Chapter Text
A tremble runs through his body, the exhaustion is overwhelming, battling his need to keep pushing forwards. His head pounds, making him feel dizzy and disoriented.
He only has one objective on his mind. Getting far away.
Yue Wuhuan looks thoroughly around as he steadily walks through the woods. Besides his new walking stick, he has a small collection of branches, bound with some fabric he ripped from the bottom of his robes. He makes sure to wipe away any visible trail he might’ve left behind. It’s getting dark again, and his body feels so, so heavy.
The past few hours have been a constant fight to keep his body going. Forcing his heavy eyelids as wide as he’s capable off. Days without sleep is not unfamiliar to him, but he’s never pushed himself as far as this.
No matter the pain, the torture, the humiliation. He´s always pushed through. He feels the ache on his back, the searing pain of something long gone. He decides to ignore it.
The more he walks, the more clearly he hears a rushing sound, white noise somewhere not far away.
The more he walks the clearer he hears it, the sound of running water. It’s somewhere close in the direction he’s heading. He subconsciously perks up. Walking towards the noise, all the while still carefully continuing to obscure the trail behind him.
A wide foggy river. Luckily for Yue Wuhuan there’s a small area of still water just a few meters downstream.
He is at the water’s edge, looking down, its so crystal clear he can see the river floor. The water is likely drinkable, he Determines. He can see no contamination, it also smells clean enough. With how dehydrated he is, it’s worth it regardless. Not like he hasn’t been forced to drink worse. He shudders at the thought. Those disgusting bastards…
After taking a moment of refreshment, he takes inventory of all his items carefully. Only a few belongings he’s managed to gather While he was escaping. A broom he made of branches, a rusted metal knife, a brown gourd with leather straps and a single piece of pelt. Good enough for now, but he´ll have to be on the lookout for more materials on the way.
Yue Wuhuan catches his face in the reflection of the pool. He can’t help feeling disgusted at the sight. If it wasn’t for that face. That disgusting mole and those eyes, he wouldn’t have gotten the attention he did.
He pushes his face into the water, the cool liquid feeling refreshing to his heavy eyelids. IT would be so easy. So easy to simply stay like this. To end it all now, to let his lungs fill with fresh, clean water.
He lifts his head with a gasp, the air rushing back into his lungs. Not like this. Not yet. He fills the gourd up with water and walks though the river, into the thick fog.
…
He´s been walking for so long that his legs are becoming numb, his head spinning and pounding even more than before. Yue Wuhuan knows he cannot push his body further than this, and now he thinks he’s found a place to stay temporarily.
He combs though the area thoroughly, An enclosed cave with space, plant coverage and plenty escape routes he can use. Yes, this will do.
He finds an elevated cave shelf, overgrown with moss. Not the silks he slept on before, but it’s so much better. It’s the first bed, his first resting place he’s had where he doesn’t have to expect foreign hands, forced actions or someone else’s disgusting actions. For once it’s just a bed.
It´s a surprisingly warm cave with scattered fluorescent plants growing around, giving even the darkest night a soft glow. He doesn’t quite know why, but he feels safer than he expected. If Yue Wuhuan has learnt one thing in the last ten years, it’s how to trust his gut.
Finally collapsing with exhaustion in this small safe haven, he lets himself drift off into a heavy sleep.
-
He wakes slowly, feeling comfortable, as if wrapped in a warm embrace. His body didn’t ache the same way as before, he hasnt felt this at ease for a while. That’s probably what alerted him the most.
Yue Wuhuan is careful as to not show any sign of waking, pretending to still be deep asleep. He hears footsteps. A voice in the background, speaking to someone, no more like its murmuring to itself. It’s a soothing sound, but he doesn’t let himself be fooled by that. He hears stone grinding against stone, the sound of rain pattering in the distance.
Determining that the other person is busy with something else, he risks opening one og his eyes. He´s laying in what looks like a… nest? Made of moss and sticks. He cant help but find it a bit insulting to have been put in what looks to be a birds nest. In front of him is a net, filled with seeds and nuts. Another surprisingly insulting gesture. Does this person think he is a bird?
Hes a hybrid, yes, but he is as human as anyone else.
Flashes of his past treatment. The way his captors treated him as an animal. The cages, the humiliation. The way theyd call him bird nicknames. All because he was a sought after hybrid.
He flexes his left wing. The only one that’s still attached to his body. He remembers the day he found it missing. The pain, the hurt. The deep despair, knowing hell never be allowed to soar again. The smug look of the man that made it all happen.
He´s snapped out of his spiral as he hears the footsteps grow closer.
Forcing his body to feign sleep, he remains accutely aware of the other, always ready to resist and run at a moments notice. Now he´ll finally get a glimpse of his new captors motives.