In the total darkness, Chow Chow coughed a rattling cough and wheezed for air. Sparks flared as he frantically snapped his fingers to create another fireball, and when the first fireball flickered back to life, Snow gasped upon seeing the pain etched on his pallid face.

"Are you alright?" she squeaked in alarm.

"Yeah, just. . . something stuck in my throat," he said, with his hand still over his mouth.

"That didn't sound too good."

"It's nothing. Don't worry. Just give me a second." He leaned his head against the cave wall with his eyes closed. When his hand fell into his lap, his palm was covered in blood. 

"You're hurt!" she exclaimed.

"Old injury. Don't worry, I'll be fine," he replied wanly. He cleaned his hand with the bloodied handkerchief, and fished out a black bottle from the front of his robes. "I just. . . need this, and I'll be fine."

Snow watched him pour out a few red pills onto his palm, and tilt his head back to swallow them in one gulp. Whatever happened to you? How did you. . .

A memory nudged in the back of her mind. Bloodstained skies. Chow Chow, floating over azure waters with his robes billowing around him, and turning to her saying, "No time to explain! You have to go!"

She fixed him a hard stare. "Before you sent me away, you said they're coming. Who's they?" When he looked back at her in silence, she grasped him by the lapels of his robes. "Answer me." 

"Princess–"

"Tell me! Please, tell me. Something happened to you."

"Nothing happened. Don't worry about me," he said weakly, not meeting her gaze.

"Stop saying that!" She looked down and saw the cloud patterns on the sleeves of his outer robe. Why didn't I notice this earlier? I've seen this pattern many times before – I've rested my forehead on this exact same sleeve, when. . .

The sound of chains dragging against courtyard tiles and howls of pain which made her hair stand on end, echoed in her mind. She inhaled sharply.

There was something else too.

A person, chained up in a dungeon darker than night.

Was that you too?

She pushed back his sleeve. "Snow!" he cried, drawing back his hand, but it was too late. Her whole body went cold when she saw the purplish bruise encircling his wrist, where the manacle had dug into his skin.

She looked up at him in horror. "That was you. You're the one I've been dreaming about."

"What?"

"I was there! I was there when you fought all those soldiers, and when they captured you, and they. . ." Hot tears welled up in her eyes and flowed down her cheeks.

"Princess!" he said, distressed by her tears.

"Why! Why didn't you tell me? I would never have left if I knew they'd do that to you!" she cried, her voice brittle from the grief she felt for him.

He looked at her with a sorrowful expression on his face. "I didn't think it would be that bad."

"You!" She beat his chest angrily with her fists.

"Ow." 

"It was all my fault! My fault. . ." She covered her face with her hands, and felt his arms go around her heaving shoulders.

"Don't cry, Princess, please don't cry," he said soothingly. 

"Chow Chow. . . I'm sorry. . . I'm so sorry," she choked between sobs.

֎֎֎֎֎

"You okay?" he asked, stroking her hair.

"Yeah," she said, trying to breathe through her blocked nose. 

"It's not your fault, okay? I was to blame too."

"What do you mean?" She lifted her head from his chest to look up at him.

"Oh, the captain had a beef with me. So, he was out to get me. Also, if I didn't fight back, they wouldn't have. . . Ah, well, that's all in the past." 

"You broke his leg, right? How?"

"It's a long story. But, in short, I had an altercation with him and a few others."

"In the Heavenly Realm?"

"Mmhm," he hummed in response.

I never figured celestial beings would fight each other in the Heavenly Realm. She wanted to ask more, but a headache was forming.

"I have to thank you for your prayers for my release. If not for you, I would have been incarcerated for much longer."

Snow took his hand that was stroking her hair and looked ruefully at the mark left by the manacle on his fair skin – a constant reminder of the suffering he had endured, for her.

"It'll go away with time," he said, as her fingertips caressed the skin on his wrist. He froze when she brought his wrist to her mouth and kissed it tenderly. She did the same with the other wrist, before she sat up to face him.

"Chow Chow." Her hands rested on his shoulders and she looked up into his eyes. "Promise me that you'll take care of yourself. I know you said you would do anything for me, but please, look out for yourself too, alright?" 

His jet-black eyes shimmered as he looked back at her. Brushing a stray strand of white hair off his brow, she continued, "If you don't look out for yourself, then I'll have to look out for you. You wouldn't want me to worry about you, right?"

His mouth wavered upon seeing her watery smile.

"I saw what you went through. I felt a fraction of what you went through, and I couldn't bear it. I cannot bear to see you hurt again." She slowly pulled him towards her and hugged him around the neck. "Promise?" she said softly in his ear.

