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#pupswolfjc | let's go
jiang cheng knows his father is a liar.
"just stay here, a-cheng. you can't come home until you've learned how to hide your ears and tail, okay?" the man whispers as he straps on the muzzle to his face, his smile gentle yet cold.
he nods anyway.
jiang cheng knows his father is a liar.
"just stay here, a-cheng. you can't come home until you've learned how to hide your ears and tail, okay?" the man whispers as he straps on the muzzle to his face, his smile gentle yet cold.
he nods anyway.
"maybe start with your teeth?" the otter shifter suggests, ruffling his hair and despite himself, jiang cheng leans into the touch, all too aware the other backs away quickly once he does.
he fights the urge to make his tail droop, don't let him know he doesn't believe.
he fights the urge to make his tail droop, don't let him know he doesn't believe.
jiang fengmian has lost his trust the moment his spirit animal manifested in the form of a wolf and his father looked at him with cold, cold eyes.
they say that one of the many blessings a cultivator gets aside from the longer lifespan, inhumane strength and connection to life was the ability to awaken one's spirit animal.
everyone had one or more that represented their very being, or so what many thought.
everyone had one or more that represented their very being, or so what many thought.
jiang cheng likes to think it's a curse.
just when he thought things were getting better, having to give away his puppies, having to accept his new shixiong. it was tough but he thought that maybe, just maybe, he could be friends with the bunny shifter.
and then, due to the stressful events, his animal woke up.
and then, due to the stressful events, his animal woke up.
his new friend screamed in fear. screamed at him in fear. as if he would hurt him.
the wound in his heart began to bleed once more when he tried to near wei ying only for the other to run away, leaving him.
what happened? was his animal a monster?
the wound in his heart began to bleed once more when he tried to near wei ying only for the other to run away, leaving him.
what happened? was his animal a monster?
he didn't get to do anything else, his father barging into the room with hostility, the sound of the wood banging against each other making his ears ring in pain.
the last thing jiang cheng saw before he blacked out was the man looking down at him with cold disappointment.
the last thing jiang cheng saw before he blacked out was the man looking down at him with cold disappointment.
he later learns that he was a wolf. the healer whispers of what had changed his body came muffled as he stumbles on asking where his family is.
"the only one who came to visit was madam yu." not even his a-jie. apparently, wei ying had ran to her and she was busy comforting him.
"the only one who came to visit was madam yu." not even his a-jie. apparently, wei ying had ran to her and she was busy comforting him.
as jiang cheng traces with the muzzle covering his face, his other hand tugging on the tight collar around his neck, he lets the memories wash over him, replaying just how his life fell apart.
he remembers the fight he heard through the walls, wolf ears hearing his mother—
he remembers the fight he heard through the walls, wolf ears hearing his mother—
shout at what he assumes is his father with how silent the other party was.
the words went over his head, too focused on the hurt that he feels from his mother, the scent of her distressed and frustrated she couldn't just k!ll the threat to her children.
the words went over his head, too focused on the hurt that he feels from his mother, the scent of her distressed and frustrated she couldn't just k!ll the threat to her children.
jiang cheng was never sure if he was loved. more so with his father than his mother but he could never be sure.
who would love him? nobody does, nobody likes him with how grumpy he is.
but here, as he lays on the bed, his nose sniffs out the unshed tears and the scent of love.
who would love him? nobody does, nobody likes him with how grumpy he is.
but here, as he lays on the bed, his nose sniffs out the unshed tears and the scent of love.
broken and mangled as it is with a hint of aggression– at least, here and now, jiang cheng knew his mother loves him.
there's a wound in her heart too, older than his, continuing to fester and it's infecting her very soul.
jiang cheng cries as he hears her roar.
there's a wound in her heart too, older than his, continuing to fester and it's infecting her very soul.
jiang cheng cries as he hears her roar.
silence, is what comes next.
and jiang cheng chokes as he feels nothing from his father but indifference, exhaustion and annoyance.
he didn't want to believe in rumors, secondhand as they were but one of them was true.
'father doesn't like a-niang, a-cheng.'
and jiang cheng chokes as he feels nothing from his father but indifference, exhaustion and annoyance.
he didn't want to believe in rumors, secondhand as they were but one of them was true.
'father doesn't like a-niang, a-cheng.'
he pulled away from that conversation, concentrating to focus on something else but the one he latched onto was perhaps the worst.
because–
because, a-jie loves him. he knows that, at least. always gentle with him, she pet his head and braided his hair.
because–
because, a-jie loves him. he knows that, at least. always gentle with him, she pet his head and braided his hair.
his ears perked up when he caught the scent of lotus and listened in with a beating heart, wanting to know if wei ying was okay.
"why did jiang cheng have to be a dog?!"
one.
two.
he remembers counting, to make sure he breaths.
"oh, don't cry, a-ying—"
"why did jiang cheng have to be a dog?!"
one.
two.
he remembers counting, to make sure he breaths.
