it's a nightmare but it's one exciting ride

New people arrive so rarely. Even more rarely do they end up staying. It happens, but not often. It is worth watching and waiting whenever a new face shows itself.

(This face looks familiar in a way none of the others have, but he cannot place it, no matter how he digs through his memory.)

When the young man has been sat down and looking around warily for long enough, he decides to show himself.

"Hello, trespasser," he half-purrs, half-growls, slinking around out of the shadows.

Well! This is not exactly on Xue Meng's list of things he thought would happen. But he wasn't dumb enough that he hadn't figured out that something would happen.

"Complain to the trees," he spits out. "They wouldn't let me go anywhere else."

(It isn't lost on him that when Shi Mei described the creature that killed his cousin, he called it a beast, a monster, not a wolf or any other ordinary predatory creature that could be found in these woods. But it also isn't lost that this person is wearing clothes and did not attack him out of nowhere.)

"I'm familiar with the phenomenon," the beast rumbles. "It seems you have no choice but to stay for a little while. And who knows? I may keep you longer. Company is so very rare, these days."

Xue Meng does not return to the village that night.

of-the-night-sky

Absolutely fucking unacceptable.

Chu Wanning wastes no time and talks to no one. Even before the sun has fully set, he grabs a horse and rides at full speed in the direction Xue Meng had described.

It doesn't take long before he, too, is scooped up by suspicious spooky trees that definitely aren't supposed to be there.

of-the-night-sky

Good. Fine. Whatever it takes to get to Xue Meng before something worse than spooky trees can happen to him.

He doesn't attempt to turn back.

He is soon spat out in front of a weird spooky castle!

The front gates loom open in a way that could be interpreted as inviting or menacing depending on one's attitude.

of-the-night-sky

He dismounts. Doesn't bother tethering the horse; he has no idea what might come out of these trees, and the horse deserves a chance to run away if it can.

Chu Wanning stomps his way inside the spooky castle. He plans to keep stomping in all plausible directions until he finds his apprentice.

The inside of the castle is also dark and spooky!

The doors slam shut once he's inside.

"Well, well," a low, rumbly voice drawls. "Two guests in one day."

of-the-night-sky

"What have you done with him."

"Nothing permanent. Don't get so excited."

of-the-night-sky

In addition to his various chisels and hammers and other tools for woodworking and metalsmithing, Chu Wanning owns one small knife for cooking. He brought it with him; he draws it now. "Explain yourself."

He steps out of the shadows.

His form is something like a wolf crossed with a man. He isn't much taller than Chu Wanning, but he is significantly broader, and his clawed hand, when it comes to wrap around the wrist holding the knife, is very strong.

"No need for such things," he tsks. "I get lonely, that's all. Your friend is fine. I haven't touched him. You can see him, if you'd like."

of-the-night-sky

of-the-night-sky

"Yes."

The beast does not let go of his wrist. He draws him by it down a hallway and to a room, which he knocks on the door of.

Muffled swearing comes from within.

The beast chuckles and opens the door.

"Shizun!" Xue Meng exclaims when he sees him. He is, to all appearances, physically unharmed.

of-the-night-sky

He rushes to his side. "Xue Meng, are you hurt?"

"I'm fine," he says, glaring at the beast.

of-the-night-sky

Wanning turns to glare at the beast also. "Let him go. He is my apprentice; I am responsible for him. If he has offended you by trespassing, I will answer for it."