DEFEATED BUT NOT LOSERS

Mei was in the kitchen. She wasn't a great cook, but she was okay.

During lunch they would discuss the next step.

The weapons were ready, but what Rose had revealed to them was an obstacle that had to be overcome before action!

Had a woman plotted behind Derek's back? Rather than worry, it created a charilresome among all who had learned this news!

The great collector... ridiculed by a female! His pride would have taken a long time to recover!

Many of the animals had also taken a long time to overcome the difficult situation that had arisen after the failure, and now they lived day by day, really appearing as caged beings.

Many people accept the reality of the world as it presents itself. They know and live it, but if they suddenly discover a life that can be better than that conducted before then, the former will lose the importance and meaning had previously!

"The dessert has arrived!" The chorus of two people coming from the outside flew the lid of the pot from Mei's paw to a certain height and only thanks to his reflexes, improved with training, she managed to grab it again before it fell to the ground.

From the back, Lang Min and Xing entered, each carrying a dish covered with a cloth.

"Did you hear the news?" She asked for the first time he had laid the cake on the kitchen table. "If you tell me what you're talking about, then I can answer you!" Mei said continued to mix the food on the fire so that it wouldn't burn.

"Kang and Shen have quarreled! But bad!" Xing said, still shocked, "We were out, but they screamed so much that we could follow the whole conversation!" Lang Min continued.

"What did they talk about?" the feline asked curiously. "Of the escape plan!" Xing responded by taking a curious look at the contents of the large pot on the fire.

That was a problem! If Kang had resisted a new attempt, almost everyone would have listened to him, as he was considered the leader within the reserve!

"He argues that those who want to stay can do so! Do you realize that? We have no idea what Derek will be able to do to them when the others escape!" Said Xing worried.

Mei was about to answer when the front door was slammed violently.

The two peacocks headed towards the newcomers while the feline was forced to stay in order to control the soup.

"That damned!" There was Xu "It's a pet! It's normal that he doesn't want to abandon humans!" Syaoran "Lunch is shaping up to be stormy!" And Shu, too. "But a positive note in all this at least there is: Tai does not agree with Kang's idea!" said a voice that could only be Hua.

"Do you think this will do us an advantage?" Xing asked, "Tai also has a good reputation in the reserve and I'm sure many will listen to him if he chooses to side with us!" Said Xu, "Wait, sorry, but isn't he on our side?" Lang Min asked. "We didn't get it!" Syaoran said earnestly, "What do you mean?" Xing asked, "Tai is against Kang's idea of dividing us into two groups, that is, who goes away and who doesn't, but he never said he wanted to escape! In fact, he still seemed undecided!" Shu answered before sniffing the air, smelling the good smell of lunch.

"We can't split up!" Stern Shen said. "He's right, if we could escape I'd feel guilty about all those left behind!" Said Lang Min, "I don't need a lawyer!" He protested, "No, you're right..." answered her heartbroken "You need a nanny!" She said in a humming voice.

"Really? And what makes you think little wise guy!?" Shen asked offended "Your behavior!" She answered.

"We're here!" Said Hua watching the two of them throw shots at their own.

"What's cooking in the pot?" Huo asked, the albino eagle. "Radishes!" She answered a smile in seeing his new friend.

At first they were very little, but since the plan failed, being one of the few not to have lost hope, they have often found themselves together and so their friendship had grown.

"... And noodles!" Added Mei. "You seem to be in a position to learn! Are you trying to impress someone?" Huo asked his usual brazen.

"What? No! And if it was, who would I be pointing at you?" asked the cat nervous.

"To Shen!" answered without many twists of words the eagle. Mei became more red than any fruit or vegetable verb "HOW?!" She asked to say Unshocked.

"You always spend a lot of time with him and I have to confess that since you got here I noticed that."" "We are ONLY FRIENDS!" Mei yelled, before recomposing immediately to prevent the respondent from coming into the kitchen attracted by her screams.

