"Sorry to keep you waiting," smiling, I pulled out a small package from my pocket and opened it up. "I had some business I needed to attend. You don't mind, do you?"

"Caw," Xiao Niao cocked its little head at me before cautiously hopping to my outstretched hand. Peering at the napkin of seeds and crumbs, it pecked at a seed experimentally, before eating one.

"Here," setting the napkin down on the ground, I crouched as I watched the bird cheerfully eat the feed.

"Don't overeat or you'll be too fat to fly again," gently tapping the top of Xiao Niao's tiny head, I continued to watch the bird eat the seeds with great gusto. "Ah, for such a little bird, you sure do eat a lot."

However, it made me happy to see that Xiao Niao had such a great appetite. Just a week ago, Xiao Niao was just a helpless bird lying half-dead on the side of the trail.

Based on it's damaged wing and the other injuries around it, I could only assume that some had cruelly shot down this bird with a rock.

I couldn't believe someone would do something like that to a small animal, and then not eat it or something.

That's not saying that Xiao Niao was that appealing, but hey, food is food.

However, after looking into Xiao Niao's teary little eyes, I caved and tried to help the bird out.

So, after a week of meticulous care and treatment, this little bird was already itching to take off in flight.

After all the things that I've done for you, Xiao Niao, you're only thinking about leaving me.

Ah, Is this what it feels like to be a parent? Such a bitter feeling.

Once Xiao Niao was done eating, it looked up at me with its glossy black eyes, as if asking for more food.

"Geez, are you a little foodie," sitting down, I propped my head up against my fist as I watched the little guy hop around. "A whole bunch of seeds, gone within a second."

After hopping for a bit, Xiao Niao tried flapping its wings a bit to gain some height. However, it could only go so high before, fluttering back down, clumsily.

"Ah, that was good, Xiao Niao," I cheered the little guy on. "Maybe after a few days, you will be able to fly up to that branch," pointing up the lowest branch of a nearby tree, Xiao Niao seemed reinvigorated as it tried to fly once more.

Xiao Niao was able to gain some more height this time. However, it was short-lived as it came fluttering down once more. "Caw," Xiao Niao huffed as it turned around and hopped back over to me.

"There, there," soothing the grumpy bird, I brushed the top of Xiao Niao's head. "Those healing herbs I gave you earlier should've helped your recovery, so no need to fret."

"Caw," Xiao Niao hmphed and sat down before looking up at me. "Caw."

"Oh? Is Xiao Niao curious about my day?"

"..."

"I'm going to take your silence as a yes," poking at Xiao Niao's beak, it looked back with an annoyed look but didn't say anything. "Ah, what should your mother do, Xiao Niao?"

Xiao Niao looked at me with a baffled look. Almost like, 'who's mother, you crazy girl.'

"Eh, don't look at me like that. Don't you crows pay back your debts, huh? So pay this one back by being filial, okay."

Xiao Niao seemed to roll its eyes at me but didn't say anything.

Ah, Xiao Niao looks so much like Senior Sister when it does that.

"Anyways, today Senior Sister seemed pretty upset with me," hugging my knees, I rested against the side of my face, facing Xiao Niao. "I was late again to class this morning because I overslept. And got a little lost along the way trying to take a short cut, haha, but what do you expect from me?

The teacher for today, Instructor Rui, doesn't like me. Mainly cause, I skip his classes and stuff, but I listen when I decide to show up. Well, kind of.

Lectures aren't my kind of thing. If anything, it makes me want to nod off.

Hah! But if I did that, Senior Sister would punish me for sure.

Maybe I should learn to sleep with my eyes open? What do you think, Xiao Niao?"

Xiao Niao gave me a blank stare unblinkingly.

Wait, do birds blink at all?

"Well, anyway, I got in trouble, and Instructor Rui scolded me after class. Then Senior Sister made me apologize to Instructor Rui with a scary tone, especially when she has eyes that seem to pierce into your soul. 

You should've seen it, Xiao Niao. It would've given your little bird heart a heart attack," sighing, I shook my head at the imagery.

"I apologized, unwillingly, of course, and ran off to meet you. However, Senior Sister reminded me that I had a lot of homework to do and that I should study.

Now, weighing the options between you and homework, I believe the choice was obvious.

