19. Near the fear
Liu had to cover Shenmi's face. All the splinters of wood pelted down like hailstones as the panda and ox raced through the obstacle. Po did most of the work with his kung fu kick, while Wang neatly worked on the rest of the wood, so that afterwards a huge hole was created in the double door. But probably the panda had taken too much momentum. Inadvertently, he tripped over his feet and landed with a final belly flopper on the smooth marble floor. When the panda finally came to a stop, he rolled over on his back and raised his arm. "Yeah! That was awesome! Once again!"
When he noticed movement next to him, he turned around and looked up in surprise to see a familiar figure next to him.
"Oh, Yin-Yu!" Immediately the panda jumped to his feet and looked down at the peahen, completely disturbed. "We found you! But…"
Only now, the panda noticed in the weak lamplight that she was tied to the pillar. Yin-Yu looked up at him with a weak smile. Po immediately looked at the knotted disaster and felt the ropes. The cuffs were not thick, so the panda could easily tear them with his hands. Thankfully the peahen sank against the panda.
"Take care of Shen," she said in a weak voice.
Po looked at her in surprise. "How come? What about him?"
He looked next to her where Shen was sitting not far away. Not just tied up, but also gagged. The panda couldn't explain the whole thing, but immediately he complied with Yin-Yu's request and leaned over to the lord, who was sitting there breathing heavily.
"What's the matter with you?" the panda asked, worried.
It was usually a rarity for the white peacock to be glad to see this bumbling panda appear. But in this case a burden almost fell off his mind. The whole time he had tried to fight his way free. Now he let himself fall uninhibited and hung limply in the ropes. Po got a real shock and straightened Shen's upper body.
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean? You don't want now, do you?"
He hastily removed the gag from Shen's beak and shook the peacock to wake him up. At last, the peacock raised his head, trembling.
"Everything's... alright...," he uttered intermittently.
"Shen! Don't say something like that," Yin-Yu replied and leaned over to him as well. "She stabbed him something."
With trembling wings, she tried to see something on Shen's robe. The puncture site was almost invisible. It was just a tiny little blood stain, but the peahen feared that the long needle would be far more devastating.
Not knowing what Yin-Yu meant, Po frowned and was only concerned with one question. "Who?"
"Mom!" At that moment, Liu and Shenmi came in. When the girl saw her mother, it was almost impossible to stop her. She jumped off Liu's wings and ran towards her.
The poor peahen didn't know whether to worry about Shen's condition or to be happy about her little daughter's arrival. The peacock girl clung to her neck and didn't seem to want to let go of her.
Liu looked around for Xiang and lifted the lantern she had brought with her. Meanwhile, Wang's eyes had got used to the little light in the room. Still, he was by no means at ease with the whole area. The young peahen noticed a low moan and her eyes wandered to a bed. When she saw an outstretched figure lying there, she immediately ran towards it. Stunned, she stared at the peacock, who was gagged and lying on the mattress by ropes with his limbs outstretched. She shook her head in disbelief. Who was that? And how many times did she have to free the peacock from shackles? That would be the third time now.
She got a second shock when she saw that the bed sheet was stained with blood. She quickly searched for the source of the bleeding. It came from his lame leg. She quickly felt the foot. To her relief, all of the toes were still there, but the cut was so deep that the bone was almost visible. Hastily, she tore a piece of cloth from her shirt and bandaged the bleeding wound on the foot. Wang joined her and didn't seem to know what to make of this scenario.
In the meantime, Po had also managed to loosen the shackles around the white peacock and Shen even tried hard to get up. But no sooner was he on his feet, he collapsed again immediately. The pain in my stomach became almost unbearable.
Po handed Shen over to Yin-Yu for a short time when Huan had appeared next to them and rushed to Liu to get an idea of the situation.
Liu was in the process of removing the gag from Xiang.
"What was going on here?" Po wanted to know immediately, hoping to get an answer from Xiang immediately at least, although at first, he was extremely surprised that Xiang's feathers had grown back at all.
But as soon as the cloth was removed from Xiang's beak, the peacock made no sound.
