Chapter 3: Keeping quiet

The next day Mulan woke up with Mushu shaking her. " What?" Mulan moaned. " You know the dragon we saved yesterday, well I was going through the forest and I saw it......" " What do you mean, is it close to here." Mulan said surprised and worried that someone would find him. " Last time I saw he was near the pond." " Oh, my god what do we do?" She whispered to Mushu, franticly.

" Maybe we should go over there and check on him to make sure that nothing bad happened." " Good idea." Mulan put her clothes on and quickly made her way through the camp and towards the pond. Mulan walking slowly looking around for the creature. She then heard and felt the something breathing down her back heavily. She looked up and saw the big creature's head looking down at her. She turned around, she was about to scream but held it in so that she would not startle the dragon and wake everyone up.

She kept backing up, the dragon got closer and closer. His feet were hitting the ground with a thump. She then tripped on a stone, which made her fall to the ground. She stopped there the dragons nose touched her head, nudging it back and forth. Mushu jumped on Mulan and started saying, " Leave her a long, you big..... ah..... Dragon!" He pulled back and cocked his head, in question.

" Wait so your not going to kill us are you?" " What's going on Mushu?" After a couple seconds talking " dragon talk" Mushu faced Mulan again, " It's ok! He's not going to hurt us." Mulan gave Mushu a look and said "How do you know?" " He told me" Mushu responded. Mulan got up and looked into the dragon's eyes she saw no evil in them, but just pure kindness. "Hi, there." Mulan said as she got closer and closer to until she had her hand on his head petting him slowly and softly. He made funny noses when she did that, she giggled.

He then began to lay down next to her. " You shouldn't stay out in the open area like this ya know, someone could see you, Mushu! What if he could stay here but only in the forest?"

"I don't know, I mean what if someone finds him?" " Oh, come on Mushu he needs me, he's been hurt and he needs to heel." She then turned to the dragon and leaned on him but kept eye contact. "We should give him a name, but what?" Mushu then went up to him and looked at him and thought to himself " How about, Ho Chi" Mushu added looking at him to see if it fit with him. " Ho Chi it is!" Mulan said with a smile. " I'll take good care of you until you are all heeled up." Mulan said still stroking Ho Chi.

" Mushu, we have to hide him, how about you go with Ho Chi and find a spot in the forest so that he'll be safe in, then I'll meet you there and we can fix him up." " All right, come on big guy." Mushu hopped on his back and told him where to go. Mulan watched until she could not see them any more.

When they were out of site she began to go towards the tent where all the bandages were. And grabbed as many as she could. " What are you doing?" She stopped what she was doing and dropped everything. She turned around to see that it was Ling, Yao and Chien Po, looking at her oddly. " Hum....huh....well I was just making sure that all the bandages were here that's all."

" Why?" Ling said arching an eyebrow. " I couldn't sleep and I...... I decided to check up on them, that's all." " Whatever?" The gang then left to go back to bed. Once out of site she began to collect the bandages again and ran towards the forest.

" You got them?" Mushu said. " Yeah, all right we should probably have him soak in some water first so it can get cleaned a bit." " Ok, I don't know if he will like that though but we'll give it a try."

Mulan looked through the grass to see if any one was there. "Ok, go on in, but do try to go quietly." Whispering to Ho Chi. Ho Chi slowly walked into the pond of water and soaked in it. He groaned because of the pain of the cuts. He breathed hard to try not to let out a roar of pain. When he got out, Mulan quickly put some bandages on the cuts so it wouldn't get infected. " There, Now just rest and tomorrow I'll bring some food." " Mulan I think he can handle that part on his own." " Fine, just don't eat any horses here, got that, good." The dragon lumped down on the ground and closed his eyes.

" Mushu you stay with him ok." " Why me?" " Because you're the only one that can really talk to it." " Fine, you owe me one though." Mushu then curled up right next to Ho Chi and began to sleep. Mulan walked away and made sure to return all the left of bandages to the tent were they belonged. She went to her tent and tried to get any remaining hours of sleep that she could.

~*~*~* Next Morning~*~*~*~*

Mulan and the men were already for Captain Li Shang, they all got in a line ready for him to come out and give the order out about what they were going to do. Shang came out stunned! They were actually all in a line ready for him.

" Good morning!" " Good morning sir." They all responded back. He smiled to himself and gathered up some of the poles and through them out for everyone. They all caught their poles, and all at the same time got into a stance. This was easy to them but they knew it was for practice. " All right I know you all know the routing, so I don't want any mess-ups got that. All right lets begin." They all followed his lead and his steps for this practice.

