Chin and his gang sat around the camp fire eating the little provisions they had, mostly rice. Chin couldn't shake off the feeling that he was being watched. Every once in awhile he'd glimpse fluttering shadows as they flew silently overhead, but as soon as he looked they'd be gone. It was very cold.
Then as soon as the fire began to dim they struck. Dark shapes came hurling towards the camp. They attacked so quickly that the fire was put out. Chin's gang was suddenly engulfed by a swarm of flapping shapes as they grabbed at the little food they had and grabbed at their weapons. With his rice flail Chin managed to knock one of the figures to the ground. Chin had his foot on its chest before it could get away.
Chin looked down. There, under his foot, was a yellow house bat dressed all in black. As soon as his eyes adjusted Chin was able to make out the shapes of bats as they swarmed around his gang. With his flail he swatted many away. Having stolen the viscous gang of bats flew off, leaving the yellow house bat, who was still on the ground.
Bai-Ling looked surprised, besides her family she'd never seen other bats, she had never even realized that there were different species of bat, let alone that many species.
"Those were bats!" she exclaimed
"No Bai-Ling they were just furry birds-of course they were bats! Bats that stole our food!"
"I've never seen that many bats before! I've never seen any bats before!"
"Bai-Ling please, now you" said Chin looking down at the bat under his foot "I've got some questions for you"
"What makes you think I'll answer them?"
"Tell me… er whats your name?"
"Xiao"
"Tell me Xiao, have you ever eaten bat stew?"
"Er…no?"
"Oh it's delicious, you see, all you need is a bit of garlic, some broth, and a bat, one around your size I believe"
"You don't scare me rat"
"Then let me tell you how the bat is prepared"
Bai-Ling and the rest of Chin's gang were unable to make out what Chin was saying, but judging by the expression on the bat's face, it was incredibly detailed.
"Now" said Chin "Are you willing to talk? Because I can hear my stomach growling"
"Ask away" the bat squeaked
"Who are you?"
"Xiao?"
"No, your gang?"
"Oh, we're called the five thousand shadow wing gang"
"Five thousand!" Da-Ming exclaimed
"Yes"
"So there's five thousand of you?"
"Oh no, the gang goes back ages, it started off with Five thousand"
"So there isn't five thousand of you?"
"…no"
"How many of you are there exactly?"
"Look I'm not going to tell you that, Changchu would kill me"
"I see, Da-Ming get the pot ready"
"A little less than one hundred"
"And who is this Changchu you mentioned?"
"Where is your location?"
"That big cave on the mountain over there" said Xiao as he pointed across the lake.
In the distance there stood a mighty mountain, the opening of a cave was just visible in the dim moonlight.
"That cave?"
"Yes"
"Excellent, get your gear ready you lot, we're gonna teach these blaggards why you don't steal from rats!"
"It was just food"
"Quiet you"
"Sir?" said Bai-Ling
"Yes?"
"Could we, er, go a bit easy on them…because they're bats and all"
"What are you talking about now?"
"Just, I've never seen a bat outside my family, and well, since I'm a bat, do you think we could, you know, not hit them too hard"
"Shut up Bai-Ling, oh and get some rope, we're taking Xiao with us"
"Why me?"
"Because we don't want you flying off and warning your gang now do we? Bai-Ling rope"
Reluctantly Bai-Ling brought a length of rope to Chin who immediately tied Xiao's wings together behind his back.
"Let's move!"
Chin and his gang marched around the lake shore, slowly making their way towards the cave. After a while Chin sat down on a rock.
"Alright you lot, take a quick rest, Bai-Ling go on ahead and scout for us, tell me if you see any other bats"
"Yessir"
Bai-Ling flew ahead, as she was flying she became aware of a large dark shape flying above her. Suddenly a large bat with raven black fur swooped down upon her knocking her into the bushes. As soon as she stood up she found herself looking face to face with a great evening bat, the same one that had knocked her down.
"I see the rat has Xiao"
"Er…yes"
"And I see the rat has you as well"
"What do you mean?"
"I assume that rat has captured you? Were you not escaping?"
"Well no actually, I was scouting…er looking out for other bats actually"
"What a shame, a bat betraying her own kind"
"Its not like that" Bai-Ling said defensively
"Oh really then? Then what are you doing in the company of rats?"
"Well you see-"
"I bet he doesn't appreciate you"
"Who?"
"The rat"
"You mean Chin?"
"So Chin is his name, such scum"
"Look, I've been gone for too long, he'll be looking for me so you better back off"
"Why do act as if I am threatening you? I want to help you"
"Really?"
"My name is Changchu, I'm the leader of the five thousand shadow wing gang"
"Oh!"
"You shouldn't be traveling with rats, you should be with us bats, why don't you join my gang"
"I'm happy in Chin's gang thank you very much" said Bai-Ling as she turned around, but as soon as she did so Changchu was in front of her again.
"Does he respect you?"
"Er… well not exactly"
"Does he appreciate you?"
"Well-"
"Does he treat you well?"
"Kind of, I guess, look would you just go away"
"Bai-Ling! Where are you! You bloody bat!" Chin shouted
"Farewell Bai-Ling" said Changchu as he flew off "Just remember, the Five Thousand Shadow Wing gang will be open to you"
"There you are you lout!" Chin exclaimed "Well? Did you see any bats?"
"I…no, no I didn't"
"Good, then we still have the element of surprise"
The gang continued onward. Soon they were at the base of the mountain, it was still night. They began marching up the rocky slopes of the mountain.
"Alright here's the plan, we offer Xiao here in exchange for the food they stole from us, then as soon as we have the food we go in there a rough them up, if we're quiet enough we'll get to them before they can get their paws on any weapons, everyone understand?"
"Yessir"
"You got it boss"
"What about you Bai-Ling? Bai-Ling?"
Chin looked towards Bai-Ling, she was staring up at the night sky, deep in thought.
"Bai-Ling? Bai-Ling!"
"Huh!"
"Stop day dreaming and listen to me!"
"Oh, I'm sorry sir I was ju-"
"I don't bloody care! Did you hear what I said?"
"Er… yes"
"Really now? Care repeating it to me?"
"I uh…"
"Just as I thought"
"I'm sorry sir"
"Never mind that! Just go scout ahead, I want to make sure there aren't any bats watching us"
"Yessir"
Bai-Ling flew off, but stopped when she was out of Chin's sight. She sat down and thought for a while, then she stood up again and took flight. Instead of flying back to the gang, however, she flew straight for the cave.
"Where the hell is she!" Chin exclaimed "She's been gone for ten bloody minutes!"
"I thinks he's up at that cave sir, I saw her flying towards it a while ago" said Da-Ming
"Da-Ming?"
"Yessir?"
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"…you didn't ask sir"
Chin slapped Da-Ming.
"Ouch!"
"Shuttup Da-Ming!"
"Yessir"
"Come on you blaggards! March!"
Chin drew his sword, then he and his gang (and Xiao who was still tied up) ran up the rocky path towards the cave.
"You'd better have an explanation Bai-Ling" Chin muttered to himself "For your sake you bloody bat!"