She felt him nod his head. "I should. . . be sending you home soon," he said, gently pushing her back by her shoulders. His eyes were downcast, and she saw that his lips were pressed together.

"Oh, yes. We should go." I've made him uncomfortable.

Snow dressed quickly in her dried clothes as Chow Chow stood with his back towards her. Oh, the wounds are all gone! she realized with amazement, as she inspected her hands and arms, and felt her cheek. Even my ribs don't hurt anymore.

She returned Chow Chow's outer robe to him when she was done, and he hoisted her onto his back again. With a fireball floating before them to light their way, they trudged out of the cave and through the pine forest, until they reached the start of the grasslands.  

"You wouldn't be getting into trouble for coming down to Earth, would you?" 

"No, thankfully. But even if I did, I'd still come." 

"Chow Chow," she said in an admonishing tone, but she patted him on the chest affectionately.

A minute of silence passed between them before he asked, "So, are you still trying to deny that you could have turned into a fox earlier today?"

She sighed loudly. "So what if I did? I just hope that it'll never happen again," she said morosely with her chin on his shoulder.

"You can't be too sure about that. Are we heading in the right direction?"

"I think so. Just keep walking."

"Huh? But we've been walking for forever!" he whined.

"You're the gallant one wanting to carry me," she teased.

"Oh, okay. Since you've said it that way." He came to a stop and got down on one knee to let her down.

"What? Hey! The grass is wet!" she protested while balancing on one foot.

He grinned at her. "Let's take a break!" A rolled-up mat magically appeared from his sleeve. 

"Is there anything you can't put in there? It seems like you're carrying a lot of things."

He smiled mysteriously as he helped her onto the mat and sat next to her. "Aiii, this body of mine. . . Curse that scoundrel for what he did to me."

The rain had scrubbed the atmosphere clear of dark clouds, leaving only dissipating puffs that looked like absconding grey sheep on the horizon. Above them, the stars sparkled like a million diamonds alongside a floating half-moon. The night breeze was cool on their skin, and brought with it the fresh after-rain scent of earth and grass.

They sat side by side on the top of a hill, with her leg on top of his. At that moment, it felt like they were the only souls left on Earth – just the two of them, in the middle of nowhere.

Chow Chow leaned back on his palms to admire the vast expanse of night sky. "I forget that the stars are lovely from this side of the galaxy as well."

Snow turned to look at him in startlement. She had forgotten that he was from a different realm, and her heart sank at the thought that after he sent her home, they would have to part. Who knows when she would ever see him again.

She suddenly recalled a moment in her childhood when she had stroked his white furry face and held him tightly, after being shunned by the younger royal children at playtime. She could not remember how old she was then, but she remembered saying to him with tears in her eyes: "You are the only friend I have in this world."

Girl, don't be such a crybaby, she scolded herself as she exhaled slowly. With a lump in her throat, she asked, "How are you getting back to the Heavenly Realm?"

"Oh, that's a good question! I haven't thought about it yet. I guess I'll just have to look for the Qilin again. But I might have to wait for a while before I'm well enough to make the journey back." He turned to look at her, and his gaze went to her quivering chin. "Uh, say! Do you want to see how I shapeshift into a dog?" he said in an upbeat tone.

Her eyes rose to meet his. "You can show me?"

"Sure! Do you want to see me as a big dog, or a small dog?"

Snow's first thought was to see him as the former, but her mouth itched and beat her brain to it. "I loved it when you were a teeny, tiny dog. Can you be one again for me, please?" She looked imploringly at him.

"What? A tiny dog again?" His eyebrows twitched in disbelief.

She nodded her head vigorously.

"Can I be bigger than that, please?" he wheedled.

She shook her head and tried her hardest not to giggle upon seeing the pout on his lips.

"Or, how about this. . . I become a huge dog, like what you said you wanted earlier. Does that sound good to you?" he said with a winsome smile.

"Oh! Yes! Do it!"

"How big?" His eyes shone with merriment.

"Big!"

"Really big?"

"The biggest dog known to man!" she said, clapping her hands.

He snorted gleefully and rubbed his chin. "Ah! I think I know how. It happens very quickly, so don't even blink, okay?" he said in a serious tone.

"Got it!"

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Snow watched him in eager anticipation, not daring to blink, excited to see how the transformation looked like. Will he grow fur first? Or will he grow a snout and ears first?

He opened one eye to peek at her, and burst out laughing when he saw her looking moon-eyed at him.

"What?" she said.

"I was just pulling your leg!"

"You!" She raised a hand to smack him on the arm.

