ace when she ca to it. First, she just needed to get to the encant.
While Mulan’s journey had felt like it would never end, it finally did.
As they arrived at the edge of a huge field, her eyes grew wide as she took in the sights and sounds of the huge ar encant. Banners flew above large tents surrounded by sller ones. The sll of cooking food wafted through the air, king Mulan’s stoch rule once again. The sounds of horses’ hooves blended with clanging tal as soldiers practiced fighting. Large gates had been set up on the outskirts of the ca. In front of thenbsp; was a line of hundreds of n, all clutching conscription papers. Every few nutes, a dozen or so would be ushered through the gates and disappear inside the teeng encant. Mulan watched, trying to ke sense of the bustling scene in front of her. It was like nothing she had seen before. Her eyes lingered on the future soldiers, each waiting their turn. So were young, their faces eager, others old, their faces wise and drawn. But they were all n.
Taking a deep breath, Mulan pulled the donkey forward. The Phoenix, who had fallen asleep shortly into the ride, woke with a start. Seeing the encant, she let out a squawk and jued off the donkey, hopping over to so bushes for cover. For the briefest of nts, Mulan thought about following her. But then she reered the words on the sword.
Brave. Loyal. True.
She had to be brave now.
Throwing back her shoulders, Mulan strode forward, silently thanking—and cursing—the nks for their “lesson.” She took her place in line. Ahead of her were two young n, roughly her age. One was chubby, his cheeks flushed. He looked awkward and unfortable, and Mulan couldn’t help feeling a wave of eathy. She igined her own cheeks were red, too—if not fronbsp; earrassnt, then fronbsp; the ny hours she had spent traveling in the sun. Beside hinbsp; was a taller conscript. He said sothing to the larger boy and then laughed, revealing a sizable gap between his two front teeth that de hinbsp; instantly look younger. Mulan stood quietly behind the trying not to eavesdrop.
Just then, another young n, older by a few years it would see cut in front of her. Ignoring her grunt of protest, he stopped inches behind the two boys. A long weed hung fronbsp; the side of his uth. Taking it out, he tickled the larger boy’s ear.
“I’nbsp; Cricket,” the boy was saying.
“Longwei,” the other conscript said, introducing hielf.
Cricket nodded. “My ther said I was born—” He stopped, lifting his hand to
While Mulan’s journey had felt like it would never end, it finally did.
As they arrived at the edge of a huge field, her eyes grew wide as she took in the sights and sounds of the huge ar encant. Banners flew above large tents surrounded by sller ones. The sll of cooking food wafted through the air, king Mulan’s stoch rule once again. The sounds of horses’ hooves blended with clanging tal as soldiers practiced fighting. Large gates had been set up on the outskirts of the ca. In front of thenbsp; was a line of hundreds of n, all clutching conscription papers. Every few nutes, a dozen or so would be ushered through the gates and disappear inside the teeng encant. Mulan watched, trying to ke sense of the bustling scene in front of her. It was like nothing she had seen before. Her eyes lingered on the future soldiers, each waiting their turn. So were young, their faces eager, others old, their faces wise and drawn. But they were all n.
Taking a deep breath, Mulan pulled the donkey forward. The Phoenix, who had fallen asleep shortly into the ride, woke with a start. Seeing the encant, she let out a squawk and jued off the donkey, hopping over to so bushes for cover. For the briefest of nts, Mulan thought about following her. But then she reered the words on the sword.
Brave. Loyal. True.
She had to be brave now.
Throwing back her shoulders, Mulan strode forward, silently thanking—and cursing—the nks for their “lesson.” She took her place in line. Ahead of her were two young n, roughly her age. One was chubby, his cheeks flushed. He looked awkward and unfortable, and Mulan couldn’t help feeling a wave of eathy. She igined her own cheeks were red, too—if not fronbsp; earrassnt, then fronbsp; the ny hours she had spent traveling in the sun. Beside hinbsp; was a taller conscript. He said sothing to the larger boy and then laughed, revealing a sizable gap between his two front teeth that de hinbsp; instantly look younger. Mulan stood quietly behind the trying not to eavesdrop.
Just then, another young n, older by a few years it would see cut in front of her. Ignoring her grunt of protest, he stopped inches behind the two boys. A long weed hung fronbsp; the side of his uth. Taking it out, he tickled the larger boy’s ear.
“I’nbsp; Cricket,” the boy was saying.
“Longwei,” the other conscript said, introducing hielf.
Cricket nodded. “My ther said I was born—” He stopped, lifting his hand to