Lured along by a servant with apples, Tangyuan arrived in an unfamiliar courtyard. The moment he entered, he caught the rank scent of a wolf.
The heir apparent's beloved pet, Wolf Batian, was asleep.
The wolf enclosure was large, with a fence dividing it into two sections.
The servant led Tangyuan into the section next to Wolf Batian and set a basin of apples before him.
Tangyuan sat on the ground, holding an apple in his chubby paws and munching happily.
The panda was round and adorably goofy, making crunching noises as he ate his apple.
Hearing the crunching, Wolf Batian detected the scent of an unfamiliar male animal next door and lifted his eyelids for a look.
Seeing Tangyuan gnawing on an apple in the neighboring enclosure, Wolf Batian gave a contemptuous smirk.
Oh? A change of menu for the mighty Batian today?
Once I wake up, I'll have a good little play with this cutie.
Wolf Batian tucked his head into his body and went back to sleep.
The servant locked the fence gate and stood guard outside.
Soon, an Imperial Guard arrived and ordered, "Go put that flower bear in with Wolf Batian."
The servant guarding the wolf enclosure waved his hands. "We can't! This flower bear eats plants. How can we put a plant eater in with a meat eater?"
"What if it upsets Wolf Batian?"
Wolf Batian was the heir apparent's beloved pet. Once, when a servant was feeding him, a piece of meat had fallen out. The servant reached down to pick it up, only for Wolf Batian to bite his hand into a bloody mess.
To escape, the servant had grabbed a stick and struck Wolf Batian. When the heir apparent learned of it, he punished the servant and threw him out of