19
www.chunya.mewww.qingling.meMulan felt hollow. She ved, but without direction or purpose. Over and over she heard the word expulsion and saw the look of disgust and disappointnt on Coander Tung’s face, the look of betrayal on Honghui’s.
She had never ant to hurt the She had just wanted to do her part. Yet sohow, all along, she had known this day would e. One way or another. But for one brief, happy nt, as she had caused that avalanche to wipe out the ene, she had felt strong, proud. She had felt like she could do anything.
But for what? Now she was expelled. She couldn’t retreat ho. She couldn’t return to the ar. She had nowhere to go. So she just walked. She left the valley behind, heading up into the untains with Black Wind by her side. With each step, the air grew colder, but she didn’t notice.
Reaching the edge of a cliff, Mulan stopped. The whole of the world seed to stretch out in front of her, the sinking sun setting the snow-covered ground afla with reds and pinks. In front of her sat the Phoenix, its own feathers a bright plent to the scene. Mulan stared at the beautiful sight, and her heart broke still further.
Sinking to the ground, Mulan allowed herself to cry. The sobs wracked her body as she wrapped her ar around herself, seeking fort she could not find. As her crying intensified, she struggled to catch her breath, her chest heaving and tight. She felt broken inside, like a part of her had been shattered and would never be de whole again.
“What have I done?” she said, looking over at the Phoenix. “I can never face faly??.??.??. I can never go ho??.??.??.” As she said the words out loud, a fresh wave of grief hit Mulan. She lowered her head. She was no longer the strong warrior she had bee; she was a fragile, frightened girl.
As she sat there, she heard the Phoenix e closer. The bird wrapped one of her wings around Mulan. The fort was too ch for Mulan to take. The bird’s unconditional love felt undeserved—but Mulan allowed herself to ept it, leaning into the Phoenix.
For a long nt, bird and girl were still as Mulan’s crying softened. Just as she naged to get her breathing back under control, a shadow fell over the Mulan looked up, and her eyes narrowed as she saw a group of black birds flying in fortion. They swooped and lifted on the air currents in a beautiful—but sinister—dance.
There was sothing faliar about the birds. As Mulan followed their vents, she realized why. They were the sa black birds that had attacked the ar ea
She had never ant to hurt the She had just wanted to do her part. Yet sohow, all along, she had known this day would e. One way or another. But for one brief, happy nt, as she had caused that avalanche to wipe out the ene, she had felt strong, proud. She had felt like she could do anything.
But for what? Now she was expelled. She couldn’t retreat ho. She couldn’t return to the ar. She had nowhere to go. So she just walked. She left the valley behind, heading up into the untains with Black Wind by her side. With each step, the air grew colder, but she didn’t notice.
Reaching the edge of a cliff, Mulan stopped. The whole of the world seed to stretch out in front of her, the sinking sun setting the snow-covered ground afla with reds and pinks. In front of her sat the Phoenix, its own feathers a bright plent to the scene. Mulan stared at the beautiful sight, and her heart broke still further.
Sinking to the ground, Mulan allowed herself to cry. The sobs wracked her body as she wrapped her ar around herself, seeking fort she could not find. As her crying intensified, she struggled to catch her breath, her chest heaving and tight. She felt broken inside, like a part of her had been shattered and would never be de whole again.
“What have I done?” she said, looking over at the Phoenix. “I can never face faly??.??.??. I can never go ho??.??.??.” As she said the words out loud, a fresh wave of grief hit Mulan. She lowered her head. She was no longer the strong warrior she had bee; she was a fragile, frightened girl.
As she sat there, she heard the Phoenix e closer. The bird wrapped one of her wings around Mulan. The fort was too ch for Mulan to take. The bird’s unconditional love felt undeserved—but Mulan allowed herself to ept it, leaning into the Phoenix.
For a long nt, bird and girl were still as Mulan’s crying softened. Just as she naged to get her breathing back under control, a shadow fell over the Mulan looked up, and her eyes narrowed as she saw a group of black birds flying in fortion. They swooped and lifted on the air currents in a beautiful—but sinister—dance.
There was sothing faliar about the birds. As Mulan followed their vents, she realized why. They were the sa black birds that had attacked the ar ea