PLANNING

Apparently the humans had seen us well about the frost of that season. Whether through divination or other practices they had known so many things it didn't matter since they were now all safe from the cold winter. Shen had discovered that Rose had many secrets, so he couldn't completely trust her. The girl did not allow anyone to enter her room (secretly from the guards) without first being warned. As if he had to arrange the room for their arrival and Shen knew it was not for order or cleaning! He had repeatedly slipped out of the area reserved for them along with Mei, Xian or others and had seen with their own eyes a well-hidden and guarded room. After days of stalking, Dishi had managed to discover its contents: they were nothing less than ... weapons! The strange but extremely lethal weapons that humans used. They were so many! To be able to arm an army of at least a hundred men! And this was worrying! Such a well-stocked deposit could mean that they considered their eventual escape! Or they were simply in conflict with other villages and were alert for a sudden attack! Shen had opted for two solutions: to destroy them or appropriate them! Indeed, one, since they had no idea how to use them and the peacock didn't like the idea of using human weapons! But it was necessary to increase the chances of success. But Shen had realized that it would take a long time to prepare for the escape since he had to teach everyone to defend themselves, otherwise they would have gone to the fray!

A clear morning, despite the sun and the absence of clouds, the air was cold and many cursed when Mei opened the window to let the room air. They had been divided. In a large room only cats, in only two other peacocks and so on! It was not very comfortable sleeping in so many rooms, but at least during the day they could run independently through the entire wing of the castle. That morning they were abruptly pulled out of bed and taken to a room unknown to them. The felines and all the animals considered dangerous by humans, such as the crocodile Qi, the gorilla Kun, the bear Deshi and others of large size, were confined behind thick bars. The room was so large that it could contain them all. The peacocks and all the others were chained to a pole each. This was enough for Shen to understand what was happening: apparently humans did the fairs even indoors! Or Derek used every opportunity to display his goods! Rose approached Kang and since they weren't far away, Shen could hear the whole conversation. "I'm sorry! I was hoping this could be avoided! But we need it to be able to bear the expense of keeping you here at the palace! "The girl said visibly uncomfortable. "Quiet Rose! By now we are used to the insistent curiosity of those of your kind! I also see with pleasure, that you're doing everything you can to make us comfortable and I'm grateful! "Kang said with a warm smile. She seemed relieved and began to check that the various collars were not too tight. Once she arrived just before Shen, while fixing the muzzle of the young Yong, she was approached by three boys of her kind.

"Then Rose! Why don't you talk about peacocks! "He said what seemed to be the dumbest" Yeah, to talk to them you'll have to do it! "The second said, while the third didn't articulate a word, merely laughing. The first grabbed the girl firmly by the arm, pulling her to him. "Then! When we tell you to do something we demand to be obeyed! Let us hear the peacock's sound! The second boy took her for the other arm and together they lifted her and brought her closer to the birds "Come on! Let us hear your angelic voice that ... " The boy could not finish the sentence that Yong uttered an extremely sharp peacock cry. After a first moment of surprise the boys continued to bore poor Rose "What did he say?" Said one "Translate! It is only for this reason that your dear papino held you, otherwise he would have thrown you in the garbage by treating you for what you are ... a refusal! "The other said. Shen's tolerance limit was reaching the limit. As always, he saw in Rose himself: insecure, a prisoner of prejudice and bored by bullies. But the straw that broke the camel came immediately after. Not getting any satisfaction with one of their kind, they saw good to take it out on someone who could not defend themselves. "Did you want to defend her?" The first boy said, hitting the young Yong with a piece of wood taken from who knows where. "Is she your friend? Do you think it's your mom? "She gave him a second hand and kicked him. "Look Tom, the little bird is a coward!" The dumbest boy said. The friend laughed together with the third individual who seemed to be an illiterate since he had not articulated a word. "You're right, John!" Said the one named Tom. "Leave him alone!" Screamed Rose. He turned and saw that the guards were too busy with the other guests to show interest in a fight between boys. "Otherwise what will you do? Not ... "Tom could not finish the sentence that fell badly from the back giving a terrible skull on the ground. He groaned and when he sat up he trembled as he found himself facing a very irritated white peacock that hissed at him. "Get out of my sight!" Shen said, wondering how he could keep himself from doing much harm to those two excrements! The two boys only heard a strange sound coming from the peacock, but it was enough to make them run away.

Rose approached Yong "I'm sorry!" He said sadly "Quiet!" They didn't do anything to me! "The young man said, trying to be casual. The girl walked away visibly furious. "There was no need for you to intrude! The situation was perfectly under control! "Yong said, rubbing his injured chest. "Really? And when isn't it? "Shen asked with obvious sarcasm. "You have a strange way of thanking!" A voice reached them from behind. "He attacked a human! My father says that they don't easily forgive! "Yong explained visibly frightened to Mei. "He didn't hurt him! Indeed, we could say that he stumbled into Shen's tail! "He countered the cat. "What's up?" Xu asked, attracted by all the confusion. "A human has stumbled into my tail and now they accuse me of aggression!" Shen explained calmly. "But it's absolutely not true!" Yong protested. "The truth has many points of view!" Mei specified. "Did you defend the human?" Xu asked as he uttered the last word as if he had said "dung dung"! "Thing? No! Who do you think I am? I saved Yong from a beating! "Shen defended himself. "I had the situation completely below with ..." "And when is it not?" Mei asked interrupting Yong. "That's exactly what I asked him!" Shen said, tired of the stubbornness shown by the young peacock. "It's useless to argue with you! Never listen to what others are saying! "Yong said, wounded in pride by the fact that he had not managed to get by on his own. "I could say the same thing!" Mei thought wisely deciding to end that useless battle and keep quiet instead of arguing again.

"Two months have passed and it seems to me to be locked up within these walls for a lifetime! Am I just sick of this situation? "Kuen asked restlessly as he approached the group. "You are the only one to have expressed your thoughts! This is little but sure given the tense air you have been breathing for days! "She said before curling up on the floor. "I do not understand! Why confine ourselves to such tight spaces? Want to find out about our endurance level? "Xia said, a rosy leopard in agitation. As if they were just a few, the twins Li and Lim joined the conversation, the first was an albino tiger while the other was ... "normal"! "Very likely!" Li said. "Otherwise, it can't be explained!" We could very well have survived this winter! "Lim said. "He is focused on himself, he has no eyes or heart for what happens around him." Sheng said that until now he had remained silent beside Shen. "He is the egocentric!" Yong replied, proud of knowing the answer. "We peacocks and other mammals would probably have perished if humans had not" locked us in ". See it from your point of view, but for the sake of many, some have had to sacrifice themselves! "Sheng explained. "If this was the problem why didn't they just put you in a cage?" Xu asked, nervous that the peacock was right. "Maybe they couldn't have checked us well if we were split up!" Mei began to reflect. "Sorry, but the reserve extends for many kilometers! Can you tell me how they can control us when we're in there? That cannot be the problem ... I believe! "Xia said. "Perhaps humans believed that we would not survive either!" She said, remaining curled up. "Do they think we're weak?" Kuen asked irritably. "It's a hypothesis!" The feline tried to calm him down. "Or maybe they acted without thinking about the consequences a prolonged confinement would bring!" Mei concluded. "The human said he would open the gates for us at the first request!" Xu said more and more furiously. "He lied! We shouldn't be so surprised! Humans always say the false, it seems to be in their nature! "Kuen said, whose spirit did not seem to have been appeased by a small lie. "It's not true! She promised to let you out only when she was a little warmer!" Yong protested that he couldn't keep quiet while others were screaming about his best friend.

