Astheyarrivedattheedgeofahugefield,hereyesgrewwideasshetookinthesightsandsoundsofthehugearmyencampment.Bannersflewabovelargetentssurroundedbysmallerones.Thesmellofcookingfoodwaftedthroughtheair,makingMulan’sstomachrumbleonceagain.Thesoundsofhorses’hoovesblendedwithclangingmetalassoldierspracticedfighting.Largegateshadbeensetupontheoutskirtsofthecamp.Infrontofthemwasalineofhundredsofmen,allclutchingconscriptionpapers.Everyfewminutes,adozenorsowouldbeusheredthroughthegatesanddisappearinsidetheteemingencampment.Mulanwatched,tryingtomakesenseofthebustlingsceneinfrontofher.Itwaslikenothingshehadseenbefore.Hereyeslingeredonthefuturesoldiers,eachwaitingtheirturn.Somewereyoung,theirfaceseager,othersold,theirfaceswiseanddrawn.Buttheywereallmen.

Takingadeepbreath,Mulanpulledthedonkeyforward.ThePhoenix,whohadfallenasleepshortlyintotheride,wokewithastart.Seeingtheencampment,sheletoutasquawkandjumpedoffthedonkey,hoppingovertosomebushesforcover.Forthebriefestofmoments,Mulanthoughtaboutfollowingher.Butthensherememberedthewordsonthesword.

Brave.Loyal.True.

Shehadtobebravenow.

Throwingbackhershoulders,Mulanstrodeforward,silentlythanking—andcursing—themonksfortheir“lesson.”Shetookherplaceinline.Aheadofherweretwoyoungmen,roughlyherage.Onewaschubby,hischeeksflushed.Helookedawkwardanduncomfortable,andMulancouldn’thelpfeelingawaveofempathy.Sheimaginedherowncheekswerered,too—ifnotfromembarrassment,thenfromthemanyhoursshehadspenttravelinginthesun.Besidehimwasatallerconscript.Hesaidsomethingtothelargerboyandthenlaughed,revealingasizablegapbetweenhistwofrontteeththatmadehiminstantlylookyounger.Mulanstoodquietlybehindthem,tryingnottoeavesdrop.

Justthen,anotheryoungman,olderbyafewyearsitwouldseem,cutinfrontofher.Ignoringhergruntofprotest,hestoppedinchesbehindthetwoboys.Alongweedhungfromthesideofhismouth.Takingitout,hetickledthelargerboy’sear.

“I’mCricket,”theboywassaying.

“Longwei,”theotherconscriptsaid,introducinghimself.

Cricketnodded.“MymothersaidIwasborn—”Hestopped,liftinghishandtoswatawaythe“insect”thatwasticklinghisear.

Behindhim,theolderconscriptbitbackalaugh.Anotherconscriptjoinedhim,pointingtotheweedandmimingforhimtodoitagain.Mulanwatchedthemwithnarrowedeyes.Crickethaddonenothingtothem.Whatwasthepointofteasinghiminsuchaway?

Unawareofthesituation,Cricketcontinuedchatting.Hisvoicewasfriendlyandopen.“ShesaidIwasbornunderanauspicious—”TheticklinghadgrownmoreaggressiveandCricketswattedharderthistime.Only,insteadofslappingabug,heaccidentlyslappedLongwei.

“Ow!”heshouted,puttingahandtohischeek.

Behindthem,thetwobullieshowledwithlaughter.Then,pushingCricketandLongweioutoftheway,theytooktheirplaceinline.Theyoungerconscriptsstumbledagainsteachother,tryingtokeeptheirbalance.

Sensingshewasabouttogettumbledinto,Mulanmovedoutoftheway.Butshehadn’tseentheconscriptwhohadcomeupbesideher.Withashout,shecrashedintohim,theimpactknockinghertotheground.

Shelaystillforamoment,tryingtocatchherbreath.Thenshesawahandheldouttoher.

“Sorry,tadpole,”theconscriptsaid.“Mymistake.”

Mulantriedtokeepherselffromblushing.Theyoungmaninfrontofherwastall,lean,andvery,veryhandsome.Hiseyesweretwinklingandkind.

Heofferedhishandagain.

Distractedbyhisgoodlooksandthecharmingsmilehewasflashingather,Mulanalmost,almosttookhishand.Butthenshestopped.Tadpolehehadcalledher.Embarrassment,delayed,camerushingoverher.ThiswasexactlywhatSkatchhadsaidwouldhappen.Shewouldn’tbetakenseriously.

