Meili stirred and groaned in pain.
"Mei Meili," he called to her anxiously.
"My back," she croaked, "burning".
"You've been stung by a murder hornet. But don't worry, you'll be okay. You were lucky you only got stung once so it won't kill you. You have to endure it Mei Meili."
"It hurts, Bai Li," she gasped.
Finally, she drops the 'Master Bai', he thought.
If this is what it took, he wondered with jealousy what methods Tan Bowen had used with her. He wouldn't trust that guy as far as you could throw him.
"Tufei?" she asked fearfully.
"He hasn't reappeared yet, but he will, so don't be too concerned. A few hornet stings can't kill a horse of that size. He'll come back when the pain subsides."
"Tricky?" she asked.
"He couldn't keep up with the horses, but he was on our trail. He's a smart dog; I've watched him hunt. He'll find us soon."
She tried to sit up, suddenly realising he had undressed her.
"Stay where you are Mei Meili," he said sharply. "I had to remove your top to treat your back."
Finally, she started to cry.
So she doesn't cry when she gets stung by the most painful insect in the empire, but she cries because he bared her back to save her life…
"I'm sorry Mei Meili, but your life was in danger. I was careful not to look beyond your back."
Now she started sobbing.
"Pass me my top," she cried.
"You can't put anything on your back. Here," he wrapped her in his cloak leaving the back open.
"It's so painful Bai Li," she sobbed. "It burns and burns."
His heart ached. He pulled her against him and held her while she cried.
A short bark announced the arrival of Tricky-Wu, who finally emerged from the bushes, rushing over to them.
He climbed straight into Meili's lap and she stroked him while she cried.
Bai Li held them both, a tiny girl with a dog almost as large as her.
Tricky licked her hand, sadly sniffing at her back.
"Tricky," she said to him through her tears, "go find Third". Sniffle... "Go find Third."
The dog jumped off her lap and stood at alert. He looked at her, head cocked.
"Go on boy, go find Third."
The puppy ran off into the gathering darkness.
"He knows how to do that. He does it for me at home all the time," she sniffed.
Bai Li hoped like hell that the dog wouldn't get eaten by a tiger on its long trek to find her brother.
"I need to build us a fire before it gets too dark."
He didn't want to frighten her with why, but the wild animals around here were dangerous. They would need a fire to stay safe.
She curled into a little ball after he left, hugging her legs, covering herself with his cloak. Her back burned and burned without any relief.
He quickly lit them a large fire and started roasting some of the game.
"Don't bother for me Bai Li," she groaned. "I can't eat. My back feels like it might explode."
Bai Li checked on her back, and it was indeed swelling alarmingly now. The man tended to her tirelessly. He went back and forth, fetching more of the cool moss, constantly reapplying it and wiping her forehead with a dampened handkerchief.
Finally, in the early hours of the morning, "it feels slightly better," she breathed. "I'm hungry now."
He heaved a sigh of relief. The worst was over.
Bai Li passed her one of the quails he'd cooked.
"It's cold, but it should fill you."
She nibbled on just enough meat to take the edge off her hunger.
"Turn around Bai Li," she said picking up her binding and top.
He thought this was premature, but he wasn't going to say anything. He understood her embarrassment.
In the gentle firelight she reapplied her chest binding, keeping it low at the back, and pulled her top loosely across her shoulders.
Bai Li stared straight ahead. Unfortunately, her silhouette was cast by the fire onto the huge cave wall. He felt like a voyeur even with his back turned.
"Oh my god, it's turned so itchy now," she tried to reach for the bite, but it was at an awkward spot low down on her shoulder blade where she couldn't reach.
She looked at Bai Li, with big eyes.
"Do you want me to itch it?" he asked, trying not to smile.
"No!" she cried. "Definitely not. Oh my god," she wriggled desperately.
"Come here," he said. "I promise I won't itch it, but let me try something."
In desperation she sat beside him. He put his arm over her shoulder and gently rubbed the swollen area through her riding top. She sat meekly and let him help her.
"Thank you, Bai Li … for everything…"
"Don't thank me," he said. "I should have protected you. I'm kicking myself."
"What do you mean?" she asked sleepily.
"Someone shot that nest onto you. I killed him, but I was a step too late."
"Li Fengfeng," she mumbled.
"Why do you say that?"
"She told me to go there. I'm sorry I seem to be such … a bother to you."
"How could you be a bother to me. Don't you recall I tried to make you my wife. What bother could there be between us?"
She didn't reply and he looked down to see that she was fast asleep.
He picked the sleeping girl up, cradling her in his arms as he moved to rest against the cave wall where he could keep one eye on the entrance.
He gently brushed the hair from her face, letting her long tresses wrap around her for extra warmth.
In the peaceful firelight, he could finally enjoy looking at her beautiful sleeping face.