(NOTES: If there is a * next to a word please look at the bottom for the meaning of the word)
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Deep in the Shunan Bamboo Sea, there is a cave called Xianyu Cave. It was once known as the Pearl in Bamboo Forest. It was once used for both Taoism and Buddhism. It has long been abandoned. It is covered from top and bottom with bamboo. It has been untouched and unseen for hundreds of years. Making it a perfect place for a sweet little fox, such as AiLin, to live in.
AiLin is a Hulijing*, which is a fox spirit, and he wasn't too big on humans or the human world. He had been living in the bamboo forest all his life. He knew nothing else, but that forest. It was his home and he loved it there. AiLin loved running around the forest in his true white fox form and caused trouble wherever he could find it.
When he is in his human form, AiLin wears a white and light green Hanfu*. His hair is free flowing and long. It was a pure white color put half way up topknot held together by a light green silk ribbon that laid against his hair. He likes to sit at the top of the Rainbow Waterfall and watch the humans that walk down below. AiLin smiles as he watches them, though he is scared to go near them.
Nothing beats spending a day playing among the bamboo and roaming the forest, but there are some days while AiLin watched the humans he notices the couples and how cute they are together. AiLin had always been alone. He could never remember who his parents are or if there were any others out there like him. For as long as he could remember the Bamboo Forest was his home and it was all he knew.
He felt lonely some days. He did wonder once what it would be like to have someone. The more he thought about it, the more he wished for it. The more he wished for it, the more scared he became thinking it would never happen. The one rule that all Gods, Spirits or any immortal being had, other than letting the humans know about them, was that they were not allowed to fall in love with a human. This rule really didn't bother him as much.
AiLin didn't like humans and the reason was the fact that in his younger years, before he was able to take on a human form, AiLin had visited a village not far from the forest. When the humans saw him and found out what he was, they threw rocks at him and some even went as far as kicking him. Kids use to pick him up and toss him around. To him, all humans were cruel and mean. He had no place in his heart for them whatsoever.
One day as AiLin sat at the top of the falls, he happened to see three guys walking past the pool that the falls ran into. The one on the right was a bit younger than the other two. He had grayish hair and blue eyes. His build wasn't bad either. The one on the left had even stranger hair then the others. It was orange and black. His eyes were a green color as well. AiLin really didn't like the look of him. The one thing they both had different from the last one was their hair was short.
The last guy was the one that caught AiLin's attention the most. He was taller than the other two. His build was a bit bigger as well. His eyes were a soft, yet sweet light blue color. They almost matched the sky. His hair was shoulder length and pitch black. The way he carried himself gave him a sort of mean vibe. Yet, AiLin was drawn to him the moment he laid his eyes on him. For humans all three did not look too bad.
AiLin decided to follow behind them in his fox form. He was able to move about fast and jump around in the trees if need be. AiLin jumped from the top of the falls into the pool below, splashing the three with water. Lucky for AiLin he was immortal.
''Who was that'' The orange haired one said.
''Maybe it's just the animals of the forest playing around'' The grey haired one replied.
The tall one didn't speak; he just hissed and brushed the water off as he walked away. The other two followed shortly behind after looking around.
''That was close'' AiLin thought to himself as he slowly walked onto the bank shaking off and chased after them.
The three didn't talk for some time as they walked about the forest. They acted as if they were looking for something, but couldn't find it. Finally, one of them spoke up.
''What is it we are looking for anyways, LiYun'' The gray one said to the tall one.
''LiYun? Is that his name'' AiLin thought again.
''Kong hush, can't you see he is thinking'' The orange one said.
''How about you hush, Jing.''
LiYun growled low and turned to both of them ''How about you both hush it and help me find this damn cave'' he said turning back around.
AiLin had a confused look on his face as he listened and watched them from a tree just above them ''A cave? What cave? Not my cave I hope'' He said to himself.
''What is so damn special about this cave anyways'' Kong had asked.
''It's told that there is a white fox that lives there'' Jing said looking at LiYun ''He wants to find this fox.''
''What for'' Kong asked again.
''This fox is meant to be special. No one really knows why. The only thing about this fox is that it lives in the Xianyu Cave here in this forest'' Jing said, sitting on a nearby bolder.