"oh, don't cry, a-ying—"
"but shijie! jiang cheng became a dog! dogs are the worst! i-i don't wanna play with dogs, they bite!" he can't–
"a-ying. it's okay, a-cheng won't hurt you." yeah, jiang cheng won't hurt wei ying–!
"didi can be mean and scary but he won't hurt you."
"a-ying. it's okay, a-cheng won't hurt you." yeah, jiang cheng won't hurt wei ying–!
"didi can be mean and scary but he won't hurt you."
scary?
a-jie thought he was scary?
jiang cheng knows he can be mean, because it's hard to smile, hard to find things to be happy about, easier to be angry than cry because crying was weakness, he knows being mean is bad and he tries not to be but, but–
scary?
jiang cheng knows he can be mean, because it's hard to smile, hard to find things to be happy about, easier to be angry than cry because crying was weakness, he knows being mean is bad and he tries not to be but, but–
scary?
'a-jie what do you think of me?'
during those days where he had to recover and get used to his new body, his sister didn't visit, neither did wei ying.
only his mother would come in the dead of night, watching over him, defeated and worried.
he finds out why when on the last day, his father comes in to talk.
only his mother would come in the dead of night, watching over him, defeated and worried.
he finds out why when on the last day, his father comes in to talk.
"do you want to play with wei ying?" yes.
"do you want your sister to come visit you?" yes!
"do you want your a-niang to stop worrying." of course!
"do you want to make me proud?"
it's the only question where jiang cheng hesitates for a split second because truly?
"do you want your sister to come visit you?" yes!
"do you want your a-niang to stop worrying." of course!
"do you want to make me proud?"
it's the only question where jiang cheng hesitates for a split second because truly?
he's not sure he'll be able to do anything that could make his father proud but, he hopes.
he shouldn't have looked up so high.
maybe if he didn't, he would have seen the collar looping around his neck before it was too late.
he shouldn't have looked up so high.
maybe if he didn't, he would have seen the collar looping around his neck before it was too late.
now, he's here. in the middle of the forest, in a shed, the collar has two chain nailed to the ground and a muzzle on his face.
he hates it.
he sits there and meditates, getting used to the snarling wolf and hates the fact he'd let his freedom go just like that.
he hates it.
he sits there and meditates, getting used to the snarling wolf and hates the fact he'd let his freedom go just like that.
he doesn't expect the scratch at the door, jolting out of his daze as he eyes the door warily.
the wood thumps and creaks as if a weight was pushing against and jiang cheng wishes it doesn't give.
it does.
the wood thumps and creaks as if a weight was pushing against and jiang cheng wishes it doesn't give.
it does.
there's a lion staring down at him and jiang cheng whimpers in fear. here is a true predator that eyes him like he's nothing more but a passing meal.
the feline opens its maw and speaks, "now, what do we have here?"
and suddenly, there's a man in white robes and red flames.
the feline opens its maw and speaks, "now, what do we have here?"
and suddenly, there's a man in white robes and red flames.
jiang cheng doesn't know him but if this man could shift so gracefully without any pain then that meant he was powerful.
the fact that he shows no sign of his animal proves that this cultivator has passed through the trials and his forms coexist in harmony.
the fact that he shows no sign of his animal proves that this cultivator has passed through the trials and his forms coexist in harmony.
"a stray? no, no, robes are too hmm, from yunmeng?" the other tilts his head in amusement, as if something about this was funny.
jiang cheng snarls despite the fear clogged in his throat.
the older male raises a brow, his smile turning into a grin, "boy, what's your name?"
jiang cheng snarls despite the fear clogged in his throat.
the older male raises a brow, his smile turning into a grin, "boy, what's your name?"
jiang cheng doesn't answer, tail bristling the more the other stares him down.
"come on, little puppy, i want to know who hass the stupidity to growl at me!" this man coaxes, teasing him to give an outburst.
jiang cheng isn't smart but he's not dumb.
"come on, little puppy, i want to know who hass the stupidity to growl at me!" this man coaxes, teasing him to give an outburst.
jiang cheng isn't smart but he's not dumb.
"i don't know your name, either." he ignores the way the cultivator laughs, resisting to flinch when he shifts once more to have sharp teeth in his face.
"my name is wen ruohan, little boy. now, care to tell me yours?"
"my name is wen ruohan, little boy. now, care to tell me yours?"
"jiang cheng." somehow, his name gives pause to wen ruohan, the other staring at him with a neutral face before the lion chuffs, eyeing the chains.
"are you sure? or are you just an imposter and that's why you're in this shed?"
"are you sure? or are you just an imposter and that's why you're in this shed?"
"father told me that i needed to stay here so i won't scare my shixiong, said i couldn't leave until i can hide my animal traits." wen ruohan scoffs but ruminates over the young boy's words, not smelling a hint of a lie.
surely not? but there were rumors however—
surely not? but there were rumors however—
"is that what he said?"
"mm, he said i should start with my teeth."
"mm, he said i should start with my teeth."