"Okay, okay! This time it's for real! Watch closely."

The last thing Snow saw was the confident half-smile on his handsome face, and then there was a bright burst of white light. When she blinked, standing beside her was the most brilliantly white, fluffiest, and largest dog she had ever seen in her life.

"Wow!" she exclaimed in awe, taking in his beautiful black eyes, the proud shape of his head, and long furry tail which curled over his back. Without thinking, she ran her hands over his long, thick fur and petted him on his majestic chest. You're so soft and fluffy! 

Are you feeling me up again, Princess? Snow heard him say cheekily.

"No, I'm not!" she said, recoiling like she had touched hot metal.

I know I'm irresistible. Don't stop! I actually like it, Chow Chow laughed as he nudged at her hand with his black nose.

"Did I just hear your voice in my head?" she asked in incredulity as she scratched behind his floppy ears.

Oh, yes, it seems like it. This feels so nice!

An idea popped into her head, and she flung her arms around his furry neck. "Carry me!" she commanded.

What? Carry you?

"Yes! You're so big you're like a small horse. Surely, you're strong enough to carry me on your back?" she said sweetly.

He sighed. Princess, you make it so difficult to say no to you. He lowered himself onto the ground in front of her. Hop on. 

"Yay!" She slid herself across his back, careful not to knock her injured foot on the ground. 

Actually, carrying you like this is easier! Maybe I am stronger in this form! Shall we continue?

Snow rested her cheek against his lush mane as Chow Chow carried her on his back across the steppes. They were making slow but steady progress, and she figured if they were headed the right way, she could get home in a few hours. "Do you like being in a dog form?" she asked, suddenly feeling guilty.

He was quiet for a moment. Only with you. The six years I was your pet dog, was the best time of my life. On that note, one night on Earth with you, is better than all my days in the Heavenly realm.

Snow blinked, pondering over what he had just said when he interrupted her thoughts: Sounds like your search party is here.

"Oh? Where? I don't hear anything."

They're beyond the hill over there. You'll hear them soon.

Sure enough, she soon heard a female voice shouting her name. "Snow!"

Qara! Her breath hitched in her throat, and she took a few tries before she shouted, "Here! I'm over here!"

Do you know them?

"Yes." She heard a deeper voice that made her heart skip a beat. "Erden!" she shouted as loudly as she could.

A tall figure on horseback appeared on the crest, and when he caught sight of her laid across Chow Chow's back, he kicked his horse into a gallop towards her.

Chow Chow lowered Snow gently to the ground, and turned to gaze at her with sad, dark eyes. This is where I leave you, Princess, he said, reluctance weighing on his words. He looked like he wanted to say more, but then he licked her cheek and put his head on her shoulder. 

Goodbye, Snow.

He glanced at the horseman thundering towards them before taking off, his long fur shimmering in the faint moonlight as he ran. Snow felt her heart constrict as she watched him leave. Wait! I'm not ready to say goodbye!

"Snow!" Erden shouted. She turned to see him jumping down from the saddle even before his horse came to a stop. He sprinted towards her, his long legs quickly covering the distance between them. 

"Erden!" she cried, and choked up upon seeing the look of anguish on his face. She held her arms wide open to him, and he fell to his knees to embrace her. Erden, my love! My dear husband! She sobbed into the front of his rain-soaked deel, relieved to be enveloped in his strong arms again.

"I was so worried. . . I thought I'd lost you again," Erden said into her hair, his voice cracked with emotion. He drew back to look at her. "You alright? Are you hurt anywhere?"

They cupped each other's faces and kissed fiercely, before he scooped her up and carried her over to his horse, while a relieved-looking Qara and other horsemen waited a distance away.

"What was that with you? Was that a wolf?" he asked, turning to look in Chow Chow's direction.

Over Erden's shoulder, Snow could see Chow Chow standing near the top of a slope, his white fur luminescent against the dark grass. When he saw that she was safe in Erden's arms, he turned to walk away.

Snow felt a stab of pain in her chest. I have left you once before. After all that he has gone through for her, she wasn't about to leave him again.

"Wait!"

He paused in his steps and looked back at her. Erden also halted in surprise. With a hand stretched out to Chow Chow, she yelled: "Come with me!"

Author's notes:

Did you like this chapter? If you were Snow, would you have asked Chow Chow to follow you?

What's a big, fluffy white dog in real life? A Great Pyrenees! I did think of a Tibetan Mastiff but I needed one with a white coat 😅

I thought of the stargazing scene when I heard this cover of Forever Young:

What do you think is going to happen next? Find out more next week in the upcoming chapter titled "More Time with You."