"Mister?" She asked, the bloody and broken peacock didn't reply she wasn't expecting one anyways, she saw the extreme loss of blood he had suffered. Nobody could mistake it, he was dead.

"Sir, wake up!" She nudged him with her talons, her amber eyes stared at him. It was a saddening scene, a child only around twelve trying to wake up someone who had lost their life. But she was persistent, until finally she picked him up and dragged him to her house.

She saw that the silken robe he wore would need to be removed and replaced. This had happened many times before, but with other people. She laid him down on a cot and took his robe off, and dried him off. She fixed the messed up train of feathers and plucked a few broken ones out. Her next concern were the broken bones, his ribs and wing were shattered, she eased the wing into a proper manner and sat down. He was cleaned, then she put the red robe she saved for him on the body.

All this work, for someone who couldn't appreciate it. She didn't mind, she had always worked with the dead. But what nobody knew, was that she is a thief. Nobody saw her swipe anything from a marketplace, or deceive a shopkeeper, not that she had. No, it was far more than that, she stole from death itself. She refused to let anyone who was nearby stay dead unless it was of age. She had accepted this, she was a thief, so this allowed her gift to bloom.

She closed her eyes and held her hand out with the thumb folded over her palm, letting the life energy flow through her. Chi Energy. The palm started glowing gold like her eyes, cherry blossom petal started to surround her and the dead peacock.  You could see the energy flow through him again as the chest started to rise and fall once again. She put her hand down and smiled as she saw, once again, she brought back life. His injuries have recovered and the water had been drained from his lungs.

She sat across the room, glad to have stolen from death once again, it wasn't that the afterlife wasn't pleasant, but she felt the importance of the life of this peacock. She wasn't going to let him die, there were still things her needed to do, and she had to attend to him until his completed his role in the universe. Normally she'd only revive them and let them leave, but she had to follow him, this bird in the color of death. She pondered on the form she would have to take for him to trust her, no doubt that he'd despise a panda.

She changed her form a few times, a snake, lizard, peacock, dragon. She finally decided on one, a bunny with dark fur, wore a robe that was gold at the hems and red, and pants that was the same color of the robe. She hid a Dao in her robe, it was a small blade, only as long as her forearm, but it would extend at will. She found this fitting, he couldn't link her to anything negative. She knew the animals he had met, and what would have a negative outcome if she had that as her form.

She practiced, it wasn't truly necessary but who knew the foes they would meet? She sliced up a piece of parchment that served at her opponent, now that it was defeated she needed a better enemy. She ran outside and collected logs, she intended to make a dummy who would attack back when she did. The arms sound around and the head rocked back and forth. She kicked the right arm and caught the left one that swung around, perfect.

This took place most of her afternoon, the color of death would soon follow, something flashed before her. A fight, to the death, alongside each other the Yin and Yang attacked, a scream, a death. One was gone, so the world would be thrown into turmoil. This had never happened before, the peacock was important. They must fight side by side, not to be separated, it was uncommon but she must ally with the color of death. Despite her being a thief of it.

He stood in the doorway, impressed with her skill. He couldn't recall what had happened at the river, what brought him here or why. It had taken his memories, but he just needed time to recover, he told himself. Maybe the bunny could help, she seemed to know what was going on, he was in what he presumed her house. She fought and countered hits vigorously, was she preparing for an intense battle. He was snapped out of his daze when she suddenly froze and the dummy whacked her violently in the head. She flew a few feet, only about two until she landed. He ran to her.

"Are you alright!?" He asked, she got up.

"Yes, are you alright?" She didn't notice him get up and eagerly wanted to know his health.

"I'm... Fine.. I can't seem to recall how I got here." He admitted, hoping she could give an answer.

"You were taken here by the river, I don't know how you got in there sir, do you know anything before that?" She asked, apparently she knew about him as much as he knew himself. There was a flickering memory, it was of a crash, indescribable pain... Drowning.

"No... Nothing.." He sighed in defeat, looking down. He hated something, someone, but he couldn't remember. The girl looked up at the white bird with empathy.

"I can help you, this often happens to those who end up here." That was a lie, they only couldn't recall their deaths. "I'm sure you'll remember soon." Another lie, she doubted that he would ever recall his past life ever again.

"Thank you. I hope so..." He looked up at the sun, it was evening and the sunlight was staining the forest and waters red.

"Do you know your name?" She asked, wanting to know a little more about the bird.

"Shen." He replied, it snapped into his head the moment he hear her say name. "I'd like to know yours."

"Xiao Tou." She said. "But call me Sheng Hou."