“Betterkeepaneyeout,”Honghuiwarned,thoughhedidn’tsoundveryconcerned.

Ponodded.“Thosenortherninvaderseattadpoles,”headded.

Ashepushedpasther,Poopenedhismouthandbitattheair.Mulankeptherexpressionneutral.Shewouldn’tgivethemthesatisfactionofseeingherrattled.Butassoonastheyweregone,sheshivered.Jokingaside,shehadjustvolunteeredforajobthatputheronthefirstlineofdefenseagainsttheinvaders.

Ifthesergeanthadn’tbeenstandingtherewaiting,Mulanwouldhavehitherselfupsidethehead.Shejustkeptgettingherselfintodeeper—andhotter—water.Thenherlipsformedintoaruefulsmileattheironyofherthought.Shewasn’tgettingintoanywater—justtrouble.

Mulanstood,chilledtothebone,asshestaredoutintothedarknessbeyondthebarrackwalls.Astheonlyconscriptonthetower,shehadbeentold,orratherordered,tokeephereyespeeledandherearsopen.Theinvaders,thesergeanthadbeenhappytotellher,wouldbeabletoseeherbeforeshecouldseethem.Andiftheygotthroughthegatesonherwatch,theywouldbetheleastofherworries.

Forthefirstfewhours,Mulanhadactuallyenjoyedthepatrol.Theguardtowerwasquiet,andforthefirsttimesinceshehadarrivedatthecamp,shehadbeenabletorelax.Herbreathhadbecomeeven,herheartbeatreturningtonormalafterwhathadfeltlikeconstantgalloping,andshehadeven,afewtimes,hummedtoherselfinherregularvoice.Butaboutthreehoursin,itstartedtogetcold,andanhourlater,thecloudsrolledin.Bythetimeshewasonlyhalfwaythroughhershift,rainwasfallinginsheetsinfrontofher.

Butnotonher.

Therealizationstartledher,andshelookedup.ShegroanedasshesawthePhoenix.Thebirdwasperchedontheedgeoftheroofoftheguardtower,herwingoutstretched,creatinganumbrellaforMulan.Mulan’seyesnarrowed.Shehadtoldthebirdtoleaveheralone.Thelastthingsheneededwastohavesomeonespotherbeingtakencareofbyalarge,uglybird.

Shetookawidesteptotheright.Instantly,shewasdrenched.

Upontheroof,thebirdshuffledtotheright.Therainstopped.

Growingangry,Mulansteppedintheoppositedirection.Asraincoveredherfaceandsoakedherclothes,shelookedupatthePhoenix.“Itoldyou,”shehissed.“Idon’tneedyou.”

ThePhoenixshrugged,asiftosay,

Fine,bethatway,

andthendeliberatelyfoldedinherwings.Mulanwaslefttostandintherain.

Mulan’seyesdroopedandherbodyshiveredfromacombinationofcoldandexhaustionbythetimethenextconscriptarrivedtorelieveher.Nottrustingherownvoice,Mulannoddedtohimandthenhastilymadeherwaybacktoherbarracks.Allshewantedtodowasliedownandsleep.

Butwhenshepushedbacktheflaponthetent,herdreamsofgettingagoodnight’srestfaded.Everyplatformwastaken.Someofthesleepingberthsevenhadmorethanoneconscriptlyingacrossthem.Loudsnoresandanoccasionalgruntsoundedthroughthetent,makingitalmostasloudasifeveryonewereupandtalking.Takingadeepbreath,Mulantiptoeddownthenarrowlanebetweentheplatforms.Hereyesscannedlefttorightandbackagain,desperatelylookingforanemptyspace.ShepassedHonghuiandPo,lyingbacktoback.Shebrieflythoughtaboutwringingoutherwetshirtovertheirheadstogetbackatthemforthetadpolecomment,butthoughtbetterofitwhenHonghuigruntedloudly.Eveninsleephewasintimidating.

Justasshewasabouttogiveupandgofindaplacetosleepoutside,shespottedatiny,narrowspaceattheveryendofthetent.Shemadeherwayover.Lookingaroundtomakesurethatnoonehadawoken,shetookoffthewettestanddirtiestofherlayers.Shewincedassheliftedthemoverherhead.Hershoulderswerestifffromhoursofstandingstill,andshedreadedtothinkwhattheywouldfeelliketomorrow.Butasshepulledatthetightleatherbindingsthatcoveredherchest,shetookagratefulgulpofair.Thebindingswerenecessarytoprotectheridentity,buttheywerenotcomfortable.

Dressedinasimplelongwhiteshirtthatshehopedhidmostofhercurves,Mulancarefullylaydown.Foronegloriousmoment,shesimplyrelaxedtherewithhereyesclosed,lettinghermusclestakeabreak.

Andthenthesoldierbesideherletoutaloudsnortandturnedover.Ashedidso,hethrewhisarmacrossMulan,pinningherdown.Toherhorror,sherealizeditwasn’tjustanyconscript—itwasYao!ThesameguywhohadbulliedCricket.Liftingahand,shetriedtogingerlymovehisarmoff,butthenheletoutanothersnortandflunghisotherhandacrossher.Nownotonlywasherbodypinneddown,butherarmswere,too.Shewastrapped.

Mulan’smindracedwhileherbodyremainedfrozen.ShehadtogetYaooffher.Buthow?Shecouldn’tmoveherarmsandshedefinitelycouldn’taffordtowakehimupandhavehimseeherwithoutherarmoron.Thewhiteshirtwasgoodenoughcamouflageforadistantonlooker,butYaowaswaytoocloseforcomfort—onmanylevels.

Outofthecornerofhereyeshesawafeatherappear.Itwasscrawnyandfadedbutasshewatched,itbegantotickleYao’snose.Eversocarefully,sheliftedherhead.ThePhoenixwasstandingattheedgeoftheplatform,usinghertailfeatherstotickleYao.Hemumbledinhissleepandtriedtobrushawaythefeather,butthePhoenixkepttickling.Yaosneezed.Halfwakinghimselfintheprocess,heflippedover,turninghisbacktoMulanandthrowinganarmaroundthesoldierontheotherside.

Mulanexhaled.Lookingoveratthebird,whowasstartingtohopoutofthetent,Mulangaveherareluctantnod.Maybeshedidneedher??.??.??.alittlebit.