The morning sun rise slowly, casting warm light across the mountains that surrounded the peaceful village. Yun Lan stood at the edge of the forest with her horse already saddled and ready to ride. Her expression was calm, but her heart trembled beneath the surface. She had barely slept the night before, the weight of her decision pressing heavily on her chest.
Earlier that morning, her grandmother had taken her aside with a rare seriousness in her eyes. The old woman clutched a faded scroll in one hand, the ink barely visible after years of age.
"There might be a way," the grandmother whispered, glancing toward the house to make sure Leon wasn't around. "There is a rare herb—Moonshade Root. It only grows at the peak of Mount Qilin. If we extract it fresh, I may be able to create a temporary antidote. It won't cure you forever, but it could give you more time."
Yun Lan's eyes had lit up with hope. Even a few more months would mean more time with Leon, more time to breathe and live. But then her gaze fell. Mount Qilin was a dangerous mountain, known for treacherous paths, wild animals, and unpredictable weather.
Still, Yun Lan had made her decision.
"I will go," she told her grandmother firmly.
The old woman hesitated. "Let Leon go instead. He's stronger, faster—"
Yun Lan shook her head. "No. He can never know. If he finds out I went for medicine to stay alive, he'll know the truth. I can't let him carry that burden. Promise me you won't tell him. Just say I had something to do."
Her grandmother gave a reluctant nod. She knew Yun Lan too well to try to change her mind.
Now, as Yun Lan adjusted her cloak and mounted her horse, she looked one last time at her home. Her heart squeezed when she thought of Leon, still asleep, unaware that she was about to ride into danger.
She turned the horse, and without another thought, rode into the forest.
Leon woke late that morning, surprised to find the bed beside him empty and cold. The scent of Yun Lan still lingered on the sheets, but there was no trace of her in the house.
He walked into the kitchen where her grandmother was sipping tea calmly.
"Where's Yun Lan?" he asked.
The old woman didn't answer right away. She stirred her tea, her face unreadable.
"She left early," she finally said. "Something she needed to do alone."
Leon frowned. "What kind of thing? She never leaves without telling me."
"It's personal. She didn't say more."
Leon narrowed his eyes. He had learned to read people, and he could tell she was holding something back. "Grandmother," he said softly but firmly, "I respect Yun Lan's privacy, but if she's in danger or hiding something, I need to know."
She looked away, her fingers tightening around the ceramic cup. "She told me not to tell you. But I suppose... I suppose it's better you know. She went to Mount Qilin."
Leon froze. "Mount Qilin? That place is deadly. Why would she go there alone?"
The old woman lowered her head. "She's looking for Moonshade Root. I told her I could use it to help her."
"Help her? Help her how?"
But the grandmother didn't answer. Leon didn't wait for more. He turned sharply and raced to the stables.
The trail to Mount Qilin was narrow and winding, with rocky cliffs on one side and deep forest on the other. Yun Lan's horse moved carefully, hooves crunching on gravel and dried leaves. Every few minutes, she checked the small scroll in her hand that showed the way to the Moonshade Root's last known location.
Sweat clung to her brow despite the chill. Her vision blurred occasionally, her body still weakened by the poison. But she pressed on.
She thought of Leon's laugh, his warmth when he held her at night. She thought of the fox cub snuggled between them. Of the way he looked at her like she was his whole world. She couldn't leave him. Not yet. Not like this.
Hours passed. The sun moved across the sky. The path grew steeper, and trees thinned out. She finally reached the lower cliffs of the mountain.
Her horse neighed nervously.
"It's okay," Yun Lan whispered, patting its neck. "We're almost there."
She climbed down, deciding to continue on foot. The last part was too steep for a horse.
Meanwhile, Leon galloped through the woods like a man possessed. The wind whipped his hair, and his eyes stayed locked on the narrow trail ahead.
"Why would she go alone? Damn it, Yun Lan!"
Branches scratched at his face and cloak, but he didn't care. He urged the horse faster.
As he rode, his mind spun. She was hiding something. Something big. And now, risking her life to get a rare herb?
His gut twisted. Fear gripped him.
He needed to find her. Before it was too late.
Yun Lan finally reached the cliff ledge described in the scroll. The Moonshade Root was said to grow only in the shade of a crescent-shaped rock, under the light of the morning sun. She spotted it almost instantly—a cluster of bluish-purple roots nestled in the crevice of the stone.
Relief washed over her.
She knelt down and carefully dug it out, wrapping it in cloth and placing it in her pouch.
Just as she stood up, a loud growl echoed behind her.
She turned.
A mountain wolf.
Its eyes gleamed with hunger, and it stepped forward slowly, muscles coiled to pounce.
Yun Lan froze. Her limbs felt like lead.
She had no weapon. No way to escape. The edge of the cliff was only a few steps behind her.
Then suddenly—a voice.
"YUN LAN!"
Leon.
He burst from the tree line, sword drawn. He lunged between her and the wolf, his blade slashing through the air.
The wolf snarled and leapt. Leon met it mid-air, slashing again. The beast yelped, wounded, and stumbled back before running off into the forest.
Leon turned to her, chest heaving.
"Are you insane?! Coming here alone?!"
Yun Lan stared at him, trembling.
He grabbed her shoulders. "Why didn't you tell me? What are you hiding from me, Yun Lan?"
Her lips parted, but she couldn't speak.
"I love you," he said, his voice breaking. "Whatever it is, I deserve to know. I deserve to fight it with you."
She looked away. "Leon... I just didn't want to burden you."
"I am your husband," he said. "You are my life. You don't get to make that decision alone."
Her eyes filled with tears. "I'm sorry. I just wanted more time."
He pulled her into his arms.
"We'll fight for every second," he whispered. "Together."
The ride home was quiet, but Leon never let go of her hand. And though he still didn't know the full truth, he knew one thing:
He would protect her with everything he had. Even if it meant chasing her through the most dangerous mountain in the realm.
Because she was worth it. Every breath, every moment, every fight.
And he wasn't going to lose her without one.