Cloudless Authors

Chapter 九

Tai Lung heard mixed sounds for a while. Felt stings running all over his body. Felt like he was tearing parts of himself off every time he managed to drag himself forward. But eventually he had surrendered, considering death the only option at this point. He could barely open his eyes to see where he was going. Forward. That's all he knew. He thought the first time had been painful, the feeling of suffocation, the tearing at his muscles, and the pains that felt like the stabs of two-edged swords ripping him apart. Of course, it had also been better the first time as he had at least been able to maintain consciousness for more than a few measly hours. 

What did he have to crawl towards now? 

He was too hurt to really notice anything going on around him for some time. But at some point he did realize he was no longer out in the open. He had somehow wound up in what seemed like a make-shift hut. He wasn't sure if he had found it or if someone had found him and dragged him there. It didn't matter though since he soon passed out again. 

Tai Lung wasn't sure how many days had passed. Or was it weeks? Months? Perhaps a year? He had already lost count. However, after what felt like an eternity, he did become aware of the fact that it was raining. The ground was dry and he was sore and in stabbing pain. It also seemed dark outside, though he couldn't tell how late. The make-shift hut rustled and Tai Lung turned his sore head over in that direction to see what was happening. To his surprise, he saw Viper slithering through a small opening with soup, water, and medicine. 

"Oh good! You're awake finally!" Viper said happily. "You had me worried for a while. You're probably really thirsty." 

Tai Lung tried to talk, but his throat hurt so much he couldn't even gasp. Viper gently wrapped her tail around him and slowly pulled him into a sitting position against a tree the hut was attached to. She paused when he winced in pain, but eventually got him to sit up. She then helped him drink from the large cup she had brought. When Tai Lung finished, the water, she went out of the hut with the cup, probably to get more. Tai Lung coughed roughly in an effort to find his voice, but his throat still hurt. A few minutes passed by before Viper finally returned with more water. She helped the snow leopard get more liquid into his body before she began to tend to his wounds. Tai Lung finally noticed that a good portion of his body was tightly wrapped in bandages. 

"Why..." Tai Lung cracked hoarsely, swallowing painfully in between words. "Why are you helping me?" 

"I don't like leaving people for dead," Viper explained gently. "Po told us about a week ago that you suddenly popped up to attack Tigress and how he had to Wuxi Finger you again. I asked him and Tigress about what you wanted from the fight, but I got a mixed range of "What else would he here for?" to "He's a creepy stalker." And...I don't know. I guess I felt bad that you didn't get to say your peace before being given another death sentence." 

"A...week?" Tai Lung mumbled in surprise. "Felt...longer." 

He winced when Viper put some more medicine on an open wound and then waited a moment before asking, "And...what if...I was back...for evil intentions?" 

"Were you?"

"No. But...you didn't know...that." 

"I don't believe in killing unless absolutely necessary." 

The two fell back into silence as Viper finished tending to Tai Lung's wounds. When she finished, she took the dirty rags and piled them in the corner of the make-shift hut. She then got the bowl of soup and offered to help feed him since his entire body was in too much pain to move on his own. Tai Lung felt a little embarrassed by that, but he knew he didn't have any other options. Plus, his throat was extremely sore and the soup would definitely help. It took him a little while to finish the bowl since his jaw would quickly become sore, but Viper was very kind and patient while helping him, and after a little while he didn't mind too much. 

Viper moved the finished bowl to the corner of the hut as well and then left again to find more water. After coming back and getting more liquids into his body, Viper helped Tai Lung to lay down on the ground and get comfortable. She then announced that she would be back in a little bit since she needed to get firewood for the night. Tai Lung thought that a bit unwise since the hut was made from branches, but he figured perhaps the hut was actually bigger than he thought. (He was still extremely tired and hadn't been able to take a good look at the whole thing). 

There was the faint sound of rain falling onto the hut and it soon lulled the snow leopard back into a long sleep. Many images  floated through his mind, some of them nonsensical dreams, some of them memories, and a few of them terrifying nightmares. It was the latter that was able to wake him up with a gasping start. His throat was still really sore and his body was in so much searing pain that Tai Lung felt like daggers were constantly going through him. He tried not to move as he attempted to calm himself down and take soothing breaths, though he was soon startled by a gentle touch on his back. 

"Are you okay?" Viper whispered gently. "You sounded like you were having a bad dream." 

Tai Lung did his best to calm down the waves of terror moving through his body, but the images were still burning vividly in his mind. Viper stroked his back for a little while until she said, "I'm going to get more tea leaves, okay? I'll be right back." 

She started to leave, but Tai Lung, in a state of mild panic, hoarsely called out, "Wait!" Hearing Viper stop, he added with a touch of embarrassment, "Could you...wait a moment...until I fall asleep? I...don't want to be alone." 

Viper didn't say anything for a second and Tai Lung could feel a hot flash rising to his cheeks. "That's okay," the master finally said, slithering back over. "I don't think anyone likes to be alone in the dark after a bad dream." 

"Thanks...but I doubt that's true...." 

Viper gave him a kiss on his forehead and took to the task of caressing his back and shoulders to keep him calm. "You'd be surprised," she assured him. She paused for a brief moment before asking, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No," Tai Lung answered quickly. 

"That's fine. Just try to relax and get some sleep, okay?" 

Tai Lung said nothing in response. He simply laid there as Viper tried to calm him back to sleep. He felt more relaxed and at peace than he had during the past few days, so it didn't take very long for him to drift off. Once he was sleeping again, Viper gave him another kiss, smiled sadly at him, and then quickly slithered out to grab the tea leaves for later.

THE END

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