AiLin wondered what they could be talking about. He wasn't special, so why would anyone be looking for him and why did this Jing person keep calling him an IT. AiLin was getting a bit upset.
LiYun looked about not saying a word then started to walk off. Kong and Jing sighed as they ran to catch up. AiLin followed. He couldn't let them get to the cave let alone find him. What would three humans do with him anyways? AiLin dashed off ahead of them. Just as AiLin was about to jump to another tree he was suddenly caught by his tail.
AiLin fought and fought as hard as he could, braking at whoever had a hold of him. When he finally opened his eyes, he noticed it was the tall human he had been following. Had he known this whole time? AiLin wiggled more and more trying to get free.
''I knew we were being followed, but I didn't know it was by a fox'' he said in a deep voice.
Both Kong and Jing ran up to get a look at him. AiLin closed his eyes tightly. This was it; he was done for. These humans caught him and were about to hurt him. Just when he thought it was all over for him, he noticed that his feet slowly touched the ground. Once again, AiLin opened his eyes and looked up at the tall one.
LiYun knelt down and smiled a bit as he placed the white fox on the ground, but still had a hold of his tail. He looked at the fox and noticed something strange about him. Both his eyes were different colors. One was pink while the other was blue.
''Ok little one, was it you who splashed us back at the falls'' LiYun asked nicely.
AiLin nodded.
''What a sneaky little fox'' Kong said with a laugh.
''How did you know he was following us, LiYun'' Jing asked.
''I could hear the tree shake. The last time we stopped I happened to catch sight of her'' He laughed.
HER!?! AiLin thought loudly to himself. He leaned up and bit into LiYun's wrist.
''HEY!'' He shouted.
Jing laughed ''I think you hurt it's feelings, LiYun'' he said.
LiYun looked back at Jing ''What do you mean?''
''He means, the little one is a HE not a SHE'' Kong pointed out.
AiLin braked and nodded.
''See'' Kong said, crossing his arms.
Geez, even this one could tell, AiLin thought and rolled his eyes.
LiYun turned back to the fox and looked at him ''Don't tell me the one I'm looking for is a guy'' He said letting the fox go.
Both Kong and Jing laughed ''Well, it never did say if the fox was male or female'' Jing said.
''SHIT!'' LiYun growled loudly shaking the bamboo.
AiLin jumped back in fear and crouched down. How did this human even do something like that? It scared him. When Jing noticed that he was scared he patted LiYun on the shoulder.
''Stop, you're scaring him, look'' He said worried.
LiYun turned and looked at the scared little fox that was now hiding behind his own tail. LiYun looked at the others who shrugged. He slowly walked over to him.
''Hey, are you ok'' He asked in a soft tone and reached out to him.
AiLin yelped and ran off towards the falls. He wasn't going to let them find the cave or even catch him again. These humans scared him. He hated humans. How could he think these were any different from the ones hundreds of years ago?
The three of them chased after the fox calling out to him. As they ran deeper and deeper into the woods, they lost sight of him. They had ended up back at the falls. LiYun sighed.
''Let's head home'' he said
''But what about the cave'' Kong asked.
''Forget it'' Jing said pointing to LiYun ''Can't you tell he is worried about something else right now.''
Kong looked at LiYun then back at Jing ''What?''
''He scared the fox spirit he needed to find. The fox now hates him and he is thinking how he could make it up to him'' Jing said smacking the back of Kong's head.
It was written all over LiYun's face. He stopped to look back at the falls one last time, only to see a small form of a fox turn into a human form. He couldn't make out what he looked like. But those eyes. He will never forget those eyes.
AiLin watched as they left. He never wanted to go near humans again. All he wanted to do was go back to his cave and stay there forever. There it was safe and away from humans. Still, he was forever now inside AiLin's mind and he couldn't stop thinking about him. Human or not, he wanted to see him again.
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â¢Hulijing - is a fox spirit who are seen as either good or bad. They can take on human form, have powers, and are immortals.
â¢Hanfu - is a term associated with the Hanfu movement used to refer to the historical traditional dress sensibilities of the Han Chinese. Traditional Han clothing comprises all traditional clothing classifications of the Han Chinese with a recorded history of more than three millennia until the end of the Ming Dynasty. They were normally made from silk.