The Librarian and the Fox Princess: a Donghua Dijun and Bai Fengjiu story, V.I

Chapter 89 - All Debts Must Be Paid

A/N: Sending love to all my readers affected by the fires in California and over the Western United States. 💖 As if the pandemic and all the political unrest wasn't enough. May the skies clear up, may it be safe to breathe again, and may weary souls find rest.

(Image credit: goes to owner of this awesome photo, not mine, found on Pinterest)

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Mogu continued huffing and grunting, showing his displeasure at Dong Hua who sat quietly across from them.

Suddenly her small voice appeared from under Mogu's chin. She slowly sat up from under him to reposition herself to lean against the side of his head. She smoothed his mane down away from her face.

"Mogu, we are not going anywhere," she said quietly. She had said it gently but it was clearly a directive to her mount.

Dong Hua's eyes flashed with a cool and tepid hope as he looked up from the ground to regard her.

She continued stroking her mount's face slowly.

"Mogu, you told me and my friends at the Phoenix Flower Exhibition yourself. You would do anything for your master, isn't that correct?"

The beast hummed in resentful acknowledgment.

"And you told me that he saved you as a cub? He's like a father to you?"

"Mmmph," he huffed out with slight agitation.

"Mogu, I saw it myself when I tried to heal you in the barrier when demons were attacking us. You have wonderful memories as a cub with Dijun, don't you?"

"Huummph," Mogu grunted out. She took it as an affirmative.

"Dijun aura-traveled us all home. I know it made him tired. He had to take a nap. Mogu do you know how big you are? And how energetically heavy you might be? Hmm?" she asked as she softly cooed at him. Dong Hua had never heard her make the soothing odd sound before. He surmised it must have been a fox noise.

"I know I am of large stature," grumbled out the beast. "I am large everywhere!" he proudly boasted.

She nodded. "Yes, Mogu that means Dijun had to use significant cultivation to bring all of us back here. He even thought to cut out treats for you from the belly of the Chiyan beast."

Mogu glared at his master, poked out his tongue, and then looked begrudgingly away.

"Master ... knows I like the spicy taste but it makes my eternal dark place burn when I defecate. Did he cut out the gonads?" asked the beast curiously.

It was the first time she had looked at him since he had yelled at her. She simply raised her eyebrows at him. "Um, I'm not sure Mogu but wouldn't you want to find out? If we leave, you'll never know."

And then she added, "give him a chance to make it better. He always does."

Dong Hua tried to catch her eye again but she returned her attention onto her mount. He was grateful at her patience with convincing the stubborn beast to stay. He repeated to himself what she had said. 

We are not going anywhere.

"But Master was cross with you. He did the angry talk!!" The beast rumbled out a low growl.

"Yes, but he's not really angry. Not with you and not with me."

"My ears are not like your fetus friends'! My ears at large, thick, and are sharp as Mistress's fox ears. I heard him give out the man-growl to you."

"Mogu, that's because your master was scared," she said quietly still talking about Dong Hua as if he wasn't there.

"Scared?!" The mount's gruff tone was a mix of taunting disbelief.