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Shen Wei feels didi coiling tighter around his neck, his muscles contracting as a cough wracks through his small body. Usually, didi isn't quite as weak in his dragon form, but lately… didi has been getting worse.
Shen Wei lifts his hand to his collar, as he keeps walking, trying to tuck didi in a bit better to keep him warm. Then he just keeps his hand there, to steady didi while he catches his breath. His small body trembles quietly against Shen Wei, his breaths small and shaky. After what feels like far too long, he finally manages to get his breathing under control. His scales drag softly against Shen Wei's skin, comforting and familiar, as he moves, slipping out from under Shen Wei's robe enough to rub his head against Shen Wei's fingers, wordlessly trying to reassure him.
Shen Wei scratches his chin briefly. "You'll get cold, didi," he says quietly. Didi doesn't put up a fuss and just dives back under Shen Wei's collar. Shen Wei feels a small moment of relief.
The weather has been growing constantly colder and harsher. It feels like they're moving ever deeper into winter, even though Shen Wei thinks they're heading towards where the weather should be warmer. Maybe Shen Wei is wrong about where they're going, or maybe this winter is just going to be colder than usual.
There's a constant gnawing of hunger in Shen Wei's belly now. It's been harder to find food since they felt the first chills of winter. The cold has driven the small prey animals Shen Wei would hunt into hiding. Shen Wei has done his best to give didi more of what little they find; didi needs it more than he does. But whenever he notices what Shen Wei is doing it makes him angry at Shen Wei. The argument is never very long, because it leaves didi breathless. But afterwards, didi will refuse to eat more and sulk quietly for the rest of the day.
It's still worth it, Shen Wei thinks. Didi needs to keep up his strength, what he has left of it.
Shen Wei keeps on walking quietly, grateful that didi at least gets to rest for now. Didi's clothes aren't quite enough to keep him warm anymore, and Shen Wei had convinced him to stay as a dragon, where he can keep warm against Shen Wei, under Shen Wei's clothes. Not that Shen Wei's clothes are enough for the cold either, but he's a bit more resistant to it than didi is.
Besides, one of them needs to keep on walking. They don't really have any other choice. Shen Wei finds himself quietly praying that he's going in the right direction, that maybe tomorrow the weather will take a turn for the warmer. Maybe they'll find something to eat. He's not sure anyone is listening to his prayers.
Didi coughs again, a small dry noise, that's over thankfully quickly. Shen Wei presses a hand against didi's small body and keeps on walking.
"Tomorrow", Shen Wei whispers quietly to himself. It's the same thing he's told didi so many times before.