Mushu woke up before sunrise so she would get dressed in her armor. He used Cri-kee as the alarm like always, and it drew a beautiful smile on Mulanīs face. This was a brand new day, that held a new hope.
Mulan went outside to get Khan ready to leave. She led him to a pond nearby, so he would drink plenty of water.
A few hours later, the troops left the Bai Tao Base to go to battle, and to look for the last survivors of the most recent battle.
Mulan rode her horse next to Shang on the trail. They started to talk about what were they planning to do after war ended. "Iīm going to rest a few days at home, then... I donīt know my future is so unclear," said Mulan. Hoping to draw some interest from part of Shang about her life. It practically worked just as she planned. "Why?"asked Shang; yes he sounded concerned and interested at the same time.
"Well, you know," said Mulan trying to give more mystery to the subject.
"What?" asked Shang.
Mulan sighed and answered," Iīm not betrothed yet."
Shang was glad to hear that, but he was speechless. Mulan was everything he dreamt of and he couldnīt explain himself how come she wasnīt engaged or something. He cared less about the matchmakerīs words about Mulan, he thought she was just too amazing to succeed like every common village girl. Shang cleared his throat and said," Oh thatīs fine, Iīm not betrothed either."
Mulan sighed, that was probably the best thing she had heard lately. She smiled triumphantly to herself. Mulan was feeling tickles again inside her stomach, it was a wonderful feeling, it never bothered her. Instead, the tickles made her giggle secretly.
Mushu was hiding inside the little wagon in which they carried the cannons and other weapons. Still, he could hear their conversation. "I know whatīs inside Mulanīs mind," he whispered to Cri-kee.
Mulan sighed and thought to herself," Anyway, I donīt have a hope with him." She had her very own way of bringing herself down from her daydreams, the things other people said sometimes hurted her too much inside. No wonder that she thought a handsome and honorable young man didnīt diserve such torture, to live with her. Sometimes, Mulan acted so negative as a response to what others said about her.
Chi Fu approched to them and said," Move aside, I must go in front."
Mulan pulled Khanīs reins and moved him aside so the pompous emperorīs advisor would take his place next to Shang.
Chi Fu noticed that Mulan narrowed her eyes at him, and she was frowning. Mushu stood over Mulanīs shoulder and said," Just wait ītil I put my hands on him." The little dragon clenched his fists furiously and had all the intentions to hit Chi Fu but Mulan kept him from doing it when she pulled him by his tail. "That wonīt be necesary," said Mulan.
Yao, Ling, and Chien Po walked next to Mulan, then she dismounted Khan to walk with her friends.
Yao and Ling were arguing about who was braver than who. "Youīre such a coward Ling, you said you were scared to death of Captain Li Shang our first day of training at Camp Wu Zhong," said Yao. Ling stayed thoughtful for a moment, he was just seeking for the right words to make Yao appear as a chicken."Oh really, you were trembling the day you were going to...hum... when you were scared of Chi Fu." Yao pulled Ling by his collar and clenched his fist. Ling covered his face ,"Repeat what you just said."
"Sorry Yao you win," said Ling cowardly pleading Yao to let him go. For some reason, Yao had some pity and he dropped Ling.
Mulan couldnīt help but to laugh. Mushu whispered into her ear," I know this guys are a bunch of chickens so why donīt you let me kick Chi Fuīs butt so you can ride next to Shang and talk about more interesting things, instead of watching this loosers showing off."
Mulan shook her head and muttered," Leave it like this, Mushu."
"But," complained Mushu.
"I insist," Mulan whispered," we donīt need to get in trouble."
"Ok," replied Mushu not very convinced; he really wanted to kick Chi Fuīs butt, because he couldnīt stand the when he insulted his precious babe.
The troop stopped just were the last battle had taken place. There were lots of corpses laying on the ground, both from chinese soldiers and from the huns. It was not a good experience to talk about.
Mulan went somewhere else, she just couldnīt stand seeing all those dead bodies, it was too much to bear for a young lady whose heart was so pure.
Moments later, Shang joined her. Mulan was sitting by a warm fire Mushu had prepared. "May I join you?" asked Shang.
"Sure."
Shang sat next to her, and said," I must say Iīve got good news for you."
"Shoot."
"Well we didnīt find your fatherīs body, that must mean heīs alive and he is hiding somewhere or maybe heīs back at the Bai Tao Base." Shang smiled at Mulan and she smiled back. Mulan couldnīt resist the way he smiled, Shang looked much more handsome when he smiled.
They looked into each othersī eyes for a second, but they turned away once again. Mulan could feel her cheeks burning with embarassment, what if he realized she liked him just by the look in her eyes: sweet and dreamy.
"You hungry," asked Shang breaking the silence between them.
"No," replied Mulan. She was still blushing.
"But you havenīt eaten since you had breakfast."
"Oh, thereīs no problem with that I can last long."
"Come on Iīll fix you something to eat."
"No thanks, I should do it myself."
"It doesnīt bother me if I cook."
"No, really thanks."
"Come on, " said Shang reaching for Mulanīs hand to help her stand up.
They walked along for a while together and they fished at a pond nearby. Afterwards, they roasted the fish to eat them.
