Devil's Moon

Chapter 6

After hours of walking Taylor and Qiūtiān still didn't see any difference in their landscape. Their legs and feet were aching, their throats were dry and they were exhausted beyond compare.

"Honestly! It feels like we aren't getting anywhere!" Taylor whined. She then proceeded to dramatically fall to her knees and cry.

"Taylor!" Said Qiūtiān in a worried voice. He knelt in front of her and pressed the back of his hand to her forehead. "It seems you have a bit of a fever. Perhaps we should rest for a bit." All Taylor could do was nod in agreement.

Qiūtiān pulled Taylor towards him and leant against a tree. Taylor was about to protest but she then felt Qiūtiān gently run his hand through her hair. It reminded Taylor of how her father used to play with her hair as he read to her. Until...

Qiūtiān had no idea what had come over him but Taylor's hair was so soft and silky. He felt a tiny drop of water on his arm and looked to see that Taylor was desperately trying to hold back tears.

"What's wrong Taylor? Did I do something to upset you?" Qiūtiān's voice was laced with concern and insecurity, he was obviously not used to this kind of situation.

"It's not that you did something wrong. It's just...my father used to always play with my hair like you just were, but he died in a mining accident last year."
Taylor's voice was slowly getting more unstable and her tears, no matter how hard she tried to hold them in, started to flow freely.

Qiūtiān was at a loss for what to do. So he just sat there holding Taylor in his arms, rubbing her shoulder soothingly and trying to work out what to say. But Taylor soon fell asleep against him, providing an excuse for his lack of ability in social situations.

To Qiūtiān, Taylor's sleeping face was beautiful. She looked so relaxed at that moment that Qiūtiān couldn't help but smile and lean back against the tree and fall asleep right along with Taylor.
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When Taylor awoke, she was still leaning against Qiūtiān's chest as it steadily rose and fell. She realised that she had told Qiūtiān about her family's greatest weakness and he had listened.

However, as Taylor tried to move, Qiūtiān's arms gripped her like a vice. She could barely wriggle so she opted to bite him on the shoulder. He awoke with a startled cry and jumped away from Taylor.

"What was that for?" He grumbled, still holding his shoulder where Taylor bit him.

"You wouldn't let me go." She answered, with just a hint of amusement sparkling in her emerald green eyes. She opened her mouth again, as if to continue, but the both of them caught a faint scent on the wind before her words could come out.

Both of them, as if with one mind, started running towards the origin of the scent, dodging trees and bushes along the way. Finally, the trees became thinner and thinner before disappearing altogether, and opening up into a beautiful landscape.

The ocean.
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Author's Note
I had no idea how to write that middle bit for ages, that's why this chapter is so much later than the rest. Please forgive me and leave some constructive criticism.

Is it just me or are these characters very good friends for this point in the story?