Mulansatinfrontofafire,tryingtowarmherhands.Thefirewassmall.Shehadnothadthestrengthorenergytosearchthesurroundingwoodsformorethanahandfuloftwigs.Butasshetriedtowarmup,shewishedshehadspentalittlemoretimegatheringfirewood.

Groaning,shepulledoffherfather’sboots.Theragsshehadstuffedintheshoestohelpthemfitbettercameouttingedred.Blisters,somenewandsomeold,linedherfeet,whichwerebloodyandraw.Shegrimacedatthesightandthenstretchedthemtowardthefire.Reachingdown,shegrabbedhersmallfoodbagandlookedinside.Therewasonlyonelonelyappleremaining.Sighing,sheofferedituptoBlackWind,whodevouredit.

“MaybeifIbegforgiveness,myfamilywilltakemeback??.??.??.”shesaidwhenthesoundofBlackWind’schompinghadgrownquiet.Thehorsedidn’trespond.Lookingacrossthefire,Mulan’seyesgrewwide.

Thebirdwasback.

Thesameugly,strangebirdthatshehadnowseenthreeseparatetimessatonanearbylog,watchingher.Mulan’sstomachrumbled.“Isthathideousbirdtoouglytoeat?”sheaskedBlackWind.

Inanswer,thebirdletoutaloudsquawk.

Mulan’sstomachrumbledagain.Shereachedforhersword.Uglydidn’tnecessarilymeannottasty.Shewaspushingherselftoherfeetwhensheheardfootstepsbehindher.Startled,sheturned,givingthebirdachancetohoptosafety.

“Greetings!”

Thesoundofaman’svoicebouncedoffthetrees.Wrappingherfingersaroundthehiltofhersword,Mulanturned,theweaponraisedinfrontofher.Twomonks,withlongbeardsandraggedcloaks,werelookingatherfromacrossthefire.Theyappearedtobemucholderthanher,theirfacesweatheredwithage.One’sskinandhairweredarker,whiletheotherhadalightercomplexion.Behindthemwasapathetic-lookingdonkey.

“Beatease,myfriend,”themonkwiththedarkerhairsaid.“Wearesimplymonkstravelingtheworld,doinggooddeedstoensurehappinessandkeepchaosatbay.”Theothermonknoddedandflashedherasmile.Mulan’sfaceremainedstony.Thedark-hairedmanwenton,pointingatthesmilingmonk.“ThisisBrotherRamtish.IamBrotherSkatch.Webringyoufoodandfellowship.”

Food?

JusttheworditselfmadeMulan’smouthwater.Andwhenthetwomonksbroughtthefoodout,anyremainingfearvanished.Droppingherweapon,shegrabbedaplateandsomericeandsatdown.Despitetheoverwhelmingurgetoshovelallofitinhermouthatonce,sheheardhermother’svoiceinherhead,tellinghertoeatslowly,withgrace.

ButMotherwasneveronthevergeofstarving

,Mulanthought,thoughshedidasshehadbeentaught.

Watchingher,Ramtishchuckled.Turning,helookedatSkatch.“Ithinkhe’sthemostpolitestarvingpersonI’veeverseen.”

Skatchnodded.“Yes,heisagentlemanofremarkablygoodmanners.”Hereachedtowardhisbag.“BrotherRamtish,Isaywecelebratethisrepastwithatasteofwine.”

Mulanstifledasmile.Shehadafeelingthegoodbrotherslikedtocelebrate—alot.Buttheyhadbeenreferringtoherasamanthusfar,soiftheircelebrationallowedhertoremainanonymous,shewouldlooktheotherway.ButthenSkatchpouredadrinkandofferedittoher.

“Thankyou,”Mulansaid,shakingherhead.“ButIdonotdrink.”

“Asoldierwhodoesn’tdrink?”Skatchrepeated.“BrotherRamtish,there’ssomethingpeculiaraboutourdiningcompanion.”

Mulanstoppedchewing,herheartbeatquickeningasbothmonksturnedandgazedathersearchingly.

Skatchwenton,“Doeshelooklikeanysoldieryou’veeverseen?”

“Hedoesnot,”Ramtishanswered.

Mulanswallowedtherestofthericethatnowfeltlikerocksinherstomach.Then,clearingherthroat,shetriedtoexplainawaytheirdoubts.“Well,technically,”shebegan,beingsuretokeephervoicelow,“Iamnotasoldieryet.Thisismyfather’sswordandarmor.”Shepointedtoboth.“IamaconscriptfortheImperialArmyinthefightagainstthenortherninvaders.”

Skatch’seyesnarrowedbuthenodded.“Yes,thenortherninvaders,”hesaid,takingadeepdrinkfromhiscup.“LedbyB??riKhan.Weheardtheywereback.”

“Hewasangrybeforetheykilledhim,”Ramtishsaid,takinghisowndrinkwithachuckle.“Imaginehowfuriousheisnow?”

Thetwomonkssharedanotherlaugh,andanotherdrink,beforeSkatchreturnedhisattentiontoMulan.Shehad,inthemeantime,scootedfartheraway.Buttheclearingwassmall.Therewasn’tmuchroomforhertomove.“So,what’syourname,soldier-to-be?”Skatchasked.

“IrepresenttheHuafamily,”Mulananswered.

“Youdon’thaveafirstname?”Skatchprobed.Mulanfrowned.Itwasclearthemonkwasnotgoingtoletthisgo.Sheranthroughtheboysinhervillagebeforesettlingonaname.“Myfirstnameis??.??.??.Jun,”shetoldhim.

“Well,HuaJun,”Skatchsaid,stretchingoutthename,“I’mgoingtobehonestwithyou.Ican’tseeyoulastingadayinthearmy.You’regoingtobeeatenalive.”Fromwherehesat,Ramtishnoddedinagreement.“Ifyou’regoingtobeasoldier,you’vegottobeaman.”

Mulan’sbreathhitchedinherthroatandshehopedhercheeksweren’tflushingred.“WhatmakesyouthinkI’mnotaman?”

Skatchlaughed.“Youactlikeaboy,”heanswered.Hemimickedhercarefulplacementoffoodinhermouth.“You’vegottolooklikeaman,smelllikeaman,actlikeaman!”

Thebreathescapedherlungsinawhooshassherealizedhersecretwasstillsafe.Unawareofherthoughts,themonkbegantotromparoundthefire.Mulanbitbackasmile.Shewouldn’thavebeensurprisedifhe’dpoundedonhischestandyelledforeffect.Still,whathewassayingwasintriguing,andsomethingshehadnotgivenmuchthoughtto.“Howdoesamanact?”sheasked.

“Foronething,hedoesn’teatlikeawoman.”Onceagain,Skatchpretendedtobeher,daintilypickingatagrainofrice.“Meneatlikeit’sthelastmealthey’lleverhave.”Thistime,hemimedshovelingfoodintohisface,evenlappinghistongueattheairasthoughlickingabowl.Mulanhadtostopherselffromgrimacing.Helookedlikeapig.