Ignoringtheoutstretchedhand,Mulanscrambledtoherfeet.Thenshereachedforhersword.Butherhandswereclammyandherfingersshaking,sowhatshehadhopedwouldbeaquickgrabturnedintoabumblingattempttopulltheswordfromitsbelt.Shepulleditfreeand,liftingitintheair,pointeditattheotherconscript’sthroatjustasSkatchhaddonetoher.“Insultmeagain,”shesaid,forcinghervoicetogodeep,“andyou’lltastethetipofmyblade!”

Instantly,allhumorlefttheyoungman’sface.Beforesheevenheardtheswishofhissword,shefeltitstipatherownthroat.Mulangulped.Shemighthavebeenabithastyinheractions.Skatchhadn’ttoldherwhattodoiftheotherpersonalsohadaweapon.

“Loweryoursword,”theconscriptsaid.

“Orwhat?”Mulanhadbeentryingfortough,buteventoher,hervoicesoundedflimsy.

MulanfeltCricket’sandLongwei’seyesonher,aswellasthebullies’.Shecouldsensethemlookingbackandforthbetweenherandtheyoungmanacrossfromher.Sheheardsomeonewhisper“Honghui,”andafewothersrepeatthename.Herarmshookandshewantedtodrophersword,butshecouldn’t.Notuntiltheotherconscript,orratherHonghui,droppedhis.

Outofthecornerofhereye,shesawanotherpersonapproaching.Itwasanolderman,hisfacelinedwithageandexperience.Therewasaflashofmovement.BeforeMulancouldblink,herarmwastwistedbehindherback.Amomentlatertheswordwasremovedfromherhandandherarmdroppedtoherside.Nexttoher,Honghuirubbedhisownarm,hiseyesonhisweapon.

“Iamyourcommandingofficer—CommanderTung!”themanshouted.“Fightingwillnotbetolerated.AmIclear?”Hestaredattheyoungman,hiseyesicy.

“Yes,Commander,”theotherconscriptsaidimmediately.

ThecommanderturnedtoMulanandrepeatedthequestion.Mulan’svoicestuckinherthroat.Shenodded.

“Withyourvoice,soldier,”CommanderTungordered.

“Yes,Commander,”Mulansaid.

Acrossfromher,HonghuitookbackhisswordandglaredatMulan.Shehadmessedup.Alreadyshewasgainingenemies,notallies.

HandingMulanhersword,thecommanderhesitated,hisgazecatchingontheengravingonitsblade.RecognitionflashedoverhisfaceandhelookedupatMulanwithrenewedinterest.“What’syourname,soldier?”heasked.

“HuaJun,Commander,”Mulansaid,thefibglidingoffhertongue.

“Isthisyourfamily’ssword?”CommanderTungasked.

Mulannoddedandthenrememberedthatthecommanderwantedwords.“Itbelongstomyfather,HuaZhou,”shesaid.

TherewasamomentasthecommanderlookedbackandforthbetweentheswordandMulan,hisfacestillbuthiseyesflickeringwithemotion.Then,noticingherbarefeet,henoddedtowardatentbehindthem.“Gogetyourselfapairofboots,”hesaid.BeforeMulancouldrespond,CommanderTunghadmarchedoff,disappearingintothehustleandbustleoftheencampment.

Mulanwatchedhimgo.Whenhewasoutofsight,sheletoutthebreathshehadbeenholding.Thecommandercouldhavehadherpunishedorsentheraway.Instead,hehadseemedtotakeaninterestinher—oratleastherfamilyname.Whileshewasn’tthrilledthatshealreadyhadenemiesamongtheotherconscripts,theencounteratleastmeantshewasgettingboots.Which,shethought,lookingdownatherbloodyfeet,couldn’thavecomeatabettertime.

Mulangatheredherthingsandheadedtowardtheclothingtent.ThemoredistanceshecouldgetfromHonghui,thebetter.Inanotherworldandanothersetting,MulanhadafeelingCricketwould’vebeenafriend.Butshewasn’tgoingtostickaroundtofindoutifherhunchwasright.Shewouldgetherboots,andthenshewouldthinkaboutthemessshehadgottenherselfinto.Shehadbeensoworriedaboutsurvivingthewarthatshehadn’teventhoughtaboutsurvivingbootcamp.