Maiden Of The Splitting Moon

"it would be best to leave this place while you can", he warned. 

"What? Why?" 

She was somewhat confused, not understanding this warning of his but Ao Qin soon explained. 

"As I said, the chief of the Byakko Tribe cherishes his daughter very much. If she were to return from this place, there would be a reason why it would happen. And being the loving father he is, the chief will certainly send people to investigate."

"That's... it wouldn't happen, would it?" Ming Yue asked, "Bai Sheng would try to convince him otherwise to protect my existence."

Ao Qin's expression didn't change from that.

"Even then, the chief is her father, he would most certainly send people without her knowing. In fact, her insistence may even cause him to be suspicious. After all, that man held a month-long drinking party after his daughter left. I hear that he was drunk all month long, bitter and sad that she left", he said.

Hearing that, Ming Yue knew that what Ao Qin said would certainly come to pass. 

"But I can't just leave this place. I promised her that I would keep it safe until she returned. Even if I left, where would I go?" she muttered to herself.

There was slight worry within her as she truly wasn't sure where to go. After all, it wasn't just her and her two beasts but also Hongyu as well. 

"I could protect her but for how long? Not to mention, a journey outside would be rough on such a young child", she thought. 

As if sensing her worry, Hongyu walked up to the young woman, holding her sleeve and looking at her. The girl's eyes showed some confidence and determination as if to tell her that she was willing to endure. 

Ming Yue's eyes softened, she was touched but at the same time, she wasn't willing to put her through it. They'd be wanderers, going from one place to another. 

"Is there any way to get around this?" she asked Ao Qin. 

Unfortunately, Ao Qin shook his head. 

"I'm afraid not. There is no doubt in my mind that you can defend this place and push the Byakko Clan's forces back but that will only be inviting more trouble and attention. Other clans will take notice of this as well. They may send in their own forces to investigate. And by then, new of your existence will be known."

"Then I have no choice but to abandon this place."

There was a tinge of bitterness within her as she said it. Ming Yue turned back and looked at the house, even gazing around this peaceful place. She knew that she would have to leave but she didn't think it would be so soon. 

But then her eyes sharpened as she looked at the surrounding trees.

Ao Qin did the same, motioning towards his saber. 

"They're here, the Byakko Tribe's forces are here", he whispered quietly. 

He turned to find the space where Ming Yue sat empty as she had gone to deal with them. 

"Ah... I probably don't even need to make a move then."

Moving his hand away from his saber, he just sat there idly and waited. However, he looked at Hongyu and put a finger to his mouth, telling her to stay quiet and pointed at the house. The little girl looked at him and gently nodded, quickly hiding inside the house. Then the dragon-kin just casually looked around as if not noticing that there were some unwanted guests. 

"There's about six of them surrounding this place", he counted in his head, sensing their presence. 

And he was right, six pairs of eyes glowed through the shadows of the trees, watching the house carefully. Considering Ao Qin was out in the open, he was the first thing that caught their attention. 

"What?! That's the Red Dragon! What's he doing here?"

"Is he the reason for the chief's daughter returning home?"

"That's impossible. Why would the Red Dragon care about this? He's part of the Reclamation Division, a division of wanderers. There's no reason for him to kick her out."

"Maybe he just found this place abandoned. The chief's daughter did say that it had become too dangerous for her and her son to stay here."

"Because of the Savage Lands right? She said that beasts had come close so she had to go."

These six continued to converse with one another as they watched Ao Qin. After all, they were tasked by their Chief to investigate, the six strongest members of the Byakko Tribe. They trusted their senses enough to know that there was only Ao Qin before them. 

But not even one of them noticed the presence of Ming Yue, stalking them from above. 

Her presence was hidden and her movements were quick as she moved towards one of them. Blood Moon was sheathed as she quietly knocked them out with the hilt of her sword. Ming Yue barely even made a sound as she moved from one to the other, taking care of them in a second. 

It wasn't until the last tribesmen that he realized that something was wrong. 

"Hm... this smell... it's strange... What is this? Wait, the others aren't answering. Something must've happened!"

This final beastman finally noticed but it was far too late as Ming Yue swooped in, knocking him out. 

Soon after, she emerged from the trees with all six of the Byakko Tribe's members pilled up on her shoulder. 

Walking up to the house, she gently placed them down and looked at Ao Qin. From within the house, Hongyu poked her head out of the doorway, curiously looking at what Ming Yue had come back with. 

Her eyes fell upon the pile of unconscious bodies and she pulled back for a moment before coming out. Hei Yue and Xiao Yin did the same as they stuck close to her, curiously looking at these new guests. 

"Even if you manage to push them back this time, they would most certainly come back with more forces. And that will cascade into a bigger situation. I'm sure that you'd want to stay here but at this point, there is no choice but to leave."

Ao Qin stood up and looked at her seriously. 

"You'd have to hide your identities, mask your scent."

He then pointed at those pelts. 

"It would do you well to have different clothes or cover them. As you can see, what you're wearing is sure to attract anyone's attention. Even the little girl's clothes will catch some eyes. You could probably fashion something out of those pelts", he said. 

Ming Yue turned back and looked at the pile of wolf pelts. 

"I can't make anything fancy but would this do?"

She grabbed one of the intact pelts and began to cut it up, turning it into a little mantle for Hongyu to wear. Fortunately, the head was intact as well, so it became both a hood and a mask for her.

Ming Yue did the same for herself and looked to Ao Qin, who studied her. 

"It's not great but it will do. At the very least, it won't bring as much attention as what you were wearing earlier", he said. 

The dragon-kin then sat down and crossed his arms. 

"I'll be here when you leave. When they awaken or when more come, I will cover for you. It is the least I can do for someone who has met an ancestor. Meeting you may even bring me some blessings!"

Ming Yue turned to him, bowing while cupping her fists. 

"Thank you." 

After doing so, she moved quickly, packing her things and taking any trace of her existing here. Hei Yue and Xiao Yin waited outside and once finished, she left the house while holding Hongyu's hand. 

As they left, Ao Qin looked at them and nodded as if to tell them not to worry. 

But Ming Yue carried some uncertainty in her heart, where would she go now?

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