"Xiang?" Concerned, Liu leaned down to him. "Say something!"
Po stretched his neck. "Is he still alive at all?"
Liu quickly picked up her lantern and held it over the face of the blue peacock. His eyes were open and his chest rose and fell, but he didn't respond.
Liu became really scared for him for the first time in a long time. "We have to get him out of here immediately!"
Quickly, she wanted to loosen one of the ropes, but suddenly a voice let her start.
"I'd rather not do that if I were you, little slut."
In the next moment a shadow broke away from the opposite wall and walked slowly towards her.
"Madame Chiwa?" it escaped from Wang. "What a surprise."
The peahen giggled cheerfully. "Oh, do you still know me? I think I'm the one who is surprised."
In the meantime, Liu lifted Xiang's head and waved her wing in front of his face. But the peacock showed no reaction at all. He just lay there with his eyes open and didn't say a word. Liu was very angry.
"What did you do to him?!" she snapped at the dark peahen.
Chiwa just shrugged her shoulders. "Oh, he wasn't particularly polite, so I had to chastise him a little."
"She wanted to kill him!" Yin-Yu had no hesitation in shouting it out loudly. She wasn't at all good on her ex-husband, but the anger at his aunt was a lot bigger.
Liu, on the other hand, was stunned. "You have no right to do that!"
Chiwa was on the other side of her bed with one jump and brutally grabbed Xiang by the peacock comb. "If someone kills his mother - then I have a right to do so."
This statement surprised the king of the Huns. "He did what?"
"Oh, did I say something too much?" Chiwa said hypocritically, but she was interrupted by another voice.
"I thought that should be kept secret from others."
But Chiwa just raised her head grimly. "Oh, let's leave the game of hide-and-seek. We only lose valuable time by doing this. I urgently need to catch up on my feather care."
Tongfu, who appeared with his fellow geckos, rolled his eyes in annoyance.
"She and her beauty craze," he grumbled.
When Po recognized the little geckos next to her, he immediately felt his light bruises under his fur again.
"Hey, was it you who gave me the blows?" he asked indignantly.
Now Tongfu had to laugh. "You're not a bad fighter, fat one. But dieting wouldn't hurt you either."
Po felt quite offended, but he immediately picked up the subject again, why they had actually rushed here. His gaze wandered to Chiwa.
"So... then it was you who kidnapped everyone here?"
Chiwa raised her beak. "Well, so what."
Po gasped for air. "Hey, have you ever heard of deprivation of liberty?"
"Please, tell her to let us go," Yin-Yu urged, who was still holding her little daughter and casting a worried glance at Shen at the same time. She just wanted to get away from this place.
"Yes," Po agreed with her. "Why don't you let her go?"
There was silence for a while. Then Chiwa giggled and gestured dismissively. "All right, then take the rabble with you."
Liu was about to release Xiang's shackles when Chiwa brutally hit on her feather fingers.
"But he stays here!" the peahen snapped at her. "This is a family matter. Nobody has to interfere!"
"You're nasty! I'm not going without him!" Liu countered and turned to Wang. "Please, say something!"
Wang was about to start a sentence when Chiwa cut him off. "You have nothing to say something here! This is not your realm! But he's my nephew and he'll do what I tell him. And only I have the right to punish him." Her wing moved slowly over Xiang's neck and put some pressure on his throat. "Or is it not the law of you to execute someone if he has wronged his own family?"
The king of the Huns rubbed his head. "Well, maybe yes... But you would have to do a detailed investigation..."
Liu shot Po a look for help. The panda looked around hastily. In theory, they could just go now, but did Yin-Yu mean it, and she wanted to kill him? Even if so, what should you do?
Finally, the panda cleared his throat. "Listen," he began and took a step forward. "I can understand your frustration. I also don't always get along with everyone. Honestly, there are even some people that I would like to give a hit. So, well, not necessarily. You already know. That is not the point of kung fu. I mean... I'm always in favor of a peaceful solution. And that's why I think... that we should forget all the stress and only meet again when everyone has calmed down."
