Mulansighed.“Youknowspidershaveeightlegs,”sheanswered,unabletostopherself.

“It’snotblack,isit?”Xiusaid,pretendingtolookfrightened,asifarealspiderwerethereandcrawlingtowardher.ShewaitedtoseewhatMulanwoulddo,orsay,next.

Mulanlookedathersister.Xiu’sfacewasstillinnocentandfullofhope,andwhileMulanwantednothingmorethantowallowinherownself-pityforafewmoremoments,shehadneverbeenabletosaynotoXiu.Shewaspowerlessagainsthersister’shugeheart.Andsosheslowlybegantonod.“Yes,itisblack.Withredspots,”shesaid,warmingtotheideaasshecontinued.“AndI’msorrytosaythatit’sunusuallyhairy.Andit’scrawlingtowardyourneckrightnow!”ShereachedoutherfingersandranthemupanddownXiu’sneck.

Inresponse,Xiushrieked.AsMulan’sfrownfadedcompletely,sheallowedherselfasmile.Hermothermightnotbesurewhereshefitinthelargerworld,butrightnow,Mulancaredmoreaboutmakinghersisterlaughandenjoyingthemoment.

Therewouldbeplentyoftimetoworryaboutherfuture—later.

Unfortunately,laterdidn’tprovetobelaterenough.Wakingfromaterriblenightmareinwhichshewasrunningfromahuman-sizedchicken,Mulansatupinherbed,herheartpounding.Outside,beamsofmoonlightilluminatedthenight.Mulangotupandwalkedtothewindowandlookedoutintothecourtyardbelow.

Inthecenter,theancestralshrinestoodglowinginwhitebeamsoflight.Afewcandlesburnedweakly,justenoughtothrowshadowsoverthephoenixstatue—anditsmissingwing.

<i>

Maybe,

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Mulanthought,

<i>

Icouldfixeverything??.??.??.ifIfixedthephoenix.

</i>

Tiptoeingoutofherroom,downthestairs,andintothekitchen,shereachedintothecupboardandpulledoutabigbowlandgrindingstone.Movingtothetable,shesetthemdownbeforefillingthebowlwiththeleftoverstickyricefromtheireveningmeal.Asquietlyasshecould,shebegantogrindtherice.Thelargegrainsquicklyturnedtomush,andsoonithadbecomeathick,stickypaste.Satisfied,Mulanpickedupthebowlandmovedoutside.

Assheleftthehouse,aclouddriftedacrossthemoon,castingthecourtyardandshrineintosuddendarkness.Foramoment,Mulanstopped.Perhapssheshouldjustletthingsbe;maybeshehaddoneenoughdamageasitwas.Butthenthecloudmoved,andoncemoretheshrinegrewbright.Thephoenix,alwaysfrozenasifabouttorisefromtheashes,lookedhobbledwithonlyonewing.Mulannoddedtoherself.Shewouldfixwhatshehadbroken.

Walkinginsidetheshrine,Mulankneeledontheground.Thensheliftedthebrokenwingandplaceditonherlap.Slowlyandcarefully,shespreadthethickpasteontheedgeofthewing.Whentheentiresidewascoated,shestoodandwalkedovertothestatue.Reachingup,shereattachedthewingtothebody.Shestoodstill,herfingersturningwhiteasshekeptpressurebetweenthetwopointsonthebird,hopingtosealthebond.Whenshewassureithadbeenlongenough,sheeversoslowly,fingerbyfinger,tookherhandsaway.

Mulanwaited,watchingtoseeifthewingwouldhold.

Hearingfootsteps,Mulankepthereyeslockedonthebird.Amomentlater,shefeltherfatherstepbesideher.Hiseyeswenttothebird,too.Thepairstoodinsilence,eachlostintheirownthoughts.

“Mulan,”Zhoufinallysaid.Hisvoicewashushed,butfirm.“Whathappenedtoday,Ineverwanttoseehappenagain.”Hepaused,turningsothathewaslookingather.WhenMulandidn’tmeethiseyes,hereachedoutandputafingerunderneathherchintoliftherhead.“Doyouunderstand?”heasked.

Takingadeepbreath,Mulannodded.Herfathersmiledbutdisappointmentlingeredinhiseyes.Mulanhatedtoseethat.Hiseyeshadeveronlybeenfilledwithkindnessandadmirationwhenhelookeddownather.Pullingherheadfree,unabletobearthelookanylonger,Mulanturnedhergazebacktothephoenix.Asshewatched,thewingbegantoslideoff.

Mulan’seyesfilledwithtearsasthepermanenceofwhatshehaddonehither.

Notspeaking,Zhoureachedupand,withsomedifficulty,pressedthewingbackintoplace.“DoyouknowwhythePhoenixsitsattherighthandoftheEmperor?”heasked,nottakinghiseyesfromthebird.Mulanshookherhead.“Sheishisguardian.Hisprotector.”

“ButIbrokeher,”Mulanwhispered.

Zhounodded.“Ah,butdidyouknowsheishalfmaleandhalffemale?Sheisbothbeautifulandstrong.”HestoppedandoncemorelookedintoMulan’seyes.Onlynow,thedisappointmentwasgone.“Failureisnotfatal,Mulan.ThisisthelessonofthePhoenix.Whatmattersisthateachdayyouriseupandcontinue.ThePhoenixwillwatchoveryou.That’sherjob.Yourjobistobringhonortoyourfamily.Doyouthinkyoucandothat?”

Mulanlookedatherfather.ShehadneverheardthelessonofthePhoenixsaidinsuchaway.True,shehadbeentaughtthatthePhoenixprotectedtheEmperor.Butwatchoverher?Thatwasdifferent.Ifthemythicalbirdcouldofferprotection,theleastMulancoulddowasofferasacrificetoherownfamily.Ifthatmeantfollowinghersister’sleadandbeinghermother’sshadow,shewoulddoit.Ifthatmeantleavingchickenstoraceaway,shewouldleavethembe.Shewoulddowhatherfatheraskedofher.Shewouldmakeherfamilyproud,andshewouldbringhonortothem—nomatterwhatkindsofsacrificesshehadtomake.

Reachingout,shetookherfather’shandandtheywalkedbacktotheirhome.Behindthem,thephoenix’swingonceagainslidoffthebird’sstonebody.