When she and the bull had eventually left Xiong Mei's line of sight, its behaviour seemed to have undergone a change. It slowed from a rapid dash through the skies to a lazy saunter. Tiny suddenly appeared to be in no apparent hurry to reach the intended destination.
Li Meirong couldn't help but notice this and began trying to appeal to the chimera beast. She really wanted to get home as soon as possible for some rest and a much needed shower.
She leaned a bit forward and stroked its wide, muscular neck. "So you're Tiny? You have a very cute name!"
The bull made a rumbling sound. It was difficult to decipher its mood. Li Meirong tried again.
"Tiny, I need to get home now. Your master told you to take me back. Can you do that?"
The bull snorted and wiggled its rear. The movement nearly caused Li Meirong to fall off its back, and she clutched Tiny's black hide in alarm.
Exhaling deeply, Li Meirong's tone was no longer clear and calm as she asked, "Have I done something to offend you??"
After a while, the bull ceased its movements and slowly replied, "Master seems to like you."
Its voice was light and sweet, completely different from what Li Meirong expected. So apparently it wasn't a bull, but a cow...
This time, it was Li Meirong who snorted, 'Like me? I'd say Xiong Me has been bullying me instead!'
Still, she wasn't sure this cow was in a mood to be reasoned with.
"I only met sister Xiong Mei today, and she's been helping me with cultivation, that's all. I don't think we're close enough to like each other."
Tiny halted her progress through the sky altogether and hovered high above the islands.
"Humph. Master never gets close to anyone, and yet, Master didn't hesitate to hold you! You lie!"
Frustrated and exhausted, Li Meirong seriously wanted to cry now. She decided then and there, that the first lesson she was going to ask Zhu Qingyue to teach her was the art of Qinggong. That way she could glide to her cabin on her own.
The cow's possessiveness of her master reminded Li Meirong of Chou. The Plant Spirit had always been scared that others would bully her, so perhaps, if Li Meirong professed to pose no harm, Tiny would become more agreeable?
"I'm not planning on harming your master or anything. Really, we're simply colleagues! Acquaintances!"
"My master needs no other acquaintances besides me! Go die!" Tiny's sweet sounding voice changed into a shriek as she raised her stocky rear end, kicking back with her hind legs and forcibly propelling Li Meirong off her back.
Li Meirong cried out, reaching with both arms to grasp Tiny's horns, however the Cow easily bucked her head out of reach.
As she plummeted towards the island below, a thousand thoughts ran through her mind. The idea that her death was so rapidly approaching astounded her. Here, now of all times, and under this ridiculous circumstance. She was just beginning to feel strong enough to defend herself. Clearly, she was wrong.
Her heart pumped wildly in her chest and the cold air rushing past her made her entire body shiver. Or was that the fear?
Knowing that from this height and at the speed she was dropping, there was no way she would survive this fall.
Everything felt like a blur swirling out of existence. She closed her eyes, waiting for the inevitable impact that would end it all. And in her last moments, the silliest thought came to mind...
Would Zhu Qingyue miss her when she didn't show up for their lesson later that night?