"Everyone says it!" Huo insisted, "Listen, I don't like him," said the feline, "Yes, yes, no!" Her friend mocked her "And to give strength to my last statement..." Mei continued more and more irritated, "You are cooked to perfection!" Huo said, "I confess to you that in this last period I was trying to get him closer to Lang Min!" concluded the feline "In love lost, blinded by... wait, what?" This time it was Huo's turn to be utterly speechless.

"She confessed to me to try something for Shen!" Mei said, "Not that it took a genius to figure it out!" He added.

"So... you don't have in mind to find the soul mate?" Huo asked, "Why should I? I'm fine as I am!" The feline said, "You?" She asked immediately afterwards, suddenly curious.

"Xu doesn't look bad to me! If you two got together, I wouldn't mind!" Huo said as if she had not spoken. Noting her friend's snoosh look at the elementary way in which she had avoided the question, she decided to settle for "Funny, isn't it? Here it is full of owls, vultures and crows! None of which i care at all! I'm looking for one of my kind! If Derek is so fixated on procreation then why don't he bring me another albino eagle that's the one for me?" Exasperated churches. "I think you ask too much! Aiming so high inevitably makes you fall back down!" Mei replied.

Huo was very young when she was captured, so it had been difficult for her to get used to the life of the reserve, and it was precisely because of her past that she had sided with them at that dark time.

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He walked slowly through the bush. Approaching the large perimeter walls the vegetation was much denser and although it was difficult due to its long rump feathers, Shen preferred to be there rather than more internally with the risk of crossing someone.

Kang was afraid! It was obvious, but he refused to admit it. On reflection, Shen thought that if nothing had happened, he would probably yell at him and force him into submission by force, but those four years had changed him more than he thought! Now he had so much respect for the peacock that he couldn't stand it!

He, the great Lord Shen, who lost a fight with a humble farmer! Absurd!

He felt like he was raging, but more than venting with others couldn't do it!

"Your mind is troubled!" A voice made him spin so fast to look like a giant white chip, the master was standing in front of him...

"No, the first time is clear!" declared the peacock "And what do your eyes see at the end of the road?" asked Jingjing to stop by him, with his right shoulder next to Shen's left.

Freedom! Says the peacock with emphasis. "Too bad you can t see what you found!" Said the master, starting to walk.

"I found New friends!" answered Shen by focusing on the old ant-bear. "You have a new family! Kang is against the escape because he fears for your safety!" said the master with the usual calm.

Shen made a face. From the fight with the one who considered a father, he started to recreate. Maybe it was better not to have a family!

I was wrong to believe he was who he really isn't He admitted reluctantly.

"It's not the blood that determines who you are! And remember that a parent is the one who raises you and protects you! Remember: family is the place where we train as people," the Master said. "The real blood in my veins counts for nothing? I remind you they didn't raise me!" The peacock insisted, "But you are the same grown in their hearts!" The Master said.

Shen snorted, fed up that every time Jingjing spoke, he always got it right! In those years, although few, Kang and Lu-Chu had always been present for his every need, they had supported him when he had started to create new fireworks and despite the fear of failure, they had not pulled back before the initial plan! He had finally received the affection and approval he so sought... if before the goal was clear, now it was crystal clear!

Everyone, no one excluded, would have escaped from the reserve!

The Master smiled, "I see you've finally found peace! You are losers! But not losers! The loser gives up fighting because he's afraid of defeat! Defeat him instead by battle."

Even Shen couldn't hold back a smile "Thank you Master! This time we will be successful!" He said truly grateful. It was a new feeling! First everything was due to him, but now, when he received an unforeseen help or affection, he felt his bowels writhe for something unexpected, and only with time did he realize that it was gratitude!

"Shen, success is to go from one failure to another without losing the enthusiasm. Make sure that others can understand it too, and together you will be free one day!" Jingjing said. The peacock crest rose "Yes Master!" Answered.

He was about to leave when, thinking back to what he had just heard, he had to stop to ask a question "Will we be? Will we be free? And you Master? Won't you stay here?" asked shocked the peacock.

