Chapter 1: By the pond
Deep in the mountains stood a secluded cottage. The cottage was two stories tall and made from irregular shaped gray stones. Ivy could be seen climbing on one side of the cottage, reaching the top of the black tiled roof and down the front porch. It looked worn from age but well-kept and homely. A lush garden filled with a variety of flowers, vegetables, and herbs surrounded the little cottage while slowly merging with the natural greenery from the wilderness, giving the appearance of a place found in a fairytale book.
On a normal day, a large Bernese mountain dog would be seen roaming in and out of the garden, chasing after birds and rabbits while his petite and gentle owner tended to her garden. Today, however, the furry creature appeared to be missing, leaving his owner in distress.
"Miki? Miki where are?"
A young woman with long, straight, raven black hair and fair, porcelain skins walked out of her cottage at high noon to search for her missing companion. She has a natural beauty with rosy cheeks and luscious lips that were currently pursed together with her dark round eyes carrying a hint of worry.
'Miki usually wouldn't run off on his own like this,' Su Xinglan thought.
Su Xinglan looked around her property once more and still found no trace of her precious friend.
'Did he take a walk to the pond by himself again?' Su Xinglan questioned herself before walking down the path that lead towards a nearby pond.
For the past few days, Miki had been wandering on his own at different times in the day to the pond, as if waiting for something to happen. Miki has been Su Xinglan only companion in her tiny cottage ever since her father passed away a few years ago.
They say that dogs would stray away from their loved ones when they know it's almost time for them to depart from this world.
Miki was already getting along in his age and this could be a possible reason. Su Xinglan, however, didn't want to consider this possibility for she was still not ready to lose another one of her loved ones. But she couldn't think of any other reason that could explain Miki's strange behavior these past few days.
Today happens to also be the death anniversary of her father and Su Xinglan already felt more depressed than usual around this time of the year. Thinking up to this point, Su Xinglan quickened her pace towards the pond where Miki usually trails off to.
—
At the pond, there was a large old Bernese mountain dog, drenched wet and was slowly walking backward as he pulled a large object from the pond.
"Miki! Miki are you here?"
"Woof!"
Hearing his owner, Miki dropped what he was doing, ran straight towards his owner and pounced up to eye level to give her some loving kisses.
"Oh Miki, what are you doing out here? Did you just come here to take a swim?" The now slightly damp Su Xinglan sighs in relief while rubbing Miki's head lovingly, "You had me so worried you know."
As if understanding his owner's question, Miki barked once more and headed back in the direction he came from earlier.
"What is it, Miki? Did you find something?"
Miki turned around to face Su Xinglan, barked in response and sprinted towards the pond once more, as if indicating that he wanted her to follow to him.
Slightly curious about her dog's odd behavior, Su Xinglan followed Miki to the pond, where she saw something she did not expect to see.
"Eh? A person?" Su Xinglan said in shock.
Lying on the ground was an unconscious young man wearing clothes that made him look like a character from a Chinese historical drama.
Without thinking, Su Xinglan sprinted towards the man to check his pulse and to see if he was still breathing.
"Thankfully he's still alive," Su Xinglan sighs in relief.
In closer inspection, the man had handsome features with a well-defined chin and nose. His thick brows were tightly scrunched together while his thin lips pursed tightly as if in pain. He had a full set of black hair that was held together by a jade pin. Examining further down his body, there were several areas that were torn and covered in blood stains as if it was slashed by something sharp.
'Is he an actor? His injuries look too realistic to be fake.' Su Xinglan thought pensively and then looked around her surroundings. 'It doesn't look like anyone else is here either.'
Miki whined and nuzzled the injured man, causing him to subconsciously groan in pain, bringing Su Xinglan back from her thoughts.
"Miki stop that. Let's find something to carry him back to the cottage to treat his injuries."
Su Xinglan was about to stand up when the man suddenly grabbed hold of her wrist. His deep eyes that can pierce through the night looked at the jade bracelet that she was wearing before looking at Su Xinglan's shocked face.
"Who-" he grunted with his deep hoarse voice but before he could finish his question, he lost consciousness once more.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
tofu_2
tofu_2 First time trying to write a story. Please provide me some constructive feedback and hope you enjoy!
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