video/text (@cock.stealer)

[taciturnly]

( on the screen, the upper body of a regal-looking man, clad in white and pale blues, a ribbon around his head. on his shoulders, cocks, particularly fat and of the feathery kind, ominously staring into your soul. there’s a few cuts on the man’s cheek, bleeding dots on his neck—despite the additional rooster suddenly crowning his head, lan wangji looks impressively unperturbed, but if you squint, you might catch the light flare of his nostrils every time he breathes in, or the faint twitch in his left eye. low clucking sounds indicate there might be more, one stray feather gracefully spat out the moment he parts his lips on a measured sigh.

look at all those chickens. at least a dozen as the camera zooms in and out, and then the video ends, a text message instead. )

If these are yours, please come and fetch them. So long as you do not loiter, they will remain unharmed.

My name is Lan Wangji. You will find me by an old mill, near the mountain.

Comments

[gusumouthcannon]

Not far if you fly. And no, it has been just me and Sizhui of our sect. Which I think is better than having more people here.

[taciturnly]

Energy should be preserved. I will walk.

How long have you both been here for?

[gusumouthcannon]

Long enough to want to go home! But a couple of months, I think. When did you get here?

[taciturnly]

The night before.

Are you both safe?

[gusumouthcannon]

Oh, so you have not been here that long. Just long enough for chickens.

[Hrm.]

Safe right this second? Yes.

[taciturnly]

Jingyi. What is the nature of the dangers we face?

[gusumouthcannon]

Hanguang-jun. This is very serious. There have been ghosts.