukong!" Macaque said running over to the river Sha Wujing following behind, when they reach the river Sha Wujing dives into the river. A few seconds later the water spirit comes back up with Wukong and swims back to shore "Wukong, are you alright?" Tripitaka said as he, Ao Lie, and Zhu Bajie reached the river, the copper simian coughs out the water as Sha Wujing placed him on the ground, he was covered in burns and parts of his clothes were burnt too

But before the copper simian could say anything he hissed in pain and held his arm in pain "brother!" Sha Wujing said catching him before he fell, Macaque looks over the tanned simian and saw an arrow pierced deep into his right shoulder bone "nngh! It's fine....I-It barely hurts" Wukong said with a weak smile, he grabs the arrow and pulls it out quickly with a shout "guess I won't be using my arm for a while" Wukong said as Sha Wujing begins to patch the wound up putting his arm in a sling, then Wukong notice some writing across the arrow "huh, there's something written on this" Wukong said holding out the arrow, Tripitaka takes the arrow and reads it "return what you have stolen from the Curse Immortal or suffer his wrath" Tripitaka said looking back at his disciples "stole...what did we stole?" Zhu Bajie said raising an eyebrows "it's me" Macaque said looking down "he's looking....for me" Macaque said as the pilgrims looked at him in shock

"Did you stole something from him?" Tripitaka asked, Macaque shook his head "The Cursed Immortal....Kai....wants ME, and he will kill anything and anyone to get me" Macaque said wrapping his arms around himself, Wukong clenched his fist and hugged his love with one arm "I wont' let him get you, I rather die then let him take you away from me again" Wunkong said with determination "and we will protect you as well" Sha Wujing said Ao Lie nodded in agreement Zhu Bajie hesitated but nodded as well. Macaque looks at his friends and smiled "thank you, everyone" Macaque said hugging Wukong back