Maiden Of The Splitting Moon

As Ming Yue had returned to the house, she sat down for a moment before looking out of the small windows.

"Something's watching us."

"Several things are watching us" Xue Yue corrected. 

Ming Yue narrowed her eyes as she walked out with Blood Moon, looking around the clearing. Xia Yin and Heo Yue came out as well, poised to attack. 

"They're not hostile, not like those wolves. Could they be other beast people?" she muttered under her breath before suddenly shouting out. 

"I know that you are watching, come out of there!"

She was met with silence as all that answered was the rustling of grass. The sun slowly set and the skies darkened ever so slightly while the trees swayed.

"If you do not come out right now, I will consider you an enemy. And I will show no mercy. This is your last warning."

Saying this aloud, Ming Yue waited quietly. 

On the other side, the four beast people gave each other strange looks. 

"How should we approach, leader?"

They looked towards him, who looked down and thought carefully. After a few moments, he looked up at them with a determined expression. 

"I will go out first and you should all stay hidden. I will determine whether or not this strange person is friend or foe", he answered. 

Without wasting another second, he stood up and walked out of the brushes revealing himself. Ming Yue looked at him, carrying Blood Moon by her side. As he walked up, this figure rested a hand on the hilt of his weapon that hung from his waist. 

And finally getting a good look, she studied this person. The Mistral Fox bared its fangs at him. 

Tall and athletic, this beastman was certainly different from Xiao Bai and his mother. Despite the human-like face, there were two curled horns on his head and his eyes were that of an ox. Different from the Roaring King, Shi Hou, who had horns as well, this person's horns were made of bone and both had detailed engravings on them. 

Apart from that, he was topless, bearing a full and somewhat furry chest. His pants were made of pelts and animal hides, somewhat baggy but quite thick. And the weapon that hung from his waist was a short double-headed axe, meant to be held with one hand. 

"I am Niu Hong of the Gozu Tribe, the leader of the Four Claws. This is the home and territory of the Byakko Tribe and yet you are not of that tribe. Furthermore, the ones who lived here are no longer here. Why is that? And, who are you?"

He spoke calmly and cooly, not wanting to make an enemy. At least, not until he knew more. 

Ming Yue's eyes narrowed at him. 

"Are they Bai Sheng's acquaintances? No, they didn't refer to her by her name, maybe they just saw me. In that case, I shouldn't reveal too much" she thought to herself. 

Her eyes went to him before going past, looking right at where his comrades were. 

"She found us so quickly?!"

A chill went down each of their backs as they felt her stare upon them. But that pressure soon disappeared as Ming Yue planted her sword onto the ground. 

"When they found out that the Savage Lands had come this close to their home. They left this place. I am just guarding it until they come back. As for my identity, you do not need to know that. "

She answered bluntly to which Niu Hong's eyes lingered on her. After a few moments, he sighed and took his hand off of his axe. He then raised his hand, signaling the others to come forth. With the four of them together, Niu Hong looked at her. 

"You are not lying, I can see that. As for who you are, I will not press it. You are certainly not of any of the tribes. No, not even of this land. You are human", he said.

"What?!"

The others glanced at him before looking at her, getting a much better look. 

"He's right."

"A human? After so long?"

They muttered and whispered to each other just as Ming Yue grabbed the hilt of Blood Moon, unsheathing just a sliver of its blade. The sword released a resonant howl, shutting the Four Claws up.

"And I hope that you will not share my existence or I will be forced to act. I do not want to disappoint the ones who lived here", she spoke with an icy tone. 

"Strong!"

That was the thought the Four Claws had. Instinctively, they reached for their weapons but didn't draw them.

"If that is all you need from me, then please leave."

Ming Yue sheathed the blade and turned around, heading back into the house. But not before Niu Hong called out to her. 

"Wait, please! With your strength, you could certainly help us! Surely, you want to find a way back to your home!" he shouted out. 

She stopped and turned around. 

"Help with what exactly?" she asked. 

"Wit-"

There was a gurgling from each of their stomachs, even those of Hei Yue and Xiao Yin. Ming Yue looked at them all before sighing, revealing a smile as she looked at her two pets. 

"I guess, we'll speak over a meal."

Leaning her sword against the house, she took out the meat of the Savage Wolf and began to stoke a fire. 

"That smell, Horde Wolves? You... were you responsible for leaving the heads of a Horde Wolf King?" Niu Hong asked. 

"Horde Wolves? Is that what they're called? I thought that they were just wolves from the Savage Lands." 

Ming Yue looked at the meat before putting it over the fire to roast. And the others merely looked at her with both surprise and awe. 

"Compared to normal wolves, they are a dozen times more dangerous! Especially the Horde Wolf King!" one of the claws exclaimed, "They might be one of the least dangerous among other beasts but they are still deadly!"

"I see, and that giant bird, what is that called?" she asked.

This time, Niu Hong answered. 

"That is a Devouring Goose, one of the Beast Gods." 

"Beast God?" 

"Yes, it flys above the Savage Lands almost all the time and when it descends, it does so only to feed. All Beast Gods are like that, they appear only to feed and when they don't, they just watch. They cannot be killed by ordinary means."

Ming Yue was intrigued by this, her eyes glanced at the meat sizzling over the fire. The smell it gave off was somewhat enticing, strange but not off-putting. She had given it only salt and pepper.As she took it off the fire and sliced it with her Zephyr Claws, she handed each of the Four Claws a plate with a slab of the meat before digging into her own meal.

Taking a bite, she chewed it the cooked wolf meat. It wasn't a great meal but she wasn't focused on enjoying her food. 

"Then, why do you need my help? You're Seekers, no?" 

She asked them. 

The Four Claws looked at each other before one of them took out a map from their belongings. 

"We planned to explore a set of ruins not far from here only a few days travel. It was long discovered by others but it proved too difficult to enter. We wanted to test ourselves in that place and to conquer it", they explained. 

Ming Yue furrowed her brows. 

"Why can't you just ask for other reinforcements? You can do it, can you not?"

She found it strange. Why her help specifically?

But Niu Hong answered her.

"Because we are one of the strongest groups around. Those of similar strength are busy with other ruins.. And, we believe that it is a ruin of human origin. I'm sure that you will be interested in it?"