Chi Fu came running out towards Shang, Who had just finished the practice with them. " Captain Li, It's an urgent message, the Mongols are coming closer they already burned down a couple villages and are moving this way. We should stop them Now!" Chi Fu said handing him a letter. Shang took the note and read it.

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Dear Captain Li Shang,

Their men are fast and wipe through villages like a windstorm! Please prepare to be ready at ant time now.

Sincerely,

Chi Wei

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" Where are the men now, Chi Fu?" " They are dead Captain, none of them survived." Shang lowered his head. Chi Wei was one of his good friends. His eyes had that same look, like when he was at the mountaintops he held the sword over Mulan's head. The group of men began to talk amongst each other. Mulan looked over to Shang he seemed up set but what about? She began to walk over to him and Chi Fu.

Chi Fu walked away and left Shang all be himself with the letter that his friend wrote to him. Mulan slowly put her hand on his shoulder, " Shang what's wrong?" He let out a deep sigh, " They're coming, Mulan and we have to get ready for them." Shocked by the response she dropped her hand to her side and looked at him worried. " When will they be here?"

" In a couple days perhaps, from the note I got and where it's from they should be here any day now." " What did the note say?" " Nothing!" She pulled back from his remark. " Sorry, I have to go." With that he walked away. What was in that note that made him so upset? She thought to herself.

When lunchtime arrived Mulan slipped away and went into the forest where Mushu and Ho Chi were. " Hey guys, what have you been up to?" " Ho Chi and were just talking." Ho Chi looked down at Mulan who was only a couple feet away. He bent his head down and sniffed out Mulan, when he breathed out Mulan felt the air pass through her, she laughed a bit.

" Oh he heeled already, so I took the bandages off." " He heeled already?" " Yeah it doesn't take dragons long to heal." She shook her head. Ho Chi then got up suddenly, his huge, white teeth were shown. He seemed un happy for some reason. " What is it Ho Chi?" Mushu said as he climbed up on top of him and looked out in all sorts of directions.

" Mushu, there are Mongols coming our way but I don't know when exactly!" " They're coming? That's probably what Ho Chi senses, he told me that a couple of guys brought him down and tied him up to the posts." " But how can that be? I mean that doesn't make sense." " Ok, Ho Chi was tied up by some of the Mongols that were disguised and they went through the forest with him holding him with ropes, then they tied him up here. Then they left."

" Oh...." Mulan decided she better go back to camp before everyone wonders where she was. " Ok, Mush, Ho Chi, I have to go know but I'll be back in a little bit." Ho Chi moved his head in front of Mulan and moaned a bit, for her not to leave, She looked into his red eyes. He pleaded for her to stay, It was like a little innocent puppy look.

" I'll be back, I promise." She hugged him tightly around his head then parted from the grip and walked away back to camp. He cried a bit when he couldn't see her any more. " Oh she'll be back don't worry." Mushu said patting him on the head. Ho Chi laid back down he had grown attached to Mulan.

~*~*~*~*~ Back at Camp~*~*~*~*~*~

" Mulan where were you, we've been looking for you?" The gang said as they approached Mulan. " Well I just decided to take a walk though the forest that's all." They exchanged looks, and shrugged their shoulders. " Come on, let's go get something to eat." Chien Po said, as he was the first one to go straight for the food section.

As Mulan and the gang were finishing eating, Mulan looked around for Shang, Where was he? She thought. " Guys have you seen Shang?" "No!" " I'll be right back ok." She then left the table to go find him. " Ok?" Yao said looking at Ling who just shrugged his shoulders.

Mulan looked everywhere, She even went to see if he was in his tent but there was no sign of him anywhere. Shang was sitting on top of a hill leaning next to a tree. (Like in the movie) Mulan saw him and ran towards him. " Shang, Come on lets go get something to eat." She tried to pull on his arm but he moved his arm. A silence was between the two of them.

Mulan bit her lower lip, Nervous of what to say. " Shang what was in that letter?" He just handed her the letter. She took it, and read. " Is he......." " Yes, he's dead." He lowered his head and put his hands over his face. Mulan got closer to him and sat down next to him. " It's ok, there was nothing you could do." Still no answer, she then took her hand and lifted his head, he looked at her with sad eyes. She gave him a half smile with her hand still on his cheek.

