BythetimeMulanpulledBlackWindtoastopfortheday,shehadalmostforgottenaboutthebird.MakingasmallfireatthebaseofanenormoussleepingBuddhastatue,sheheateduponeofthelastbitsofriceshehadandatethemorsels.Innotimehermealwasover,andwithhungerstillgnawingatherbelly,shecrawledintothelargeopenpalmoftheBuddhaandlaydown,shiveringbeneathherthinblanket.Above,shesawthestarstwinklinginthesky.Mulansighed.Shehadspentsomanynightslookingatthesamestarsfromherownbed,wishingforanadventure,forachancetogetoutofhervillage.

Butnowthatshewasgone,shewishedmorethananythingtogobackhome.Pullingtheblanketupfarther,shewhisperedgoodnighttoBlackWindandclosedhereyes.Exhaustiontookoverandshequicklyfellasleep??.??.??.soshewasnotawaketoseethestrange-lookingbirdcollapseontothegroundbyherside.

ButMulandidspotthebirdthenextdayassheandBlackWindmadetheirwayalongasnowymountainpass.Herteethchatteringwithcold,shehunchedasclosetoBlackWind’sneckasshecould,buteventhelargehorseprovidedlittlewarmth.Astheycamearoundabendinthepass,Mulan’seyesnarrowed.

Thebirdwasback.

Shiveringsoviolentlythatthefewfeathersithadfelloff,andwithbeakchattering,thebirdstoodinthemiddleofthesnowypass.ItappearedtobetryingtoblockMulan’sway.“You,”Mulansaid,pullingBlackWindtoahalt.“Whatdoyouwant?”

Thebirdletoutasadsquawk.

Dismounting,Mulanapproachedthebird.Closeup,thecreaturewasevenmoreunfortunate-looking.Mulanfeltsad.Thebirdwassicklyandpathetic.Buttherewasalsosomethingfamiliaraboutit.Andastubbornnessinthebird’seyesmadeitseemstrongerthanitsmolting,skinnybodywouldsuggest.

“Please,”Mulansaid,thistimehervoicegentle,“moveaside.”

Thebirddidnotmove.

Sighing,Mulanliftedherfootandtriedtonudgethebird.Tohersurprise,herfootwasmetwithresistance.Forsuchaweakthing,thebirdwassurprisinglystrong.Mulanpushedharder.Thebirdstilldidnotmove.Lettingoutashout,Mulanpushedoncemore.Thistimeshemanagedtoedgethebirdoffthepathandclosetowherethepassdroppedoff.

MulangrabbedBlackWind’sreinsandledhimpastthebird.Shelookedoverhershoulderandsawthatthebirdwasstillstandingthere,watchingthemgo.ThesameoddsenseofsadnesswashedoverMulan,andforamoment,shethoughtaboutgoingbackforthebird.Butthensheshookherhead.Shedidn’tneedanymorebaggageandshedefinitelydidn’tneedasicklybirdslowingherdown.

Mulandidnotthinkshecouldgoon.ThelastofherricehadrunoutadaybeforeandbothsheandBlackWindwereweakenedwithhunger.Leavingthemountainsbehind,shesatslumpedinhersaddle,thereinslooseassheletBlackWindmakehisownpath.

ThesunwasjustbeginningtosinktowardthehorizonwhenMulancaughtsightofatowninthedistance.Shesatupalittlestraighter,herstomachrumblinginanticipation.Reliefflickeredinherheart.BlackWindsawthetown,too,andhisfootstepsquickened.Bythetimetheyapproachedtheoutskirtsofthetown,hewascanteringandMulanwassmiling.

ButhersmilefadedasshegotoffBlackWindandwalkedhimthroughthenewtown.Everyfaceshesawwasthatofastranger.Theeyesthatfollowedherweredarkandsuspicious.Shehadneverknownanyvillagebutherown.Shehadnevermetstrangers.Nowshewassurroundedbythem.

TyingBlackWindtoapostoutsidetheonlytaverninthetown,Mulangavehimapat.“Wishmeluck,”shewhispered.Thebighorsenickeredandthenbumpedherwithhisheadtowardthedoorsofthetavern.Takingadeepbreath,Mulanwalkedinside.

Theroomwasdarkandsmoky,filledwiththesmellofroastedmeat,ale,anddirtymen.Mulankeptherheaddown,herheartthumpingloudlyinherchest.Scanningtheroomfrombeneathloweredlids,shespottedasmalltableatthefarend.Shemadeherwayoverandslumpedontothechair.Ifshecouldhavemadeherselfinvisible,shewouldhave.Butthenshewouldn’tgetfood.

Suddenly,thelargeburlyinnkeeperappearednexttothetable,eyescoldandarmscrossedoverhischest.Whilehewasaninnkeeperandthereforemadehislivingfromservingstrangers,hecertainlydidn’tseemtolikethem.“Wehavenoodleswithporkorporkwithnoodles,”hesaidwithagrunt.

Mulannodded,nottrustingherselftospeak.“Thatayes?”theinnkeeperasked.

“Yes,”Mulansaid,tryingtokeephervoicedeepandlowlikeaman’s.

Theinnkeeperdidn’tmove.Hekeptstandingthere,lookingdownatMulan.Mulanshrankfurtherintoherarmor.Shehadtoldhimwhatshewanted.Whywasn’theleaving?Shedaredanotherlookatthebigman.

“Paybeforeyoueat,”hesaid,holdingouthishand.

Right.Money.Itwasaninnfulloftravelers.Ofcoursethemanwoulddemandpaymentupfront.Therewasjustateenytinyproblem.Shedidn’texactlyhavemoney,notinthetraditionalsense.Keepingherheaddown,shereachedintoherbagandpulledoutasmallclothpouch.Shehandedittotheinnkeeper.

“Whatisthis?”heasked,lookingdownatthepouch,whichlookedevensmallerinhishugehands.

“Tea,”Mulansaid.

Theinnkeeperraisedonebushyeyebrow.“Well,thismustbemyluckyday,”hesaid.Then,turningtotherestoftheroom,hecalledout,“Thesoldierwantstopaywithtea!”

Theroomeruptedincruellaughter.

“It’sallthatIhave,”Mulanprotested,knowingtheexcusesoundedweak.

Theinnkeepershookhishead.“No,”hesaid.“Youhavemorethanthat.Yoursword,forinstance.”Henoddedattheweaponrestingatherside.“Yourarmor.Ihearyouhaveahandsomehorseoutside.Tradeallthreeandyoucaneatlikeanemperorforayear.”

Mulan’sskingrewclammyandherheartpoundedagainstherchest.Shehadthoughtshe’dkeptalowprofile,butclearlythisman,andtheotherpatrons,hadobservedherfromthemomentshe’darrived.TheyhadnotedherweaponsandBlackWind.Shefeltvery,veryafraid.Whatiftheytriedtorobher?

Thesoundsoflaughter—atherexpense—filledtheroom.Mulanlookedatthefacesofthestrangersandsawnocompassionorsympathyinanyofthem.Thefeelingoffeargrewstronger.Gettingtoherfeet,Mulangrabbedherthings—andthetea—andrushedoutofthetavern.

JumpinguponBlackWind’sback,sheurgedhimintoarun.Shewouldjusthavetowaituntiltheygottothenexttowntoeat.Herstomachrumbledangrily.Hopefully,itwouldn’tbetoofaraway.