Chapter Text
Baihu had been born a god, when the world was still new. There were many firsts in this young universe. Strange creatures forming out of the air, crawling from the earth, and washing up from the oceans.
His mother had been the goddess of the mountain and his father god of the storm. They began as restless energy, pure element, but as they grew in power they started to form consciousness: then later human form.
After meeting each other they became fast friends. Storm god admiring Mountain goddess's strength and Mountain godess admiring Storm god's ferocity. Drawing out symbols in the dirt, they gave each other names. Storm god became XiaYun, meaning Grand Cloud and Mountain goddess became BaiShān, meaning White Mountain.
Growing close they soon became lovers, and BaiShān bore the storm god three sons. When she bore her first son the earth rumbled and quaked. From the dust rose a small hill. BaiShān had given birth to a baby mountain god with tiny hands and a gummy smile. She named him JunShān, meaning handsome mountain.
Overjoyed by her first child she thought the only thing better could be another one. As such she was soon pregnant once more.In this pregnancy she was amazed to find wherever she walked greenery popped up. When she gave birth to this son, there were far less dramatics. No earth shaking or rumbling.
Instead a great many tree saplings shot out of the dirt.
She grinned in delight, cradling the small babe to her chest. He yawned pitifully in her hold. Enamored with his small face she named him LiuSen, meaning lovely forest.
BaiShān was happy with her sons and lover, but felt one more child would complete their little family. So even sooner than before her stomach began to round with child again. The mountain goddess who had thought this would be her easiest pregnancy of all her children was soon disillusioned of that notion.
Day and night the babe in her womb kicked and jumped. Energetic thing wouldn't stop moving for a moment's rest. BaiShān was convinced that her child must be some sort of wind god and complained to XiaYun often.The child clearly took too much after their father.
The sooner this one left the womb the better. When, finally, she went into labor, the cheeky thing had the audacity to wake her in the middle of the night.This birth was quickest of all. Eager to hold her third born, she reached to take him in her arms.
To her shock she had not given birth to a chubby faced babe but a mewling, white striped kitten.
Swallowing her shock she named him Baihu, meaning white tiger.
The mountain goddess feared for her youngest son. JunShān was a mighty mountain god, he grew stronger by the day. LiuShen was a vast and encompassing forest god, clever and calm. How could a tiny cat god compare?
She quickly realized these fears were misplaced. As time went on soft fur turned silky, fluffy paws turn sharp with claws, dull teeth becoming razor like. And most noticable of all Baihu grew and grew and grew. Cute toddling legs became layered with muscle. What had been a sweet kitten was now a towering beast.
He was out wrestling JunShan, who was built like the rocks of the earth. Hunted brutally and with more precision than even LiuSen in his own forest. But despite all his achievements Baihu never took human form. He was happy to purr against his mother and play fight with his brothers. He loved and adored his family but at the end of the day Baihu was more animal than god. A very different fear grew in BaiShān's heart. What if her son would always be a beast?
The thought hung over her like a dark cloud. Worry burning a hole in her brain she bought potions, consulted other gods,and had Baihu do strange exercises in hopes he would transform. Nothing worked. She wept and despaired.
Baihu continued to grow in power. He guarded his family's land possessivly. How could he let someone chop trees from his big brothers forest? Or allow creatures to steal precious jewels from his mother's mountain? Even worse break appart eldest brother's clever rock formations. He wouldn't stand for it.
When evil spirits wondered in he devoured them without mercy. Hah, that would teach them. And if afterwords he felt a little strange he considered that after such a meal indigestion wouldn't be so odd.
One day a foul, disgusting spirit wondered in. It was the most wicked thing Baihu had ever seen. He could smell the spirit's evil wafting off of it in thick fumes. Ripping it apart he ate it with little complaint. His stomach however complained a lot so he found a comfy spot in the wood and slept off the pain. When he woke he found himself not in the powerful body of a tiger but the pitiful form of a human. Opening his mouth to roar, he screeched in shock.
A terrified thought entered his brain. Someone had stolen his body and replaced it with this weak human one. As fast as he could he ran to his family home. Surely mother and father could steal his body back. Upon reaching them mother dropped the new gems she had been creating. They clunked and shattered on the floor. She recognized her son immediately, hugged him and wept with joy. Finally her third born son had gained human form.
Frantically Baihu tried to explain that somone had stolen his body but it was hard as he could speak little Chinese. His mother however understood anyways. She smiled amusedly and shook her head. This was his body she explained,a form of his immortal self.
She tried to teach him how to be a man but it became very clear that although he had gained the body of a man he was still wild at his core.
Baihu was more likely to purr than smile. His gait was catlike and predatory, measured in cool confident steps. Often BaiShān woke in the middle of the night to find her son prowling and pacing about,eyes glowing yellow like the full moon reflecting in the pitch dark. Strange, but only the tip of the ice berg when it came to Baihu's peculiar behavior.
