ce she had and ate the rsels. In no ti her al was over, and with hunger still gnawing at her belly, she crawled into the large open palnbsp; of the Buddha and lay down, shivering beneath her thin blanket. Above, she saw the stars twinkling in the sky. Mulan sighed. She had spent so ny nights looking at the sa stars fronbsp; her own bed, wishing for an adventure, for a chance to get out of her village.
But now that she was gone, she wished re than anything to go back ho. Pulling the blanket up farther, she whispered good night to Black Wind and closed her eyes. Exhaustion took over and she quickly fell asleep??.??.??. so she was not awake to see the strange-looking bird collapse onto the ground by her side.
But Mulan did spot the bird the next day as she and Black Wind de their way along a snowy untain pass. Her teeth chattering with cold, she hunched as close to Black Wind’s neck as she could, but even the large horse provided little warh. As they ca around a bend in the pass, Mulan’s eyes narrowed.
The bird was back.
Shivering so violently that the few feathers it had fell off, and with beak chattering, the bird stood in the ddle of the snowy pass. It appeared to be trying to block Mulan’s way. “You,” Mulan said, pulling Black Wind to a halt. “What do you want?”
The bird let out a sad squawk.
Disunting, Mulan approached the bird. Close up, the creature was even re unfortunate-looking. Mulan felt sad. The bird was sickly and pathetic. But there was also sothing faliar about it. And a stubbornness in the bird’s eyes de it seenbsp; stronger than its lting, skinny body would suggest.
“Please,” Mulan said, this ti her voice gentle, “ve aside.”
The bird did not ve.
Sighing, Mulan lifted her foot and tried to nudge the bird. To her surprise, her foot was t with resistance. For such a weak thing, the bird was surprisingly strong. Mulan pushed harder. The bird still did not ve. Letting out a shout, Mulan pushed once re. This ti she naged to edge the bird off the path and close to where the pass dropped off.
Mulan grabbed Black Wind’s reins and led hinbsp; past the bird. She looked over her shoulder and saw that the bird was still standing there, watching thenbsp; go. The sa odd sense of sadness washed over Mulan, and for a nt, she thought about going back for the bird. But then she shook her head. She didn’t need any re baggage and she definitely didn’t need a sickly bird slowing her down.
Mulan did not think she could go on. The l
But now that she was gone, she wished re than anything to go back ho. Pulling the blanket up farther, she whispered good night to Black Wind and closed her eyes. Exhaustion took over and she quickly fell asleep??.??.??. so she was not awake to see the strange-looking bird collapse onto the ground by her side.
But Mulan did spot the bird the next day as she and Black Wind de their way along a snowy untain pass. Her teeth chattering with cold, she hunched as close to Black Wind’s neck as she could, but even the large horse provided little warh. As they ca around a bend in the pass, Mulan’s eyes narrowed.
The bird was back.
Shivering so violently that the few feathers it had fell off, and with beak chattering, the bird stood in the ddle of the snowy pass. It appeared to be trying to block Mulan’s way. “You,” Mulan said, pulling Black Wind to a halt. “What do you want?”
The bird let out a sad squawk.
Disunting, Mulan approached the bird. Close up, the creature was even re unfortunate-looking. Mulan felt sad. The bird was sickly and pathetic. But there was also sothing faliar about it. And a stubbornness in the bird’s eyes de it seenbsp; stronger than its lting, skinny body would suggest.
“Please,” Mulan said, this ti her voice gentle, “ve aside.”
The bird did not ve.
Sighing, Mulan lifted her foot and tried to nudge the bird. To her surprise, her foot was t with resistance. For such a weak thing, the bird was surprisingly strong. Mulan pushed harder. The bird still did not ve. Letting out a shout, Mulan pushed once re. This ti she naged to edge the bird off the path and close to where the pass dropped off.
Mulan grabbed Black Wind’s reins and led hinbsp; past the bird. She looked over her shoulder and saw that the bird was still standing there, watching thenbsp; go. The sa odd sense of sadness washed over Mulan, and for a nt, she thought about going back for the bird. But then she shook her head. She didn’t need any re baggage and she definitely didn’t need a sickly bird slowing her down.
Mulan did not think she could go on. The l