When dawn's light once again filtered through the rock crevices into the cave, A Lie remained unconscious. A high fever gave his bronze skin an unnatural flush, his breathing heavy and rapid. Gu Liang had stayed awake all night, constantly wiping his forehead and chest with a hot spring-soaked animal skin, trying to lower his temperature.
The herbs seemed to help somewhat—the wounds hadn't become inflamed or infected. But severe blood loss and exhaustion had plunged A Lie's body into a deep state of self-repair. This was the first time Gu Liang had seen this powerful male so vulnerable—his brow furrowed in discomfort, his lips cracked and dry, occasionally uttering indistinct murmurs.
Once, while Gu Liang was changing the bandage on his leg, A Lie suddenly grabbed his wrist. The strength was greatly diminished by weakness, yet it still startled Gu Liang. A Lie mumbled something in the beastman tongue, his golden pupils half-open but unfocused. Eventually, he slipped back into unconsciousness, his hand slowly releasing its grip.
By noon, A Lie seemed somewhat more stable. Hunger gnawed at Gu Liang's stomach, and he realized he must find food. He carefully placed the stone axe near A Lie's hand, then re-covered the cave entrance with vines and branches, ensuring it remained inconspicuous from outside.
The forest remained fraught with danger for Gu Liang alone. He cautiously gathered familiar wild berries and edible roots, luckily discovering a nest of bird eggs. On his return, he heard distant beast cries and immediately ducked into thickets until the sounds faded.
Upon returning to the cave, A Lie had awakened. He sat propped against the rock wall, the stone axe clutched tightly in his hand. Though his face remained pale, a glimmer of life had returned to his golden pupils. Seeing Gu Liang return, the tension in his body eased slightly.
Gu Liang silently placed the food before him. A Lie examined the wild berries and bird eggs, then unexpectedly pushed the eggs back toward Gu Liang, taking only a few berries for himself.
They ate in silence. Gu Liang noticed A Liei's brow furrowed slightly with pain with every movement, yet he uttered not a single groan.
After the meal, A Lie attempted to stand but staggered from his leg injury. Gu Liang instinctively stepped forward to support him, A Lie's arm resting heavily on his shoulder. This closeness lacked the previous aggression, being merely a pure necessity.
A Lie used the support to move toward the hot spring, carefully immersing his injured leg in the warm water. The heat clearly eased his pain, and he let out a sigh of relief.
Gu Liang sat nearby, observing this once-mighty male. Weakness had retracted some of A Lie's claws, yet his golden pupils remained alert, scanning the cave entrance. His ears twitched, catching every sound from outside.
By afternoon, A Lie had regained some strength. He motioned for Gu Liang to approach, then began "communicating" with him through a mix of gestures and simple syllables. He pointed at various objects, uttering their beast-tongue names, then looked expectantly at Gu Liang.
Gu Liang hesitated, then responded in Chinese: "Stone," "Water," "Fire."
A Lie seemed intrigued by this "game." He repeated Gu Liang's pronunciations, oddly but astonishingly accurate. When Gu Liang accidentally uttered "wound," A Lie pointed to the injury on his own leg, then to the scrape on Gu Liang's knee, emitting a questioning tone.
This was their first attempt at genuine communication—clumsy yet effective.
By dusk, A Lie's fever had finally broken. Leaning against the rock wall, he watched Gu Liang prepare dinner, his golden pupils flickering with complex emotions.
When Gu Liang offered him the roasted root, A Lie didn't take it immediately. Instead, he suddenly reached out and gently touched the mark beneath Gu Liang's collarbone. His touch no longer carried the intent of pain, merely lightly tracing the raised scar.
Then he pointed to a similar old scar on his own chest, gestured back at Gu Liang, and uttered a low, solemn syllable.
This time, Gu Liang vaguely grasped the meaning of that word.
Not "slave." Not "property."
But "mine."