ButthatwasSkatch’spoint:menbehavedlikepigs.Theywerealsoalmostalwaysconfident.“Youwalkedintothattaverntonightlikeyouwerehidingsomething.”Thistime,heimitatedMulan’sshrinkingfigureassheenteredthetavern.Ramtishlaughed.Skatchstoppedandplantedhisfeet,squaringhisshouldersbeforegoingon.“Whenarealmanentersaroom,heownsthatroom.It’shisterritory.Youmightnotannounceit,butyou’vegottobelieveit.”Then,toMulan’samusement,heactuallydidpoundhischest.“Ha!”heyelled.ThenhegesturedtoMulantostandbyhim.“Showme.”

Takingadeepbreath,Mulanwalkedovertothemonk.Sheplantedherfeet,justashehad.Thenshesquaredhershoulders,justashehad.Andfinally,shepoundedherchest,justashehad.“HA!”sheshouted.Toherears,thewordcameoutasasqueak.

ButSkatchseemedpleased.“Yes!”hecried.“That’sit!Youdon’tgolookingfortrouble,butyoudon’tbackawayfromit,either.Especiallyfromasnaggle-toothed,foul-odoredinnkeeper.”

Hishandwhippedforward,grabbingtheswordoutofMulan’sgrasp.Beforeshecouldevenblink,hehadthetipofthebladepointedrightbelowherchin.“PaybeforeIeat?”hesaid,asthoughhewereaddressingtheinnkeeperhimself.“Mypayment’sthetipofmyblade.So,eitherIeatnow??.??.??.oryoudie.”

Mulancouldn’thelpthinkingthat,foramonk,heseemedremarkablycapablewithaweapon.Flippingtheswordinhishand,SkatchheldoutthehandletoMulan.

“Neverletsomeonetakeyoursword,bytheway,”hesaid.“Verybadidea.”

“Oh.Sorry—”Mulanbegan.

“Apologizingisn’trecommended,either,”Skatchsaid,cuttingheroff.“Andanotherthing—”

Thistime,hewastheonewhowasinterrupted.Lettingoutaloudburp,Ramtishhithischestwithhisfist.“BrotherSkatch,”hesaid,“thisman’stryingtoeathisdinnerandyou’reblabberingonlikeawoman.”

Skatchheldhishandtohisheart.“Apologies,HuaJun,”hesaid.“Please—letussit.Relax.Enjoyyourmeal.”

HeturnedandjoinedRamtish,whohadmadehimselfquitecomfortableonafallenlog.Runninghishandthroughhisdarkhair,hesmiledathisfriendasRamtishrefilledboththeircups.Afewdropsspilledover,stainingthegroundwheretheyfellalightred.

Mulan’seyesnarrowedasshewatchedthetwomentiltbacktheircupsanddrinkdeeply.

“Therearemanypathstotruth,”Skatchsaid,inresponsetothejudgmenthesawinMulan’seyes.

SilencesettledoverthesmallclearingasthetwomonksstaredintotheflickeringflamesofthefireandMulanstaredatthem.Shewasstillunsureexactlywhattheyweredoingthere.Theyhadfedher,forwhichshewasgrateful,butshehadassumedtheywouldsoonbeontheirway.Yettheylingered.

Sincetheydidn’tappeartobegoinganywhere,Mulanfiguredsheshouldatleastmakeconversation.“Yousaidtherewasanotherthing.”

“Pardon?”Skatchsaid,lookingupfromhiscup.Hiseyesalreadyseemedalittleglazedandhisvoicelessclear.

“Youknow,”Mulanprompted.“Aboutbeingaman.AnotherthingIshouldknow?”

Skatchfrowned,andRamtishnudgedhim.ThepairsharedalookthatMulancouldn’tquitereadbeforeRamtishsaid,“Oh,goon.Youmightaswelltellhimnow.”

