end of the balcony and once again flew into the air. The creature’s short wings and heavy body kept it fronbsp; going far, but it was able to ke it to the rooftop, where it once again took off. Mulan regained her original fast pace and didn’t slow, even as the end of the balcony grew closer and closer. At the very last nt, Mulan reached out and grabbed a hanging clothesline. Quickly, she shinnied up it until she, too, de it to the top of the slanted roof.
Mulan ca to a sudden stop, her feet balanced on the peak of the roof. In front of her, the lush green countryside spread out to the horizon. Grass on the rolling hills waved in the gentle wind, like waves on the water. Mulan’s breath, ing in gasps, hitched. The world was so big, so vibrant. She wished, not for the first ti, to go and explore what was beyond the horizon. But there was no way she could ever leave. Her life, her fate, were tied to the very building upon which she stood. And as her ther liked to say, there was no escaping fate.
BWACK!
The chicken’s taunting cluck dragged Mulan’s thoughts fronbsp; the iossible back to the present. Narrowing her eyes, she began to ve along the roof. Below her, the group of villagers that had been attracted to the courtyard by the sound of the phoenix statue’s wing crashing down stared up at Mulan. Horror and disapproval lined their faces. A few of the older won whispered ang theelves, not bothering to keep their disappointed tones quiet.
As if it had decided the ga was over, the chicken stopped, walked over to the edge of the roof, and with a quick flap of its wings, glided to the ground below. Letting out one last
BWACK
for good asure, it sauntered into the coop.
Watching the chicken, Mulan gave a nod of satisfaction. On the ground below, her father rushed over and slaed the gate shut behind the troubleso bird. She felt a sll surge of pride. At least one crisis had been averted.
But as her father’s gaze lifted and t hers, Mulan saw there was still one re problenbsp; to be solved. She had de it up to the roof, but how was she going to get down? She eyed the distance between where she stood and the spot far below where the chicken had landed. Deternation flooded through her, and she clenched her fists at her sides.
“Mulan,” her father said, recognizing the look in her eyes, “listen very carefully. You will take a calng breath, and then slowly—slowly—you will cli down.” Mulan’s eyes didn’t ve fronbsp;
Mulan ca to a sudden stop, her feet balanced on the peak of the roof. In front of her, the lush green countryside spread out to the horizon. Grass on the rolling hills waved in the gentle wind, like waves on the water. Mulan’s breath, ing in gasps, hitched. The world was so big, so vibrant. She wished, not for the first ti, to go and explore what was beyond the horizon. But there was no way she could ever leave. Her life, her fate, were tied to the very building upon which she stood. And as her ther liked to say, there was no escaping fate.
BWACK!
The chicken’s taunting cluck dragged Mulan’s thoughts fronbsp; the iossible back to the present. Narrowing her eyes, she began to ve along the roof. Below her, the group of villagers that had been attracted to the courtyard by the sound of the phoenix statue’s wing crashing down stared up at Mulan. Horror and disapproval lined their faces. A few of the older won whispered ang theelves, not bothering to keep their disappointed tones quiet.
As if it had decided the ga was over, the chicken stopped, walked over to the edge of the roof, and with a quick flap of its wings, glided to the ground below. Letting out one last
BWACK
for good asure, it sauntered into the coop.
Watching the chicken, Mulan gave a nod of satisfaction. On the ground below, her father rushed over and slaed the gate shut behind the troubleso bird. She felt a sll surge of pride. At least one crisis had been averted.
But as her father’s gaze lifted and t hers, Mulan saw there was still one re problenbsp; to be solved. She had de it up to the roof, but how was she going to get down? She eyed the distance between where she stood and the spot far below where the chicken had landed. Deternation flooded through her, and she clenched her fists at her sides.
“Mulan,” her father said, recognizing the look in her eyes, “listen very carefully. You will take a calng breath, and then slowly—slowly—you will cli down.” Mulan’s eyes didn’t ve fronbsp;