Usually, Po had nothing against a fight, but considering that Chiwa seemed to him quite unpredictable, he preferred to touch the whole thing with velvet paws first. Especially since Liu was keen to ensure that nothing more happened to Xiang.
He walked slowly closer to the bed and untied one rope after the other from the bedpost.
"So we'll take a little distance from each other for now," Po continued. "And we will withdraw for the time being..."
He pulled the blue peacock a little on his side of the bed, but Chiwa immediately grabbed her nephew's shirt and dragged him back to the middle of the bed.
"You can forget that!" she snapped at him. "I better advise you to get out of here!"
Now this hard tone was a bit too much for Po too, and raised his hands defensively.
"I'm warning you. Maybe I'm looking like a cute panda, but I can also strike very determinedly. That applies to women, too." He paused for a moment. "Well, I mean, I don't hit them. I mean clonk... uh, no, a very little push. Well, it always depends. I can only hold them, too. I mean, I'm also very considerate with fine women..."
Suddenly Chiwa grabbed the strips of cloth hanging from her sleeve, swung them back and hit them against the panda. The force of the sleeve stripes hit the panda like five whips. Po staggered backwards and hit the wall.
Groaning, he rubbed his stomach and back. "That wasn't very ladylike now."
Chiwa now reared up dangerously. She made a slight jump and stood on one of the bedposts. "Tongfu," she began in an incredibly calm voice. "Would you please take a big broom and clean up this mess?"
Immediately, the geckos stepped into the breach. Wang responded immediately. He grabbed Liu and jumped aside with her before the geckos could jump on her.
Huan also immediately made himself useful and pulled Yin-Yu out of the room with Shen. Wang dragged Liu to the door. But the peahen fought violently. "No! I will not leave him here!"
Po, who was still leaning against the wall, looked around hastily. The geckos seemed to have fun rushing the intruders and wanted to pounce on them like falling birds. Quickly, Wang grabbed one of the wooden planks that had been torn to the ground in the break-in and knocked the geckos off like a baseball bat.
Po's gaze fell on the bed. Then he glanced up at the sky. "Well, a dragon warrior saves everyone in need."
He ran forward, but before he could reach the bed, Chiwa jumped in his way. Po's eyebrows furrowed. "Alright, you want a fight? Well, you can have that!"
Chiwa wanted to strike a new blow with her sleeve stripes, but Po jumped to the side and annoyed her with twisted grimaces. This didn't make the peahen angry uncontrollably, but it made her aggressive. The grip around her sleeve tightened. She raised her wings and hit the panda again with the whip-like stripes on her sleeve. Po dodged them and the fabric fringes of her black robe did not hit the panda, but the pillar, which accidentally wrapped around it. Po took the opportunity, took two of the strips of clothing and tied them to the pillar. When the peahen realized that she was stuck, she tore at her robe like mad.
Quickly, Po ran to the bed, tore the ropes that held the blue peacock and dragged him to the door.
"Don't stand there like rotten skeletons!" Chiwa yelled when she saw this. "Grab them!"
The geckos had recovered from the whiplash of the Hun slowly, but immediately they took up the chase.
"Get out of here quickly!" Po called when he finally stood over the threshold into the hallway. Liu was totally relieved that he got Xiang out. Only Shen didn't approve of it.
"How… can you…?"
"There is no time to do analyzes!" Po cut him off.
Since Xiang was still completely paralyzed, it was up to Huan to carry him. Wang was strong enough to lift the weakened Yin-Yu and the injured Shen at the same time. Po grabbed Shenmi and together they ran down the corridor.
"After them!" They heard the voice of the geckos.
In the next moment, Po got an idea. He knocked over a mug that was on the wall with all the cleaning things. The jug broke, and left a liquid on the floor. Since it was dark in the hallway, the geckos did not notice the mishap and slipped on it one after the other.
"We have to get away from here!" Wang said during the race. "It's not safe here."
"Where should we go?" Po asked, panting.
"To the stairs!"
In the meantime, Chiwa had taken her knife out of her robe and cut the knotted sleeve strips from her robe. She looked angrily at her damaged dress. "Darn it. That was my best evening costume!"
