Zen focused his ability in his legs as they hurried through the forest. The foliage was growing denser as they moved, forcing him to dart the slightest bit ahead in order to cut through the worst of it with his sword.

He was just swinging his blade toward a thorn bush when Qi wrapped his arm around his bare waist, then jumped. The sudden change of direction caught Zen off-guard, making him nearly drop his weapon as they abruptly ascended into the canopy of a vibrant green fur tree.

The cats quickly encircled it on the ground and began shooting up lightning bolts, growing frustrated as Zen and his master landed on a large branch. He was just about to start concentrating on gathering his spiritual power to begin attacking from above when he felt Qi, who had never released his waist, tug him backwards until they were both resting against the main trunk.

"Behave, my Zen. They will lose interest when they realize they can't get us," Qi said, making Zen glance at him over his shoulder.

He didn't like the bursts of electricity that were coming dangerously close to them, though.

Qi slowly slid down the tree trunk, bringing Zen with him until he was situated in his lap. He then, finally, released his middle and gestured toward Zen's purple, crackling weapon.

"May I, Zen?"

Of course.

Zen relinquished his sword immediately, allowing Qi to hold and examine it in front of him as the man leaned forward, his chin hovering just-barely above his shoulder and his chest pressing against Zen's back.

"I feel as if I am touching a new part of your soul," he whispered after a short bit of silence. "How did this resentful spirit get into the sword I gave you?"

Zen was just about to respond as he turned to get more comfortable in his master's lap, while also facing him as best he could, when he had to lean forward abruptly and hug Qi to his chest, shielding his head in his arms as they both ducked to avoid a massive lightning bolt from below. It sliced through a piece of the large branch they were on, sending little zaps of electricity into their systems.

Zen squeezed his eyes closed and coughed a little while Qi tensed, but made no sound. When no more attacks came, Zen hesitantly released his master. The man immediately smiled up at him, a bit of dirt speckled against his left cheek from the lightning blast that had just singed the tree branch.

He quickly reached up to softly brush it off, but Qi reached up at the same time, aiming to grasp his hand. Zen hesitated when he did so, but before either of them could act further on whatever was going on, an earth-shaking roar rumbled around the entire forest.

Qi released his hand immediately as the two carefully looked over the edge of the branch they were on. The moment he was able to see down below a creature he'd never seen before, that was easily ten times the size of the panicking felines, came barreling into the scrambling pack.

It looks like a weasel... and a bear.

The tannish-brown animal had a large dead cat in its jaws as it stopped beneath them, breathing heavily. It easily stood as high as halfway up the tree, with claws that were at least one foot in length.

After several tense minutes, it lowered itself back to stand on four legs, then slowly meandered off into the thick underbrush with its kill. At that moment, Zen felt his body finally relax, having not even realized he'd been shaking as he watched the massive beast attack the Shandian cats.

"That was exciting," Qi said with humor that Zen didn't understand.

His master slowly stood from their spot, then offered him a hand up. Zen scowled but took it, feeling slightly annoyed at Qi's odd enthusiasm for their poor situation. He was just looking down to figure out how he wanted to descend when he realized that he hadn't even fixed his robe yet, since it had gotten quite disheveled earlier.

He quickly got busy tugging his left sleeve up, then adding his right one before fixing his belt until he was satisfied. Once done, he looked toward his master, only to fidget.

Why are you looking at me with such an unhappy expression all of a sudden?

Qi seemed to realize that he was being odd, because he quickly turned his head and lifted a hand to his lips, clearing his throat.

"We should head down now," he said as he held out a hand to him once more.

Zen looked at it, then looked up at his master before sticking his tongue out the slightest amount and, after retrieving and sheathing his blade quickly, jumped from the tree. He channeled the darkness energy within himself and used his wind abilities to slow his descent until he was safely back on the forest floor.

Hmm?

His attention immediately turned toward a tiny, trampled body a few feet away.

The beast had stepped on one of the Shandian cat's cubs, killing it instantly.

"Such a shame..."

Hearing his master's words, Zen looked up to see the man approaching. When he crouched down before the creature, Zen did the same. He did not understand why his master though the creature's death was a shame, though, but that was Qi. They had just been chased, and would have likely been killed and eaten by the cub's pack, yet he grieved for it as if it had been one of his beloved palace cats.

Qi gently leaned forward and scooped up the animal's broken body and sat down, looking at him with a curious grin he couldn't quite place.

"Zen Zen, shall we see if we can get that vengeful soul out of your sword?" he asked, making Zen tilt his head, confused.

They could just take it out?

