Carp
Having dispatched the creature Hao Xuan wiped his shoes on a nearby tree and wandered along the path while waiting for Princess Ceni to catch up.
Haeti came running in first, landing soundlessly on a tree branch right above him.
Hao Xuan raised his head and saw the little scrunched-up face baring its teeth at him. "What?"
"Hmph! Impudent creature. Doesn't know what's good for it," Haeti grumbled loudly before looking away angrily.
Princess Ceni walked in at that point and moved past Hao Xuan without even throwing him so much as a glance. Hao Xuan's brow furrowed even more upon noticing her cold behavior. He did not know what had brought on this change but it was weird nonetheless, and he couldn't help but wonder why.
Unbeknownst to him, Princess Ceni had taken the advice of her much more experienced senior sister and implemented one of the many tried and tested strategies to woo inexperienced men like Hao Xuan.
In her words: