10
need a volunteer for night guard duty—”
Mulan didn’t hesitate. Her hand shot up in the air. “Me!” she said. Her voice was loud and she sounded way too eager for the ndane task. Lowering her hand she added, this ti re caly, “I an, I volunteer, sir.” As she de her way over to the sergeant, she saw Honghui and Po share a look.
“Better keep an eye out,” Honghui warned, though he didn’t sound very concerned.
Po nodded. “Those northern invaders eat tadpoles,” he added.
As he pushed past her, Po opened his uth and bit at the air. Mulan kept her expression neutral. She wouldn’t give thenbsp; the satisfaction of seeing her rattled. But as soon as they were gone, she shivered. Joking aside, she had just volunteered for a job that put her on the first line of defense against the invaders.
If the sergeant hadn’t been standing there waiting, Mulan would have hit herself upside the head. She just kept getting herself into deeper—and hotter—water. Then her lips ford into a rueful sle at the irony of her thought. She wasn’t getting into any water—just trouble.
Mulan stood, chilled to the bone, as she stared out into the darkness beyond the barrack walls. As the only conscript on the tower, she had been told, or rather ordered, to keep her eyes peeled and her ears open. The invaders, the sergeant had been happy to tell her, would be able to see her before she could see the And if they got through the gates on her watch, they would be the least of her worries.
For the first few hours, Mulan had actually enjoyed the patrol. The guard tower was quiet, and for the first ti since she had arrived at the ca, she had been able to relax. Her breath had bee even, her heartbeat returning to norl after what had felt like constant galloping, and she had even, a few tis, hued to herself in her regular voice. But about three hours in, it started to get cold, and an hour later, the clouds rolled in. By the ti she was only halfway through her shift, rain was falling in sheets in front of her.
But not on her.
The realization startled her, and she looked up. She groaned as she saw the Phoenix. The bird was perched on the edge of the roof of the guard tower, her wing outstretched, creating an urella for Mulan. Mulan’s eyes narrowed. She had told the bird to leave her alone. The last thing she needed was to have soone spot her being taken care of by a large, ugly bird.
She took a wide step to the right. Instantly, she was drenched.
Up on the roof, the bir
Mulan didn’t hesitate. Her hand shot up in the air. “Me!” she said. Her voice was loud and she sounded way too eager for the ndane task. Lowering her hand she added, this ti re caly, “I an, I volunteer, sir.” As she de her way over to the sergeant, she saw Honghui and Po share a look.
“Better keep an eye out,” Honghui warned, though he didn’t sound very concerned.
Po nodded. “Those northern invaders eat tadpoles,” he added.
As he pushed past her, Po opened his uth and bit at the air. Mulan kept her expression neutral. She wouldn’t give thenbsp; the satisfaction of seeing her rattled. But as soon as they were gone, she shivered. Joking aside, she had just volunteered for a job that put her on the first line of defense against the invaders.
If the sergeant hadn’t been standing there waiting, Mulan would have hit herself upside the head. She just kept getting herself into deeper—and hotter—water. Then her lips ford into a rueful sle at the irony of her thought. She wasn’t getting into any water—just trouble.
Mulan stood, chilled to the bone, as she stared out into the darkness beyond the barrack walls. As the only conscript on the tower, she had been told, or rather ordered, to keep her eyes peeled and her ears open. The invaders, the sergeant had been happy to tell her, would be able to see her before she could see the And if they got through the gates on her watch, they would be the least of her worries.
For the first few hours, Mulan had actually enjoyed the patrol. The guard tower was quiet, and for the first ti since she had arrived at the ca, she had been able to relax. Her breath had bee even, her heartbeat returning to norl after what had felt like constant galloping, and she had even, a few tis, hued to herself in her regular voice. But about three hours in, it started to get cold, and an hour later, the clouds rolled in. By the ti she was only halfway through her shift, rain was falling in sheets in front of her.
But not on her.
The realization startled her, and she looked up. She groaned as she saw the Phoenix. The bird was perched on the edge of the roof of the guard tower, her wing outstretched, creating an urella for Mulan. Mulan’s eyes narrowed. She had told the bird to leave her alone. The last thing she needed was to have soone spot her being taken care of by a large, ugly bird.
She took a wide step to the right. Instantly, she was drenched.
Up on the roof, the bir