" I'm sorry." " It's ok." He looked into her eyes and smiled at her "Thanks" There was a silence between them, but kept eye contact the whole time He slowly leaned in closer to her, putting his hands around her face. He closed his eyes and brought his lips to hers. Mulan didn't back away, she enjoyed the warm kiss as much as he did.

He backed away slowly, and dropped his hands back to his lap. " Sorry I shouldn't have done........" Mulan stopped as she brought her lips back to his. He didn't object, but then figured he would get in trouble if someone caught them. He carefully pushed her back and said, " Mulan, we shouldn't." She backed away slowly, and looked down at the ground.

" I'm sorry Shang." " It's ok...that was my fault." Silence reached them again, he took her hands in his to comfort her. " Mulan, I never meant to do that, you know that right." She shook her head. " Mulan, I care about you and I don't know what I would do if I ever lost you." She looked up at him confused.

He smiled at her and held her hands tighter. " What do you mean?" " Mulan.......(took deep breath) I'm in love with you.... But I didn't now how to tell you, and this surely wasn't a good start..." She kissed him on the cheek, and responded with, " I love you too." He smiled back at her.

" Captain.........." Chi Fu said from down below. Shang looked down and saw the man down below them, with his arms crossed in front of his chest. Shang stood up and helped Mulan get up, then headed down the hill. " Where have you two been?" Shang just walked right past him and gave him a stern look. Mulan was right beside him the whole way. Chi Fu ran up to them complained even more.

Shang had enough and took him but the collar of his shirt and picked him up, " We weren't doing any thing so leave us along." The scared Chi Fu shook his head, "Good" Shang said with a satisfied smile and put him down, and walked away with Mulan.

" Ling, Yao and Chien Po said to me that you're going to the forest every so often, why?" Mulan just froze what should she say now? " Um..... Well......see.....I like taking walks through the forest.......and....." " Tell me the truth Mulan, you can trust me." She wanted to tell him but how? "I do trust I just don't want you to get hurt." Mulan thought to herself.

" I'm only walking...... I swear." Shang raised an eyebrow, " Ok?" He walked away and went towards the group of guys. Mulan stayed where she was watching Shang as he went over there to talk to them. "That was a close one" She thought.

Mulan turned around to see Chi Fu right in front of her, " What do you want?" " Young lady you better watch whom your talking to. Oh and if any thing is going on between you and the Captain I will put a stop to it and you two will never see each other again. So if I were you I would stay away from the young Captain or you could find yourself in jail. Good day." Chi Fu brushed past her with an evil grin on his face. " How dare he!" She thought.

When night fell, she decided to go visit Mushu and Ho Chi then go to bed. In order to get a full nights sleep.

Shang on the other hand was in his tent doing paper work. There was a knock on his tent. " Come in." He looked up it was Chi Fu. " Good evening Captain, I need to talk to you about Mulan." " WHAT! Is she hurt?"

" See this is why Captain, you care about her too much, and that's not good for you." " How do you know what's good for me and what' not?" Shang said in rage, as he got up to face Chi Fu. " She is a Solder you are a Captain, you know the rules." " Of course I know the rules!" " Then follow them, You know the penalty for this action. I would hate to see you and Mulan get punished for it." Shang gritted his teeth, in anger. Chi Fu turned to the end of the tent ready to leave. " Oh and if I were you Captain, I would stay away from her because if you don't I will make sure you never see her again." Chi Fu left his tent with a furious Captain inside.

Shang sat back down, rubbing his head. " What am I suppose to do know, War is about to start and now, I can't even be near Mulan." He thought to himself.

War was going to be soon, The Mongols weren't faraway. Tomorrow after noon they would be in the Camp. The leader of his army was nicknamed " Wolf" He stopped his horse and held out his hand in the air for everyone to stop. They all wore back or gray, so no one could see them in the night. They were fast and swift, going through towns destroying everything and everyone.

" All right, we will rest here for the night, tomorrow we will wake up early and destroy the army." He announced to everyone, with his ruthless voice.

They all cheered! One of his men who had a huge scar on his face came up to the Wolf, " Sir, and What about that Chi Fu? Don't forget we have an alliance with him, he wants Fa Mulan dead."

" I know we will either capture her then take both of them with us, he will lead us to the Palace and by then we will have no more use for him." Wolf chuckled evilly, he joined in. " Alright everyone get your sleep you'll all need it, for tomorrow we will spread blood across that camp, and capture Fa Mulan!" Once again all the ruthless Mongols cheered with their leader.

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Hope you liked it, Please R&R this chapter! Thanks.