MEET ME ON THE BATTLEFIELD

CHAPTER 5 - EYES

  YuLin laid down on his mat and pulled the sheets up to his face, smiling at the fact that these belonged to him. However, due to all this excess excitement, he could not sleep. So he tossed and turned for much of the night before he sat up and decided to go for a stroll.

  As he exited his tent, he heard a loud caw above, lifting his head, he saw the shape of a crow outlined by the moonlight.

  "Shh!" YuLin exclaimed as he eyes darted around making sure no one had seen. "XiaoQin ah, would you like to become a stuffed bird?" YuLin asked with a raised arm. The crow shook its head before flying down and perching on YuLin's arm and nuzzled its beak on his face. "The stay quiet, you've seen a bad omen to the people here. In fact, so are the other two but no one seems to listen to me... Ay... let's go see them then shall we?" XiaoQin's head drooped as if saddened by the fact that people don't like him around here but nevertheless took flight towards the forest, leading YuLin to the others.

  As QianDu was patrolling the camp, he saw the clumsy youth make way across the distance into the forest. He thought this suspicious, what's a newbie doing out this time at night heading into the forest... could he be a spy? A traitor? QianDu's speculation on YuLin's purpose became worse and worse and so he decided to silently follow the youth.

  Meanwhile, in the forest, a faint hissing and a predatorial growl could be heard. A snake whose scales shone black-blue in the twilight had its fangs, the length of a man's forearm, exposed. The snake was as thick as three fully grown men and longer than the height of an oak tree, it's lower body was curled whilst its head was raised and aimed at the creature across from it.

  The growling was coming from a black panther, whose fur absorbed all light that landed on it, darker than darkness itself. The pather's feline yellow eyes were glowing and its fangs also bared at the snake. The panther was the size of a mountain lion, although not as tall as the snake was able to reach, it made up for it in ferociousness.

  It was clear from a glance that the two animals not only hated each other but loathed each other.

  At the rustling of a bush, both animals heads snapped in the direction of the sound, ready to attack. But at the sight of who appeared, both animals reduced in size and turned as docile as newborn puppies. The snake now only as thick as three fingers slithered through the grass and up YuLin's outstretched. The panther now the size of a dog, lunged at YuLin's open side and hugged him on his hind legs. The crow shook its head and chose to perch on YuLin's shoulder.

  YuLin chuckled as he said, "Don't try to hide it, I know you were fighting again. How many times have I said to get along." The accused snarled at each other before rubbing themselves against YuLin. YuLin only smiled and sat down in the grass. "Aiya, I know I said we were off to Shui province... but it seems like I got caught up in this army business... We are currently in Tu province, from what I've heard about the General's recruitment, we'll pass Shui Province eventually... just taking a long...cut? Long road? Hm..."

  YuLin carried on talking to the animals unaware of QianDu creeping up behind at a distance. Although QianDu couldn't hear what YuLin was talking about, thanks to the moonlight he could see the three animals gathered around YuLin, all black. QianDu shivered at the ominous feeling of seeing these bad omens.

  The black panther, XiaoQi, licked at YuLin's face, parting his overgrown fringe revealing his eyes glowing eerily in the dark. YuLin smiled, he knew his eyes were a kind of allure to them, so he leaned his head against XiaoQi's, keeping his eyes wide open for the beasts to see. They remained like that for a while before suddenly all their heads snapped in one direction.

  QianDu was about to leave after seeing YuLin coddle the animals when suddenly, all heads snapped in his direction. YuLin's included. QianDu actually shuddered at the sight. Three pairs of yellow eyes stared at him through the bushes where he had completely concealed himself along with one blood red eye. QianDu was frozen to the spot when he took in YuLin's partially revealed face. His messy birds nest of a hair had been parted one way, revealing one eye. Under the moonlight, his skin shone like pearls as his visible eye glowed. QianDu stopped breathing and willed himself not to shudder.