Maiden Of The Splitting Moon

Her eyes stayed on the pond, seeing some of the water splashing out. Glancing at Hongyu, Ming Yue stood up slowly and carefully got out of the pile.      

Resting a hand on Blood Moon, she slowly walked towards the pond. Her steps were silent and her presence was gone, nothing here would notice her.      

Getting closer and closer to the pond, the splashing got louder before stopping.      

By then, the young woman was close enough to see exactly what was going on. But what she saw had caused her to suddenly stop in her tracks. There was shock on her face, almost onto doubt as she couldn't believe what was before her.      

"This... this can't be right", she thought, "Why? Why is it even here?"     

Staring at the shallow pond, Ming Yue looked at the few fish, swimming about. Her eyes quickly locked onto one particular one. It was larger than the rest, much larger in fact! The pond looked more like a puddle with this giant fish.      

But there was one other thing about this abnormally large fish. Its body was golden, bright and shimmering under the starlight.      

"That's the Aureate Koi, isn't it? No, it can't be! Why would it be here of all places?!"      

Swimming along with the other fish was a very large golden koi and it was several times larger than the others. There was a blank look in its eyes as it swam from one end to the other end aimlessly. It didn't seem to notice Ming Yue looking at it.      

However, it did notice something else and quickly swam off, going up the waterfall and vanishing from sight. Ming Yue turned around to see Liang Wei creeping behind her. The giant cat beast was lowered and poised to strike, most likely eyeing the Aureate Koi before it left.      

But now that it was gone, the beast no longer took its position. The two tails on its back drooped in disappointment as it looked toward Ming Yue.      

The young woman sighed but revealed a little smile as well.      

"Ah, better luck next time, I suppose", she told the cat walking up to it and scratching under its chin.      

Still, Ming Yue glanced at the pond and then at the waterfall.      

"It's not like the Aureate Koi is going to come back again", she thought to herself.      

Turning back to the giant cat, she led the beast away from the pond, walking back to the house before hearing a very noticeable splash of water to which they both stopped in their tracks. Ming Yue looked back at the shallow pond, narrowing her eyes at the water.      

She just walked up and looked to find the Aureate Koi back in the pond again, swimming without a single care.      

"I- never mind."     

Ming Yue walked away from the pond and looked at Liang Wei, who eyed the giant golden koi. The beast slowly crawled forward as if preparing to pounce on it. She watched on the sidelines, seeing the cat come closer and closer to the edge of the pond. Its two tails swayed in the air, moving from one side to the other.      

Liang Wei's brownish eyes seemed to sharpen as it targeted the Aureate Koi. It was even more careful and quiet before, trying not to alert it. Edging closer and closer until the cat beast was just a few feet away.      

It watched the shallow pond, ignoring the other fish.      

Liang Wei stared at the Aureate Koi, staying perfectly still while the koi fish just swam about. The cat just waited for the right moment, the instant it was close enough to strike. A few minutes passed by but it didn't make a move just yet.      

The perfect moment had yet to come.      

But when it did come, the giant cat beast struck! Lunging forward with its front paws outstretched, claws emerging from their recesses.      

The attack took no more than a second, as quick as lightning as Liang Wei dove into the waters, clawing at the Aureate Koi. Water splashed everywhere as the Aureate Koi sensed the sudden danger.      

And a Beast God could not be underestimated, even if it was just an oversized fish.      

The koi was swift, leaping out of the waters and over Liang Wei's paws. The cat looked up it felt a fishtail smack against its cheek. With that extra hit, the Aureate Koi launched itself even higher, landing into the waterfall and quickly swimming up the stream.      

As for the cat beast, Liang Wei landed in the waters and was completely soaked whilst its prey was gone.      

"Hahaha."     

Having watched the whole ordeal, Ming Yue couldn't help but laugh at the cat, who walked out of the pond defeated. Its white spotted fur was soaking wet and dripping with water. Each step it made left a wet trail on the grass as it returned to the young woman.      

"Alright, alright, there's always next time maybe."     

She consoled the cat beast while flicking her hand out, conjuring a warm wind that gently dried up Liang Wei's wet body. It didn't take very long and at the end of it, the beast still had a look of disappointment on its face. The both of them looked at the pond and waterfall for just a bit but the Aureate Koi didn't come back this time.     

The two tails drooped down, practically dragging on the ground as Liang Wei failed twice to catch it. Standing before the giant cat, Ming Yue embraced the beast, caressing its neck as she spoke to it.      

"You never know, the Aureate Koi might come back again. Even if you fail now, you can just keep trying until you get it", she said.      

Liang Wei let out a meow and nuzzled against her, its tails rose back up, swaying about as the sadness slowly subsided.      

"Alright, let's go back and rest for tonight."     

Together, they returned back to Hongyu and the others, resting for the night. Morning soon came and everyone awakened after hearing a loud splash of water.      

Ming Yue was the first to sit up and look around before finding Liang Wei soaked in water after lunging into the pond again.      

"Don't tell me."      

Rather than walk up, she ran to find the Aureate Koi in the shallow pond again! But this time, it didn't run, it just swam around, seemingly not caring that some beast was after its life. Ming Yue looked at it and sighed before walking up the edge of the pon and stepping into the cold water.      

She eyed the fish before summoning several wind needles over her hand.      

"If an opportunity like this is going to present itself, I might as well take it", she thought to herself.     

Even if she wasn't going to benefit from this as much as the beast-kin, Ming Yue had three beasts by their side. Not to mention, Liang Wei really wanted to catch it. If anything this giant cat may gain the most benefit from this.      

Ming Yue just looked at the Aureate Koi before pointing her hand at the golden fish. With just a single thought, the wind needles shot forward, aiming to pierce its body in at least several places.      

But she missed. In fact, none of the wind needles landed, none of them even came close as the Aureate Koi swam out of the way.      

"What?!"     

Ming Yue tried a second time, creating even more wind needles to shoot but she still missed in the end.      

"Hah, a Beast God is still a Beast God, to think it would be this slippery!"     

She gave it a third attempt but the result was unchanged. The Aureate Koi merely just swam out of the way, evading the wave of wind needles. It was quick and nimble.     

No matter how small of a gap there was in her attacks, it would get through somehow.