Finally, the fleeing troop had reached the main door. Once there, Wang called the two guards who were on guard at the door.
"Close the gate quickly and down the stairs!" the King of the Huns ordered.
The guards asked no questions. As soon as the last one was through, they barricaded the gate. Just in time before the first gecko could jump after them.
"Down the stairs?" Po repeated. "That is the first good news I get to hear today."
Po was extremely happy to be back down in the valley finally. No sooner had he crossed the last step, he threw himself on the floor and kissed it.
"Back on mountain-free land at last." But immediately he was back on his feet. "But what do we do now?"
Wang, who was right behind him, was strong but needed a short break. Gently he took off Yin-Yu first and shortly afterwards Shen.
"How is he?" Po asked worriedly.
But he wasn't the only one who was worried.
"Daddy, are you okay?" Shenmi asked anxiously.
"I fell... already... better…" Shen tried to calm her down.
The white peacock struggled to get to his feet, but he kept convulsing and holding his stomach.
"He needs a doctor," Wang said firmly.
Po looked around searching. "Where is one?"
"Our army doctor has settled here," Wang told him.
Po lifted his head in amazement. "Oh, isn't that the one who we already know?"
The former army doctor of the Huns lived in a small house in the western part of the city. Since the Huns ruled the city, he had preferred to spend his retirement there. However, that wouldn't be allowed to him tonight. No sooner had the group reached the house than Wang did not knock, but simply kicked the door in. Fortunately, he didn't have to look for long. No sooner had he found the bedroom, he simply pulled the monkey out of bed. But the doctor was instantly wide awake and recognized in seconds who had broken into his house. He was used to such lightning situations from the war.
In the meantime, the others had already gathered in the first room directly behind the front door. Shen was lying on some kind of sofa. Yin-Yu stood next to him and stroked Shenmi's back and head, who was still lying in Po's arms. Huan had put Xiang in a corner somewhere. Liu crouched next to him and kept trying to get him out of his trance state. But he still did not react to outside influences.
Everyone lifted their heads in relief when the doctor came in with Wang.
"What happened here?" the monkey wondered, who was still in his pajamas.
"You have to come here," Yin-Yu said, waving him over.
The doctor's gaze fell on Xiang as he crossed the room. "Oh, he recovered better than I thought," he remarked as he passed. But then all of his attention turned to Shen, who lay cramped on the sofa.
"How are you?" the doctor asked.
"Used to be… better before," Shen gasped.
"Where does it hurt?"
Shen pointed to the left side of his stomach. The doctor nodded and pushed a part of the robe aside and examined the small puncture site. Gently, he touched his stomach. Shen inhaled audibly each time. Yin-Yu couldn't help but calmly hold his wing. With each palpation, another worry line formed on the doctor's forehead.
"Mm. The stomach is getting hard…" he muttered. "This is not good."
"What's wrong with him?" Po wanted to know immediately.
"I would say internal bleeding." Finally, after a few scans, the monkey raised his head resolutely. "I have to operate."
"Now?!" Po's mouth stayed open. Not because of the operation, but because of something else. "We can't stay here! They could find us here at any time!"
The doctor shrugged. "I can't cut him open while I'm running. If we wait longer, he'll bleed to death inside."
There was silence. Shenmi began to cry softly in Po's arms. Po thought hard and rubbed his chin. Then his face brightened.
"Hey! I have an idea!"
Everyone looked at him. "And what would it be?"
"To the ship!"
The seafarers were visibly surprised when somebody called them for a departure. Even more at the sight of all the additional passengers. But when they saw the wounded lord in the arms of the king of the Huns, they were finally wide awake and loosened the lines.
"We'd better get him below deck," Wang suggested, assuming that the doctor needed an undisturbed corner for his procedure. In the rush, he had not only left his bag on, but also his pajamas.
"That's a good idea," the monkey agreed and hurried down a wooden staircase.
Po quickly pushed the little Shenmi back into Liu's wing. "Okay, you stay here. I'll be right back."
As soon as Shenmi had changed the place, she stretched her wings wailing towards Po. "I want to stay with daddy!"
