Between the lines

The panda bear cat again

Time passed and the number of the old cottage's inhabitants grew every day. If someone were to go to that place now, they wouldn't be able to recognize the old cottage. They'd extended it so there would be enough space for all of them. They bought birds and two goats. Planted crops and peach trees.

The kids were delighted to run around the yard or to have courses among wildflowers on the bank of the river. They were taught to read and basic mathematics. Hua Qiangu would usually tell them legends or teach them about the history of the immortal sects.

The Demon Godness decided to postpone her journey to Europe for a while as all those people needed her.

"Maybe, next spring." She thought as she watched the blue sky. She was alone as Zhu Ran had taken the others in the forest to teach them to hunt. Only she and Panda-Bear remained home. He'd got a bit fatty which made the cat's name even more appropriate for him. Now, he looked even more like a panda bear.

Tom soon got bored of wandering in the woods. He didn't need all those tricks and exercises. A few waves of his wand and the right words and the prey would be dead. Instantly.

Yet he didn't muster the courage to stay home. Not when he knew Hua Qiangu could read him like a book and he was walking on a broken string. One wrong word and he would cause another conflict with her.

He wondered how long he would be able to stay with her. He had the slightest idea how he'd ended there in the first place and it was difficult to predict when he would have to return. If he were honest he didn't want to return anymore even if that meant him giving up his ambitions.

He distanced himself from his companions and strolled around the forest. The day was beautiful. He'd always liked to wander in nature. A lonely fox crossed his path. The fox threw a fugitive glance at him. Its brown eyes met his. He contemplated if he should kill the fox. Just for fun. Before he made up his mind the fox was long gone.

The fox was far enough from the cottage for Tom to worry about the fox attacking the chicken or Panda-Bear. Ohhh, that insupportable cat that always kept following him. Everywhere. All the time. Meow here, meow there. Unless one of the kids would have captured the cat and kept him by force in their room. Or unless the puppy, which was now a year old, got into a playing mood and started to chase him around the yard.

From where he was, Tom could see the house and the yard. He noticed Panda-Bear at the top of a tree. Then, he saw her. A pink spot of colour like a peach flower, dancing in the sunlight.

Hua Qiangu noticed him, too. A spot on the top of the hill. She waved at him and he waved back. He started to climb down the hill and headed towards the cottage.

They met midway. None of them knew how to start and they just looked at each other.

"It has changed a lot."He started as he didn't know what else to say. "The cottage." He clarified.

"It's been a while. I can't help all the people in need, but.... You were right about my powers. Thank you!"

"I've...You're welcome..."

"Now what?" The question took him by surprise. "I mean, what should I do next?"

"I don't think I'm the right person to answer that. Do you still love him?"

"I still miss him, but I'll survive. I love this new life. I love these people."

"They love you, too...even the evil cat."

"He's not evil...he's bossy and stubborn. I bit arrogant, I guess. You two make a funny team." She laughed.

"I can't understand why he likes me so much. Sometimes, I feel like he's trying to kill me in my sleep. He's still calculating the pressure he needs to exercise over my lungs in order to suffocate me."

"He's adorable. Look." She pointed towards the cat which had put on his best innocent look as he turned his belly up while making s-es with his back close to the branch of the tree.

"He's a devil in disguise. This devil killed my snake." Tom reminded her about the snake Tom had got friends with.

It was a two-meter dark snake Tom had found one day in the forest and he'd brought it to the cottage. Hua Qiangu hadn't agreed to his plan, insisting the snake's place was in the middle of nature, not among people. He ended up being eaten by the cat one day when Tom was picking some berries far away from home. He'd heard the snake's cries, but it was too late. So, very late.

"It's a cat. Cats eat snakes and mice. You shouldn't have left the snake there."

"He's still a monster. The jerk even dared to cuddle next to me that night."

"He couldn't understand what he'd done wrong. He brought you a mouse the next day. You should have accepted his apology."

"A headless mouse, full of blood, is exactly what I've dreamed for my entire life. I wonder if he wants to make me like that mouse."

"I think he tried to feed you. He probably thought you are incapable of hunting and he wanted to make sure you wouldn't starve."

"It was so nice of him." He retorted sarcastically.

"Have you ever been starving? Panda-Bear had, you remember, don't you? He is just grateful."

"Now, you are the expert on cats." He didn't mean to be rude, but she'd gotten on his nerves. "And I know what it's like to be hungry. I grew up in an orphanage. We have to fight for food...like animals. I wasn't always strong."

She'd let her emotions speak for her and she'd forgotten Tom had suffered, too.

"I'm sorry." She apologized. "I didn't mean to bring back those memories, I... never mind."