Wren came running with a small black leaved plant in hand. He squatted down and started smashing it with a rock. The human and a bird watched him curiously.
"What is that, sir?" the fisherman curiously peered at him.
"This is tickle weed. If it is taken in a certain amount, it can help with itches and rashes. But it also has another property. It is a natural dye,"
The leaves started to bleed an ominous dark colour.
Without any hesitation, wren applied it to his whole head. His already tangled up hair became a wet soggy mess of black. "How is this?" he excitedly looked at him.
The human's smile twitched. "sir.. I have an even better idea." He pulled out a cloth bag from over his shoulder and took out a huge coat. "You can try this. It will hide your face."
"wow," wren happily took it from him.
Feng mian just jumped into wren's lap and glared at the human. 'What is this guy thinking? Why is he helping him?'
As of hearing him thought wren whispered. "Why are you helping me so much?"
The human froze. "I—I actually.... I need a help as well...."
"What is it?" wren sat down comfortably on the ground and peered at him intently.
"if you have anything of worth, can you give it to me.. I know it is shameless of me to ask you of this sir monster, but I have no other choice. You see, I am just a poor fisherman. I tried my best to provide for my family but recently I have not been finding any fish..... my child she is sick and I need money." He dwindled with his thumb.
Feng Mian stood up tall. 'I knew it this guy is a bloody cheat. He is obviously trying to steal our things....'
Wren just blinked. "But I didn't bring anything of value,"
Feng mian proudly looked up at him. 'Yeah that is how not to be a pushover,'
"But I can tell you where you can find the most fishes."
The fisher man glanced up with glistening eyes. "Really?"
"Where do you usually fish?"
"Near the green Mer Island. I don't get too close but the Mer's have been quite friendly to me. In fact they have even helped me a lot."
"oh... that's why. Usually fishes swim a little away from the Mer island but now there was a huge problem that happened fifteen days ago so they might have swam farther. If you want to fish, you can try the deep gorge. They are abundant there." wren mumbled to him.
Usually his brother Diago sneaked out of the house to play in near the deep gorge. The fished there were tasty as well.
"Thank you, sir. Thank you!!!" the man bowed deeply. "oh here, wear this." he helped wren wear his coat and pulled down the hood. "You can stay with us until you find your friend. I promise I won't tell anyone."
"Okay," wren happily followed after him.
Feng mian on the other hand, was very sceptical. Usually humans are never this nice. In fact, he had never met a human that nice before. 'This man must have a deep motive. Is he going to kill this stupid oyster and eat him as a tonic? NO! My blood essence. I have to protect him at all cost,'
With renewed passion Feng looked up at the wren.
Wren smirked at him and gently kissed his head. "Well, find my Hachin soon,"
Feng mian silently chirped at him.
Soon they neared the gate, and the fisherman entered first, handing four coppers to the gatekeepers.
Wren silently followed after him. The human settlement was much different from he had expected it to be. Instead of a cheerful atmosphere it was filled with dull, lifeless people whose bellies were sunken.
"Sir, this is the outer area of our town." he whispered. "Most of the poorest of the poor live here,"
"Soo in the interior part rich people live?"
"yes," the fisherman happily guided him through small pathways through the slum.
Feng Mian frowned. 'Mu Zhen said that human town's were different now from thousands of years ago but I didn't expect it to be this different. The humans are all starving to death! How ignorant was I to let this atrociousness happen,' his small featherless wing trembled in anger.
Feeling his tremor wren gently patted his body. "It's okay. We are safe here,"
"Sir come in. Come in," the fisherman invited them into a small hut. "Martha! We have guest!" he shouted.
A small thin lady walked out carrying a small bundle in her hand. "Husband, its bad. Our baby.... he is not breathing!!!"
"What!!"
The man ran in, leaving them by the door.
Wren carefully leaned down and went inside the house, voluntarily. The inside was very dingy and air tight but it was slightly warmer than outside. The small candle in the corner of the house lit the entire hut.
On the small rock bed laid a child three years or so if age. The fisher man ran to him and held him in his hand, sobbing loudly.
Wren sighed. He took out the remaining blood jade root and squeezed it in his palm. "Bring him closer,"
The fisher man sobbingly walked up to him.
Wren gently pried open his mouth and let the juices drip in.
Feng Mian jumped up and glanced at him in shock. 'Why is he.... I thought he was willing to use it only on me.'
Just the thought alone made him very disappointed.
'What was I thinking, I'm not that special to him, anyway. Hump, it's his herb he can use it on whoever he wished to,'