A Dream of a Long Winter

3: 'Man cannot be judged by looks, seas cannot be judged by cup'

I didn't dare use my true form to travel any faster. Qi was frenzied with demon hunters who lusted for spiritual blood, and though I had power, a group of them would surely be my end. So I walked and walked for days dreaming of Mount Kunlan, stopping to rest under trees or caves I could find scattered in my path.

My only luck seemed to be that no other clans lived in the area. If I wandered into snake or tiger spirit territory, the peace we've had for so long would be gone. Master used to tell stories of the feud between the three groups from long ago. It was a war that lasted for six generations, and almost ended in the destruction of all involved. A shaky peace treaty was agreed on by the remaining survivors, but if even one stepped onto the other's land, it would vanish.

Tales of old gods and spirits were nothing but a bore. When I was young, I would sit at master's feet with wide eyes and dream of the fantastical adventures I could embark on. What remained of that fox cub from then? All I saw in myself was bitter resentment and regret.

Or perhaps, I had always been that way.

I knelt in a small cave hidden by two large stones to take shelter for the coming nightfall. The sky in northern Qi went through a constant cycle. When it was day, the only color above was a pale grey, and night was just a darker shade. As I sat watching the turbulent clouds roll by afar, my eyes began to grow heavier and heavier.

"Sleep both blesses and curses those who fall to its spell," master always taught. "Be wary of the vengeful ghosts who can enter your mind at its weakest."

Despite his past warnings, I let myself fall into a deep slumber, not caring for what could be lurking in the depths. And that night, I had the most beautiful of dreams. I could only recall seeing Daji cradling the infant Xian in her arms as she sang a sweet lullaby in her ear. I wondered... if fate had gone a different path, could the mother and child be together still? There was no answer. The two faded into the sea of sleep, only Daji's gentle song lingering.

When I awoke, the scent of burning wood filled my nostrils, and there was an uncomfortable heat far too close to my face. I sat up in shock, my eyes training on two figures seated near. A mortal man and a large black dog were sprawled out near a crackling fire. The mortal glanced at me with disinterest and rubbed the dog's head.

"Look who woke up," he cooed at the dog, while smiling like a fool. "You know, it's dangerous to be sleeping out here."

I was speechless. Was he talking to me or the dog? I curled my lip in disdain as I watched him scratch the animal's stomach. Traveling with Daji taught me humans came in many different forms, but only after her death did they all begin to look the same. This mortal was no different.

I ignored him and got up from the ground. A new layer of snow had fallen overnight, and the frigid wind sent a chill through my bones. This part of Qi was getting harder to survive in. I feared if I didn't reach Mount Kunlan soon, I would freeze in this wasteland.

I inched a bit toward the flames as I kept a watchful eye on the odd pair. The warm heat that emanated from the fire danced across my skin, and beckoned me closer. I sat down once more. Staying here longer seemed to be the most sensible choice.

And so we sat in silence, another storm plaguing the land. Though I could manage to pass through it in my true form, the risk was too great. The light flurry had morphed into a windstorm of snow without warning, so I took the chance to finally observe my unlikely company.

The mortal was ordinary, nothing seemed unique about him. Basic face, basic clothes... the only oddity was his presence in the wilderness of Qi. The dog was what I found interesting. It was much larger than the average canine, and its eyes regarded me with an intelligence I had never seen in a normal beast. Perhaps it was a spirit? If it was, I would've sensed its presence.