So, aren't you happy, Xiao Niao? Your mother is putting her life on the line for yours.

You must be touched, right?"

Xiao Niao gave me another blank look before looking away.

Was that a 'tch' I heard from you, Xiao Niao! Ah, how can you throw down my heartfelt affections for you like that!

Aiyah, no appreciation from this black-bellied child.

"Well, Xiao Niao, it's been fun talking to you," picking up the bird, I placed Xiao Niao in its designated nest that I made for them.

Goodness, Xiao Niao. This mother feeds you, bathes you, and even houses you, and you can't show me a sliver of sympathy?

"Stay safe, Xiao Niao. You don't know what beasts and traps roam about at night, so don't leave your nest unless necessary. Oh and, don't use your wing too much. We don't want stress to hinder your recovery," I warned before seating up another protection ward around Xiao Niao's territory.

This ward should ensure that spirit beasts would ignore this area.

"Alright, I have to go now, Xiao Niao! I'll see you tomorrow!"

Following along the goof-proof trail that I made for myself, I safely navigate my way out of the woods and back onto the main path.

"Now, to find my way back to Yu Lan Peak."

---

"I've concluded that I will never make it home," pitifully laughing, I crouched under a stone ledge as the rain poured down slowly.

It was only mid-afternoon when I left Xiao Niao, but now I don't even know what time it is!

At first, I thought I was seeing things after I pasted the same statues several times.

Heck, they could've been a set for all I know.

But after making a few markings on the statue, it was very evident that I was somehow going in circles.

Ah, and to make matters worse, I somehow missed a pothole and sprained my ankle!

Oh, and of course, the rain had to start on a clear day.

My laughter slowly turned into sobbing as the situation became more hopeless as the rain showed no signs of stopping. Heck, I even heard thunder above. "Wu wu, I'm never going to make it back!"

I'm going to die out here, completely lost within my sect like a fool! And Xiao Niao would become a poor orphan!

If Senior Sister finds my dead body, I'm sure she will bring me back from the underworld before killing me again.

"Haha, she's going to be so mad at me," I laughed through my tears.

Suddenly, I heard a familiar voice through the pouring rain: "Junior Sister, is that you?"

"S-senior Sister," looking up, I could Senior Sister carrying an umbrella as she bent down to look into my shelter.

"Junior Sister, what are you doing here?"

"I-I got lost…" bowing my head in shame, curled up even tighter as an icy wind went through.

I heard Senior Sister give a tired sigh: "Well, I'm here now, so you can't get lost. Can you walk?"

"I-I, um, sprained my ankle…"

Another tired sigh came from Senior Sister. "... this girl... Well, it's too dangerous for me to carry you back. Especially in this weather."

Another clap of thunder above further empathized Senior Sister's point.

"It can't be helped," Senior Sister massaged the area between her brows. "Scoot over."

Doing as Senior Sister ordered, I moved over to the side to allow Senior Sister to come in. Space wasn't too deep, nor was it very high, a somewhat shallow cave. However, it proved enough space for Senior Sister and me to squeeze together and avoid the storm outside.

Sighing, Senior Sister tossed the wet umbrella to the side of the cave as she sat down beside me, legs crossed.

I tried to make myself smaller and avoid touching Senior Sister. I wasn't sure how mad she was at me.

But despite my efforts, it was inevitable that there would be some physical contact. 

"Stop doing that. You're going to strain your foot."

Reluctantly relaxing my posture a bit, I pulled my knees to my chest. "Senior Sister."

"Eh."

"Are you mad at me?"

"Eh."

"I'm sorry."

Senior Sister let out another sigh. "It's fine. It's in the past."

Looking over at Senior Sister, I see that she had her eyes shut.

Without thinking, I rested my head against her shoulder as my eyes began to sting a bit as my throat grew tight. "I am sorry, Senior Sister. For everything."

Senior Sister's body stiffened, and I expected her to push me away. Instead, she shifted her arm and wrapped it around my shoulder. "I know."

"I'm going to get punished when we get back, aren't I."

"Eh."

"Oh." Surprisingly, I didn't feel worried about what was to come when I would return; perhaps it was the cold rain outside that numbed my senses, or just being mentally exhausted from all that has happened today.

Leaning a bit more into Senior Sister, I felt my eyes drift closed.

Ah, it's somewhat nice being alone together.