Night fell deep in the Mountain of Ten Thousand Silences.
The bonfire blazed, its light making the cave flicker between brightness and shadow.
Black Mountain sprawled on a large rock, belly up, limbs splayed.
Red Wind lay beside him, flicking his tail now and then.
Outside, the cave entrance was packed with members of the demon race-wolves, insects, tigers, leopards... old and young, familiar and unfamiliar, crowding it so tightly not even water could slip through.
They all gazed in admiration at these two elders who had "returned home in glory."
"Lord Black, did you fight every day out there?"
Black Mountain waved a bear paw. "Not so, not so. This humble scholar now believes in winning others over through virtue."
The demons exchanged looks.
A little bear scratched his head. "Virtue... what kind of weapon is that? Does it hit hard?"
Black Mountain: "..."
Red Wind snorted with laughter beside him.
Murong Li sat by the bonfire, hugging her knees, feeling a little embarrassed under the demons' stares.
The little fox who had first recognized Si Chen squeezed out of the crowd and tilted his head to study her.
"Big sister, you smell so nice."
Murong Li's face flushed scarlet. "N-nice?"
The little fox nodded earnestly, then turned toward Jiang Ling. "This big sister smells nice too, but cold."
Jiang Ling lowered her gaze to him.
The little fox shrank back, but still did not run, muttering, "A cold fragrance, a cold fragrance..."
The corner of Jiang Ling's mouth twitched.
Just then, a wolf demon edged forward, looked at Murong Li, then Jiang Ling, and finally settled his gaze on Si Chen:
"Brother Si Chen, which of these two big sisters is your sweetheart?"
"Pfft-" Murong Li sprayed out a mouthful of water.
Jiang Ling's expression visibly darkened.
The