He preferred heavy furs to expensive silks, and slept in odd crannies during the day. Complained over the texture of cooked meat and ate his food raw any chance he got. When he became too restless he'd crouch in the wood and hunt with his bare hands.
BaiShān showed him humanity. The ways of men and gods. Taught him her native tongue and tried to show him the value of manners. Motherly things she couldn't gift him with when he was a playful kitten.
Baihu cared little for these things. Growled at guests and snarled his displeasure often. He was a cat not a man. What did he care for words the gods used for bickering . Or tools like forks or knives when nature gave him teeth? He loved his mother but he wasn't a man and had no plans of acting like one anytime soon.
BaiShān weedles,and nags , poked and connived but nothing worked. He was just as wild as the day he was born. Soon she realized that she needed help. So she sent out a notice to all the creatures of the universe. Civilize my wild son and gain access to the treasures of my mountain. Creatures, men ,and gods all came heads held high. They the great masters would tame this beast. Baihu stood no chance. But it seemed no matter who it was nor how confident they were they were all sent running tails tucked between their legs just as soon as they came. Shaking, and crying some having pissed themselves they declared "This beast god is truly untamable. Among beasts ,truly the tiger is king." The mountain goddess lost heart. Perhaps it was impossible.
Many years later when BaiShān had lost hope three masters came kicking dust from their feet. Each was tall, proud, regal, and refined. The first master's name was Yazhu. He came flouncing in bright colors, and a smug countenance. Yazhu had determined that the only way to civilize tiger god was through music. Baihu had determined that he disliked Yazhu and would torment him accordingly. As far as he was concerned this master should be thankful Baihu hadn't eaten him yet. The Pipa had it's strings cut with one powerful swipe of his hands. The Dizi was crushed in his palm and with one brawny blow he destroyed all the pipes in the Sheng. Baihu smiled a sharp and toothy grin. Well he never did know his own strength. Exasperated and quite terrified Yazhu ran away.
Second master was named Yating. Dressed in a series of greys he seemed to droop with each movement. As far as he was concerned the only way to civilize a tiger was to recite poetry. Baihu was concerned too, concerned that this strange man stopped harassing him with his blasted, depressive sonnets. So after one too many a rhyme scheme he opened his mouth and roared a deep threatening sound. The trees shook and the animals scattered. Yating trembled, then fainted.
Now third master was something else. His name was Yijun and he carried himself like the universe rested on his shoulders. Upright and stern faced he considered himself a moral cultivator. Righteousness was his first concern and he had decided that the best way to spread his doctrine was to tame the infamous beast god. At first Baihu viewed him with skepticism but when he saw Yijun brandish gleaming sword, slashing and arcing gracefully in the air he thought to himself. "Surely this is a noble thing." Enamored with the swords elegance and style he agreed to become Yijun's student. Within the swords reflection he saw a way to reforge his weak human body into something callused and capable.
And so Baihu learned and learned and learned. After much meditation and training he regained his tiger body and became a master of the sword. Yijun however would soon mourn his decision. What he had created was a monster. It was one thing to be bloody and wild. It was another to be violent and to have learned human greed as Baihu had. Truly in all his days there would be nothing he would regret more.
There was no death in this world. Not in the same way there is now. Yama lord of death had not been born. Bodies decayed but their souls wondered on, restless with no place to go. Land became over crowded, territory wars ravaged everything in a bloody haze. No one could escape from it. It crawled into their front yards, burrowed beneath their homes and wormed it's way into their hearts a hateful thing. Baihu saw this wild world and thought to himself." I will tame and civilize this beastly place just as they have tamed and civilized me."
Baihu swept through the West, devouring soul after soul. Wherever he went carnage followed. But he soon realized the West was too vast for him to be everywhere at once. So he took a bit clay from a riverbed and sculpted little tigers. Using his own blood , he painted them. When the blood and clay dried these tigers lept to life reddish orange and ferocious.
But Baihu wasn't the only one who's warpath ravaged the young world. From the East came Azure Dragon. From the frozen North came Wu Xun, the Black tortoise, and his stiff faced armies. In the South the Goddess of Revival conquered , in an insatiable haze. Soon each of their territories met and they struck out against each other. North against South. East against West. Their battles shook mountains and shifted landscapes.
One man seeing the way they fought, sought to make an opportunity. He called them to a meeting and proposed a truce . " Swear allegiance to me. I will create peace and unity. End your fighting and usher in a new era." And so they did, the appeal of peace too great even for these beast gods.
That day all four not only swore allegiance to the new Jade emperor but also their perspective lands. Baihu's soul was tied to the West. When it suffered ,he suffered. When it died, he would die. There's a price for everything, this was a small one to pay for peace.