Foramoment,Skatchhesitated,andMulanwonderedifhewasgoingtoheedhisfriend’sadviceorignorehim.Mulanfeltaflashofimpatience,butthenhenodded.“Here’sthemostfundamentalthingofall.”Skatchpaused,hiseyeslockingwithMulan’sandalltracesofhisfogginessdisappearing.“Arealmanneverrefusesadrink.”

AsSkatchfinishedhis“lesson,”RamtishcasuallyplacedacupofwineinfrontofMulan.Shelookeddownattheredliquid,thenupatthemonks,andthenbackdownatthewine.Shehadnevertastedadropoftheliquidinherlife.Evenatthefewcelebrationsshehadattendedinhervillage,hermotherhadstrictlyforbiddenit,tellingMulanitwouldmakeheractunladylike.Butnowshedidn’thaveachoice.Ifsherefused,themonkswouldfigureouthersecret.

So,takingadeepbreath,shegrabbedthecup,broughtittoherlips??.??.??.anddrankthecontentsdowninonelonggulp.

Skatchlookeddownattheyoungsoldier,whowasnowlyingbesidethefire.Hewasoutcold.Theliquidhaddoneitstrick.Themomenthehadspottedtheyoungman,Skatchhadknownhewouldbeaneasymark.Theboyreekedofinnocenceandnaiveté.AllithadtakenwastheoneglassofwineandHuaJunhadpassedout.Nowhelaythere,halfhisfacecoveredindirt,oblivioustothemovementaroundhim.

Liftingahand,Skatchrubbedhisnowhairlesschin.Thefakebeardhehadbeenwearingwashangingunderneathhischin,givinghisskinachancetofeelthefreshair.Turning,hesawRamtishstrappingthewarrior’sswordtothebackofthehorse’ssaddle.Thehugeanimalshiftedonhisfeet,clearlyawarethatsomethingstrangewasgoingon.

“Wehavethehorseandthesword,”Ramtishsaid,givingtheropearoundtheswordonefinaltugtomakesureitwassecure.Henoddedatthewarriorontheground.“Let’sstriphimandtakehisarmor.”

NotwaitingforSkatch’spermission,Ramtishleaneddownandreachedtounlacetheyoungwarrior’sarmor.Butbeforehecouldfinish,aloud,uglybirdappearedoutofnowhere.Ramtishswunghisarmsaround,tryingtokeepthebirdatbay.Butthecreaturekeptcoming,itseyeswildandsparsefeathersflying.Withashout,hemanagedtoswatthebird,sendingitsoaring.

Butitdoubledbackimmediately,attackingagain.Thistime,Ramtishdidn’tbotherwithhishand.Instead,hereacheddownandunsheathedhisownsword.Itwhooshedthroughtheairashebroughtitup,thetippointingdirectlyattheoncomingbird.

Thistime,thebirdstopped.

“Brother?”Skatchasked,watchingtheinteractionwithamixtureofcuriosityandamusement.Hewasn’tsurewhythebirdseemedsoprotectiveofthewarrior,butitwasclearthecreaturewantedRamtishnowherenearhim.“Leavehisarmor.Andthesword.”

Ramtishlookedover,surpriseonhisface.“What?”hesaid.HeandSkatchhadbeenworkingtogetherforyears.Neveronce,inallthattime,hadSkatchleftsomethingofvaluebehindwhentherewassomethingofvaluetobehad.

“There’ssomethingaboutthisyoungmanIlike,”Skatchsaid,shrugging.Hiseyeslingeredonthewarrior.Insleep,theyoungmanlookedevenmoreinnocent.“He’sanunderdog,likeourselves,”headded.

“Speakforyourself,”Ramtishretorted.“Asdogsgo,Iprefertothinkofmyselfasachampion.”

Skatchlaughedashehookedhisfakebeardaroundhisearsandpusheditbackintoplace.“Leavehimthedonkey,too,”Skatchadded.“SinceIaminaverygenerousmood.”Then,grabbingthehorse’sreins,heledthebiganimaloutoftheclearing.Ramtishtookonelastlonginglookatthearmorandweaponandthen,withasigh,followed.

Behindthem,thewarriorlay,hisbreathheavy,hiseyesstillclosed.