"Every life is a succession of ideas that you wouldn't want to interrupt. Once finished is a period or comma? A key or a lock? It doesn't matter, because in the end, what matters is not the years of your life, but the life you put in those years. I thought I had learned and taught a lot, but in the end there were students from whom I still had to learn: you! These last years together have been a blessing, now I feel that the time is coming for me, but I am happy because you and the others have learned a lot!" The Master said, looking with wonder at the surrounding landscape as he spoke.

Shen felt himself frozen. Every creature is born and dies, but for the moment he had never felt pain because of a loss, since all those he was fond of were alive and well, and terrified him!

Without the Master he too could have acted impulsively since very often he had been the only one to control his outbursts of wrath, the one with Kang included!

He was fundamental to the group! Who would they turn to if needed? The only one with such an experience was Jingjing. As Kang said a while ago: the young man is fast, but the old man knows the way!

"Humans are dangerous! More than you can imagine! Once you have escaped you will have to be united in order to triumph!" said the Master as if his old age had suddenly gone into the background.

"How do you know?" asked the peacock puzzled "It's a feeling that has come to me since the first attempt failed! For the time being, they have not seriously injured anyone, but I sense increasing danger from the humans who are with Derek!" The Master said before he walked away.

Shen could bet Jingjing knew more than he said! So it was better to listen to him! He looked around to see where they had ended up walking and talking for so long, and that's when he saw Lang Min lying behind a tree watching him.

As soon as she realized she had been discovered she approached him "Hello!" He timidly introduced himself, "I walked and saw you!" She said as if the coincidence of having met them was completely normal.

"What do you want?" He asked Shen rudely "The truth!" She answered without half measures.

"Meaning?" He asked him more confused than before "You said you had real blood in your veins! What does that mean?" asked the female peacock to freeze the peacock on the spot.

"Couldn't you eaveslower the second part of the speech?" He asked Shen mentally to take the fool out of his way. For safety, he would never, and I repeat, have to make the slightest hint of his true identity! And now he had put himself in a situation from which it was difficult, if not impossible to get out of it unharmed! But he would do anything to let her know the truth!

The best thing to do was to completely change the discourse, directly.

But for the moment he did not know how to do or what to say! Her gaze, stern and penetrating, put him in trouble, but only because she was a female...

After ten interminable seconds the enlightenment came. However, as far as he had in mind, it was better to advance slowly and cautiously "Would you like to go out with me?" Or throw yourself headlong!

The reaction was immediate, Lang Min abruptly walked away from him, as if he had just threatened her with death "What?" She asked fearfully.

Shen felt a pang in his chest because he knew it would be like this! Maybe he had a few chances with albino peacocks, but with her… yet he continued to delude himself with the same result...

"I apologize for my reaction..." began her "... but you took me by surprise!" She said, with an amused smile. Target centered! She had completely forgotten the beginning of the speech.

"And... yes, I'd love to go out with you!" She answered at last.

The peacock felt his heart begin to beat madly. She had given him a chance! He had to be careful not to waste it!

"Well... how about tomorrow night?" Shen asked, wringing his feathers with excitement, "Then, tomorrow!" She answered by leaving with a huge smile on her face.

It was the first time he didn't make a total flop with a peacock and Shen found it more exciting than building fireworks! Now there was a problem!

As always, he didn't calculate the risks! He couldn't cook!

By now he had no more servants to prepare him delicious sleeves... and he had discovered, in spite of himself, that he was not at all carried, since the few things he prepared were nothing short of inedible!

When you think about it, there was an extremely good person in cooking. And being a bargaining genius, it would not have been very difficult to convince her to take care of the preparation of the dishes for the next evening!

Love is always complicated!

And also the beginning of a new relationship is something that upsets your life.

I always thought that if Shen found a partner, she had to be strong enough to stand up to him!

That's why I chose Lang Min, who thanks to Shen will discover that she is really tough!

You can also share any ideas or advice in private messages! Not necessarily with public comments.

See you soon,

X-98