"Shang, did you hear that noise?" asked Mulan.
"What noise?"
"Some sort of evil laughter," explained Mulan.
Shang stayed quiet and tried to listen. "It must be them." He quietly commanded the soldiers to get ready for a battle. They were attacking the huns while they were totally unaware of them for a moment. The chinese soldiers fired a cannon when they were ready to give the huns their position.
"We are going to hide until they come by here," announced Shang.
The soldiers obeyed their captainīs orders and hid behind rocks, and others hid insided caves.
Mulan hid behind a huge rock and Khan followed her.
The air got freezing, and Mushu lit a fire; but it wasnīt enough. Mulan fell as if she were wearing nothing.
"So, how was the fish?" asked Mushu.
"It tasted ok, at least better than mine," replied Mulan. She started to giggle.
"Whatīs so funny?" demmanded Mushu.
"Myself," answered Mulan through her laughter," I canīt cook and I should be ashamed by it." Honestly the cooking never worried her that much.
"But you fight good," said a distant voice.
Mulan stopped laughing and looked around to see who was talking to her, who surely wasnīt Mushu. Mulan looked up, and saw Shang resting his head over his arms over the rock.
Mulanīs cheeks started to burn. "What are you doing in here?" asked Mulan.
"Just making sure youīre guarding this place," replied Shang.
Mulan smiled at him," Trust me. I am." She started to shiver because of a little freezing breeze that turned Mushuīs fire off.
"Are you cold?"asked Shang.
Mulan shook her head ; but honestly the truth was just to obvious to deny.
"Come on, youīre freezing to death in here. Iīll bring you a blanket," said Shang.
He walked away and headed to the cart to get a blanket for Mulan. No one had been such a gentleman to Mulan before.
"He cares about you!," exclaimed Mushu.
"Oh come on, everyone gets cold with this climate."
"He doesnīt want to see you suffer because he really loves you," said Mushu.
Mulan sighed and wrapped her arms around her back to feel a little warmer. A few moments later, she felt a blanket landing softly over her head.
"Thank you Shang."said Mulan.
"Youīre welcome. Try not to fall asleep please," Shang went on," You must stay awake in case that thereīs something ."
Mulan nodded and covered herself with the blanket Shang lended her.
"Iīll be on the rock beside you if thereīs anything you need," announced Shang.
"Ok."
With that, Shang left. Mulan wrapped the blanket around her body, but still she was cold. She was tired and she could hardly keep her eyes from closing.
In the meantime, Mushu and Cri-kee were building a snow wall and then, each of them went the opposite sides of the wall and started to throw snowballs at each other.
Mulan now had her eyes closed, she was almost falling asleep with sweet thoughts about Shang, until a cold snowball fell on her face.
"Knock it off you two!"
"Sorry," Mushu apologized,"anyway, youīre not supposed to fall asleep."
"It doesnīt matter," replied Mulan. Later, she stood up, and went to look for Shang. Mulan found him reading scrolls behind the rock, he didnīt seem to be tired at all. Shang felt Mulanīs pressence and stopped reading."Whatīs wrong?" he asked.
"Well, I just wanted to ask if...well,... er...are you sure the huns are coming this way?"
"As far as I know, they have to get through here so they can get to the Imperial City. I think this is the only way that leads them there."
Mulan nodded.
"They havenīt shown signs because they are on their way I guess." Shang explained, "They probably want to attack us while we are unaware, thatīs why we must not sleep."
"Iīll keep that on mind," said Mulan.
"Were you falling asleep?" asked Shang suspiciously.
Mulan started to turn pink and said," Sorry, Iīm tired...but Mushu woke me up with a snowball."
Shang shook his head, but smiled. He was imagining Mushu throwing snow at Mulan and the expression on her face when she woke up. A little laughter escaped from Shang.
Mulan smiled at him blushing. It was something that didnīt happen very often: Shang laughing.
"Whatīs so funny?"demmanded Mulan.
Shang kept laughing and replied," Well, the look on your face when your dreams were interrupted by the cold snowball that landed on your face."
"You didnīt saw that did you?"
"No but Iīm imagining it."
Mulan crossed her arms and said," You wouldīve look even more funny." Then, she burst into laughter too.
Mushu and Cri-kee were spying them on the other side of the rock.
"Wow, I thought he never laughed!" exclaimed Mushu.
Cri-kee chirped something that meant," Mulan has the ability of making him laugh when no one can."
"She surely does," replied Mushu as he kept seeing Mulan and Shang laughing wildly.
Mulan went back to the rock she was hiding before. She was still smiling.
"Why are you so happy?" asked Mushu.
"Why, it had been a long time I didnīt saw Shang laugh," she answered.
Mushu was roasting marshmallows(which I have no idea where did he get them from), while Mulan was falling asleep and Cri-kee cradled beside her and covered himself with a tiny piece of the blanket.
Suddenly, a crowd of men which had grayish skin and were riding horses approached to them. Mulan oppened her eyes as soon as she heard Shangīs voice yelling,"Charge!"
It was very dark now, and they could barely see that they were the huns.The soldiers ran to get the cannons out of the cart, and Mulan mounted Khan. Mushu and Cri-kee jumped to her side.