"Peacocks ... friends of humans!" Xia growled. "They did not understand that at the first opportunity their beloved mistress will betray them by ceasing to worry about them and our well-being!" Xu added quietly. Shen snorted loudly and the cats turned to him. His gaze demanded calm, and for this reason no one dared to say anything else about the young human. Over time, respect and trust in Shen had grown on all animals. But the felines, led by Mei, were those who were more deeply attached to the young peacock. It was his spirit, enterprising and strong that he managed to drag everyone. Shen had proved balanced. It didn't matter if the world around him collapsed piece by piece, oppressed by the chains of imprisonment. He had remained firm on his convictions, continuing to claim that they would soon regain freedom. It was the rock in the middle of the storm. He acted without reacting. He kept a cool head and a surreal calm even if the escape plans had been temporarily slowed down since they had been relegated within the palace walls. He was resolute, given that every day he made numerous decisions, taking responsibility for the fate of those he sent on espionage missions. And intact, given that he had kept his word, continuing to work on the escape plan. Also protective. Being the only one capable of fighting, he had repeatedly dismissed too curious guards from mammals who could do nothing against the wooden sticks with which they were armed. Besides, Shen wasn't stupid at all. He knew well that Rose was fundamental in their escape plan. Thanks to her, even the older peacocks would have worked together and wouldn't have felt torn from the place they had called home for years! But above all, being a human his help would have been the key to success since he knew in depth the enemy being in part one of them!

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It was perhaps the first time she was so furious. As long as they took it out on her, everything was fine, but seeing her best friend abused had been the limit to her patience! By this time the guards had already finished bringing the animals back to their place so they were no longer in danger, but had to discuss the problem with his father. It was fine if they asked for tufts of hair or some feathers from those rare specimens, but treat them like garbage no! Perhaps, in one fell swoop, she would get rid of those three bullies who haunted her from a good year! Fortunately she found his father in the living room, intent on reviewing the day's earnings. Tourists paid any amount, even just to see the famous and collector's treasure from afar! Fact that Derek used to his advantage as soon as possible. Amazing how good intentions and overflowing enthusiasm can be destroyed in such a short time. Rose took a while before deciding to speak "Father ..." She tried to start "See that you do not get bored with tantrums!" Her father replied without bothering to look at her. "... some guys kicked ... a peacock!" He was about to call him by name, but he stopped just in time. His father hated that he spent time with animals, let alone if he started treating them as peers! "Nonsense! Barrows between boys are not my priority! "The parent complained. Rose was tempted to surrender and take refuge in the room, but the deep friendship that bound her to Yong and Hong did not move her an inch. She then tried to play on a very sensitive pin of her father. "They risked killing him!" She said with conviction. Yes, the financial loss, more than a lifetime, was enough to have the full attention of the parent. "Write me the names on this sheet!" Derek said handing his daughter a piece of paper "I will see that he is forbidden to approach my collection again!" The girl exploded with joy. Without saying a single word she did as he was asked. Of course, she would meet them at school, but from now on those bullies would be exiled from her home!

Now only one last question remained: let his friends go out into the garden for a few hours! He had promised it to him! And it was more than two months since any of them put a nose or beak outside the building. He absolutely didn't want anyone to think she was a liar! So she would have succeeded! She was much more attached to most peacocks since, in the reserve, they were the animals she had approached without fear since the first time. But he aimed to forge strong and lasting ties with everyone else too! Winter was still long and despite school commitments he always found time to spend with his friends. He had to look for something to pass on their time, otherwise he would have risked dying of boredom, other than cold! He had thought carefully, perhaps she, Yong and Hong were the only ones who found jokes about the guards really amusing. Then something else should have been invented for all the rest! Perhaps ... he could have made them better know the world of humans. Traditions, music and everything that would come to mind. Technology was better to exclude it! Already animals with human attitudes were strange! Imagine if they started talking to each other on the phone, or via skipe! Rose ran to her room and pulled out a huge red billboard on which she would put a list of the various things to do, day by day. He would have needed others since winter was still long. Perhaps opening up would benefit their relationship! And maybe she would have discovered more about the past than some of them, new news than what Fa had told her.

I'm back! I hope you all had a good holiday!

In these days I will make several updates so that the story can continue and to give everyone a bit to read! I know that Shen is different from how it is presented and I hope I don't change it or make it too soft! If you think so, let me know, thanks!

Soon I will introduce a new character that will be fundamental for the mental stability of the young peacock. Since a wise figure is present in the first two Kung Fu Panda films, I have decided to put it in such a way that it guides and teaches the animals of the reserve as well as Shen.

I also wanted to thank Be Prepared and BookDreamCatcher for their good reviews and support.

Let me know what you think, any criticism, comment or remark are welcome.

See you soon,

Laura