Rising Moon

Chapter 1

In the quiet of the early morning, the sun gently nudged the horizon, painting the sky with strokes of pink and gold. The dew clung to the leaves, creating a shimmering carpet beneath the trees. A light breeze whispered through the branches, carrying the faint scent of blossoms. Amidst the serene beauty of nature, a solitary figure emerged from the shadows, dragging a heavy burden behind him.

It was the macaque, a creature whose fur was once vibrant and full of life, now matted with dirt and blood. His eyes, usually bright with curiosity, were now clouded with pain and loss. The landscape lay in ruins, a stark reminder of the fierce clash that had taken place. The air had the smell of dust and the distant cries of the defeated, slowly fading into the oblivion of the dawn.

As he slowly crawled away from the ruins , Macaque felt the searing agony of the wound on his side, and the agony in his eye a grim souvenir from Sun Wukong's staff. He had watched the blow come down, felt the impact, and seen the rage in his mate's eyes. Yet, here he was, defying the fate that had been dealt to him. Each breath was a struggle, each movement a victory over the pain that sought to claim him. The memories of their adventures played like a tapestry in his mind, moments of joy, of their love and interwoven with the stark reality of his current predicament.

He could not stop the gurgle cries he gave out or the stream of tears that refused to stop rolling down his face, stinging and intensifying the pain he already felt ten fold.

' I was only trying to help, all I've ever want to do was help you'

' Why'

'WHY!!!!!'

'Why wasn't I enough'      a small whisper said in his thoughts

As he crawled away from the carnage, the macaque's thoughts grew clearer. He recalled the countless times Wukong had promised they would be together forever, even start a family, their bond unbreakable.

Yet, when the world grew too vast and the battles were too great, Wukong left him behind, choosing to forge ahead on his own path. The macaque had always followed faithfully , hoping to be of use, only to find himself in the position of the discarded, the expendable. The sting of those rejections burned almost as fiercely as the pain in his side.

' He didn't mean to do this to me'

' He knows I never attack first'

' He'll come back.............He has to'

' Don't leave me alone again........'

'Please Peaches'

The macaque paused, his eyes searching the horizon for a sign of his mate. But there was only emptiness, a void that mirrored the one growing in his heart.

He sat by the tree side for hours waiting for Wukong to come back. Slowly, his eye started to dim as the flicker of hope started to die inside of him. The tears continued to fall down his face with the relation of the situation.

When Wukongs temper grew fierce or when he would not defend him when his brothers would say hurtful things about him, Macaque always came back after their disagreements and they would talk.

He had always been there, the ever-loyal mate, the one who picked up the pieces when Wukong's battles grew too fierce. Yet, when the time came for Wukong to be there for him, he wasn't.

"Is this really it ? " He whispered to himself as his voice gravelly and dry from the lack of water and blood loss.

" Why am I always left alone?" he slowly whispered to himself as he closed his eye and gave in to the many dark thoughts and insecurities.

As he turned his gaze up towards the sun as it was making its descent to meet the moon. To always come crawling back for any little affection he could possibly get, is this really what he wants?

His thoughts goes to his sworn sister Princess Iron Fan and Demon Bull King; they were mates, and their relationship was nothing like his and Wukongs. Bull King would always correct anyone when they started spouting about his mate, he would even step in a few times to defend macaque when he visited the brotherhood.

' Why couldn't Wukong do this for me'

The small visits macaque would make to their palace he would see the love and care they had between one another and well as the arguments. They are very explosive with each other but they never resorted to truly physically harming each other with life threatening wounds. Sure they would spare here and there to get their point across but they would make sure they would not hurt each other to the point of lethal wounds.

' So why did Wukong'

With a growl that was more defiance than pain, the macaque pulled himself upright. His resolve hardened like the steel of Wukong's staff. No longer would he be the one to clean up after others' battles. He had tasted the bitterness of abandonment, and it had only fueled his desire to live on his own terms. He wiped the tears from his eye, leaving streaks of grime on his fur.

The world was vast, filled with mysteries and adventures waiting to be discovered. He had seen enough of the Journey to the West or a Life protecting Flower Fruit Mountain to know that there was more to life than fighting someone else's battles. The macaque took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the crisp morning air. It was time to chart his own destiny.

He stumbled through the forest, his steps growing stronger with each new sunrise. The trees whispered secrets of the world beyond the battlefield, of lands untouched by the chaos of war. His mind raced with possibilities, dreams of exploration, and self-discovery. The pain in his eye was a constant companion, but it no longer consumed him. It was a reminder of his newfound resolve.

The macaque encountered a stream, its clear waters a stark contrast to the turmoil within him. He dipped his hand into the cool liquid, watching the ripples spread outwards. It was a symbol of the change he was about to undertake. He took a long drink, the water soothing his parched throat. It tasted of freedom, of a life not dictated by the whims of others.