He didn't really like that idea, since he'd promised that he'd help Xisheng...

"Do not worry, this will not harm him. In fact, it will give him more freedom, but keep his powers in check until I know whether or not we can trust him," Qi said, nodding toward Zen's sheathed sword at his waist.

He hesitated for only one more moment before removing his weapon form its scabbard and holding it out, offering it to his master with both hands.

"Do you know the name of the lad sealed within your sword?" Qi asked, not reaching for the weapon yet.

Zen smiled and nodded before settling the weapon on his crossed knees and reaching forward. Qi quickly but gently shifted the cub's body to his left arm, then offered his palm so that Zen could write.

"His name is Xisheng. Prince Yuen locked him away when we got cursed years ago because he had returned as a confused, vengeful spirit after he was murdered as a sacrifice. I found him in that stretch of shallow water in his lair..."

Qi took his time working through his words, then eventually smiled and nodded as he reached up with his free hand, his fingertips just barely touching the cold steel of Zen's quivering blade.

"Hello, Xisheng. It seems that I owe you more than I can ever hope to repay, but..." Qi paused for a moment as his eyes clouded over with tears. He didn't even try to blink them back as he let them fall.

"I thank you, so very, very much for your existence. I know that you have gotten the worst out of this entire situation, but I hope to do my best to make it up to you. I know that you did not mean to, but you gave me the most important thing in my life. I cannot return him to you, though... at least, not until I am sure that he will still remain my Zen. I am sorry that I am such a greedy person, but may I offer you this body instead, for the time being? You will be able to move at your own free will, and you will have a live body to begin healing."

The sword hummed, as if considering his words. When it stopped vibrating altogether, Qi nodded, tearstains marking his cheeks as he held the deceased cub up.

Zen carefully turned his weapon, then pointed the tip of the blade directly at the spot between the cub's eyes. He inched it closer, until it just-barely pressed into its skin, drawing one tiny droplet of blood.

The purple electricity from his weapon immediately burst forth from the blade and engulfed the tiny creature. Qi carefully lowered it to the leaf litter as the light slowly sank into the cub's body, then they both silently watched as it convulsed a few times while purple electricity danced along its fur.

It took quite some time, but when the sparks finally died down and the cub lay still, Zen set his sword aside and looked up at his master.

"Patience, my Zen. These things cannot be rushed," Qi said calmly, his focus on creating a barrier in case any other creatures decided to try and attack them while they were doing the soul transfer.

Zen gave a tiny scowl before looking back down at the cub. It was actually a little larger than a large domestic cat, but as far as the Shandian cats went, it had likely just been weened onto meat recently.

He was just about to look back up at his master a few minutes later when there was still no movement from the cat, but then it happened. A tiny whisker gave the slightest twitch. A quiet, rasping mew was the next sign of life he noticed. The sound was pathetic, but it also spurred Zen on to lean forward and gently scoop up the now-whining cub.

He gently cradled it against his chest as his master moved to sit beside him, then settled a hand against the little creature's side.

"Now that you are alive again, let me fix you up," he said quietly as a faint light began to emanate from his palm.

The kitten squirmed and cried for a few seconds before it calmed in Zen's arms and, after a few more minutes, began to purr from relief.

"There you go, little one," Qi whispered as he gently wrapped his free arm beneath Zen's right one and settled his hand in the bend at his elbow, allowing him to get closer to him, but also lean a little closer to the cub.

Once he seemed content with his healing, Qi gave a silent yawn, then shook his head a bit, likely trying to dispel his drowsiness.

Zen couldn't help but smile at the man. He hugged the cub a little tighter against his chest with his left arm, then slowly stood, bringing Qi to his feet, too.

"I have a barrier set up here. Nothing should bother us unless we move too far away from it," Qi said, making Zen nod. He remembered, but he also wanted to make his master a little more comfortable.

Thus, he lead him over to the large tree they'd recently descended and settled him against it.

Master is falling asleep quite quickly.

Qi was usually the one who poked fun at him for dozing off, but he knew that the man had used up quite a bit of his energy earlier, and to have just healed a body, even one as small as a cub's, from fatal wounds? He did not blame him for needing rest.

Smiling, Zen walked back over to his sword and picked it up, then sheathed it before returning to his master. The man was already out cold, clearly exhausted.

I want to sit in his lap again, but I do not have permission this time...

He also didn't want to risk waking him, so he carefully settled at his side. He'd intended to stay awake and keep watch, just in case something showed up that could break through his master's barrier, but at some point, his eyes slipped closed and his head fell to the side, settling upon his master's warm shoulder.