The Fall of Yara

Xiao ran around the night market until exhaustion started to overtake her. How could she be so sleepy? Xiao wondered. All she had done for the last eight years was sleep. Xiao leaned against Song, who was more than happy to scoop her into his arms and take her back up the mountain.

Even as Song carried her, Xiao tried to keep her eyes open. The more she fought it, the heavier they became; sleep called to her insisting on claiming her in its sweet embrace.

Song hated deceiving Xiao, but he had no choice; he mixed sleeping herbs into her tea when she wasn't looking. Yara had crossed the line, and if he didn't teach her a lesson tonight, how could Song call himself the Fox King of the Silver Night Clan.

Fearing Xiao would hate him if she saw his darker side Song decided the best choice was to place her into a deep slumber just for the night. May Xiao forgive him. To Song, Xiao was a creature of pure light, and he would not taint her. Xiao could never learn of the darkness within Song.

As swiftly as his legs would carry, Song rushed down the mountain, and once, he picked up on Yara's scent, he preceded to hunt her.

Yara lay atop a rock, bathing under the moonlight; she laughed as if her putrid looks could charm Song. Even under the grace of moonlight, Yara's beauty was nonexistent. How many of his kin had fallen for her charms baffled Song?

Song knew without doubt Yara had only targeted Xiao due to his disdain for her. Many a time, Yara had tried to approach him, and he had sent her on her way faster than she'd gotten some wicked idea to enthrall him.

While Song did not believe himself a good man even, he wouldn't lay with a creature as repulsive as Yara.

As the moon shone, its light Song moved with the lightness of a butterfly and the swiftness of a jaguar. Song's claws pierced through Yara's back, puncturing her lungs as he lifted her. He pulled out her liver, followed by her crooked heart; even if his kin ate such things, Song would not dirty himself by ingesting any part of Yara.

The other immortals present had known what would happen to Yara. No doubt waited in the shadows for Song to leave so they could feast on her remains, but Song would only be generous to one being, and that being was Xiao. Song had waited for Xiao for eight years; he would wait longer, if necessary, but he would remove them from this earth if anyone dared look at her.

Out of all who lingered in the shadows, only Itsuki was brazen enough to step forward.

"Oh, great King," the tree spirit trembled; perhaps it wasn't braveness that brought him forward, "do forgive me, but would you allow this old tree spirit to absorb her essence."

Song studied Itsuki for a moment and realized the old tree spirit had only days to live. Itsuki had always had a habit of gifting portions of his cultivation to the younglings that got wounded.

How could Itsuki be so reckless as to give away so much? Song could not forget how the old tree had guarded him when he was no more than a kit. Thus, for Itsuki's sake, he allowed Yara's essence to remain long enough for Itsuki to absorb it.

With one kind act Song absolved himself of what some would call a sin.

Before the moon could set and the sun could rise, Song hurried back to his burrow, where Xiao slept soundly. He would never get tired of watching her sleep, especially now that he could see her face.

Xiao's long black lashes fluttered open as Song rested his head beside her. She gave Song a lazy smile before moving closer and burrowing her head into his chest.

Song had removed any trace of the night's events, but Song worried Xiao would smell blood on him. When he thought to push her away, Xiao's hold tightened around his arm, the sound of her heartbeat easing his own. With Xiao's breath warming his chest, Song fell asleep, and for once, he did not fear being alone.

Xiao opened her eyes to the chirping of birds dancing outside their burrow. Careful not to wake Song, Xiao crawled out of furs he'd laid out for her and headed outside the den, where the birds greeted her as if she were one of their own.

Song's home was made deep into the ground where Xiao's tree rested. Xiao placed a hand on the cherry blossom tree that had been her home for the last eight years. It was as if the tree recognized her and sent a pulse of warmth into Xiao's hand.

The branches swayed as if dancing to the breeze. For a moment, Xiao could have sworn she saw the tree give off a golden light, the cherry blossom petals' light pink hue glowing as if lit from within.

As Xiao studied the cherry blossom tree, Song woke with a start had someone taken his Xiao. Song felt his heart sink at the thought and rushed outside to find Xiao standing beneath the cherry blossom tree; face held high, eyes closed with a smile dancing on her face. Cherry blossom petals fell all around Xiao, forming a protective barrier around her.

The cherry blossom tree was the only of its kind in the peach grove that lined the Mountain of Immortals. Song believed a seed had been brought here long ago and had yet to achieve its final stage of immortality, for even a tree could take the form of man.

Cultivation could be done by anyone whiling to put in the effort and have the discipline to continue. Song's mother used to say one must never let darkness fill one's heart, for once it does, nothing can clear it away. The mind, much like the eternal soul, must always be clear. What good that ever did her, his father took advantage of his mother's good heart, used her for his own cultivation then tossed her to the side. Song would never forgive the self-righteous immortals.