ast of her rice had run out a day before and both she and Black Wind were weakened with hunger. Leaving the untains behind, she sat slued in her saddle, the reins loose as she let Black Wind ke his own path.
The sun was just beginning to sink toward the horizon when Mulan caught sight of a town in the distance. She sat up a little straighter, her stoch ruling in anticipation. Relief flickered in her heart. Black Wind saw the town, too, and his footsteps quickened. By the ti they approached the outskirts of the town, he was cantering and Mulan was sling.
But her sle faded as she got off Black Wind and walked hinbsp; through the new town. Every face she saw was that of a stranger. The eyes that followed her were dark and suspicious. She had never known any village but her own. She had never t strangers. Now she was surrounded by the
Tying Black Wind to a post outside the only tavern in the town, Mulan gave hinbsp; a pat. “Wish luck,” she whispered. The big horse nickered and then bued her with his head toward the doors of the tavern. Taking a deep breath, Mulan walked inside.
The roonbsp; was dark and sky, filled with the sll of roasted at, ale, and dirty n. Mulan kept her head down, her heart thuing loudly in her chest. Scanning the roonbsp; fronbsp; beneath lowered lids, she spotted a sll table at the far end. She de her way over and slued onto the chair. If she could have de herself invisible, she would have. But then she wouldn’t get food.
Suddenly, the large burly innkeeper appeared next to the table, eyes cold and ar crossed over his chest. While he was an innkeeper and therefore de his living fronbsp; serving strangers, he certainly didn’t seenbsp; to like the “We have noodles with pork or pork with noodles,” he said with a grunt.
Mulan nodded, not trusting herself to speak. “That a yes?” the innkeeper asked.
“Yes,” Mulan said, trying to keep her voice deep and low like a n’s.
The innkeeper didn’t ve. He kept standing there, looking down at Mulan. Mulan shrank further into her arr. She had told hinbsp; what she wanted. Why wasn’t he leaving? She dared another look at the big n.
“Pay before you eat,” he said, holding out his hand.
Right. Money. It was an inn full of travelers. Of course the n would dend paynt up front. There was just a teeny tiny proble She didn’t exactly have ney, not in the traditional sense. Keeping her head down, she reached into her bag and pulled out a sll cloth pouch. She handed it to the innkeeper.
The sun was just beginning to sink toward the horizon when Mulan caught sight of a town in the distance. She sat up a little straighter, her stoch ruling in anticipation. Relief flickered in her heart. Black Wind saw the town, too, and his footsteps quickened. By the ti they approached the outskirts of the town, he was cantering and Mulan was sling.
But her sle faded as she got off Black Wind and walked hinbsp; through the new town. Every face she saw was that of a stranger. The eyes that followed her were dark and suspicious. She had never known any village but her own. She had never t strangers. Now she was surrounded by the
Tying Black Wind to a post outside the only tavern in the town, Mulan gave hinbsp; a pat. “Wish luck,” she whispered. The big horse nickered and then bued her with his head toward the doors of the tavern. Taking a deep breath, Mulan walked inside.
The roonbsp; was dark and sky, filled with the sll of roasted at, ale, and dirty n. Mulan kept her head down, her heart thuing loudly in her chest. Scanning the roonbsp; fronbsp; beneath lowered lids, she spotted a sll table at the far end. She de her way over and slued onto the chair. If she could have de herself invisible, she would have. But then she wouldn’t get food.
Suddenly, the large burly innkeeper appeared next to the table, eyes cold and ar crossed over his chest. While he was an innkeeper and therefore de his living fronbsp; serving strangers, he certainly didn’t seenbsp; to like the “We have noodles with pork or pork with noodles,” he said with a grunt.
Mulan nodded, not trusting herself to speak. “That a yes?” the innkeeper asked.
“Yes,” Mulan said, trying to keep her voice deep and low like a n’s.
The innkeeper didn’t ve. He kept standing there, looking down at Mulan. Mulan shrank further into her arr. She had told hinbsp; what she wanted. Why wasn’t he leaving? She dared another look at the big n.
“Pay before you eat,” he said, holding out his hand.
Right. Money. It was an inn full of travelers. Of course the n would dend paynt up front. There was just a teeny tiny proble She didn’t exactly have ney, not in the traditional sense. Keeping her head down, she reached into her bag and pulled out a sll cloth pouch. She handed it to the innkeeper.