Po raised his arms reassuringly. "Do not worry. I'll be right back."
He hurried down the stairs. Wang and the doctor had retired to the main cabin. Po slipped in quickly.
"What do you need now?" Wang asked.
"A straight surface," the doctor said. "A table would be the best."
Po looked around and saw the large dining table. He quickly threw down everything that was on it, shook out the tablecloth and laid it flat again on it.
Then Wang put the peacock on it.
Shen tried hard to keep calm. He knew injuries where blood flowed, but this was largely unknown to him. The monkey wasted no time. As soon as the peacock was on the table, he took out a bottle and soaked a cloth with the liquid it contained.
"Take a nice inhale," he ordered, holding it in front of Shen's nose.
Immediately, Shen took a few strong breaths. He didn't want to feel any more pain. And it wasn't long before his body went limp.
"It would be good if someone held a lamp for me," the doctor said and glanced at the panda. "Do you think you could do that?"
Po looked at him uncertainly. "Uh, well... well I don't know..."
At that moment, the doctor took a small, sharp knife out of his pocket. When Po saw the scalpel, he decided to retreat to the door.
"Uh, I'd better wait outside. Maybe I will find someone who would be better qualified for this..."
"I'll do it," Wang offered himself.
Po smiled gratefully at him and hastily he closed the door. As soon as it was closed, he breathed a sigh of relief. Then he hurried back on deck. Shenmi ran to meet him there.
"What about, daddy?" She asked him immediately. "Is he dying now?"
The panda stroked her head reassuringly. "No, no, of course not." He leaned down to her with a forced smile. "Do not worry. Your father is just not doing so well right now. He will only be with the doctor for a short time and then he will feel better again. - But you could do him a favor."
The peacock girl bowed her head. "What favor?"
"Go to your mother and take care of her a little. I think she needs someone to comfort her now."
He took the girl and walked with her to the side of the ship where the others had sat down, exhausted. By now the ship was almost out of port. With worried face, Po looked up at the mountain.
The black and purple peahen stood high up in the palace by the window and stared into the night at the valley. She didn't turn around when Tongfu came running into the room.
"We lost sight of them for a short time," the gecko reported. "But they left with the ship."
He waited a moment. When he got no answer, he continued to ask.
"Shall we pursue them?"
The peahen turned away from the window. "Well, well, what's the rush?" And walked calmly across the room. This reaction surprised the gecko.
"Huh? But that had been your goal all along. - Or have you changed your mind? If yes, we want our money for our effort."
Chiwa stopped briefly. Then she laughed. "Who says I've changed my mind?"
She stroked her cut sleeve strips.
"And why are we still sitting here?" Tongfu wanted to know, but Chiwa remained calm.
"No matter where they flee to, they will come back."
"And why should they do that?"
"The silver-eyed thing had been very talkative. We just need a new lure."
The gecko didn't understand anything anymore. "Huh? For whom? I thought you just wanted the blue bird. I hardly think that he can be lured voluntarily like a mouse with cheese."
Meanwhile, Chiwa had sat down on a chair and slowly folded her wings.
"His ex mentioned that she has three more little chicks." She let a few seconds pass before her gaze fell on Tongfu.
"Make your way to Gongmen City and bring me the other little brats from him," she ordered.
Tongfu raised his eyebrows in surprise. "What for?"
The peahen gave an annoyed snort. "You probably didn't notice that this pale bird has a grudge against my magnificent nephew."
"Isn't that normal?" the gecko asked, scratching his head. "I have heard that male peacocks are quite predisposed to territory..."
"Anyway," she interrupted and waved him away. "Now go. It's best to take a couple of mountain vultures. You will be there with them tomorrow morning at the latest."
The gecko was about to turn around when he thought of something else. "And what if the white bird has died in the meantime? I'm not very familiar with your methods of killing, but he didn't look good after your treatment."
"Then it will just stick to her," Chiwa said indifferently. "Then she just has to decide on her own. Either the life of my nephew or... the life of her offspring." A cold smile slipped across her beak. "Just maybe."